One thing to know about me is that I love movies. My apartment is covered with posters of my favorite movies as well as my favorite actors and actresses. 2019 is the last great year of movie releases, with instant classics like Parasite, Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood, Joker, Knives Out, and more. After the entertainment industry was hit with a downfall due to COVID, 2022 marked the return of movies. My visits to the movie theatre are at an all-time high, and I am so excited to rank and review ALL of the new movies I saw in 2022.
Scream
★★☆☆☆
The original Scream from 1996 is one of my favorite movies, and the sequels aren’t terrible, so I was excited when they announced they would make the fifth installment to the franchise. The movie was just fine. I liked how the original cast was in it, but other than that, the newer cast got on my nerves, and it felt like a repeated concept that I had seen in the previous installments.
The Batman
★★★☆☆
I did not see myself watching this movie because A) I am not a huge fan of superhero movies, and B) I don’t think Robert Pattinson is attractive. (THERE, I SAID IT!) But my younger brother begged me to watch it, so I knew I had to. Overall, it was okay. I was entertained, but it definitely was not my favorite movie of the year.
Top Gun: Maverick
★★★☆☆
I can’t lie when I say I went to this movie kicking and screaming. I really really dislike Tom Cruise, and I refuse to watch any movie he is in, but my family wanted to go see it, so I went with them. I enjoyed it mostly because of Glen Powell, Miles Teller, and the beach scene, but it felt like it was the same plot as the original Top Gun, but with different characters.
Elvis
★★★★★
This is, without a doubt, my favorite movie of the year. I saw it in the theatre FOUR times and did not get tired of it once. Austin Butler was FANTASTIC in it, and I hope he wins the Oscar for Best Actor because I have never seen a performance as convincing as this one. Everything about this movie is utterly addicting, from the music to the costuming to the acting and sets. It felt like you were watching the real Elvis Presley on the screen.
Minions: Rise of Gru
★★★☆☆
Yes, I was one of those teenagers who went to see Minions with my friends, and it did not disappoint. The movie was cute, and I love minions, but it felt weird being one of the oldest people watching a kid’s movie.
Thor: Love and Thunder
★☆☆☆☆
This was, by far, one of the worst movies I have seen all year. I went with my mom and brother to see it because he loves Marvel movies, my mom loves Chris Hemsworth, and I heard Christian Bale was in it. Unbeknownst to me, he was completely unrecognizable and looked horrifying. Other than that, the plot and acting were horrible, and the only good thing that came of it was spending time with my family.
The Princess
★★★★★
I love Princess Diana, so whenever a new documentary about her is released, I have to watch it, and this is my favorite one by far. It is told entirely through archival footage and zero interviews or confessionals. It is a unique concept as the viewer can see Diana’s life through the lens of footage almost as it is happening.
Don’t Worry Darling
★★★☆☆
Let’s be honest: I saw this movie THREE times in the theater because of Harry Styles, not because it was great. Forgetting about all of the drama surrounding the film’s release, the movie was pretty good. Florence Pugh did a phenomenal job, and Harry did just okay for his first acting job, although many diehard Harry Styles fans (I am) claim that he deserves an Oscar, which may be the most far-fetched opinion I have ever heard.
Amsterdam
★★☆☆☆
Let me start by saying that I in no way support or defend the director David O’Russell’s actions. I only went to see the movie because Margot Robbie, Christian Bale, and Taylor Swift were starring in it and they happen to be some of my favorite celebrities, and seeing them share the screen was something I could not miss. It was a star-studded cast, and they all delivered. I enjoyed it and thought the story was fascinating, but it dragged on way too long.
Blonde
☆☆☆☆☆
I debated whether I should watch this movie because I am a Marilyn Monroe fan but ultimately decided to because I was curious about what the movie would look like. This entire movie was incredibly disrespectful to Marilyn’s life and legacy and never should have been made. Ana De Armas did a fantastic job playing her, but I wish the movie were accurate to her life. I only enjoyed the accuracy of the costumes; everything else was a convoluted mess that felt like a nightmare.
My Policeman
★★★☆☆
I was really looking forward to seeing this movie, and honestly, I was very underwhelmed. The cinematography was beautiful, and the story had potential, but I don’t think it was executed correctly. The acting from everyone was just fine, and I was expecting so much more. It felt really slow and lacked a plot. I would have preferred it to be told chronologically and not in a back-and-forth timeline, as I think it would have created better plotlines and character development.
Bones and All
★★★☆☆
Let me start by saying I am 100000% a Timothée Chalamet girl and always will be. I have been a fan of his long before it was cool, trendy, or basic, so I was going to see Bones and All. I can’t lie when I say that I was incredibly nervous to see this film as I heard it was so gory people were forced to leave the theater because their stomachs could not handle watching. It was pretty gory, but not anything worth more than looking away from the screen. Overall, the cinematography was beautiful, and everyone–especially Mark Rylance–did an incredible job. Still, the plot was convoluted, and I felt bored.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
★★★★☆
I loved the first Knives Out and the sequel was just as explosive as the first. With yet another star-studded cast and Daniel Craig returning as detective Benoit Blanc, the movie was set on a private island in Greece. I was hoping Glass Onion would live up to the first movie, but sequels usually disappoint, so I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, and I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome. There were so many twists and turns, and the ending was very satisfying. I hope Rian Johnson continues making movies in this franchise because I really like them