Movies of 2022

 This is a list of movies watched in 2022. 

JANUARY

Luca (2021)

     A rather thin, though fantastic to look at, Pixar story of friendship in an early 1950s Italian coastal town. Very gay vibes.

Ender's Game (2013)

     Based on Orson Scott Card's sci-fi classic, this movie has Harrison Ford, Angela Bassett and Hailee Steinfeld in the cast, and mostly works in translating a near-unfilmable story. 

Encanto (2021)

     With songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, this is a brilliant story of magical realism set in the mountains of Columbia. 

Stepsister from Planet Weird (2000)

      This DCOM was appropriately bizarre and audacious for its era; featuring windsurfing and aliens. Fairly pleasant watch.  

Total watched this month: 4.

FEBRUARY

Cool Runnings (1993)

     Watched as a WCT Movie Night pick, this loose retelling of the 1988 Jamaican bobsled team doesn't really hold up. 

Marry Me (2022)

     Jennifer Lopez is a celebrity who marries math teacher Owen Wilson on a whim in this peculiar romcom. Wilson is badly miscast.  

Super Fast! (2015)

     This spoof is an entertaining parody of the Fast and Furious franchise. 

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

     Watched as a WCT Movie Night pick, this contemporary retelling of The Taming of the Shrew is far better than its source material, with a great soundtrack and a terrific ensemble cast including Heath Ledger and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. 

Total watched this month: 4, bringing total to 8.

MARCH

Sydney White (2007)

     This contemporary college-set adaptation of Snow White starring Amanda Bynes makes the Bring It On series look like award-winning material.  

World War Z (2013)

     Brad Pitt stars in this disjointed action movie based on the far-better novel of the same title. Found at the OKC library book sale. 

Batman Forever (1995)

     The third of the original Batman series, Val Kilmer was decent as Bruce Wayne, and Nicole Kidman's Chase Meridian was excellent. Tommy Lee Jones and Jim Carrey as Two-Face and the Riddler aren't great. 

Batman and Robin (1997)

     George Clooney does not make a good Batman/Bruce Wayne. This movie was a mess, though it does have Alicia Silverstone. 

The Love Bug (1967)

     The first of the Herbie series, which still holds up pretty well as a pleasant diversion. 

Rewatch of Encanto

      This was a WCT Movie Night pick. 

The Outsiders (1982)

     With a cast including Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise and Matt Dillon, this look at gang life in mid-1960s Tulsa is just as thoughtful and confounding as the YA novel it's based on. 

Total watched this month: 5, bringing total to 13.

APRIL

Hulk (2003)

     This extremely serious Incredible Hulk origin story starring Jennifer Connelly, Eric Bana and Sam Elliott is simultaneously way better than it ought to be and nearly unbearable due to its glacial pace. From a DVD resell haul, as are most of the rest this month.  

Galaxy Quest (1999)

     Tim Allen stars in this ensemble Star Trek spoof about actors abducted by aliens to perform an actual diplomatic space mission. From a resell haul. 

Fever Pitch (2005)

     Drew Barrymore stars as a girlboss financial wizard who falls for Jimmy Fallon's baseball-obsessed math teacher. This romcom is nearly perfect for reasons I can't pin down right now. From a resell haul. 

Olivia Rodrigo: driving home 2 u (2022)

     This Disney Plus documentary of the SOUR album isn't quite as good as the folklore one, but it isn't bad. 

Getting There (2002)

     This Olsen twins movie stars Mary-Kate and Ashley as Southern California teens on a disastrous road trip with friends to the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. It was fine, though mostly forgettable. From a resell haul. 

Taxi (2004)

     Queen Latifah is a speed-obsessed taxi driver, Jimmy Fallon a hapless detective, and together they chase the bank-robbing wives of Tom Brady and Jeff Gordon. Henry Simmons and Patton Oswalt have minor roles as well, and this movie is somehow worse than the Fantastic Four movies (which had the same director.) From a resell haul.

The Challenge (2003)

     Their final direct-to-video movie, MK and Ashley are twins who hate each other forced to work together on a Survivor clone to earn college scholarships. Pretty good, and ends on an entertaining meta note. From a resell haul.  

Twilight (2008)

     This movie was boring and odd - still don't get the hype from high school, though Anna Kendrick and the baseball scene are both decent. From a resell haul.

Raise Your Voice (2004)

     This Hilary Duff movie follows an Arizona teenager at a music summer camp in Los Angeles as she deals with the grief of her older brother's death. Pretty good movie, though a bit formulaic. From a resell haul.  

Death on the Nile (2022)

     The sequel to Murder on the Orient Express, it has Kenneth Brannagh back as Poirot, with Gal Gadot, Letitia Wright, and a bunch of other familiar faces.  

She's the Man (2006)

     Amanda Bynes and Channing Tatum star in this loose adaptation of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. While one of the most well-known teen movies of the decade, it's pretty overrated. From a resell haul. 

Picture This (2008)

     Ashley Tisdale is a nerdy teen dealing with her control-freak father in the late 2000s, when camera phones are new tech. This "miscellanous adventures" movie also stars Robbie Amell. From a DVD resell haul. 

Nancy Drew (2007)

     Emma Roberts' breakout movie is....strange. Kind of sweet, but just really....bizarre. From a resell haul. 

Bridge to Terabithia (2007)

     This slow movie starring AnnaSophia Robb and Josh Hutcherson is oddly paced, but fine. From a resell haul. 

Material Girls (2006)

     From a script designed for the Olsens, Hilary and Haylie Duff are cosmetic heiresses who lose all their money in a company scandal. It doesn't quite work. From a resell haul.  

Bandslam (2009)

     Starring Vanessa Hudgens, Aly Michalka, Lisa Kudrow and Scott Porter, this aggressively mediocre high school film would work better as a novel. From a resell haul. 

Cheaper by the Dozen (2003)

     Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt, Piper Perabo, Hilary Duff, Ashton Kutcher, Tom Welling and Alyson Stoner all in the same movie? This is much deeper than I remembered, and fun, too. From a resell haul.   

Total watched this month: 17, bringing total to 30. 

MAY

Turning Red (2022)

     The latest Pixar movie about a teenage girl in Toronto in the early 2000's going through puberty. It was fine, but not being a girl, I wasn't able to appreciate it as well as it ought to have been. 

Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005)

     The Bakers go on vacation in Wisconsin as new chapters begin for many of them. 

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

     Dr Strange vs the Scarlet Witch in this intense, latest MCU entry that falls somewhere midpack overall in the rankings. Watched in theaters with Trevor. 

Scott Pilgrim Versus the World (2010)

     Based on Bryan Lee O'Malley's graphic novel series, this musical action romcom is a blast with a loaded cast, including Michael Cera, Brie Larson, Chris Evans, Aubrey Plaza, Brandon Routh and Anna Kendrick. An unofficial WCT Movie Night Favorite. 

Mystery Men (1999)

     This unofficial WCT Movie Night Favorite is an odd ensemble comedy starring Ben Stiller and William H. Macy, which is too serious to be a good comedy and too bizarre to be a drama. Still, an enjoyable watch to the superhero genre. 

But I'm a Cheerleader (1998)

     A high schooler discovers she's a lesbian at a re-education camp in this satire. Another WCT Movie Night Favorite. 

Venom (2017)

     This sort-of-Spider-Man-adjacent movie starring Tom Hardy as an unethical journalist is kind of a mess all over. From a resell haul. 

Uncharted (2022)

     Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg star in this fun adventure movie based on the PlayStation video game series. 

Batman Returns (1992)

     This sequel is very Tim Burton-y.  Didn't quite get the hype. From a resell haul. 

Batman (1989)

     Michael Keaton is fine as Batman and Bruce Wayne, but Jack Nicholson isn't scary as the Joker. From a resale haul. 

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

     The first of the Wolverine trilogy, this X-Men prequel is really depressing. From a resell haul.  

 Uptown Girls (2002)

     Brittany Murphy from Clueless is a spoiled heiress forced to become the nanny of a neurotic third-grader (Dakota Fanning). Peculiar and not especially memorable, though the light tone was nice after a slew of heavy films. . 

Total watched this month: 12, bringing total to 42. 

JUNE 

Logan (2017)

     A fitting end and fantastic art in this closing chapter of the X-Men universe. From a resell haul. 

X-Men: First Class (2011)

     The first of the prequel trilogy starring Jennifer Lawrence; this holds up pretty well. 

X-Men: Apocalypse (2015)

     The close of the prequel trilogy, featuring Oscar Isaac as the ancient Egyptian villain Apokolips. 

Watchmen (2009)

     This Zack Snyder movie, a somewhat loose adaptation of Alan Moore's graphic novel, is extremely long and Zack Snyder-y, which doesn't make good viewing. From a resell haul. 

Batman Begins (2005)

     This opening chapter of the Nolan trilogy is extremely dull, with Katie Holmes badly miscast. From a resell haul. 

The Dark Knight (2008)

     Still overly serious, but Heath Ledger is amazing as the Joker. From a resell haul. 

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

     An underwhelming finale to the trilogy, Anne Hathaway is great as Catwoman. From a resell haul. 

Superman Returns (2006)

     A boring movie starring Brandon Routh, but not as bad as everyone says. From a resale haul. 

Casablanca (1942)

     The WWII classic starring Humphrey Bogart. I can see why it holds that status after finally watching it. 

Blue Crush (2002)

     Kate Bosworth stars in this surfing movie based on an Outside Magazine article by Susan Orlean. 

Total watched this month: 10, bringing total to 52. 

JULY

Johnny Be Good (1988)

     Anthony Michael Hall isn't very convincing as a hotshot high school quarterback, but this odd film at least tries to shine a light on the corrupt world of college sports. Also includes a very young RDJ as the best friend. 

Summer '03 (2018)

     Joey King is a Cincinnati high schooler who has a fling with an apprentice priest while trying to deal with her grandmother's death. This is a very strange film. 

Independence Day (1996)

     Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum and Will Smith are some of the stars in this alien invasion blockbuster, which holds up pretty well. 

Passport to Paris (1999)

     This is a fun, solid Olsen movie in the "travel to Europe and lighthearted shenanigans ensue" genre, as boy-crazy middle schoolers visit their ambassador grandfather.

Billboard Dad (1998)

     MK and Ashley are the daughters of a sculptor who take online dating (before the internet) into their own hands. Oddly static editing and camera work, which may be done on purpose to match Dad's colossal metal statues? Unusually, Ashley plays the athletic one here.  

Scooby-Doo: The Movie (2002)

     For a kids movie, writer/director James Gunn delivered with a story that is vaguely frightening and extremely sexy. Sarah Michelle Gellar and Linda Cardellini shine, but everyone was cast really well.

13 Going on 30 (2004)

     This fantastic Jennifer Garner/Mark Ruffalo romcom never gets old. Also includes Judy Greer, Andy Serkis and Brie Larson in supporting roles.   

Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004)

     This sequel was very neutered, but good reaction moments and silent acting still shines through. Alicia Silverstone and While You Were Sleeping's Peter Boyle have supporting roles. 

Switching Goals (1999)

     One of my favorite movies growing up, MK is the soccer star on a bad team, Ashley the popular fashionista trying to gain Dad's approval. 

Total watched this month: 9, bringing total to 61. 

AUGUST

Attack of the 50-Foot Cheerleader (2008)

     This was a random movie I found on Tubi, which Ted Raimi as a science professor. A nerdy college cheerleader accidentally becomes a monster due to a lab accident. 

The Best of Times (1986)

     Kurt Russell and Robin Williams star in this odd tale of a re-enactment of a high school football game in Central California. 

Draft Day (2012)

     This movie about the Draft Day for the Cleveland Browns has a LOADED cast, including Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner, Chadwick Boseman, Tom Welling, Sam Elliott and a lot of other people. 

Total watched this month: 3, bringing total to 64.

SEPTEMBER

Miss Congeniality (2001)

      Sandra Bullock and Michael Caine star in this comedy about a beauty pageant. From a DVD resell haul. 

 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2002)

     The first of the HP movies, this was decent. From a DVD haul. 

Bridget Jones's Diary 

     Renee Zellweger stars in this extremely British romcom. From a DVD haul. 

The Quick and the Dead (1995)

     This Sam Raimi-directed Western is fantastic, with a cast that includes Sharon Stone and Leonardo DiCaprio. From a DVD haul. 

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

     If I thought Ragnarok was bad, this was a million times worse. Like Eternals, there were some good ideas in here somewhere, but execution was a total mess. 

Total watched this month: 5, bringing total to 69. 

OCTOBER

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

     This indie romcom was oddly inert, but kind of sweet in a peculiar way. From a DVD haul. 

Death Race (2008)

     A brutal action movie that's very ACAB. Liked it much more than I expected to. From a DVD haul. 

V for Vendetta (2005)

     Based on Alan Moore's graphic novel, and starring Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman, this was clearly a case of "The movie was better." From a DVD haul. 

Wimbledon

     Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany are tennis pros who fall for each other in this romcom. From a DVD haul. 

Deadpool 2 (2019)

     Like the first, this parody was an incredibly crass, heartfelt and well-crafted story.

Chris Claremont's X-Men (2019)

     This documentary about the legendary comics writer was terrific. 

Total watched this month: 6, bringing total to 75.

NOVEMBER

The Replacements (2000)

     Keanu Reeves stars as a quarterback in this very pleasant comedy loosely based on the 1988 NFL strike. 

American Dreamz (2006)

     Mandy Moore stars in this American Idol satire that tries to bite off a little more than it can chew, but it was quite entertaining. The cast also includes Dennis Quaid, Willem Defoe and Jennifer Coolidge. 

Rollerball (1975)

     A sci-fi tale that tries to be grander that it is.. For a tale about a murderous sport, it was very unviolent. 

Total watched this month: 3, bringing total to 78.

\DECEMBER

The LEGO Batman Movie (2017)

     This may actually be the best Batman movie ever made. 

Dr Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2001)

     Jim Carrey and a tiny Taylor Momsen (lead singer of rock group The Pretty Reckless) star in this curious and vaguely frightening movie directed by Ron Howard. Watched as a family because Bethany grew up on it. 

Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021)

     I knew this was going to be awful from the first trailer....and was it ever. Huge disappointment, though glad I was finally able to watch it. 

DC League of Super-Pets (2022)

     This is a really fun take on the DC characters. 

SCOOB! (2020)

     This animated film holds together pretty well, despite being wildly audacious (intended to set up a shared universe of Hanna-Barbera characters), and didn't exactly need celebrity voice actors, but it's fun. 

Man of Steel (2013)

     Henry Cavill stars in this very long and drab Superman reboot from Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan. 

Suicide Squad (2016)

     DC movies work way better when they focus on the villains, because they're far more interesting. 

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)

     This is a really fun, though vulgar look at Harley's healing process following her break-up with the Joker. 

The Suicide Squad (2021)

     Directed by James Gunn, this is even fouler and more violent than the first, though also more heartfelt and character-driven. 

Black Adam (2022)

     Starring the Rock as an Egyptian god, the supporting characters were far more interesting than the man story. While a very poor film, the cinematics were beautiful. 

The Incredibles (2004)

     This was watched with the commentary on to make sure the DVD part of the Xbox still worked. 

Rent (2005)

     An adaptation of the stage musical, starring Idina Menzel, Rosario Dawson and Jesse L Martin, among others; set in late 1980s NYC. 

Total watched this month: 12, bringing total for year to 90.