Best Pictures

Written By Game Day

As Hollywood gets ready to pick its Best Picture at the Oscars this Sunday, we thought we’d get into the spirit of things, movie-wise.

We were curious about what locals thought was the best movie of the year. But realizing that not every movie is a classic, but that doesn’t stop it from being a guilty pleasure or a comfort watch, we also wanted to know about their all time faves.

We asked two questions

  1. What movie have you probably seen the most?

  2. What was your favorite movie of 2022?

Check out this year’s Academy Award nominees for Best Picture, and more importantly, see how your favorites stack up against other Cincinnati People.

– Tricia Suit

Justin Brookhart, executive director, BLINK

  1. I’ve definitely seen Jurassic Park the most times in my life. It was the first film I saw in a movie theater and the movie I re-watch most often. 

  2. My favorite film of 2022 was Tár. I loved Cate Blanchett'‘s performance but especially loved that the film is about interpretation. There is intentional ambiguity and lots of visuals/themes that are left up to the audience to unpack. It's also very funny. And the beautiful shots of Berlin don't hurt. 

Julie Calvert, CEO Visit Cincy

  1. Urban Cowboy, The Intern, The Firm

  2. Top Gun Maverick, Whitney Houston

Hillary Copsey, book adviser, Mercantile Library

  1. Clueless, which I maintain is the best adaptation of a Jane Austen novel. (It’s a 1990s update of Emma.)

    I saw it first as a teenager, and it’s a joy to see my own teenagers discovering it now. 

  2. Everything Everywhere All At Once ... though, I have to say, watching Daniel Radcliffe delight in being the villain in The Lost City was a treat. (Editor’s note: The Lost City is a delight!)

Kathy Debrosse, vice president marketing and engagement, ArtsWave

  1. The movie I’ve seen the most, I think is Elf – it’s my favorite Christmas movie and favorite Will Ferrell movie as well. I have vivid memories of embarrassing my teenage kids at the theater when it first came out, many moons ago.

  2. I don’t have a favorite full-run movie. However, I was moved by Stranger at the Gate, which is a documentary up for the best film shorts (documentary). It provides scary insight into how prejudice and extreme duress/PRSD from military service can mix, with the potential to inflict malice on others as a byproduct. At the same time, it’s hopeful, with love and acceptance ultimately winning out.

Eric Kearney

  1. Rocky Horror Picture Show

  2. King Richard

Nicholas Korn, AAC marketing, author Wild Sonnets

  1. We rewatch a vast number of movies at our house, so an accurate count is in no way possible. But I am going to go with A Night at The Opera featuring the Marx Brothers. One of the most hilarious movies ever. Still. (Editor’s note: Facts.)

  2. My favorite movie of 2022 was Everything Everywhere All at Once. Mainly because, much to my shame, it was really the only new movie I saw last year, but also because I’m a goon for anything with Michelle Yeoh.

Cincinnati People’s Picks

Megan Coffey, Cincinnati People videographer

  1. One movie I’ve seen the most is either Elf or Pretty Woman. It’s a tie between the two for sure.  Elf is a Christmas classic and Pretty Woman is just iconic. I love Julia Roberts and love how she turns her life around.

  2. My favorite movie of 2022 was Top Gun Maverick! Saw it in theatre and it was incredible 

Jackie Reau, CEO, Game Day Communications

Anytime I am flipping through TV stations, and I see Shawshank Redemption on, it’s all over. Andy Dufresne pulls me in every time and I have to watch it.

Fun fact: D Lynn Meyers, producing artistic director of the Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati, was the casting director of Shawshank Redemption.

Tricia Suit, editor, Cincinnati People

  1. Bringing Up Baby – Any time it is on, I will watch it. The madcap heiress, the overlapping dialogue, pratfalls, a leopard, and Skippy the dog – What’s not to love!

  2. My favorites movies of 2022 could not be more different.

    As a fan of the TV show, I loved Downton Abbey: A New Era, from the incredible fashion to the gorgeous setting in the South of France. It was the ultimate comfort (re)watch.

    The innovative Everything Everywhere All at Once maintains an exquisite humanity despite the amazing effects and convoluted storyline. The cast is incredible!

Courtney Tomasetti, client strategy director, Game Day Communications

  1. Seen most and all-time favorite: Forrest Gump.

  2. Favorite of 2022: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness // Runner up: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (Because I’m 7 years old!) (Editor’s note: She in fact has a 6-year-old at home.)

Marcus Margerum, interim director, Contemporary Arts Center

  1. Harlem Nights

    Fun fact: Parts of the movie were filmed here! See a full list of movies shot in Greater Cincinnati, including a Best Picture winner!)

  2. Nope

Mindy Rosen, executive director, Friends of Music Hall 

  1. Cabaret with Liza Minnelli because it’s still so daring to tell the tale of the evil Nazis with fabulous music and dancing.  

  2. EO about a wandering donkey in Poland who makes his way from a circus act through Poland to Italy. It’s up for Best International Feature Film. It’s visually stunning and shows the human bond to animals (even donkeys) can be super strong.

Cincinnati Fear E-sports Team

Tim David, manager, Cincinnati Fear

  1. Deadpool

  2. The Batman

Chase Capello

  1. Jujutsu Kaisen 0

  2. Bullet Train – I went to watch it with my friends I hadn't seen in many years and we all thought it was gonna be bad but it was really entertaining nonstop action.

Trevor Roy 

1. Casino Royale

2. The Batman

Xavier Vaillancourt

  1. Angels and Doom

Mingshui Zhang 

  1. Battle Los Angeles, I watched it 10 times with my dad as a kid, it was a new movie with guns soldiers and I loved those kind of movies so my dad would take me to the theater to watch it.

2. Turning Red

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