Have you been looking for something new to watch recently or are struggling to find movies that pique your interest? Check out these top five movies that were released this year that all have incredibly strong women leads and crazy subject matter.
- The Batman, dir. Matt Reeves
The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson has thus far been my favorite movie of 2022. This film has had the attention of everyone since the announcement of his casting, but what I anticipated more than Rob was Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman in Matt Reeve’s version of Gotham City. Zoe truly ate that role up. Her performance on screen was captivating and powerful, and the costumes were different and refreshing and complimented Kravitz and her regular style well. We love to see the Batman & Catwoman duo make a return to the big screens. It is a nice change to see the addition of more women leads to the DC Universe, especially after Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman. However, this film is a long watch — about three hours to be exact — but is worth every second.
- NOPE, dir. Jordan Peele
The film NOPE directed by the oh-so-infamous Jordan Peele takes an unconventional approach to horror films today. Starring Daniel Kaluuya, Steven Yeun, and our childhood favorite Keke Palmer as Emerald Haywood, Peele’s NOPE is a tantalizingly creepy mixed bag of a sci-fi thriller that plays on our fear and amazement of UFOs. It keeps us shivering for a while, and although the film is horror Keke keeps it fun throughout. I don’t want to say too much to spoil the thriller but just know you’re truly in for a ride — especially if you aren’t familiar with the cosmic horror genre.
- Don’t Worry Darling, dir. Olivia Wilde
As the only film in this list directed by a woman, Don’t Worry Darling by Olivia Wilde comes in at number three. This film hits when you ignore the Rotten Tomatoes rating of 30% from critics and the negative attention from all the drama surrounding the work triangle between Miss Flo, Harry, and Olivia Wilde. Don’t Worry Darling is a surprisingly gripping movie and keeps you on your toes to the end. The film takes place in the 1950s, where we explore the life of Alice Chambers, as she unravels the ugly truth of living in paradise with her husband Jack played by Harry Styles. Miss Flo does a great job again in another film and I am definitely going to see this again before it leaves theatres. Go watch it now!
- The Gray Man, dir. The Russo Brothers
Netflix dropped the best action movie of Summer 2022 with The Gray Man. starring Hollywood’s most popular actors, such as Ana de Armas, Ryan Gosling, and Chris Evans, this movie is an epic espionage thriller. Heartthrob Gosling plays Sierra Six, the CIA’s top asset — whose identity is known to no one. The best part of the film is the fighting duo between Sierra Six and Ana de Armas’ character agent Dani Miranda. This movie is by far action-packed and will leave you waiting for the sequel.
The Gray Man is an action-packed engaging film that gives a lot of excitement right from the start thanks to fantastic cinematography and soundtrack, a great narrative, and a talented cast.
- Thor: Love & Thunder, dir. Taiki Waititi
In this fourth installment of the franchise, Chris Hemsworth plays Mighty Thor yet again as he returns to the life of being a hero after the events of Avengers: Endgame. In this space adventure spectacle, Thor sets out with the Guardians of the Galaxy on a spiritual journey of purpose, love, and loss. The fourth installment of the Thor series takes a wild ride with a very special return of Natalie Portman, as she comes back to play Jane Foster. She takes the lead in this movie as the new Lady Thor in this action-packed film. With a star-studded cast of Christain Bale, Tessa Thompson, Russell Crowe, and more, it’s fun and light-hearted. However, it comes in last as it’s truly only a watch for when there’s nothing else on streaming platforms.
My boyfriend also helped me write this list, aka my movie partner, so go find someone to watch something with to do the best part: talk about them afterward. I hope you enjoyed reading my list and getting a closer look at some of these movies. They are too good to miss out on, so tap in.