Movies to See Right Now

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Photo caption: Dong-wong Gang, Ji-eun Le, Seung-soo Im and Song Kang-Ho in BROKER. Courtesy of NEON.

This week on The Movie Gourmet – (finally!) new reviews of Broker and Empire of Light, both among the Best Movies of 2022.

Important note: many of the year’s most prestigious films have become available to stream (see below in CURRENT MOVIES): Aftersun, The Eternal Daughter, The Fabelmans, The Banshees of Inisherin, Decision to Leave, Armageddon Time and Triangle of Sadness. Check out my ever-updated Best Movies of 2022.

CURRENT MOVIES

Banks Repeta and Anthony Hopkins in ARMAGEDDON TIME. Courtesy of Focus Features.
  • Broker: in the margins, finding a profound humanity. In theaters.
  • Empire of Light: a woman, revealed. In theaters, but increasingly hard to find.
  • The Whale: regret to redemption. In theaters.
  • All the Beauty and the Bloodshed: justice by erasure. In theaters.
  • Madoff: Monster of Wall Street: adding some jawdroppers to a familiar story. Netflix.
  • Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery: skewer the rich. Netflix.
  • Babylon: “wanton excess” is inadequate to describe this movie. In theaters.
  • The Eternal Daughter: consumed by mom. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, redbox.
  • Kimi: an adequate REAR WINDOWS ends as a thrilling WAIT UNTIL DARK. HBO Max.
  • Aftersun: who’s coming of age is this? Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, redbox.
  • The Fabelmans: a mom, a dad and their genius kid. In theaters and on Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, redbox..
  • Decision to Leave: he’s obsessed, and she asks, “Am I so wicked?”. Amazon, AppleTV, Mubi.
  • Causeway: affecting and uplifting. AppleTV.
  • The Menu: immune from pretension. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, redbox and included with HBO Max.
  • All Quiet on the Western Front: the trauma of war. Netflix.
  • Armageddon Time: coming of age – right into a moral choice. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, redbox.
  • The Banshees of Inisherin: no limits on stubbornness. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, redbox and included with HBO Max.
  • Tar: a haughty spirit before a fall. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, redbox.
  • Triangle of Sadness: more subtlety, please. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, redbox.

WATCH AT HOME

At year-end, I suspend my usual The most eclectic watch-at-home recommendations you’ll find ANYWHERE so I can highlight the very best movies from 2022. These are on my list of Best Movies of 2022 and they shouldn’t be overlooked. Now you can watch them all at home.

  • Nope: an exceptionally intelligent popcorn movie. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, redbox.
  • Montana Story: a family secret simmers, then explodes. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, redbox.
  • Compartment No. 6: a surprising journey to connection. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, redbox.
  • Poser: personal plagiarism. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, redbox.
  • The Tale of King Crab: storytelling at its best. Amazon, AppleTV, Vudu, YouTube, redbox.
  • 12 Months: an authentic relationship evolves. Amazon.

ON TV

Claudia Cardinale and Burt Lancaster in THE LEOPARD
Claudia Cardinale and Burt Lancaster in THE LEOPARD

On February 5, Turner Classic Movies will present The Leopard (Il gattopardo), an Italian period epic starring Burt Lancaster as a 19th century Sicilian prince who is trying to remain master of his changing time. Director Luchino Visconti came from Italian nobility himself. As befits an epic of this scope, it’s a sweeping 187 minutes long. One highlight is the stunning entrance by the 24-year-old Claudia Cardinale as the local mayor’s daughter, suddenly all grown up. Check out my remembrance of The Leopard’s great cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno,