By Josh Bate
As hard as it may be to believe, the year of 2022 is halfway over at this stage, which means there’s been plenty of movies and shows for audiences to dive into. Unlike last year, which began with movie theaters mostly shuttered due to the pandemic, 2022 has seen cinemas return fully and with a bang.
It’s only natural, then, for there to be some excellent films so far. Check out The HoloFiles’ ranking of the five best movies of the year so far:
Everything Everywhere All At Once
Premise: With her laundromat teetering on the brink of failure and her marriage to wimpy husband Waymond on the rocks, overworked Evelyn Wang struggles to cope with everything, including a tattered relationship with her judgmental father Gong Gong and Joy, her daughter. And, as if facing a gloomy midlife crisis wasn’t enough, Evelyn must brace herself up for an unpleasant meeting with an impersonal bureaucrat: Deirdre, the shabbily dressed IRS auditor. However, as the stern agent loses patience, an inexplicable multiverse rift becomes an eye-opening exploration of parallel realities. Will Evelyn jump down the rabbit hole? But how many stars are there in the universe? Can weary Evelyn fathom the irrepressible force of possibilities, tap into newfound powers, and prevent an evil entity from destroying the thin, countless layers of the unseen world?
Top Gun: Maverick
Premise: Set 30 years after its predecessor, it follows Maverick’s return to the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program (also known as U.S. Navy-Fighter Weapons School – “TOPGUN”), where he must confront his past as he trains a group of younger pilots, among them the son of Maverick’s deceased best friend Lieutenant Nick “Goose” Bradshaw, USN.
Kimi
Premise: During the COVID-19 pandemic in Seattle, an agoraphobic tech worker discovers evidence of a violent crime while reviewing a data stream, and is met with resistance and bureaucracy when she tries reporting it to her company. To get involved, she realizes she must face her greatest fear by venturing out of her apartment and into the city streets, which are filled with protestors after the city council passes a law restricting the movements of the homeless population.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
Premise: The fictionalized version of Nick Cage must accept a $1 million offer to attend the birthday of a dangerous super fan Javi Gutierrez. Things take a wildly unexpected turn when Nick Cage is recruited by a CIA operative Vivian and forced to live up to his own legend, channeling his most iconic and beloved on-screen characters in order to save himself and his loved ones.
The Batman
Premise: Two years of nights have turned Bruce Wayne into a nocturnal animal. But as he continues to find his way as Gotham’s dark knight Bruce is forced into a game of cat and mouse with his biggest threat so far, a manic killer known as “The Riddler” who is filled with rage and determined to expose the corrupt system whilst picking off all of Gotham’s key political figures. Working with both established and new allies, Bruce must track down the killer and see him brought to justice, while investigating his father’s true legacy and questioning the affect that he has had on Gotham so far as “The Batman.”