Welcome to the 2022 SiftPop.com Sifties!
This year, the SiftPop writers came together to nominate five movies for Best Visual Experience. Since two of the major pieces that work together to create a complete cinematic experience are a film’s visuals and audio, we thought it would be important to highlight them for our Siftie awards.
2022 was a great year for cinematography and special effects at the movies. Between comic book blockbusters, historical epics, transportive experiences, films about naval aviators, and the multiverse, there was a wide variety to appreciate. The SiftPop crew nominated five films for Best Visual Experience: The Batman, Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Northman, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Top Gun: Maverick. Here’s how the voting played out:
Robert Eggers is known for his precision in his filmmaking. He creates worlds and environments that are accurate to the time period in which his stories take place. That is only the first part of what makes The Northman so stunning to look at. On top of wholly accurate viking aesthetic, Eggers shows off his prowess in how he moves the camera throughout the space. From long takes in which the camera is passed off from land onto a moving boat on a river, to brutally filmed battle sequences, to showing off its awe-inspiring Irish landscapes, to the ethereal visual effects, The Northman is visually stunning.
The Batman is one of the best-made films of the year, and a key reason is the way it looks. The costume design of both Batman and the Riddler cement the story in a realistic world very early on in Batman’s career. The addition of the Batmobile only adds to that experience, looking like something Bruce Wayne built himself in a bunker. The dark color palette with an emphasis on black and red encapsulate the tone director Matt Reeves was looking for. The perfect touch rounding out the visuals is the remarkable cinematography by Greig Fraser, who helped to craft one of the sleekest yet grimiest superhero films to date.
This is how you create an action spectacle. This, right here. Top Gun: Maverick delivers visceral visuals at a breakneck pace. Whether that’s trying to break the all-time speed record by going Mach 10 in a hypersonic jet, Maverick’s unauthorized flight through the canyon run to prove the impossible can be achieved, or the massive final action sequence that includes a mission similar to the final Death Star trench run, a massive dogfight, and even the commandeering of an enemy jet. These dazzling and jaw-dropping visuals will keep you entranced from the film’s opening to its closing credits.
How many times can one guy revolutionize the possibilities of cinema? As it slowly became less and less of a joke, and as behind-the-scenes photos and interviews started to come out, it became clear that James Cameron, yet again, had something special up his sleeve. Avatar: The Way of Water is the definition of a visual spectacle. Na’vi swimming with tulkun, 48 frames per second action, and moments as small as two characters sitting and talking sum up some of the best of what movies had to offer in 2022. The CGI is seamless. It’s mind-boggling how perfectly the film blends real-world photography with the CGI. Cameron is out there making even more Avatar movies, and we can only expect more excellence.
Everything Everywhere All At Once is an action movie that doesn’t give you headaches from all the cuts, close-ups, and drone footage is a miracle in 2022. Combine that with the unique costume designs (including a coat made up of teddy-bears and a hairstyle where a character’s name is written in it), creative props (an advanced wheelchair and an auditor award being the highlights), a gorgeous color palette, and expert editing, and Everything Everywhere All At Once is a visual delight!
Make sure to check out the previous 2022 Sifties winners, and don’t forget to check back tomorrow for the winner of Best Narrative Experience! You can also listen to the SiftPop writers’ top five movies of the year on the SiftPop Writers’ Room Podcast!