Thirty Top-Notch Movies From 2022 That You Should Definitely Catch Up on Over Summer
Tick 'em off.
Hundreds of movies release in Australia each year. Still, even the most devoted cinephiles can't see them all when they first come out, no matter how much you might want to.
Thankfully, that's what catching up over summer is all about. As time ticks by, technology just keeps making it easier, too. So, just what should you make sure you check out? That's where we come in. We've hunted down the standout 2022 flicks now ready for your home-viewing consumption, and put together your holiday watch list.
Looking for more choices? We also picked 15 stellar cinema releases from 2022 that you might've completely bypassed.
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Parallel Mothers
Thu, 3 Feb - Wed, 23 Feb 2022
Various cinemas in Wellington, Wellington
Penélope Cruz and Pedro Almodóvar’s latest collaboration is one of their best so far, unearthing a moving must-see about motherhood.
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Nightmare Alley
Thu, 20 Jan - Wed, 9 Feb 2022
Various cinemas in Wellington, Wellington
Starring Bradley Cooper and Cate Blanchett, this mesmerisingly dark carnival noir is one of filmmaker Guillermo del Toro's very best features.
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Jackass Forever
Thu, 3 Feb - Wed, 23 Feb 2022
Various cinemas in Wellington, Wellington
Filled with lewd and puerile stunts and pranks, the latest 'Jackass' film is exactly what it promises to be — and also surprisingly sweet.
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The Batman
Thu, 3 Mar - Wed, 30 Mar 2022
Various cinemas in Wellington, Wellington
Robert Pattinson’s turn in the cape and cowl is dark, weighty and entrancing, in a sublimely shot blockbuster that makes all things 'Batman' feel new.
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The Northman
Thu, 19 May - Wed, 8 Jun 2022
Various cinemas in Auckland, Auckland
Directed by 'The Witch' and 'The Lighthouse' filmmaker Robert Eggers, this Alexander Skarsgård-starring Viking epic is bold, bloody, brutal and brilliant.
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Top Gun: Maverick
Thu, 26 May - Wed, 15 Jun 2022
Various cinemas in Wellington, Wellington
When it takes to the sky in astonishing aerial sequences, this Tom Cruise-starring, 36-years-later sequel will take your breath away.
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Nude Tuesday
Thu, 16 Jun - Wed, 6 Jul 2022
Various cinemas in Wellington, Wellington
Spoken only in gibberish, and unafraid to bare all, this New Zealand sex comedy starring Jackie van Beek, Jemaine Clement and Damon Herriman is revelatory several times over.
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The Black Phone
Thu, 21 Jul - Wed, 10 Aug 2022
Various cinemas in Wellington, Wellington
Reteaming with his 'Sinister' director Scott Derrickson, Ethan Hawke is unnervingly excellent in this tense and eerie 70s-set horror film.
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Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
Thu, 18 Aug - Wed, 7 Sep 2022
Various cinemas in Wellington, Wellington
Emma Thompson is magnificent in this wonderfully candid, intimate, generous and joyous sex comedy, which follows a fiftysomething woman finally trying to explore her desires with a charming sex worker.
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Three Thousand Years of Longing
Thu, 1 Sep - Wed, 21 Sep 2022
Various cinemas in Wellington, Wellington
After 'Mad Max: Fury Road', Australian director George Miller spirits up an enchanting and affecting tale about stories and wishes starring Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba.
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The Quiet Girl
Thu, 21 Jul - Wed, 10 Aug 2022
Various cinemas in Wellington, Wellington
Tender, affecting and resonant, and filled with wonderful performances, this Gaelic-language coming-of-age drama tells a small tale with a big impact.
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Don't Worry Darling
Thu, 6 Oct - Wed, 26 Oct 2022
Various cinemas in Wellington, Wellington
Stunning to look at and featuring a phenomenal performance by Florence Pugh, Olivia Wilde's second film as a director always demands attention.
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The Woman King
Thu, 27 Oct - Wed, 16 Nov 2022
Various cinemas in Wellington, Wellington
Viola Davis is fierce, formidable and fantastic in this rousing historical epic, which brings the tale of the Agojie, the all-female west African warrior troupe, to the screen.
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Nowhere Special
Thu, 24 Mar - Wed, 13 Apr 2022
Various cinemas in Wellington, Wellington
This tender drama about a Belfast window cleaner and his young son truly is something special.
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Mothering Sunday
Thu, 2 Jun - Wed, 22 Jun 2022
Various cinemas in Wellington, Wellington
Starring Aussie talent Odessa Young and ‘The Crown’ standout Josh O'Connor, plus Colin Firth and Olivia Colman, this handsome 1920s-set British drama is passionate, sensual and exceptionally cast.
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Millie Lies Low
Thu, 29 Sep - Wed, 19 Oct 2022
Various cinemas in Auckland, Auckland
There's nothing false about this astute and hilarious NZ comedy about faking it till you make it in a social media-ruled world — or about Ana Scotney's exceptional performance.
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Benediction
Thu, 7 Jul - Wed, 27 Jul 2022
Various cinemas in Wellington, Wellington
Acclaimed British filmmaker Terence Davies turns the life and work of World War I soldier, conscientious objector and poet Siegfried Sassoon into a lyrical biopic.
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House of Gucci
Sat, 1 Jan - Wed, 26 Jan 2022
Various cinemas in Wellington, Wellington
This supremely soapy recounting of the Gucci family's 70s, 80s and 90s-era dramas is worth seeing for Lady Gaga's fantastic performance alone.
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The Lost City
Thu, 14 Apr - Wed, 4 May 2022
Various cinemas in Wellington, Wellington
Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum's combined charms go a long way in this breezily entertaining action-adventure rom-com.
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The Wonder
Thu, 3 Nov - Wed, 23 Nov 2022
Various cinemas in Wellington, Wellington
Exquisitely led by Florence Pugh, this 19th century-set tale of faith versus fact is mesmerising, ambitious and sumptuous.
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Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
Fri, 9 Dec 2022 - Thu, 5 Jan 2023
Online
The 'The Shape of Water' and 'Pan's Labyrinth' director's stop-motion take on the beloved 19th-century Italian tale might just be the most magical yet.