With the end of Summer now here, people have reason to go back to the movies to stay warm and also get ready for Thanksgiving. In Canada, that’s coming up quickly, but for our neighbours south of the border, more than a month away. While the latter is considered more important to draw audiences into the big screen by studios, I believe it’s time to look at the best genre movies of 2022 so far, before the final three months are considered.
Just a fun fact, although a vintage picture is used, that was how the Capital 6 used to look circa 1933) in Victoria, BC. Oh how the times have changed!
This recap is more of an expansion of my presentation for Capital City Comic Con 2022. Sometimes a 45-minute panel is not long enough to express everything that’s wonderful about each film. In the next article will be the top ten picks for Autumn. Afterwards, I’ll wrap up this set with my early picks of 2023 because they feature films that have been pushed further back into the schedule for one reason or another.
The links provided here go back to my original reviews. Pictures link to the Amazon USA purchase page (where available). We’re a member of Amazon Associates, and any purchases made helps support this site. Coming later today will be part two, where I’ll offer my picks of what to see to close off 2022 with.
ELVIS
After this movie, you feel you’ve been to one of The King’s shows, and know some back-stage drama that went on between him and The Colonel. Good or bad, what this fictional biography offers is a portrait of the man who managed Elvis till he sang his last breath. It’s bittersweet, but there’s no other director who can handle the exposition as well as Baz Lhurman did.
THE BATMAN
As stated in my original, “This reboot is a bleak look at society for those wanting more of Alan Moore’s (Watchmen, V for Vendetta) style on the big screen. It’s rare to give a team the creative freedom to do what they want, but for newcomers, this film isn’t likely to make them instant fans.” Instead, what I feel this film does is to reimagine the hero as he was once portrayed, a bitter man who feels the need to serve justice on the streets the only way he can.
DOCTOR STRANGE: MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS
Although I was disappointed that this movie doesn’t quite follow up from Spider-Man: No Way Home, that’s okay. Instead, it is its own beast, and with Sam Raimi directing, he got to create a movie he wanted more than the travesty of Spider-Man 3 where it had studio interference at every stage. It’s good Sony learned from their mistakes, and let Raimi create what is essentially a teaser for a potential Marvel Zombies live-action movie.
INU-OH
Anime films rarely get high praise outside of Japan, and for this film to make this list is because it’s essentially a variation of Hunchback from Notre Dame story. There’s a lot to like about a hero who doesn’t concern himself with how he appears. Instead, it’s about what he can give to others who are willing to look past his disfigurement.
Here, we’re looking at what keeps Inu-oh, a disfigured youth alive; it’s his love for music and what we get is a wonderful heavy metal musical!
MAD GOD
This stop-motion masterpiece represents everything Phil Tippett loves about this style of animation. The fact his imagination is truly dark and disturbing suggests he’d be in good company with other luminaries, like Guillermo del Toro and Tim Burton, back when they started.
This story is essentially a variation of Dante’s Inferno, but there’s no allegory here. It’s simply a sensory experience that must be watched.
BELLE
This anime is essentially Beauty and the Beast meets The Matrix. And the monster is only as cruel as those who treat him, so it’s borrowing from Mary Shelley’s tale is only as placid as those who can recognise how the story got developed.
What makes this movie special is the detail that is put in every frame, especially when the heroine is in the digital domain, and it’s a must-have for those with a 4K home theatre setup at home.
EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
It’s hard to top the multiverse theme, and how this film succeeds is that it also celebrates Michelle Yeoh’s skills as not only an actress but also a martial artist. She’s still got it after all these years in the business, and we have a wonderful story about three generations of family trying to reconnect.
PREY (HULU)
If it’s possible to ignore all the Aliens vs Predator films, then this film is the perfect sequel about a cosmic threat to all life in the universe. No one is safe. And this film gets to show a side of Native American life that deserves even more attention as we recognise the land once belonged to them, and they can defend it from not only the invaders from Europe but also Space.
TOP GUN: MAVERICK
Say what you will about Tom Cruise, but his ability to still command the screen is all anyone needs to know about why he wanted to revisit flight school. Plus, the time spent to get the aerial cinematography done right makes any viewer feel like they’re in the pilot’s seat for much of the action. Though the story isn’t anything special, to revisit this 80s film was well-timed to make going back to the movies fun!
This best genre movies of 2022 list is certain to be added upon. Please stay tuned. In the meantime, next up is a top ten list of which films to best close out this year with!
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