Saturday, December 31, 2022

CINEMATIC HOLY MOMENTS: 2022

by Toby


my personal favorite moments from films to receive a 2022 U.S. release. Not all of which made my actual “Best Films of 2022” list, but at least had incredible segments that stayed with me since first viewing. Scenes that I’m sure I’ll want to re-visit again and again.

+ = was actually featured on Toby's 2022 "Best of"
 
the first office fight **fanny pack kung fu**
- EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE 
       ALL AT ONCE (the Daniels)









Hiding amongst the
tracer bullet thorn shrubs
    - VESPER  (Buozyte/Samper)
+



the hellish "Clown Cafe Show"
 reprise (Sienna drowning in the magician's water tank, full body burn stunt, etc.) + resurrection.
   - TERRIFIER 2 (D.Leone)









Pearl's song & dance audition + inner fantasy
 
    - PEARL (Ti West)
+


the serendipitous ramp jump through fire & flipping of Penguin's ride (freeway pile up in torrential rain). Warner's advertising messed up revealing too much of this sequence in the main trailer/s.
- THE BATMAN [IMAX] (Reeves)


Rose locks herself in her childhood trauma house **finale showdown**
    - SMILE (Finn)


paddle rafting to the pyramid 
  - PETITE MAMAN (Sciamma)
+


home invasion climax
(nail gun, etc.)
    - KIMI  (Soderbergh)
+

last attempt to destroy the uranimium plant + Rooster punching out behind enemy lines **final 30mins action**
  - TOP GUN: MAVERICK  
                        [IMAX] (Kosinski)

Moby Dick & the Sully parents rescue their brood from the whaling poacher ship
 - AVATAR: 
        THE WAY OF WATER 
              [IMAX 3D] (Cameron)







That batshit piggyback escape from prison 
     - RRR (S. S. Rajamouli)
+








Pat first meets Douglas Trumbull in '76; then gets a tour of early I.L.M. studios-- witnesses post-production on both CLOSE ENCOUNTERS & STAR WARS
 - 5-25-77  (P. Read Johnson)
+




Young Sam Fabelman Spielberg recreates the Cecil B. Demille train derailment that's haunted him with model trains
- THE FABELMANS (Spielberg)
+




old lady Linda (a brilliant & brief Louise Lasser cameo) is a distraction during Wallace's pharmacy revenge
   - FUNNY PAGES (O.Kline)
+


an ocean surf /beach front grave
- DECISION TO LEAVE 
                        (Park Chan-wook)
+



Tenser using his new digestive organs for the first time **closing shot**
- CRIMES OF THE FUTURE 
                               (Cronenberg)
+



All hail the "After Dragon"🤘
- MY FATHER'S DRAGON 
                           (Twomey)
+



repeat trips to the astral afterlife
- GUILLERMO DEL TORO'S 
     PINOCCHIO (Del Toro/Gustafson)
+










the cross-country cyclist
- HIT THE ROAD (P. Panahi)
+










"Feral" Predator fucks up some Frenchies
   - PREY (Trachtenberg)
+








the stripped-down isolated
Bowie & Mercury 
"Under Pressure" vocals💔
- AFTERSUN (Charlotte Wells)
+









traditional Metkayina 
funeral; burial at sea (absorbed into an underwater Eywa channel) 
- AVATAR:
    THE WAY OF WATER 
            [IMAX 3D] (Cameron)









Chasing sister-in-law with an axe
 - PEARL (Ti West)
+









Red Bluster VS the giant crab
- THE SEA BEAST (Williams)
+












Mom's camping trip silhouette dance 
- THE FABELMANS (Spielberg)
+












old crazy-ass Pearl dancing in front of the van's bloody headlights
   - X (Ti West)
+








encounter w/the "Mound Dweller" while retrieving
the mythical 
Draugr sword
- THE NORTHMAN (Eggers)
+


fate of the Star Lasso Experience spectators & host + the peculiar blood & rubbish rainstorm that follows @ the Haywood ranch 
**those disembodied screams-- Mary mother of God 😱**
- NOPE [IMAX] (Peele)
+




also, this scene ↓
the genesis of "My Bologna"
+


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.
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Toby’s Favorite Movie Moments

2022 YEAR-END BALLOT

the point of this exercise isn't merely to stand in contrast to industry awards shows but to shine light on other works/achievements/performances that might've not gotten enough consideration during their initial releases 


Past ballots at The Wandering Image:
 1980198119821983198419851986198719881989, 
1990199119921993199419951996199719981999,
 2000 2001, 20022003200420052006, 200720082009,
 201020112012,  2013201420152016201720182019
20202021

To view my Top 30 films of 2022, visit the Final Cinema.




Note: I'm not going to separate foreign language films from english films on my ballot. It's bullshit and the academy shouldn't do it anymore either. Also, Oscar winner predictions will be added later this year beneath my *top pick in each category.




**Actual AMPAS nominees added 2/25/2023**
**Oscar winner predictions added 3/05/2023 below actual AMPAS nominees**
**Actual Oscar winners noted 3/13/2023** 









2022
*
NOPE
IL BUCO
MAD GOD [feature version]
PEARL
THE NORTHMAN
FUNNY PAGES
PETITE MAMAN
DECISION TO LEAVE
CRIMES OF THE FUTURE
NO BEARS
THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
TÁR
THE CATHEDRAL
SAINT OMER
IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE
EO
STRAWBERRY MANSION
VESPER
VORTEX
RETURN TO SEOUL

actual oscar nominees best picture:
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT
AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER
THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
ELVIS
EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (won)
THE FABELMANS
TÁR
TOP GUN: MAVERICK
TRIANGLE OF SADNESS
WOMEN TALKING

actual oscar nominees international feature:
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (won)
ARGENTINA, 1985
CLOSE
EO
THE QUIET GIRL

prediction best pic:
EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

prediction foreign film:
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT












2022
*Jordon Peele for NOPE
Michelangelo Frammartino for IL BUCO
Ti West for PEARL
Celine Sciamma for PETITE MAMAN
Robert Eggers for THE NORTHMAN

actual oscar nominees
Martin McDonagh for THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert for EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (won)
Steven Spielberg for THE FABELMANS 
Todd Field for TÁR 
Ruben Östlund for TRIANGLE OF SADNESS

prediction directing:
The Daniels for EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE












2022
*Andrea Riseborough 
                            in TO LESLIE
Penelope Cruz in OFFICIAL COMPETITION
Michelle Yeoh in EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
Cate Blanchett in TÁR
Mia Goth in PEARL
Laure Calamy in MY DONKEY, MY LOVER, & I

actual oscar nominees
Cate Blanchett in TÁR
Ana De Armas in BLONDE
Andrea Riseborough in TO LESLIE
Michelle Williams in THE FABELMANS
Michelle Yeoh in EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (won)

prediction lead actress:
Michelle Yeoh in EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE















2022
*
Colin Farrell in 
   THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
Mark Rylance in THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN
Jeremy Pope in THE INSPECTION
Austin Butler in ELVIS
Jack Lowden in BENEDICTION

actual oscar nominations
Austin Butler in ELVIS
Colin Farrell in THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
Brendan Fraser in THE WHALE (won)
Paul Mescal in AFTERSUN
Bill Nighy in LIVING

prediction lead actor:
Austin Butler in ELVIS














2022
*Guslagie Malanda 
                       in SAINT OMER
Nina Hoss in TÁR
Kerry Condon in THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
Michelle Williams in THE FABELMANS
Gwendoline Christie in FLUX GOURMET

actual oscar nominees
Angela Bassett in BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER
Hong Chau in THE WHALE
Kerry Condon in THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
Jamie Lee Curtis in EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (won)
Stephanie Hsu in EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

prediction supporting actress:
Kerry Condon in THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN















2022
*Barry Keoghan 
in THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
Rory Kinnear in MEN
Ke Huy Quan in EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
Judd Hirsch in THE FABELMANS
Harry Melling in THE PALE BLUE EYE

actual oscar nominees:
Brendan Gleeson in THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
Brian Tyree Henry in CAUSEWAY
Judd Hirsch in THE FABELMANS
Barry Keoghan in THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN 
Ke Huy Quan in EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (won)

prediction supporting actor:
Ke Huy Quan in EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE















2022
*
THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN 
                        - Martin McDonagh
TÁR - Todd Field
SAINT OMER - Amrita David, Alice DiopMarie N'Diaye
VESPER - Brian Clark, Bruno SamperKristina Buozyte
NOPE - Jordan Peele
PETITE MAMAN - Celine Sciamma
THE ETERNAL DAUGHTER - Joanna Hogg

actual oscar nominees:
THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (won)
THE FABELMANS
TÁR
TRIANGLE OF SADNESS

prediction original screenplay:
EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE













2022
*
THE QUIET GIRL - Colm Bairéad
PETROV'S FLU - Kirill Serebrennikov
L'ÉVÉNEMENT - Marcia Romano, A.Diwan, Alice Girard
MARCEL, THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON 
       - Fleischer-Camp, Jenny SlateNick Paley, Elisabeth Holm
STARS AT NOON - Claire Denis, Andrew LitvackLéa Mysius

actual oscar nominees:
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT
GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY
LIVING
TOP GUN: MAVERICK
WOMEN TALKING (won)

prediction adapted screenplay:
WOMEN TALKING














2022
*
ALL THE BEAUTY 
                  & THE BLOODSHED
COW
MARX CAN WAIT
ROCK BOTTOM RISER
FREE CHOL SOO LEE
FIRE OF LOVE
THIS MUCH I KNOW TO BE TRUE
ALL THAT BREATHES
CHILDREN OF THE MIST
FACING NOLAN

actual oscar nominees:
ALL THAT BREATHES
ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED
FIRE OF LOVE
A HOUSE MADE OF SPLINTERS
NAVALNY (won)

prediction documentary:
NAVALNY













2022
*
MAD GOD
MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON 
APOLLO 10 1⁄2: A SPACE AGE CHILDHOOD
THE SEA BEAST
RISE OF THE TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE MOVIE
MY FATHER'S DRAGON
THE HOUSE
WENDELL & WILD
GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO
INU-OH 犬王
CALAMITY: A CHILDHOOD OF MARTHA JANE CANNARY
AQUA TEEN FOREVER: PLANTASM
TURNING RED
CHIP ’N DALE: RESCUE RANGERS
JUJUTSU KAISEN Ø

actual oscar nominees
GUILLERMO DEL TORO'S PINOCCHIO (won)
MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON
PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH
THE SEA BEAST
TURNING RED

prediction animated feature:
GUILLERMO DEL TORO'S PINOCCHIO











2022
*
THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN 
                     - Carter Burwell >
CRIMES OF THE FUTURE - Howard Shore >
THE FABELMANS - John Williams >
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT 
                                             - Volker Bertelmann >
STRAWBERRY MANSION - Dan Deacon >
THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING - Junkie XL >
WAKANDA FOREVER - Ludwig Goransson >
BARBARIAN - Anna Drubich >
MY FATHER'S DRAGON - Jeff & Mychael Danna >
GUILLERMO DEL TORO'S PINOCCHIO Alexandre Desplat >

actual oscar nominees:
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT
BABYLON (won)
BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
THE FABELMANS

prediction original score:
BABYLON







2022
*
HEADHUNTER’S DAUGHTER
HIDEOUS by Yann Gonzalez
LE PUPILLE
AMPANGABAGAT NIN TALAKBA HA LIKOL 
  [IT'S RAINING FROGS OUTSIDE] by Maria Estela Paiso 
TOUCH OF CRUDE by Nicolas Winding Refn
비비 BIBI: 조또 (JOTTO)
A$AP ROCKY: D.M.B.
THE BACKROOMS by Kane Pixels
TO HELL AND BACK 
                by Vanessa & Joseph Winter [V/H/S/99 segment]
KENDRICK LAMAR: N95
HAULOUT - ВЫХОД
HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR: ONE

actual oscar nominees narrative short
AN IRISH GOODBYE (won)
IVALU
LE PUPILLE
NIGHT RIDE
THE RED SUITCASE

actual oscar nominees documentary short
THE ELEPHANT WHISPERERS (won)
HAULOUT [ВЫХОД]
HOW DO YOU MEASURE A YEAR?
THE MARTHA MITCHELL EFFECT
STRANGER AT THE GATE

prediction live-action short :
THE RED SUITCASE

prediction documentary short:
THE ELEPHANT WHISPERERS













2022
*
THE FLYING SAILOR
BEWARE OF TRAINS
(i) "AND HEARD WITHIN, A LIE IS SPUN" 
                         by Emma de Swaef [THE HOUSE segment]
BLACK SLIDE by Uri Lotan
ÉCORCHÉE [SKINNED]
(ii) "THEN LOST IS TRUTH THAT CAN'T BE WON" 
                by Niki Lindroth von Bahr [THE HOUSE segment]
PERSONA by Moon Sujin
PHARRELL WILLIAMS: CASH IN CASH OUT
AU REVOIR, JÉRÔME!
ICE MERCHANTS
PASAJERO [PASSENGER] by Juan Pablo Zaramella
MORE THAN I WANT TO REMEMBER by Amy Bench
MY YEAR OF DICKS
RUN TOTTI RUN 

actual oscar nominees:
THE BOY, THE MOLE, THE FOX, AND THE HORSE (won)
THE FLYING SAILOR
ICE MERCHANTS
MY YEAR OF DICKS
AN OSTRICH TOLD ME THE WORLD IS FAKE AND I THINK I BELIEVE IT

prediction animated short:
MY YEAR OF DICKS













categories below this point are
↓for you technical craft lovers↓


2022
*NOPE 
     - Hoyte van Hoytema, FSF, ASC
BLONDE - Chayse Irvin, ASC, CSC
THE NORTHMAN - Jarin Blaschke, ASC
ALL QUIET ON WESTERN FRONT - James Friend ASC, BSC
CRIMES OF THE FUTURE - Douglas Koch, CSC
PEARL - Eliot Rockett ASC
ELVIS - Mandy Walker, ACS, ASC

actual oscar nominees:
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (won)
BARDO
ELVIS
EMPIRE OF LIGHT
TÁR

prediction cinematography:
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT












2022
*
NOPE Nicholas Monsour
TÁR - Monika Willi
ROCK BOTTOM RISER - Fern Silva
DECISION TO LEAVE - Kim Sang-beom  
X + PEARL - David Kashevaroff and Ti West
ELVIS - Jonathan Redmond, Matt Villa
EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE - Paul Rogers
THE FABELMANS - Michael Kahn, Sarah Broshar

actual oscar nominees
THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
ELVIS
EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (won)
TÁR
TOP GUN: MAVERICK

prediction film editing:
EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE














2022
*
ALL QUIET ON
          THE WESTERN FRONT 
 - Christian M. Goldbeck; Ernestine Hipper
THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING 
                                  - Roger Ford; Lisa Thompson
EIFFEL Taillasson, Delrue, Antoine DoreKupperman
ELVIS - Catherine Martin, Karen Murphy, Bev Dunn
CRIMES OF THE FUTURE - Carol Spier, Dimitra Sourlantzi
THE NORTHMAN - Craig Lathrop, Niamh Coulter
BABYLON - Florencia Martin; Anthony Carlino
PEARL - Tom Hammock, Thomas Salpietro

actual oscar nominees:
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (won)
AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER
BABYLON
ELVIS
THE FABELMANS

prediction production design:
BABYLON













2022
*
NEPTUNE FROST Cedric Mizero
EIFFEL - Thierry Delettre
WAKANDA FOREVER - Ruth E. Carter
THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING - Kym Barrett
BLONDE - Jennifer Johnson
STRAWBERRY MANSION - Mack Reyes

actual oscar nominees
BABYLON
BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER (won)
ELVIS
EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS

prediction costume design:
BABYLON














2022
*
HELLRAISER
X
NEPTUNE FROST
TERRIFIER 2
THE BATMAN
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT
WAKANDA FOREVER
BARBARIAN
CRIMES OF THE FUTURE
THE WHALE
THE MUNSTERS
WYRMWOOD: APOCALYPSE

actual oscar nominees:
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT
THE BATMAN
BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER
ELVIS
THE WHALE (won)

prediction makeup:
THE WHALE














2022
*
NOPE
AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER
SMILE
TOP GUN: MAVERICK
THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING
FLUX GOURMET
THE BATMAN
ELVIS
PREY
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

actual oscar nominees:
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT
AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER
THE BATMAN
ELVIS
TOP GUN: MAVERICK (won)

prediction sound design:
TOP GUN: MAVERICK












2022
*
AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER
NOPE
TOP GUN: MAVERICK
VESPER
THE BATMAN
THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT
EIFFEL
BEAST

actual oscar nominees:
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT
AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER (won)
THE BATMAN
BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER
TOP GUN: MAVERICK

prediction VFX:
AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER













muriel awards categories:




2022
*1)
fate of the Star Lasso Experience spectators & host + the peculiar blood & rubbish rainstorm that follows @ the Haywood house - NOPE
2) retrieving Draugr sword (the Mound Dweller) 
--------------------------------------- THE NORTHMAN
3) old crazy-ass Pearl dancing in front of bloody headlights 
 --------------------------------------------------------- X
-tie- Mom's camping trip silhouette dance 
------------------------------------- THE FABELMANS
4) Red Bluster VS the giant crab - THE SEA BEAST
5) Chasing sister-in-law with an axe - PEARL
6) traditional Metkayina funeral at sea 
----------------------- AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER
7) isolated Bowie & Mercury "Under Pressure" vocals 
---------------------------------------------- AFTERSUN
8) the "Feral" Predator fucks up some Frenchies - PREY
9) the cross-country cyclist - HIT THE ROAD
10) Pinocchio's repeat trips to the underworld
                          - GUILLERMO DEL TORO'S PINOCCHIO
-tie- All hail the "After Dragon" - MY FATHER'S DRAGON
11) Tenser using his new organs **closing shot**
 --------------------------- CRIMES OF THE FUTURE
12) an ocean surf / beach front grave - DECISION TO LEAVE 
13) old lady distracts during Wallace's pharmacy revenge 
---------------------------------------- FUNNY PAGES
14) Young Sam recreates the Demille train derailment 
------------------------------------ THE FABELMANS
-tie- Pat first meets Trumbull, then tours early I.L.M. 
-------------------------------------------------- 5-25-77
15) that batshit piggyback escape from prison - RRR
16) Moby Dick & co rescue from whaling ship
 --------------------- AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER
17) last attempt to destroy the plant **final 30mins** 
 ---------------------------- TOP GUN: MAVERICK
18) the whole home invasion climax (w/nail gun) - KIMI
19) paddle rafting to the pyramid structure 
---------------------------------------- PETITE MAMAN
20) **finale** locked within the childhood trauma house
---------------------------------------------------- SMILE
21) serendipitous ramp jump + flipping Penguin's ride 
-------------------------------------------- THE BATMAN
22) Pearl's song & dance audition + inner fantasy - PEARL
23) "Clown Cafe" reprise (trapped in water tank, etc.)
 ------------------------------------------ TERRIFIER 2   
24) Hiding amongst the tracer bullet projectile thorns 
--------------------------------------------------- VESPER
25) 1st office fight / fanny pack kung fu 
----- EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE




also, this ↓


the genesis of "My Bologna"






Other year-end ballots posted at The Wandering Image:
1980198119821983198419851986198719881989,
1990199119921993199419951996199719981999
2000 2001, 20022003200420052006, 20072008,2009
201020112012,  201320142015201620172018, 2019