A lot of things in 2022 felt strangely normal. We got a true summer blockbuster that once again packed auditoriums for the first time in a while, plus multiple superhero flicks, a renaissance of actors, directors, films and TV shows about hope and kindness as well as the worst people you’d ever meet.

The feast of what was on screens this year was vast. It’s time once again to wrap up some of my personal favorites of the year. Since 2022 isn’t quite over yet, and I have yet to see a few key films that I suspect will wiggle their way on my favorites list, I present to you a pared-down version with my top five films and top five TV shows of 2022, in no particular order.

Films

“Everything Everywhere All at Once” — This has risen through the ranks and become one of my all-time favorite movies. It’s brilliantly made from top to bottom and includes some of the greatest performances of the year from Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu, Jamie Lee Curtis and James Hong. With its heartfelt undercurrent of using kindness and love to conquer all blended with a wild ride through the multiverse, writing/directing duo Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (the Daniels) have achieved something truly magical that never ceases to make me cry with joy (and with Joy).

“The Fabelmans” — It would have been easy for Steven Spielberg’s tender and quiet story about his youth to feel pretentious or overtly sentimental, but “The Fabelmans” walks that line beautifully. Spielberg and co-writer Tony Kushner present the dreams of a young filmmaker undercut with emotional family events so simply and with such grace that you can’t help but be struck by it. If you ever ran around making movies with your friends in high school, you may feel even more strongly drawn to it; I know I was. Plus, the added bonus (slight spoiler) of an eye-patched David Lynch playing John Ford is just about the greatest lesson in film studies you can get in five minutes.

“The Menu” — The deliciously dark horror/comedy hits all the sweet and savory spots. Mark Mylod’s eat-the-rich film whet my appetite with its cool and meticulous crafting of each scene broken down by courses, allowing the audience to discover the root of the evil at play along with the characters chowing down on their wonderfully awful characters. Anya Taylor-Joy and Ralph Fiennes bring so much to the film and are a delight to watch work through this smorgasbord of outrageous haute cuisine turned deadly.

“Nope” — While it may not be my favorite Jordan Peele film to date, he still manages to hit it out of the park with this sci-fi/horror allegory of Hollywood’s eagerness to chew you up and spit you out, literally. Peele’s film sticks with you — I still can’t look at clouds the same way — and though I wish there were more character connections at certain times, the film overall is still a triumph of the genre.

“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” — It’s so rare to deliver a sequel that can live up to its predecessor, but Rian Johnson has done just that. With a star-studded cast featuring Daniel Craig back again as the sleuthing Benoit Blanc and featuring a field of cameos to boot, the mystery is just as fun and just as interesting as the first. Johnson again also brings a central socio-political issue to the front to make it that much juicier.

Honorable mention: “Top Gun: Maverick” — I’m still shocked that I liked this as much as I did. But it didn’t feel like just another cash grab banking on nostalgia for the first. It felt like a deserved continuation. Seeing this in a packed theater with a line out the door just adds to its fantastic summer blockbuster status.

TELEVISION

“Better Call Saul” (Season 6) — The “Breaking Bad” spin-off series ended on such a high this year with star Bob Odenkirk playing the titular Saul Goodman/Jimmy McGill delivering his best performance yet. Even if you haven’t seen the series it was born from, the show is one of the best-written, most nuanced character studies done on TV. This season wrapped up everything perfectly, and co-star Rhea Seehorn brought such a force to match Odenkirk’s sly lawyer on every level that it was really something magnificent to watch unfold.

“Severance” (Season 1) — With everyone talking about this all summer, it was probably hard to avoid, but the Apple TV+ show is the perfect example of a slow-burn of a series. Each episode takes its time letting the audience know just the right amount without revealing too much leaving the finale one of the most stressful and strangely satisfying episodes of television ever. Creator Dan Erickson along with Ben Stiller and Aoife McArdle sharing directing duties (with seven and three episodes, respectively) have created such stunning drama with dashes of sci-fi, mystery and even comedy making its upcoming second season one of the most anticipated of 2023.

“Abbott Elementary” (Season 1) — Quinta Brunson’s series about the teachers at an underfunded Philadelphia elementary school is one of the best new shows of the year. Both funny and poignant when it comes to real issues schools face, Brunson, who also stars in the series, and her team mix it up with a hilarious mockumentary style that makes this show appointment viewing in the age of binge streaming.

“Our Flag Means Death” (Season 1) — Who knew a silly show about pirates would be both heartwarming and heart-wrenchingly great? Created by David Jenkins, the show features New Zealand comedian Rhys Darby and fellow kiwi Taika Waititi as they turn history on its hilarious head and bring together an incredibly diverse and equally funny crew to tell what turns out to be a deeply felt love story. Both Darby and Waititi are of course delightful to watch, but the supporting cast, including Vico Ortiz, Samson Kayo, Con O’Neill and Rory Kinnear, is just as wonderful.

“House of the Dragon” (Season 1) — I have to put this on the list not only because it’s a very well-done program, but because of how easily it hooked me after what “Game of Thrones” pulled. I couldn’t have cared less about this prequel series when it was announced, but damn if it didn’t pull me right back into the Westerosi drama. Yes, there is still some squiggy sex scenes and situations, but it doesn’t seem quite as gratuitous as its predecessor was. Full of rich and multi-layered performances from just about every cast member, it’s wonderful to see this fully fleshed-out world again, no matter how conniving it can be.

Honorable mentions: “Andor” (Season 1) — I have two episodes left as of this writing, so I can’t officially say it’s in my top-five, but I have a feeling it will be. “What We Do in the Shadows” (Season 4) — Every season this show grows and never fails to make me belly-laugh, especially at Matt Berry’s vocalizations. “Stranger Things” (Season 4) — Last season wasn’t great, but this season they pulled it back and even managed to make 40-year-old bangers from Kate Bush and Metallica songs of the summer. “Julia” (Season 1) — This is just a delightful show to watch. It may not be fully accurate to the famous chef’s life, but it’s comfort TV at its finest.