Flyer News’ best movies of the year

Pictured is “Barbarian,” directed by Zach Cregger; “Top Gun: Maverick,” directed by Joseph Kosinski; and “Bones and All,” directed by Luca Guadagnino.

Luke Osciak | Arts & Entertainment Editor

For some people, the best part about the end of the year isn’t Christmastime or a break from school. Instead the end of the year is when we stare at our Letterboxd accounts and figure out our favorite movies from the year. 

Surprisingly, 2022 has been an extraordinary year for the movie industry. It’s been a year full of box office hits while having many new offerings from acclaimed directors. After years of restrictions on the movie industry due to COVID-19, many directors are now free from these constraints and are putting out the best work in their careers. Here are some of our favorite movies of 2022.

Barbarian

“Barbarian” directed by Zach Cregger is his solo directorial debut, which is incredible as “Barbarian” is one of my  most engaging films of the year. 

Cregger is most famous for the New York-based comedy troupe “Whitest Kids U’ Know.” His comedic efforts paid off as “Barbarian” perfectly underscores much of its horror with subtle comedy. 

The movie follows Tess as she visits Detroit for a job interview. At her Airbnb however, she discovers it has been double-booked and that a strange man is already staying there. The movie follows Tess throughout the weekend and slowly reveals that there is much more to be afraid of than just the stranger in her Airbnb. With a razor sharp pace and great reveals, “Barbarian” is one of the best horror thrillers of the year. 

Top Gun: Maverick

On the Flyer News Instagram page (@flyernews) we held a poll to see what the students thought was the best movie of the year. The winner of that poll was “Top Gun: Maverick”. Honestly, how could it not be?

The film surpassed “Black Panther” as the fifth-highest grossing movie in domestic box office history with films such as “Titanic,” “Avatar” and “Avengers: Endgame” being ahead of it. 

We think the film has earned this spot as it is one of the best Hollywood blockbusters in a long time.

In an industry where CGI is more prevalent than ever, the visuals of seeing Tom Cruise almost pass out in a cockpit from G-forces is refreshing, awestriking and iconic.

 The duo of Tom Cruise and Miles Teller deliver some of the most charismatic performances of the year while also pulling through for the hard-hitting emotional moments.

The dedication to real action while utilizing the most classic Hollywood movie tropes, makes “Top Gun: Maverick” an instant classic amongst modern blockbusters, and a Flyer News favorite. 

Bones and All

The past five years has been incredibly successful for director Luca Guadagnino. In 2017 he released “Call Me by Your Name,” a film that introduced his oeuvre to a wider audience than ever before. With its immersive cinematography and beautiful scenery, Guadagnino treats the audience to a romance story that is as beautiful as the country-side of Italy itself. 

In 2018, the director released “Suspira”, inspired by the 1977 film by Dario Argento of the same name. “Suspiria” is the complete opposite of “Call Me By Your Name.” It is visceral and haunting in the best ways possible and had some of the best body horror of the year.

 For his 2022 film “Bones and All”, Guadagino set out to combine both of his talents to tell a cannibal-romance set across the backdrop of the Midwest. 

The film follows Maren (Taylor Russel) and Lee (Timothee Chalamet) as they travel across America struggling to maintain the balance between their personal morality and their insatiable desire to be cannibals. 

The best part of this movie is Guadagnino’s perspective on the Midwest. The director handles the lonesome interstates, parking lots and Rust-Belt towns of America with the same eye for beauty that he used to capture Italy in “Call Me by Your Name.”

Both lead actors deliver incredible performances that reveal so much unsaid between the two characters. These moments of beauty are contrasted with the ugly and feral reality that these teenagers are growing up into a world that actively isolates them from every part in it. It is my personal film of the year and I think that carries a lot of weight for how many good movies were released in 2022. 

If you need more recommendations, check out “Tár,” “Bodies Bodies Bodies” or “Nope.” All of these movies are a great way to pass the time this winter break and will get you ready for the upcoming Oscar season.

If you really want something to do over winter break, try making a Letterboxd account. Letterboxd is a free social media application that lets its users log and review films they have seen. It lets you view other people’s profiles to see what they have been watching and is a great way to find films to watch.   

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