While it’s debatable, winter movie season is probably the best time of year for movie. On the one hand, there’s an endless stream of comforting cheap holiday movies to watch, but there’s also big cinematic exploits and anticipated sequels usually released around Christmas.
Best of all, many of the best films of the year have been released in the last two months as the major film festival season has come to an end and awards season is upon us; studios want their most acclaimed films released near the Oscars to keep them fresh in the minds of viewers and dominant in the cultural conversation. That said, the winter of 2022 has a slew of movies, both big and small, that are either long-awaited or truly deserving. Here are the essential movies to watch this winter.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (November 11)
Disney
The highly anticipated sequel to one of the most successful and critically acclaimed films in the MCU, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever had the unenviable task of continuing the story after the death of beloved star Chadwick Boseman. However, it looks like director Ryan Coogler and a massive cast of ensembles have done their best to create an epic film that will be a suitably gargantuan conclusion to Marvel’s Phase Four.
The Fable Mans (11 November)
There’s probably only one director studios can bet on to compete with Black Panther on the same weekend, and that would be Steven Spielberg, the highest-grossing filmmaker of all time. He has garnered rave reviews for his intimate autobiographical drama the fables, which essentially tells its story. Growing up in Arizona after World War II, young Sammy Fabelman learns secrets about his family while discovering a passion for the power of film. With a great cast including Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Gabriel LaBelle, Judd Hirsch and David Lynch of all people, the fables seems to be a great swan song for the master director.
Taurus (November 18)
Colson Baker, better known as Machine Gun Kelly, wrote and starred in this dark, semi-autobiographical drama about Cole, an increasingly popular and progressively troubled musician who dances on the brink of oblivion. Self-destructive and borderline suicidal, Cole seeks inspiration to write one last song, but it’s always darkest before dawn. Starring Maddie Hasson, Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory, Megan Fox, Ruby Rose and Scoot McNairy, Taurus seems like a grim but powerful film about fame, addiction and the creative process.
Bones and all (November 18)
Director Luca Guadagnino teams up again with star Timothée Chalamet for a very unconventional and somber romantic drama, Bones and everything. Based on Camille DeAngelis’s YA novel, the film is actually a very mature story about Maren, a young woman left alone after her family abandoned her. Maren (played poignantly by Taylor Russell) is a cannibal and can’t help who she is.
Maren travels through America in the 1980s and encounters other cannibals who help her survive, including Chalamet as the troubled but kind Lee and the great Mark Rylance as the sneaky Southern lord Sully. It’s a heartbreaking, beautiful and downright weird movie.
Glass Onion: A Knife Mystery (November 23)
After Blades off was a surprise hit, Rian Johnson’s not-really-a-sequel follow-up was long awaited. Glass Onion: A Knife Mystery will follow Daniel Craig’s extremely fun Southern detective Benoit Blanc much more than in the previous film, as he investigates a murder on a Greek island owned by a billionaire (Edward Norton). Funny and exciting in equal measure, the licentious Glass Onion has another phenomenal cast (including Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Kate Hudson and Dave Bautista).
Women talk (December 2)
Sarah Polley continues to prove why she is one of the greatest Canadian directors of our time, following up on the outstanding films Away from her, take this waltzand Stories we tell of women talk. Although it’s been ten years since that excellent last feature, she’s back in fine shape with this adaptation of a book by Miriam Toews (who also wrote the great book). All my puny sorrows) about a group of women in a religious community who decide what to do with an abuser. Featuring a stunningly outstanding cast (Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Ben Whishaw, Frances McDormand), women talk caused a furore at TIFF and rightly so.
Realm of Light (December 9)
Sam Mendes continues his huge war movie 1917 with something much more intimate, the visually stunning Realm of Light. With a somewhat simple script, the film follows a budding romance surrounding a cinema in 1980s England. Making the most of the impeccable eye of legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins, Mendes’ film once again features a masterful performance from Olivia Colman, who has been at the top of her game since 2017 and just doesn’t seem to waver. A beautiful love letter to the cinema, Realm of Light it seems to be Cinema Paradise of our time.
Christmas Bloody Christmas (December 9)
shudder
Joe Begos, a horror author known for his over-the-top, kaleidoscopic films Bliss, VFW, and almost humanbrings his unique, gory vision to the Christmas horror film market with Christmas Bloody Christmas. The film follows an embittered record store owner (is there another kind?) whose plans for debauchery are ruined on Christmas Eve.
Instead of getting wasted and partying, Tori Tooms must take on a robotic Santa who has seemingly become conscious in a nearby store and begins to wreak havoc. Blood splattered over freshly fallen snow, Christmas Bloody Christmas looks like an extremely fun time full of similar themes to Begos’ bliss — drugs, sex and rock and roll, with a lot of violence.
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (December 9)
An already respected and award-winning film, All the beauty and the bloodshed is Laura Poitras’ next documentary after the immense success of Citizenfour and Risk. This one seems to be a bit different, though it does follow a different figure immersed in politics. All the beauty and the bloodshed is a portrait of photographer Nan Goldin, an artist and LGBTQ+ activist who took a stand against Purdue Pharma and tried to hold them accountable for the opioid epidemic. The film is only the second documentary to win the top prize at the Venice Film Festival and was the centerpiece of the recent New York Film Festival.
The Whale (December 9)
Rounding out an epic weekend for movies (including Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio and Something from Tiffany’s starring Reese Witherspoon) is the film by Darren Aronofsky The whale. Already steeped in attention, acclaim and controversy, the film has been praised by virtually everyone for its powerful, transformative performance of beloved Brendan Fraser as an obese teacher trying to reconnect with his daughter.
Avatar: The Way of Water (December 16)
It will be extremely interesting to see how well Avatar: The way of the water is doing. Expectations are high, given the nearly $3 billion success of the first Avatar, although that was 13 years ago. One thing is certain: the James Cameron film will undoubtedly feature stunning visuals, with the filmmaker spending an inordinate amount of time getting everything right before releasing the sequel. The film appears to have much of its old cast back (whether in human or Na’avi form), and will continue the deeply allegorical and moving story of Pandora and the attempts to exploit it by governments and corporations.
Alice, darling (December 30)
Elevation Photos
Making a splash at the Toronto International Film Festival, Alice dear from director Mary Nighy thinks the great Anna Kendrick takes on a very different role. She stars as a depressed woman who is on vacation with her two friends and takes time from her emotionally abusive boyfriend. Just as she begins to heal, she fears the rejected stallion is stalking them, and she must do everything she can to protect herself and her friends. An exciting, efficient thriller, Alive baby is already a critical darling for his stellar performances and thrilling directing.