Now that we're into the second half of 2022, you're likely to see a pretty strange lineup of movies heading to cinemas.
Why strange, you might ask? For one thing, we're just now starting to see studios catch up with releases, so any major blockbusters that would have nominally been released during the summer are now being pushed to the winter months.
On top of that, you've also got Oscar season starting at the end of August / start of September with the Venice Film Festival kicking things off in earnest in 2022 and into 2023. Throw the streaming services into the mixture with some of them withholding movies from cinemas and others desperately pushing them to cinemas for Oscar contention and it's all a mess of things.
At any rate, we've gone out and done you a solid and picked out ten movies you'll want to keep an eye out for from now until the end of the year.
'Bullet Train' - August 3rd
David Leitch, hot off of 'Deadpool 2' and co-creating one of the greatest action franchises of the past twenty years, is now firmly moving into A-list director territory. 'Bullet Train' sees the one-time stunt coordinator now directing the likes of Oscar winner Brad Pitt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, and yet another Oscar winner in Sandra Bullock in what can only be described as a screwball comedy. About professional assassins. On a bullet train in Japan. Expect lots of neon and lots of neatly designed action.
'Blackbird' - September 2nd
Where to start with this one? Well, for one, it's took over four years to reach cinemas and we spent the better part of a year trying to track down a screening of it. Yes, after much delay, Michael Flatley's self-produced, self-directed, self-written, and self-starring spy thriller-cum-romance is finally heading to Irish cinemas. To say we're excited is an understatement. Could this be the movie of 2022? Could it be the answers to all our prayers? Could anyone explain why exactly every shirt Michael Flatley owns seems to open to the navel?
'Crimes of the Future' - September 9th
Although not as delayed as the previous entry, David Cronenberg's long-awaited return to the genre that forged his career - body horror - is worthy of excitement. Reteaming with Viggo Mortensen, 'Crimes of the Future' is every bit as demented and incisive (no pun intended) as you'd expect. Probably best to go see this one on an empty stomach and maybe skip dinner afterwards. Unless you're into any of what goes on in this, in which case, we're not here to judge but maybe consider therapy?
'See How They Run' - September 9th
Saoirse Ronan's first straight-up comedic role sees her play an overeager police officer next to Sam Rockwell's permanently dishevelled and disinterested inspector investigating a murder in London's West End. If you're thinking this looks somewhere along the lines of 'Knives Out' and 'Clue' and maybe a touch of Wes Anderson, you're absolutely spot on. It's all of those things and more. Expect witty repartee and genuine guffaws throughout.
'Don't Worry Darling' - September 23rd
Olivia Wilde's follow-up to 'Booksmart' couldn't be any more different if you tried. Although the trailer sure has a lot of craziness going on, you get the sense that they're only scratches of the surface. The cast is positively stacked with talent - Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine, Olivia Wilde - and the vague weirdness of 'The Stepford Wives', 'The Twilight Zone', and more just adds to the intrigue and mystery.
'Smile' - September 30th
Moving into the autumn, 'Smile' came out of nowhere a few weeks ago with one of the best trailers we've seen this year that quite simply frightened the ever-loving bejesus out of us. Especially that final moment. How best can we describe it? Your jaw will be on the floor. Anyway, 'Smile' looks like it could be one of those delightfully twisted indie horrors that takes on a life of its own.
'Halloween Ends' - October 14th
Over forty years after its release, the 'Halloween' franchise is coming to an end with the subtle-as-a-fart-in-a-bathtub title, 'Halloween Ends'. Jamie Lee Curtis is back to finally put Michael Myers out of his misery and unmask the unstoppable serial killer once and for all. After the very so-so 'Halloween Kills', here's desperately hoping the legacy trilogy and indeed the entire franchise can end on a high.
'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' - November 11th
With the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman, 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' seemed like it was unlikely to happen, seeing as how Disney were adamant that the role of T'Challa would not be recast. Still, Ryan Coogler hasn't put a foot wrong yet in his career so why should we doubt him now? We're expecting a trailer any day now, which will hopefully drop some more information and what to expect, and more importantly, give some indication of how they're going to deal with the absence of Chadwick Boseman.
'Avatar: The Way of Water' - December 16th
Can James Cameron single-handedly make people give a shit about 3D again? Did we ever, really? Indeed, there was slight bemusement at the very first cinema premiere of the trailer here in Ireland when audiences were asked to put on 3D glasses for the first time in several years. Yes, it looked amazing, yes, it's unlike any other experience, but come on, 3D a thing again? Absolutely not. Flash-cut to December 16th where we'll be eating our words on this.
'Babylon' - TBC (We're thinking December?)
Damien Chazelle is back in time for Oscar season with another faded Hollywood glamour story, this time set during the transition from silent to talkies. Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie lead an ensemble cast that includes (deep breath) Tobey Maguire, Meryl Streep, Spike Jonze, Olivia Wilde, Jean Smart, Samara Weaving, Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chloe Fineman from 'SNL', and Jeff Garlin. Fully expect this to clean up at awards season and Margot Robbie to bag herself an Oscar in the process.
