Best Sci-Fi & Fantasy Movies 2022

Critics Consensus: Led by an outstanding Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once lives up to its title with an expertly calibrated assault on the senses.

Synopsis: Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, collectively known as Daniels, the film is a hilarious and big-hearted sci-fi action adventure about an exhausted Chinese... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong

Directed By: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert

Critics Consensus: The rare action thriller that spikes adrenaline without skimping on character development, Prey is a Predator prequel done right.

Synopsis: Set in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago, "Prey" is the story of a young woman, Naru, a fierce and highly skilled warrior. She has... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Stormee Kipp, Michelle Thrush

Directed By: Dan Trachtenberg

Critics Consensus: Admirable for its originality and ambition even when its reach exceeds its grasp, Nope adds Spielbergian spectacle to Jordan Peele's growing arsenal.

Synopsis: A man and his sister discover something sinister in the skies above their California horse ranch, while the owner of a nearby theme park tries... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, Michael Wincott

Directed By: Jordan Peele

Critics Consensus: Bursting with ideas and ambition, Neptune Frost is difficult to describe -- and just as hard to resist.

Synopsis: In an otherworldly e-waste camp made of recycled computer parts, a subversive hacking collective attempts a takeover of the authoritarian regime exploiting the region's natural... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cheryl Isheja, Bertrand Ninteretse, Eliane Umuhire, Elvis Ngabo

Directed By: Saul Williams, Anisia Uzeyman

Critics Consensus: Although its reach occasionally exceeds its grasp, After Yang yields rich rewards for those willing to settle into its low-key wavelength.

Synopsis: When his young daughter's beloved companion -- an android named Yang -- malfunctions, Jake (Colin Farrell) searches for a way to repair him. In the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Colin Farrell, Jodie Turner-Smith, Justin H. Min, Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja

Directed By: Kogonada

Critics Consensus: The Long Walk may require patience from some viewers, but they'll be rewarded with a thoughtful and alluringly atmospheric ghost story.

Synopsis: An old man walks the dusty roads between his isolated farm and the nearby rural village in the company of a silent spirit whose death... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Yannawoutthi Chanthalungsy, Vilouna Phetmany, Por Silatsa, Noutnapha Soydara

Directed By: Mattie Do

Critics Consensus: An eerily relevant debut from writer-director Iuli Gerbase, The Pink Cloud reaches into the emotional fault lines of pandemic life and comes away with striking observations about human behavior.

Synopsis: A mysterious and deadly pink cloud appears across the globe, forcing everyone to stay home. Strangers at the outset, Giovana and Yago try to invent... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Eduardo Mendonça, Girley Paes, Kaya Rodrigues, Renata de Lélis

Directed By: Iuli Gerbase

Critics Consensus: An impressive feature debut for director/co-writer Nyla Innuksuk, Slash/Back puts a refreshing spin on the standard alien invasion thriller.

Synopsis: Set in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, a sleepy hamlet nestled in the majestic mountains of Baffin Island in the Arctic Ocean, SLASH/BACK opens as the village wakes... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tasiana Shirley, Alexis Vincent-Wolfe, Nalajoss Ellsworth, Chelsea Prusky

Directed By: Nyla Innuksuk

Critics Consensus: Something in the Dirt reaffirms Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead as sci-fi storytellers with a distinctive -- and darkly alluring -- vision.

Synopsis: When neighbors John and Levi witness supernatural events in their Los Angeles apartment building, they realize documenting the paranormal could inject some fame and fortune... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead, Sarah Adina Smith, Wanjiru M. Njendu

Directed By: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead

Critics Consensus: Narratively, it might be fairly standard stuff -- but visually speaking, Avatar: The Way of Water is a stunningly immersive experience.

Synopsis: Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, "Avatar: The Way of Water" begins to tell the story of the Sully... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang

Directed By: James Cameron