"The book is a film that takes place in the mind of the reader." ~ Paulo Coelho

Monday, January 2, 2023

Movies I Watched in 2022

Hello, friends!

I hope you guys enjoy this kind of post because it's always one of the highlights of my schedule! It's fun because it chronologically walks you through my year. Anyway, here's the list of all the movies I watched in 2022 that were new-to-me. I rewatch a lot of movies, too, but there are too many to keep track of. 

Usually I try to keep the comments to a minimum because or else this post gets too long, but there are some scattered through-out. This is especially thick in one area because, well, I lost my journal that I keep track of all of this in. So I started to keep track in a document on my computer and I kept a few extra notes because I could. Then, just a few days ago, my sister found my journal here in our house! So all's well that ends well.

Notes:
Ones with a ~ means I saw it in a theater.
Underlined for if I cried during. 
Ones with a caret (^) means I watched it for a class
 
Also, if ones college buys movie theater tickets and offers them to whoever wants them, you can bet that I am the kind of person to accept this deal every single time.

New-to-me movies:

Black Widow (2021)
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
Eternals (2021) (Yes, my sisters and I went on a Marvel binge at the beginning of the year. We had to catch up. No, we still haven't seen No Way Home.)
Lars and the Real Girl (2007)^ 
The Royal Treatment (2022)
(Judge me all you want, but I was actually interested in watching a cheesy rom-com on Valentine's Day)
Moonfall (2022)~^
Death on the Nile (2022)~
 (I had been waiting for this movie for 4+ years, so I was very emotional when I finally got to see it)
Cold Mountain (2003)
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Just Like Heaven (2003)
Sierra Burgess is a Loser (2018)
Ted (2012) (Some friends were all excited about Mark Wahlburg and for whatever reason they decided to watch this. I was forced into it too. I hated every second of it, but also roasted every second of it. Because of these disclosed feelings, I will not be including an image.)

Father Stu (2022)~ (I was honestly not impressed? I'll save my critiques for a full on review)
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Free Guy (2021) (My sister said it the best: "All the ads made it seem really dumb, but it was really funny. The ads were just dumb". I watched this with my PM on Easter.)
Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (2010)
Hitch (2006)
Moxie (2021)
Tick, Tick...BOOM! (2021)
Encanto (2021)
Death on the Nile (1978)
The Patriot (2000)
Des hommes et des dieux (English title: Of Gods and Men) (2010)^
 (My sister, the French speaker, insists that I'm saying this title incorrectly. I am Ron Weasley and she is Hermione Granger.)
Todas las pecas del mundo (English title: All the Freckles in the World) (2019) (I was not yet familiar with the Spanish movie format, so back then I was so confused but now I would maybe get it?)
Belfast (2021)

Persuasion (2022) (Actually had a blast watching. It's not really Persuasion, but still fun. Was humorous, and I appreciated it, except a few parts where I yelled at the screen.)
Purple Hearts (2022) (Had a scene I very much could have done without, but mixed some tropes I usually hate and I actually enjoyed them. Mostly. The songs are a bop and I listen to them all the time.)
Handsome Devil (2016)
Los lobos (2019)^
 
Roma (2018)^
 (We have no words, not because of awe but because of what just happened. Why. What. What. Why. Huh? Why. After LOTS of class discussion I think I get it, but not really.)
Tall Girl 2 (2022) (Dare I say, I liked this better than the first one? Not in terms of message, but I thought it was really funny. Plus I was in a musical while watching it, so that amped up my enjoyment.)
Mother Teresa: No Greater Love (2022)~ (I don't usually count documentaries, but I saw it in the theater, and my college paid for it, so...)
La llorona (2019)^
El buen patron (English title: The Good Boss) (2022)~
The School for Good and Evil (2022) (I dug it a lot. And now want to read the books. Was it the best quality/plot/anything? No. But I had a rollicking good time)
Lo Que Arde (English title: Fire Will Come) (2019)^ (So stinking weird. The cinematography was gorgeous, I mean, I absolutely loved it. It was just so different than anything else I've ever seen. I need to watch it a lot more and actually understand the dialogue.)
Smile (2022)
~ (I'm not putting a picture because it was too scary. When your college gives you free tickets, you take them, though, I may have learned my lesson about that. And that I am a screamer when it comes to horror, but also mostly chant "Oh no, oh no")

Memorias de subdesarrollo (English title: Memories of Underdevelopment) (1968)^ (For the first time when my professor asked us if we liked it, we all yelled back, "no!". This was very disappointing because it was the oldest movie I watched this year by a long shot and I thought it was going to be amazing. It's my professor's favorite movie ever, however.)
La teta asustada (English title: The Sorrowful Milk) (2009)^ (It was so weird, but after making a whole presentation about it, I dig it.)
Gifted (2017)
 (I didn't really like Chris Evans's character, but the MATH. The math was swell. One of my best friends is an education major and she had to watch it for a class and she knew I loved math so she roped me into it.)
Pájaros de verano (English title: Birds of Passage) (2018)^. 
Noche de fuego (English title: Prayers for the Stolen) (2021)
^
Begin Again (2013)
Ladies in Lavender (2004)
Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
Enola Holmes 2 (2022) (After Death on the Nile, this was my most looked-forward-to movie of the year!)


Total: 46


Series/shows I watched in 2022:

No specific order, but definitely alphabetical (if you get that YT reference, kudos). As I said last year, rewatches are listed here because it requires a bigger time commitment than a movie. My sister thought the old format for this section was confusing, so I switched it up a little based on her suggestion. Thoughts?

Arcane: League of Legends
    Season 1: episodes 1-7 and half of 8. 
The A-Team:
    Season 1: episodes 1-7. (I think? It feels like I watched more than that)
Carmen Sandiego
    REWATCH: Seasons 1-4 (in Spanish)
Cinderella and the Four Knights (2016): Mini series. (First Impression Ramblings)
Dash and Lily (2020): Mini series.
Emma (2009): Mini series.
The Flash
    Season 1: episodes 1-9.
Gilmore Girls
    Season 6: episodes 18-22, season 7: episodes 1-19 (I swear, this show never ends) 
Hawkeye (2021): Mini series.
Heartstopper
    Season 1
High School Musical The Musical The Series
    Seasons 1-3. REWATCH: various episodes from season 1 and 2.
Jane the Virgin
    Season 1: episodes 15-22, season 2, & season 3: 1-14.
LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu
    Season 9: episodes 8-10, season 10.
Levarage:
    Season 1: episodes 4-9.
The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power
    Season 1: episodes 1-6 (I watched this much with my roommate and LOVED IT. I can't wait to watch the rest and only haven't because of time)
Merlin
    Season 5: episodes 6-13. REWATCH: Season 1, episodes 1-2.
Moon Knight
    Season 1 (Technically there isn't a second season announced yet, but one can hope. Also watched with my PM on Easter...)
Ninjago
    Season 1, episodes 1-13 (They’ve changed Lloyd’s voice! At least, in the Spanish version...)
Once Upon a Time
    Season 1-2, & season 3: episode 1 (I believe)
Sanditon
    Season 2 (First Impression Ramblings)
Shadow and Bone
    Season 1, REWATCH: Season 1: episodes 1-2
STAR WARS: Clone Wars
    Season 1: episodes 8-22, season 2, season 3: episodes 1-17 (I think. My progress is marked on my friend's account because she was making me watch it while she did homework.)
Stranger Things
    Season 1: episode 1 (and part of 2)
Umbrella Academy
    Seasons 1-2
Wednesday
    Season 1
What If…?
    Season 1: episodes 3-5. REWATCH: Season 1: episodes 1-2.

I think I watched some Wild Wild West episodes with my dad, but I don't know exactly...

I've had a hard time with my attention span this year. I feel often that I use this as an excuse to not try harder? I don't know. Anyway, I started a lot of movies and shows and would quit a few minutes in. Either I love it dearly and is my favorite thing ever (aka OUaT), or I felt mediocre about it.

Yow, that's still an awful lot. I think a goal for this year is more books and fewer movies or shows...


My 10 Favorite New-To-Me Movies:
1. Encanto (2021): We don't talk about Bruno-no-no-no. Everything about this is my favorite. I love the songs, the characters, the animation, the meaning, the conflict. 

2. Belfast (2021): All the love, it was amazing, and perfect for movie lovers. Heart destroying. This gave me an old movie feel because it was black and white and set in the 60s (I believe?) and filled me so much. Filled me with happiness and pain and all the things.

3. Los Lobos (2019): Aka the movie that destroyed me. Yes, destroyed is my word, but that's how I want to feel from all of my stories. This hit so close to home for many people I know. It's a story where nothing much happens, but it's so cute and everything changes.

4. Enola Holmes 2 (2022): Enola!! I love her so much. My baby boy Tewksbury was brilliant and I'm going to have to watch all of his scenes on repeat because I wasn't appreciating them enough. That's because this was the first movie in FOREVER that all of my family watched together and I was trying to keep myself together from laughing at him and screaming at him how proud I was. Sherlock was fabulous, too. All in all, such a tight sequel, even if I still like the first better.

5. Ladies in Lavender (2004): My sisters have been putting off watching this for years. If we had known how darlingly cute it was, we would have watched it faster. Such a good combination of laughter and crying like your life depends on it.

6. Death on the Nile (2022): This was my first Agatha Christie book and they did so much stuff with it to surprise new and old fans alike. I'm not mad, I'm more shocked. And broken. And reeling. AHHHHHHHH. I can't wait to make my sisters watch it.

7. Des hommes et des dieux (2010): *starts singing Imagine Dragons* "I'm a wreck...". That's how I felt. This revolutionized the way I see things. Based on true story for the win.

8. Lars and the Real Girl (2007): This could win an award for the weirdest movie ever, but by the end I think most of the class really enjoyed it.

9. Tick, Tick...BOOM! (2021): Now, the music isn't actually my favorite (I only really listen to "Louder Than Words" on a regular basis) but I think it fits the story so well. Another true story gut punch (I'm actually going to maybe do a post about gut punches in literature. Anyone interested?)

10. Handsome Devil (2016): It was so cool to have an LGBTQ+ story that wasn't a romance, you know? You don't get that a lot so it was a neat element. It was a kind and caring story. One about people and their struggles and their love of sports, and I thought it was really important. Andrew Scott slayed so hard.

Honorable mentions: Hitch (2006)Just Like Heaven (2003)Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)A Beautiful Mind (2001)La teta asustada (2009)The School for Good and Evil (2022), & Noche de fuego (2021).

I am a little disturbed that all of my favorites are from the 21st century. And all of the honorable mentions. In fact, I only watched 3 movies from the 20th century?? How can I call myself a classic movie fan!?


For those of you who are curious, I saw parts of: Dog Day Afternoon (1975), Cinderella (1997), Poltergeist (1982), Charming (2018), The Kissing Booth (2018), and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004). Some of those I fully intend to keep watching, one I only saw the end with my grandma and don't feel the need to see any more, and some I will not be continuing.

Also, this isn't an official movie, but have you guys seen the Princess Bride Home Movie? I watched it this year and it was one of the funniest things ever. A real ode to the original.


How many of these movies have you seen? What are movies you want to see? What are some of your favorites from 2022?

Do you want to read reviews for any of these movies? First impression ramblings posts for the shows? I have several of those planned but I would love to hear which ones you are interested in!

Thank you so much for reading! Tell me all your thoughts on this new year, 2023!

Chloe the MovieCritic

15 comments:

  1. That's more movies than I watched this year!

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  2. So many good movies!

    Black Widow is the last MCU movie I enjoyed. I think it's because it takes place before Endgame. I'm pretty contented with my decision to just exit the MCU here, mentally stopping that world with Endgame (even though I did see the last Spidey movie).

    I also waited 4 years for Death on the Nile. Here's hoping A Haunting in Venice doesn't make us wait so long!

    I remember seeing Cold Mountain in the theater and falling so hard for Jude Law. I have probably seen it 3 times, but it's been years... I should find a copy. It's really beautiful. Hauntingly so.

    A Beautiful Mind is also haunting. I loved the rapport between Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany in it.

    I've seen Passion of the Christ quite a few times. It's a hard one, but so good.

    You're the second person I know who liked Free Guy and said it wasn't dumb. Maybe I should watch it.

    Yay! You've seen the 1978 version of Death on the Nile too! My son is really into Agatha Christie right now, and the trailers for the new DOTN made him reeeeeally want to see that... but it ended up not being family friendly, so I found the Ustinov version instead, and he really likes it. As do I.

    The Patriot is one of my favorite movies, but I haven't been able to watch it since Heath Ledger died. I will one day. For a long time, I couldn't even listen to the soundtrack, but I can do that now, so I know I'll be able to watch the movie again.

    I was kind of obsessed with Sleepless in Seattle in my late teens, but haven't watched it since. I'm a little worried it may not hold up to my memories of it.

    What did you think of Leverage???

    I have watched the Princess Bride Home Movie at least 3 times. It is brilliant.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a great list! I watch so few movies at this point, haha. I just rewatch Over the Garden Wall over and over again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My sister is trying to get me to watch Over the Garden Wall! It looks like so much fun, so I'm down, I just need to find time...

      Delete
  4. Wow! How do you even remember watching so many??
    Love the list though

    I watched Father Stu in theater too, and felt unimpressed too haha.
    I didn't watch a lot of movies, but I did see Far From the Madding Crowd, The French Dispatch, Dune, Howl's Moving Castle, Kiki's Delivery service, Good Omens, and Jonny English Strikes Again. That's actually a lot of me ;p

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    Replies
    1. I wouldn't be able to without my trusty notebook! Besides, I'm always a little worried that I'm missing something...
      Thanks, Keturah!!

      It wasn't bad, just hyped up, right?
      ACK!! I LOVE Howl's Moving Castle, so I'm stoked that you watched it!! What do you think?? I'm not a fan of Kiki, but that seems simultaneously up your alley or that you would hate it, too. So I'm curious of your thoughts there. And on Dune. ;)

      Delete
  5. You cried at Father Stu but yet you weren't impressed??? Explain this to me, I do not understand. (pretty please :) )

    I thought you were translating the Spanish titles into English and then got to "Pajaros de verano" and was like VERANO IS NOT PASSAGE WHAT IS GOING ON and then I realized the English titles were retitles rather than translations and everything made a lot more sense to me from there on out. (which is good because I would've been REALLY confused when I proceeded to "Noche de fuego"="prayers for the stolen", otherwise) XD (side note, I love the title "Pajaros de verano" so much though)

    I am very, very interested in First Impression Ramblings on Umbrella Academy. I watched half of the first season and have Opinions (both good and bad) (the good ones mostly involve the way the show uses music because OKAY BUT IT'S FABULOUS) and I really want to see your impressions? It's such a weird show. It's...I just know this will be entertaining.

    Happy 2023!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Long story short: I am a very emotional person and therefore cry whether or not I like it. XD Long story: There were scenes at the ending that were heartfelt and knowing it was based on a true story it got the tears running. But overall it felt like they were twisting his life or exaggerating his life to make it a "good story" when it already was. And I don't know if that's the case, it just felt like it. I was telling my mom that it seemed like they were trying too hard with the conversion and she said "isn't that the point?". Yeah, but it was missing some connecting subtleties. Ahem. Well done calling me out, Sarah!! I don't know if this would be your thing, but I'd love to hear your thoughts! Or on subtlety on stories in general!

      Nothing gets past you, so bravo! It is a pet peeve of mine when the translation of the title isn't even close! I mean, Noche de fuego is really fun to say. And yes, Pajaros de verano is so cool! I've recently come across a show called Cielo Grande (which is applicable to me in an unexpected way) but the English translation title is Secrets of Summer?? Boring!

      I really really want to do a First Impression Ramblings post on Umbrella Academy, so thank you for the request!! I have SO MANY FIR drafts and need to just publish them. (THE MUSIC IS ON POINT. I don't think I was appreciating it enough, looking back)

      Thank you and sorry it's taken me so long to reply!!

      Delete
  6. I think Encanto is the only one of these I have seen.
    I have no idea how many movies I have watched last year. We watch new movies all the time. We also got Vidangle so we can watch movies and it blanks out the bad words.

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    Replies
    1. Well Encanto is AMAZING! I was watching it on a plane recently and had to stop before the very end because I didn't want to cry...
      Watching movies is such a fun family activity!!

      Delete
  7. Goodness, that is WAY more movies than I've seen this year! (I'm so not a movie watcher when I'm on my own. I honestly hate watching movies by myself, which means I don't watch them much at all unless I'm home.)

    I don't know that I ever heard what you thought of Black Widow? #verycurious

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    Replies
    1. Sam, I don't know how we would make this happen, but sometime we should watch a movie together. Because I don't know if you'd love or hate what I do. XD My one roommate hates it, but another one and I go at it like nothing else. XD

      We did! The second after I finished it I was texting you! :D

      Delete

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"If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, where you stop your story." -Orson Welles