BOT Top 25 movies of 2022 | The forum hits the Danger Zone

[grim22]

#9

Spoiler

TAR

 

 

 

 

Haven’t seen, but I hear Blanchett’s performance is great

 

User reviews:

Enjoyed this and was mostly engaged throughout but my interest did start to wane eventually. It's not a slog by any means, just kinda slow and cerebral for me. I need more excitement or humor or something if a movie's gonna be this long and slow paced. 

 

The ending was fun and the dubstep song during the end credits suggested the film wasn't taking itself as seriously as the lead character takes herself. I feel like the movie overall could've benefitted more from that kinda humorous tongue in cheek tone.

@MOVIEGUY

 

Amazing. Cate Blanchett’s performance is a force. @Maggie

 

[grim22]

#8

 

Spoiler

THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN

 

 

 

 

A story of friendship and how the worst enemies come from the best of friends. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson both give really understated and really good performances and this follow-up by the In Bruges team surpasses that movie.

 

User reviews:

What a fantastic film.

@Ithil

 

Yeah this is an easy 5/5 for me. I really dug how the film tackled loneliness and isolation and the insecurities it places on people. All four leads are exemplary and it's utterly hilarious too. Be hard for any other film this year to top this.

@Eric is Norlar Aver

 

10/10, A masterpiece and masterclass in cinematic minimalism. I still favor EEAAO for awards season (in an ideal world, Banshees takes original screenplay and editing, EEAAO takes directing & best picture) , and while it's objectively more cohesive than Seven Psychopaths, that's still my favorite McDonagh film.

@OncomingStorm93

Amazing movie and the whole cast was just incredible. McDonagh's best since In Bruges quite easily. I hope Colin wins for this.

@Joel M

 

[grim22]

#7

 

Spoiler

THE FABELMANS

 

 

 

 

 

Haven’t seen, I know that Michelle Williams felt like she was the lead when filming.

 

User reviews:

I felt every bit of me in this movie. Just wish I had the initiative to start making movies since I was in school.

@lorddemaxus

 

Liked this a lot. Instantly one of my favorite Spielbergs. It's unexpectedly hilarious (the theater was HOWLING, who knew Spielberg was this funny) and not as saccharine as implied. Not as good as like Licorice Pizza or Lady Bird but obviously superior to, like, Belfast and fits snugly in the man's filmography. The Lynch scene will play in career retrospectives for the rest of his life. All-timer final shot. There's a real melancholy to the whole thing. Grapples with the surrendering power and impact of imagery, the camera as aggressor. But it's staged with Spielberg's trademark verve. The graceful acrobats of the evolving long takes, immaculate blocking, bouncy command of tone that veers away from meandering. 

 

I think it will play well once it expands. I don't know about winning Oscars, but it's a reminder of why movies are so important culturally, especially experiencing them in theaters. They're our social passport.

@BestPicturePlutoNash

 

Flat out loved this. The whole cast is great, especially Paul Dano and the guy who played the teenage Spielberg. Art about art.

 

5/5

@A Star is Delayed

 

[grim22]

#6

 

Spoiler

RRR

 

 

 

 

Literally no idea how this movie – the most Indian movie possible – suddenly became a big sensation in the US and beyond. SS Rajamouli cashing in his blank check earned from the Bahubali series gives us a completely fictionalized version of the lives of 2 freedom fighters and in doing so doesn’t hold back on anything. Everything here is super-sized, from the plot to the action scenes to the songs and even the dances. One of India’s biggest movies ever and a worthy if surprising #6 on this list.

Celebrate with a dance fight:

 

User Reviews:

Enjoyed this high voltage action bonanza on the big screen after a long time.

 

Sheer brilliance in terms of story telling filled with emotions and beautiful visuals makes this movie so special.

 

Loved Ram Charan (Cop) in the movie...he literally peaked in his introduction scene itself and also as his story progressed too!

 

10/10

@John Rambo

 

This movie has some of the craziest action I’be ever seen in a movie! It goes over the top to the point where Fast & Furious is running (er, driving) for its money. This movie is worth seeing in theaters!

@Hogar SLAM!

 

Naacho Naacho will win the Oscar - @charlie Jatinder in May 2022

 

[grim22]

To show how close #2 to #5 are, here are the points totals for the Top 5. Reveals tomorrow

 

1		2600
2		1897
3		1875
4		1855
5		1836

[TwoMisfits]

So, did I vote for 1-5 b/c I think only 2-3 of my top 10 have shown up so far, counting 100-176 and 25-6...

[Eric Deetz]

Rough prediction

1. Top Gun: Maverick

2. Everything Everywhere All at Once

3. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

4. Avatar: The Way of Water

5. The Batman

 

Just feels right.

[grim22]

#5

 

Spoiler

AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER

 

 

 

 

James Cameron returns after a decade and reminds everyone to never best against him with this sequel which while not reaching the heights of the original still did really really well worldwide. Another pioneering VFX marvel which kind of upped the baseline for acceptable VFX in other movies like the original did as well. No one does it quite like Cameron

 

 

 

 

 

 

User reviews:

Went to see this today only because I was Christmas shopping in my nearest mall which happens to have a movie theatre and when I finished my shopping I said why not and bought a ticket. For full disclosure I thought the first Avatar was bang average. This one was hard to rate. The last quarter/third really saves this movie. That and of course the visuals which were the only good thing about this movie until the end. Thankfully film is a visual medium so just being pretty to look at can carry you far, far enough that cringe worthy dialogue and teen plots that would have been trite in a 2000s CW drama can be mostly forgiven.

 

B+

@glassfairy

 

Unquestionably the most visually stunning movie ever made, and manages to evoke the same sense of wonder and beauty as the original did when it was released in '09. Overall I think this might be a step down from the first, as the earlier movie's "stranger in a new setting" plot connected better than the "protecting the family" one here, but it expands the world of Pandora well, manages to be pretty engaging throughout its very long 192 minute runtime without many moments that drag, and the 3D is absolutely breathtaking (all those diving/underwater sequences: WOAH!).

 

But most importantly, this is evidence that there is arguably no filmmaker as capable of putting together a stellar action sequence or a breathtakingly pretty shot as James Cameron is. What he accomplishes here manages to surpass his efforts on the first movie, which is no easy achievement. He makes you feel like you are very much inside the movie experiencing this universe instead of simply marveling at beautiful images. It's a truly BIG SCREEN experience.

 

While this isn't an actor's movie, there are still solid performances across the board from both those returning and those new. Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana are once again perfect leads for these movies even though Jake and Netyiri don't get nearly as much development here as they did in the previous one due to Cameron's choice to give their kids the spotlight. Stephen Lang makes Quartich a truly iconic villain: it's no easy feat for an actor to somehow humanize a genocidal madman who will do whatever it takes to accomplish his goals. Kate Winslet (giving us a Titanic reunion with Cameron) and Cliff Curtis fit perfectly within this universe. I actually thought all of the young performers did well here (the Spider character could've easily been a nuisance but Jack Champion makes the only notable "human" character in the movie more engaging than otherwise might've been the case), although I did have to chuckle at and applaud the audacity of Cameron for bringing Sigourney Weaver back to have the 73-year-old play a teenager (eat your heart out, Ben Platt). 

 

These movies will never be revered for their writing, but when the filmmaking is just on this level of perfect, who is really going to complain? I absolutely enjoyed my second trip to Pandora 13 years after my first, and I look forward to revisiting this universe again two Christmases from now when the third movie arrives.

 

A-

@filmlover

 

This movie was an experience. Yes, the dialogue is clunky, and some storylines are cliched but the whole experience of it washes all that away from me. I was in complete awe and wonder at what I was watching. I actually teared up by the incredible beauty, took my breath away. I thought the whole family angle was quite moving at times. I really liked this film.

@Godzilla

 

[grim22]

#4

 

Spoiler

PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH

 

 

 

 

 

Another decade later sequel right after Avatar 2. The best animated movie of the year as chosen by the forums. A surprisingly great movie and just a lot of fun, with the best personification of death since The Seventh Seal or Bill and Ted 2. This was just great, no other words.

 

User reviews:

This was great

@RobrtmanAStarWarsReference

 

I absolutely loved this

@JWR

 

This was a great fun time. Lots of great action, heart and laughs. 

@Lion Roar

 

[grim22]

#3

 

Spoiler

THE BATMAN

 

 

 

 

The only CBM on the list this year, and marking the first year ever with no connected-universe CBMs on a year-end list @ZeeSoh. The Batman was the shot in the arm DC movies needed in what was a light year for them and before the transition year of 2022. A rare Batman movie with focus on Batman rather than Bruce Wayne or the villain, and the first one in which he doesn’t reveal his identity to anyone. A throwback to film noir movies including the detective always being a step behind and getting badly beaten up. One of my personal favorite movies of the year as well

 

User reviews:

Solid 8/10. 

I’ll paraphrase what I said in other thread. The film is formally sophisticated (the opening De Palma riff) in an exciting way that reminds you how visual these films should be. The frames are clear, wise usage of soft-focus, thoughtful compositions as opposed to generic coverage and singles. The score is triumphant and thrilling. Script unfolds organically for most part given runtime. No egregious exposition or plot contrivances. No real boredom. The themes are emotionally realized—Batman gets a cathartic art of heroism which makes the flood scene sustain the third act-with each character and plot movement juxtaposing wisely. Riddler might be too similar to Ledger’s anarchist Joker but the point of movie is Batman making sense of his importance.. which is Riddler’s main goal as well. He needs to be more than an icon of vengeance, otherwise he will just inspire more evil like Riddler. The morality of politics seamlessly are woven into this dynamic. The Thomas stuff could have been bad and is slightly creaky as it goes from the Falcone scene to Alfred scene but contextualizes entire movie. (Good guys can make mistakes because they believe in a moral code that is sometimes contradictory.). Overall, just felt like a complete vision, minus the ridiculous Joker scene.

 

The performances are all good. No major standout but they work in unison. Yeah, this Wayne is one-note by design because he is a recluse only dedicated to Batman. No interest in playing two sides (which Riddler points out) but Pattinson plays the numb, submerged role with appropriate sociopathic defeat. Dano is very hammy in his Ledger impression but it wasn’t detrimental. Kravitz is very charismatic and nails the vigilantism of Catwoman. I don’t think she came close to the sexual volcanism of Pfeiffer but carried this portrayal. Wright’s Gordon is a bit underwritten but the good-natured appeal makes his relationship with Batman endearing. Serkis is fine but his last scene with Bruce brought home Alfred’s loyalty. Farrell was ok. Turturro is always good.

@BestPicturePlutoNash

 

 

One of those movies where you can feel it's length but not care because of how engaging it is. A-

@Skim Beeble

 

Never knew I was craving three-hour neo-noir mystery goodness on a behemoth epic scale this badly until tonight. Quite messy, yet so riveting, thrilling, and immersive, nonetheless. Matt Reeves' grim and gritty Fincher-esque vision doesn't necessarily radically re-vamp the titular character or his respective mythos in a way that takes it to new, undiscovered heights, but this still feels refreshingly ambitious among the modern slate of superhero blockbusters that, at this point, have morphed into an indiscernible, beige blob for this viewer. Not my favorite Batman film by any means, but most certainly an unforgettable one that I cannot wait to re-visit.

 

4/5

@Rorschach

 

I liked it a lot. 4.5/5

@Lorieth

 

[TwoMisfits]

2 minutes ago, grim22 said:

#4

 

  Hide contents

PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH

 

 

 

 

 

Another decade later sequel right after Avatar 2. The best animated movie of the year as chosen by the forums. A surprisingly great movie and just a lot of fun, with the best personification of death since The Seventh Seal or Bill and Ted 2. This was just great, no other words.

 

User reviews:

This was great

@RobrtmanAStarWarsReference

 

I absolutely loved this

@JWR

 

This was a great fun time. Lots of great action, heart and laughs. 

@Lion Roar

 

 

Only #4?  Puss was robbed!:)  Although (not that it was on my list), I'm more shocked Avatar was only #5 - I just assumed the board would push that to #1...

Edited April 1, 2023 by TwoMisfits

[CoolioD1]

puss in boots i don't get it. every year there's some dumb cartoon i feel like the internet hypes to high heavens.

[grim22]

#2

 

Spoiler

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

 

 

 

The first ever movie with a dildo fight to win Best Picture. EEAAO was another movie dealing with generational trauma, and it did so within a sci-fi universe setting. It just feels so expansive that it almost flies under the radar that it is actually set in just 2 locations – the IRS office and the laundromat. Great performances anchor the story, such great performances that 4 of 5 actors were nominated for awards and 3 of them won. It also gave us the laundry and taxes meme

 

 

 

User reviews:

highlight of the movie was when someone in the back shouted "did they just turn into a fucking rock?!" during a moment of dead silence.

 

fantastic from start to finish. michelle yeoh has never been better and the plot is amazingly easy to follow given how dense it is. honestly better than anything i saw last year. the last hour goes on a bit too long but i was having so much fun i didn't mind. stephanie hsu is MVP and needs to be in more things.  

A/A+ 

@Eevin

 

A film that lives up to the grandiosity of its title, Everything Everywhere All at Once is one of the most joyous times I’ve had watching a movie in a theatre in *years*. Under the highly energetic yet laser-focused direction of Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (the Daniels), the film is practically bursting at the seams with wild visuals, creative decisions as effective as they are odd, and pure, unbridled energy as it barrels from one eye-popping, convention-defying scene to the next. There is so much going on visually and aurally that I could rattle off descriptions of any twenty images or gags out of context, and you wouldn’t necessarily be able to piece together what they mean – and somehow, they all cohere beautifully in the film itself. And yet, for all the stunning action and broad comedic energy on display, it also tells a satisfying story and sticks the landing on poignant emotional beats concerning family, love, and intergenerational trauma. In front of the camera, the cast is loaded with impressively varied and layered work across the entire ensemble. Michelle Yeoh leads the way with some of the fullest and most impressive work of her entire career. Yeoh is masterful in crafting unassuming laundromat owner-turned-possible multiverse savior Evelyn as a rich, complex, and convincing character whose emotional journey throughout the film feels real at every strange turn. Stephanie Hsu is also mightily impressive as Joy, Evelyn’s troubled daughter, nailing her broader moments with gusto and her more intimate moments with convincingly tender humanity. After a lengthy absence from the screen, Ke Huy Quan – best known as Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom – is a blast to watch as dramatically different versions of Evelyn’s husband, Waymond; he’s enjoyably badass when scenes call for it, and also hilarious in his meek nebbishness when he needs to be. There are also numerous hilarious moments to around for James Hong, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jenny Slate, and – somehow – even Glee alum Harry Shum, Jr. The craft work is also impeccable, from the aspect ratio-shifting cinematography to inventive set and costume design, and incredibly clever editing and visual effects techniques that play a significant role in the filmmakers succeeding in their go-for-broke approach. I get the feeling that the raves for this film might ultimately feel a bit hyperbolic and lead to unreasonably high expectations for viewers who are later to the party (fitting as hyperbole is for a film that is practically hyperbole made manifest as cinema), but if you’re on this film’s wavelength, it is such a propulsive piece of pure cinematic bravura that it’s hard *not* to be bullish in praising it. If you’re starved for a truly singular cinematic experience, run out and see it.
 

A

 

@Webslinger

 

Haven't cried at the theatres in a while. 

 

A+

@Wormow

 

[grim22]

#1

 

Spoiler

TOP GUN: MAVERICK

 

 

 

It feels like this movie was nailed down in #1 place right about when afternoon shows started on opening weekend Friday. One of the few movies this year that everyone could agree upon for the most part. Tom Cruise anchored an actual good legacy sequel and by the end of the movie proved that he is better than the people the studio wants anchoring any future movies like he did to Jeremy Renner a decade ago.

The movie has some of the best action sequences of the year in the flight scenes, the homo-eroticism toned down from the first movie somehow, and a really good supporting cast.

With more #1 positions on lists than any other movie, this is definitely a worthy winner and BOT’s #1 movie of 2022.

 

User reviews:

A++

 

The Cruise missile was on target baby! Action is top notch, score is incredible, acting is so good ... they gave another homoerotic/erotic in general scene, what more can anyone ask for. 

@Potiki

 

This is a movie you definitely need to see on the biggest screen possible.  
 

If I had to make a comparison, I’d say Top Gun is Toy Story and Maverick is Toy Story 2.

 

The original had more character building and iconic scenes, but the second is more polished. Pacing is excellent in Maverick with maybe only one scene I’d cut out.  It pays just the right amount of tribute to the original while vastly improving the dog fighting/cockpit scenes.  
 

The new batch of pilots get the job done but none are in the same league as Iceman or Goose.  It was great seeing Val on screen, especially after all he’s been through. 
 

4.6/5 

@Jim Shorts

 

Overall really enjoyed it. The plane stuff was great and so was Maverick, Cruise kills it. The team was a bit underdeveloped and cliche, but they had good energy and the pacing helped cover it up. Left the theater feeling exhilarated. A. 

@Menor Reborn

 

Fantastic sequel, one of the best movie theater experiences I've ever had.  Honestly, everyone needs to see this, regardless of interest level.  It's THAT good.  

 

A+

@AtomBom

 

An exhilarating, surprisingly emotional, and overall much more satisfying movie than the iconic original that ranks as the best action movie of the last several years. The writing is better, the action scenes possess a higher "wow!" factor, and it tones down the cheesier elements of the 1986 flick that render it very much a product of its era watching it today.

This is what the big screen was made for. The aerial fight sequences are absolutely breathtaking on a giant PLF screen, and a refreshing change of pace from the CGI-fests that dominate action tentpoles circa 2022. Director Joseph Kosinski (reuniting with Tom Cruise after Oblivion and with a couple of his cast members from his previous movie, 2017's masterful and criminally overlooked Only the Brave) and the producers have made great effort to ensure that the gargantuan budget shows up on the screen, and it does.

 

But as impressive as it is technically, what makes this work much better than the average blockbuster is that it never once forgets about the characters at the heart of it all. Tom Cruise slips back into the role that catapulted him to superstardom 36 years ago with ease, delivering a older Maverick that is less cocky and more introspective. He's abetted with a strong supporting cast that includes Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, and our new lord and savior Glen Powell, along with an emotional one scene return from Val Kilmer, but this is Cruise's movie all the way.

 

Most untimely sequels that languish in development hell for so long run the risk of disappointing by the time they eventually get made (Independence Day: Resurgence, anyone?). But not here. This is a top-notch sequel that was worth both the 36 years it took to hit screens and the 2 that it spent sitting on the shelf due to unforeseen circumstances.

 

A

@filmlover

 

[cannastop]

5 minutes ago, CoolioD1 said:

puss in boots i don't get it. every year there's some dumb cartoon i feel like the internet hypes to high heavens.

Turning Red deserved its hype. Puss in Boots 2 IDK it was good tho

[TwoMisfits]

Okay, I'll take the BOT Top 5...good choices everyone!

 

And 96/99 on RT for Top Gun Maverick - has any movie ever gone higher? 

Edited April 1, 2023 by TwoMisfits

[grim22]

Here's the Top 35. Thanks for following along everyone. Until next year.

 

#	Movie
1	Top Gun: Maverick
2	Everything Everywhere All At Once
3	The Batman
4	Puss in Boots 2: The Last Wish
5	Avatar 2
6	RRR
7	The Fabelmans
8	The Banshees of Inisherin
9	Tar
10	Turning Red
11	Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio
12	Glass Onion
13	Aftersun
14	The Northman
15	Nope
16	Decision to Leave
17	All Quiet on the Western Front
18	Elvis
19	The Woman King
20	Barbarian
21	The Menu
22	Ambulance
23	The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
24	Prey
25	Marcel the Shell with Shoes
26	Triangle of Sadness
27	Women Talking
28	Thirteen Lives
29	Babylon
30	Black Panther 2
31	Bones and All
32	Jackass Forever
33	Crimes of the Future
34	Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood
35	Hustle

[CoolioD1]

43 minutes ago, cannastop said:

Turning Red deserved its hype. Puss in Boots 2 IDK it was good tho

turning red and pinocchio i liked a lot yeah.

[charlie Jatinder]

On 3/28/2023 at 3:54 AM, grim22 said:

One other small fact - this year also sees a major first, something that has not happened since I started doing these lists. Not even in the Year-End 2020 list. I will reveal what exactly that is once #1 is revealed but it will be obvious prior to then.

What was this

 

[grim22]

12 minutes ago, charlie Jatinder said:

What was this

 

No connected universe CBMs on the list for the first time ever. No MCU, DCEU, Sony, X-Men or otherwise. The only CBM was a standalone in The Batman.