Movies of 2022: My Favorites
Graphic by Kaci Kopf
My favorite pastime is watching movies. As a college student, my days are measured in tasks, assignments, errands, and due dates. When things get a bit much, my remedy of choice is to escape reality through immersing myself in a film. I live within walking distance of a movie theater, which is a perk I’ve definitely taken advantage of for catching recent releases. To celebrate our recent entry into 2023, here is a list of films from the past year that I highly recommend giving a watch.
Barbarian
Barbarian tells the story of a woman who, upon arriving at her AirBnB, finds out there is already someone there. She decides to spend the night with the stranger, which is nerve-wracking in itself, but things only get scarier after the protagonist discovers a door in the basement that leads even further down. I was pleasantly surprised by the nuance that was given to the principal antagonist.
Bones and All
This film is not for the faint of heart. However, its disturbing nature is counterbalanced by a surprisingly tender and beautiful love story. I really enjoyed the score as well – it was done by the same musicians that composed The Social Network’s score and has been a staple for my studying during finals. The eerie string-section sound accentuates the film’s rural, Midwestern landscape. The acting from both Taylor Russell and Timothée Chalamet is outstanding and I am crossing my fingers that Russell gets an Academy Award nomination.
Bodies Bodies Bodies
This is such a fun slasher and overall a great watch—especially with a big group! Satire is a tricky thing to land but this film nails it perfectly. Rachel Sennott and Myha'la Herrold are the standout performances; their acting choices are intriguing and line deliveries brilliant. The ending was a great twist that reminded me why I love movies, especially ones that don’t take themselves too seriously!
After Yang
This film has arguably the best opening credits sequence ever. After Yang tackles grief and what it means to be human. The story is set in a future reality where androids are used as companions for adopted children to stay connected to their heritage. When the family’s android, Yang, malfunctions, the parents grapple over whether to have him repaired or let him go, and thus question what constitutes a family member.
Cha Cha Real Smooth
Written, directed, produced, and starring Cooper Raiff, this film follows a recent college graduate who moves back home and begins working as a party starter for Bar- and Bat-Mitzvahs. He meets and strikes up a relationship with an enigmatic woman (played by Dakota Johnson) and her autistic daughter. Cha Cha Real Smooth is a funny, charming, raw tale about being in your early twenties that I believe is a must-see from 2022.
Posters courtesy of IMDB.