In The Shadows Top Ten Films Of 2022.....7-6-5

As I give you 7-6-5, this is the area I noticed my list pulls away from snotty/I am smarter than you reviewers. Was I entertained? Did it deliver what the fans and or trailer promised? Or...did I learn something? If I answered yes to any of those questions I usually give the film a thumbs up. So yes..my top ten movies are different from most reviewers...in the shadows. Like you, I am just an average movie goer..

So now on to number 7...how exciting..settle down..

7

DOWNTON ABBEY A NEW ERA

The Crawley family is back!! This time...traveling to the South Of France. While Hollywood has come to Downton.

Why is this in my top ten? It delivers exactly what fans of Downton wanted.

Each character had moments to shine.

The storyline was fun.

It was a beautiful looking film.

You laughed often; and left the theater with tears, you felt something.

It had many wonderful performances..I will highlight a couple:

Hugh Bonneville (Robert Crawley)..plays the change in his character perfectly. He has to release his pride to give up a little bit of control. However what is up with the tan..lol.

Laura Haddock, as film star Myrna Dawgleish. A newcomer to Downton. She plays the part kinda funny, yet she is a bit sad. She knows with talkies coming her career may be over. She plays the part perfectly. I have to wonder how the other actors in her scenes kept a straight face.

The best performance of them all...and never gets enough credit..Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary. She plays Lady Mary in this new era with class and dignity, and also a bit modern knowing all the weight is on this woman's shoulder to keep Downton running, and to not let everyone see her sweat by adding humor. Dockery is the star of this series for sure.

After the really bad last Downton movie, this is a wonderful comeback. There is never a wasted moment, this film shines.

Number 7 for 2022 ....Downton Abbey A New Era.

6

MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON

Marcel is a 1 inch shell who lives with his grandmother in a VRBO house. However when a documentary filmmaker discovers them, and starts interviewing Marcel, well, wonderful things happen.

Without a doubt the sweetest film of the year. 

Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, he was also the screenwriter with help from Jenny Slate (voice of Marcel) and Nick Paley.

Not going to spoil too much here but...

Using stop/go animation, this film is brilliant. This film is for adults, and it is sometimes laugh out loud funny (Like the tick tick tick of the show 60 minutes) for the quick wit. Yes funny, but sometimes sad. Again I will not spoil it. The screenplay is so different from what we have seen before.

Also the voice work is spot on ...Jenny Slate as Marcel and Isabella Rossellini (yes you read that right) as Connie. How did they get Rossellini????!!

Just a wonderful little film coming in at number 6... Marcel The Shell With Shoes On.

5

THE FABELMANS

Post World War 2, in Arizona, young Sammy Fabelman wants to be a filmmaker. He soon discovers, through his camera lens, family secrets that could alter his path and his dreams.

Well you all know this film directed by Steven Spielberg is his story brought to the screen.

This film has a slow burn that worked for me. Many do not like the slow burn, but for me, a person who loves film, it was a joy.

Spielberg is a great director we all know, but he does not get enough credit for his casting. Every single person in this film is perfect in their parts:

-Michelle Williams as Mizi Fabelman, a tough role to handle but she is perfect...but when is she not.

-Paul Dano as Burt Fabelman. How? How? How did he not get an Oscar nomination here as the father? He is being a dad who is being left in the dust. Kind of heartbreaking. Yet he plays him stoic to the end.

-Introducing us to Gabriel LaBelle as Sammy the dreamer. I mean, how does Spielberg find these young newcomers (Rachel Zegler In West Side Story)?! LaBelle plays Sammy(aka Spielberg) spot on. It is a tough part playing a young man in a house which is oddly broken; still chasing his dreams; also lets not forget growing up Jewish in that time period. Not an easy part to play and he is really good.

I am not mentioning Judd Hirsh as Uncle Boris here, I do not get the love. He was in the film for 5 minutes. I do not get it. In fact I think Seth Rogan was better in this film as Uncle Benny, but he is getting no love.

If I had a problem with the film it would be the abrupt ending, which kind of dropped it out of the top 3 for me. Still, coming in at number 5.. The Fabelmans.

So..2-3-4 still too come!!!

From the shadows as always thanks for your time