The 50 Best Movies of 2022

by Jason Dietz, Metacritic Features Editor – January 4, 2023

Here is Metacritic's final list of the 50 best-reviewed movies of 2022, ranked by Metascore. This list only includes films receiving at least 7 reviews from professional critics.

All films released between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022 in at least one U.S. theater or directly to streaming or VOD/digital services were eligible for inclusion. Short films and reissues are excluded. Titles are ranked by Metascore (a weighted average of scores from top professional critics) prior to rounding based on scores as of January 1, 2023.

Additional content by Keith Kimbell.

18 of 25 photo by Kino Lorber

90 Hit the Road

(#6) Like father, like son. While he still has quite a ways to go to match the continued excellence of father Jafar Panahi (whom we'll get to in a moment), first-time Iranian director Panah Panahi appears to have a similar talent for achieving sky-high Metascores: In fact, both Panahis had a film score in the 90s in 2022. The younger Panahi's triumphant, genre-blending debut follows the road journey of an Iranian family of four as they attempt to reach the border with Turkey and smuggle their elder son out of the country. Critics praised Road's humor and warmth and the director's fresh approach.

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“What transpires is an exquisitely controlled yet diverting blend of pre-mourning and in-the-moment pleasures, a tonal blend of miraculous balance for a first-time filmmaker, even one with Panahi’s one-of-a-kind training.” —Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times

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