Halfway Through the Year: Movies and TV Shows

This past year has been a big one for the entertainment industry, introducing us to many different shows and movies to obsess over. From comedies to dramas to horrors, 2022 has been filled with movies and shows of many genres. Not only has there been a vast range of genres, but there’s a huge range of accessibility with movies released everywhere, whether it be theaters or streaming services. Regardless of your age, gender, interests, etc., there’s something for everyone, but here is a list of some of the best from the year so far.

Moon Knight

Moon Knight (Mar. 30, 2022) is a thrilling fantasy created by an individual named Jeremy Slater. Based on Marvel Comics featuring a superhero named “Moon Knight.” It is the sixth television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to be produced by Marvel Studios. 

It follows the two main characters, Marc Spector and Steven Grant, two alters of a man with dissociative identity disorder, also known as DID, as they are drawn into a mystery involving Egyptian gods. Moon Knight has not only been some great awareness and representation for people dealing with DID, but it is also an excellent watch for big Marvel fans. 

The show is extremely well built and delivers wonderful humor, entertaining combat scenes, and surprisingly good CGI. In other words, this thrilling fantasy is nothing less than fantastic.  

House of the Dragon

House of the Dragon (Aug. 21, 2022) is a drama television series better known as the prequel to Game of Thrones. So far, it is the second show in the franchise. Both series are based on the “A Song of Ice and Fire” novels by George R. R. Martin. 

The series is set about 200 years before the events of the previous show, Game of Thrones, and about 172 years before the birth of the main protagonist, Daenerys Targaryen. It portrays the beginning of the end of House Targaryen and the events leading up to and covering the Targaryen war of succession, known as the “Dance of the Dragons.” 

House of the Dragon is a very classy and sophisticated production. Many say that it is a huge upgrade compared to the original, Game of Thrones. This show truly is a juicy drama with a bittersweet nostalgia for the previous Game of Thrones fans.  

Star Wars: Andor

Star Wars: Andor (Sep. 21, 2022) is a television series by Tony Gilroy. This show is a part of the very well-known Star Wars franchise. Specifically, a prequel to the Star Wars spin-off film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. 

This series follows thief-turned-Rebel spy Cassian Andor during the five years before the events of Rogue One. Star Wars: Andor is one of the most put-together, solid, and mature Star Wars productions to date. It perfectly and successfully shows a whole new side of the Empire with deeply fleshed-out characters and very grounded, serious plotlines.  

Prey  

Prey (Aug. 5, 2022) is a mix of science fiction, action, and horror, based on the beloved Predator franchise. Prey is the fifth installment and is a prequel to the first four films. 

It took place in the Northern Great Plains in North America in 1719. This movie focuses on a young woman named Naru, a skilled Comanche warrior who is desperately trying to prove not only to her tribe but also to herself that she is a skilled hunter. She finds herself having to protect her people from a vicious, humanoid alien that hunts humans for sport and French fur traders who are attacking her people and demolishing the Buffalo that they rely on for survival. 

Prey is an entirely new and different take on the Predator franchise, and it works flawlessly. It has a subtle yet compelling push for female empowerment. The movie itself was incredibly well-made and was thrilling throughout the entire film. It also gave many new actors a chance at important roles who delivered nothing but raw talent.  

Top Gun: Maverick 

Top Gun: Maverick (May 27, 2022) is an action film directed by Joseph Kosinski. It is the sequel to the well-known 1986 film Top Gun. This story follows the main character, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, confronting his dark and twisted past while also trying to train a group of younger TOPGUN graduates, including the son of his deceased best friend, for a dangerous mission. 

Not only did Top Gun: Maverick surpass about $700 Million, but it also gained the title of the fifth-highest-grossing movie in North American History. It brings back multiple beloved actors like Tom Cruise and Jennifer Connelly and perfectly wraps up the original movie. It is a great blend of humor and heroism and does a great job executing the plotline.  

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Everything Everywhere All at Once (Mar. 25, 2022) is an absurdist comedy-drama film written and directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. This comedy focuses on a Chinese American woman, Evelyn Wang, being audited by the IR who discovers that she must connect with parallel universe versions of herself to prevent a powerful being from destroying the multiverse. 

The film has been described as the “swirl of genre anarchy,” featuring dark comedy, science fiction, fantasy, martial arts, and animation elements. Everything Everywhere All at Once is an eye-opening, bittersweet domestic drama relating to most, if not all, immigrant children.  

The movie is a very fun, in-your-face, and creative, with an important emotional backbone.