#82: Best Books, Movies, and Shows of 2022 (so far)

What. A. Year. And it ain't over yet!

We’re a bit past mid-year at this point, but it’s never too late (or too early) to put together a “best of” list. Here are my favorite things of 2022 so far.

First, stats! Of the 35 books I’ve read or listened to, here’s a breakdown. Leans female, fiction, and four stars with no preference for format.

• Pages read: ~7,600

• Trips to movie theater: 9

• Streaming: 13 movies, 6 series, 1 documentary

Best Books

Station Eleven and Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel - I enjoyed Station Eleven so much that I couldn’t wait to read more of her work. I picked up her newest release, Sea of Tranquility, and it enveloped me. See my full reviews here and here.

The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson - I’m currently reading Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi and it’s bringing back memories of this staggering, Pulitzer Prize winning chronicle of The Great Migration. The horrors of racism continue to surprise me even after I thought I had heard it all. Full review here.

How to be Perfect by Michael Schur - Back in May I traveled to Portland with my good friend Michael and visited heaven on earth a.k.a. Powell’s City of Books. I picked this up as a snarky gift for my wife (she’s already perfect xoxo) and read it last month. Michael Schur took a deep dive into philosophy to create The Good Place and shares his witty wisdom on ethics and morality.

What are your favorite books you’ve read this year? Let me know in comments!

Best Movies

Top Gun: Maverick - I’ve raved about this enough and with $1.4 billion of global box office receipts, it doesn’t need my endorsement.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent - I laughed so hard I cried. Nick Cage, as himself, gets tangled up with the CIA. Pedro Pascal, as adorable super-Cage-fan Javi Gutierrez, is tangled in the family drug business. Together they have wacky adventures in this action-comedy that also serves as an homage to Cage’s unconventional career.

Prey (Hulu) - Amber Midthunder plays Naru, a Comanche warrior who defends her people against a dangerous enemy. She kicks butt! This was released directly to streaming on Hulu and it blew me away. Definitely deserved a theatrical release for how gorgeous the shots are and how tight and smart the action is.

Best TV Series’

Station Eleven (HBO Max) - I wrote about this one already and just thinking about it brings back good memories. Magical show.

Never Have I Ever S2 (Netflix) - This high school comedy stars Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as Devi Vishwakumar, a first generation Indian American navigating friends, boys, and her overbearing Indian mother. Every single 30 minute episode has an astonishingly high laugh-per-minute ratio. I love the cast (Sendhil Ramamurthy needs more work!), the John McEnroe narration, and the messages. It’s brilliant.

Reservation Dogs S1 (Hulu) - Another comedy series about kids navigating the challenges of life, this amazing show is about four Native American teenagers on a reservation in Oklahoma. I love it so much. I just want to hang out with the characters in all their vulgar-but-good-to-the-core glory.

TV Backlist

Bluey S3 - This is the greatest show of all time. I didn’t say greatest kid show or greatest animated show. Greatest show. Emphatic period. A family of four Australian blue heelers being funny and cute and wholesome. If you haven’t watched it, try just one 7 minute episode. You won’t be sorry.

Reservation Dogs S2 - Stoodis.

That’s all for me this week. What are your favorites of 2022 so far? I’d love to hear in the comments!

Kyle