Best Sci-Fi & Fantasy Movies 2022
The emotional fan-favorite, Yeoh-gets-an-Oscar-or-we-will-riot entry of 2022 the Oscar season, Everything Everywhere All at Once, tops our list of the Best Sci-Fi & Fantasy of 2022, due in no small part to its impeccable direction, production design, arresting visuals, and of course, the performances. Starring the incomparable Michelle Yeoh and reintroducing the world to the former child actor Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once is not just an Oscar hopeful; it is literally one of the best films of the year, a testament to what genre filmmaking can do. It’s joined on this list by more illustrious candidates, including a few Oscar hopefuls, such as James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water and Jordan Peele’s Nope. Be sure to stream this one as soon as possible if you haven’t already and you want to be prepared to know exactly which film will pick up hardware come Oscar night.
The order reflects Tomatometer scores (as of December 31, 2022) after adjustment from our ranking formula, which compensates for variation in the number of reviews when comparing movies or TV shows.
#1
Adjusted Score: 115256%
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...
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#2
Adjusted Score: 109251%
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...
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#3
Adjusted Score: 108989%
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...
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#4
Adjusted Score: 100627%
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...
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#5
Adjusted Score: 101536%
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...
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#6
Adjusted Score: 97665%
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...
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#7
Adjusted Score: 95225%
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...
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#8
Adjusted Score: 91043%
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...
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#9
Adjusted Score: 93594%
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...
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#10
Adjusted Score: 100840%
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...
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