The 105 Best Feature Films of 2022

By Andrew Buckner

*Please note: The inclusion of the films on this list is based on the criteria of an official 2022 release date in the U.S.

105. Is That Black Enough for You?!?

Director: Elvis Mitchell

104. Utama

Director: Alejandro Loayza Grisi

103. Women Talking

Director: Sarah Polley

102. Causeway

Director: Lila Neugebauer

101. Fire of Love

Director: Sara Dosa

100. Argentina, 1985

Director: Santiago Mitre

99. White Noise

Director: Noah Bambauch

98. The Fallout

Director: Megan Park

97. Empire of Light

Director: Sam Mendes

96. Jurassic Punk

Director: Scott Leberecht

95. The VHS Strangler – The Giallo Tapes

Directors: Rob Ceus, Jim Stramel, Inge Vanleene, David Strojan, Tony Newton, Joe Cash, Fabrizio Spurio, Gore Filth, Wilhelm Muller, Derek Braasch, Glen Cook, Bo Sels, Kaylan Jordan-Sen, John Migliori

94. Infinite Storm

Directors: Malgorzata Szumowska, Michael Englert

93. Men

Director: Alex Garland

92. See How They Run

Director: Tom George

91. Emily the Criminal

Director: John Patton Ford

90. Triangle of Sadness

Director: Ruben Ostlund

89. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Director: Rian Johnson

88. Operation Mincemeat

Director: John Madden

87. The Last Thing Mary Saw

Director: Edoardo Vitaletti

86. The Whale

Director: Darren Aronofsky

85. Deep Water

Director: Adrian Lyne

84. You Are Not My Mother

Director: Kate Dolan

83. The Sadness

Director: Rob Jabbaz

82. Straight to VHS

Director: Emilio Silva Torres

81. Studio 666

Director: BJ McDonnell

80. Scream

Directors: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillet

79. Hellbender

Directors: John Adams, Zelda Adams, Toby Poser

78. Flux Gourmet

Director: Peter Strickland

77. Nezura 1964

Director: Hiroto Yokokawa

76. Belle

Director: Mamoru Hosoda

75. RRR (Rise Roar Revolt)

Director: S.S. Rajamouli

74. We’re All Going to the World’s Fair

Director: Jane Shoenburn

73. You Won’t Be Alone

Director: Goran Stovelski

72.  VHS Love: Cult Cinema Obsession

Director: Tony Newton

71. The Found Footage Phenomenon

Directors: Sarah Appleton, Phillip Escott

70. Fall

Director: Scott Mann

69. Bones and All

Director: Luca Guadagnino

68. Armageddon Time

Director: James Gray

67. Pearl

Director: Ti West

66. Shakespeare’s Sh*tstorm

Director: Lloyd Kaufman

65. Clerks III

Director: Kevin Smith

64. Beavis and Butt-head Do the Universe

Director: Mike Judge

63. Nope

Director: Jordan Peele

62. Speak No Evil

Director: Christian Tafdrup

61. The Black Phone

Director: Scott Derrickson 

60. Terrifier 2

Director: Damien Leone

59. Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood

Director: Richard Linklater

58. Elvis

Director: Baz Luhrman

57. Strawberry Mansion

Directors: Albery Birney, Kentucker Audley

56. X

Director: Ti West

55. Cow

Director: Andrea Arnold

54. All Quiet on the Western Front

Director: Edward Berger

53. Devotion

Director: J.D. Dillard

52. Vesper

Directors: Kristina Buozyte, Bruno Samper

51. The Menu

Director: Mark Mylod

50. A Wounded Fawn

Director: Travis Stevens

49. Barbarian

Director: Zach Cregger

48. Fiddler’s Journey to the Big Screen

Director: Daniel Raim 

47. Aftersun

Director: Charlotte Wells

46. Prey

Director: Dan Trachtenberg 

45. Piggy

Director: Carlotta Martinez-Pereda

44. Resurrection

Director: Andrew Semans

43. Lady Chatterley’s Lover

Director: Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre

42. Pennywise: The Story of It

Director: Chris Griffiths 

41. Nocturna: Side A – The Great Old Man’s Night

Director: Gonzalo Calzada

40. Luci and Desi

Director: Amy Poehler

39. Downfall: The Case Against Boeing

Director: Rory Kennedy

38. A Hero

Director: Asghar Farhadi

37. Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom 

Director: Pawo Choyning Dorji

36. Cyrano

Director: Joe Wright

35. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

Director: Eric Appel

34. Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon

Director: Ana Lily Amirpour

33. Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths

Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

32. Something in the Dirt

Directors: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead 

31. Sr.

Director: Chris Smith

30. Decision to Leave

Director: Park Chan-wook

29. Crimes of the Future

Director: David Cronenberg

28. Petite Maman

Director: Celine Sciamma

27. The Woman King

Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood

26. Uncle Sleazo’s Toxic & Terrifying T.V. Hour

Director: Lucky Cerruti

25. The Man in Room 6

Directors: Trevor Juenger, Carrie Juenger

24. The Northman

Director: Robert Eggers

23. The House

Directors: Paloma Baeza, Emma De Swaef, Niki Londroth von Bahr, Marc James Roels

22. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Director: Dean Fleischer-Camp

21. Disorienting Dick

Director: Richard Griffin

20. The Outfit

Director: Graham Moore

19. Soft & Quiet

Director: Beth de Araujo

18. Nitram

Director: Justin Kurzel

17. Nocturna: Side B – Where the Elephants Go to Die

Director: Gonzalo Calzada

16. The Worst Person in the World

Director: Erik Vogt

15. Higher Methods

Director: Nathan Suher

14. Jurassic World: Dominion

Director: Colin Trevorrow 

13. Babylon 

Director: Damien Chazelle

12. Tar

Director: Todd Field

11. The Banshees of Inisherin

Director: Martin McDonagh

10. Till

Director: Chinonye Chukwu

9. She Said

Director: Maria Schrader

8. The Innocents 

Director: Eskil Vogt

7. Happening

Director: Audrey Diwana

6. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

Director: Guillermo del Toro

5. Mad God

Director: Phil Tippett

4. The Fablemans

Director: Steven Spielberg

3. Neptune Frost

Directors: Saul Williams, Anisia Uzeyman

2. Moonage Daydream

Director: Brett MOrgen

1. Vortex

Director: Gaspar Noe

Runners-Up:

All Jacked Up and Full of Worms

Director: Alex Phillips

Ash and Bone

Director: Harley Wallen

Blonde

Director: Andrew Dominik

Bodies Bodies Bodies

Director: Halinah Reijn

Brian and Charles

Director: Jim Archer

Emancipation

Director: Antoine Fuqua

The Eternal Daughter

Director: Joanna Hogg

Everything Everywhere All At Once

Directors: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert

Hatching

Director: Hanna Bergholm

Jackass Forever

Director: Jeff Tremaine

The Leech

Director: Eric Pennycoff

Scare Package 2: Rad Chad’s Revenge

Directors: Aaron B. Koontz, Anthony Cousins, Rachele Wiggins, Alexandra Barreto, Jed Shepherd

To Leslie

Director: Michael Morris

Troll

Director: Roar Uthaug

The Wonder

Director: Sebastian Lelio

A Word of Dreams Presents: The 101 Greatest Films of the 21st Century (So Far)

By Andrew Buckner

101. Persepolis (2007)
Directors: Vincent Paronnoud, Marjane Satrapi.
Genre: Animation, Biography, Drama.

100. The Hurt Locker (2008)
Director: Kathryn Bigelow.
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller.

99. Spotlight (2015)
Director: Tom McCarthy.
Genre: Crime, Drama, History.

98. Babel (2006)
Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.
Genre: Drama.

97. Cameraperson (2016)
Director: Kirsten Johnson.
Genre: Documentary.

96. The Counterfeiters (2007)
Director: Stefan Ruzowitzky.
Genre: Crime, Drama, War.

95. Gasland (2010)
Director: Josh Fox.
Genre: Documentary.

94. The Lives of Others (2006)
Directors: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck.
Genre: Drama, Thriller.

93. The Best of Youth (2003)
Director: Marco Tullio Giordana.
Genre: Drama.

92. Capturing the Friedmans (2003)
Director: Andrew Jarecki.
Genre: Documentary.

91. Manchester by the Sea (2016)
Director: Kenneth Lonergan.
Genre: Drama.

90. The Master (2012)
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson.
Genre: Drama.

89. A Prophet (2009)
Director: Jacques Audiard.
Genre: Crime, Drama.

88. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Director: Wes Anderson.
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama.

87. The Secret in their Eyes (2009)
Director: Juan Jose Campenella.
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Romance.

86. Film Socialisme (2010)
Director: Jean-Luc Godard.
Genre: Drama.

85. Flags of our Fathers (2006)
Director: Clint Eastwood.
Genre: Drama, History, War.

84. Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)
Director: Clint Eastwood.
Genre: Drama, History, War.

83. The Dreamers (2003)
Director: Bernardo Bertolucci.
Genre: Drama, Romance.

82. I Am Not Your Negro (2016)
Director: Raoul Peck.
Genre: Documentary.

81. Stories We Tell (2013)
Director: Sarah Polley.
Genre: Documentary.

80. Love (2015)
Director: Gaspar Noe.
Genre: Drama, Romance.

79. Apocalypto (2006)
Director: Mel Gibson.
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama.

78. Irreversible (2002)
Director: Gaspar Noe.
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery.

77. Notes on a Scandal (2006)
Director: Richard Eyre.
Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance.

76. Mystic River (2003)
Director: Clint Eastwood.
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery.

75. La Vie en Rose (2007)
Director: Olivier Dahan.
Genre: Biography, Drama, Musical.

74. Milk (2008)
Director: Gus Van Sant.
Genre: Biography, Drama, History.

73. The Departed (2006)
Director: Martin Scorsese.
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller.

72. Lion (2016)
Director: Garth Davis.
Genre: Biography, Drama.

71. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Director: Ang Lee.
Genre: Drama, Romance.

70. Zodiac (2007)
Director: David Fincher.
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller.

69. Inland Empire (2006)
Director: David Lynch
Genre: Mystery, Thriller.

68. Django Unchained (2012)
Director: Quentin Tarantino.
Genre: Drama, Western.

67. Goodnight Mommy (2014)
Directors: Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz.
Genre: Horror, Thriller.

66. Amores Perros (2001)
Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.
Genre: Drama, Thriller.

65. The Piano Teacher (2001)
Director: Michael Haneke.
Genre: Drama, Romance.

64. Room (2015)
Director: Lenny Abrahamson.
Genre: Drama.

63. Tanna (2015)
Directors: Martin Butler, Bentley Dean.
Genre: Drama, Romance.

62. Bad Education (2004)
Director: Pedro Almodovar.
Genre: Crime, Drama.

61. Elle (2016)
Director: Paul Verhoeven.
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller.

60. Monster (2003)
Director: Patty Jenkins.
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama.

59. Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Director: Clint Eastwood.
Genre: Drama, Sports.

58. Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
Director: Guillermo del Torro.
Genre: Fantasy, War.

57. The Black Swan (2010)
Director: Darren Aronofsky.
Genre: Drama, Thriller.

56. Anomalisa (2015)
Directors: Duke Johnson, Charlie Kaufman.
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama.

55. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)
Director: Mark Herman.
Genre: Drama, War.

54. Doubt (2008)
Director: John Patrick Shanley.
Genre: Mystery.

53. Lilith’s Awakening (2016)
Director: Monica Demes.
Genre: Horror, Thriller.

52. Nocturnal Animals (2016)
Director: Tom Ford.
Genre: Drama, Thriller.

51. Amelie (2001)
Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet.
Genre: Comedy, Romance.

50. Enter the Void (2009)
Director: Gaspar Noe.
Genre: Drama, Fantasy.

49. A Separation (2011)
Director: Asghar Farhadi.
Genre: Drama, Mystery.

48. Kinsey (2004)
Director: Bill Condon.
Genre: Biography, Drama.

47. North Country (2005)
Director: Niki Caro.
Genre: Drama.

46. Revolutionary Road (2008)
Director: Sam Mendes.
Genre: Drama, Romance.

45. A Man Called Ove (2015)
Director: Hannes Holm.
Genre: Comedy, Drama.

43. The Salesman (2016)
Director: Asghar Farhadi.
Genre: Drama, Thriller.

42. Lincoln (2012)
Director: Steven Spielberg.
Genre: Biography, Drama, History.

41. Shame (2011)
Director: Steve McQueen.
Genre: Drama.

40. Her (2013)
Director: Spike Jonze.
Genre: Drama, Romance, Science-Fiction.

39. Capote (2005)
Director: Bennett Miller.
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama.

38. Prisoners (2013)
Director: Dennis Villeneuve.
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller.

37. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)
Director: Julian Schnabel.
Genre: Biography, Drama.

36. Hotel Rwanda (2004)
Director: Terry George.
Genre: Biography, Drama, History.

35. Munich (2005)
Director: Steven Spielberg.
Genre: Crime, Drama, History.

34. Fruitvale Station (2013)
Director: Ryan Coogler.
Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance.

33. Ex Machina (2014)
Director: Alex Garland.
Genre: Science-Fiction.

32. Ida (2013)
Director: Pawel Pawlikowski.
Genre: Drama.

31. Under the Skin (2013)
Director: Jonathan Glazer.
Genre: Science-Fiction.

30. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Director: George Miller.
Genre: Action, Science-Fiction.

29. The Revenant (2015)
Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.
Genre: Adventure, Thriller.

28. Gangs of New York (2002)
Director: Martin Scorsese.
Genre: Crime, Drama.

27. Boyhood (2014)
Director: Richard Linklater.
Genre: Drama.

26. Fences (2016)
Director: Denzel Washington.
Genre: Drama.

25. A Serious Man (2009)
Directors: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen.
Genre: Comedy, Drama.

24. Antichrist (2009)
Director: Lars von Trier.
Genre: Horror.

23. Nymphomaniac Vol. 1-2 (2013)
Director: Lars von Trier.
Genre: Drama.

22. Away from Her (2006)
Director: Sarah Polley.
Genre: Drama.

21. The King’s Speech (2010)
Director: Tom Hooper.
Genre: Biography, Drama.

20. The Aviator (2004)
Director: Martin Scorsese.
Genre: Biography, Drama, History.

19. The Pianist (2002)
Director: Roman Polanski.
Genre: Biography, Drama, History.

18. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Director: Martin Scorsese.
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama.

17. Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
Director: Mel Gibson.
Genre: Action, Drama, War.

16. Amour (2012)
Director: Michael Haneke.
Genre: Drama, Romance.

15. The White Ribbon (2009)
Director: Michael Haneke.
Genre: Drama, Mystery.

14. The Great Beauty (2013)
Director: Paolo Sorrentino.
Genre: Drama.

13. The Artist (2011)
Director: Michel Hazanavicius.
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance.

12. Moonlight (2016)
Director: Barry Jenkins.
Genre: Drama.

11. Silence (2016)
Director: Martin Scorsese.
Genre: Adventure, Drama, History.

10. Life Itself (2014)
Director: Steve James.
Genre: Biography, Documentary.

9. Blue is the Warmest Color (2013)
Director: Abdellatif Kechiche.
Genre: Drama, Romance.

8. Selma (2014)
Director: Ava DuVernay.
Genre: Biography, Drama, History.

7. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)
Directors: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen.
Genre: Drama, Musical.

6. Downfall (2004)
Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel.
Genre: Biography, Drama, History.

5. 12 Years a Slave (2013)
Director: Steve McQueen.
Genre: Biography, Drama, History.

4. There Will Be Blood (2007)
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson.
Genre: Drama, History.

3. Nightcrawler (2014)
Director: Dan Gilroy.
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller.

2. No Country for Old Men (2007)
Directors: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen.
Genre: Action, Thriller.

1.The Tree of life (2011)
Director: Terrence Malick.
Genre: Drama.

Runners-Up (in alphabetical order):

A Life Not to Follow (2015)
Director: Christopher Di Nunzio.
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller.

Atonement (2007)
Director: Joe Wright.
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Romance.

The Babadook (2014)
Director: Jennifer Kent.
Genre: Horror.

Blood! Sugar! Sid! Ace! (2012)
Director: Mike Messier.
Genre: Comedy, Drama.

Casino Royale (2006)
Director: Sam Mendes.
Genre: Action, Adventure.

Chi-Raq (2015)
Director: Spike Lee.
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama.

The Cove (2009)
Director: Louie Psihoyos.
Genre: Documentary.

David Lynch: The Art Life (2016)
Directors: Jon Nguyen, Rick Barnes, Olivia Neergaard-Holm.
Genre: Drama, Documentary.

Elephant (2003)
Director: Gus Van Sant.
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller.

The Handmaiden (2016)
Director: Park Chan-wook.
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Romance.

House of Pleasures (2011)
Director: Bertrand Bonello.
Genre: Drama.

House of Sand and Fog (2003)
Director: Vadim Perelman.
Genre: Drama.

Little Children (2006)
Director: Todd Field.
Genre: Drama, Romance.

Long Night in a Dead City (2017)
Director: Richard Griffin.
Genre: Mystery.

Match Point (2005)
Director: Woody Allen.
Genre: Drama, Romance, Sports.

Mulholland Drive (2001)
Director: David Lynch.
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller.

Nightmare Code (2014)
Director: Mark Netter.
Genre: Horror, Science-Fiction, Thriller.

The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Director: Mel Gibson.
Genre: Drama.

Tangerine (2015)
Director: Sean Baker.
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama.

Trespassing Bergman (2013)
Directors: Jane Magnusson, Hynek Pallas.
Genre: Documentary.

Trinity (2016)
Director: Skip Shea.
Genre: Drama, Horror.

20th Century Women (2016)
Director: Mike Mills.
Genre: Comedy, Drama.