Sundance 2022 is in the books! Here is a list of the best and worst films from Sundance 2022, according to Mama’s Geeky.
10 Best Sundance 2022 Films
Fresh
Chilling, terrifying, disturbing, and disgusting, Fresh is completely captivating from the very start. Part rom-com, part horror. Sebastian Stan delivers one of his best performances that is full of charisma. Daisy Edgar-Jones is also incredible in this and the two have great on screen chemistry. While it feels a little long, this thriller horror is grotesque and repulsive, yet strangely satisfying.
Good Luck To You, Leo Grande
Good Luck To You, Leo Grande is a beautiful story about confidence. Emma Thompson is phenomenal, which is to be expected of course, but so is Daryl McCormack — and their chemistry is incredible. A simple yet powerful movie. One of my favorites of the festival so far.
Cha Cha Real Smooth
Cha Cha Real Smooth is an absolute delight from start to finish. Cooper Raiff and Dakota Johnson have great on screen chemistry and I instantly fell in love with Vanessa Burghardt. A sweet movie with a lot of heartwarming moments, and a ton of humor. Loved it.
Call Jane
An extremely powerful movie about women’s rights and abortion laws that feels far too relevant to the world today. Elizabeth Banks is phenomenal in this role.
Am I OK?
Am I OK? is a heartwarming and touching story about life, friendship, and love. It’s sweet, funny, cute, and feels like a coming of age story as Dakota Johnson’s Lucy finds herself. It isn’t perfect, but it is an absolute delight! I’m obsessed with this friendship.
Piggy
Piggy is an intense horror movie, that walks the lines of familiar tropes, but at the same time creates something very unique and captivating. A film that touches heavily on bullying, and how it can truly mess with someone’s mind. Laura Galán is phenomenal as Sara.
Watcher
Watcher follows the stalker thriller genre tropes fairly closely but it is suspenseful, intense, and a whole lot of fun.
Emergency
Emergency took me by surprise. It’s funny, but it’s also quite deep. It tackles some heavy issues and doesn’t shy away from intense moments. There are flaws but they don’t ruin the overall film. Donald Elise Watkins & RJ Cyler have great chemistry.
After Yang
While “After Yang” lacks real stakes or a fast-moving plot, it excels in its quiet, meditative exploration of the time we have with each other and remembering what’s most important in life.
God’s Country
God’s Country starts off slow but WOW, once it starts to pick up, it never stops. A real and raw look at humanity and how quickly something can escalate in just a week. Thandiwe Newton delivers an incredible performance and that ending… haunting.
Check out my ranking of ALL the Sundance Film Festival 2022 films I watched.
5 Worst Sundance 2022 Films
Nanny
Nanny is all over the place. It just didn’t do anything for me, which is a bummer because I adore Anna Diop. Sure, some of the visuals are stunning but it’s confusing & quite frankly, a hot mess. By the time the reveal at the end came around, I was checked out. As a mother, there are certain things that don’t sit well with me, or make any real sense at all.
Sharp Stick
Sharp Stick is… a movie? It doesn’t actually do anything for sex positivity or female empowerment. Considering the house Sarah Jo lives in, I don’t buy how naïve she is when to sex at all… not even a little bit. Watch Good Luck To You, Leo Grande instead. Trust me.
Something In The Dirt
Very sad to say that Something In The Dirt was just not made for me. The premise sounded interesting enough, and I love a good supernatural sci-fi movie, but this was too bizarre and all over the place for me. Rather enjoyed the ending, but it was too little, too late.
Framing Agnes
The back and forth style of this one just does not work for me. It is part documentary, part recreation, and part drama, which forces it to never really find its footing.
The Cathedral
Slow. Boring. Monotone. Just not for me… no thank you.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.