Tyler Doupe’s Top 10 Horror Films of 2022
2022 has been a phenomenal year for genre and horror film offerings. So much so that I didn’t get to everything I wanted to watch before this draft was due. I connected with so many films this year that I likely could have made a top 15 or a top 20 list. And that can only be seen as an embarrassment of riches. In short: I am grateful to the filmmakers that made this a year to remember. Without further ado, I present to you my top 10 genre pictures of 2022.
See for Me
In spite of featuring a protagonist that isn’t instantly relatable, this film succeeds on multiple levels. Moreover, lead character Sophie (Skyler Davenport) has a substantial arc that found me viewing her in a very different light by the conclusion. This tale of a blind house-sitter facing off against a group of burglars is dripping with atmosphere and suspense. Director Randall Okita ratchets up the tension early and often, delivering a viewing experience sure to keep the audience on the edge of their seat.
Violent Night
This is easily the most fun I have had at the movies all year. I had to stop myself from cheering during the screening several times. The deaths are gory as hell. The one-liners are clever. And David Harbour turns in a pitch-perfect performance as St. Nick. He walks the line between action hero and wisecracking curmudgeon perfectly. Though Harbour’s portrayal of the character is more than a little unconventional, he still serves to remind us why Santa Claus is beloved by children the world over. Violent Night will absolutely be a new holiday horror tradition in my household. And if I ever have children, this will be the only Christmas movie they are allowed to watch.
Everything Everywhere All at Once
It’s truly an occasion when a film this special comes along. Everything Everywhere All at Once isn’t just a mind-bending work of science fiction. It’s also a beautiful story about a family trying to make their way through the challenges life has dealt them. It’s also a meditation on the incredible potential contained in each and every one of us. The performances are top-notch. And the fight choreography is next level. No notes.
Significant Other
I have been a fan of Maika Monroe for some time and Significant Other only furthered my appreciation of the talented actor. Not only are her striking looks downplayed, but even her speech patterns and mannerisms are also unrecognizable. She’s proving herself to be quite the chameleon and I eagerly anticipate her next steps. Monroe’s performance in this wilderness-based horror thriller aside, Dan Berk and Robert Olsen deliver a twisty narrative that kept me on my toes from start to finish. I love to be surprised and Significant Other absolutely surprised me.
The Black Phone
What made this film for me was the relationship between the two young leads. Finney Blake (Mason Thames) and his sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) felt like real-life siblings. And that served to make each very effective protagonists. Moreover, Ethan Hawke is terrifying and nearly unrecognizable in his turn as The Grabber. Additionally, The Black Phone’s depiction of the afterlife was properly terrifying. The idea that it’s so removed from the life we know and nauseatingly bland seems like a fate worse than the Hell described in religious literature.
Scream (2022)
As hard as it was to watch at times, this sequel did exactly what it needed to. The film shook things up and passed the torch to a new cast of characters, providing a number of different avenues for the upcoming sixth installment to take. As much as everyone wanted to see every legacy character survive, myself included, Radio Silence needed to take things in a different direction or run the risk of failing to make their mark on the series. So, in spite of not being what many of us may have thought we wanted going in, Scream (2022) was the Scream movie we needed.
The Spine of Night
This animated effort is a blast. Full stop. I had such a great time watching it. I felt like I was 10 years old again and watching something I knew I shouldn’t have been. The Spine of Night has the potential to become to Gen Z what Heavy Metal was to Gen X. And that is the highest compliment I could pay to a film of this ilk.
The Reef: Stalked
This horror flick really wowed me with great central characters. The relationship between the leads feels authentic. It was an empowering story, in the sense that the women didn’t have to undergo a massive final femme transformation to be ready to take on a great white shark. In a lot of ways, they showed up ready and I am here for it. It is always great to see female leads that aren’t needlessly shoehorned into the damsel in distress role.
Orphan: First Kill.
This prequel isn’t trying to be anything other than over-the-top fun and I love it for that. I enjoyed it far more than the first because this wasn’t the story I was expecting and I was pleasantly surprised at that. I was prepared for a rehash and this is anything but.
The way that Julia Stiles delivers her third-act dialogue really made the film for me. There’s an authenticity present that you often don’t often see with the type of character she plays. But I think she nails it. Stiles knows precisely what type of film she is in and her performance is perfect in that sense. This follow-up effort improves upon the original by recognizing how outlandish the premise is and really reveling in that. Additionally, the film makes the best use of the song ‘Maniac’ since Flashdance.
Barbarian
Wow. This flick really circumvented my expectations at every turn. Just as I thought I had a handle on what the hell was happening, the narrative would take a sharp left turn and prove me wrong. I love that and I wish it would happen more. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect the most surprising horror film of the year to come from one of the fellas behind The Whitest Kids U’Know. But if Jordan Peele has taught me anything, it’s that just because a performer is primarily known for their comedy doesn’t mean their only talent is making us laugh.
If you’re game to chat more, you can find me on Twitter @FunWithHorror.
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