2022 Mid-Year Reel Awards Winners
For the second year in a row, it's time for the Mid-Year Reel Awards winners!
For the Mid-Year Reel Awards final balloting process, I asked critic friends of mine (and all of you!) to vote for what films are the best of 2022 so far. Out of the 71 feature films nominated this year, 12 films have won at least one award.
Before I get to the winners, I want to thank the fifteen people who nominated films they loved this year and the thirteen people who voted on who should receive the Reel Awards in this ceremony. There was tons of variety in each category, which couldn’t make me happier. Across the board, I saw love for indies and blockbusters alike, which was surprising. So, thank each and every one of you.
Please note: the only influence I had on the outcome of these winners was being the fourteenth vote, and vetoing nominees that were not eligible under previously stated 2022 Mid-Year Reel Awards eligibility requirements.
The biggest wins are for A24’s hit multiversal story from The Daniels, Everything Everywhere All At Once, taking home 8 Reel Awards, including Best Overall Film, both Performance categories, and more. In second place is Paramount’s Top Gun: Maverick with 3 wins, including Best Stunts. In third place is Warner Bros. Discovery’s Elvis, with 2 wins, including Costume Design. The remaining 9 films that won a Reel Award are Warner Bros. Discovery’s The Batman, Apple’s Cha Cha Real Smooth, National Geographic Documentary Film’s Fire of Love, Searchlight and Hulu’s Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, Universal’s Marry Me, Universal’s Nope, Focus Features’ The Northman, IFC Films’ Official Competition, and Pixar’s Turning Red.
This win tally has A24 taking home 8 Reel Awards for one film, Paramount taking home 3 Reel Awards for one film, Warner Bros. Discovery taking home 3 Reel Awards with two films, Universal taking home two Reel Awards for two films, Apple taking home one Reel Award for one film, Focus Features taking home one Reel Award for one film, IFC Films taking home one Reel Award for one film, National Geographic taking home one Reel Award for one film, and Pixar Animation Studios taking home one Reel Award for one film.
Best Overall Film
After Yang (A24) - 1 vote
The Batman (Warner Bros. Pictures) - 1 vote
Cha Cha Real Smooth (Apple TV+) - 0 votes
Everything Everywhere All At Once (A24) - 9 votes
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (A24) - 2 votes
This Much I Know to Be True (Trafalgar Releasing) - 0 votes
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (Lionsgate) - 1 vote
Best Debut Film
The Bad Guys (Universal) - 2 votes
Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes (Indiecan) - 2 votes
Bitterbrush (Magnolia Pictures) - 0 votes
The Fallout (HBO Max) - 0 votes
Fresh (Searchlight) - 1 vote
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (Searchlight) - 1 vote
I Am What I Am (Shaw Organisation) - 0 votes
Nanny (Prime Video) - 2 votes
Poser (Oscilloscope) - 1 vote
Rubikon (IFC Films) - 0 votes
Turning Red (Walt Disney Studios) - 3 votes
Vengeance (Focus Features) - 1 vote
You Won't Be Alone (Focus Features) - 1 vote
Best Documentary
Bitterbrush (Magnolia Pictures) - 0 votes
Crows Are White (Memory) - 1 vote
Fire of Love (NEON) - 5 votes
The Found Footage Phenomenon (Shudder) - 0 votes
Leave No Trace (Hulu) - vote
Lucy and Desi (Prime Video) - 1 vote
Mija (Disney+) - 1 vote
Navalny (HBO Max) - 3 votes
Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off (HBO Max) - 2 votes
Best Foreign Language/International Film
The Blind Man Who Did Not Want to See Titanic (Cinedigm) - 1 vote
Girl Picture (Citizen Jane Productions) - 1 vote
Happening (IFC Films) - 1 vote
Official Competition (IFC Films) - 3 votes
Petite Maman (NEON) - 2 votes
Pleasure (NEON) - 1 vote
Pompo: The Cinéphile (GKIDS) - 1 vote
The Policeman's Lineage (Echelon Studios) - 0 votes
RRR (Netflix) - 2 votes
Vortex (Utopia) - 2 votes
You Won't Be Alone (Focus Features) - 0 votes
Best Debut Screenplay
The Fallout by Megan Park (HBO Max) - 1 vote
Fire Island by Joel Kim Booster (Searchlight) - 1 vote
Girl Picture by Ilona Ahti and Daniela Hakulinen (Citizen Jane Productions) - 0 votes
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande by Katy Brand (Searchlight) - 4 votes
On the Count of Three by Ari Katcher & Ryan Welch (Orion Pictures) - 0 votes
Pleasure by Ninja Thyberg & Peter Modestij (NEON) - 3 votes
Poser by Noah Dixon (Oscilloscope) - 2 votes
Turning Red by Domee Shi and Julia Cho (Walt Disney Studios) - 1 vote
You Won't Be Alone by Goran Stolevski (Focus Features) - 2 votes
Best Debut Performance
Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja, After Yang (A24) - 1 vote
Mason Thames, The Black Phone (Universal) - 0 votes
Kali Reis, Catch the Fair One (IFC Films) - 2 votes
Vanessa Burghardt, Cha Cha Real Smooth (Apple TV+) - 7 votes
Juancho Hernangómez, Hustle (Netflix) - 1 vote
Sofia Kappel, Pleasure (NEON) - 2 votes
Rosalie Chiang, Turning Red (Walt Disney Studios) - 1 vote
Best Lead Performance
Austin Butler, Elvis (Warner Bros. Pictures) - 1 vote
Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All At Once (A24) - 10 votes
Jenna Ortega, The Fallout (HBO Max) - 0 votes
Dale Dickey, A Love Song (Bleecker Street) - 1 vote
Françoise Lebrun, Vortex (Utopia) - 0 votes
Nicolas Cage, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (Lionsgate) - 2 votes
Best Supporting Performance
Dakota Johnson, Cha Cha Real Smooth (Apple TV+) - 1 vote
Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All At Once (A24) - 9 votes
Stephanie Hsu, Everything Everywhere All At Once (A24) - 1 vote
Wes Studi, A Love Song (Bleecker Street) - 1 vote
Rory Kinnear, Men (A24) - 2 votes
Pedro Pascal, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (Lionsgate) - 0 votes
Best Screenplay
The Batman by Matt Reeves and Peter Craig (Warner Bros. Pictures) - 2 votes
Cha Cha Real Smooth by Cooper Raiff (Apple TV+) - 1 vote
Everything Everywhere All At Once by The Daniels (A24) - 9 votes
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent by Tom Gormican & Kevin Etten (Lionsgate) - 2 votes
Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash by Edwin (Netflix) - 0 votes
Best Director
Kogonada, After Yang (A24) - 1 vote
Matt Reeves, The Batman (Warner Bros. Pictures) - 2 votes
Cooper Raiff, Cha Cha Real Smooth (Apple TV+) - 1 vote
The Daniels, Everything Everywhere All At Once (A24) - 6 votes
Dean Fleischer-Camp, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (A24) - 2 votes
Joseph Kosinski, Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount) - 1 vote
Tom Gormican, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (Lionsgate) - 1 vote
Best Cinematography
Benjamin Loeb, After Yang (A24) - 0 votes
Greig Fraser, The Batman (Warner Bros. Pictures) - 3 votes
Larkin Seiple, Everything Everywhere All At Once (A24) - 2 votes
Hoyte Van Hoyema, Nope (Universal) - 4 votes
Jarin Blaschke, The Northman (Focus Features) - 2 votes
Claudio Miranda, Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount) - 3 votes
Best Costume Design
Jacqueline Durran, David Crossman, and Glyn Dillon, The Batman (Warner Bros. Pictures) - 0 votes
Amy Andrews, The Black Phone (Universal) - 0 votes
Maja Meschede & Anna Robbins, Downton Abbey: A New Era (Focus Features) - 2 votes
Catherine Martin, Elvis (Warner Bros. Pictures) - 5 votes
Shirley Kurata, Everything Everywhere All At Once (A24) - 4 votes
Linda Muir, The Northman (Focus Features) - 3 votes
Mayes C. Rubeo, Thor: Love and Thunder (Walt Disney Studios) - 0 votes
Best Effects
Dan Lemmon, The Batman (Warner Bros. Pictures) - 2 votes
Jesse Noel, Chip N' Dale: Rescue Rangers (Disney+) - 0 votes
Chris Corbould, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Walt Disney Studios) - 2 votes
Jonathan Kombrinck, Everything Everywhere All At Once (A24) - 8 votes
Scott R. Fisher, Austin Beaulier, Ed Bruce, Will Newis, and everyone at MPC and SSVFX, Nope (Universal) - 2 votes
Michael Duenas Jr., Shane Dzicek, Jack Edjourian, Scott R. Fisher, Pete Kelley, Andrew Verhoeven, everyone at Method Studios, Intelligent Species, Lola VFX, Blind LTD, Gentle Giant Studios, and Lux Machina, Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount) - 0 votes
Best Editing
Sandra Adair, Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood (Netflix) - 1 vote
Paul Rogers, Everything Everywhere All At Once (A24) - 10 votes
Michel Aller, Scream (Paramount) - 0 votes
Eddie Hamilton, Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount) - 3 votes
Best Hairstyling
Lisa Schonker, Delicious (Samuel Goldwyn Films) - 1 vote
Francesco Alberico, Elaine Browne, Polly Fehily, Chris Coles, Anne Nosh Oldham, Janine Summerhayes, and Andrew Whiteoak, Downton Abbey: A New Era (Focus Features) - 1 vote
Louise Coulston, Elvis (Warner Bros. Pictures) - 5 votes
Gloria Conrad, Jason Hamer, and Guilaine Tortereau, Everything Everywhere All At Once (A24) - 2 votes
Carmel Jackson, The Northman (Focus Features) - 1 vote
Hayley Atherton, Gabriele Gregorini, Luca Vannella, and Gem Reynolds, Thor: Love and Thunder (Walt Disney Studios) - 0 votes
Frankie Karena, X (A24) - 4 votes
Best Makeup
Naomi Donne, The Batman (Warner Bros. Pictures) - 3 votes
Danielle Harding, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Walt Disney Studios) - 0 votes
Angela Conte, Elvis (Warner Bros. Pictures) - 3 votes
Michelle Chung, Everything Everywhere All At Once (A24) - 4 votes
Nicole Stafford, Men (A24) - 1 vote
Rebecca Allen, Kate Anderson, Carlton Coleman, Amani Durrani, Camilla Leary, Michaela Macrae, Bart Mixon, Jon Moore, Matteo Silvi, and Samantha Ward, Thor: Love and Thunder (Walt Disney Studios) - 0 votes
Sarah Rubano, X (A24) - 3 votes
Best Production Design
Alexandra Schaller, After Yang (A24) - 2 votes
James Chinlund, The Batman (Warner Bros. Pictures) - 0 votes
Carol Spier, Crimes of the Future (Neon) - 2 votes
Bertrand Seitz, Delicious (Samuel Goldwyn Films) - 0 votes
Catherine Martin & Karen Murphy, Elvis (Warner Bros. Pictures) - 1 vote
Jason Kisvarday, Everything Everywhere All At Once (A24) - 3 votes
Craig Lathrop, The Northman (Focus Features) - 6 votes
Best Song
"Sucked Into A Bagel" by Stephanie Hsu, Everything Everywhere All At Once (A24) - 0 votes
"On My Way (Marry Me)" by Jennifer Lopez, Marry Me (Universal) - 4 votes
"Marry Me" by Jennifer Lopez, Marry Me (Universal) - 0 votes
"Memoria" by Cesar Lopez, Memoria (NEON) - 0 votes
"Fuck Mr. Google" by Saul Williams, Neptune Frost (Kino Lorber) - 0 votes
"Naacho Naacho/Natu Natu" by NTR and Ram Charan, RRR (Netflix) - 1 vote
"Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses, Thor: Love and Thunder (Walt Disney Studios) - 0 votes
"Hold My Hand" by Lady Gaga, Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount) - 5 votes
"Nobody Like U" by 4*TOWN and Josh Levi, Turning Red (Walt Disney Studios) - 1 vote
"Carolina" by Taylor Swift, Where the Crawdads Sing (Columbia Pictures) - 1 vote
"Landslide" written by Fleetwood Mac, performed by Brittany Snow, X (A24) - 2 votes
Best Score
Michael Giacchino, The Batman (Warner Bros. Pictures) - 6 votes
John Lunn, Downton Abbey: A New Era (Focus Features) - 0 votes
Son Lux, Everything Everywhere All At Once (A24) - 2 votes
Disasterpeace, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (A24) - 3 votes
Vessel & Robin Carolan, The Northman (Focus Features) - 0 votes
Lorne Balfe, Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, and Hans Zimmer, Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount) - 2 votes
Ludwig Göransson, Turning Red (Walt Disney Studios) - 1 vote
Tyler Bates and Chelsea Wolfe, X (A24) - 0 votes
Best Soundtrack
The Adam Project (Netflix) - 0 votes
After Yang (A24) - 1 vote
The Brink Of (Respect Films) - 1 vote
Elvis (Warner Bros. Pictures) - 3 votes
Hustle (Netflix) - 0 votes
Marry Me (Universal) - 4 votes
The Northman (Focus Features) - 0 votes
Thor: Love and Thunder (Walt Disney Studios) - 2 votes
Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount) - 2 votes
Turning Red (Walt Disney Studios) - 1 vote
Best Sound
William Files and Douglas Murray, The Batman (Warner Bros. Pictures) - 3 votes
Bob Edwards, Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song (Sony Pictures Classics) - 1 vote
Ruy García, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (A24) - 0 votes
Tristan Baylis, Johnnie Burn, and Simon Caroll, Nope (Universal) - 4 votes
James Mather, Al Nelson, and Bjorn Ole Schroeder, Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount) - 6 votes
Best Stunts
Robert Alonzo, Jake de Witt, Steve Griffin, Samuel Le, Rick LeFevour, and Jason Oettlé, The Batman (Warner Bros. Pictures) - 2 votes
Charles Grisham and Marc Scizak, Jackass Forever (Paramount) - 3 votes
Jón Viðar Arnþórsson, and CC Smiff, The Northman (Focus Features) - 2 votes
Vicky Arora, Melroy Dsilva, Ivan Kostadinov, Todor Lazarov, Branislav Martinak, Riyaz-Habib, King Solomon, Raicho Vasilev, and Sachin Yadav, RRR (Netflix) - 1 vote
Casey O'Neill, Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount) - 5 votes
Until next time!
Thanks to Thomas Stoneham-Judge from Movies For Reel, Shane Conto, Joseph Davis, David Walters, Ambula Bula, Matthew Simpson, Thom Blackburn, and Libby Stephenson for supporting Austin B Media on Patreon!
