2022 offered a bounty of fantastic films across genres that reminded us of cinema enduring power. As the world steadied itself amidst ongoing recovery and turbulence, these memorable movies provided much-needed connection, escape, andPerspective Through imaginative sci-fi, heartfelt dramas, thrilling action, and more, the year standout titles captured the zeitgeist with their compelling visions.
Ranging from blockbusters to indies, these 2022 films moved and astonished audiences, earning devoted fans and critical acclaim. We recap the year's best offerings selected for their incredible filmmaking, cultural impact, and ability to define 2022 in film for years to come.
Top 20 Movies of 2022
Before going into details of each movie separately, we have compiled a list of all the top 20 movies of 2022 in the following table. You can jump to any song details by clicking its name from the following table.
| Sr. No | Movie Names (2022) | IMDb Rating |
| 1 | 7.8 | |
| 2 | 8.3 | |
| 3 | 7.8 | |
| 4 | 7.6 | |
| 5 | 7.7 | |
| 6 | 7.1 | |
| 7 | 7.0 | |
| 8 | 7.3 | |
| 9 | 7.8 | |
| 10 | 7.8 | |
| 11 | 7.2 | |
| 12 | 7.6 | |
| 13 | 7.6 | |
| 14 | 7.0 | |
| 15 | 7.8 | |
| 16 | 7.6 | |
| 17 | 6.9 | |
| 18 | 6.9 | |
| 19 | 6.8 | |
| 20 | 6.5 |
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1 - Everything Everywhere All At Once
- Lead actors: Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn Wang, Ke Huy Quan as Waymond Wang
- Supporting actors: Stephanie Hsu as Joy Wang, James Hong as Gong Gong
- Genre: Science fiction, Comedy
- Director: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
- Release date: March 11, 2022
- Runtime: 139 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.8
- Box office: $107 million
- Language: English
The idiosyncratic sci-fi comedy Everything Everywhere All At Once astounded audiences with its mind-bending multiverse story and literal butt jokes. Michelle Yeoh gives a career-best performance as laundromat owner Evelyn Wang, abruptly enlisted to prevent universe collapse by connecting with parallel world versions of herself.
Directors The Daniels pull off ambitious world-building on a modest budget, realizing creative fight scenes and visual gags. But the film remains grounded through family drama, with Ke Huy Quan and Stephanie Hsu as standouts among the cast. Unexpectedly poignant and imaginative, Everything Everywhere All At Once emerged as 2022 indie darling.
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2 - Top Gun: Maverick
- Lead actor: Tom Cruise as Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell
- Supporting actors: Miles Teller as Lt. Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw, Jennifer Connelly as Penny Benjamin
- Genre: Action
- Director: Joseph Kosinski
- Release date: May 27, 2022
- Runtime: 130 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 8.3
- Box office: $1.48 billion
- Language: English
Against all odds, Top Gun: Maverick gave Tom Cruise one of the biggest hits of his career, reprising fighter pilot Maverick 36 years after the original. When tasked with training a new Top Gun class, Maverick confronts ghosts of the past and his uneasy future in aviation.
Joseph Kosinski directs breathtaking aerial sequences while Cruise does death-defying work performing in the cockpit. Dramatic weight stems from Maverick's strained relationship with Rooster (Miles Teller), son of his late co-pilot Goose. Reviving a dormant franchise this artfully is an astonishing feat.
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3 - The Banshees of Inisherin
- Lead actors: Colin Farrell as Pádraic Súilleabháin, Brendan Gleeson as Colm Doherty
- Genre: Comedy, Drama
- Director: Martin McDonagh
- Release date: October 21, 2022
- Runtime: 109 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.8
- Box office: $25 million
- Language: English
Writer, director Martin McDonagh crafted another darkly comic gem with two stellar lead performances in The Banshees of Inisherin. Set on a remote Irish isle in 1923, lifelong friends Pádraic (Colin Farrell) and Colm (Brendan Gleeson) relationship ends abruptly, impacting the small community.
Farrell beautifully conveys Pádraic confusion and despair over losing his best friend. Against a vividly realized rural backdrop, McDonagh poignantly examines masculinity, isolation, and fractured bonds through biting humor and inky black tragedy. The entire cast shines in this finely tuned balance of laughter and loss.
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4 - Avatar: The Way of Water
- Lead actors: Sam Worthington as Jake Sully, Zoe Saldana as Neytiri
- Genre: Science fiction, Adventure
- Director: James Cameron
- Release date: December 16, 2022
- Runtime: 192 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.6
- Box office: $1.9 billion
- Language: English
James Cameron once again revolutionized visual effects with Avatar: The Way of Water, his long-awaited sequel. Returning to the planet Pandora, Jake Sully and Neytiri now have children of their own to protect as conflict brews with human forces.
Cameron expands the vibrant world through underwater scenes and new cultures. Though lighter on plot, the film is a breathtaking achievement in immersive world-building. Advanced performance capture and 3D environments make Pandora feel thrillingly tangible. After 13 years, Avatar's comeback felt like a momentous cinematic event.
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5 - Aftersun
- Lead actors: Paul Mescal as Calum, Frankie Corio as Sophie
- Genre: Drama
- Director: Charlotte Wells
- Release date: May 20, 2022
- Runtime: 102 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.7
- Box office: $1.1 million
- Language: English
Charlotte Wells made an astonishing feature debut with the nostalgic coming-of-age story Aftersun, led by Paul Mescal nuanced performance. Set during a 1990s vacation in Turkey, the film tenderly depicts the complicated relationship between devoted father Calum and his lively 11-year-old daughter Sophie.
Through memory fragments, Wells evocatively captures the joy and melancholy of their last perfect holiday together. Mescal toggles between Calum playfulness with Sophie and his inner turmoil. Emotional and experiential, Aftersun announces Wells as a major new talent for intimate drama.
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6 - Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
- Lead actor: Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc
- Supporting actors: Edward Norton as Miles Bron, Janelle Monáe as Helen Brand
- Genre: Mystery, Comedy
- Director: Rian Johnson
- Release date: November 23, 2022
- Runtime: 139 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.1
- Box office: $311 million
- Language: English
Writer, director Rian Johnson followed up his hit whodunnit Knives Out with Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, a star-studded murder party headlined by Daniel Craig shrewd sleuth Benoit Blanc. When tech billionaire Miles Bron invites friends to his private Greek island, a puzzling death soon follows.
Craig and the stacked ensemble, including Edward Norton and Janelle Monáe, are clearly having a blast. Johnson balances clever twists with incisive class satire for a crowd-pleasing and stylish sequel. It proves more of Benoit Blanc deductive skills is very welcome.
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7 - Turning Red
- Lead voice actors: Rosalie Chiang as Mei Lee, Sandra Oh as Ming Lee
- Genre: Animated, Comedy
- Director: Domee Shi
- Release date: March 11, 2022
- Runtime: 100 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.0
- Box office: $51.4 million
- Language: English
Pixar produced another coming-of-age winner with Turning Red, Domee Shi heartwarming take on puberty chaos. Young teenager Mei Lee struggles with turning into a giant red panda anytime she feels strong emotions. Her mother Ming (Sandra Oh) overprotectiveness furthers their rift.
Vibrant animation and resonant writing capture the embarrassment and turmoil of adolescence. Shi deftly balances humor with poignant family drama. The universally relatable story made Turning Red a standout animated film and moving mother-daughter tale.
8 - Decision to Leave
- Lead actors: Tang Wei as Seo-rae, Park Hae-il as Hae-Joon
- Genre: Mystery, Romance
- Director: Park Chan-wook
- Release date: October 14, 2022
- Runtime: 138 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.3
- Box office: $1 million
- Language: Korean
Acclaimed Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook returned with the rapturous romantic mystery Decision to Leave. A detective investigating a man's fatal fall becomes enthralled by the dead widow Seo-rae whom he suspects of murder.
Lush cinematography and intricately crafted suspense result in an unconventional love story. Tang Wei and Park Hae-il's forbidden attraction simmers through chilling dreams and fantasies. Cryptic yet seductive, Decision to Leave casts a hypnotic, sensual spell.
9 - The Batman
- Lead actor: Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne (Batman)
- Supporting actors: Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle (Catwoman), Paul Dano as Edward Nashton (Riddler)
- Genre: Superhero, Crime
- Director: Matt Reeves
- Release date: March 4, 2022
- Runtime: 176 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.8
- Box office: $770.8 million
- Language: English
Director Matt Reeves reimagined the Caped Crusader as a neo-noir detective in The Batman, casting Robert Pattinson as a brooding, pensive Bruce Wayne. With Gotham City in chaos from the Riddler (Paul Dano) sadistic puzzles, Batman uncovers corruption while attracting Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz) intrigue.
Batman taps into the traumatic origins forming Bruce alter ego through a sinisterly grimy lens. Pattinson makes the character tormented yet human. With committed performances and tactile aesthetic, Reeves grounded this fresh superhero story in pulpy realism.
10 - RRR
- Lead actors: N.T. Rama Rao Jr. as Komaram Bheem, Ram Charan as Alluri Sitarama Raju
- Genre: Action, Drama
- Director: S. S. Rajamouli
- Release date: March 24, 2022
- Runtime: 187 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.8
- Box office: $145 million
- Language: Telugu
Energetic and outrageously entertaining, the Indian Telugu-language epic RRR became an international sensation. Directed by S.S. Rajamouli, the fictional story follows revolutionaries Alluri (Ram Charan) and Komaram (N.T. Rama Rao Jr.) in 1920s India under British rule.
Fueled by its compelling central duo, RRR unleashes elaborately choreographed action sequences with jaw-dropping stunts. A commercial and critical smash, its bravura filmmaking overflows with heart and unmatched cinematic craft. RRR announced India's massively popular Tollywood industry to the global stage.
11 - Utama
- Lead actors: José Calcina as Virginio, Luisa Quispe as Sisa
- Genre: Drama
- Director: Alejandro Loayza Grisi
- Release date: January 21, 2022
- Runtime: 87 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.2
- Language: Spanish
The first Bolivian film selected for Sundance, Utama movingly examines Indigenous identity, aging, and connection to the land. An elderly Quechua couple's daily life caring for their livestock in the Bolivian highlands is disrupted by an encroaching drought.
Director Alejandro Loayza Grisi conveys deep roots through minimal dialogue and richly textured imagery. Lead actors José Calcina and Luisa Quispe bring touching nuance to the couple's struggle coping with their changing world. Poetic and humane, Utama heralded an essential new voice in world cinema.
12 - Fire of Love
- Subjects: Katia & Maurice Krafft
- Genre: Documentary, Biopic
- Director: Sara Dosa
- Release date: July 6, 2022
- Runtime: 93 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.6
- Box office: $1.2 million
- Language: English, French
Award-winning documentary Fire of Love beautifully presents the lives and work of pioneering French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft. Crafting their story from hours of spectacular archival footage, director Sara Dosa details their daring exploits capturing volcanic eruptions worldwide.
Fire of Love celebrates Katia and Maurice's passion for their field while conveying its inherent perils, including their tragic deaths in 1991. Visually splendid and emotionally resonant, the film honors the married couple's devotion to advancing volcanic science and experiencing nature wonders firsthand.
13 - Guillermo del Toro Pinocchio
- Voice actors: Gregory Mann as Pinocchio, Ewan McGregor as Sebastian J. Cricket
- Genre: Animated, Musical
- Director: Guillermo del Toro
- Release date: November 18, 2022
- Runtime: 117 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.6
- Box office: $28 million
- Language: English
Visionary director Guillermo del Toro reimagined the classic fable as a fantastical stop-motion musical set in Mussolini Italy. This lush film follows the misadventures of newly created puppet Pinocchio, brought to life by mystical woodcarver Geppetto.
With painstaking artistry, del Toro crafts an enchanting fairy tale world. The intricate animation overflows with magic alongside profound themes of growth and mortality. What grounds this distinctly adult interpretation is the touching father-son dynamic between Geppetto and Pinocchio.
14 - The Northman
- Lead actor: Alexander Skarsgård as Amleth
- Supporting actors: Nicole Kidman as Queen Gudrún, Ethan Hawke as King Aurvandill
- Genre: Action, Epic
- Director: Robert Eggers
- Release date: April 22, 2022
- Runtime: 137 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.0
- Box office: $70 million
- Language: English
Visionary indie director Robert Eggers delivered a brutal Viking revenge saga with The Northman, realized through meticulous detail and visceral action. After witnessing his father murder as a boy, Viking prince Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård) grows up fueled by vengeance.
Eggers' rigorously researched take on Norse lore grounds the brutality in realism. Towering fight choreography and stark beauty earn the comparisons to a heavy metal Shakespeare adaptation. Backed by an exceptional cast, Skarsgård primal performance completes Amleth mythic quest.
15 - The Quiet Girl
- Lead actress: Catherine Clinch as Cáit
- Supporting actors: Carrie Crowley as Kate, Andrew Bennett as Eibhlís
- Genre: Drama
- Director: Colm Bairéad
- Release date: November 18, 2022
- Runtime: 94 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.8
- Language: Irish
Irish coming-of-age drama The Quiet Girl wowed critics with its touching story told in the seldom-heard rural Irish language. In 1980s Ireland, nine-year-old Cáit is sent away to live with distant relatives for the summer, cautiously adjusting to her new environment.
Director Colm Bairéad draws naturalistic performances from the entire cast, especially young lead Catherine Clinch. Capturing idyllic countryside and layered family dynamics, The Quiet Girl compassionately depicts Cáit navigating adolescence through intimate moments and unspoken emotion. This rare Irish-language gem heralded the arrival of a major new filmmaking voice.
16 - Living
- Lead actor: Bill Nighy as Williams
- Supporting actors: Aimee Lou Wood as Margaret, Alex Sharp as Mr. Bevan
- Genre: Drama, Comedy
- Director: Oliver Hermanus
- Release date: January 6, 2023
- Runtime: 103 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.6
- Box office: $4.4 million
- Language: English
Bill Nighy gave a career-best performance in Living, a poignant drama about an aging bureaucrat diagnosed with a terminal illness. Strict routine defines Williams' lonely existence until he befriends vivacious co-worker Margaret (Aimee Lou Wood) who inspires him to seize the day.
With subtle humor and pathos, Nighy conveys Williams' struggle to fill his remaining days with purpose and meaning. Exquisite supporting work from Wood grounds this sincere tale about coming to appreciate life fleeting beauty. Nighy moving turn made Living an exquisite meditation on mortality.
17 - Brian and Charles
- Lead actors: David Earl as Brian, Chris Hayward as Charles (voice)
- Genre: Comedy, Drama
- Director: Jim Archer
- Release date: July 15, 2022
- Runtime: 90 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 6.9
- Box office: $4 million
- Language: English
One of 2022 under-the-radar gems, the offbeat British comedy Brian and Charles follows a lonely inventor who builds an eccentric robot companion. Their humorous friendship tests Brian hermit existence.
With plenty of heart beneath the dry wit, Jim Archer film deftly balances awkward humor and poignant human connection. David Earl and Chris Hayward have hilarious oddball chemistry as the titular pair of misfits discovering where they fit. Full of personality, Brian and Charles emerged as an idiosyncratic crowd-pleaser.
18 - Bones and All
- Lead actors: Taylor Russell as Maren Yearly, Timothée Chalamet as Lee
- Genre: Drama, Horror
- Director: Luca Guadagnino
- Release date: November 23, 2022
- Runtime: 121 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 6.9
- Box office: $13.6 million
- Language: English
Director Luca Guadagnino applied his lush stylistic touch to the young adult road movie Bones and All, starring Timothée Chalamet as a disenfranchised cannibal. Looking for her missing mother, Maren (Taylor Russell) joins fellow outcast Lee on a journey confronting their monstrous natures.
Chalamet and Russell share bittersweet chemistry as two young people seeking beauty in a world that rejects their inherent violence. Guadagnino conjures a dreamlike atmosphere and coming-of-age allegory through this darkly romantic horror fable.
19 - Nope
- Lead actors: Daniel Kaluuya as OJ Haywood, Keke Palmer as Emerald Haywood
- Genre: Science fiction, Horror
- Director: Jordan Peele
- Release date: July 22, 2022
- Runtime: 130 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 6.8
- Box office: $171 million
- Language: English
With his trademark blend of social thrills and horror, Jordan Peele mysterious UFO tale Nope provided thought-provoking summer entertainment. Siblings OJ and Emerald (Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer) attempt to capture evidence of an anomalous presence hovering over their California ranch.
Anchored by the leads' sibling dynamic, Nope mirrors classic sci-fi while underscoring real-world injustices through a genre lens. Though divisive, Peele's ambitious swing provided striking visuals and a deeper exploration of spectatorship and exploitation.
20 - Prey
- Lead actress: Amber Midthunder as Naru
- Supporting actors: Dakota Beavers as Taabe, Dane Diliegro as the Predator
- Genre: Science fiction, Action
- Director: Dan Trachtenberg
- Release date: August 5, 2022
- Runtime: 99 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 6.5
- Language: English
Serving as both prequel and refreshing reboot, Prey revitalized the Predator franchise through its first Native American heroine. Set in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago, the film follows skilled warrior Naru fighting against a technologically advanced alien hunter threatening her tribe.
Director Dan Trachtenberg maximizes tension with a terrifying alien opponent and stakes tied to Naru coming-of-age. Amber Midthunder compellingly leads the cast while capturing Naru courage and ingenuity. Prey became a franchise high point through its rugged action and cultural specificity.
DPM Top Picks
Here are our top 3 picks of all 20 movies discussed above:
- Everything Everywhere All At Once - A madcap multiverse adventure that finds enormous heart in its absurdity thanks to Michelle Yeoh's moving performance.
- Top Gun: Maverick - Joseph Kosinski technical mastery and Tom Cruise unwavering commitment make this legacy sequel soar above expectations.
- The Banshees of Inisherin - Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson shine in Martin McDonagh Irish tragicomedy exploring the end of a lifelong friendship.
Final Verdict
The most impactful films of 2022 transcended escapism by resonating deeply through uncertain times. Fresh new voices and veteran masters alike created varied works highlighting resilience, connection, and the human condition. While tentpoles like Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar 2 pushed blockbuster filmmaking forward, indie gems like Aftersun and The Quiet Girl offered equally vital perspectives.
2022 provided no shortage of acclaimed performances, introduced fascinating new cinematic worlds, and served thought-provoking allegories. As people seek both distraction and meaning from movies, these standouts managed to transport, provoke, and inspire audiences. The year's finest examples reaffirmed film's enduring power to help us understand ourselves and each other a little better. By turns thrilling, funny, and poignant, these 20 movies in some way defined 2022 in memorable cinematic moments.
FAQs
Q: What was the highest grossing movie of 2022?
Top Gun: Maverick was the highest grossing movie of 2022 making over $1.48 billion worldwide.
Q: Which movie will likely win Best Picture at the 2023 Oscars?
Everything Everywhere All At Once is predicted to have a strong chance at winning Best Picture after winning Best Film at the Critics Choice Awards.
Q: What was Daniel Radcliffe highest grossing movie of 2022?
Daniel Radcliffe starred in The Lost City in 2022 which grossed over $190 million globally becoming his highest grossing movie of the year.
Q: Which actress gave the most acclaimed performance of 2022?
Michelle Yeoh has earned widespread critical praise for her tour de force performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once which is likely to earn her Oscar and other major awards attention.
Q: Who directed the most profitable superhero movie of 2022?
Matt Reeves directed The Batman which grossed over $770 million making it the most profitable superhero film of 2022.
Q: What was Tom Cruise's biggest movie role in 2022?
Tom Cruise most popular role in 2022 was reprising Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick which became the biggest movie of the year at the box office.
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