Best Movies of 2022 From IGN India: Nope, The Batman, Glass Onion Shine Bright

With the pandemic finally waning down, audiences finally flocked towards theatres for their first taste of the moviegoing experience after the second wave.

The year was surely not devoid of big moments, as big hitters such as Spielberg and Cameron graced theatre across the world. On one hand, while Marvel failed to have a single $1 billion dollar film in years, Tom Cruise also brought audiences on to cinemas for weeks with Top Gun: Maverick. 2022 also saw some major movie breakout stories such as Mia Goth, Austin Butler, Diego Calva and more.

And the movies that came along didn’t disappoint at all, as several blockbusters and indie films captured the hearts of fans around the world. But, which of them made the cut for IGN India’s Best Films of 2022.

Here’s our list of the best movies that you should definitely watch anytime soon.

1. Nope

Director Jordan Peele and actor Daniel Kaluuya reunited once again following their breakout film Get Out for the duo’s new film, Nope, which also featured Keke Palmer. Peele’s latest film centers on the idea of people and their nature towards spectacles such as a giant flying saucer hovering over their head. And to add to the spectacle, the director hits you with all kinds of thrills, chills and creeps in a film that can only be described as CINEMA!

2. Everything Everywhere All at Once

The Daniels (Directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert) showcased the ultimate multiverse movie in Everything Everywhere All at Once. This movie is also centered around a personal story of a broken family.

Along with the brilliant filmmaking, Everything Everywhere All at Once also featured some power packed performances from Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu and a returning Ke Huy Quan.

3. The Banshees of Inisherin

The In Bruges trio of director Martin McDonagh, actors Colin Farrell and the late Brendan Gleeson joined forces again for the hilarious dark comedy film, The Banshees of Inisherin.

The concept of the film definitely sounds weird. However, McDonagh pulls no punches when it comes to delivering the funny and bleak moments. And the movie is topped off with some great performances, with special mention to Barry Keoghan’s role as Dominic Kearney.

4. Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio

All year long, Guillermo Del Toro explained how animation is art, and there wasn’t a better example for that than his Pinocchio film, which highlighted the best of animation and its magic.

With stop motion animation, Del Toro beautifully reimagines the classic tale of Pinocchio with a somber tone that wildly differs (in a good way) from Robert Zemeckis’ version of the film that was also released this year.

5. Decision to Leave

It shouldn’t be a surprise for many when we say that South Korea’s Park Chan-wook has once again delivered with his latest film, Decision to Leave.

The film follows the story of a police detective, who falls in love with a woman suspected of murder. Featuring some splendid cinematography that aids the film’s central story, Chan-wook is on top form, as he delivers yet another classic in a career that’s already littered with masterpieces.

6. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Rian Johnson successfully created a brilliant Whodunit mystery formula with his first outing in Knives Out which starred Daniel Craig as the master detective Benoit Blanc.

With Blanc at the core, Johnson returns with an entirely new cast of characters in the sequel Glass Onion, with a plot that rivals the best Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot stories.

7. Barbarian

2022 saw the release of several brilliant horror films from banners like A24, with Ti West releasing two great movies in X and Pearl in the same year.

However, our top pick for the best horror film of 2022 comes from Zach Creggers in his directorial debut, Barbarian. With a chilling plot that delivers several twists and turns, Barbarian is smart, a bit amusing and scary, with stellar performances from Bill Skarsgård and Georgina Campbell.

8. Top Gun: Maverick

Tom Cruise opened his arms wide for the entire moviegoing audience following the pandemic, as he welcomed them to theatres for Top Gun: Maverick and boy did he deliver!

The sequel to the hit 80s action film from the late Tony Scott had everything. From thrilling fast-paced fighter plane battles to a personal story about an ageing hero in the modern world, Cruise shines at the center of it all with one of his best performances in years.

9. The Batman

While the future of DCEU continues to mystery, director Matt Reeves introduced a neo-noir world straight from comics like Year One and The Long Halloween for The Batman.

With a Gotham filled with the who’s who of the crime world, the film effectively delivers the story of an angry young Dark Knight, played to perfection by Robert Pattinson. Furthermore, the film also sets up an enticing world worth exploring in future sequels and spinoff shows.

10. RRR

It’s hard to understate the artistry from director S.S. Rajamouli for his blockbuster RRR, which centered around the fictional friendship between two Indian revolutionaries during the British Raj.

During its 182-minute runtime, the film jumps from one jaw dropping action sequence to another without losing track of its plot. Even with its troubling right-wing politics, the film’s story captures the audience’s heart through the film’s crux, which is its anti-colonial stance.

Honorable Mentions

Prey

Director Dan Trachtenberg gave us one of the best films in the Predator franchise in decades with Prey, where the iconic alien takes on Comanche warriors.

The plot follows Naru, a young warrior, who attempts to save her people from the threat posed by the humanoid alien. Along with Amber Midthunder’s brilliant performance as Naru, Prey showcases Dan Trachtenberg’s talents as a sensational action director, with great cinematography to go along with it.

Jackass Forever

There’s never been a greater feeling in movie history than hearing “Hi, I’m Johnny Knoxville,” succeeded by some of the wildest pranks, stunts, and challenges that the team of Jackass undertake.

The squad is back in Jackass Forever with new members. With the old guys possibly on their last hurrah, the film culminates with the best that the series has to offer for the past two decades.