Year-End Lists

Little White Lies: The 30 Best Films of 2022

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2012]

1. Nope
   Jordan Peele
2. Crimes of the Future
   David Cronenberg
3. The Banshees of Inisherin
   Martin McDonagh
4. Decision to Leave
   Park Chan-wook
5. Armageddon Time
   James Gray
6. RRR
   S.S. Rajamouli
7. Mad God
   Phil Tippett
8. Top Gun: Maverick
   Joseph Kosinski
9. All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
   Laura Poitras
10. Bergman Island
    Mia Hansen-Løve
11. Benediction
    Terence Davies
12. The Fabelmans
    Steven Spielberg
13. Jackass Forever
    Jeff Tremaine
14. Apollo 10 1⁄2: A Space Age Childhood
    Richard Linklater
15. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
    Rian Johnson
16. The Worst Person in the World
    Joachim Trier
17. Aftersun
    Charlotte Wells
18. The Northman
    Robert Eggers
19. We're All Going to the World's Fair
    Jane Schoenbrun
20. Flux Gourmet
    Peter Strickland
21. Happening
    Audrey Diwan
22. Il Buco
    Michelangelo Frammartino
23. This House
    Miryam Charles
24. A Night of Knowing Nothing
    Payal Kapadia
25. Corsage
    Marie Kreutzer
26. The Kingdom: Exodus
    Lars von Trier and Morten Arnfred
27. Funny Pages
    Owen Kline
28. The Batman
    Matt Reeves
29. The Woman King
    Gina Prince-Bythewood
30. In Front of Your Face
    Hong Sang-soo

Complex: Best Movies of 2022

1. Top Gun: Maverick
   Joseph Kosinski
2. Everything Everywhere All at Once
   Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
3. Avatar: The Way of Water
   James Cameron
4. Nope
   Jordan Peele
5. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
   Ryan Coogler
6. RRR
   S.S. Rajamouli
7. The Batman
   Matt Reeves
8. Tár
   Todd Field
9. Till
   Chinonye Chukwu
10. The Woman King
    Gina Prince-Bythewood

Elena Lazic: Best Films of 2022, as submitted to the Sight & Sound Poll

[see also 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018]

1. A Room of My Own
   Ioseb 'Soso' Bliadze
2. Athena
   Romain Gavras
3. Both Sides of the Blade
   Claire Denis
4. De humani corporis fabrica
   Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel
5. Elvis
   Baz Luhrmann
6. Emily the Criminal
   John Patton Ford
7. Safe Place
   Juraj Lerotic
8. Sharp Stick
   Lena Dunham
9. The Son
   Florian Zeller
10. The Worst Ones
    Lise Akoka and Romane Gueret

This list contributes to:

• Sight & Sound Poll: The 50 Best Films of 2022

Grace Barber-Plentie: The Best Films of 2022, as submitted to the Sight & Sound Poll

1. Saint Omer
   Alice Diop
2. Aftersun
   Charlotte Wells
3. Great Freedom
   Sebastian Meise
4. Decision to Leave
   Park Chan-wook
5. Nope
   Jordan Peele
6. Blue Jean
   Georgia Oakley
7. Nanny
   Nikyatu Jusu
8. This House
   Miryam Charles
9. Fire Island
   Andrew Ahn
10. Top Gun: Maverick
    Joseph Kosinski

This list contributes to:

• Sight & Sound Poll: The 50 Best Films of 2022

Sight & Sound Poll: The 50 Best Films of 2022, a poll of more than 90 critics

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Aftersun
   Charlotte Wells
2. Saint Omer
   Alice Diop
3. Decision to Leave
   Park Chan-wook
4. The Banshees of Inisherin
   Martin McDonagh
5. Nope
   Jordan Peele
6. All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
   Laura Poitras
7. One Fine Morning
   Mia Hansen-Løve
8. EO
   Jerzy Skolimowski
9. RRR
   S.S. Rajamouli
10. Tár
    Todd Field
11. Corsage
    Marie Kreutzer
12. Pacifiction
    Albert Serra
13. Showing Up
    Kelly Reichardt
14. Crimes of the Future
    David Cronenberg
15. The Eternal Daughter
    Joanna Hogg
16. Triangle of Sadness
    Ruben Östlund
17. Elvis
    Baz Luhrmann
18. Everything Everywhere All at Once
    Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
19. Fire of Love
    Sara Dosa
20. The Fabelmans
    Steven Spielberg
21. Godland
    Hlynur Pálmason
22. The Quiet Girl
    Colm Bairéad
23. De humani corporis fabrica
    Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel
24. Funny Pages
    Owen Kline
25. The Plains
    David Easteal
26. Flux Gourmet
    Peter Strickland
27. Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
    Guillermo del Toro
28. Hit the Road
    Panah Panahi
29. Kimi
    Steven Soderbergh
30. Living
    Oliver Hermanus
31. Parallel Mothers
    Pedro Almodóvar
32. All That Breathes
    Shaunak Sen
33. This House
    Miryam Charles
34. Happening
    Audrey Diwan
35. Memoria
    Apichatpong Weerasethakul
36. Men
    Alex Garland
37. The Novelist's Film
    Hong Sang-soo
38. Top Gun: Maverick
    Joseph Kosinski
39. Trenque Lauquen
    Laura Citarella
40. Unrest
    Cyril Schäublin
41. Vortex
    Gaspar Noé
42. Apollo 10 1⁄2: A Space Age Childhood
    Richard Linklater
43. Both Sides of the Blade
    Claire Denis
44. Dry Ground Burning
    Joana Pimenta and Adirley Queirós
45. Enys Men
    Mark Jenkin
46. The Innocents
    Eskil Vogt
47. Moonage Daydream
    Brett Morgen
48. No Bears
    Jafar Panahi
49. A Room of My Own
    Ioseb 'Soso' Bliadze
50. The Worst Person in the World
    Joachim Trier

This list summarizes other lists, including these:

• Caitlin Quinlan: Best Films of 2022
• Sight & Sound Poll: Elena Lazic: Best Films of 2022
• Sight & Sound Poll: Grace Barber-Plentie: The Best Films of 2022

Michael Sicinski: The Best Experimental Films (That I Saw) in 2022, which he advises should be taken with a grain or two of salt: "There are always more experimental films produced and released within a calendar year than can ever be watched by any given human being...."

[see also 25 Great Experimental Films of 2023 • The 30 Best Avant-Garde Feature Films of the 2010s • Top 50 Films of 2018 • Top 30 Experimental Films of 2018 • Top 25 Films of 2017 • Top 10 Films of 2016 • Top 12 Films of 2014 • Top 10 Films of 2013 • Top 12 Films of 2012]

1. Instant Life
   Anja Dornieden, Juan David González Monroy, Andrew Kim
2. urban solutions
   Arne Hector, Luciana Mazeto, Vinícius Lopes, Minze Tummescheit
3. After Work
   Céline Condorelli and Ben Rivers
4. NE Corridor
   Joshua Gen Solondz
5. Against Time
   Ben Russell
6. Maria Schneider, 1983
   Elisabeth Subrin
7. Heron 1954-2002
   Alexis McCrimmon
8. Color Prism Suite #2: Withering Ends
   Zack Parrinella
9. The Time that Separates Us
   Parastoo Anoushahpour
10. Light Signal
    Emily Chao
11. Hors-titre
    Wiame Haddad
12. Lungta
    Alexandra Cuesta
13. Welcome
    Jean-Claude Rousseau
13. The Tomb of Kafka
    Jean-Claude Rousseau
14. The Newest Olds
    Pablo Mazzolo
15. will have been
    Sasha Pirker
16. Paradiso XXXI, 108
    Kamal Aljafari
17. Flora
    Nicolás Pereda
18. open sky / open sea / open ground
    Libertad Gills and Martin Baus
19. Oh, Butterfly!
    Sylvia Schedelbauer
20. Sea Series 23
    John Price

Also very much worth seeking out

• Darkness, Darkness, Burning Bright - Prelude
  Gaëlle Rouard
• Darkness, Darkness, Burning Bright - Oraison
  Gaëlle Rouard
• The Demands of Ordinary Devotion
  Eva Giolo
• Eventide
  Sharon Lockhart
• Exhibition
  Mary Helena Clark
• F1ghting Looks Different 2 Me Now
  Fox Maxy
• Moire / Écume
  Maxime Hot
• Object Permanence
  Alix Blevins
• Puerta a puerta
  Luís Arnías and Jessica Sarah Rinland
• The Sky's In There
  Dani ReStack, Sheilah ReStack
• Vecino Vecino
  Camila Galaz

Justin Chang: Best Movies of 2022, as published by The Los Angeles Times

[see also 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016]

1. No Bears
   Jafar Panahi
2. Aftersun
   Charlotte Wells
3. The Eternal Daughter
   Joanna Hogg
4. Tár
   Todd Field
5. Benediction
   Terence Davies
6. Decision to Leave
   Park Chan-wook
7. Kimi
   Steven Soderbergh
8. Crimes of the Future
   David Cronenberg
9. One Fine Morning
   Mia Hansen-Løve
10. EO
    Jerzy Skolimowski
11. Nope
    Jordan Peele

Ten honorable mentions

• Armageddon Time
  James Gray
• The Fabelmans
  Steven Spielberg
• Descendant
  Margaret Brown
• Tantura
  Alon Schwarz
• Happening
  Audrey Diwan
• Women Talking
  Sarah Polley
• Întregalde
  Radu Muntean
• X
  Ti West
• The Novelist's Film
  Hong Sang-soo
• Saint Omer
  Alice Diop

And I also recommend

• After Yang
  Kogonada
• Ahed's Knee
  Nadav Lapid
• Ali & Ava
  Clio Barnard
• All That Breathes
  Shaunak Sen
• All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
  Laura Poitras
• Avatar: The Way of Water
  James Cameron
• The Banshees of Inisherin
  Martin McDonagh
• Barbarian
  Zach Cregger
• Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths
  Alejandro G. Iñárritu
• Beast
  Baltasar Kormákur
• Bones and All
  Luca Guadagnino
• Both Sides of the Blade
  Claire Denis
• The Cathedral
  Ricky D'Ambrose
• Catherine Called Birdy
  Lena Dunham
• Causeway
  Lila Neugebauer
• A Couple
  Frederick Wiseman
• Dos estaciones
  Juan Pablo González
• Emergency
  Carey Williams
• Emily the Criminal
  John Patton Ford
• Everything Everywhere All at Once
  Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
• Fire Island
  Andrew Ahn
• Fire of Love
  Sara Dosa
• Flux Gourmet
  Peter Strickland
• Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
  Rian Johnson
• Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
  Sophie Hyde
• Great Freedom
  Sebastian Meise
• Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.
  Adamma Ebo
• Hustle
  Jeremiah Zagar
• In Front of Your Face
  Hong Sang-soo
• The Inspection
  Elegance Bratton
• Living
  Oliver Hermanus
• A Love Song
  Max Walker-Silverman
• Murina
  Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović
• Nanny
  Nikyatu Jusu
• Navalny
  Daniel Roher
• Neptune Frost
  Saul Williams and Anisia Uzeyman
• The Northman
  Robert Eggers
• Pearl
  Ti West
• Playground
  Laura Wandel
• Pleasure
  Ninja Thyberg
• RRR
  S.S. Rajamouli
• She Said
  Maria Schrader
• Something in the Dirt
  Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead
• Speak No Evil
  Christian Tafdrup
• Stars at Noon
  Claire Denis
• Three Minutes: A Lengthening
  Bianca Stigter
• Till
  Chinonye Chukwu
• To Leslie
  Michael Morris
• Top Gun: Maverick
  Joseph Kosinski
• Triangle of Sadness
  Ruben Östlund
• The Tsugua Diaries
  Maureen Fazendeiro and Miguel Gomes
• Turning Red
  Domee Shi
• Vortex
  Gaspar Noé
• Watcher
  Chloe Okuno
• We're All Going to the World's Fair
  Jane Schoenbrun
• White Noise
  Noah Baumbach
• The Woman King
  Gina Prince-Bythewood
• The Wonder
  Sebastián Lelio

Dazed: The Best Films of 2022

[see also 2023]

1. Tár
   Todd Field
2. White Noise
   Noah Baumbach
3. Saint Omer
   Alice Diop
4. Aftersun
   Charlotte Wells
5. Decision to Leave
   Park Chan-wook
6. EO
   Jerzy Skolimowski
7. All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
   Laura Poitras
8. Peter von Kant
   François Ozon
9. Bones and All
   Luca Guadagnino
10. The Blue Caftan
    Maryam Touzani
11. Moonage Daydream
    Brett Morgen
12. Everything Everywhere All at Once
    Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
13. Joyland
    Saim Sadiq
14. We're All Going to the World's Fair
    Jane Schoenbrun
15. Pacifiction
    Albert Serra
16. Corsage
    Marie Kreutzer
17. Godland
    Hlynur Pálmason
18. Nope
    Jordan Peele
19. Kimi
    Steven Soderbergh
20. Sick of Myself
    Kristoffer Borgli

Jordan Ruimy: The 10 Best Movies of 2022, as published by World of Reel

[see also 2021 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019]

1. Crimes of the Future
   David Cronenberg
2. The Banshees of Inisherin
   Martin McDonagh
3. Tár
   Todd Field
4. Happening
   Audrey Diwan
5. Aftersun
   Charlotte Wells
6. Funny Pages
   Owen Kline
7. Apollo 10 1⁄2: A Space Age Childhood
   Richard Linklater
8. Kimi
   Steven Soderbergh
8. Watcher
   Chloe Okuno
9. Triangle of Sadness
   Ruben Östlund
10. Babylon
    Damien Chazelle
10. Nope
    Jordan Peele

Runners-Up

• Vortex
  Gaspar Noé
• Armageddon Time
  James Gray
• Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
  Rian Johnson
• The Menu
  Mark Mylod
• She Said
  Maria Schrader
• Navalny
  Daniel Roher
• Blonde
  Andrew Dominik
• Resurrection
  Andrew Semans
• Elvis
  Baz Luhrmann
• Nitram
  Justin Kurzel
• God's Country
  Julian Higgins
• Dinner in America
  Adam Rehmeier
• Barbarian
  Zach Cregger

HuffPost: The Best Movies Of 2022

[see also 2023 • 2012]

• The Woman King
  Gina Prince-Bythewood
• Entergalactic
  Fletcher Moules
• Tár
  Todd Field
• Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
  Sophie Hyde
• Nope
  Jordan Peele
• Fire Island
  Andrew Ahn
• Everything Everywhere All at Once
  Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
• Smile
  Parker Finn
• X
  Ti West
• Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.
  Adamma Ebo
• Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché
  Celeste Bell and Paul Sng
• My Love Affair with Marriage
  Signe Baumane
• Huesera
  Michelle Garza Cervera
• Sidney
  Reginald Hudlin
• Barbarian
  Zach Cregger
• The Eternal Daughter
  Joanna Hogg
• Women Talking
  Sarah Polley
• All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
  Laura Poitras
• She Said
  Maria Schrader
• Top Gun: Maverick
  Joseph Kosinski
• Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
  Guillermo del Toro