It’s time to look back on the year when the deuces ganged up on the nil and we all thought the world was getting back to normal. The following are my picks for the best and worst Movies, TV Shows and Books that I watched and read in 2022. Once again, the category of Video Games has been left out, because I once again didn't play that many. Although, I did play God of War: Ragnarök, and it was awesome. So there you go I guess, my pick for the Best Video Game of the year.

Anyway, just like last year, this is NOT the best and worst of what was released in 2022, but of what I experienced in 2022. Many of these may have come out years prior, but I just now got around to them. And now, drumroll…

Movies

BEST

Top Gun: Maverick

The blockbuster the world needed. The story of Top Gun: Maverick needed two miracles, but the film itself pulled off a miracle of its own with the impossible feat of being better than the original. It almost singlehandedly revitalizing the movie theater industry after the pandemic and is perhaps the only sequel in years that refuses to be a legacy sequel, relying on brand recognition. It might just be one of the best sequels of all-time. With the best dog fight sequences ever, a more mature and defined story, and almost perfect cinematography, Top Gun: Maverick is easily the best film of 2022. Regardless how you feel about him personally, Tom Cruise may be the last true movie star.

Honorable Mentions

RRR

RRR somehow managed to blow everyone's mind despite being impossibly overhyped. Before making its way to the U.S., nearly everyone who had already seen it reported near transcendent experiences.

"Just. Go. See it." "It might be the best action movie ever made." "It's literally perfect."

Expectations were so sky high, it was almost impossible not to be disappointed.

But what sets RRR apart is its unrivaled fun-factor. EVERYTHING is dialed up to 11: tragedy, comedy, heroism, danger, sacrifice, spectacle, song, dance. It goes literally all-out all the time.

The Northman

Easily the apex of the Viking craze that's currently all the rage in pop culture. It's been said numerous times, but I'm going to say it again, The Northman is a stone-cold epic.

WORST

The 355

The film that proves action movies cannot rely on simply being female led. Not that there’s anything wrong with a female led action movie, but it doesn’t matter who’s in it if the movie itself just a lesser version of what's already been done. A generic action movie is still a generic action movie, regardless of the name and face on the cover. One of the biggest problems is the characters themselves, due to the fact that they're all just blank action movie badasses without any individuality. The second is, of course, the action sequences being overly generic and nothing we haven't already seen Bourne do better.

Dishonorable Mentions

The Man from Toronto & Me Time

Kevin Hart in 2022 was his usual self: a high-strung, wisecracking, deeply insecure everyday guy who finds himself in a situation he’s ill-prepared for. Said situation then ends up costing him his family, which he seeks to get back by diving even further into the situation in order to rectify his actions. It honestly seems to be the only character he knows how to play.

Me Time, quite simply, just fails to be funny or entertaining, while the kicker for The Man from Toronto was having the most atrocious oner I've ever seen.

MOST SURPRISING

Everything Everywhere All At Once

This movie is bonkers!

The Sci-Fi Kung-Fu Action-Comedy Existential Family Drama that reimagines every one of those genres.

Honorable Mentions

Prey

The best Predator film since the original. It's the Predator film that rediscovered what makes the Predator one of the all-time great movie monsters, and he's at his best when that's all he is, a monster. And a great movie monster doesn’t need to be compelling, nuanced, or even likable, they just need to be the thing that challenges the other human characters to become who they're meant to be. In Prey, the Predator is exactly that, an absolute menacing beast of a savage. And it's awesome.

Cosmoball

This is by no means a contender for biggest surprise hit, or the thing that came out of nowhere and blew everyone's mind. It's not even in the conversation of being a good movie. It's a decent movie, entertaining at the least considering it's literally a foreign B-movie. But it's on this list because what I got was much more enjoyable than I was expecting.

MOST DISAPPOINTING

Carter

The failed attempt at an action movie made entirely as a oner. The filmmakers were so focused on the oner aspect that they prioritized style over pretty much everything else. The moments where scenes are cut and stitched together are very obvious, and the walking-into-place camera movements are borderline distracting is midst of some of its unnecessarily overly chaotic action scenes.

Dishonorable Mentions

Shadow in the Cloud

This almost got the top spot, but 90% of the movie was actually really good... like, REALLY good. It’s only the final 10% that completely ruins it. Almost out of nowhere the movie turns into a feminist freight train. And after being taken on a very well-crafted minimalistic paranormal action thrill ride, without a hint of feminism, it felt VERY out of place. A stark contrast from the aforementioned The 355, which is entirely reliant on the fact that it's a female led action film. Instead, Shadow in the Cloud doesn't draw attention to the fact that its main character is a women, it's just an action movie that happens to feature a woman. Which in my opinion, is the best type of feminism, the type that occurs naturally and doesn't shove it down your throat. (But what do I know, I'm a guy). Then the ending happened, and I'm sure I'm not the only who asked, "What does this have to do with anything I just watched?!"

Thor: Love & Thunder

Taika Waititi has become known for his eccentric personality and, what is to me, an annoying sense of humor. And with the latest Thor entry, he seemed to have been given free rein to inject as much of himself into the film as possible. The MCU is increasingly becoming a parody of itself as it goes on, with Thor: Love & Thunder being its apex (for now). Borderline disrespectful to its own lore, this is a movie that takes nothing, not even itself, seriously.

The Gray Man

So, this movie was by no means bad, however it should’ve been A LOT better than it was. Looking back at The Gray Man, some people’s first response may be, “oh, yeah, that happened.” It was remarkably forgettable considering the bombasticness of it, the budget supporting it, and the talent behind it. In contrast with Chris Evans' eccentrically psychotic villain, I think that if it wasn't for Ryan Gosling's bland, emotionless main character, this movie would've been much more memorable.

TV Shows

BEST

The Expanse

I saw the first season back when it started out on the Syfy channel, but it failed to hold my interest, so I failed to stick with it. Fast forward many years later after it's been cancelled, revived, successful, and ended, I finally decided to give it second chance and watch the whole thing. And yes, it 100% gets better as it goes. I had no idea all those years ago that The Expanse would be the massive space opera epic tv show I always wanted.

Honorable Mention

Food Wars

Sure to peak even the most unskilled chef's interest in cooking, this show that gives new meaning to the term “food porn”, with characters having literal orgasmic, disrobing reactions to the food they're tasting. After all the sports shows that have come out over the years, Food Wars is proof that anime can turn ANY competitive scene, no matter how niche, into a wildly entertaining show.

WORST

Resident Evil

Under any other name, Resident Evil may have appealed to the Gen Z tween drama market as a quirky, off-kilter zombie show. But unfortunately, it's just the next in a long line of IPs that have been distorted by modern writers to fit their own sensibilities and has next to nothing to do with the source material. Horrendous pacing, combined with an astonishing lack foresight into its own script, prove that the live-action Resident Evil properties need a complete reboot.

Dishonorable Mention

Ms. Marvel

I'm very aware that I'm not the target audience for this show, but it's the MCU, so of course I watched it. The writing is bad, the story is weak, the jokes aren't funny, it's overly predictable, and lacks direction. But most importantly, it's BORING!

MOST SURPRISING

NFL: Week 15

Ok, so I know I’m stretching the definition of a TV Show here, but in my defense, it is a weekly program that airs seasonally. But more so, no one can deny the mind-blowingness that was Week 15. Keep in mind, this was the same weekend as the World Cup Finals. But when "sports" and "the weekend of Dec. 18" are mentioned in the same sentence, no one thinks of the World Cup.

First, Dec. 17, Indianapolis Colts @ Minnesota Vikings. Colts led 33-0 at halftime. Final score: 36-39. The Vikings break the record for the largest comeback in NFL history. See highlights.

Second, Dec. 18, New England Patriots @ Las Vegas Raiders. The ending that made everyone forget about the World Cup. You have to see it to believe it. See highlight.

Honorable Mentions

Inside Job

Yes, it's basically just Netflix’s version of Rick & Morty. BUT, of all the Rick & Morty clones out there, Inside Job might be the best one.

Halo

It’s not the best and it's no Halo: Landfall, but it was surprisingly intriguing despite the fact that it only contained one scene of that hallmark Halo action. I was worried that removing Master Chief's helmet would only ruin the mystique of his character, but Pablo Schreiber turned out to be a great casting pick, and Cortana was surprisingly well incorporated.

MOST DISAPPOINTING

House of the Dragon

Harkening back to the topic of legacy sequels, House of the Dragon is the very definition of one. The soul reason this show exist is to keep that sweet Game of Thrones money rolling in. But with a complete lack of direction, and the writer’s inability to tell a coherent story, it’s very easy to question what this show is even about.

Dishonorable Mentions

The Terminal List

For this, I'm just going to take a line from WhatCulture's review, simply because they hit the nail on the head, and I honestly can't think of a better way to put it.

"At once complicated and uninteresting, action-packed and unengaging, The Terminal List is monotonous, visually flat and too long, overstaying its welcome within the first hour and failing to serve up even the slightest hint of excitement or originality." - WhatCulture.

How I Met Your Father

The problem with this show is that it's scared to forge its own identity. Simultaneously clinging on too much to its predecessor while also lacking its awareness and charm. It re-treads almost all the same territory, but with much more uninteresting characters, and only succeeds in reminding the audience of the iconic series that came before it.

Books

BEST

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This book is a MASTERPIECE! The only book to ever make me fight back tears and is a strong contender for what might be my favorite love story of all-time. A perfect love letter to the LGBTQ+ community. See full review.

Honorable Mention

Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse, Book 1) by James S. A. Corey

After watching, and loving, the show, I decided to give the books a go. And I am loving them just as much for the exact same reason. I'm wondering why it took me so long to read this series.

WORST

Need to Know by Karen Cleveland

(Selected by default.)

I actually didn't read anything this year that was just blatantly bad. But of all the books I read, this was probably the least enjoyable.

MOST SURPRISING

Columbus Day (Expeditionary Force, Book 1) by Craig Alanson

R. C. Bray just had to be the best narrator in the business. Nay, the best performer in the business. Every book he reads is elevated by his very presence. That unusual blend of raspy and nasally is somehow one of the most beautiful, easy to listen to voices ever. The audiobook is the ONLY acceptable way to experience this series. See full review.

Honorable Mention

Our War by Craig DiLouie

Once you realize with it's actually about, it's highly enjoyable. It's not the story of a revolution, but rather the story of a child soldier. The tale of a young girl's personal journey trying to survive a modern civil war. See full review.

MOST DISAPPOINTING

Forever Red (Black Widow, Book 1) by Margaret Stohl

The fact that Black Widow used to be an assassin seems to have gotten lost in zeitgeist of the MCU. Lost is her cold, calculated training to kill without compunction. This book simply continues that MCU formula and is only a reminder of the badass origin story we’ll never get.

Dishonorable Mention

Spaceside (Planetside, Book 2) by Michael Mammay

I’m not sure why this series continues to be marketed as military science fiction. Majority of the book is spent with Butler working at a tech corporation where he’s in charge of security. If anything, it’s a story of corporate espionage with almost no military to be found.

Event of the Year

Russia invades Ukraine

From the devastation, upheaval, and all the other tragic consequences of war, to its global impact on humanitarian outreach, and international supply chains, the war in Ukraine is easily the most significant of the 21st century. Not enough can be said about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's efforts to defend his homeland, and deserves every accolade he has received. In 2022, he received:

• Order of the White Lion, First Class from the Czech Republic

• Commander of Grand Cross of the Order of Viesturs from Latvia

• Order of Vytautas the Great with the Golden Chain from Lithuania

• Jan Karski Eagle Award from Poland

• State Award of Alexander Dubček from Slovakia

• Sir Winston Churchill Leadership Award from the United Kingdom

• Ronald Reagan Freedom Award from the United States

• John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award from the United States

• Philadelphia Liberty Medal from the United States

• Ripple of Hope Award from the United States

On a more light-hearted note, as serious as the situation is, it's a little funny that despite all their power, Russia is struggling.

Honorable Mention

US Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade

Possibly the worst court decision of the millennium. Setting aside the moral aspect of women being able to choose when it come to their own bodies, the fact is that abortions are NOT going to go away, they're just going to get more dangerous. Inevitable is the re-rise of Back-Alley Abortions, and a crime rate that's going to skyrocket 15 to 20 years from now.