And here we are at the top of my list of favorite films of 2022. What ties these films together are the broad themes of love and family… themes that go against my often-cited love of bleak films. These two films moved me, but also thrilled me with the acting, the scripts, the directions, the production design, the use of music, the cinematography and more. These were films that stuck with me long after I saw them. I first saw my #1 film of the year way back in January, and it never got knocked off the top spot. I do hope you will give these films a try!
#2) Ali & Ava, directed by Clio Barnard – Clio Barnard, innovative director of the Buried Treasure nominated pseudo-doc THE ARBOR, has created a nearly perfect adult romance with ALI & AVA. the third of her four films to be shot in the city of Bradford in England. Led by a pair of terrific acting performances from Adeel Akhtar (THE BIG SICK, FOUR LIONS) and Claire Rushbrook (SECRETS & LIES; AMMONITE) the film charts the tentative love story of two Bradford natives in their forties both emerging from challenging relationships. Ali is a landlord who lives with his Pakistani family and is a bit of an anomaly, as he is beloved by his tenants. He and his younger wife are recently estranged, but still live in the same flat with the rest of the family, whom they have not told about their separation. Ava works as a teaching assistant, comes from an Irish-Catholic background, has a complicated relationship with her adult children, and an even more complicated relationship with her deceased husband. Once the two meet their slow, quiet attraction develops into something more, all while Barnard subtly weaves in issues around race, religion, abuse, and other grown-up issues in ways that are natural and powerful.
One of the things that makes ALI & AVA so unique is how the story is told so strongly through music. Ali is a fan of techno and hip hop, while Ava adores country and folk. They fall in love and get to know each other through small acts of generosity and kindness, but also through their mutual love of music and the curiosity for each to learn more about the other. The film is hopeful, although not predictable or formulaic in any way. The cinematography by Ole Bratt Birkeland is stunning, both in the way it captures surprising beauty in some of the neighborhoods that exhibit the worst levels of social deprivation, and the extraordinary ways it captures the love story being told with powerful close-ups of the two leads. This one’s a real winner in so many categories, and Clio Barnard is a director to keep an eye on.
#1) – After Yang, directed by Kogonada – After the gorgeous simplicity of Kogonada’s Chlotrudis Awards-nominated previous film, COLUMBUS, I’m not sure what I was expecting with this follow-up, starring a big name star like Colin Farrell. Of course, Farrell was so powerful in THE LOBSTER, so I know he’s capable of being a great actor as well, which he shows again, in this haunting adaptation of a short story that explore what it means to be alive and sentient. It’s a story we’ve seen explored before; several times in the last couple of years. Yang is an artificial person — an older brother for Jake and Kyra’s adopted Japanese daughter Mika. Someone marketed to give Mika cultural reference given her parents are white and African respectively. When Yang malfunctions, possibly permanently, Jake begins an exploration that will reveal parts of Yang’s life that illuminate heretofore unknown depths.
The futuristic world Kogonada creates is uniquely serene and beautiful. The lovely production design that suggests a future society, yet is familiar and comfortable, with its sleek and graceful beauty augments the immersive experience of the film. As mentioned above, Farrell, who broke on the scene as a brash, bad-boy once again shows how skilled he is at nuanced, mature roles. Kogonada’s direction, so minimalist in COLUMBUS, is more expansive here, but just as simple and effective. Finally, AFTER YANG features one of the best ever opening scenes of any film that touches on one of my favorite film tropes: unexpected dancing. A true triumph.
And here’s the complete list for my Top 30 films of 2022:
- After Yang
- Ali & Ava
- Broker
- Utama
- Memoria
- The Falls
- Aftersun
- Anne at 13,000 Ft.
- A Love Song
- Women Talking
- Playground
- Petite Maman
- Neptune Frost
- Decision to Leave
- The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be Quiet
- You Won’t Be Alone
- The Man in the Woods
- Nitram
- The Justice of Bunny King
- The Eternal Daughter
- The Cathedral
- The Wheel
- Great Freedom
- Zero Fucks Given
- Intregalde
- Cici
- God’s Creatures
- Hit the Road
- Ahed’s Knee
- The Worst Person In the World