There’s never a consensus “best” movie for any year (taste is subjective, etc.), but this feels particularly true for 2022. Everything from Benediction, to Tár, to Everything Everywhere All At Once, to Aftersun, among many others, has topped lists put together by critics. Causeway is also getting some year-end love, but what does one of the Apple TV+ film’s leads, Jennifer Lawrence, think is the best movie of 2022?
“I think that Woman King is the best movie I’ve seen this year, hands down, and the best movie I’ve seen in so long. I heard an interesting story about how it came to you,” Lawrence said in a conversation with Viola Davis, who stars in, yup, The Woman King.
When Lawrence wondered why Davis expressed surprise the action film was even made, the four-time Oscar nominee replied, “What I have going for me is I’m a Black actress. And I understand how people perceive that. I don’t see it as a hindrance. But when have I ever seen anything like Woman King, not just with me in it, but with anyone who looks like me in it? What studio is going to put money behind it? How are they going to be convinced that Black women can lead a global box office? So, yeah, I said, ‘That’s not going to happen, because you don’t see it.'”
The Gina Prince-Bythewood-directed The Woman King not only happened, but it was greeted with strong reviews and made nearly $100 million at the box office. It’s one of the highest-grossing non-franchise films of the year. Good news for everyone who missed it in theaters, too: The Woman King is available on streaming now.
(Via Variety)
