Jeff Ames’ Favorite Movies, TV Shows, and Games

Best of 2022 is ComingSoon’s weeklong celebration of the This year’s entertainment was unforgettable

Children, 2022 is over, and I have to say that the year was mostly successful in pop culture entertainment. Sure, there was a slew of disappointments — Obi-Wan Kenobi, anyone? — but we also received some genuine classics in nearly every medium.

These are my top ten favorite movies, TV shows, books and CDs released in 2022.

The Way of Water Avatar

It took 12 years, but James Cameron finally unleashed his long-awaited follow-up to 2009’s Avatar. Whoa, boy, The Way of Water It is a stunning cinematic achievement of the very highest order. While it retains some of its predecessor’s weaker aspects — read: simplistic story, silly dialogue — the visuals and action are leagues better and easily trump anything that hit cineplexes this year. Seriously, this is mind-blowing cinema at its finest — a visual tour de force with heart-pounding action, tear-jerking drama, and some of the most incredible visual effects you’ll ever see. The Way of Water This film is a must-see and my favourite of the year. Kudos to composer Simon Franglen for retaining James Horner’s iconic score while branching into unexpected new directions.

God of War: Ragnarok

Do not forget Thor: Love and Thunder; The real battle with the Norse gods occurs in God of War: RagnarokThis video game offers one of most memorable experiences ever created. It continues the same beats of its predecessor, while expanding its characters and mythos. Ragnarok The gritty drama of human nature is wrapped up in a blockbuster-sized blockbuster, complete with stunning set pieces and rich dialogue. It is sure to be remembered as one of the most memorable video game sequels.

Heat 2 (Audiobook).

Although I listened to many audiobooks in the year, none of them were as stimulating as this one. Heat 2. The story was written by Michael Mann, and Peter Giles, whose dramatic voice makes even the most mundane scenes feel epic, narrates it to dramatic perfection. Heat The audiobook continues where the film left off, expanding on the characters played by Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino in new and exciting ways. The audiobook only added to my excitement about the film.

Maverick is the Top Gun

These are great balls of fire! Tom Cruise continues treating audiences with the same spectacles that dominated the marketplace during the 80s and early 1990s. While Maverick is the Top Gun Although it looks modern, this action film feels very retro. The picture is made with amazing practical effects and feels like a throwback back to simpler times when speed was more important than all other things. Rather, Top Gun You can be sure that your audience will show you a lot of fun and come out in large numbers if they are having a good time. 

The Batman

Dark, moody, and incredibly bleak, Matt Reeves’ The Batman It is undoubtedly one of the finest adaptations of our pointy eared hero. The storyline about the Riddler taking down Gotham’s elite may be an obvious riff on David Fincher’s SevenThe presentation captures the feel and look of the Caped Crusader in a way that is unmatched. The Batman This graphic novel is brought to life, and it sets the stage for an exciting new comic world on big-screen..

Everything at once

A24 continues its quest to outdo expectations with its strange, yet highly original content. It is almost an instant hit. All You Need at Once — perhaps the most original motion picture to hit the big screen in ages. Amazing performances by Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan and Stephanie Hsu. Fantastic direction by Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert. EEAAO It delivers great spectacle for half the price of Marvel films, and also gives a fascinating commentary about the modern family and the ongoing struggle between the old world and the new. This is a wonderful piece of cinematography that deserves all the praises.

Andor – Season 1

I will admit that it was slow for me to get started. Andor. While I enjoyed the first three episodes of the series, I decided to wait for the complete series to be available on Disney+ before I dive into Cassian Andor’s further adventures. I’m glad I took the plunge because Andor The best Star Wars Since release Rogue One — maybe even The Empire Strikes Back. Tony Gilroy avoids making the same mistakes that others have made by carefully grounding his characters’ actions. Obi-Wan Kenobi  The Book of Boba Fett Instead, it gives audiences a compelling character study that is more interested than the poorly performed action. At this point, I would recommend Gilroy be given the keys to the kingdom. 

House of the Dragon – Season 1

Every week, no TV show captured my attention as well as this one. House of the Dragon. Dark, thrilling, and filled with political intrigue, fascinating people, and intense violence, The Game of Thrones spinoff raises George R.R. Martin’s defunct franchise from the trash bin. House of the Dragon This makes Targaryens and dragons more relevant. Sure, the massive time gaps took some getting used to, and there wasn’t much of a payoff to Season 1, but count me in for the continuing adventures of this bat-shit-crazy Targaryen family.

The Northman

Is there any film so brazenly weird and raw? The Northman? Although it is not the most original film, Robert Eggers’ production ranks among the top-rated big-budget films of recent memory. It works as a thrilling and sometimes frightening tale of revenge. The film’s results are a testament to Eggers’ dedication to transporting people back in time.   

Amistad Expanded Scoring

La La L Records spoiled film music fans plenty this year with great releases such as the expanded scores for James Horner’s Field of Dreams and The Grinch, along with re-releases of expanded/complete scores for Horner’s Braveheart, Jerry Goldsmith’s The ‘Burbs, Danny Elfman’s Spider-Man, and David Arnold’s Tomorrow Never Dies.

Still, my favorite of the bunch was the expanded release of John Williams’ largely forgotten score for Steven Spielberg’s Amistad. It’s darker than the typical Williams album. Amistad Two and a quarter hours of music, spread over two CDs, delivers the goods. This is a must-have for soundtrack lovers. 

Better Call Saul – Final Season

The final chapter of Better Call Saul Everything I needed and more. Aided by incredible performances from Bob Odenkirk and Rhea Seehorn, creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould offered a slow-burn character drama that was equal parts harrowing and heartbreaking — a perfect prologue and epilogue to Breaking Bad. Better Call Saul It deserves to be included among the top TV shows of all times.

Honorable Mentions

• The Fabelmans – Steven Spielberg’s powerful autobiography ranks amongst his finest films to date. This film should be available on streaming.

• Violent Night – The Santa Clause epic we didn’t know we needed features a rip-roaring star turn by David Harbour.

• Spirited – I dug this lavish musical production starring Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell. A fun spin on Christmas Carol.

• Holiday Special from The Guardians – James Gunn brings the Yuletide magic with the Guardians and Kevin Bacon. 

• Nope – The third act flies off the rails, but Jordan Peele’s alien epic remains must-see entertainment regardless. I’ll never buy a chimp.

• Ambulance – Audiences turned their noses up at Michael Bay’s latest action extravaganza, but the pic is an exciting bit of adrenaline-fueled mayhem. 

• X – A wildly graphic A24 production that perfectly captures the feel of an old-school horror flick. This is how it’s done, folks.

• All Quiet at the Western Front – Beautiful, poignant WWI drama with astonishingly realistic battle scenes.

• Hustle – Adam Sandler shows off his strong acting chops yet again in this entertaining basketball dramedy that has somehow vanished since its arrival earlier this year.

• Christmas Story – Man, the holiday offerings were strong this season. Ralphie is back in a worthy sequel to the 1983 classic. 

• Moon Knight – The best thing Marvel produced this year gets kudos for trying something new and having the good sense to hire Oscar Isaac in dual roles. 

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