11 Best Films of 2022 Ranked By AAFCA

Source: Sony Pictures / Sony Pictures

As we wind down the calendar year of 2022 and start preparing for the new year, it’s always about this time of year that we start to see the ”Best Of’ lists from music, movies, entertainment & more.

When it comes to black cinema, this year has an array of films that have had record-breaking box office success. These films also saw huge streaming performances, and a few that just after viewing the trailer, we knew were already under Oscar consideration immediately.

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Movies like ‘The Woman King’, ‘Sidney’, and ‘Emancipation.’ dominated headlines throughout the year for various reasons, but there is also a common theme between the majority of these, which is empowerment.

From fantasy to fiction, these stories touched at the viewers hearts while also delivering an entertaining experience.

A list of the Ten Best Films of the Year was put together by the African American Film Critics Association, and to little surprise, ‘The Woman King’ came out on top.

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“The best films of this year prove that diverse stories – the true and the fantastical – are not only important to the culture but are equally important to the movie-making business,” said AAFCA president and co-founder Gil Robertson.  

“Black films which make an impact on our minds and hearts are also making a sizable impact at the box office. Our top film, ‘The Woman King’, bridges the gap between telling important, heartfelt stories, and providing an entertaining experience for movie-going audiences.

This list gives movie lovers a chance to see films themed around accomplishment like ‘Emancipation’, to the fantastical tales such as ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,’ and maybe the less recognized gems that slipped through your radar. 

“AAFCA is proud to honor these masterpieces, along with the rest of AAFCA’s Top 10 Films of 2022, and acknowledge their indelible impact on our industry and culture.”

Scroll down to see he full list of AAFCA’S Top 10 Films of this year, and let us know on social media if you agree with this list, or what movie you felt deserved to make it!

ABOUT AAFCA
Established in 2003, AAFCA is the premiere body of Black film critics in the world, actively reviewing film and television, with a particular emphasis on entertainment that includes the Black experience and storytellers from the African Diaspora. The organization’s primary mission is to cultivate understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contributions of African descended talent to cinematic and television culture – from the artistic and technical legends of the past to the still unimagined breakthroughs of future generations.

The full list of AAFCA’S Top 10 Films of 2022:

1. The Woman King

In the 1800s, a group of all-female warriors protects the African kingdom of Dahomey with skills and fierceness unlike anything the world has ever seen. Faced with a new threat, Gen. Nanisca trains the next generation of recruits to fight against a foreign enemy that’s determined to destroy their way of life.

2. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M’Baku, Okoye and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with Nakia and Everett Ross to forge a new path for their beloved kingdom.

3. Till

The true story of Mamie Till-Mobley’s relentless pursuit of justice for her 14-year-old son, Emmett Till, who was brutally lynched in 1955 while visiting his cousins in Mississippi.

4. Sidney

Historians and film experts honours the legendary Sidney Poitier and his legacy as an iconic actor, filmmaker and activist at the centre of Hollywood and the Civil Rights Movement.

5. Emancipation

Peter, a slave, flees a plantation in Louisiana after he was whipped within an inch of his life. He has to outwit cold-blooded hunters and the unforgiving swamps of Louisiana on a torturous journey north.

6. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Tech billionaire Miles Bron invites his friends for a getaway on his private Greek island. When someone turns up dead, Detective Benoit Blanc is put on the case.

7. Inspection

Rejected by his mother, a young gay man finds unexpected strength, camaraderie and support after he joins the Marines.

8. Causeway

Lynsey, a U.S. soldier, experiences a traumatic brain injury during her tour in Afghanistan which forces her to return home. She struggles to return to her daily life with her mother as she waits for her eventual redeployment.

9. Everything Everywhere All At Once

When an interdimensional rupture unravels reality, an unlikely hero must channel her newfound powers to fight bizarre and bewildering dangers from the multiverse as the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

10. Wendell & Wild

The two devious demon brothers Wendell and Wild have to face their arch-enemy with the help of the nun Sister Helly, who is notorious for expelling demons. However, the brothers are not only plagued by her, but also by her altar boys.

11. Devotion

The inspirational true story of Jesse Brown, the first Black aviator in U.S. Navy history, and his enduring friendship with fellow fighter pilot Tom Hudner. Helping to turn the tide in the most brutal battle in the Korean War, their heroic sacrifices ultimately make them the Navy’s most celebrated wingmen.