01of 10Top Gun: MaverickTom Cruise inTop Gun: Maverick(2022).Scott Garfield/ParamountAs the czar was to Russia, soTom Cruiseis toTop Gun: Maverick,the soaring, roaring sequel to his hit movie from more than 30 years ago. Movie and star are inseparable. It’s hard to guess whether Cruise, now 60, even knows that he isn’t Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, so firm is his grip on the role, his command of the camera and his commitment to his own remarkable stardom. Your Brad Pitts, your George Clooneys, your Dwayne Johnsons — these are also great leading men of the day, but they acknowledge, with a wink or a joke or a light dusting of irony, that their films are just projects, not Herculean expressions of the will. That has not been Cruise’s approach — not even in misfires like 2001’sVanilla Sky— because that would cheapen his persona, which is virile without necessarily being erotic. He’s determined to repay ticket-buyers in full for their investment. And he does.Maverick,a big, burnished, turbocharged engine of a movie, so far has earned $1.4 billion globally.The plot’s logic is subservient to its star’s cocky charisma. Maverick routinely thumbs his nose at his superiors, yet they all begrudgingly revere him. Sent to instruct a class of fighter pilots for a dangerous overseas mission, he ends up (of course) the only man capable of leading them all and doing America a solid. Cruise’s performance is so concretely, confidently physical that doubts are banished from the get-go. This is top-grade Hollywood entertainment.
01of 10
Top Gun: Maverick
Tom Cruise inTop Gun: Maverick(2022).Scott Garfield/Paramount
As the czar was to Russia, soTom Cruiseis toTop Gun: Maverick,the soaring, roaring sequel to his hit movie from more than 30 years ago. Movie and star are inseparable. It’s hard to guess whether Cruise, now 60, even knows that he isn’t Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, so firm is his grip on the role, his command of the camera and his commitment to his own remarkable stardom. Your Brad Pitts, your George Clooneys, your Dwayne Johnsons — these are also great leading men of the day, but they acknowledge, with a wink or a joke or a light dusting of irony, that their films are just projects, not Herculean expressions of the will. That has not been Cruise’s approach — not even in misfires like 2001’sVanilla Sky— because that would cheapen his persona, which is virile without necessarily being erotic. He’s determined to repay ticket-buyers in full for their investment. And he does.Maverick,a big, burnished, turbocharged engine of a movie, so far has earned $1.4 billion globally.
The plot’s logic is subservient to its star’s cocky charisma. Maverick routinely thumbs his nose at his superiors, yet they all begrudgingly revere him. Sent to instruct a class of fighter pilots for a dangerous overseas mission, he ends up (of course) the only man capable of leading them all and doing America a solid. Cruise’s performance is so concretely, confidently physical that doubts are banished from the get-go. This is top-grade Hollywood entertainment.
02of 10
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Michelle Yeohplays Evelyn Wang, whose daily life unfolds on the usual spectrum of humdrum to sad. Then, in the blink of an eye, she’s lost in a chaotic multiverse where she reinvents herself over and over.Everythingmay not be on the same level as 2004’sEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,an exploding metaphysical piñata, but it’s close. And, here in our own universe, Yeoh could wind up Best Actress.
03of 10The FabelmansMerie Weismiller Wallace/UniversalSteven Spielberg’s tender memory film is abouta movie-loving kid(Gabriel LaBelle) and his mother (Michelle Williams), whose life is slowly unspooling.
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The Fabelmans
Merie Weismiller Wallace/Universal
Steven Spielberg’s tender memory film is abouta movie-loving kid(Gabriel LaBelle) and his mother (Michelle Williams), whose life is slowly unspooling.
04of 10
Nope
Writer-directorJordan Peelecontinues his journey into the unknown with this fantasy, an eerie, shape-shifting nightmare about a malevolent UFO starringDaniel KaluuyaandKeke Palmer,among others.
05of 10The BatmanJonathan Olley/Warner Bros.An odd new take on the Dark Knight — very film noir, as if Gotham wereChinatown.ButRobert Pattinsonis super sexy, eyes blazing behind the dark mask.
05of 10
The Batman
Jonathan Olley/Warner Bros.
An odd new take on the Dark Knight — very film noir, as if Gotham wereChinatown.ButRobert Pattinsonis super sexy, eyes blazing behind the dark mask.
06of 10The Banshees of InisherinJonathan Hession/ Searchlight Pictures/ EverettThe abrupt end of a placidly unquestioned friendship unleashes a savage emotional battle.Colin Farrelland Brendan Gleeson are brilliant as the ex-BFFs.
06of 10
The Banshees of Inisherin
Jonathan Hession/ Searchlight Pictures/ Everett
The abrupt end of a placidly unquestioned friendship unleashes a savage emotional battle.Colin Farrelland Brendan Gleeson are brilliant as the ex-BFFs.
07of 10Decision to LeavemubiA police investigator’s obsessive pursuit of a suspect detours into mad romance in the most delirious, audacious Korean film sinceParasite.
07of 10
Decision to Leave
mubi
A police investigator’s obsessive pursuit of a suspect detours into mad romance in the most delirious, audacious Korean film sinceParasite.
08of 10TárCate Blanchett inTÁR(2022).Focus FeaturesCate Blanchettgivesa thundering performancethat would make Beethoven roll over. A powerful film, and highly divisive.
08of 10
Tár
Cate Blanchett inTÁR(2022).Focus Features
Cate Blanchettgivesa thundering performancethat would make Beethoven roll over. A powerful film, and highly divisive.
09of 10Weird: The Al Yankovic StoryROKUDaniel Radcliffeplays the pop-music parodist ina wildly untrue biopic. For laughs you can’t beat it. Eat it?
09of 10
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
ROKU
Daniel Radcliffeplays the pop-music parodist ina wildly untrue biopic. For laughs you can’t beat it. Eat it?
10of 10Glass Onion: A Knives Out MysteryDaniel Craig (center) inGlass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery(2022).John Wilson/NetflixDaniel Craigreturns as Benoit Blanc ina blithe new whodunit.
10of 10
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Daniel Craig (center) inGlass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery(2022).John Wilson/Netflix
Daniel Craigreturns as Benoit Blanc ina blithe new whodunit.
source: people.com
