My best films of 2022 (ranked)

Cate Blanchett's best performance to date, and she is one of my favourite actresses of the 21st century, It is is no surprise that she won the Best Actress award at the Venice International film festival for her performance in this film. I guess Oscar and Golden Globe nominations and possible wins are quite likely. Director Todd Field (he played the mysterious pianoplayer Nick Nightingale in Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut" and Kubrick casts his actors with considerable thought) proves his love for classical music with an awesome well-researched script and able direction. With the talented Nina Hoss (another of my favourite actresses of the current century and once a favourite of German director Christian Petzold) playing a significant role, the film is a major work from USA in a long while. Definitely one of my outstanding films of 2022 and a treat for anyone who pays attention to the spoken words and appreciates music, and the little known reasons for the composer to gift us the composed work. My detailed review is at http://moviessansfrontiers.blogspot.com/2022/12/278-us-film-director-todd-fields-third.html

The Third Murder and Broker are two of Kore-eda's films that make you admire his complex original screenplays. For the first time, the thin line between the good guys (here, the Korean cops, caring parents) and the bad guys (the brokers of all hues, the murderers, the bad son born into a good family getting close to thugs, bad wives, etc,) almost disappear. The film won the Best Actor award and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the Cannes International film festival. My detailed review is at http://moviessansfrontiers.blogspot.com/2022/09/277-japanese-film-director-hirokazu.html

Fascinating original screenplay; Ostlund seems to be treading the path of Ingmar Bergman. It is the darkest of comedies that makes you look at yourself in today's world where wealth rules society It is thoroughly sad that the lead actress Charibi Dean (Yaya in the film), who seemed to be stepping on the ladder of success as an actress, passed away after this film won the Golden Palm at the Cannes international film festival. The highlight of the film was the drunk conversation between the luxury ship's Captain (Woody Harrelson) and Dimitry, the super rich, self-proclaimed king of shit, Dimitry (Zlatco Buric), quoting Noam Chomsky and James Joyce, played on the ship's audio system from the captain's cabin.

Ostlund's cinema disturbs you. It wakes you up. Ultimately, Ostlund wins your heart as he won the hearts of the Cannes jury.

My favourite film of director Hong Sang-soo to date. Reminded me of the short stories of the Nobel prize winner Alice Munro, particularly the film "Away from Her," based on her story, with Julie Christie in the lead role. The performance of Lee Hye-yeong is remarkable.

A well-intentioned original screenplay that is much too artificial in its outcome. A donkey choking on chopped human fingers one after the other, mistaking them for carrots as though it had lost its capability to smell and taste? A very attractive young woman stays on for years on a lonely island with her simpleton brother, and only decides to leave the island after the chopped fingers episode acts as a catalyst? And the shrouded old lady, who reminds you of the three witches of Shakespeare's play Macbeth, appearing as a one-person chorus? Yet the film has its pluses: the acting of the major characters especially that of Ms Kerry Condon as Siobhan are impressive (ought to get an Oscar nomination for supporting actress), though Colin Farell and Brendan Gleeson have given us several equally good performances in the past. Other pluses are the choice of Brahms' music on the soundtrack and some original music by actor Gleeson. Finally, the animals were lovely to watch and stole the scenes from the humans.

Very delicate film and deeds to be compared with the director's 2021 film "In front of your face." Both films deal with a filmmaker (played by the same actor in both films) interacting with a previously known novelist (in the 2022 film) and with a previously known actress (in the 2021 film). In the 2022 film, the novelist becomes the director asking an actress to play the lead role in novelist's debut film. Though my exposure to director Hang Song Soo is limited to 3 films, all of them involver a film director as a pivotal fictional character. What grabs me are two factors in his films--the delicate sensitivity of creative individuals who are careful with their spoken words and actions and the role of natural surroundings. In "The novelist's film" the conscious use of black and white and the short spell of color was not surprising--I expected it from experience of watching many films. Also the details on the harm of smoking and of drinking alcohol was indirectly underscored. It deserved the 2022 Silver Bear Jury Prize at Berlin film festival.

Not one of the better works of Ms Denis. The strengths here are her abilities to make the narrative depend more on visuals and aural elements rather than the spoken words. Denis continues her interest in contrasting the developing world with the developed world and the power of money versus those who do not have it, even if the loss of money is for a short duration.

Good to find Ms Denis end this film, which won the Grand Prize of the Cannes festival, by simply adding a photograph of actor Michel Subor, who died earlier this year, without a written word identifying him or even dedicating it to him. A lovely, mute black-and-white tribute from the talented director for an enigmatic actor whose career she revived, which seems to have escaped notice of most viewers who saw the film, unless they stayed on right up to the end of the credits.

A fitting, unique tribute to the Nobel Prize in Literature winner Luigi Pirandello and to the late film director Vittorio Taviani from the 91-year-old Paolo, younger brother of Vittorio. Not a film recommended for casual viewers who watch films for the sake of a good story and plot. This is a film recommended for those who appreciate literature, especially works of playwrights and of one of the very few who won a Nobel Prize and for those who care for the fascinating works of the Taviani brothers of Italy. My detailed review is at http://moviessansfrontiers.blogspot.com/2022/06/275-italian-director-paolo-tavianis.html

Very good editing. Tang Wei (the lead actress of Ang Lee 's "Lust. Caution") is wonderful. So is the editing of scenes, that demands a lot of concentration from the audience. Suprised that it won the Best Director award at Cannes--though it could have won laurels for its lead actress and for the editing. But then Cannes doesn't have an award for editing. Wouldn't be surprised if it is remade in Hollywood as this is the kind of film that Hollywood loves to make and sell to American audiences.

The only positives were the amazing performances of children, teenagers, and the very old in the film. It deserved an acting ensemble prize at best. Was it, as the ultimate Golden Bear winner, more deserving than the Grand Prize of the Berlin film fest Jury winner, from Korea, Hong Sang Soo's film "The Novelist's Film"? I don't think so. M. Night Shyamalan and his jury that he headed got it wrong, in my view.

Beautiful religious tale on the importance of getting a still-born child a name so that it's soul doesn't remain in limbo. The doggedness of the mother to do that is the tale. The final 20 minutes can best be described as unusual and exhilarating. Add to it the interesting original music of Fredrika Stahl. New director Laura Samani has made an interesting debut.

Reminds you of Costa Gavras' iconic "Z". The Argentine film would considerably impress those who have not seen "Z." The pluses are the dependable Argentine actor Ricardo Darin (giving not his best, but nevertheless a fine turn) as a historically correct prosecutor, whose arguments jailed the leaders of the armed forces for their complicity in the terror unleashed on innocent Argentinans. Should win the Oscar, with the Golden Globe and the Venice FIPRESCI prize already won.

One of the most interesting works of David Cronenberg, based on his own original sci-fi script. Lea Seydoux gives another fascinating performance of this decade. If we study the script closely, Cronenberg reprises elements of his earlier film "Crash." where, too, a major character performs live reality shows that are dangerous for the performers with a live audience that pays to watch it.

One of the minor players, Tanaya Beatty (partly descended from First Nation/Native Indians of Canada and partly of Indian Himalayan descent) playing one of the two assassins under the pay of the police, was wonderful. She had earlier played the lead in the Canadian film "Through Black Spruce" (2018). She is a scene stealer.

This Cronenberg work can rank alongside "The Fly," "Crash," and "Existenz." The film didn't win at Cannes but it will be one of my important sci-fi films ever made.

Tender and sophisticated filmmaking, with good cinematography, sound management and music to boot.

The debut feature film of Natalia Lopez (wife of director Carlos Reygadas, actress in Reygadas' "Our Times" as its lead character Esther, and editor of several works of Reygadas). It is not surprising that this work has the stamp of Reygadas' style all over it, from the opening sequence onwards (ref. "Silent Light"). As Ms Lopez is a woman, she captures the life of Mexico's underworld of drug cartels, the corrrupt police, abductions, and killings, divorces, effect of all this on the children in a sensitive realistic manner, unlike the brutal, coarse work of director Amat Escalante in "Heli" where also Ms Lopez was the editor. As in all Reygadas films the race relationships within Mexico are prominent. This is critical, as this film dwells on the reactions and actions of three connected women, following the disappearance of a fourth woman. The three women are a wealthy woman separating/divorcing from her husband; a corrupt police officer; and a family maid of the wealthy woman. a noteworthy debut effort, which deservedly won the Berlin Silver Bear. The film includes a bizarre sequence of a man being burnt to death in front of scores of mute spectators, including women, as though some illegal justice/punishment is being carried out.

Illusion and reality, in the world of Jafar Panahi. Telling the truth is difficult for Iranian filmmakers. You have Government control on one hand (the real tale of Panahi remotely directing a film being shot in Turkey while stationed on the borders of Iran as he is not allowed to leave the country) and you have quaint traditions on the other (in the Iranian villages on the border) that often leads to tragedy. However good your intent, the road is bumpy and leads you to a sad, nihilistic end. Intelligent filmmaking that captures the difficulty of renowned filmmakers to capture the Kafkesque ground reality in Iran and the frustrations of Iranian nationals today. Deserved the Special Jury Prize at Venice.

Good thriller set in 1958 Hungary. But the American songs of late 50s could never have figured in a Hungarian film, until very recently. The technical finesse is laudable,

One of Walter Hill's very good works. He is helped by a wonderful cast, a lot of ideas borrowed from famous Spaghetti westerns that are well-executed, and some fine cinematography, helped by some helicopter shots. Not a dull moment, especially when Christoph Waltz and Willem Dafoe are on screen. Waltz' role is tailor-made for him.

Interesting tale, based on a novel, set in Naples.

Realistic. The hand-held camera is a distraction. The finale is powerful but does not explain the father's real physical, financial and mental condition adequately. Intriguing are a near-miss fatal accident with a bus, a possible suicide attempt, his fascination with Oriental meditation, the choice of the Turkish carpet, etc. Young Francesca Corio as the daughter is a delight to watch.