ComicBook Nation: Why The Batman & Everything Everywhere All at Once Are Our Favorite Movies of 2022
The ComicBook Nation podcast show has announced its picks for the Top Movies of 2022. and though the hosts each had their own respective rankings list for the best films of 2022, there were two clear points of consensus: The Batman and Everything Everywhere All at Once were two of the most memorable, and enjoyable, movies of the year for geek culture.
Rules of the voting process kept the ComicBook Nation hosts from knowing one another's picks until the results were revealed. It was surprising, then, that hosts Matthew Aguilar and Janell Wheeler both picked The Batman as their no. 2 film of the year; meanwhile, Wheeler and host Kofi Outlaw both picked the breakout cult movie hit Everything Everywhere All at Once as THE top film of the year!
Why The Batman Is One of The Best Movies of 2022
The Batman struck a chord with the ComicBook Nation hosts mainly because of the feat director Matt Reeves pulled off by relaunching the Batman movie franchise, in the wake of both Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy, and Ben Affleck's fan-favorite performance in Zack Snyder's DC films. Janelle Wheeler spoke for all those that had doubted the casting of Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne/Batman, only to be captivated by his performance, and ultimately excited for where he will go in the franchise. Matthew Aguilar (as a dedicated comics fan) was also impressed by the performances of the actors inhabiting iconic DC characters – most notably Zoe Kravitz's Selina Kyle, which Aguilar felt embodied both the core essence of the character and a new kind of take on it.
Most of all, the ComicBook Nation hosts appreciated The Batman for still being able to deliver a vision of Batman that excites them – when they've had more than enough reason to have Batman fatigue. The last year alone has brought multiple Batman comic series and miniseries, not to mention an entire spinoff line of books focused on Batman characters, or alternate versions of The Dark Knight and his world, as well as several different TV series (Titans, Harley Quinn) that are dipped in Batman lore. There wasn't much room left for more Batman, in the hosts' hearts, but The Batman has carved out that space.
Why Everything Everywhere All at Once Is The Best Movie of 2022
ComicBook Nation hosts Janell Wheeler and Kofi Outlaw both agreed: Everything Everywhere All at Once deserves to be in the talks for being the best film of 2022, whether it was in the geek culture space, or the major prestigious awards for film (Golden Globes, Oscars) – with writer/director team Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert deserving recognition for both their Original Screenplay and directing efforts, and Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Crazy Rich Asians) and Ke Huy Quan (Temple of Doom, Goonies) deserving Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor recognition (respectively).
As a show that covers all things geek culture, the ComicBook Nation hosts are all too aware of the current fascination with multiverse stories. Over the last few years, Marvel, DC, Star Trek, (soon Star Wars) and every other big sci-fi movie in between have been focused on tales of alternate timelines, parallel worlds, and alternate versions of who we can be. Both Outlaw and Wheeler felt that Everything Everywhere All at Once touches a deep, resonant, chord of truth with its commentary about how we must learn to recognize and value the life we have built and lived, no matter how bad, ugly, or mundane it may feel at times. Add to that some of the most novel and creative filmmaking ideas seen in years (the drama of... talking rocks?!), big, pulpy, comic book-style action and concepts, and a flawless ensemble of actors, and you have a film that is an instant cult-classic, and definite MUST SEE for geeks and cinephiles alike.
COMICBOOK NATIONS' BEST MOVIES OF 2022
Here are the Top 3 Movies (and Honorable Mentions) of the ComicBook Nation Hosts:
Matthew Aguilar
Janell Wheeler
- Everything Everywhere All at Once
- The Batman
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
- HM: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Kofi Outlaw
- Everything Everywhere All at Once
- Top Gun: Maverick
- Barbarian
- HM: Prey
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