The 22 best movie performances of 2022

Michelle Yeoh wowed audiences in her turn as Evelyn Wang. There are layers to her character — the entire film hinges on her ability to play multiple parts — and she gets to show off her moves in some of the best action scenes of the year. Just wait till you see what she can do with a fanny pack!

It takes a special performer to carry a movie like Tar, but Blanchett carries it easily. She's the composer caught up in a #MeToo scandal and conducts a symphony of emotions with her eyes, ticks, and hands.

It's hard to say whether The Whale is a sensitive movie about obesity or a mean-spirited prank. But no one can argue with Brendan Fraser's performance, which sees the actor do the best work of his career. Under a fat suit and pounds of makeup, he makes us really care about the character. 

Wise men say only fools don't love Elvis. Both the movie and the musician are overflowing with energy, catchy tunes, and hip-shaking moves. Austin Butler is a man possessed in this biopic about Elvis' life, charting his path from nobody to somebody. 

What more can this guy do? He's been in dozens of movies, won two Oscars, and given us some of the most memorable characters in movie history. In the new film from James Gray, however, he does something we've never seen him do. He delivers a speech on how racism has affected our country and delivers it with just the right amount of wise, soft-spoken clarity. 

The bar is already impossibly high when your cast mates are Kate Hudson and Kathryn Hahn. But somehow, Monae walks away with the movie as suspect No. 1. She's framed next to the Mona Lisa in multiple shots — a reminder to watch her eyes throughout this whodunnit. 

Plot twist! Monae isn't the only one who walks away with the movie. Daniel Craig is also a hoot, especially when he puts on the linens and gets to cracking the case. The detective is like a mix between Poirot and Porridge, a classy snoop who sounds like a drunken redneck. 

Jessie Buckley has been doing the work for nearly 10 years now, from Beast to The Lost Daughter, but Women Talking finally gives her the platform she deserves to win an Oscar. There's a sense of prestige here, which is something her past films have lacked.

Banks Repeta and Anthony Hopkins are the beating heart of Armageddon Time, but Anne Hathaway is the movie's soul. The Oscar-nominated actress steals every scene she's in, showing her range as a cruel yet loving mother. 

Another kind of parent. Adam Driver talks and talks and talks in this wordy, hyper-literate adaptation of Don DeLillo's novel. He's the leader of a family who talks every second of the day. They won't shut up. Not that you want them to when actors like Driver get to deliver this many monologues.

It's a shame more people haven't seen Aftersun. Charlotte Wells' debut is one of the great vacation dramas, buoyed by a performance from Paul Mescal as the father. He'll tear your heart out, delivering some of the most tender moments ever put on screen. 

Colin Firth is the front-runner for Best Actor. As of now, no one has been able to top the layers of emotion and heartbreak he brings to the table. You may need a pint of beer to get through it, but this tale of friends drifting apart is well worth your time.

It's a daunting task to play Steven Spielberg's mother for...Steven Spielberg, especially when that mother cheated on his father and was borderline insane. Michelle Williams pulls it off, thanks to the warmth she brings to the part and the way she can emote multiple emotions at once. 

An even more daunting task? Play the love interest of Timothee Chalamet. How do you spend two hours with someone that good-looking and not get blown off the screen? You do it by toning down the "acting" and settling into a more natural groove. You can't take your eyes off Russell here, mainly because she seems like a real human being. 

Hugh Jackman holds it all together in a movie filled with cliches, speeches, and lessons. He somehow turns a bland premise into a lovely picture. 

It's hard to single out just one performance from Panah Panahi's road movie. But as a kid who makes you laugh, Rayan Sarlak keeps the journey moving at a steady pace. It's tempting to call him the best child actor on the planet, so keep an eye out for more of him down the road. 

In a year full of great actresses — Michelle Yeoh, report to the podium — some are bound to slip through the cracks. Danielle Deadwyler may not receive the same buzz as her colleagues, but her performance is right up there with the best of 'em. 

Few movies have had this kind of trajectory. It started with a huge opening abroad, then made a few bucks in America before leaving theaters. Then word of mouth started, and RRR came back to theaters, and then came back to theaters again. The action flick has been re-released four times in the states, thanks in large part to the star power of Ram Charan. 

And the star power of Rama Rao Jr. These two actors have Tom Cruise-level charisma. They fight, dance, and romance their way through this three-hour epic with the ease of someone folding laundry. 

Child actors don't get enough credit. They are called "cute" but never "great," "smart," or "brave." Frankie Corio deserves an Oscar as much as anyone for her turn as Charlotte Wells, the director of this movie. 

Sometimes it seems like casts don't have chemistry reads anymore. There have been multiple movies this year that have just thrown a bunch of stars into a movie because they are stars (see: Amsterdam), and it doesn't work out. Every actor in The Banshees of Inisherin has been cast for their look, feel, and chemistry. Nothing seems out of place in this comedic drama, least of all Brendan Gleeson as the reclusive friend. 

Did you really think we'd forget about Tom Cruise? This is peak Cruise control, with the perfect mix of good looks and great acting. Cruise does some of the best work of his career, reminding everyone why he's still the biggest star in Hollywood.