I’ll start with the obvious. I watched far fewer films in 2022 compared to 2021, and fewer films in general since maybe 2016. Which is odd because by my estimation, 2022 is probably the best overall year in film since maybe 2018.
Maybe I was just more selective, but the truth is that I took a sizable step back in how many streaming films I covered this year, particularly Netflix originals. Similarly, I was far more choosy in terms of original series, as well, spending more of my time than ever catching up on modern anime.
Add in the fact that I got married, went to Europe and Africa for the first time, and finished my latest novel…it was a busy year. But certainly a memorable one in terms of the films I did see. As for what I haven’t seen yet, there are certainly a few bound to hit this list eventually. Argentina 1985, Close, Empire of Light, The Inspection, Bardo, Broker, The Eternal Daughter, and Causeway are just a few. If there are any you believe I should prioritize sooner rather than later, be sure to sound off your recommendations in the comments.
All right. Here are all the movies I saw in 2022, ranked from best to worst.
JON NEGRONI’S TOP FILMS OF 2022
- RRR
- Aftersun
- TÁR
- The Banshees of Inisherin
- Return to Seoul
- Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
- Nope
- Everything Everywhere All at Once
- All Quiet On The Western Front
- Happening
- Turning Red
- Decision to Leave
- Dual
- Fire of Love
- After Yang
- Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
- Benediction
- Nanny
- The Woman King
- Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood
- Top Gun: Maverick
- Aftershock
- Avatar: The Way of Water
- Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
- Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
- Utama
- Prey
- Fire Island
- Cha Cha Real Smooth
- Funny Pages
- Babylon
- The Fabelmans
- The Menu
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
- The Northman
- Mad God
- The Pale Blue Eye
- The Pink Cloud
- The Exiles
- Violent Night
- Barbarian
- Descendant
- The Black Phone
- EO
- I Want You Back
- Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
- 7 Days
- Chip’n Dale: Rescue Rangers
- Girl Picture
- Resurrection
- Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.
- Kimi
- You Won’t Be Alone
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
- The Princess
- Fresh
- Three Thousand Years of Longing
- Lady Chatterley’s Lover
- Downfall: The Case Against Boeing
- Halloween Ends
- I Get Knocked Down
- Till
- The Bad Guys
- The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales
- One Piece Film Red
- She Said
- Scream
- Emily the Criminal
- Bones and All
- Sea Beast
- We Need to Talk about Cosby
- The Batman
- Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America
- Am I OK?
- The House
- Emancipation
- Lucy and Desi
- Moonfall
- Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
- X
- The Lost City
- Thor: Love and Thunder
- Devotion
- Beanie Mania
- Bullet Train
- Spirited
- White Noise
- God’s Country
- Women Talking
- Hustle
- The Tinder Swindler
- Uncharted
- Armageddon Time
- Crimes of the Future
- Call Jane
- Master
- A Man Called Otto
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- Watcher
- The Bob’s Burgers Movie
- Not Okay
- Breaking
- No Exit
- The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
- When You Finish Saving the World
- jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy
- The Wonder
- Smile
- Ambulance
- Marry Me
- Summering
- Alice
- Something in the Dirt
- Spiderhead
- Where the Crawdads Sing
- Strange World
- The Good Nurse
- Bros
- The Adam Project
- Lightyear
- Elvis
- Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power
- Death on the Nile
- Memory
- Jurassic World Dominion
- Don’t Worry Darling
- The Whale
- Black Adam
- Blonde
- Texas Chainsaw Massacre
- Father Stu
- The 355
- Men
- Morbius
- Deep Water
- Pinocchio