Veronica Lee's Top 10 Films of 2022 | reviews, news & interviews
Veronica Lee's Top 10 Films of 2022
Veronica Lee's Top 10 Films of 2022
Transforming expectations in a less than stellar year for cinema
Sunday, 18 December 2022
'Matilda the Musical': Emma Thompson and Alisha WeirNetflix
In what feels like a less than stellar year for cinema, some films stand out. In some instances it was because I stepped a little outside my normal fare of blockbusters or star-driven vehicles and saw some films I might have thought a little too arthouse for my tastes. I'm very glad I did because otherwise I might not have seen a couple on this list.
I chose as number one a film version of a stage musical that I loved; I'm often not a fan of transformations (in either direction) as I think they can be lazy or reductive. But not Matthew Warchus's Matilda the Musical, a joyous reincarnation of Roald Dahl's story given verve by Tim Minchin's songs and Emma Thompson having a whale of a time.
3. Living
5. Aftersun
7. The Woman King
8. Boiling Point
more Film
The Origin of Evil review - Laure Calamy stars in gripping French psychodrama
Sébastien Marnier directs an excellent cast in a story of shifting identities
DVD/Blu-ray: Padre Pio
Shia LaBeouf stars in Abel Ferrara's latest grungy spiritual quest, earthed by landscape and politics
Late Night With the Devil review - indie-horror punches above its weight
Controversy over AI-generated images aside, this is a wholly original film
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire review - a modest, well-meant return
Comic juice runs low for the stretched '80s franchise, which settles for amiable warmth
Immaculate review - grisly convent horror is timely but flawed
Sydney Sweeney impresses, but director Michael Mohan is too eager to scare
Baltimore review - the story of Rose Dugdale and the IRA art heist
An enigmatic portrait of the English heiress turned violent Republican
Robot Dreams review - short circuits of love
A colourful tale of a pooch and its metal bestie
The Delinquents review - escape to the country, Buenos Aires style
Rodrigo Moreno's film has a song in its heart and its tongue in its cheek
Blu-ray: Beautiful Thing
Much-loved film adaptation of a classic 1990s play has aged well
The New Boy review - a mystical take on Australia's treatment of its First Peoples
Warwick Thornton's parable is too mysterious for its own good
Monster review - superbly elliptical tale of a troubled boy
Hirakazu Kore-eda, on top form in his native Japan, directs an intricate psychological drama
Drive-Away Dolls review - larky lesbian road movie with some iffy gear changes
Comic violent caper meets queer romcom, both ending up shortchanged
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