Movies of 2022: The films that shaped my year
LONG LIVE THE CINEMA!
It’s January. The festive period is officially over and real life begins anew. But it doesn’t have to. Not yet, at least.
The holidays can live on in our hearts — and in The Rectangle too.
This season we’ve already looked at the best gadgets and music from 2022, but there’s something missing: movies.
So, today, we’re going to rectify that. Here are the films released in 2022 (in the Netherlands at least) that hit me the hardest.
Boiling Point
Goddamn I love a 90 minute movie — and bonus points when it’s this good.
Filmed in one take, Boiling Point finds Steven Graham at his absolute best as a chef on the edge of losing his business.
It’s a beautiful character study that observes different stratums of British society and the movie overflows with wonderful performances, capturing the tension of the restaurant business expertly.
The Banshees of Inisherin
A stone cold masterpiece.
Having previously worked on In Bruges together, The Banshees of Inisherin reunited writer and director Martin McDonagh with actors Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson — and the latest movie picks up right where they left off.
Well, in a tonal sense. The Banshees of Inisherin is a totally different beast, plot and setting wise.
The story takes place on a remote Irish island. Here, a lifelong friendship between the characters played by Farrell and Gleeson is ended, ripping up both their lives.
It’s touching and funny, a beautiful film that’s stuck with me for months, and one I won’t forget any time soon.
Everything Everywhere All At Once
Probably my favourite movie of the year. Everything Everywhere All At Once is metamodern masterpiece that’s equal parts comedy, drama, and action.
It’s rare for a movie to veer from pure laughs to heart-rending emotions, let alone for that transition to feel totally natural, but Everything Everywhere All At Once does it.
I can’t wait to see what its writers and directors the Daniels do next.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Listen, I’ll never, ever tire of watching Daniel Craig maraud through scenes as detective Benoit Blanc.
Give me more. Pump it into me until I swell up to the size of a city and explode.
The Northman
Robert Eggers (of The Witch and The Lighthouse fame) got a big bump in budget to make The Northman, and it’s a sight to behold.
Effectively a Viking revenge drama, Eggers crafts a world that’s not only brutal, but also dedicated to being as historically accurate as possible.
Oh, and let’s not forget The Northman’s lead, Alexander Skarsgård, being buff as fuck throughout.
Top Gun: Maverick
Silly? You bet. Fun? More than a bouncy castle filled with puppies. Who like blowing things up. In fast planes. And Tom Cruise.
There you have it!
My favourite movies from 2022 compiled into a handy list. Similar to last week’s album round-up, there are going to be some excellent films I’ve missed, but that’s the way of these things, isn’t it?
If there are any movies you think I have to check out from this year, let me know in the comments. And I’ll see you next week where The Rectangle will get seriously into 2023.