Each year, The Film Magazine publishes over one hundred carefully written articles. Timed for anniversaries, driven by the excitement of new releases, or offering fresh perspectives on cinema, our pieces come from writers with deep knowledge and a passion for the medium. In an online landscape full of consolidated publishers and repackaged content, we remain an independent voice dedicated to you, our readers.
In 2022, our core team and a group of outstanding guest contributors produced some of the best film writing available on any free platform. They tackled lasting themes, celebrated cinematic artistry, and examined the industry’s most pressing issues, while also sharing personal essays that show why film remains such a powerful form of expression.
As editor-in-chief, I (Joseph Wade) was involved with every article published in 2022 and have been delighted by the depth and range of work we presented. While some pieces drew broad attention (see our list of 22 Most Popular Articles 2022), many exceptional articles quietly delivered powerful insights. This 2022 Reading List highlights those under-the-radar essays and reviews that deserve wider recognition.
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1. ‘Cabaret’ at 50 – Review
Author: Sam Sewell-Peterson
Twitter: @SSPThinksFilm
Sam Sewell-Peterson delivers a vivid and persuasive review that explains why Cabaret remains one of cinema’s most beloved musicals. Clear, engaging, and richly informed, the piece shows how the film’s craft and emotional core have kept it relevant for fifty years.
Read here.
2. In Defense of the Happy Ending: Alice Wu and LGBTQ+ Movies
Author: Tina Kakadelis
Twitter: @captainameripug
Tina Kakadelis argues eloquently that LGBTQ+ films deserve the rom-com convention of a happy ending after decades in which queer narratives were often limited to tragedy. The essay makes a persuasive case for joy, representation, and the right to narrative optimism.
Read here.
3. Spielberg’s ‘Jurassic Park’ VFX Remain the Industry’s Gold Standard
Author: Joseph Wade
Twitter: @JoeTFM
Three decades on, Spielberg’s Jurassic Park still contains a sequence that feels startlingly real. Joseph Wade examines the directorial choices and practical craftsmanship that helped cement the film as a VFX benchmark.
Read here.
4. ‘Blue My Mind’ and New Female Monsters
Author: Grace Britten
Twitter: @film_overload_
Grace Britten explores the figure of the female monster in Blue My Mind, celebrating how contemporary cinema allows women to inhabit complex and transgressive roles beyond traditional stereotypes.
Read here.
5. 10 Best Moments from The Thing
Author: Kieran Judge
Twitter: @KJudgeMental
Kieran Judge celebrates John Carpenter’s The Thing by highlighting ten unforgettable moments that showcase the film’s ambition, craft, and enduring ability to inspire awe decades after its release.
Read here.
6. Straightwashing Removes All Rainbows: Removing Bisexuals from Comic Book Films
Author: Paul Klein
Twitter: @paulkleinyoo
Paul Klein critiques the superhero genre’s persistent erasure of bisexual characters. The essay examines MCU and DCEU practices and outlines why inclusive representation matters for audiences and storytelling alike.
Read here.
7. Top Gun: Maverick Is in Love with Companionship, Familiarity
Author: Callum McGuigan
Callum McGuigan explains why Top Gun: Maverick resonated so broadly, arguing that beneath its action spectacle lies a film about belonging, routine, and the comforting bonds that guide everyday life.
Read here.
8. Cineworld Is Dead. Long Live Content
Author: Joseph Wade
Twitter: @JoeTFM
Joseph Wade presents a critical examination of how the film industry’s shift toward shortened theatrical windows and studio-owned streaming platforms contributed to the collapse of major exhibitors like Cineworld.
Read here.
9. Making Sense of Alex Garland’s ‘Men’
Author: A. D. Jameson
Twitter: @adjameson
A. D. Jameson decodes the layers of meaning in Alex Garland’s Men, offering interpretations that reveal the film’s deeper intentions and the anxieties it probes.
Read here.
10. Where to Start with Powell & Pressburger
Author: Sam Sewell-Peterson
Twitter: @SSPThinksFilm
This concise guide by Sam Sewell-Peterson introduces essential films from the legendary duo Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, making their influential catalogue accessible to new viewers.
Read here.
11. ‘The Master’ at 10 – Review
Author: Rachael Norris
Twitter: @Rachnozz
Rachael Norris’ tenth-anniversary review of The Master is readable, insightful, and rich with contextual analysis, reminding readers why the film was so essential on release and remains compelling today.
Read here.
12. 10 Unsung Women Filmmakers of the Silent Era
Author: Cynthia Scott
Cynthia Scott reintroduces ten pioneering women of the silent era whose contributions shaped cinematic language but are often overlooked today. The list is a thoughtful celebration and corrective to film history’s omissions.
Read here.
13. Marilyn Monroe: 3 Career-Defining Performances
Author: Emily Nighman
Emily Nighman highlights three performances that define Marilyn Monroe’s legacy, offering strong entry points for viewers who want to understand her evolution from aspiring actress to cultural icon.
Read here.
14. Vitaly Mansky’s Two Gorbachevs
Author: Ben Stoll
Ben Stoll examines Vitaly Mansky’s documentaries on Mikhail Gorbachev, showing how the filmmaker blends documentary techniques and narrative tools to shape perspective and meaning.
Read here.
15. Where to Start with Jean-Luc Godard
Author: George Taylor
Twitter: @MrGeorgelax
George Taylor’s guide to Godard balances tribute and clarity, offering accessible film suggestions that invite newcomers into one of cinema’s most challenging and rewarding oeuvres.
Read here.
16. The Closure of Edinburgh Filmhouse, Edinburgh International Film Festival: What It Means to Me
Author: Mark Carnochan
Twitter: @MarkJurassic
Mark Carnochan offers a personal tribute to the Edinburgh Filmhouse and the Edinburgh International Film Festival, reflecting on what their loss meant for local culture and for filmmakers and audiences alike.
Read here.
17. Original vs Remake: Nosferatu vs Nosferatu the Vampyre
Author: Sam Sewell-Peterson
Twitter: @SSPThinksFilm
Sam Sewell-Peterson compares F. W. Murnau’s silent classic with Werner Herzog’s reimagining, offering balanced analysis that enhances appreciation for both films’ strengths and differences.
Read here.
18. John Carpenter Movies Ranked
Author: Kieran Judge
Twitter: @KJudgeMental
Kieran Judge ranks John Carpenter’s films with enthusiasm and insight, capturing the director’s range and influence on horror and popular cinema.
Read here.
19. That Kind of Man: What L.A. Confidential Taught Me About Masculinity
Author: Craig Gent
Twitter: @aloneinthefront
Craig Gent’s frank personal essay uses L.A. Confidential to reflect on masculinity, memory, and the ways films shape our ideas about identity.
Read here.
20. Schindler’s List, Inglourious Basterds: Cementing and Reclaiming History in Cinema
Author: Robert Mitchell
Robert Mitchell compares Spielberg’s Schindler’s List and Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, exploring how each film approaches the representation of history and the moral responsibilities of filmmakers.
Read here.
21. Where to Start with Martin Scorsese
Author: Jacob Davis
Twitter: @JacobFilmGuy
Jacob Davis combines personal reflection and sharp analysis to recommend films that introduce viewers to Scorsese’s themes, techniques, and enduring influence.
Read here.
22. ‘Juno’ at 15 – Review
Author: Martha Lane
Twitter: @poor_and_clean
Martha Lane revisits Juno with warmth and clarity, assessing why the film connected with audiences and how its characters and tone continue to resonate.
Read here.
23. What Novelists Are For: ‘Atonement’ at 15
Author: Margaret Roarty
Twitter: @ManicMezzo
Margaret Roarty’s essay illuminates why Atonement remains a modern period drama classic, unpacking the storytelling devices and emotional architecture that make it distinctive.
Read here.
24. ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’ at 30 – Review
Author: Katie Doyle
Twitter: @Katie_TFM
Katie Doyle reflects on The Muppet Christmas Carol’s enduring charm and criticizes corporate decisions that have affected the Muppets brand, while celebrating the film as a beloved classic.
Read here.
25. A Ghost Story for Christmas Films Ranked
Author: Kieran Judge
Twitter: @KJudgeMental
Kieran Judge ranks and examines each entry in the BBC’s A Ghost Story for Christmas series, providing context, appreciation for the source material, and thoughtful commentary for fans.
Read here.
Which of The Film Magazine’s articles did you enjoy most in 2022? Did a piece change how you see a film or deepen your appreciation? Share your thoughts in the comments, and follow @thefilmagazine on Facebook and Twitter for updates in 2023 and beyond.