2022 Favorites

Instead of top ten lists, I thought I’d take a similar approach to 2021 for recapping some of my favorite movies, shows, and books from 2022! As always, these are things that may have been released in different years but that I watched or read for the first time in 2022.

On the bookish front: I met my reading goal. I also read five titles from my TBR Jar, as well as several rereads, and lots of audiobooks. In no particular order, here are some of my favorites!


B O O K S

 A Curse for Christmas by Anna Christine

This story is so soft and cozy and Christmasy! I actually got to betaread an earlier version and was super excited that it was published just in time to read for the days leading up to Christmas!

Dearest Josephine by Caroline George

I thought I knew what the twist in this book was and I was wrong. But I really, really enjoyed the atmosphere and the way the story unfolded.

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

I pretty much knew nothing about this book except that it pops up a lot in classic bookish things on Instagram, and it looked intriguing. So I borrowed a copy from my grandmother and chose it as my main read for autumn. A little slow to get started and to set the stage, but once the story picked up, I was hooked.

Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier

Apparently, 2022’s autumn was the autumn of reading eerie classics. This was another one I knew very little about but kept seeing in bookish circles, and finally got an audiobook of from my library. It was different, but intriguing!

The Vanderbeekers Lost and Found by Karina Yan Glaser

I’ve been making my way through the audiobooks of this series, and so far this one has been my favorite. There are several themes and emotions in this one that I’ve also had on my mind a lot throughout the year, and could relate to.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

My sister gave me a copy of this and I waited to read it until after I’d finished rereading the main trilogy. It was different than I was expecting, but also very interesting to see the origins of things from the main trilogy show up here.

T V   S H O W S

Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

I admit I was nervous about this one, because there was so much potential and what if it didn’t live up to it?? But honestly, I was in love with it within the first five minutes. I enjoyed the characters, the storylines, the music, and just seeing Middle-earth come to life on the screen again (I really love the look of Númenor). I have high hopes for the second season, and am really excited to see which storylines they adapt next!

Moon Knight

This one might be my favorite show of this year, and definitely among one of my favorite MCU stories. I didn’t know a lot about the comic character going into the series, except that there was some Egyptian mythology retelling involved—and I love Egyptian history and mythology so I was intrigued by that alone. BUT THIS SHOW.

I am obsessed with it—the storytelling, the characters, the mental health exploration, the aesthetics. I’ve lost count of how many times I have rewatched the episodes. IT WAS SO GOOD (and I would totally love to see more of this story). 

Ms. Marvel

This one was so much fun. I loved seeing the MCU from a fangirl perspective, and it was really cool to see themes of family and friendship and history alongside the high-stakes superhero stuff. And the cinematography and artsy flair was SO FUN. I’m really excited to see more of Kamala and her friends and family in the MCU!

She-Hulk

Not my favorite MCU show, but it was fun to watch and try to guess where it was going. The cameos and the returning characters were fun to see (ALL THE X-MEN REFERENCES, Y’ALL). 

Werewolf by Night

I really loved how this embraced that campy classic horror movie thing and even looked like an old film. It’s a fun one-hour special, but I definitely wouldn’t mind seeing more of some of these characters! 

M O V I E S

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

This was different than what I expected but still fun. While I do wish there had been a bit more in places (particularly in the finale parts), I also enjoyed just watching Strange and Wanda and America hopping through different universes and seeing all the different possibilities.

Thor: Love and Thunder

Thor: Ragnarok wasn’t one of my favorites, so I was a bit unsure of how I’d feel about this one. But I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I did enjoy it. Not my favorite Thor movie, but I really liked the way it explored vulnerability and grief, and that it let those things feel heavy, and that it gave Thor an arc that was different than trying to prove he is worthy again. I also really liked Jane’s arc, even though it was so sad, and it was cool to see what her Thor powers were! (I still have questions about THOR’S EYE THOUGH???)

 Jurassic World: Dominion

The Jurassic Park movies have been some of my favorites since I was a kid, and this was a must-see on my list for this year. It was quite a bit different than what I expected, but I liked it a lot! The nostalgia just made it even more fun.

Spirited

I didn’t realize until actually starting the movie that it was a musical, which was a really fun surprise. I loved the clever spins on A Christmas Carol, and laughed so, so much watching this one. 

The Lost City

Treasure-hunting adventure + a rom-com! I laughed so much watching this movie. It was fun!

Uncharted

Another treasure hunt movie, and also super fun and tricksy and action-y.

Encanto

This one was so pretty and charming and super fun. And the soundtrack has been living in my head all year...

DC League of Super Pets

Another fun one! I loved all the nods to other DC properties and even the Marvel bits.

The Bad Guys

This was a fun one that I watched with my mom and my nephews. Heist movies are already such a neat genre, and this was a cute spin. I also LOVED the animation style! 

 

What were some of your favorites from 2022? What are you looking forward to watching, reading, or listening to in 2023?

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