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Film reviews, Top Ten Lists

Tarek’s Top Ten Films of 2022

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2022 was a year of movies with a broad variety of cinematic entertainment. After the uncharted territory of the Covid-19 pandemic impacting movies in 2020 and 2021, this past year managed to be one with a full throttle of movie magic. I covered many press screenings in 2022, and I attended the Chicago Critics Film Festival in May and the Chicago International Film Festival in October. The films I reviewed this year included many great films, and a number with connecting elements. These are my top ten films of 2022.

The film at the top of my list for 2022 is Tar, a film about owning one’s craft. Director Todd Field brings us an immersive and compelling vision of a prestigious person, Cate Blanchett as Lydia Tar, a musical philanthropist who stops at nothing to pursue her passion, including being deceitful if needed. Tar is daring and spellbinding, and the film made me realize how far people will go to advance what they are passionate about.

My second film is Guillermo del Toro’s Pinnochio. Del Toro has a creative mind that exudes positive imagination and love. The animation and storyline of Guillermo del Toro’s Pinnochio is touching, and audiences feel the love and connection of Pinocchio and Geppetto through the astonishing animation and the music. Pinnochio is voiced by Gregory Mann, Geppetto is voiced by David Bradley, and Ewan McGregor brings lots of fun and humor as the voice of Cricket. This is del Toro’s most captivating story and the animation is epic.

Third on my list is The Banshees of Inisherin. If there is any director who can depict relationships falling apart with meaning and seriousness, it is Martin McDonagh. The Banshees of Inisherin is a film about hatred, connection, cultural beliefs, and friendship gone awry. Colin Farrell plays Padraic, and Brendan Gleeson plays Colm, two people on harsh terms. The film takes place in Ireland, and is a fascinating look at Irish cultural perspectives and irreparable consequences. The chemistry between Farrell and Gleeson makes The Banshees of Inisherin a surreal masterpiece.

The fourth film on my list is Avatar: The Way of Water. The world has waited thirteen years for this film. The wait is over, and James Cameron, the mad man of extreme directing, brings us a wild technological ride. Avatar: The Way of Water blows its audience away with its 3D magic. The underwater sequences are extraordinary and mesmerizing. Avatar: The Way of Water is an unforgettable ride.

My fifth film, Empire of Light, from Director Sam Mendes, is about finding love and connection in a cinema. I’ve worked in movie theaters for many years, so this was a film that I related to very much and it touched my heart deeply. Cinema nostalgia and empathy are on full display in Empire of Light, and Olivia Colman gives probably one of her best performances.

My sixth film is Hustle. I grew up loving basketball. In my younger days I was captivated by Michael Jordan and other basketball icons. Hustle is a film displaying the personal and political complications of organized basketball. Adam Sandler is at his best in Hustle, playing a man who recruits a future professional played by Juancho Hernangomez. Both Sandler and Hernangomez deliver performances that soar and shine with persistence and passion in Hustle.

My seventh film is Cha Cha Real Smooth. This film was a very meaningful experience for me, since I am on the autism spectrum and I am always trying to advocate and encourage others on the spectrum. Cooper Raiff is the director, writer, and lead of the film, and he is wonderful. He plays a deadbeat with a negative attitude, but he forms a friendship with a mother, played by Dakota Johnson, and her autistic daughter. Cha Cha Real Smooth reminded me that I can inspire others who are on the spectrum, and also people who are not on the spectrum, to be their own selves and have a good attitude.

My eighth film is Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. The fun of Knives out from 2019 is back. Glass Onion: A Knives out Mystery takes the detective entertainment to a whole different level of creativity, suspense, and laughs. The mystery takes place in the Covid era, which added to the fun of the film. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is an enthralling, funny, and lethally charged mystery. Daniel Craig is back as the detective the world loves in his role as Benoit Blanc. With many stars ranging from Edward Norton and Kate Hudson, to Kathryn Hahn and more, there are great surprises to be discovered in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.

My ninth film is Top Gun: Maverick. Thirty-six years later, the Top Gun franchise still lives with Top Gun: Maverick. Tom Cruise is back as Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ and the film brings back the fighter jet nostalgia the world has waited for. With the brilliant characterizations and lots of “Need for Speed,” Top Gun: Maverick is a ride for the ages. The legacy is strong and compelling and Top Gun: Maverick is a ride of flying and cinematic thrills to remember, especially with Miles Teller as Lt. ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw, and Val Kilmer back as Adm. Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky. Top Gun: Maverick is a nostalgic masterpiece.


The tenth and final film is Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths. Director Alejandro G. Inarritu knows character development. Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths takes one man’s life and turns it into a rollercoaster of reality. Daniel Gimenez Cacho plays an accomplished journalist and documentary filmmaker, and his performance blows viewers out of the water. The film tests the limits and frustrations of one man’s life. Inarritu knows the depths of both serious and funny. Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths has its viewers excited, curious and intrigued.

Despite the interferences with Covid-19, 2022 was one of my best years of film experiences and reviews. It was also a year where movies were great in both the cinemas and virtually, but I prefer the big screen experience any opportunity I get. The darkness of being a screenings room, the projectors running, the smell of popcorn, and the movie playing in front of me is what I love most.

I want to thank all my critic friends, my family, and anyone around the Chicagoland who has helped the cinema be an amazing year. Also, thanks to all my readers, followers, and mentors. I cannot wait to see what 2023 has to offer.


I am Tarek Fayoumi of Movieswithtarek.com, Medium.com, columnist with Positively Naperville, approved critic of Bananameter, and member of Chicago Indie Critics.

Film reviews

The Son Review

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Depression is a normal human emotion. Some people struggle with depression and others are better able to handle it. Director Florian Zeller puts us in a world of depression in The Son which is an honest and faithful film that is about a teenage boy’s emotional distress. The filmis realistic in its portrayal of life as it authentically illustrates how feeling down can be a challenge to accept. The melancholy is highly saturated throughout the story.

I had difficulty with The Son at various times. The concepts of sadness and anxiety were the two factors that made me feel especially emotional. The Son reminded me of what it can feel like to be down about aspects of life. Given all the downer moments in the film, I wasalso reminded of how important getting help is.  It is clear, however, that the ones we love most may have to make tough decisions sometimes and those who are suffering may take offense to those decisions. By making these difficult decisions, the hope is to help the people we love ultimately live a better life.

In The Son, audiences are introduced to Nicholas (played by Zen McGrath). He is a teenage boy with divorced parents in New York City. He ditches school and begins to show signs that concern his mother Kate (played by Laura Dern). Nicholas then begs to stay with his father Peter (played by Hugh Jackman). Peter is remarried, and his new wife is Beth (played by Vanessa Kirby). Nicholas changes schools, and his dad tries to help him out. Nicholas acts like he is improving, but he is not well and hides his emotions. Peter and Kate do not know how to help their son. Even Peter’s father (played by Anthony Hopkins) does not know how to give Peter advice. Unfortunately, Peter’s father is self-absorbed and fails to admit to his own mistakes during Peter’s childhood. With all the tensions, frustrations, and worrisome factors, The Son is psychologically disturbing. The level of Nicholas’ sadness causes confusion and many questions for Kate, Peter, and Beth.

The Son paints a vivid portrait of mental health challenges and displays Zeller’s vision of realism as a director. Zeller knows how to grease the wheel of stress and apprehension in The Son. In a few fragments, Nicholas is shown in an average mood. There are moments where it seems he has more confidence in himself, and his father becomes immediately impressed. The essential ingredients to Nicholas’ mental health tend to come to a halt due to shocking discoveries by his parents. These scenes are portrayed with honesty and are familiar to those familiar with depression.  People who fight depression tend to keep covering their tracks and hiding their real problems. Can Nicholas stop lying to himself?

The Son left me with mixed emotions. I liked it for its realism, but its focus on mental health was hard for me to handle. Nicholas’ parents simply want their son to be happy. Despite how concerning Nicholas’s feelings may appear, tough love may have to come into play to help him recover.

The film left me quite down, but it reinforced the importance of my life. It reminded me of who has helped me to get my life back on track when I’ve faced troubles.  It also reminded me of the fundamentals of family. In the end, it is all about what people can do to help those they care about pick themselves up. Three stars for The Son.

Film reviews

Whitney Houston: I wanna Dance with Somebody Review

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Naomie Ackie is the right actress to portray Whitney Houston. Her performance soars in Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody. Ackie has the voice, the looks, and the personality. She is ferocious and poised for success. Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody is an honest,compelling true story which shows how the stakes for becoming successful are high and the personal risks of fame can often be overwhelming. The tensions created on Whitney’s rise to the top are exposed throughout the film.

The movie is brilliantly displayed in chronological order of thecharacters in Whitney’s life. They include her parents John and Cissy Houston (played by Clarke Peters and Tamara Tunie). There is also Clive Davis (played by Stanley Tucci) and Bobby Brown (played by Ashton Sanders). John and Clive play the marketing and sales roles in promoting Whitney’s incredibletalent. Bobby, unfortunately, adds much of the damage to Whitney’s life. While Whitney reaps the rewards of her music and royalties, her careless behavior also leads to many irreparable consequences. The question is whether she can hold it all together by finding a way out the complicated stressors in her life.

The film begins with an early focus on Whitney and jumps right into her singing career. Fans will enjoy revisiting her true moments of fame, including when she sang at the Super Bowl, her successful movies, and concert tours. Her music, however, is when she displays the struggles in her life and creates moments of despair as well as inspiration. Whitney experienced fame, abuse, and neglect. The performance by Ackie is outstanding as she portrays the real Whitney regaining her faith. Clive helps her achieve renewed success as he builds a track record of contracts and associated fame.

What captivated me the most during the film was the working relationship between Whitney and Clive. Tucci delivers a performance that is encouraging and motivating. He helps Whitney find her voice and the meaning in her music. He also helps her to establish the public image that will help her sellrecords. Whitney’s life of turmoil is saturated in the film and Tucci’s performance provides the guide to Whitney’s redemption. The film has many sad scenarios, but it is powerful in finding hope for Whitney.

Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody was an experience of lightness and darkness surrounding the many stages of Whitney’s life. It displays an emphasis on reality and shows that money and fame do not buy someone happiness. The spiraling conflicts caused by her financial success sets off awhirlwind of mental stressors eventually causing the light to hit a sad plateau.

The film showcases many memorable songs, a history of Whitney’s accomplishments, and also various personality clashes. Despite the realistic and sad issues, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody is a stellar movie of musical appreciation. It will turn tears into joy and appreciation. Three and a half stars.