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Our global culture of binging online series and spending hours each week watching newly-released movies make us feel as if we have entered another universe in which we can’t be a part of ourselves. 2022 has been an amazing year for the film industry. The unforgettable projects of Elvis, Top Gun: Maverick, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Everything Everywhere All at Once, and much more! As someone who almost has an addiction to Regal in Bellingham, notably seeing around sixty movies in person over the course of 2022, here are some of my favorite film releases from the past year.
Elvis
If you haven’t already seen this legendary biography, I’m not sure what to tell you. This might just be the #1 movie of the year and will be known as one of the best of the 2020s. Highlighting the iconic life of the “King of Rock”, Elvis Presley, it takes its viewers on a roller-coaster ride through the relationship between him and his manager. Elvis was played by Austin Butler, an ex-Disney actor, who got so into his role his voice has completely changed over the past two years since he began filming.
The Elvis movie is available on HBO Max, just like many other best new releases of the year.
Top Gun: Maverick
This had to be on the list; the continuation of one of the most iconic movies of the 1980s. Maverick starts out as a spell of nostalgia and leads into a thrilling story as a new-found team of Navy Aviators conquer an extremely challenging mission with the help of the legendary Tom Cruise. The beginning of the movie is a transition from the older movie into the technology of the modern decade; this is seen when Tom Cruise, call-sign Maverick, is flying the Dark Star jet and reaches over Mach 10, a speed not possible back in 1986.
This is a great movie for people who love a good thrill, aviation, stories about the naval air force, or anyone in general who loves a good movie. You can stream this movie on Paramount Plus.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
Turning in a different direction, this has to be the best horror movie I have ever seen. Instead of a basic horror movie with constant jumpscares that almost give you a heart attack, this movie will emotionally affect you with the overall drama and eeriness. The movie covers these souls of demons who take over various souls, first of a Massachusetts eight-year-old boy and requires an exorcism to release it. The main characters of The Conjuring series, Ed and Lorraine Warren, try to solve the case of demonic possession.
Supposedly this is a movie of a real case, which includes when Arne Johnson is arrested for ending the life of his landlord and pleads not guilty due to demonic possession. As well, the end of the movie shows the real tape of the exorcism. Do you think the story is real or just a cash grab?
Last Night in Soho
A shout-out to one of my personal favorites of the year, Last Night in Soho. I know this was not a popular release, but this was a movie I was waiting for its release for months after seeing its transcendent trailer. This movie covers a fashion student who moves from rural England to London to attend one of the best fashion colleges in the world. Throughout the movie, Eloise, the main character, reminisces about her mother who unfortunately passed. There is not much I could tell without spoiling, but this is a psychological thriller that will not leave you bored. She soon realizes the glamour of London is all just a fake fantasy.
Go watch this movie on HBO Max right now!
The Batman
I could rave about more than forty more movies but if I had to choose one to round out these top 5, it has to be The Batman. This was a cultural reset and I know you all remember how fanatic the world went when it was released. You don’t need a summary, but if you somehow have not seen it already, this is for you. Robert Pattinson portrays Batman in a more realistic perspective, as a goth who is still trying to grieve the death of his parents. Throughout this movie, Pattinson tracks down a cryptic killer who has been targeting important political figures in Gotham City. There is no way to describe how this movie makes you feel. The Batman is a breathtaking piece of contrasted cinematography. There are no words to describe the quality put into this film. The only way you can understand is to watch it with the lights completely off and your bass on high. I might just have to re-watch it myself. Do you remember when they brought back the song "Something in The Way" by Nirvana and the world went nuts? Something for both our generation and our parents’.
Just like many other fantastic movies, stream this on HBO Max.
Of course, these are all my opinions, but that does not deny the fact these five films are of the utmost quality possible. If you’re looking for something to watch, I promise you won’t be disappointed with the choices from this list.
