Apotheosis' Favorite Movies and TV Shows of 2022
I listen to a lot of music, but I also watch a lot of stuff. Here's the stuff that I thought was good.
Yes, this is a metal newsletter first and foremost, but I don’t just listen to music. I watch a lot of movies and TV too, and I generally try to develop something of an opinion on everything I watch.
Since I spend so much time watching these things and thinking about them, I figure it’s worth sharing. I’m not quite as well-versed in either of these worlds as I am in music. Still, I imagine I’ve watched more than 10,000 hours of movies and TV in my life, so according to Malcom Gladwell, I’m an expert. That’s good enough for me.
Before we move on into the lists, a little update on the newsletter status. I’m going to keep writing this, but it will likely be a more intermittent prospect in 2023. I need to focus on some things and while this is rewarding (hence me still writing it) the amount of time and effort it takes to listen to more than 1500 albums in a year is significant. My brain needs some time to think and form more effective opinions. So while this letter will change, I’m hoping it’s for the better and I hope you’ll stick along for the ride.
Thanks to everyone who is reading and who has been reading over the past two years. I look forward to continuing this venture at a higher level of quality in the coming months.
My Favorite TV Shows of 2022
This was the best year of TV in my life, maybe the best year of TV ever. I can’t say how long it will last. Streamers appear to be tightening their belts in anticipation of a recession, or at least in anticipation of investor impatience. But I don’t care about that for now. All I know is that we got some amazing shows last year. So many that a top ten list is nowhere near long enough to really touch on all the things I loved. Still, I only have so much time, so a top ten and some runners up will have to suffice.
Shows I Watched
As mentioned, this was an absurdly packed year of TV. Because of that I couldn’t get to everything. Here’s what I watched. If it’s not on the list, it doesn’t mean I thought it looked bad, it just means I didn’t get to it (it could also mean I thought it looked bad though).
Barry
Better Call Saul
Outer Range
Andor
Industry
Severance
Reservation Dogs
Atlanta
We Own This City
White Lotus
The Boys
Under the Banner of Heaven
The Bear
Winning Time
Captain Ahab: The Story of Dave Stieb
Tokyo Vice
For All Mankind
My Dress-Up Darling
Kaguya Sama: Love is War
Slow Horses
What We Do in the Shadows
Somebody Somewhere
Abott Elementary
Undone
Atlanta
Righteous Gemstones
Love, Death + Robots
Peacemaker
Hacks
The Rehearsal
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Stranger Things
Demon Slayer
Komi Can't Communicate
Bee and Puppycat
Our Flag Means Death
House of the Dragon
Minx
Three Busy Debras
Ozark
The Afterparty
Archive 81
Obi Wan
Moon Knight
Drive to Survive
Fleishman is in Trouble
Chainsaw Man
Great British Baking Show
Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War
Runners-up
We Own This City - This is well worth an inclusion in the top ten, and most serious-minded TV critics will probably place it there, I just can only watch so many cop shows. Jon Bernthal lights the screen on fire with every appearance and the gnarled storyline comes together like a Lego set.
The Rehearsal - Nathan Fielder’s social experiment turned self-examination session was one of the year's most ethically challenging watches. As the show goes on, what starts as a questionable if hilarious concept quickly unravels into madness and blurs the line between reality and TV in a way that I’ve never seen before.
The Boys - Were it not for a finale that I didn’t love, this show would have wormed its way into the top ten. In a year where most superhero movies and TV (glares at Moon Knight) fell well below expectations, the raunchy, gory, and highly explicit hijinks of The Boys continued to elevate itself.
Winning Time - This one got off to a rough start but turned into one of the year’s most exciting shows with little effort. All the glitz, glam and sex of the showtime era Lakers is depicted in a wild, visually staggering and often hilarious run. With it wrapping up as showtime truly begins only whets my appetite for future seasons.
Bee and Puppycat - I didn’t like this at first, but I’m glad I gave this cartoon time. With the exception of an anime addiction I can’t seem to kick, I’ve largely given up on cartoons. I’m glad I didn’t pass this one up. It’s comfortable, but not overly soft, and it manages to find a way to make me laugh without resorting to the dull vulgarity of so many other “adult” cartoons. And as you’d expect from a show created by the character designer for Adventure Time, it looks stunning. The vocal performances do take a bit of getting used to, but once you clear that hurdle, this show becomes a wonderful blanket.
The Bear - My caveat for this show, which sits near the top of almost every list, is that I loved it and the one-er episode in particular may have been the best thirty minutes on TV this year. The Bear was a surprise hit like no other. It dropped with minimal fanfare and fast became an object of sincere adoration. With a stellar cast, electric script and interesting filmmaking, it’s not hard to see why.
10. Captain Ahab: The Story of Dave Stieb
Does anyone do sports documentaries like Jon Bois, Alex Rubenstein and Kofie Yeboah? Though it features little in the way of sports footage, Bois and company craft a compelling narrative around an undersung hero of the Toronto Blue Jays that left me on the verge of tears multiple times. Captain Ahab: The Story of Dave Stieb pushes the boundaries of what a sports documentary can be, and further establishes Bois as a master storyteller with a keen sense of how to play all the right notes.
9. Atlanta (Season 4)
Nothing needs to be said about Atlanta. The hilarious and thought provoking comedy reached its conclusion this year after a lengthy hiatus. While season three didn’t garner the typical praise (though I think it will be reevaluated soon enough) season four was a genuine hit with fans and myself. Episodes like “The Goof Who Sat by the Door” are certain to live on in the cultural consciousness for years to come, and the series finale absolutely nails the tone right until the credits roll.
8. White Lotus (Season 2)
Better than season one, which was already great, in every way. The filmmaking takes a step up, the performances remain top notch, and the writing may be even better. This romp through Sicily tackles so much that it should have sank under its own weight. Instead, it floats like a massive cruise ship. Few shows are this funny, incisive and entertaining. I’ll be happy if Mike White makes 30 of these.
7. Reservation Dogs (Season 2)
Another show with an excellent first season that only got better in its sophomore season. This one came swinging right for your heart, and it connects with almost every motion. The first few episodes are about on par with an already great season one, but the latter half is where the season really shines. Each character gets a remarkable showcase episode that pays off spectacularly in the final two episodes. Where it ends up leaves the gang at a crossroads, but this is the rare show where the journey really is more important than the destination.
6. Industry (Season 2)
I never thought that banking could be so thrilling. The creators of this show have spoken at length about how certain trading scenes were framed in the same way that Michael Mann framed the heists in Heat. Well, they nailed it. The show is tense, sexy, anxious, frantic and luscious, often all at the same time. I never felt like I could predict every move of the show, but I also never felt lost or led on a wild goose chase. The showrunner duo take full advantage of their larger budget for season two, and everything looks better as a result. I can’t predict where it’ll go from here after a sizzling season finale, but I’m along for the ride.
5. Andor (Season 1)
While I felt that plenty of IP entertainment underwhelmed this year, it was especially true on TV. Moon Knight was an utter disaster and Obi Wan was among my least favorite shows of the year, but when all hope was lost Andor showed that you can still do something special with the same old ingredients. By pushing away from the fantastical elements of Star Wars and focusing solely on minutiae of planning a rebellion, Tony Gilroy delivered one of the year’s most rewarding viewing experiences. Everyone turns in stellar performances and it’s by far the best writing any Star Wars show or movie has had. I’m still kicking the idea around, but I’m willing to say that it’s the best Star Wars has ever been.
4. Severance (Season 1)
Severance captivated me from the first frame. Reminiscent of my favorite video game in recent years, Control, Severance utilizes cold, brutalist scenes to represent the mere idea of wage work. The show introduces plenty of profound musings on modern capitalism through its concept of severance, which is a process that separates a person’s work self and home self into two distinct identities. The way it works, and how the work selves, or “innies” as the show calls them, is haunting and upsetting. While the show’s cold tone may be off putting to some, I found it enthralling. The pitch perfect season finale, which was one of the best episodes of TV this year, has me giddy at the prospect of future seasons.
3. Outer Range (Season 1)
Outer Range is hands down the best show that no one saw. Why no one saw it is obvious. Amazon did a horrific job of promoting this show, which makes no sense given that Josh Brolin leads the cast. Even worse, the show has many of the same elements that make Yellowstone, one of the most popular shows in the country, so appealing. In any case, the show follows Royal Abott (Josh Brolin) a rancher in a remote town in Wyoming, who undergoes an existential crisis when a large, infinitely deep, perfectly circular void opens up on his ranch. As he grapples with the existence of this supernatural phenomenon, his family is torn asunder by a crime committed by one of their own, the theft of their land by a neighboring ranch and the arrival of a mysterious stranger (Imogen Poots). At turns Yellowstone and at turns Twin Peaks, Outer Range proved that a mystery box show can be just as funny, charming, melodramatic and campy as a network drama.
2. Barry (Season 3)
I can’t believe that Stefon from SNL became one of the best television directors and actors. Yes, the show plays specifically to me as a former resident of Los Angeles. But even if you don’t personally relate to the hilarity of a high speed chase on motorcycles during rush hour on the 710 freeway, you will appreciate the filmmaking and attention to detail. It’s one of the funniest shows on TV and one of the most harrowing depictions of the consequences of rage, violence and vengeance. It does both of these things at the exact same time and never does it feel at odds with itself. Season three in particular ramped up the filmmaking skill and the demands placed on the performers to such a high degree that watching everyone rise to the occasion was a genuinely rewarding experience.
1. Better Call Saul (Season 6)
Better Call Saul may not be the best show of this year, but it meant the most to me. After more than a decade of having Saul Goodman (aka Jimmy McGill) on my screen, and more notably, Bob Odenkirk’s expert turn at the dramatic, saying goodbye was a bittersweet feeling. What a journey it was though. As a prequel, Better Call Saul lives up to the legacy of Breaking Bad, and even manages to improve on the show in some areas. Despite knowing the fate of so many characters by virtue of having seen Breaking Bad, I was still invested in every single person. And I swear to god Rhea Seehorn better win herself at least some sort of award for best supporting actress in a drama. Her portrayal of Kim Wexler was a highlight of the show from her introduction, and the performance in the final season, and specifically the final few episodes, is among the best work ever done on television. Few shows have been consistently good for this long, and while it is time to say goodbye, this show is destined to live on for decades to come.
My Favorite Movies of 2022
Last year may have been the best TV year of my life, but it wasn’t too strong on the film front. Still, 2022 was an improvement on 2021, we saw more life injected into the box office, and there was some strong genre fare that made its way onto the silver screen, particularly in horror. With any luck, 2022 was a warm up for 2023, and the prospective slate of films to be released this year makes it seem like that will be the case.
Even with many of my most anticipated films being pushed into 2023, last year boasted some impressive entries that will doubtlessly find their way into my blu-ray drawer.
Movies I Watched
As of a while ago, I no longer live in Los Angeles. I knew this would come with adjustments to my life, but one I neglected to consider was how many movies just come to big cities. Where I live is not a small village or anything, but the movie theater coverage does leave something to be desired. To counter any questions about “why not this movie I loved” before they arise, here’s what I was able to see in 2022.
The Menu
White Noise
Petite Maman
Babylon
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Avatar: The Way of Water
Bones and All
The Fabelmans
The Banshees of Inisherin
Armageddon Time
Triangle of Sadness
Barbarian
Elvis
Three Thousand Years of Longing
Lightyear
Bodies Bodies Bodies
Prey
Inu-Oh
Bullet Train
Nope
Thor: Love and Thunder
Crimes of the Future
The Black Phone
Jurassic World Dominion
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
RRR
Top Gun Maverick
Men
Vortex
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
The Northman
Ambulance
Everything Everywhere All at Once
X
Parallel Mothers
Kimi
Turning Red
The Batman
Jackass Forever
Redeeming Love
Scream
P.S. Some of these movies technically came out in festivals in 2021, but if I didn’t have a way to see it until 2022 it’s on this list.
Runners-up
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent - No movie made me laugh harder last year than The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. At times the mass of self-referential and meta humor does threaten to overwhelm the film, but it manages to stay just on the correct side of that particular fence.
The Batman - Superhero stuff was severely lacking this year, but the latest Batman movie showed flashes of what the genre could be at its best. Matt Reeves once again shows that he’s the man to call if you have an IP you need revitalized. The performances, setting and camerawork were all top notch for a film like this. It also wins big points for the coolest batmobile intro in years.
Turning Red - Turning Red was the first big step forward for Pixar in a long time. The story is great, but what really stood out to me was the animation. For years, Disney’s CG animation, while stylized, has been pushing the boundaries of technical achievement. Turning Red introduced blockier, faster and more stylized animation techniques than I’ve ever seen in a Pixar film. Couple that with the excellent story and hilarious dialogue, and you’ve got one of the best pieces of animation in 2022.
Three Thousand Years of Longing - It’s a real shame that this movie didn’t get more attention given the stars and director. Though it’s certainly stranger than Mad Max, Three Thousand Years of Longing took audiences on a truly whimsical journey that I’m sad so many people missed. In a world rife with IP and expanded universes and shameless cash grabs, Three Thousand Years of Longing was an excellent example of another way to approach the fantastical.
Jackass Forever - I don’t 100% consider any Jackass entry a movie, which is why The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent the hardest I laughed at any movie. But Jackass Forever was the hardest I laughed — full stop. The stunts and pranks are as funny as they’ve ever been, and you can really tell that these dudes are good friends. Mercifully, the physical harm was toned down (mostly) since so many of the cast members are older. If you’re not squeamish and don’t gross out easily, then this was an essential theater experience.
10. Avatar: The Way of Water
At the beginning of the year I didn’t think that Avatar 2 would be sitting on my top ten list. The movie is not without flaws, but that’s not what we’re here to talk about. God, it just looks so good. It’s a perfect example of how giving someone the resources, and more importantly the time, to make something amazing will often result in something amazing. Sure the story is still simple and straightforward, but it’s just a framework for the details and those details are incredible. It’s all capped off with one of the most riveting action scenes in recent memory, directed in a way that only box office Jim could pull off.
9. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
I’m not immune to something charming, and nothing was quite as charming as Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. The meta narrative of a man dealing with a divorce and the way it intertwines with both the real life circumstances of the filmmakers and the subject of lost family within the film lashes the film together and gives a compelling through line for anyone who might be watching this film as an adult. Overall though, it’s really cute and really funny. It’s a movie you could show to a child, and though they might find themselves bored at times, they would still resonate with the larger themes. Lastly, the movie is short, and we’re all in desperate need of shorter pieces of entertainment these days.
8. Top Gun Maverick
There are two things I look for when watching a movie; entertainment value and thought provocation. Top Gun Maverick had all of the former and none of the latter and I wouldn’t have it any other way. A true edge of your seat experience, the action sequences in this film transport you into the cockpit of the plane. I could feel my stomach drop during the dives, and even in the moments where it was clearly ripping off other movies, it did it with such enthusiasm that the lack of originality hardly mattered. I cannot believe Tom Cruise is still doing this shit, but I never want him to stop. If there was a more entertaining blockbuster movie this year, I didn’t see it.
7. Barbarian
I advise you not to watch the trailer. This movie never goes where you think it will, and unlike an M. Night Shyamalan movie, where the reveal is the payoff, this isn’t a spoiler. Barbarian surprised me and thrilled me, it made me laugh and it even made me scream in an occupied movie theater. In a year of great horror (X and Scream were fantastic) this was the best purely horror (this distinction will matter soon) film of the year. I’d tell you more, but it would ruin the fun.
6. The Banshees of Inisherin
Sitting just outside of the top five, this movie had one of the best scripts, if not the best script of the year. At turns touching and comedic, but just as often acidic and cruel, The Banshees of Inisherin weaves a complex tale of friendship and unfulfilled dreams on a tiny island off the coast of Ireland. While the characters are certainly played up for the sake of filmed intrigue, everyone is well-realized and compelling. Of course, the performances from both Gleeson and Farrell are remarkable, and add to the film at every turn. The conclusion of the film only enhances its complexity and left me thinking for days after leaving the theater.
5. The Fabelmans
Have you heard of this Spielberg guy? Turns out he’s pretty good at making movies! In all seriousness though, no one puts magic on the screen like Spielberg does. This exercise in mythmaking could have come off as self-aggrandizing, treacly and overly-saccharine; I’m sure it did for some. To me, it threaded the needle with a deft cleverness that only Spielberg could have accomplished. It serves up all the hits while still retaining a knotty, gnarled complexity, especially around the parents. By and large, if this man is making a movie, my ass is in the theater. There’s no reason to doubt him, there rarely has been.
4. The Northman
Growing up I held little love for Shakespeare, but over the past few years I’ve finally come to adore (not just appreciate) the thrills of his works. One thing I’ve noticed in particular is that adaptations of Shakespeare, while they maintain a general level of quality thanks to the source material, fall flat when making changes beyond the setting. The Northman is one of the only films that improves the story. In brief, The Northman is Hamlet, but revelations that unfold throughout the film make it more complex than the original and add intrigue for an audience that’s familiar with the classics. Of course, the movie is further bolstered by excellent design choices, a painstaking dedication to historical accuracy and a fresh depiction of mythology. Given box office returns, it will likely be the last time that someone gives Robert Eggers this much money to make a movie, but I’m glad he spent it on this.
3. Nope
In a year where Spielberg made a movie, Jordan Peele made a better Spielberg movie. While it definitely has elements of horror, this extraterrestrial/monster movie has more in common with Jaws than it does your average horror flick. This is completely fine. Peele’s mastery has always been in the script and in the filmmaking, his ability to invoke fear has always been in service of other things. He’s never been more in command of how a film looks and feels than he is with Nope. The allegories are clearer than Us and work more effectively, and the film certainly looks better than anything else he’s done. There were multiple set pieces that had me holding my breath for their duration. Every actor gives a great performance, particularly Palmer and Kaluuya as our leads. It wraps up perfectly, and there’s an Akira bike slide homage, what more could I have wanted?
2. Everything Everywhere All at Once
Pushing aside the discourse and the fans who can’t accept that some people like other movies more than this one, this movie does live up to the hype. Both leads (Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan) give tremendous performances as multiple characters across the film, and the action setpieces are among the most inventive in years. Despite the manic nature of the film, and the very forceful emotional pushes it makes, it rarely feels overbearing and instead earns some of the most effective gut punches that I can recall. I had more fun in the theater watching this than any other movie this year, and a lot of people agree with me. This movie seems destined to live on for more than its brief moment in the sun, and while I don’t believe that most filmmakers could pull off something like this, I look forward to seeing what this inspires. At the very least, I hope it allows for more original sci-fi projects that aren't tied to existing IP.
1. Triangle of Sadness
Maybe it was the lingering remnants of my visit to a brewery, or the high of having just completed my Bachelor’s weekend, but I levitated watching this movie. It’s a testament to excess in filmmaking. Excessive gross outs, excessive musical cues, excessive messages and excessive dialogue; Triangle of Sadness has it all in portion sizes that far exceed good taste. There is nothing subtle about this movie, so if you’re a fan of hidden messages and thought exercises, you will not find what you love in this movie. What you need to remember going in, is that the ham-fisted nature of the movie is a feature and not a bug. Ruben Östlund, the director of Triangle of Sadness, has a perspective for this movie that is spotlight by the rays of god itself. If you miss the point, you were asleep. By putting everything out in the open from jump, he allows us to wallow in the filth of gross excess and wealth without fear of missing the larger point. By the end of the film, you will either be like me — rejuvenated and elated at the sheer maximalism — or utterly exhausted. There is no inbetween, and that’s what made it my favorite movie of 2023.