Everything Everywhere All at Once Scores Big in WAFCA Awards
My beloved Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association (that’s WAFCA if you’re nasty) has spoken and today we released our awards for the best films of the year. While I don’t agree with all of them (I’m not a dad in my 40s so the Top Gun love escapes me), I do think we have a strong slate of great films that you should see this year.
Check out our winners below:
Best Film of 2022 — Everything Everywhere All at Once
One of the most inventive films in decades, Everything Everywhere All at Once is something that must be experienced. If you’ve missed this film, track it down, it’s a rare film that’s breathtakingly funny and heartfelt. And if you feel the impulse to stick a googly eye to your forehead, you won’t be the first, trust me.
Best Directors of 2022 — Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert
The duo behind our Best Film winner, Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert crafted a nuanced and uproariously funny film. While it’s easy to get lost in the frenetic energy of the storytelling, Kwan and Scheinert are careful to steer the audience back to the heart of the film: Evelyn understanding her place and importance in the universe.
Best Actress of 2022 — Cate Blanchett, Tár
One of the best actresses working today, Blanchett prowls through Tár like a lion on the hunt. And in a way, she is. The portrait of an artist/abuser, Tár needed a strong lead capable of showing off both the calculated charm of Lydia Tár and the absolute selfish horror she’s capable of. It’s a grand performance and one that will likely get her another Oscar.
Best Actor of 2022 — Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin
The best performance in one of the best films of the year, Colin Farrell absolutely earned his accolades. Though Farrell’s performance is outwardly pretty funny, there’s a quiet despair that begins to form on his features as the film goes on. It’s this character nuance that makes Farrell such a great actor, as he conveys Pádraic’s turmoil when his world is upended. Plus, the man has great chemistry with a donkey, and that alone is worth a bit of praise.
Best Supporting Actress of 2022 — Kerry Condon, The Banshees of Inisherin
It’s not easy to hold the screen when you’re sharing it with the likes of Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, but Condon manages to do so with style. As Farrell’s fierce and smart sister Siobhan, Condon tears through scenes as she tries to bring a bloodless resolution to the conflict on her island. It’s a lovely performance and one that stands out in a film packed with star turns.
Best Supporting Actor of 2022 — Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once
“So, even though you have broken my heart yet again, I wanted to say, in another life, I would have really liked just doing laundry and taxes with you.” One of the most achingly romantic lines of the year, Ke Huy Quan is in many ways the soul at the center of Everything Everywhere All at Once. Whether playing a goofy unassuming husband or a suave man of mystery, Quan knocks it out of the park with not one great performance, but several.
Best Acting Ensemble of 2022 — Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
It’s always fun to see actors enjoying themselves, and the cast of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is having an utter blast. From Daniel Craig’s southern sleuth to Janelle Monáe’s secretive genius, this is a cast that’s having the time of their lives. Pair that with some witty dialogue from Rian Johnson, and we’ve got a whodunit that’s truly a joy to watch.
Best Animated Feature of 2022 — Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
A dark but heartfelt take on a classic story, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is beautiful aesthetically and thematically. One of my favorite films of the year, this fable of the wooden boy is touching as a parable on grief, fascism, and love. Cutting the strings Disney put on their version of the tale, del Toro and co-director Mark Gustafson craft something that feels wholly unique and authentic.
Best Foreign Language Film of 2022 — Decision to Leave
As close to a modern Hitchcock film as you can get, South Korea’s Decision to Leave is a thrilling, intricate story of a detective who may be a little too involved with the lead suspect in his case. Director Park Chan-wook combines breathtaking cinematography with intimate storytelling to capture the feeling of two people spiraling toward each other and out of control.
Best Documentary of 2022 — Good Night Oppy
Did you ever wish there was a sequel to WALL-E? Good Night Oppy has you covered. The astounding true story of how two rovers — Spirit and Opportunity — were sent to Mars and the team behind the mission. While the documentary does a great job of explaining the engineering marvels of both rovers, it’s the love the team has for their creations that makes this film truly special. You’ll find yourself gasping when Opportunity gets stuck and on the edge of your seat as the intrepid rovers roam the Red Planet. Word to the wise: Have some tissues nearby.
