Another year at the movies – and a busy one at that – has passed, leaving us with all sorts of memories of the wonderful stories we watched unfold before our eyes on the big screen. As the year comes to a close, we’re looking back on our favorite movies of 2022, a collection that includes inventive action movies, a new take on one of the comic book world’s most famous heroes, a sequel 36 years in the making, a delectable dark comedy, and a character study of a world-renowned composer balancing her craft and madness.
We went to the movies for a number of reasons in 2022 – to laugh, to cry, to be transported to worlds – but the biggest reason was to be entertained, and the five movies included in this list did just that. Here are AMC Theatres’ favorite movies of 2022…
Everything Everywhere All At Once
Even though Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s multiversal action-drama EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE was first released in March 2022, the movie starring Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Jamie Lee Curtis, James Hong, and a returning Ke Huy Quan is considered by many to be the best film of the year, as well as one of the best in recent memory. With exciting action, gripping drama, and laugh-out-loud moments, EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE has everything you could want in a movie.
In a time when Marvel movies like SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME and DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS receive a lot of buzz for telling complex stories about interdimensional travel, the Daniels offered a fresh, wild, and unique experience that was unlike anything else at the box office. And most importantly, the movie was a lot of fun to watch and an experience we won’t soon forget.
The Batman
By the time Matt Reeves’ THE BATMAN arrived on the big screen in March 2022, there had already been no fewer than seven standalone movies featuring the Caped Crusader with directors like Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan offering their own spin on the classic character. However, that didn’t stop Reeves from creating one of the most unique versions of Gotham City, one that was home to Robert Pattinson’s already established Dark Knight, who experienced an incredible arc from feared vigilante to symbol of hope for a metropolis in need of a hero.
THE BATMAN was recognized as an AMC Artisan Film for a number of reasons, including its gripping story – THE DARK KNIGHT RISES meets SE7EN – about the Riddler (Paul Dano) toying with Gotham’s elite, the outstanding cast, and Michael Giacchino’s riveting and exhilarating original score. The future of Gotham is in good hands with Reeves at the helm.
Top Gun: Maverick
Few films, if any, have delivered on every expectation better than TOP GUN: MAVERICK, a sequel 36 years in the making that not only lived up to the hype, but exceeded it in every way imaginable. By balancing the riveting and engaging story about an older Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) training a new crop of pilots before they embark upon a dangerous – and presumably impossible – mission with just the perfect amount of nostalgia to Tony Scott’s 1986 classic, TOP GUN: MAVERICK creates a unique and incredibly thrilling cinematic experience.
Director Joseph Kosinski had a lot riding on the success of TOP GUN: MAVERICK, a movie that had to work to prove to everyone that seeing a movie on the biggest screen possible remains the best way to take in an experience like this. The intense action, state-of-the-art visuals, and sound design that puts you in the cockpit all made the movie into a once-in-a-generation experience.
The Menu
In November 2022, director Mark Mylod took audiences on a comedy, horror, and culinary journey like none other with this deliciously funny dark satire THE MENU. The movie, which was anchored by phenomenal performances by Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Nicholas Hoult, was full of twists, turns, and unique delicacies with its story about high-profile guests spending an evening with an eccentric chef at his restaurant featuring a list of options few, if any, are prepared to handle.
Like Chef Slowik and his simple yet perfectly crafted cuisine, Mylod’s directorial style and sense of fun left audiences fulfilled yet still wanting just one more taste of what was being served on their plate.
Tár
Cate Blanchett is no stranger when it comes to playing movie monsters, with characters like Hela in THOR: RAGNAROK and Marissa Wiegler in HANNA quickly coming to mind. And although these characters, and others like them, are evil with some not-so-good qualities, they have helped create unforgettable cinematic experiences. And the same might be said for Blanchett’s portrayal of the titular composer in Todd Field’s 2022 psychological drama, TÁR, another title that we selected as an AMC Artisan film this year.
In what some are calling the performance of her career, Blanchett’s Lydia Tár is an insidiously compelling predator who is willing to do anything to wield power and influence in symphony halls, in classrooms, and in her increasingly hectic personal life.
These are just five of our favorite movies of 2022, as there are just as many that could have ended up on this list. Other great movies that entertained audiences at AMC Theatres across the country this year include NOPE, THE FABELMANS, DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS, AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER, and BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA.
