THE FILMS OF 2022

In 2022, TV probably took over movies as the more popular visual/audio medium in the U.S. Conversations about what shows are you watching were unavoidable while getting into an in-depth discussion about any films that were released was a real challenge. Streaming television seems intended to rope people in to endlessly watch with as much of their free time as they are willing to give up. That intention has been met with much success which is good for that industry.

As movies become slightly less popular, it seems that filmmakers are leaning into it once again as an important art form. This past year was filled with films that require concentration, patience and understanding. They were overwhelmingly personal and thought provoking with many chances being taken as well as tremendous care to the craft. It was a difficult year to recommend selections to the casual movie viewer, but for the film lover, we want years like this always.

That’s not to say that there we no crowd-pleasers either. 2022 had 3 of the best in the last decade with Top Gun: Maverick, RRR, and Everything Everywhere All At Once. If you want pure fun in the theater or at home, these movies certainly would have satisfied. Each one is a true marvel on multiple levels and should be appreciated for far more than their sheer entertainment value.

Aside from those films, this year really has a lot to offer if you are willing to give the movies your time, attention, respect, and intellect. I feel like every movie on the list below has value and I could recommend every one for at least one watch. To follow exactly how much I appreciated each of the films of 2022, I have them ranked from best to worst below.

the films of 2021

I fell in love with movies all over again in 2021. My hopes were down since the pandemic went on and on the previous year. I didn’t know how the industry would continue with restrictions on casts and crews. I wasn’t sure if production companies would risk funding projects during times of such uncertainty. On top of all that, how exactly were we going to see the things that did come out?

The answer was simple as it almost always is. We all find a way if we want to. Movies were made and released. Most got their audience through streaming platforms. Still some took the chance in theaters. The year was plentiful and gloriously diverse. There were the huge blockbusters, there were new classics from some of our favorite auteurs, there were big swing musicals, and a solid crop of documentaries especially music related. In addition, we got one of the best comedies of the millennium and over a dozen fascinating independent films featuring images and ideas I have never seen attempted before.

Movie-making is clearly my favorite art form. It is completely inclusive of and dependent on so many artistic elements that range from visual to auditory, intellectual to emotional, broad-scoped to intensely personal. I was endlessly thrilled to take part in this yearly tradition of watching films made by curious, gutsy, inspirational, and inexhaustible human beings. I truly celebrate all of those who create these pieces for us enthusiasts.

Below is my ranked list of all the movies I saw this past year.

[Special thanks to my wife, Angie, who understands this love and spends countless hours taking in and talking about these films with me]

The Filmography of Brian de palma

during the quarantine period

of the 2020 Corona virus pandemic, there was a great temptation to watch an overload of movies and TV. Times are bad and we’re stuck in our homes much more than we want to be. The television can be a place to put your attention that is easy, comforting, and somehow feels rewarding. I find that episodic TV has a tendency to function more like a cheap drug experience. At the start, it’s something different. It seems to be enjoyable and since it’s there, why not keep going back to it. A majority of the time, if I make it to the end of a show, I’m left feeling disappointment. The expectations that were built early on aren’t satisfyingly met. The string of 10 or so episodes seem to be put together simply to keep me watching and persuade me to continue to waste my time. Certain shows are an exception like Twin Peaks and Fargo.

MOVIES, on the other hand, I find to be very different. I enjoy spending a specific amount of time (roughly 2 hours) watching a story be told from start to finish. How do you introduce characters and settings quickly in a way that intrigues me and gets me invested? How can you use techniques like shot compositions, camera movements and lighting to turn my mind on and get me thinking and analyzing continually? Movies have a 100+ year history that started off like a magic trick. Photographs run together one after another giving the illusion that movement is happening before us. Then edits start being used which probably seemed experimental at the time, but it all leads to stories being able to be told in a shortened time period. Multiple ideas can be blended through montage. A language of film gets created and understood by masters.

BRIAN DE PALMA is one of these masters. He began making movies in the 1960’s and has continued to do so for five decades.

As the temptation to watch more television at home grew, I wanted to make more of a project out of it if I was going to spend my time that way. I don’t know if it came to me by slogging through the series “Ratched” which I did not enjoy but appreciated some recognizable stylistic elements. Maybe the idea sparked when I caught a few scenes of “Carlito’s Way” late at night as I attempted to drift off to sleep. At some point I decided to try to find and watch as many, if not all, of Brian De Palma’s filmography in order. It took several months, and I did not emerge a full completionist. There were a few early films and one later “student film”(a film he made with students at a university) that I didn’t manage to find at the time. All in all, I saw 25 De Palma movies in chronological order during quarantine. I loved the experience. I truly enjoyed almost every one of them. I learned a lot in the process and I look forward to trying this again with another of the master directors in film history.