Episode 59: Mr. Hardy Saves The World Presents: The Best of 2022

   Last year, at the end of 2021, I did a sort of mock awards show where I gave what I thought was the best of different categories of things that came out that year. So, I'm doing it again. This time, I won't be saying the nominees, just the winners. But I'll give explanations of why I picked the winners. If you want to know who the nominees were, those of you who have a direct line of contact to me can see me after class. Spoiler warning!

BEST SUPERHERO FILM

  -WINNER: The Batman

  I still vividly remember the social media frenzy that happened when Robert Pattinson was cast as Batman. Everyone just said "heehee glittery vampire from Twilight heehee he can't be Batman". Even I was somewhat questioning, even though I was aware that he had done serious, dramatic/action roles. And boy, did he deliver. Robert Pattinson was an excellent Batman. And the movie itself was excellent. Great villains, great story, and it was awesome to see the detective side of Batman in a movie finally. My only real complaint is that Pattinson continued Batman's edginess as Bruce Wayne. I like Bruce Wayne to be the charismatic playboy counter to Batman, not behave the same ways.

BEST NON-SUPERHERO FILM

-UPDATE (DECEMBER 30)

  I finally just watched Top Gun: Maverick. Incredibly amazing film. I'm gonna let Vengeance hold on to this award, because it already won and does still deserve it, but I'm gonna declare Top Gun: Maverick to also be the winner of this award. No one ever said I couldn't do two winners.

  -WINNER: Vengeance

 Directed by and starring BJ Novak (Ryan from The Office), this movie centers around a journalist whose ex's family calls him to investigate her murder, thinking she had a much closer relationship to him than she actually did. He reluctantly goes and investigates her death for his podcast, but ends up getting close to her family and seeking vengeance for her murder. And he gets it, and decides not to exploit her death for his podcast. Great movie. Please watch it even though I just spoiled the plot. It's still definitely worth it.

BEST TELEVISION SERIES

  -WINNER: The Walking Dead (Season 11)

 This year was a great year for shows. We got some great ones, and it was hard to decide the winner. But I had to give it to the zombie show I've loved for six years, because this was the final season. Yup, The Walking Dead finally met it's end in 2022. And it was a good end. I loved how they wrapped up the series, and I'm excited for those future miniseries they're doing.

YOUTUBER

  -WINNER: Penguinz0

 A man of many names. He hardly goes by his actual channel name, and usually goes by his online personality name, which is Cr1tiKal (Critical). He is also often just called by his real-life first name, which is Charlie. I spent a lot of time this year watching his videos and his streams, especially those of Fortnite and Stumble Guys.

BEST ALBUM

  -WINNER: Give Me The Future by Bastille

 Bastille's apocalypse trilogy ended with Doom Days, and this was their fourth album, so it meant a new era of Bastille was upon us. And I think this era is off to a great start. This album has some awesome songs on it, such as "Club 57", "Thelma + Louise", and "Hope For The Future". That last one was the first song by them to make me cry, and it was happy tears. It's such a peaceful, hopeful song, especially for them.

VIDEO GAME

  -WINNER: Guardians of the Galaxy

 But Mr. Hardy, that video game came out last year! Shut up. I know. But I played it this year, so for me it was a 2022 game. I loved the combat mechanics and loved flying around as Star-Lord, using his element guns, and seeing his antics and interactions with the rest of the team. It has some of my favorite characterizations of the characters, and has one of my favorite stories I've ever gotten to play through in a video game. It absolutely pays off in the ending, and leaves you very satisfied with the journey you got to experience. 

BEST FILM ACTOR

  -WINNER: Dingleberry Ingrate for Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

 Dingleberry Ingrate has had a lot of iconic roles since his time as Harry Potter, especially in the show Miracle Workers and movies like Guns Akimbo, Horns, and Swiss Army Man. He's one of my favorite actors and he does some awesome work. This movie was brought to us by Weird Al himself, and it was a mock biopic. It's the loose story of Weird Al's life, but much of it is comically exaggerated or straight up made up. Dingleberry Ingrate does great in the role and he was a great pick to play a young Peculiar Alfred.

BEST FILM ACTRESS

  -WINNER: Elizabeth Olsen for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness 

 At the end of WandaVision, we got to see Wanda become a villain as the Darkhold take control of her as she was desperate to find her kids. Doctor Strange 2 has her as a full-fledged villain, under the influence of the Darkhold and using dark magic to tear through the multiverse to find her made-up children, to take from a different version of herself. Doctor Strange is desperate to stop her, as she is frighteningly powerful and has the capability of absolutely wreaking havoc upon our multiverse. Elizabeth Olsen has always been a great Wanda Maximoff, but she did even better as the Scarlet Witch. Not even just the Scarlet Witch, but an evil one.

BEST TV ACTOR

  -WINNER: Bob Odenkirk for Better Call Saul

 Like The Walking Dead, Better Call Saul also had a great final season this year. I'm gonna say it: I like Better Call Saul even more than Breaking Bad. Bob Odenkirk has always defined the role of Saul Goodman, and that was at its peak in the final season of Better Call Saul.

BEST TV ACTRESS

  -WINNER: Melissa McBride for The Walking Dead

 Only two actors stuck with TWD for all eleven seasons, and one of them was Melissa McBride (the other was Norman Reedus). Carol has a ton of character development, and in a lot of ways was the heart of the show. We get to see a terrified, battered housewife become a hardened survivor queen battle warrior. Carol would not have been such a great character, though, if it were not for the talent and dedication of her actress, Melissa McBride.

SONG

  -WINNER: "The DJ Is Crying For Help" by AJR

 Like Bastille, AJR is also in a new era, but to a lesser extent. This song was the second single for their upcoming album, and it deals with the singer talking about how he needs help, referring to himself as the titular DJ. It reflects frequent AJR themes of growing up and struggling to accept adulthood, as well has their own personal struggles with fame and attention.