The best movies of 2022: ‘Fabelmans,’ ‘Avatar,’ ‘Black Panther’

For a moment, let’s forget the struggles cinemas are facing — not many people want to schlep to see non-Marvel movies anymore, turns out — and let’s celebrate what was an energizing, unexpected and often freaking weird year for film.

2022 marked a comeback for many major directors. Baz Luhrmann ended a nine-year feature hiatus to direct a fantastic “Elvis” biopic, while James Cameron finally finished “Avatar: The Way of Water” after 13 years and constant delays. And Todd Field triumphed with “Tár” after the longest break of anybody — it was the first movie he directed since 2006’s “Little Children.”

We also were treated to a feast of fantastic performances by women. Cate Blanchett in “Tár,” Michelle Williams in “The Fabelmans,” Michelle Yeoh in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and Angela Bassett in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” all scorched the screen.

And, at 75, Steven Spielberg made the finest movie of the year. Here are the best films of 2022 — for a bunch of them, you won’t have to schlep any further than your couch.

The Fabelmans

My favorite film of 2022 was “The Fabelmans.” We all know Spielberg can make a good movie. The visionary behind “Jaws,” “ET” and “Jurassic Park” still works at a regular clip decades into his career, churning out seven flicks over the past 10 years alone. But his entrancing semi-autobiographical new film about a young kid named Sammy, learning to love the movies during the 1950s and ’60s while facing difficult family drama, was a blissful return to his scrappy past in more ways than one. You learn a lot about the emotional life of a genius — and about his mom, played by the miraculous Michelle Williams — and get swept away by what he’s made.

In theaters

Tár

Todd Field’s “Tár” is about a genius, too, only she’s fictional — and a monster. Cate Blanchett, like a bulldozing ballerina, plays Lydia Tár, the most famous conductor in the world. But when rumors about her inappropriate behavior start to knock her off her godly cultural perch, Field’s meticulously directed movie spins into a psychological thriller — but with much more sophistication and awe than that genre usually musters. It’s the performance of a lifetime for Blanchett.

Streaming on Amazon Prime

Avatar: The Way of Water

It took 13 years for James Cameron to finish the sensational sequel to 2009’s “Avatar” — the adventures of Jake Sully and the bright-blue Na’vi have never been intended to break narrative norms or be witty and clever, but to inspire and move us with breathtaking imagery and timeless stories. The oceanic sequel is that sort of movie that reminds us why we go to movies.

In theaters

Triangle of Sadness

Speaking of water, director Ruben Östlund’s hilarious class satire will make you reconsider planning your next cruise. One of the grossest scenes you’ll see all year takes place onboard a luxe yacht rocking in a storm, when oligarchs, model influencers and weapons dealers all lose their lunch as Champagne flows. Other than being aware of the puke-a-rama, you should go in cold. “Triangle” is a shrewd send-up of the super-rich, told in three parts, each more outrageous than the next.

Streaming on Amazon Prime

“Elvis”

This one really was a four-star movie that I knocked down to 3½ at the time because of Tom Hanks hamming it up as the King’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker. But months later I find myself still stirred by Luhrmann’s infusion of modern energy and sex appeal into the story of a brilliant musician who, sadly, has become a punchline over the years. Austin Butler’s ace turn as Presley was star-making, and paired with Luhrmann’s Monster Energy drink style, makes “Elvis” preposterously enjoyable.

Streaming on HBO Max

The Banshees of Inisherin

If you’re in the market for some dark, dry, mean-spirited Irish hilarity, Martin McDonagh is always your man. The writer-director’s last film, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” was, obviously, firmly rooted in America, but the humorist is at his best when he writes small-though-insane scenes set in far-flung parts of Ireland, or Northern Ireland in the UK (like in his astounding play “Hangmen”). In the berserk “Banshees,” the plot is as simple as it gets. One day, Colm (Brendan Gleeson) refuses to talk to his best friend Pádraic (Colin Farrell) ever again. Blood is shed.

Streaming on HBO Max

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

2022 was a meh year for animation. Pixar’s “Lightyear” and Disney’s “Strange World” underperformed, both critically and at the box office. Pixar’s “Turning Red” was decent, if needlessly controversial. But “Pan’s Labyrinth” director Guillermo del Toro’s corroded and magical spin on “Pinocchio” for Netflix, using stop-motion, gloriously snuck in just before Christmas. The film looks spectacular, and takes wonderfully weird turns. Who knew Pinocchio would meet Benito Mussolini?

Streaming on Netflix

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Terrific acting and the Marvel Cinematic Universe need not be mutually exclusive. As Queen Ramonda of Wakanda, Angela Bassett gives a shattering performance in the wake of the death of the queen’s son, T’Challa (the late Chadwick Boseman). Director Ryan Coogler introduces a lush underwater kingdom based on South American lore and delivers a grander and meatier movie than you’ll usually find in the 30-film MCU.

In theaters

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s “Everything Everywhere All at Once” explores the enormous artistic possibilities for “comic book” films. The movie, which feels like it could have been based off a graphic novel, has an unlikely hero in the form of Evelyn (Michelle Yeoh), a laundromat owner, and her multiverse-hopping, ass-kicking adventure is combined with a hearty scoop of philosophy. Yeoh is a wow, but Jamie Lee Curtis and Ke Huy Quan are equally brilliant. It was the rare arthouse film to lure in moviegoers, making $103 million worldwide.

Streaming on Showtime Anytime

Cha Cha Real Smooth

When Apple snapped up “Cha Cha Real Smooth” at Sundance in January for $15 million, they were clearly on a quest to find the next “CODA,” which led them to Oscar glory at this year’s awards. While the feel-good film won’t be winning them more statuettes, director-writer-leading-actor Cooper Raiff’s lovable comedy about a New Jersey college grad trying to figure out his life wins hearts.

Streaming on AppleTV+