Here are your top ten movies of 2022

Rylee Lynch, staff writer

Top Gun: Maverick

This thrilling sequel to the original Top Gun is emotional, suspenseful and will give viewers goosebumps. 36 years after the original film, Tom Cruise is back in one of his signature roles as Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell.

The film looks at how Maverick’s life has changed since the original, yet he is still the same risk-taker. The film also explores the relationship between Maverick and his late friend Goose’s son “Rooster” (Miles Teller) who has also become an amazing aviator. This movie takes a look into Maverick’s past love life and his greatest fears, as well as how he overcomes these troubles and grows as a person.


Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

After the heartbreaking death of Chadwick Bozeman, the original lead director Ryan Coogler made a second movie as a tribute to Bozeman’s Black Panther. It is a very emotional and action-filled movie, more than 160 minutes long. Wakanda has to defend their land when Namor the sub-mariner (Tenoch Huerta), attacks the kingdom and the queen. Shuri, played by Letitia Wright leaps into action with the Black Panther suit as they fight for their land.

Although the movie’s run time could be cut down, everything about it makes you want to keep watching. It includes the humor that was present in the first film,  but they also knew when to draw you back in and be serious. Wakanda Forever was so meaningful and rich; it could be one of the best Marvel movies out there.


Smile:

One of the most talked about horror films, Smile stars Sosie Bacon as Rose Cotter, who seems to be “losing her mind” even though she works with patients who’ve already lost theirs. If you get scared easily, this movie is not for you. It is filled with  jump scares and horrific twists. After Rose witnesses a suicide, she begins seeing and hearing things that she just can’t explain. If you’re looking for a little adrenaline in your night, get some tickets to this horrifying movie Smile.

The Adam Project:

The main character, Adam Reed (Ryan Reynolds) is a funny and sarcastic sort of hero in this time travel adventure. Mark Ruffalo plays Adam’s dad and the two of them make a dynamic duo when together. When Adam meets his younger self (Walker Scobell), you can tell immediately they are two peas in a pod.

Many time travel movies focus on the past, but this is centered around the present. This is a nice change of pace from what you usually expect from a time-traveling  movie. The plot is so heartfelt and the action scenes make your heart race. It makes you sit on the edge of your seat waiting for what will happen next.


Thor: Love and Thunder

This is the fourth installment in the Thor franchise, and like Thor: Ragnarok, is a more humorous take on the character. The film looks at the  downfall of Thor (Chris Hemsworth), after he and Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), break up. Thor really lets himself go and he has trouble finding meaning in his life. Chris Hermsworth’s brother Luke plays in the movie as a knockoff of Thor, and Thor eventually finds his way again after he finds out he has to grow up and save a group of kids.

 

Lightyear: 

We all know and love the old animated movie Toy Story, with its standout hero Buzz Lightyear. After four films of laughter and heart focused on Buzz Lightyear as a toy, Buzz got his very own movie where viewers see the character that Buzz was based upon. He is a legendary space ranger always looking to save the world, but the movie takes a unique approach to space travel, focusing on his pals Izzy, Mo, Darby, and Sox with humor as they  team up and embark on their biggest adventure yet. This lighthearted take on space travel has both humor and heart. 

Enola Holmes 2:

As she keeps rising to fame, Millie Bobby Brown starred in a new sequel Enola Holmes 2. Just as funny and witty as the first, this sequel is a must-watch movie. The start of the movie gives an inside look at how after her last investigation Enola was kind of in her flop era. However, when a certain someone asks for help, Enola is immediately on the mission. Using her very visual ways of figuring a mystery out, Enola finds that this case is something much bigger than it seems.

We also get to see a little bit more of her brother Sherlock (Henry Cavill). They both end up helping each other and building that brother-sister bond we all have wanted to see. There is also some true history incorporated into the movie, which makes it pretty interesting to look more into.


Terrifier 2:

A gore-filled horror movie is one for the books. Art The Clown, (David Howard Thornton), brings out these gruesome scenes that will make you want to turn away. Many people enjoy the thrill of having to look away and peek through their fingers. Others get nauseous. This movie is not for the weak-stomached and definitely not for someone who doesn’t like horror movies.

Although the movie does have some comedic scenes, watch it with caution. It tops the first Terrifier, but also kind of leaves off from it and gives off the eighties and nineties kind of feel. Recommended to everyone who loves horror.


The Gray Man:

The main character Six, (Ryan Gosling), is a heartless hitman who everyone is scared of but no one knows his real identity. His heart grows a little bigger when he’s put in a house to guard and protect a little girl named Fitzroy (Julia Butters). The two become very attached to each other after a bit of a rough start. Six encounters some trouble with his employers and realizes there is a bigger truth than what he is being told. This sends Six into a whirlwind of obstacles and powerful fight scenes. Full of emotions and action, The Gray Man is one to watch.


Elvis:

His music is amazing but is his movie? Yes! The “King of Rock and Roll” is still famous 45 years after his death. Austin Butler almost perfectly portrays Elvis, even right down to his voice. The movie shows how he basically gets everything he hoped and dreamed for, but dives deeper into the cost of fame and how it changed him. The film also analyzes the idea of “selling your soul to the devil.” The amazing fashion and acting put everything together and it will get more insight into who and what Elvis was

Blockbusters like these lit up the movie screens of 2022 (Rylee Lynch)