The 20 Best Movies of 2022 So Far

by Jason Dietz, Metacritic Features Editor – June 28, 2022

Which films have impressed critics the most during the first half of the year? Above, we rank the best-reviewed movies first released in North American theaters (or debuting directly on digital/VOD/streaming outlets) between January 1, 2022 and June 30, 2022. Films are ranked by Metascore and must have at least 7 reviews from professional critics to be eligible.

Additional content by Keith Kimbell.

7 of 21 photo by Cinema Guild

83 #10 (tie): The Girl and the Spider

A Swiss drama from the writer-director team of Ramon and Silvan Zürcher (they're twins), whose only previous film was 2014's The Strange Little Cat, The Girl and the Spider is a highly choreographed chamber piece that plays out across two days mainly in two rooms: One, the apartment that a young woman (Liliane Amuat) is moving into, and the other the apartment that she is leaving behind (and where her friend and now ex-roommate remains). Neighbors, movers, a dog, a cat, and a few other people also come into play, and while there certainly isn't a linear narrative—or any hand-holding—the drama comes from both the unconventional (and intentionally disorienting) shooting style and the interactions of the various groupings of characters along the way.

“The film demands and rewards repeat viewings; it’s different, and more entrancing, every time.” —Ben Kenigsberg, The New York Times

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