Drew Favors’ Top 10 Films of 2022

It’s easy to say that 2022 was the greatest comeback year for films since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and even a few years before it. Films that have been in “development hell” for years, or passion projects that have slipped by various studio goalies, have emerged to create a nostalgic cinematic experience that I have yearned for but have not been able to experience in so long.

With the cinema landscape having been open to the public continuously over the past year, Hollywood, and some more silent heavy hitters, have emerged to bring beautiful films both internationally and domestically. Since the release of films this year has been so broad, I would like to start off with a few honorable mentions that didn’t quite make the Top 10 cut, but rightfully deserve recognition for their stellar achievements in filmmaking. Keep in mind, these mentions will be brief.

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Sarah Kelley’s Top 10 Films of 2022

2022 was the greatest year for cinema since COVID, and that has a lot to do with the fact theaters stayed open the full 12 months. Despite worries from top theater chains, it seems that a few years of at-home streaming has not led to the downfall of the classic cinema experience. I mean, Avatar: The Way of Water made $2 billion worldwide, people are clearly still spending money on movie tickets.

For the first full year of releases uninterrupted by shutdowns, Hollywood delivered. Many long-awaited sequels came out this year, as well as some unexpected original gems. Once again, seeing the Oscar nominations list only serves as a reminder to how much I missed, but I really tried this year. Between my newfound appreciation for indie and arthouse cinema, and my Regal Unlimited subscription, I swear 2023 will be the year I finally see a majority of the new releases. But for now, here’s 10 of the movies I did manage to see last year, and thoroughly enjoy. 

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Review: ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ is Mythic Filmmaking

The brutal churn of state-sanctioned violence beyond America’s borders inevitably takes its toll on the people who make up the armed forces. The original Top Gun can be read as comrades coping with intense, dangerous pressure through fierce competition, though it would require overlooking how it is chiefly a (albeit very fun!) piece of American military jingoism. However, even it acknowledges that service is not without sacrifice and that some will inevitably be put in harm’s way for the sake of protecting a nation’s interests.

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Brenna Robinson’s Top 10 Films of 2022

I’m not sure I’m qualified to declare whether or not it’s been a “good year” for film. Like everyone else, I spent the first two years of the pandemic watching movies in my bedroom, so to have an entire year that felt almost normal– the theaters opening again, delayed projects finally getting released— is enough for me to count 2022 as a massive win. The fact that some of the new releases from this year have made their way onto my list of all-time favorites certainly doesn’t hurt either. 

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