With the first quarter of the year wrapping up, 2022 is already an impressive year for movies, with many anticipated releases coming soon. With Jordan Peele's Thor Love and Thunder not too far from their releases, movie fans have a lot to look forward to.
From January to April of this year, movie viewers have been fortunate with a wide genre variety of 2022 film releases. From the horror genre to touching family films, 2022 has delivered in more ways than one when it comes to highly rated movies.
x: 6.8
Ti West's return to horror left many genre fans pleased. This movie about a group of young filmmakers creating an adult film on a rural farm is full of classic horror tropes and lots of surprises.
With influences from iconic films such as Texas Chainsaw Massacre, X is an entertaining film that takes new ideas and mixes them with nostalgia that horror fans love. There is also news of a prequel that has already been filmed and is in post-production, with Mia Goth returning (per Screen Rant).
Sonic The Hedgehog 2: 6.9
Idris Elba, marking a surprising movie role for the actor. Carey received the most recognition for his fun performance as Dr. Ivo Robotnik.
Sonic was praised for not only being a great video game adaptation but an entertaining experience for the whole family. Fans of the game were left pleased by the action-packed film that does not take itself too seriously.
The Bad Guys: 7.0
DreamWorks Animation released another fun animated feature with The Bad Guys. The all-star voice cast led by Sam Rockwell is a story of successful heist criminals trying to write their wrongs in an effort to avoid going to prison.
The Bad Guys received praise for its voice cast and colorful visuals. The film has great banter between the central characters while proving that its story is enjoyable not only for family viewing but for everyone.
The Fallout: 7.0
Megan Park's directorial debut caught viewers by surprise with this thought-provoking drama. The HBO Max original film takes a heartbreaking subject matter and creates a respectful story of grief and trauma through the eyes of two teen girls (played by Maddy Ziegler and Jenna Ortega).
The Fallout is an understated film that packs an emotional punch with the performances of the young stars. Viewers and critics praised the movie for its honest depiction of an all too relatable trauma that many teenagers unfortunately face.
Turning Red: 7.0
In March, Pixar released another critically acclaimed coming-of-age tale with Turning Red. The story follows Mei Lee, a young teenager who is trying to navigate family life and the many twists and turns of adolescence.
Turning Red featured plenty of relatable moments and received praise from critics for tackling the topic of puberty in a way that hasn't been done in a Disney-Pixar film before. The film has everything audiences want from a Pixar story: laughs, tears, and life lessons that speak to not just children, but anyone watching.
The Outfit: 7.1
The Outfit is one of the first great ensemble films of 2022. The directorial debut from Graham Moore is a classic thriller that received praise for its lead performance by Oscar winner Mark Rylance.
The film follows a Chicago-based tailor who has to survive a dangerous encounter with a group of gangsters. While this film is not flashy or big-budget, viewers and critics were pleased with the slow-burn mystery crime thriller that has unexpected twists and turns.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent: 7.5
One of the most Meta movie releases in recent years, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent stars Nicolas Cage as himself in this action-comedy alongside The Mandolorian star, Pedro Pascal. The film follows Cage, as he accepts a high-paying offer to attend the birthday party of his biggest fan. Naturally, a lot of chaos ensues.
The film received praise for its satire and self-parody, creating the perfect escapist comedy. For viewers who grew up on classic Nicolas Cage action films such as Con-Air, Face/Off, and much more, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is sure to be a hit.
The Northman: 7.9
Robert Eggers returns with a Viking Epic, The Northman. This Hamlet re-telling gives the audience the violence and vengeance they would expect, with Robert Eggers's offbeat style. The film follows Amleth, played by Alexander Skarsgård, as he plans to exact vengeance on his uncle for his father's murder.
The film was praised for Robert Egger's direction and the story's overall brutality. The Northman blends style, classic storytelling, and grisly violence to create a visual experience that the viewers will not soon forget.
The Batman: 8.1
DCEU fans received another critically praised Batman film with Matt Reeve's, The Batman. With Robert Pattinson playing the role of Bruce Wayne, the film follows Batman as he tries to solve the mysterious crimes of The Riddler.
Critic's praised the film for its noir style and reinvention of a familiar story. The Batman also won two ACCEC awards for Favorite Movie and Favorite Movie Actor, Robert Pattinson. This gritty film boasts a great cast including Zoë Kravitz and Paul Dano that rounds out this dark tale beautifully.
Everything Everywhere All At Once: 8.8
Everything Everywhere All At Once became the highest-rated film on Letterboxd and became one of the most widely discussed films of the year. This film centers around Evelyn Wang, a woman caught up in the stressors of life, which leads her to be swept up in a world of varying universes showing different lives she could've led.
Critics praised the movie for its bold storytelling and its out-of-the-box visuals. An incredible cast that includes Michelle Yeo, from Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, and Jaime Lee Curtis give incredible performances for one of the most unique films of 2022.
Next: 10 Most Anticipated Netflix Movies Releasing Summer 2022
