Between brand new television shows and sequels of classic films, the summer of 2022 has seen some of the best releases yet. Even though summer is almost over, it’s not too late to catch the best flicks of the season. Here’s a lineup of the most popular TV series and movies to add to your watchlist.

 

Top 10 Movies of the Summer

#1

Top Gun: Maverick

Set in the world of drone technology and fifth-generation fighters, this sequel explores the end of the era of dogfighting, starring Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer.

Review: Not only was it deemed the best movie of the year. It’s a sequel that makes sense. It’s very much a continuation of not only Pete “Maverick” Mitchell’s story but Nick “Goose” Bradshaw’s legacy. Top Gun: Maverick pushes the envelope with real F-18 footage, a little good ol’ fashion beach football, and a storyline that will make all viewers feel a need, a need for speed.

 

#2

Uncharted

A young, street-smart Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) and his wisecracking partner, Victor “Sully” Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) embark on a dangerous pursuit of “the greatest treasure never found” while also tracking clues that may lead to Nathan’s long-lost brother.

Review: Moderately entertaining treasure hunt movie starring the charming Tom Holland and goofy Mark Wahlberg. Action, stunts, and funny lines throughout.

 

 

#3

Hustle

After discovering a once-in-a-lifetime player with a rocky past abroad, a down-on-his-luck basketball scout takes it upon himself to bring the phenom to the States without his team’s approval.

Review: Hustle is really well done. Starring a more serious Adam Sandler and his iconic sweat suit attire. He almost had me convinced he had an athletic background.

 

 

 

#4

The Gray Man

When the CIA’s most skilled mercenary known as Court Gentry, aka Sierra Six, accidentally uncovers dark agency secrets, he becomes a primary target and is hunted around the world by his psychopathic former colleague, Lloyd Hansen, and international assassins.

Review: Non-stop action, hilarious scenes, and jam-packed cast. Its audience engagement has broken records in 92 countries. A sequel is already in the works. The critics and audience can’t seem to agree: critics have given it a thumbs down, while the audience has given the movie glowing reviews.

 

#5

The Lost City

Follows a reclusive romance novelist who was sure nothing could be worse than getting stuck on a book tour with her cover model, until a kidnapping attempt sweeps them both into a cutthroat jungle adventure, proving life can be so much stranger, and more romantic, than any of her paperback fictions.

Review: Fun movie with lighthearted adventure and hilarious lines. Some vulgarities that can easily be filtered out with VidAngel.

 

 

#6

The Man From Toronto

In a case of mistaken identity, the world’s deadliest assassin, known as the Man from Toronto, and a New York City screw-up are forced to team up after being confused for each other at an Airbnb.

Review: Love the dynamics between Kevin Hart and Woody Harrelson. A hilarious duo we never knew we needed. A touch predictable but a great watch.

 

 

 

#7

Senior Year

A thirty-seven-year-old woman wakes up from a twenty-year coma and returns to the high school where she was once a popular cheerleader to finish her senior year and become prom queen.

Review: It was fun to get a 90’s/00’s throwback with the music, clothes, toys, technology, and slang words. An entertaining flick with a unique take on “I wish I was young again”.

 

 

#8

Thirteen Lives

Twelve boys and the coach of a Thai soccer team explore the Tham Luang cave when an unexpected rainstorm traps them in a chamber inside the mountain.

Review: A must-stream with an incredible, emotional story that keeps you captivated from start to finish. Feels almost like a documentary. Impressive cinematography.

 

 

 

#9

Interceptor

An Army lieutenant uses her years of tactical training to save humanity from sixteen nuclear missiles launched at the U.S.

Review: Entertaining, but also cliched. 80’s style action-packed and intense scenes. If you are an action movie fan that doesn’t care to be surprised, this is for you.

 

 

 

#10

Marry Me

Music superstars Kat Valdez and Bastian are getting married before a global audience of fans. But when Kat learns, seconds before her vows, that Bastian has been unfaithful, she decides to marry Charlie, a stranger in the crowd, instead.

Review: Just a good ol’ fashion rom-com about a selfless teacher marrying a big shot on a stage in front of millions of people. Lines that have been around the block a time or two, but a cute watch nonetheless.

 

 

Top 10 TV Series of the Summer

 

#1

Stranger Things

Set in the 1980s, a group of kids uncover a twisted mystery involving terrifying supernatural forces, secret experiments, and government conspiracies while befriending a strange girl with special powers.

Review: The highly anticipated release of season 4 broke records for most hours watched on VidAngel. The Duffer Brothers knocked it out of the park with this TV series. Top-notch talent and amazing writing. Whoever is in charge of casting, may everything good in this world come your way.

 

#2

The Terminal List

Navy SEAL Commander James Reece (Chris Pratt) turns to vengeance as he investigates the mysterious forces behind the murder of his entire platoon. Free from the military’s command structure, Reece applies the lessons he’s learned from nearly two decades of warfare to hunt down the people responsible.

Review: Fast-paced and great acting. Compelling storyline that pulls you in. Gripping and raw

 

 

#3

Better Call Saul

Set 6 years before he meets Walter White, we meet Jimmy McGill, a small-time lawyer searching for his destiny, and hustling to make ends meet. The series tracks Jimmy’s transformation into Saul Goodman, the man who puts “criminal” in “criminal lawyer”.

Review: Great series with an even better ending that connects back to its Breaking Bad roots. The final episodes were released this summer, finally putting an end to Jimmy McGill and the popular Breaking Bad spinoff saga.

 

 

#4

The Boys

A group of vigilantes known informally as “The Boys” set out to take down corrupt superheroes with no more than blue-collar grit and a willingness to fight dirty.

Review: Season 3 was released this summer with great reviews from critics. Complex characters with a strong message. Full of profanity and violence, making it a must-stream on VidAngel.

 

 

 

#5

The Umbrella Academy

A dysfunctional family of superheroes comes together to solve the mystery of their father’s death, the threat of the apocalypse, and more.

Review: Weirder and weirder every season, but quite entertaining. If wacky and dark humor are your thing, you’ll want to give it a watch.

 

 

 

#6

Outer Range

A rancher fighting for his land and family stumbles upon an unfathomable mystery at the edge of Wyoming’s wilderness, forcing a confrontation with the Unknown in ways both intimate and cosmic in the untamable American West.

Review: Couldn’t get enough of this Amazon Prime’s new TV series. A slow burn western thriller with a mysterious storyline and compelling characters. A lot of potential for more seasons.

 

 

#7

Night Sky

Irene and Franklin York, a retired couple, have a secret chamber buried in their backyard that miraculously leads to a strange, deserted planet. When an enigmatic young man arrives, the Yorks quiet existence is upended and the mysterious Chamber they thought they knew so well turns out to be much more than they could have ever imagined.

Review: Imaginative and original sci-fi series. It’s slow-paced but thoughtfully crafted with great writing and talent.

 

#8

Virgin River

After seeing an ad for a midwife, a recently widowed big-city nurse moves to the redwood forests of California, where she meets an intriguing man.

Review: Soapy with diluted “Gilmore Girls” vibes. Cute show that will run you through a roller coaster of emotions.

 

 

 

#9

For All Mankind

Explore an aspirational world where NASA and the space program remained a priority and a focal point of our hopes and dreams as told through the lives of NASA astronauts, engineers, and their families.

Review: Gripping storyline about an alternate reality. Interesting plot and great character development.

 

 

 

#10

Black Bird

As Jimmy Keene begins a 10-year prison sentence, he gets an incredible offer: If he can elicit a confession from suspected killer Larry Hall, Jimmy will be freed. Completing this mission becomes the challenge of a lifetime.

Review: Despite the general fatigue of serial killer shows, it was really good. Gets better the more you watch and you find yourself not wanting to turn it off. The leads are mesmerizing in their performances. Makes you feel so claustrophobic, but that’s the point.

 

Did your favorite shows and movies from this summer make the top 10? If not, what do you think should have made the list? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!