Ah...smell that?
It's the sweet, sweet smell of a New Year. After the hangover wears off from Holiday festivities, people have renewed energy to tackle their goals, and we realize - in shock - that we're now 2 whole years removed from the year that was 2020.
Oh, and of course...the 12th Annual Rath Awards!! It's hard to believe that I've been going for this long across 850+ separate posts during that time. Along the way, many of you have stayed with me and I appreciate the support through the years.
Looking back on 2022 as a whole, this truly may be one of the most holistically "great" years across everything we'll talk about today. Music had some long lasting classics, television continued to remain in its golden era (you just have to know where to look), videogames had a low-quantity, high-quality year, and films really felt like they were "back". I loved many indies, blockbusters, and everything in between amidst a movie going landscape that felt much more like pre-Covid times, as much as we'll be able to achieve that.
If you're new here, you've been forewarned that this is a comically long post. It's best broken up in chunks, or scrolling to find your favorites, often with a good stiff drink (or delicious coffee) in hand. If you're curious of past years - which are always super interesting to look back on - check out their links below. Otherwise, movie and game reviews are not linked here, but easy to look up on the site using the search functionality.
Previous Rath Award links:
Let's get to it!
As always, music tends to be very subjective and I clearly lean more toward popular artists so take it with a grain of salt if your tastes are different OR, even better, give some of these winners a listen!
BEST IN GENRE | HIP-HOP & RAP
I Never Liked You by Future
Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar
Renaissance by Beyonce
Melt My Eyes See Your Future by Denzel Curry
Her Loss by Drake & 21 Savage
Come Home the Kids Miss You by Jack Harlow
King's Disease 3 by Nas
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| Winner: Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar Runner-up: Renaissance by Beyonce |
I'm sure there are collective gasps that I didn't choose Queen Bey, but it was hard to when the year was mostly strong on the rap and hip-hop front. Arguably I included more nominations than were probably necessary because this was always going to be Kendrick's to lose. Mr. Morale was an incredible, delicately-woven album, something we're accustomed to receiving from Mr. Lamar by this point. It was definitely one of the best of the year, regardless of genre.
BEST IN GENRE | POP
Dawn FM (Alternate World) by The Weeknd
Harry's House by Harry Styles
Special by Lizzo
All 4 Nothing by Lauv
Midnights by Taylor Swift
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| Winner: Midnights Runner-up: Harry's House |
What an incredible year for Pop music. 3 out of the 5 above albums are some of the best of year, potentially even all-time classics. In relation to pure pop music however, Taylor Swift pretty much always takes the cake. You either love her or you hate her (and let's be real if you hate her it's probably because you haven't actually listened to her music) but I'm squarely in the former camp. She's the most versatile artist in the industry right now, a master at writing her own music, and can create an ear-worm like no one else's business. Midnights will age well in her overall catalogue, I'd venture to guess ending somewhere in the Top 5, maybe Top 3.
BEST HIT SONG
Bois Lie by Avril Lavigne ft. Machine Gun Kelly
Less Than Zero by The Weeknd
As It Was by Harry Styles
Anti-Hero by Taylor Swift
Music for a Sushi Restaurant by Harry Styles
About Damn Time by Lizzo
First Class by Jack Harlow
Unholy by Kim Petras ft. Sam Smith
BREAK MY SOUL by Beyonce
 |
| Winner: As It Was by Harry Styles Runner-up: (TIE) Bois Lie by Avril Lavigne ft. MGK and Less Than Zero by The Weeknd |
Consider the two runner-ups as a "two for me" callout because these songs are just damn good (and I didn't even know I liked Avril Lavigne) but they were up against a juggernaut with As It Was. Harry Styles' premier track off his new album is catchy as hell, has both a modern and old-school feel to it, and feels like it will be one of his instantly-timeless songs. It takes an easy top spot here.
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Harry Styles
Kendrick Lamar
Taylor Swift
Avril Lavigne
Bad Bunny
Beyonce
Lizzo
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| Winner: Bad Bunny Runner-up: Harry Styles |
Bad Bunny's music isn't something that I connect with much (it's not nominated here at all, despite a new album this year), but he's honestly taking the music world by storm so respect where respect is due. His tour has set a record breaking gross with $435 milling - that's nearly half a billion - and his global Spotify streaming totals are astronomical: 18.5 billion. The U.S. certainly has it's big artists, but on the global stage, Bad Bunny is at the very top.
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
5 | Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar
4 | Love Sux by Avril Lavigne
3 | Dawn FM (Alternate World) by The Weeknd
 |
| 1 | Harry's House by Harry Styles 2 | Midnights by Taylor Swift |
Honestly, the albums on this list could all make a case for #1 (again, do I love Avril Lavigne now?!), but I think 20-30 years from now, Harry's House is going to be deemed as a timeless classic. It's arguably the album that catapulted Harry from a normal/big star to the higher stratospheric levels and it's just damn good music. A mix between pop, John-Mayer-esque vibes, and rock music, this is a highly enjoyable album that is easy to have on repeat all the time.
BEST NEWCOMER
Outer Range
Severance
Ms. Marvel
She-Hulk
Andor
Rings of Power
House of the Dragon
Peacemaker
 |
| Winner: Severance Runner-up: Andor |
MOST ANTICIPATED
The Last of Us - S1
Invincible - S2
The Mandalorian - S3
Secret Invasion - S1
The Witcher - S3
Ted Lasso - S3
Severance - S2
 |
| Winner: The Last of Us - S1 Runner-up: Invincible - S2 |
BEST EPISODE
"Good News About Hell" - Severance S1E1
"The We We Are" - Severance S1E9 (Finale)
Euphoria Finale Part I & II - Euphoria S2E7 & E8 (Finale)
"Dear Billy" - Stranger Things S4E4
"Herogasm" - The Boys S3E6
"Saul Gone" - Better Call Saul Series Finale
"710N" - Barry S3E6
"Udun" - Rings of Power S1E6
"It's Cow or Never" - Peacemaker S1E8 (Finale)
"The Black Queen" - House of the Dragon S1E10 (Finale)
"The Eye" - Andor S1E6
"One Way Out" - Andor S1E10
"Rix Road" - Andor S1E12 (Finale)
 |
| Winner: "Saul Gone" - Better Call Saul Series Finale Runner-up: (TIE) "The Eye" - Andor S1E6 & "One Way Out" - Andor S1E10 |
That's a DAMN long list, but there were so many fantastic episodes of television this year that deserved recognition. In the end though, I usually tend to lean toward series finales because it's hard for shows to completely wrap things up, and when it's done well it's a sight to behold. Better Call Saul arguably had to wrap up two series as the continuation of Breaking Bad's story too. Leave it to Vince Gilligan to nail it, giving us yet another perfect "finale" to this world he's created and one of the most memorable characters in TV history.
BEST ACTOR
Adam Scott as Mark in Severance
Jason Bateman as Marty Byrde in Ozark
Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman in Better Call Saul
Anthony Starr as Homelander in The Boys
Oscar Issac as multiple people in Moon Knight
Evan Peters as Jeffrey Dahmer in Dahmer
Diego Luna as Cassian Andor in Andor
John Cena as Peacemaker in Peacemaker
Paddy Considine as Viserys in House of the Dragon
 |
| Winner: Anthony Starr as Homelander in The Boys Runner-up: Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman in Better Call Saul |
This was a difficult decision because Bob Odenkirk IS Saul Goodman, but Anthony Starr is making Homelander an all-time great villain and Season 3 of The Boys doubled down on that. The show is special regardless of him, but his presence elevates it into the stratosphere, now with 3 fantastic seasons under its belt, and no signs of slowing down. Starr's performance is a huge reason for that and its terrifying to wonder where he'll go next.
BEST ACTRESS
Zendaya as Rue in Euphoria
Laura Linney as Wendy Byrde in Ozark
Julia Garner as Ruth in Ozark
Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in Stranger Things
Rhea Seehorn as Kim in Better Call Saul
Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer Walters in She-Hulk
Jennifer Coolidge as Tanya in The White Lotus
 |
| Winner: Zendaya as Rue in Euphoria Runner-up: Rhea Seehorn as Kim in Better Call Saul |
As long as Zendaya keeps playing Rue, it's likely she'll have a chance of winning this award. It's a career-defining character and has helped her star power rise to crazy heights (among other roles). It's impressive because of her youth, sure, but because she's able to make Rue such an equally unlikable addict, but then a lovable lover, friend, and sister. The range is constantly dynamic - exhaustingly so - and Zendaya's performance makes it feel like no one else could really play this character.
BEST SHOW | COMEDY
Upload
Atlanta
Only Murders in the Building
Rick & Morty
Big Mouth
She-Hulk
Avenue 5
 |
| Winner: Only Murders in the Building Runner-up: Atlanta |
Comedy on television has become an interesting landscape of animated shows that push certain boundaries and live-action shows that feel like they're skirting around on eggshells (cue all those "The Office couldn't be made today" discussions). Only Murders in the Building relies on some good old fashioned laughs most of the time and is a delightful - yet odd - pairing of Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Selena Gomez. But it works so damn well!
BEST SHOW | DRAMA
Euphoria
Ozark
Severance
Stranger Things
Better Call Saul
The Boys
Rings of Power
House of the Dragon
The White Lotus
Andor
 |
| Winner: (TIE) Stranger Things and The Boys Runner-up: (TIE) Better Call Saul and Andor |
Ok, so clearly I CANNOT make up my mind on this one as 40% of the nominations are technically "winning" something. But honestly, all 4 of the seasons mentioned could be argued for the best TV show of the year. Better Call Saul was obviously an expertly crafted series capper, Andor was some of the best Star Wars we have ever gotten, The Boys season 3 continues to up the stakes further and is insanely compelling television, and Stranger Things delivered it's best, most focused season to date. How the hell am I supposed to choose!?!?
MOST ANTICIPATED
Starfield
Hogwarts Legacy
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Spider-Man 2
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| Winner: Hogwarts Legacy Runner-up: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor |
I'm taking a massive risk here, but I'm genuinely intrigued to see how Hogwarts Legacy turns out. The Harry Potter world is a vastly under-tapped one in the realm of gaming and yet it's so rich for a fun - potentially dark - game, hopefully with a compelling narrative. It could be one of the biggest surprises of next year...or one of its biggest disappointments (an award I dropped this year, but would have gone to Overwatch 2).
BEST SOUNDTRACK / ORIGINAL SCORE
Dying Light 2: Stay Human
Horizon: Forbidden West
Elden Ring
God of War: Ragnarok
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
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| Winner: Horizon: Forbidden West Runner-up: God of War: Ragnarok |
Much like the first title, Horizon: Forbidden West is a game deeply planted in my gaming memory. It was a glorious expansion of the original and has many things to adore about it, including/especially the music. Often perfectly suited for whatever activity you're doing - particularly in the tensest moments - it's always there and always powerful.
BEST GRAPHICS
Horizon: Forbidden West
God of War: Ragnarok
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
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| Winner: Horizon: Forbidden West Runner-up: God of War: Ragnarok |
Can you tell this is going to be the "Year of the PlayStation exclusive"? Honestly, this was almost impossible to decide, but I want my final vote to go to Horizon. There's such a massive world and so many creatures and things to get right. For the game itself to be effortlessly smooth and gorgeous despite that heavy burden is outrageously impressive so it gets the slight edge here, even though you could say the same exact thing about God of War.
MOST FUN
Dying Light 2: Stay Human
Horizon: Forbidden West
Overwatch 2
God of War: Ragnarok
Rollerdrome
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
 |
| Winner: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Runner-up: God of War: Ragnarok |
Call of Duty was an absolute complete package this year and has sucked me in. A large reason for that is because it is accessible to many gamers and gives you a variety of modes based on what kind of session you'd like. Outside of a fantastic campaign, the multiplayer can be done in both 1st and 3rd person, and is as good as ever. Warzone features awesome new advancements and remains intense, while DMZ is a good "easy" but still fun (and can be challenging) version of Warzone, in a way. Point being, I feel like any time I want to play videogames, Modern Warfare 2 has something calling out to me.
BEST MULTIPLAYER
Overwatch 2
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Marvel SNAP!
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| Winner: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Runner-up: Marvel SNAP! |
Kudos to Marvel SNAP! for being the first ever mobile game on the Rath Awards, and it deserves mention for its Gwent-esque card game that is all consuming. However, in a year with minimal multiplayer options (at least in my world), Modern Warfare 2 takes this one easily for all the reasons listed in the previous award. There's always something to do depending on your skill or how much intensity you want. It'll be in my play cycle for a very long time.
BEST CAMPAIGN
Elden Ring
God of War: Ragnarok
Horizon: Forbidden West
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
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| Winner: Elden Ring Runner-up: God of War: Ragnarok |
It's hard sometimes to know what I mean when I say "campaign" but generally I'm referring to the actual experience while you go through the single-player portion of any game. That list is a POTENT one...the argument could be made for all of them. However, Elden Ring really did deliver us something special with a Souls-like game that finally (mostly) solved its biggest problem around accessibility. The open-world exploration led to some of the wildest, most shocking, most intense, and awesome (and frustrating) gaming moments I've ever had. It provided a blueprint for what the next phase of open world gaming could be and, applied elsewhere, is an exciting grandfather to hopefully a new genre.
BEST STORY
Horizon: Forbidden West
God of War: Ragnarok
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Elden Ring
 |
| Winner: God of War: Ragnarok Runner-up: Horizon: Forbidden West |
This was honestly a lot closer than many may think because I still believe the Horizon series has the best ongoing science-fiction story (across any medium) right now. It thinks BIG and Forbidden West was no different. But the lore, characters, evolution of said characters, and the outright drama through mystery is what kept Ragnarok the highest on this list. God of War has always had at least a "good" story, but this new Norse era has upped that ante considerably.
GAME OF THE YEAR
5 | Marvel SNAP!
4 | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
3 | Horizon: Forbidden West
 |
| 1 | God of War: Ragnarok 2 | Elden Ring |
Honestly, the top 4 games on that list are all incredible (each getting at least within a half point of a perfect score from me). And yeah, Elden Ring changed the game, literally. But God of War speaks to me as a lifelong PlayStation gamer. As someone who grew up with the first God of War games - sneaking them from my parents at the time - and keeping up with the series eagerly along the way, Ragnarok is the series at its best, which is saying a tremendous amount. The gameplay, acting, writing, music, graphics, and story are all the epitome of AAA and it's a timeless classic that will go down as such.
BEST RETRO REVIEW
Lawrence of Arabia
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Avatar
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| Winner: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Runner-up: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers |
I may have significantly reduced my Retro Reviews this year, but that doesn't mean I didn't have some heavy hitters. Even with 4 entries though, this was an easy award to hand out and in a year with a lot of Lord of the Rings in my life (re-reading the books, the new TV show, and these Retro Reviews) it was a pleasure to return to both of these for the first time in a long time.
BEST MONTH
May
June
September
November
 |
| Winner: November (8.6 avg.) Runner-up: (TIE) September & May (8.0 avg.) |
In a repeat victory from last year, November comes out on top again, with a vengeance. Not only was it the highest scoring avg. month this year, but it was one of the highest scoring averages in Rath's Reviews history, which is saying something given it was also my 2nd busiest month of 2022 with 7 films. The "lowest" score given was 8/10 to The Menu (delightful thriller) and Spirited (way-better-than-I-thought-it-would-be holiday musical) while the films pictured above were absolutely some of the best of the year, not to mention I can already spot a few that I feel I underrated. What a great month November was!
BEST SEASON
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
 |
| Winner: Fall (7.88 avg.) Runner-up: Summer (7.35 avg.) |
Because of November's strong month, it should be no surprise that Fall came away with the win here. And don't just let the images of the highest rated films fool you: there was more to love like Barbarian, Blonde (depending on who you ask), and the aforementioned The Menu and Spirited. 7.88 is also the highest seasonal average we've seen since Fall 2019, suggesting that things are indeed getting back to normal.
RATH'S WRATH (aka Worst Movie)
Morbius
Tar
Deep Water
Bodies Bodies Bodies
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| "Winner": Deep Water Runner-up: Morbius |
Deep Water is still a frustrating film in my 2022 landscape because I knew I shouldn't have watched it, but I succumbed anyway. I've been protecting my time a lot more as this hobby can quickly become an [enjoyable] time sink, and watching bad films that feature stupid AF characters is borderline depressing. Deep Water was that reaction for me, largely because the screenplay and character motives were mind-blowingly stupid.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
Men
Thor: Love and Thunder
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
Don't Worry Darling
Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness
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| Winner: Thor: Love and Thunder Runner-up: Men |
Both of these are examples of directors that usually nail it (talking 9.5+ scores) and their new movies didn't deliver the same level of quality. Thor in particular should have been a home run. The comedy of Taika Waititi, colorful landscape a la Ragnarok, and added value elements like Natalie Portman, Christian Bale (!) as the villain, and the Guardians making a brief appearance should have added up to one of the MCU's best. Instead it felt flat and was shockingly not that funny.
BIGGEST SURPRISE
The Adam Project
Everything Everywhere All at Once
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
Top Gun: Maverick
Prey
Barbarian
Athena
Spirited
 |
| Winner: Prey Runner-up: Barbarian |
Barbarian was perhaps the most surprising viewing experience I've had, but Prey was easily the best out-of-nowhere-better-than-the-original film probably no one, including myself, was expecting. It had a lean story, awesome characters, and even better suspense and action; it has grown on me throughout the year.
MOVIE I MOST OVERRATED
Moonfall
Scream
Blonde
Deep Water
Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness
Where the Crawdads Sing
Halloween Ends
 |
| Winner: Blonde Runner-up: Scream |
Always a fun award for me to eat some crow, as the saying goes. Blonde was such a tricky film to review where I was obviously too enamored by the fantastic original score and de Armas' portrayal to think about some of it's bigger issues. Honestly, it's through discourse and hearing other people's thoughts that caused me to shift my perspective and as much as I enjoyed some elements, this was a fairly one-sided and shallow portrayal of an iconic character. I probably would have reduced my score significantly from 8/10 to the 5-6 realm.
MOVIE I MOST UNDERRATED
Top Gun: Maverick
The Banshees of Inisherin
The Fabelmans
All Quiet on the Western Front
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Prey
 |
| Winner: Top Gun: Maverick Runner-up: All Quiet on the Western Front |
Underrating is not something I often do, but there's always a handful of films - usually very good ones - that age really well throughout the year and/or multiple viewings increase my perception of them. Top Gun: Maverick checks both of those boxes as the only film I've seen 3 times this year (2x in theaters) and I swear it gets better each time. I originally rated this a 9/10, probably out of shock of how good it was. Bluntly: it's a stone-cold classic.
BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS
Moonfall
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness
Top Gun: Maverick
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Avatar: The Way of Water
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| Winner: Avatar: The Way of Water Runner-up: Top Gun: Maverick |
While Maverick gets points here for incredible levels of "let's do this for real!", this was perhaps the easiest decision of all the Rath Awards this year. Avatar: The Way of Water's special effects are jaw-dropping and, much like the first, will hold up across several decades. An easy win...moving on!
BEST SOUND / SOUND EDITING
The Batman
Everything Everywhere All At Once
The Northman
RRR
Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness
Top Gun: Maverick
Thirteen Lives
Nope
The Woman King
Don't Worry Darling
Athena
Tar
All Quiet on the Western Front
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Avatar: The Way of Water
 |
| Winner: Top Gun: Maverick Runner-up: Thirteen Lives |
Despite how much claustrophobia Thirteen Lives was able to create with its sound, it was really the screaming, rip-roaring sounds of jet engines that was brought to life most this year, an impressive win in an extensive pool of candidates. Simply put, Top Gun: Maverick in IMAX is probably the closest (and certainly the loudest) I'll ever feel to being in a jet fighter.
BEST ACTION
The Batman
Everything Everywhere All At Once
The Northman
Top Gun: Maverick
RRR
Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness
Bullet Train
The Gray Man
Prey
The Woman King
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Black Adam
All Quiet on the Western Front
Avatar: The Way of Water
 |
| Winner: RRR Runner-up: Everything Everywhere All At Once |
RRR's physics and action make the Fast and the Furious films seem absolutely feasible by comparison and it resulted in some of the most over-the-top, outlandish, and damn entertaining action sequences of the year. It'll certainly have you rolling your eyes, but what other movie can you say you've seen a dual-wielding-piggy-back jail escape?
FUNNIEST MOVIE
Turning Red
Everything Everywhere All At Once
The Lost City
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
Bullet Train
Amsterdam
The Banshees of Inisherin
Spirited
The Fabelmans
Babylon
 |
| Winner: The Banshees of Inisherin Runner-up: (TIE) Everything Everywhere All At Once & Babylon |
Comedy has evolved a lot over the years - some for the worse, some for the better - so this can be a difficult award to decide. There were a lot of solid nominations this year, but Banshees of Inisherin was probably the one I found myself laughing the most consistently, even if the humor was a little darker. Thanks to some well-written characters and stellar performances, this was a dame feckin hilarious movie!
BEST ANIMATED FILM
Turning Red
Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
Lightyear
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
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| Winner: Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood Runner-up: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On |
As I mention in my Pinocchio interview: I would be okay if I never see another rendition of that story again, so if you liked that film (many loved it), that could be your clear winner. Me on the other hand? I remember really enjoying the short, criminally underseen story of a bunch of kids growing up in the space age in Houston. The animation was unique and the tale a simple one about childhood dreams. In a year of rather weak animated offerings, this stood out to me.
BEST SOUNDTRACK
Bullet Train
Top Gun: Maverick
Thor: Love and Thunder
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Elvis
 |
| Winner: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Runner-up: Elvis |
While it may not have had a Kendrick-Lamar-brainchild like the first film, Wakanda Forever better utilized the music that inspired various artists across hip-hop and rap. Woven together with a fantastic original score (you'll see it nominated in the next award), the use of real songs were often meaningful, perhaps none more so than when Shuri visits Talocan for the first time.
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Batman
The Northman
Top Gun: Maverick
Men
RRR
Nope
Don't Worry Darling
Blonde
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Spirited
Avatar: The Way of Water
Babylon
 |
| Winner: Babylon Runner-up: Blonde |
Honestly, I thought this was Blonde's to lose, but leave it to Justin Hurwitz to come in and steal it at the last second. Babylon's original score arguably carries the film more than it should have to, but it's a perfect companion to each and every scene, while also being a blast to listen to by itself. It's the epitome of "jazz earworms".
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Tragedy of Macbeth
The Batman
The Northman
Top Gun: Maverick
Men
Nope
RRR
Athena
Don't Worry Darling
Tar
The Banshees of Inisherin
All Quiet on the Western Front
The Fabelmans
Avatar: The Way of Water
 |
| Winner: The Tragedy of Macbeth Runner-up: (TIE) The Northman and Athena |
Of course, I'll have the usual arguers: wasn't this a 2021 film?!!? Ignoring that, it's amazing that I still remember some of the striking imagery from this retelling of Macbeth nearly 12 months later. And in a year with a laundry list of very strong nominations, a win here says a lot about one of the best parts of this film: the cinematography is all-time.
MOST ORIGINAL
The Adam Project
Moonfall
Everything Everywhere All At Once
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
Men
Nope
Prey
Three Thousand Years of Longing
Don't Worry Darling
The Menu
Avatar: The Way of Water
 |
| Winner: Everything Everywhere All At Once Runner-up: Avatar: The Way of Water |
It's James Cameron world building versus a kung-fu family drama with hot dog hands, everything bagels, and dimensions where there are only sentient rocks. So of course hot dog hands are going to take the win here, and it should be no surprise: Everything Everywhere All At Once is one of the most original films I've ever seen.
BEST ENSEMBLE CAST
Death on the Nile
The Adam Project
The Batman
The Northman
Thor: Love and Thunder
The Gray Man
Bullet Train
Amsterdam
Don't Worry Darling
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Tale
Babylon
 |
| Winner: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Tale Runner-up: (TIE) Amsterdam and Babylon |
There were a lot of great ensembles this year, but none utilized theirs better than Glass Onion. Each actor or actress was some fun larger-than-life character, and the culmination of a bunch of stars, all led by Daniel Craig's southern-drawl detective, combined to a very fun time at the movies.
BEST PERFORMANCE | ACTOR
Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman in The Batman
Denzel Washington as Macbeth in The Tragedy of Macbeth
Alexander Skarsgard as Amleth in The Northman
Tom Cruise as Pete Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick
Austin Butler as Elvis Presley in Elvis
John Boyega as Brian Brown Easley in Breaking
Christian Bale as Burt in Amsterdam
Colin Farrell as Padraic in The Banshees of Inisherin
Brendon Gleeson as Colm Doherty in The Banshees of Inisherin
Gabriele LaBelle as Sammy Fabelman in The Fabelmans
Brendan Fraser as Charlie in The Whale
Brad Pitt as Jack Conrad in Babylon and Ladybug in Bullet Train
 |
| Winner: Brendan Fraser as Charlie in The Whale Runner-up: Austin Butler as Elvis Presley in Elvis |
While Austin Butler's ability to mimic the King of Rock borders on uncanny, it's really Brendan Fraser's comeback role that stuck a chord in terms of male performances this year. It's the portrayal of a deeply flawed human who has let his body go past the point of saving, yet still holds a positive outlook on most aspects of life and most people (some of which who arguably don't deserve it). It's a pretty wondrous thing to watch.
BEST PERFORMANCE | ACTRESS
Frances McDormand as Lady Macbeth in The Tragedy of Macbeth
Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn Quan Wang in Everything Everywhere All At Once
Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch in Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness
Jessie Buckley as Harper in Men
Amber Midthunder as Naru in Prey
Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe in Blonde
Viola Davis as Nanisca in The Woman King
Florence Pugh as Alice in Don't Worry Darling
Cate Blanchett as Lydia Tar in Tar
Angela Bassett as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Margot Robbie as Nellie LaRoy in Babylon and Valerie Voze in Amsterdam
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| Winner: Cate Blanchett as Lydia Tar in Tar Runner-up: Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn Quan Wang in Everything Everywhere All At Once |
I may have my reservations about the film as a whole and I'm not on the whole "this is the best performance ever" train, but that doesn't mean it's not the best of the year. Cate Blanchett's performance as a pretentious expert in her craft is one of the few captivating things about a film that otherwise lost me. Her nuances and ability to capture the character in Tar are wildly impressive and elevate the film as a whole.
BEST VILLAIN
Paul Dano as the Riddler in The Batman
Jake Gyllenhaal as Danny Sharp in Ambulance
Stephanie Hsu as Joy Wang in Everything Everywhere All At Once
Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch in Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness
Christian Bale as Gorr in Thor: Love and Thunder
Aliens (aka Jean Jacket) in Nope
Chris Evans as Lloyd Hansen in The Gray Man
The Predator in Prey
Tenoch Huerta as Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Ralph Fiennes as Chef Slowik in The Menu
Stephen Lang as Colonel Quaritch in Avatar: The Way of Water
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| Winner: Chris Evans as Lloyd Hansen in The Gray Man Runner-up: Paul Dano as The Riddler in The Batman |
One of the most delightful things about The Gray Man was Chris Evan's scene stealing (and chewing) Lloyd. A secret agent hunting another secret agent, filled with quips, one liners, and a seriously dark viewpoint on their line of work. It was a very fun turn for a actor who has been associated with "good" for quite some time.
BEST HERO
Robert Pattinson as Batman in The Batman
Tom Holland as Nathan Drake in Uncharted
Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn Quan Wang in Everything Everywhere All At Once
Alexander Skarsgard as Amleth in The Northman
Tom Cruise as Captain Pete Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick
Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Strange in Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness
Chris Hemsworth as Thor in Thor: Love and Thunder
Ryan Gosling as Six in The Gray Man
Brad Pitt as Ladybug in Bullet Train
Amber Midthunder as Naru in Prey
Viola Davis as Nanisca in The Woman King
Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam in Black Adam
Letitia Wright as Shuri in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story
Will Ferrell as Christmas Present in Spirited
Sam Worthington as Jake Sully in Avatar: The Way of Water
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| Winner: Tom Cruise as Captain Pete Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick Runner-up: Amber Midthunder as Naru in Prey |
"Don't think, just do!" Was there really any other hero's journey more captivating than Maverick's in Top Gun this year? At the cusp of the end of his career, forced to teach a squadron of hot shots to accomplish an impossible mission (pun intended), it was an engrossing process of student, teacher, the past, and the present - culminating in some wildly heroic scenes and outcomes.
MOST ANTICIPATED
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Creed III
John Wick: Chapter 4
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Part I
The Flash
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Part I
Oppenheimer
Dune: Part II
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| Winner: Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Part I Runner-up: Oppenheimer |
Damn, Tom Cruise is just winning all up and down this joint! If you're any fan of Rath's Reviews you know how much I love the Mission: Impossible franchise and for several iterations now they've become synonymous with "quality" and "boundary pushing" in regards to their stunts. Dead Reckoning is apparently the beginning of the end, which has me even more excited...you can tell that by the fact it beat out a Christopher Nolan entry *gasp*!.
BEST SCENES OF 2022
The award that is the most difficult to track - and finalize - year over year, is this one. It's also one of my favorites because I get to reminisce on sequences that remind me (and us) why we go to the movies. Instances where elements come together in perfection to create something that sears onto your memory. They can be great parts in average films or perhaps iconic parts in great films, but either way, they accomplished what we go to the movies for: to be entertained and to think (or both).
14) Final Frames - The Fabelmans. The Fabelmans is more a summation of its parts than any one stand-out scene, but I really adored the final, simple moments of Sammy Fabelman getting some blunt and funny advice, coupled with a cheeky, semi-fourth-wall-breaking camera "correction" to end cap a special movie. It felt perfect.
13) Good Afternoon! - Spirited. This song-filled, Christmas tale with duo of Reynolds and Ferrell was a big surprise this year and its best, most hilarious scene, takes an old (alleged) "curse", throwing it around to good effect in a catchy song with some very funny moments. "Good Afternoon!" to you, my readers!
12) Pressing Through the Multiverse - Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. Dr. Strange always delivers "trippy" moments, but perhaps none more so than he and America Chavez falling through the multiverse and all of its differing worlds. Between mirrors, weird cubes, paint, and animated universes, the intense, fast moving scene was a jaw-dropper, even if we never see some of those worlds again.
11) Colorless Clash - Thor: Love and Thunder. The only "great" section of an otherwise meh film, the battle on a colorless planet, with monochromatic color grading and specific things pulled out in color was a striking moment that I couldn't look away from. Throw in some of Christian Bale's best bits as Gorr and you've got the makings of something special.
9) The New Black Panther - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The sequel to the Marvel hit was an emotionally charged time from start to finish because of the passing of the titular star. Many moments were special throughout, but it'll be a long time before I forget the Marvel Moment of our new Black Panther - coupled with an absolutely tremendous original score - revealing themselves. Equal parts a tribute, a passing of the torch, and a pivotal plot moment...it gave me goosebumps.
8) Tunnel of Echoes - Men. Alex Garland's horror film didn't connect with me the way his films usually do, but there were still moments of taut eeriness that only he can capture. The entire scene dealing with the tunnel and odd echoes (and the aftermath) were some of the most gloriously uncomfortable of the year.
7) On the Movie Set - Babylon. One of the longer scenes on here, this encapsulates the absolute best moments of a troubled film. Margot Robbie getting her start in the acting business, Brad Pitt getting sloshed, a man dying from a spear out of nowhere, and a last minute ambulance drive to save a camera give a hilarious and entertaining view of the "good ol days" of filming movies.
6) Attacking the Ship - Avatar: The Way of Water. There were many stunning moments in James Cameron's gargantuan sequel, but the ending was truly surprising for how great the battle was, and how brutal it could be. Between the insane special effects, and the thrilling setpiece to rescue family members, some characters met a grisly demise, signaling a clear improvement over the forgettable action from the original.
4) Entering the Tunnel - Barbarian. I wasn't on the edge of my seat, holding my breath, and about to scream more than I was when Barbarian started to dial up the heat, bit by bit. It has many surprises throughout, but the execution of the build up was tremendous and highly stressful; the best kind of horror.
3) Dance Off! - RRR. There are so many scenes I could choose from RRR but the one that won me over (and I'm sure many others) is the dance off that occurs within the first hour. Charged with energy, fast choreography, some great humor, and toe-tapping music, it's one of the most enjoyable scenes of the year and a pivotal moment in a film where many audience members may just be "trying it out".
2) Maverick Runs the Course - Top Gun: Maverick. Another movie with a litany of parts to choose from, Maverick running the course is a pulse-pounding moment in an already-intense film. Everything feels dialed up to 11 here - the music, Tom Cruise's cockpit movement, the sound of the engines, and more - and in IMAX it was a "buckle the f**k up" sensation I'll never forget.
1) Chasing the Penguin - The Batman. I'd argue our first three scenes are interchangeable, but ended up giving this the top spot because it was just so badass. From the initial growls of the Batmobile, to the massive crash and jump, and the iconic shot above, it was a highlight from our new Dark Knight that may have had everyone asking "Nolan, who?" (okay no one was asking that, it was for dramatic effect!)
BEST DIRECTOR
Matt Reeves - The Batman
Joel Coen - The Tragedy of Macbeth
Robert Eggers - The Northman
Daniels - Everything Everywhere All At Once
Joseph Kosinski - Top Gun: Maverick
S.S. Rajamouli - RRR
Jordan Peele - Nope
Roman Gavras - Athena
Gina Prince-Bythwood - The Woman King
Martin McDonagh - The Banshees of Inisherin
Ryan Coogler - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Steven Spielberg - The Fabelmans
James Cameron - Avatar: The Way of Water
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| Winner: James Cameron - Avatar: The Way of Water Runner-up: S.S. Rajamouli - RRR |
That's a tremendous list, but James Cameron is out here trying to push his profession and medium forward by decades. The things he's doing for Avatar - much like the original - will likely be replicated as technological advances in future films and he's been pioneering much of it. Say what you want about the movie (it's great) but don't question Cameron's imagination and ingenuity.
BEST BLOCKBUSTER
The Batman
Top Gun: Maverick
Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness
RRR
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Avatar: The Way of Water
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| Winner: Top Gun: Maverick Runner-up: RRR |
Top Gun: Maverick felt deliciously old school, while incorporating some insane realism into its action sequences. It scratched the itch for nostalgia, expanded upon the story logically, and was absolutely bonkers in IMAX...yet also has an emotionally charged narrative. That the ending inexplicably gets me to tear up every time (thanks Hans Zimmer and Lady Gaga!) is the mark of a film I connected with deeply.
BEST INDIE / NON-BLOCKBUSTER
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Everything Everywhere All At Once
The Northman
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
Athena
The Banshees of Inisherin
The Fabelmans
The Whale
Babylon
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| Winner: The Banshees of Inisherin Runner-up: Everything Everywhere All At Once |
I'm a big fan of Martin McDonagh's films and The Banshees of Inisherin was one of my favorite times at the theater this year. Darkly funny, with some amazing Irish countryside, and meat to its bones to think about afterwards, it really ticked all the boxes for me.
READER VOTED | TOP 10 FILMS OF 2022
Thanks to all of you who voted in one of the BEST turnouts Rath's Reviews has ever had for this award. It's always exciting to see what the general population is enjoying throughout the year AND to compare lists. Below are your Top 10 favorite films of the year!
10 | Tar (10% of voters had this in their Top 3) - Can't say I agree on this first entry, but I'm always happy when others enjoy any particular film more than I was able to!
9 | Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (11%) - Easily one of the most unique re-tellings of a story that is cherished, yes, but doesn't need anymore retellings. Another where I connected with it less, but I'm happy so many adored it.
8 | The Fabelmans (11.5%) - I wish it were slightly higher because it's utterly fantastic, but I'm also just glad that so many people were able to see it on the big screen when they had a chance. Steven Spielberg has touched all our lives so to get a glimpse into his story is memorable.
7 | Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story (12%) - I loved this follow up, found it better than the original, and am very happy this now-established-series continues to find a bunch of success and praise. Rian Johnson feels like he's singlehandedly bringing back the whodunit.
6 | Bullet Train (14%) - A huge surprise because I thought I liked it more than most, but it turns out you all like it a lot! This was an expert blend of neat action, witty humor, and Brad Pitt being...well...Brad Pitt. What a fun time.
5 | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (18%) - Readers are smart and it makes total sense that out of the 3 Marvel efforts this year, Wakanda Forever was the only one to make this Top 10 (and it wasn't even really close). Both a high point for Marvel in 2022, but also Phase 4 as a whole, Wakanda Forever deserves a spot on this list.
4 | The Batman (19%) - The second comic book film on this list and one that has stayed on people's minds for a while, given it came out all the way back in March. The Batman was a moody, grim, but compelling new take on the Caped Crusader, leaving people wanting more.
3 | Top Gun: Maverick (24%) - This is where we start to separate the votes out quite a bit, with a very distinct and clear Top 3 this year. First up is the long-awaited sequel to Top Gun, a film that no one expected to be as balls-to-the-wall awesome as it was. There's always something special when a legacy sequel is actually better than the original.
2 | The Banshees of Inisherin (26%) - Again, my readers are smart and I'm delighted to see this film not only on this list, but so high up it. It's 100% one of the best - and funniest - of the year and deserves the praise it's getting.
1 | Everything Everywhere All At Once (36%) - A whopping 36% of you voted this in your Top 3! That's actually crazy and definitely matches the passion I've seen (and had myself) for this film all year long. It's a special and highly original movie that will not soon be forgotten.
RATH'S REVIEWS | TOP 20 FILMS OF 2022
Here it is: the dessert. The finale. The pinnacle of summarizing an entire year of film. It's always interesting to think back about tracking this throughout the year...how difficult it may have been. Would I have too many films? Would it be hard to flesh out the Top 10 (this has happened to me before)? 2022 was one of those years where not only was getting to 10 pretty difficult, but ordering within them was a challenge. And like most years, I found myself questioning positioning and eventually saying "F**k it, these are my awards!" So with that, I present to you #20-11 listed followed by the Top 10 segment.
20 | The Tragedy of Macbeth -- 19 | Babylon -- 18 | Barbarian --
17 | All Quiet on the Western Front -- 16 | Prey -- 15 | The Northman -- 14 | The Gray Man
13 | Spirited -- 12 | The Woman King -- 11 | Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story
9 | Bullet Train - I desperately need to re-watch it, but Bullet Train was a pretty big surprise for me this year. I knew I'd enjoy it for the action and Brad Pitt, but found a lot to like with its other characters and...of course...the action and Pitt were pretty stellar too. It was a fun package that impressed initially and aged well.
8 | The Batman - I'm not as ridiculously high on The Batman as some may be (it's too long and meanders and I found The Riddler to be disappointing) but it's still a tremendous film with a lot to love. Given DC's chaos - with promised organization coming - The Batman is a beacon of hope for the most famous superhero in the world and the "bones are good" for a compelling franchise.
7 | Athena - Athena represents the first of two foreign language films in my Top 10 this year meaning that many of you probably skipped it. Don't worry! I almost did too save for a glowing review from an Instagram reviewer I follow. Available on Netflix and ~90 minutes long made it an easy sell and DAMN, what a hell of a film. It's fast paced, intense, features a wild opening, and engaging drama amongst the riots. The buy-in is low, and the reward is high. If you skipped this, go watch it now.
6 | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - I like Ryan Coogler's sequel more than the original. Hot take perhaps? Fine. Obviously this is missing Boseman, but he's felt in every frame. It's because it does such a fantastic job honoring him, all while fixing some issues I had with the first, that elevates this into High-Tier Marvel and Top Tier Phase 4. The music is better utilized, the action is better choreographed and more inventive, and tons of characters get a lot to do. Throw in the palpable emotional heft of a real star lost and you've got a powerhouse of a comic book film.
5 | Everything Everywhere All At Once - Many will gasp(!) at this too-low ranking and, honestly, I don't blame you. As much as I adored this film, a second viewing confirmed something I noticed the first time: I did not emotionally connect with it like so many did. There's a reason it ran away with the Reader Voted #1 spot this year and I definitely feel in the minority. That's ok! I still love its acting, zany behavior, crazy kung-fu, and throw-everything-at-the-wall-to-see-if-it-sticks mentality and I'm elated that such an original film connected so well with general audiences.
4 | The Fabelmans - There were several films about Hollywood and the movies this year (and in previous ones), but none are quite as intimate and well executed as Steven Spielberg's The Fabelmans. Somewhat autobiographical, it's an intricate look at a boy with a dream and how his early years and relationships shaped that dream. In true Spielberg fashion, the entertainment value is off the charts (including lots of humor) and it sticks with you long after its done.
3 | The Banshees of Inisherin - Martin McDonagh gets a lot of praise from me and his effort before this won the whole damn thing several years back. Banshees getting the #3 spot shouldn't mean it's a diminished effort at all as there's just so much to love about this delightful and delightfully dark little film. It's feckin funny as hell, has great music and scenery to accompany every moment, some of the year's best performances, and a deeper-than-you-might-expect narrative that I, as an introvert with high ambitions, connected with. That it has an (overly) ambiguous ending shouldn't take away that the journey there is a fantastic film.
2 | RRR - Dear Readers, if you take one thing from this year's Rath Awards, it should be the following: if you have NOT seen RRR yet, rectify that immediately. Expand your horizons in the comfort of your own home! It's available in glorious 4K on Netflix and this 3 hour foreign epic set in early 1900s India is guaranteed to win you over. From scene to scene it's inventive, fun, colorful, heartwarming, and toe-tapping (thank you Tollywood music!). If I had the power to provide a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, I would because RRR is just that damn amazing.
1 | Top Gun: Maverick - I tend to be easily swayed by films with high entertainment value and Top Gun: Maverick delivered it in spades. Tom Cruise and his collective team are known for their level of dedication and quality in recent years (e.g. Mission Impossibles), and Maverick was a jaw-dropping, gauntlet-throwing entry for proof that the movies belong on the biggest, loudest screen possible. I've seen it 3 times this year - the only film to claim that much time on my busy schedule - and I like it more each time. It's a perfect blend of nostalgia and the evolution of its story and cinematic technological advancements that have happened along the way. Throw in a dedicated Tom Cruise and Miles Teller performance (and everyone else is *chef's kiss*), a Hans Zimmer + Lady Gaga score, perfect callbacks, and some of the most intense, stomach-churning fighter sequences we're likely to ever see and yeah...you've got the best film of 2022.
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Congratulations, you've reached the end of this monster post! At least in my sphere, 2022 was a great year both personally, and across each of these mediums. I hope it was for you as well and, at the very least, I hope this provided you some recommendations of things to catch up on! As always, let me know what your reactions are! I've loved reading many others' Top 10 lists or Best Games, TV shows, etc. and I hope you like, share, and/or comment if you see something you like here (or if you think I'm crazy!).
As we enter 2023, let's all aim to stay happy, fulfilled in what we do, and healthy and most certainly, I hope to see you here next year. Thanks for reading!
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