Film
Top 10 Films of 2022
The Crimson Arts Board presents its favorite films of the year, from "Tár" to "Marcel the Shell With Shoes On."
‘Babylon’ Review: Glamour, Gluttony, and a Grand Condemnation of Hollywood
For a film that runs over three hours long, Damien Chazelle '07's latest is masterfully paced, as its vivacious nature ensures that it is never in jeopardy of losing steam.
‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Review: A Poignant & Empowering Tribute to Chadwick Boseman
“Wakanda Forever” hence sets the heavy tone early, including a moving funeral for T’Challa as well as a tear-jerking alteration of the Marvel Studios title sequence featuring clips only of Boseman, shining his light on film through the years.
‘Causeway’ Review: A Resonant Portrait of Trauma and Transitions
In its efforts to recount Lynsey’s return to normalcy, the film artfully captures the flurry of mixed emotions that may entail such an experience while occasionally administering too great a dose of dramatic embellishment.
‘The Menu’ Review: When Does Fine Dining Cross the Line?
This powerful film highlights the incompatibility between supposed perfection and underlying imperfection of fine dining.
‘Till’ Review: A Must-See True Story That Should Never Be Forgotten
Whether for the film’s portrayal of the horrors of racism or its commentary on the importance of fighting for justice, everyone should see “Till.”
Feature: Boston’s Full Body Cast Rocks ‘Rocky Horror’
In the velvet darkness of the Boston Common AMC, there’s a guiding star no matter what or who you are.
‘Enola Holmes 2’ Review: Lackluster In Comparison to Its Successful Predecessor
Even though “Enola Holmes 2” dims in comparison to the first film in the mystery series, it is charming nonetheless.
Guts and Gore… A Cinematic Snore
Bloody violence or gore serves an important role in some horror movies as long as it has direction, but when gore lacks direction, its inclusion can make a movie feel lazy and reliant on shock factor.
'Rosaline' Review: Rosaline's Insincerity Disappoints Shakespeare
Karen Maine’s “Rosaline” proves that a juicy plot cannot save a film that lacks bold artistic vision.
‘Tár’ Review: A Triumph of Modern Storytelling
Thanks to its captivating lead performance, beautiful sound design and cinematography, and unique self-assuredness, “Tár” sets itself apart as a nearly perfect film.
'Mr. Harrigan's Phone' Review: Charming Yet Unremarkable Stephen King Adaptation
“Mr. Harrigan’s Phone” shies away from the reputed author’s traditional horror and instead errs on the side of a charming coming-of-age short story.
‘Luckiest Girl Alive’ Review: A Flawed But Compelling Bestseller Retelling
As a film, “‘Luckiest Girl Alive” succeeds in delivering a strong message that involves complex themes. However, it is in the film’s core scenes of violence and trauma that it fails to reach its potential.
‘Pearl’ Review: Grainy, Gory, and Goth
Powered by Ti West’s direction and Eliot Rockett’s cinematography, “Pearl” is a film that, though filled to the brim with stunning visuals, has a cliché story.
‘Halloween Ends’ Review: Myers at Golgotha
“Ends” is the filmic analogue of a college student who is only amusing after two or three shots of liquor and is otherwise not only unamusing but barely tolerable. The “Halloween” films’ liquor is gore — stupid, stupid gore — and “Ends” is in bad need of more of it.
‘Blonde’ Review: Please Let Marilyn Rest in Peace
Instead of being able to become her own person, Marilyn is chained to two different forms of misogyny.
‘MEET CUTE’ Review: A Not-So Classy Take on a Classic Trope
And “Meet Cute” definitely doesn’t keep many cards up its sleeve — before the end of the first cliché bar run-in, the audience knows essentially everything they need to know about the movie.
‘Smile’ Review: A Shallow Treatment of Mental Illness in the World of the Supernatural
Although “Smile” fails to evince any artful portrayal of mental illness, it at least succeeds in a more fundamental, instinctual task of the horror genre — to scare, and to scare thoroughly.
‘Sidney' Review: Sidney Poitier Is A Trailblazer but ‘Sidney’ Refutes the Trail Blazed for Him
What happens when a beacon of light dies? The Oprah Winfrey produced, Reginald Hudlin directed documentary “Sidney” suggests that it continues to shine on the people it has warmed.
‘The Munsters’ Review: A Monstrous Attempt at a Nostalgia-Filled Classic
Ultimately, this version of “The Munsters” falls short in capturing what made the original show so engaging for audiences when it was first released in the 1960s and during the reruns that kept audiences captivated for decades.
‘See How They Run' Review: A Stylish But Hollow Whodunit
While suspicion shifts to several different characters over the course of the film, their motives are rarely surprising, and the beats of the mystery feel flat as the finale nears. The film shines more in its humor than its suspense.
‘Amsterdam’ Review: Stargazing, and Not Much Else
Abandoning the swaggering style of “American Hustle” and the understated beauty of “Silver Linings Playbook,” Russell instead opts for a true-story crime caper with uneven humor and questionable logic.
‘Barbarian’ Review: When Not in Rome
But what is important about Zach Cregger’s new feature is that it does not forget, in the meantime, to be scary. It is a bona fide horror film, which, in the contemporary landscape, makes it something of an oasis.
‘Bros’ Review: Just Your Average Bromance
While the film is notable for being one of the first gay romantic comedies from a major studio, its boundary-breaking nature cannot make up for what it lacks in the way of consistent humor and strong performances.
Looking for Columbus Day Plans? See ‘Do the Right Thing’ at the Brattle.
If you’ve seen the film, there’s a good chance you’ll want to check it out again. If you haven’t, now’s your chance: Take it.