MCDI Mid-Year Favorite Movies of 2022

The first half of 2022 has been fruitful in the world of film. We asked our team of writers what their Mid-Year Favorite Movie of 2022 was.

Jenna Scott

X – Directed by Ti West

X brings the slasher back to its roots. While paying homage to horror films of the 70s isn’t an unfamiliar trope, Ti West’s exploitation of sex revitalizes the otherwise simple plot and brings forth a fresh, fun, gory addition to the classic genre. Of course, it helps that the leading characters are genuinely pleasant to watch; there’s no satisfaction in their deaths whatsoever, instead, we’re actively rooting for each of them to come out unscathed. X may be predictable at times, but West manages to capture the tension with strategic camera shots and atmospheric isolation.

Tina Kakadelis 

Cha Cha Real Smooth – Directed by Cooper Raiff

“A triumph—a near-perfect exploration of the restlessness, frustration, and exuberance of being young and feeling old.” Check out Tina’s full review here.

Jack Lautaret

The Batman – Directed by: Matt Reeves

The Batman is one of the most astounding pieces of blockbuster filmmaking that we’ve ever seen. The attention to detail is stunning and that is all credit to Matt Reeves and the vision he had for the project and the flawless execution of that vision. The cinematography, set design, sound design are all expertly done. Gotham is one of the greatest characters of the film, being unrecognizable as any city we’ve ever seen before, playing off of the story to become a natural barrier for our hero for the entire runtime. Robert Pattinson is a brilliant Bruce Wayne and the turn on his character into the nomadic recluse was a welcome change to the live-action films. The rest of the characters are cast very well and give some memorable performances, especially Colin Farrell as the Penguin. Overall, The Batman is a brilliant piece of filmmaking with the love and care of all of your favorites, oh yeah, and one of the greatest car chases of all time. 

Ricky Valero

Elvis – Directed by Baz Luhrmann

Austin Butler transformed into the King of Rock n Roll, so much so there were moments I thought I was watching Elvis himself. Butler gave his heart and soul to this performance, which showed because you felt every single thing he felt within this role. I am still beyond speechless on how he nailed this performance. I may never watch the Oscars again if the Academy doesn’t nominate this man. Check out Ricky’s full review here.

Matthew Fox

Everything Everywhere All At Once – Directed by The Daniels

We’ve seen a variety of interesting releases so far in 2022. I’ve been very excited by the movies I’ve seen and enjoyed but above them, all is this gem from the Daniels. It’s a multiverse concept, the best such concept I’ve seen. It features a great lead performance from Michelle Yeoh and a world that is crazy and yet full of plenty of heart. More than that, it’s probably the most visually creative film I’ve seen. I was blown away by what I saw and for that reason, it’s been atop my list since that viewing.

Scott Cole

After Yang – Directed by Kogonada

If Swedish master Ingmar Bergman had ever made a science fiction film, I suspect it would feel a lot like writer/director/editor Kogonada’s After Yang. Underneath it all, this is ultimately a deeply sad and thoughtful rumination on loss and grief that is Trojan-horsed inside a science fiction movie about robots and technology. Colin Farrell and Jodie Turner-Smith give beautiful, lived-in performances as the parents of a family in the not-so-distant future trying to make sense of the sudden loss of the Yang (perfectly modulated by Justin H. Min), the android companion of their young adopted Chinese daughter. The story takes our characters on an emotional journey that connects without resorting to melodrama or sappiness. No film I’ve seen thus far in 2022 has affected me stronger.

Jacob Throneberry

Cha Cha Real Smooth – Directed by Cooper Raiff

Cooper Raiff’s sophomore feature perfectly captures the aimlessness of being in your early 20s and not knowing what exactly to do. It is grounded in reality in a way that some directors/writers may have made it more fantastical, and it would be hard seeing me pick a different movie for my #1 of the year because it’s genuinely one of my favorite movies ever. Check out Jacob’s full review here

Benjamin Bury –  Everything Everywhere All At Once
Alex Kelly – Marcel the Shell with Shoes On