The BFI London Film Festival 2022 Movies Ranked

The BFI London Film Festival 2022 Movies Ranked from Worst to Best from The Eternal Daughter, to Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.

The BFI London Film Festival 2022 Movies Ranked

The 2022 Festival season has come and gone: From Sundance to Venice, to Telluride to TIFF and finally the BFI London Film Festival. It’s all at once the more exhausting AND most wonderful time of the year for film fans: Oscar hopefuls begin their exciting campaigns, some get shot down, some are discovered, and even some cult favorites begin to build their following.

The London Film Festival is THE go-to festival to finish it all off, riding on the hype of the big ones such a Venice and TIFF it becomes the last exciting high film fans ride on before everything calms down once more, but before things do calm down: you need to know what movies to look out for during this Fall, into the Winter and on towards Oscars season. Happily, there’s a total of 22 LFF movies (a personal record) that need to be ranked, so here’s all the movies I watched at LFF from the Worst to the Best.

22. THE ETERNAL DAUGHTER

Joana Hogg’s seventh feature counts on a double performance from the always reliable Tilda Swinton and is a contemplative observation of grief, set in an isolated rundown manor that once served at their family home, but is now a vacant hotel where a middle-aged daughter and her elderly mother confront long buried secrets. The atmosphere is

admirable, the uneasiness felt with some creative framing making Swinton look as small as she feels is promising and there are some tense moments as we see this mother/daughter relationship reach their breaking point as the hotel is slowly enveloped by a thick, haunting fog… but ultimately the entire crux of the film hinges on a big reveal, one that is clear from 5 minutes into the film. A short film stretched thin to fill a 90-minute run-time and barely anything resonates sadly.

21. MY POLICEMAN

My all measures a weaker film than the previous entry, but by the heavens, is this an entertaining mess. Harry Styles’ stilted performance may be no surprise, but no other actor is much better. The performances feel just as confused as the script itself as there is not one clear protagonist in this story about emotional repression, where the script tries to jump its way through perspectives to the point everything becomes muddled and confused, eventually painting every character in a despicable light, making it impossible to root for, care, or even understand anyone’s motivations.

By no means a good movie but one so soapy in its storytelling, with such wooden acting and hilariously “I cannot believe this made it to the final cut” bad lines it’s never boring, but a gloriously entertaining myriad of bad decisions put on film.

20. SHE IS LOVE

A hard to describe film as it seems all its ideas were formed as the cameras were turned on. Haley Bennett and Sam Riley play a divorced couple who find themselves living under the same roof years after being separated and as they’re forced to work through the issues that tore them apart, they begin to question if it ever made sense to be apart.

The performances, charm and chemistry between the cast are undeniably infectious, and the story is told through a remarkably unique that gives it all an in-the-moment feel, unsurprisingly the cast improved the majority of the dialogue.

But the conceptual emotionality of the scenes & moments constantly clash with the creative decisions behind the camera: framing, editing, open ended-ness of the story etc… it’s as fascinating to watch as it is frustrating once we begin to question the storytelling decisions.

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19. THE STRANGER

This Netflix Original Aussie thriller is the kind of film that compellingly demands your attention as you dive into the seething criminal underdog of Western Australia, carried by two intense performances from Joel Edgerton and Sean Harris. And yet, it’s also the kind of film that makes it incredibly hard to pay attention as it tries so hard to keep the audience at bay of what is happening just as it keeps the protagonist in the dark as he’s pulled further down the rabbit hole of crime, but an eventual reveal is significantly hurt because of this.

The film touts itself a mystery, but it fails to let the audience become engaged and invested, not allowing to realize there is a puzzle being assembled. Ultimately it misses the mark in offering anything at all insightful beyond the surface, despite admirably escaping the expected “based-on-true-events” story structure.

18. AFTERSUN

An astonishing directorial debut by Charlotte Wells as she tenderly reminisces through childhood memories in a loving ode to her father, capturing the elusive nature of youth and those beautiful personal moments that mark our formative years as an estranged father and daughter try to connect under the Turkish hot sun.

A compelling premise in concept that ultimately meanders from sweet moment to sweet moment, alluding to ideas that never feel fleshed out. It also lacks any conflict whatsoever, there is no story being told here. It more so feels as if we’re being shown a 90-minute-long home video that is purely made to be appreciated by a one-person audience, and clearly working through a ton of relatable emotions, but while its intentions are heart-warming there just isn’t a narrative, or stakes, or anything at all to emotionally connect to or be engaged by.

17. EMILY THE CRIMINAL

This Sundance favorite ran through the entire festival circuit of 2022, and with good reason. Never has Aubrey Plaza been more captivating on screen, finally bursting out of her April Ludgate cocoon as she takes us on an actual deep dive into the criminal world, this time of Los Angeles.

Its framing is that of an underdog story: a woman forced onto the margins of society as she struggles to pay off student loans due to a minor felony that in it of itself impedes her from being employed, in her desperation, Emily finds alternative means of surviving in the American capitalist world.

The storytelling eventually dives into mundane territory, but Plaza elevates the familiar material, never failing to compel you to her cause and motivation as she traverses deeper down this dark uncertain path, building to one of the most satisfying endings of the year.

16. CALL JANE

An all too timely story, unfortunately, as we’re taken back to the 60s and follow the good fight of the Jane Collective, who secretly helped women in getting abortions as the government illegalized such operations.

A stylish tale of the time; from the visuals to the music, to the colors, to the vibe it is very much a time capsule back to a tumultuous Chicago as Elizabeth Bank’s republican housewife begins to come out of her shell in a fabulous performance that despite humor and levity, never forgets to ground the situation with heart and sensibility.

It’s framing is however, questionable: the liar reveal story just doesn’t feel like the most engaging version of this story, as a woman struggles to live a double life, it ultimately presents a ton of compelling issues that are never explored being the surface.

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15. EMPIRE OF LIGHT

There isn’t anything quite as earnest as a filmmaker’s love letter to movies, each story always feels different and unique to the individual experience while carrying so much for the storytelling sensibilities that have made us fallen in love with said filmmaker. Sam Mendes’ latest is no different, his heart & soul are poured into every frame that captures that magic of movies, with great help from master cinematographer Roger Deakins, who makes every frame a feast for film-loving eyes.

Yet Mendes tackles other subjects in his first solo-written script, and sadly it shows he’s never written before. There are many undercooked ideas present that never coalesce or integrate into each other: from mental illness to societal/racial prejudices of the 1980s, these ideas disappear from the story just as quickly as they’re introduced resulting in their emotional impact and narrative weight being almost non-existent.

14. MY FATHER’S DRAGON

Cartoon Saloon’s latest is a storybook come to life that entirely lives and dies by the lessons it teaches, and the themes it tackles.

Its unique visuals will be familiar to any die-hard fans of the studio: the stretched-out angles, the simplistic design choices, the colours used to visually flesh out their word serve a much deeper purpose beyond first glance. In this endearing story about bravery,

fear, and the overwhelmingness of growing up, director Nora Twomey decides to go for a film more geared towards younger audiences, these lessons are important for them. So, it will not feel as mature, or as complex as some of their previous works, and while this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it will not be to everyone’s preference, but it is nevertheless a story that shines because of its simplicity, not in spite of it.

13. LIVING

This remake of Akira Kurosawa’s Ikiru is simply put one of the all-time saddest movies these eyes ever saw: a melancholic, somber look a mortality that question the impact we leave in the world and those around us, if any at all. Carried by an achingly sad Bill Nighy, trying to come to terms with a terminal illness, who tells so much of this story with just his eyes and the silent pauses between words.

At its core, this is all but an existential and heavily dramatic Parks & Rec episode, imagine if Ron Swanson was dying and his emotional walls broke down, this would be the result.

It’s much more emotionally potent when we see the dying protagonist’s impact of those close to him, but it can eventually become too sappy: where at first it earns emotion, soon enough it begins to try too hard and becomes heavy-handed in its approach to mortality.

12. TILL

Easily the heaviest watch of watch of the festival, for all the obvious reasons as this harrowing story, despite taking place in the 1950s, sadly still feels so contemporary to our world.

The filmmaking is thankfully quite sensible to the inherent emotions of this real-life story, but it can feel too trapped on truism as the court-room drama sections are thematically powerful but maybe too familiar from a narrative standpoint.

Yet the film still feels like a necessary watch, if for nothing else: Danielle Deadwyler’s emotionally devastating performance as the grieving mother of a murdered child, whose fight emotionally ignites the Civil Rights movement, as she tries to change the world for all other mothers and children of colour. Visually reflecting the real-life Mamie Till’s wishes for the world to witness what was done to young Emmett, it requires a strong stomach but the gripping lead performance is undeniable.

11. SHE SAID

Yet another contemporary story for our times, this one following the investigation that ignited the ME TOO movement, framed from the point of view of the two journalists who lead this gripping investigation. And once more a true story that falls somewhat victim to truism, not just because it awkwardly includes actors playing themselves, distracting from the immersion, but also the clunky editing that gets in the way of the story’s emotional potency.

But director Maria Schrader’s beyond wise in her framing of the story: entirely focusing on the building of stakes in this investigative drama that slowly paves the way for the most emotionally gratifying moments of the film: where we get to sit down and hear the stories of the victims from their own voice, and every haunting tale feels unique to their individual experience, making this flawed yet an important watch.

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10. CAUSEWAY

A devastatingly quiet look at trauma as we follow the story of a veteran who feels lost at home and tries to find her way back to the field as a means to avoid attachment and connection. Jennifer Lawrence delivers an emotionally demanding performance, conveying fragility with simple glances. Her brokenness is clear from the first frame and the story being told focuses on the character reassembling herself as she works through her trauma and attempts at creating meaningful connections.

The movie is at its strongest in its introspective moments, focusing on the flourishing friends between Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry, but despite the short runtime it isn’t entirely focused, as it often lacks forward momentum, losing steam amidst some of its story-threads. It begins strong and ends even stronger, trusting the audience with its “suggestion over telling” style of storytelling.

9. THE GOOD NURSE

The movie that slipped under the radar of majority of festival goers. Yet another terrifying true story that more than a serial killer

thriller illustrates the horrors of the American healthcare system and its inner workings, shocking us with its closing real life details.

It can fall victim to its procedural nature as it sometimes chooses to focus on the investigative details which are the least important for this story, where a single mother strikes a friendship with an unknowingly dangerous colleague who stalks hospitals looking for his next victim.

A story plucked straight from a Fincher-esque horror, akin to Mindhunter, it is spine-chilling to watch as it unfolds as a slow-burn pressure cooker in an always uncomfortable hospital setting with Jessica Chastain giving some of her best work and an unnerving villainous take from Eddie Redmayne keeps one hooked to the screen from beginning to end.

8. TRIANGLE OF SADNESS

The scathing satire that deconstructs social hierarchy without picking favorites: blue or white collar, the film doesn’t see colour as it cuts deep with its commentary.

The Cannes favorite has garnered favor all through the year from audiences and critics alike, and with good reason: its critique is on-point and hilarious to see unfold by way of its eclectic collection of self-absorbed elitist characters, but it sadly peaks during its second act.

Divided into three sections, Ostlund’s set up and development work the best, focusing in on the story’s intentions and ripping it up to outrageous results, but then in continues for 30 minutes too long, into a “Cast Away” sort of s clever ideas that worked so well for the story prior, in execution begins to feel redundant and repetitive, the criticisms are just not as fierce but feel rather milder in their approach.

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7. THE WONDER

This Florence Pugh starring period piece holds many surprises, the best hidden in the unsettling atmosphere it creates: a seamless fusion of themes and narrative as an English nurse finds herself buried deep in the famine stricken Irish marshes, confronted with a situation that tests both her beliefs and faith.

The story works best when and it’s approached as a religious thriller tackling the issues of blind devotion evoking a sense of dread and danger as Pugh begins to question the truth and intentions of this family and the starving girl, unearthing dark tragedies in both her and the family’s pasts, less interesting however, but nevertheless compelling, when treated as a straightforward period drama.

There are strange and outright distracting framing device director Sebastián Lelio uses in this story, a disservice to the overall strong, but flawed narrative elevated by an unsurprisingly faultless Florence Pugh.

6. DECISION TO LEAVE

A thrilling neo-noir crafted with precision and immaculate attention to detail from master filmmaker Park Chan-wook.

Many familiar traits from his past works are present: an uneasy atmosphere that engrosses the journey of a detective who begins to

suspect the widow of a dead man found at the bottom of a mountain, as well as the unorthodox romance that flourishes between hard-boiled cop and the at first seemingly disarming femme fatale who turns the protagonist’s world upside down.

Surprisingly, it’s Chan-wook’s off-beat sense of humor that really makes things unpredictable, along with his unique story structure, keep us wondering what the next surprise is.

Not everything lands well, the second half begins to overstay it’s welcome and the story’s intentions rapidly feel repetitive and redundant from a character standpoint, but the craft on display is awe-inspiring and commands repeat viewings.

5. BROS

The wildest comedy of the festival; equal part raunchy humor and earnest heart.

The first ever big studio gay romcom is an assured win and celebrates all things LGBTQ+: from romantic relationship to the struggles of being heard, celebrated, and accepted by society and even themselves.

There is no escaping the some of the genre’s trappings and tropes, but there is enough creativity in execution to make the unfolding of events feel fresh, new, and distinct to this movie’s story and these characters’ identity. The sense of humor is as wild and outrageous as the characters’ personalities and the laughs never really stop unless an emotional moment is given priority to ground the story with real struggles by way of great performances.

It’s the kind of movie that make you laugh out loud as much as it makes your heart smile.

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4. GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO

Easily the best version of the classic to ever be brought to screen, it takes a filmmaker with boundless imagination to make such a tired tale be given a new lease on life, a rejuvenation of the classic narrative that boasts a more complex take on compelling themes of grief, fatherhood, growing up and even mortality.

Del Toro’s first foray into animation leaves nothing to be desired in regards to his visual artistry; delivering imaginative characters, twistedly wicked concepts and a world that feels as wonderfully whimsy as it is dark and broody.

The performances so vivid, it’s like watching a life-action movie, but that does not take away from the insanely detailed stop-motion animation which is emotive at every framed.

From the score to the colors, the setting, the visuals, the ideas and the themes, Guillermo Del Toro has proved once more that fantasy, and animation too, are incredibly human storytelling mediums.

3. THE MENU

The satire is as sharp and cuts as deep as the knives used in this lavish dinner preparation. THE MENU is in many ways the improved version of the commentary tackled in TRIANGLE OF

SADNESS, except now there is no fat needed to be trimmed. It’s gloriously dark, outrageously entertaining and goes to unexpected places in how deep it cuts at the cultural of art, societal hierarchies, and consumerism.

There’s no greater sign of great satire than when the commentary being dished out could be about just anything and still work, in this case: a group of foodies and food critics are invited to a private dinner, and the more they eat, the more they realize they are precisely the problem with the culinary world.

The thrills are just as intense as each dish presentation, and the performances are riveting, particularly Ralph Fiennes’ intimidating chef, whose single clap is the most unnerving, and most effective, jump scare of the year.

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2. WOMEN TALKING

Sarah Polley has delivered the best written script of the year. A claustrophobic debate where a crisis of conscience meets a crisis of faith.

An immaculate ensemble with scene-stealing performances from Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley and Sheila McCarthy takes us on a harrowing journey that dives deep into the daily struggles, and trauma, of an entire community and takes them to their breaking point when asked to look past the unforgivable.

The film exceptionally builds up stakes through its entire runtime, enriching every point of view and characters with each point of discussion, bravely traversing the emotional complexity and weight of the decision that lies ahead.

Powerful, moving, and remarkable from top to bottom, there isn’t a single weak link element in the film: from its narrative and how it tackles its poignant thematic nature, emotion simply permeates every frame and its points are effective conveyed by commanding monologues.

1. GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY

Rian Johnson is on treasure of a filmmaker, whose mental wheels never seem to stop spinning. Glass Onion never rests on the laurels of the autumnal Knives Out, but rather prioritizes how to extrapolate the most fun, inventive and immaculately crafted mystery of the year, cementing Benoit Blanc as the quintessential movie detective of the 21st century, as Daniel Craig relishes every moment on screen.

The entire cast ignites the flames of wild fun in this sun-drenched summer romp as a group of friends avoid the problems of COVID by escaping to a lavish private island, where things go wrong in the most outlandish funny ways, offering a much different dynamic than the warring family in Blanc’s previous investigation.

Rian Johnson rewards the most attentive of viewers, cleverly using flashbacks in service of the story and the characters, with compelling editing that keeps one guessing but never allows each beat and discovery to drag.

A treasure of a filmmaker unsurprisingly delivers a treasure of a film.

That does it for this year’s BFI London Film Festival.

Now you know which film to look out for in the Fall, which ones to avoid, the hidden gems you should keep an eye on, and of course some underdogs come Awards Season 2023.

Now off to prepare for next year’s Festival Season which is rapidly approaching and will begin this upcoming January with Sundance Film Festival, where you can counts on us at Mama’s Geeky to provide exciting coverage.

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