The Mosley Review: Best Films of 2022

Welcome to 2023! Of course we can't start off this new year in cinema without taking a look back at the best films of the 2022. As always, I have compiled a list of the films that I personally loved and especially the ones that moved me. This year was particularly surprising and I can't wait to share it with y’all. Now you may not agree with me on some of them and that's okay. All film is subjective and you can have your opinions, but these are mine. If you want a more detailed review of each film listed, then simply click the title of each film. So, lets get to it!

Jackass Forever: In my youth, the show and films brought so many laughs, cringes and sickening feelings as these professional idiots would do the most outrages stunts that captivated my generation. When it was announced that they would return once again to bring more outrageous comedy and stunts, I was genuinely excited and scared for them. From beginning to end, the Jackass team did an hilarious and amazing job at delivering another outstanding adventure. It was great that they introduced a possible new generation of professional idiots and I'm curious to see where they go from here. It all ends with a loving, hilarious and heartfelt tribute to Ryan Dunn that was perfect. He was truly loved by the Jackass Family and fans.

Violent Night: I'm a sucker for a film that has a great amount of Christmas cheer and a great portrayal of Santa Claus. If you told me that there is a Die Hard styled Christmas film where "Scrooge" is a version of Hans Gruber and Santa is the John McClane, then I'm there opening night. This film delivered on that promise in gory and explosive creative ways. Not only did it deliver on the action, but it had such a warm feeling of a child's pure belief in Saint Nick and it was the driving force of the film. David Harbour was an amazing Santa and I loved that he went into the history of the legendary character. John Leguizamo was awesome as "Scrooge" and their scenes were great together. It will forever be on my list of must watch during the Christmas season.

Barbarian: Its such rich concept that I'm surprised it really took this long for a film about a nightmare scenario in an AirBnb. When it comes to films and especially horror films, I tend to stay away from the trailers because they reveal TOO MUCH of the creepy moments. I took a shot in the dark with this one and I'm so glad that the first trailer gave you no real idea of what the film was about and that's why I felt this film was so refreshing. I was genuinely surprised by the palpable tension of the plot, the makeup effects, social commentary and much more. The characters were excellent, but Georgina Campbell was was a true standout in a brilliant performance.

Bullet Train: The premise of the film is very much Snatch and Smokin' Aces and that was a positive in my book because even though that style is great, many have abused it over the years. This film learns from those films and takes you on one of the most smartest, funniest and exciting rides of the year. The entire cast was stellar and the action in the film was the icing on top of this wonderfully crafted dish. Bryan Tyree Henry and Aaron Taylor-Johnson stole the film as a dynamic duo that I would love to see a prequel spinoff about their characters. The amount of set up and pay off was elegantly handled in the most creative ways and I loved that each assassin was so distinct. I can't gush enough about how much I loved this film.

The Whale: Brendan Frasier, Sadie Sink and Hong Chau. Do I really need to say more?! This film was a fascinating and heartbreaking story that had amazing performances from the whole cast but the 3 aforementioned, destroy you in so many ways. Aside from his charming and fun personality, I knew Brendan had the dramatic power in him all these years and like most, the right story was waiting for him to sink his teeth in and he went all in. It truly was a powerful film about reconciling and reconnecting with family that was haunting and shouldn't be missed.

The Batman: Out of all the live action adaptations of easily the most beloved hero, Batman hasn't had a film that served Gotham and himself in his early years. This film did all of that and something that I've been waiting to see done on the big screen for decades. We finally get to see Batman portrayed in a true detective story. Robert Pattinson gets to play with a younger Bruce Wayne that's only 2 years into his vigilante lifestyle as Batman and the secrets that he finds out about his family and even Alfred, were so compelling and brilliantly designed. I loved that we got a look into the psychology of Bruce being a recluse and not yet creating that billionaire persona for the public. Jim Gordon was awesome in this film and I loved Jeffery Wrights chemistry the most with Robert. Zoe Kravitz was an excellent Catwoman and I loved her origin story. Paul Dano was a fantastic modern version of The Riddler that was heavily inspired by David Fincher's Seven and the online streamer generation of today. Colin Farrell was the MVP though as the best on screen version of The Penguin. There is so much to love and so much that they got right in this film and I cannot wait to explore this version of Gotham more. Michael Giachinno's score is as iconic as Danny Elfman's 1989 Batman score as it invokes the terror Batman brings to the hearts of criminals.

The Northman: What can I say about this film that hasn't been said already? Its the perfect and most accurate Viking film I've ever scene. The tone, the brutality, spirituality and story twists were all amazing. This was probably one of the most gorgeous films of the year as the lighting of every scene was magnificent and the fights scenes weren't overly stylized. It may be a simple story of vengeance, but it does have an emotional core that surprised me. In the end, I felt my blood pulse through my body from the sound design of the film and especially the final fight scene. This was a Viking masterpiece as the first trailer that was released promised it to be.

Top Gun: Maverick: Very few films get a sequel almost 30 years later that are of this quality. What's even more rare is that a film held out from being released onto a streaming platform and fought to be released in the theater. This film was one of those that was set to be released before the pandemic and was in limbo for so long after the pandemic. It deserved to be seen in the theater and what an experience. The sound design in this film was amazingly thunderous and visually it was everything that the late Tony Scott established in the original and director Joseph Kosinski carried on. This was actually a fantastic story about passing on the torch, family, friendship and the evolution of Maverick himself as he deals with the sacrifices he has made to protect Goose's son from following his dad's path. Tom Cruise shows why he is still an excellent actor and not just the action hero. Jennifer Connolly was stellar and Miles Teller nearly stole the film from Tom. Even though the final mission is straight out of Star Wars, this was definitely one of the best sequels ever made.

The Woman King: Talk about a film that was highly anticipated and one that rarely sold me just with 1 image. From the moment I saw the first image of Viola Davis as Nanisca, I knew this was gonna be amazing and I didn't even bother watching any trailers. This was an African epic that is based on true events even though some of it is altered for the film which if you think Braveheart was a completely accurate portrayal of William Wallace, then you may want to actually pick up a history book. This film didn't shy away from the horrible things tribes did in the slave trade and I liked that. It was also a coming of age story for the Nawi played wonderfully by Thuso Mbedu. Lashana Lynch deserves so much praise as being one of my favorite and charismatic characters in the film, Izogie. John Boyega finally gets to play someone of royalty and as the young King Ghezo, he exemplifies why he is one of the best actors out there today. The score by the great Terence Blanchard was so moving and powerful in the battle scenes and the best in the more emotional scenes as Nanisca reveals her past. There were so many juicy layers to this film and it was a joy to have witnessed it.

And we've come to the moment you've all been waiting for ladies and gentlemen. This is by far the best film of the year it must be seen by all for it features a story that everyone will feel to their core. The best film of 2022 is.....................

Everything, Everywhere All at Once: Right now the trend to do a multiversal style film or franchise is slowly becoming popular, but I doubt any of them will have the same amount of heart and depth as this film had. Michelle Yeoh has always been a powerhouse performer that has shown grace, strength and intelligence over an amazing career. Evelyn Quan Wang has got to be her most complex character yet as she portrays a mother that is struggling to keep her family business together while trying to figure how to connect with her daughter. Once we're introduced to the alternate universe versions of herself through her husband played by the great returning actor Ke Huy Quan, that's when the toppings of the proverbial bagel start to be revealed and it is a wild ride from beginning to end. Stephanie Hsu was great as Evelyn's daughter Joy and she rocked the house as the antagonistic universal threat named Jobu Tupaki. Her views on the universe, society and life were all valid and hit you hard. At the heart of all the madness, this film was truly about a daughter crying out to be heard and understood by her sometimes blind mother. It was a heart wrenching story of communication and understanding between a parent and their child that was beautiful and down right perfection. Does it get weird? Absolutely, but there is always a brilliant point to it.

And that is my list of the best films of 2022! I hope you enjoyed it and let me know what your favorite films of the year were or if you agree with my list in the comments below. Let's see what great stories 2023 has to offer. Thanks for reading!