With the end of the semester approaching, the long-dreamed vacation is closer than ever. So, to get you started in the right way, check out 7 of the best movies from 2022!
The school year is coming to an end. You’ve worked hard and been through some of the most unusual circumstances in your academic life. So, to take some time away from the responsibilities, we’ve lined up everything you should add to your to-watch-list. And remember, before you join in: put on your PJs, grab a big bowl of popcorn and get your comforter out.
“TOP GUN: MAVERICK”
After 35 years since the first film in the franchise was released, Tom Cruise continues to lead the box office with his role in this new film, captivating and reminding new viewers and nostalgic old ones who have followed him since the beginning.
In the sequel, a new mission is about to take place in the Navy: destroy an enemy nuclear threat, hidden among hills where drones are not enough and only extreme human skill can reach. The best of the best of a new batch of ace pilots are there, but they need a teacher to handle the classic F-18 fighters.
After more than 30 years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell is called upon to train them. The same guy who has a legendary reputation but is still, so many years later, discredited by the higher ranks of the armed forces.Maverick must confront the ghosts of his past and his deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who choose to fly it.
“NOPE”
The long-awaited third film from the author and filmmaker Jordan Peele “Nope” serves as his most ambitious work to date, as it combines a strongly inspired Spielbergian scope with a subtle yet important social message about other human obsessions with spectacle.
Following OJ Haywood (Daniel Kaluuya), a horse trainer whose sister Esmeralda (Keke Palmer) shows up due to the passing of her father, we see them encounter an UFO (Unidentified Flying Object) – or what appears to be one – and try their best to capture it on camera, making for a very intense and overall great film.
The best way to enjoy this film is to act as if “Get Out” and “Us” did not exist, to avoid any comparisons, and simply accept everything for what it is, as it suggests what we should all do when it comes to contemplating the other world.
“THE BATMAN”
It is a fact that this movie was one of the most anticipated films of the year, especially for the doubt of how our beloved Robert Pattinson, our eternal vampire of “Twilight”, would perform as Batman, a character that has already been played by many actors in different ways. But, surprising everyone, this movie not only became critically acclaimed, but also another action movie that was a hit.
The film tells the story of Batman as a budding vigilante. In the second year of his journey, Bruce Wayne is still totally tormented by the death of his parents and follows a reclusive life day by day. With few public appearances and zero importance to his family’s fortune and legacy, Bruce is obsessed with his journey as a shadow of the night who brings fear to crime. And yet, in his opening line, he admits that it’s not working, with crime and corruption increasingly reigning in Gotham. Together with Gordon (Jeffrey Wright), a more experienced cop, they form a working dynamic, an investigative duo that works wonders in the movie.
“TURNING RED”
Released directly on the Disney+ platform in 2022, “Turning Red” is the first Pixar film to be directed by a woman, Domee Shi, and tells the story of Meilin Lee (Rosalie Chiang), a 13-year-old girl who has to deal with the dilemmas of becoming a teenager and continuing to meet the expectations of others, as well as hiding the power that the women in her family possess to turn into giant red pandas when they feel strong emotions.
Despite the unconventional premise, the film uses Chinese culture and the giant red panda metaphor to address complex and delicate issues, such as the passage from childhood to adolescence, anxiety, first period and generational trauma. With an outrageously cute and colorful aesthetic, the animation is also one of the first feature films to pay a tribute to the 2000s.
“THE WOMAN KING”
“The Woman King” follows the story of General Nanisca, played by Viola Davis, an Agojie warrior, an elite group of warriors composed only of women who protected the African kingdom of Daomé in the 1800s. At that time, due to the high male demand in wars and conflicts in general, the kingdom of Daomé decided to create an army of women trained to fight all kinds of battles that were presented to them.
The film portrays very well this intense journey of the new generation of female warriors prepared for battle against an enemy that not only has the support of the Portuguese, but also has interests in the slave trade. Based on real facts, the production is an example of female and black representation.
“MARTE UM”
The Martins family lives quietly on the fringes of Contagem, a city in Minas Gerais, after the disappointing election of an extreme-right president. Being a lower middle class black family, they feel the tension of their new reality. Tércia (Rejane Faria), the mother, after an incident involving a television prank, believes she is suffering from a curse. Her husband, Wellington (Carlos Francisco), puts all his hopes in the career of his son, Deivinho (Cícero Lucas), who, under pressure and wanting to please his father, follows his ambitions, even though he secretly aspires to study astrophysics and colonize Mars. Meanwhile, the eldest daughter, Eunice (Camila Damião), falls in love with a free-spirited young woman and intends to move into an apartment with her, but does not have the courage to tell her parents.
The film talks about the importance of dreaming and never giving up. It also expresses the daily challenges of a large part of Brazilian society, mostly black, who live with lack of public policies such as decent housing, work, education, public transportation, subjected to various forms of violence, including hunger.
“ELVIS”
Last but not least, this one is for those lovers of the King of Rock and Roll who love to watch and relive every moment of his career.
The Elvis Presley (Austin Butler) film biography tells the story of the star from his difficult childhood to his downfall and, of course, his rise to fame as one of the most famous and highest paid singers in the United States.
The story dives into the dynamic between the singer and his manager “Colonel” Tom Parker, played by Tom Hanks, for over 20 years in partnership, using the constantly evolving landscape of America and Elvis’ loss of naivety over his years as a singer. In the midst of his journey and career, Elvis will meet Priscilla Presley, portrayed by Olivia DeJonge, the source of his inspiration and one of the most important people in his life.
Well, this was a small selection of several movies that were released this year, and it can be said that they didn’t disappoint, did they? Anyway, I hope 2023 brings a lot of good things and great movies to binge watch during the whole year.
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The article above was written by Ana Carolina Teixeira and edited by Milena Casaca.
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