Raul De Leon’s Top 10 Films of 2022

Next up on our 2022 wrap-up is Raul, with his top 10 films of the year.

10. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On – dir. Dean Fleischer Camp

A cute stop-motion mockumentary with the most adorable character. Marcel strikes every emotional chord and inspires us to be brave.

9. The Whale – dir. Darren Aronofsky

Here comes the waterworks. Aronofsky takes a bleak psychological dive into the consequences of self-loathing and shame. Brendan Fraser gives the performance of his career.

8. Triangle of Sadness – dir. Ruben Östlund

If Luis Buñuel made a film today it would be Triangle of Sadness. Östlund smartly soaks important matters of class, political ideologies, and social situations into a tub of fun and laughter. 

7. The Northman dir. Robert Eggers

With his third feature, Eggers places himself in the top class of contemporary auteurs. His eccentric viking-Norse mythology revenge epic will give your testosterone levels a boost.

6. Banshees of Inisherin – dir. Martin McDonagh

Feckin’ hilarious. Colin Farrell is perfect as the ‘dull’ and ‘nice’ bogger. McDonagh’s dialogue is Irish gold. 

5. No Bears – dir. Jafar Panahi

One of the most important films of the year. Panahi’s self-reflexive and heavily symbolic film concerns his relationship with his home country of Iran where he is currently serving a 6 year prison sentence for ‘propaganda against the system’. 

4. Mad God – dir. Phil Tippett

An explosion of imagination and creativity – Mad God is an instant stop-motion animation classic, boasting an abundance of detail in both its’ environments and characters. Full Review

3. Vortex – dir. Gaspar Noé

The camera in Noé’s hand is Thor’s hammer – striking the audience with the force of tragedy. With his observational-style approach, it’s as if we’re actually watching a couple deteriorate from dementia and old-age.

2. The Tale of King Crab – dir. Matteo Zoppis, Alessio Rigo de Righi

This superbly shot tale of a defiant drunkard in 19th century Italy, brings us back to the art-house classics of Werner Herzog.

1. Bones and All dir. Luca Guadagnino

Guadagnino masterfully crafts a beautiful mood-piece by taking his time with every scene. Its’ blend of tenderness and horror is unlike anything seen before.