The Best Things I Watched in 2022

Winter is the perfect time to curl up on the couch and watch a movie or a television show. 2022 was a solid year for entertainment. When we adopted a new dog, we definitely found ourselves spending more time at home hanging out with him, so we watched a ton of great stuff. I pulled together this list of my favorite movies, tv shows, and docuseries/documentaries.

Let me know if I missed any of your favorites this year and if you agree with me on any of these.

Movies

Do Revenge (Netflix)

This movie was like a mixture of all of my favorite 90s movies wrapped into one modern tale. The colors were great, the storyline was interesting, and it was funny. I definitely didn’t expect to like a high school story, but it felt nostalgic and fresh at the same time.

Turning Red (Disney+)

This Pixar delight tells the story of a young girl who helps her parents with their family’s temple while doing all the normal pre-teen things. She loves boy bands and her friends, but she’s got a secret. When she is experiencing high emotions (often for a girl that age), she transforms into a giant red panda. It’s a fantastic story that encourages you to embrace the strangeness of the situation. 

Father of the Bride Remake (HBO Max)

I always think you shouldn’t mess with perfection, but this remake was one of my favorites. I went in with low expectations, because I assumed that there was no way that it would be that good. Thanks to that approach, it blew my expectations out of the water. The story was unique, but also similar. It was kind of like watching that felt similar to getting a nice big hug.

Luckiest Girl Alive (Netflix)

This movie should come with a trigger warning. The movie has some seriously heavy topics, including rape, and school shootings. I had read the book, so I knew what the story included. I was a little surprised at the amount they actually showed some of the hard things, but I still think the movie was fantastic. If you’re worried about seeing the visuals, consider reading the book first. There’s something about reading the words that is different than actually seeing the visuals. 

Glass Onion (Netflix)

Knives Out is one of my favorite movies of the last few years, so I was beyond excited to see that they were doing another film with Daniel Craig and his bizarre southern accent. Janelle Monae just stole the show on this one and it was wonderful. The cameos were incredible and the plot twist was perfect. I hope they do another one of these (or six more.) 

Still to Watch:

Top Gun: Maverick, Elvis, Nope, Pinocchio, Confess, Fletch, Don’t Worry Darling, Bros, The Greatest Beer Run Ever,  She Said, The People We Hate at the Wedding, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, A Man Called Otto, Babylon

Television

Blackbird (AppleTV)

I cannot understand why no one is talking about this show. It might just be that it’s on AppleTV+ which isn’t as talked about as Netflix and Hulu. The story is about two criminals that are serving time in prison. One is offered a deal for a shortened sentence if he’s able to befriend the other and get a confession. It’s based on a true story and it’s wild. 

White Lotus Season 2 (HBO Max)

Season two was better than season one in my opinion. I felt like the characters were less dispicable and the scenery was more my style. Give me Italy over Hawaii anytime. Plus, I thought the ending was just perfect.

The Staircase (HBO Max)

We were the lucky people that had never seen the documentary about this wild and crazy case, so everything was a surprise for us. Colin Firth and Toni Colette were incredible, plus I won’t say no to anything with Sophie Turner in it. It was a wild story where you could never really decide what happened. 

Hacks (HBO Max)

Jean Smart is a queen. This show is just perfect when you’re looking for a comedy that isn’t a sitcom. They definitely could’ve ended the show with the last season, but luckily, we get even more of this gem. The side characters are so funny and you’re just cheering everyone on the entire time.

Obi-Wan Kenobi (Disney+)

There has been a lot of Star Wars since Disney made the purchase, but this one was absolutely fantastic. I would recommend it if you liked the original trilogy. It takes place between the prequel trilogy and the original and follows Obi-Wan Kenobi. 

House of the Dragon (HBO Max)

I did not think that any Game of Thrones spin-offs would live up to the original, but I was proven wrong. This show was a bit too graphic, but the story and characters were fantastic. I’m annoyed at how long I have to wait for another season. I also wish we would’ve gotten a bit more time with the younger actresses, but I understand that they need to move quickly through the timeline.

Wednesday (Netflix)

Christina Ricci’s character is one of my favorites from growing up and this storyline is absolutely fantastic. With Wednesday as the main character instead of just a side piece, we are able to get to know her strangeness more and let her family take the backseat. The school is like Hogwarts which is fascinating. And I love that the summer camp scene from the second movie has come to life with the Pilgrim town nearby.

The Drop Out (Hulu)

I read the book, Bad Blood, and listened to the podcast, but I still couldn’t get enough of this show. Amanda Seyfried was incredible playing Elizabeth Holmes and it was so interesting to watch this and have it fresh in my head while the trial was wrapping up in real life. The entire Theranos story is wild and I think she made some serious mistakes and messed with people’s health, but it’s also interesting to learn just how much of this misleading happens in the tech start up world. 

Still to Watch

My list is long, but a few shows are at the top of my list to watch soon. The list includes Bad Sisters, Andor, Dead to Me season 3, Dopesick, the final season of Ozark, Uncoupled, and Welcome to Chippendales.

Documentaries and Docuseries

Bad Vegan (Netflix)

Back when we lived in New York City, we used to visit Pure Food & Wine whenever we wanted a really good vegan meal. We were pretty shocked when the employees all walked out and the owner was featured in some strange headlines in the news. This docuseries covers her downfall and it was even weirder than we could have imagined. 

Gutsy (AppleTV)

This docuseries follows Hillary and Chelsea Clinton as they meet with incredible women all over the United States. Each episode dives into a different quality you’ll find in gutsy women. It was so well done and interesting that we consumed the entire series in one weekend. 

Mind Over Murder (HBO Max)

This was a true crime story with a strange twist. It covers a case from a tiny town in Nebraska in the 1980s where six people were convicted, but were they guilty? The town today revisited the case by putting together a play. It was fascinating seeing how things played out with the families as they deconstructed the case and how it all played out. 

Harry and Meghan (Netflix)

I did not give my brainspace to the royal family for most of my life, but once I watched the Crown, I was more interested in how this family continues to have the power and riches that they have. I didn’t know that much about Harry and Meghan until I watched the Opera interview, but I find them fascinating now. This series was so interesting and eye-opening. I definitely think it’s only one side of the story, but it’s the only one being shared and I believe that it’s very much their truth. 

Limitless (Disney+)

Chris Hemsworth plays Thor, the superhero, in the movies, but he is also a pretty healthy and fit guy. It was fascintating watching him test him physical and mental limits in this docuseries. He works with aging specialists to understand how his actions today can have an impact on his life in a few decades. Warning, I immediately wanted to order this item for my apartment.

Enjoy these entertaining gems!

Make sure to leave a comment with your favorites for 2022! And tell me what’s at the top of your list for 2023.