2022 was quite a year for the entertainment industry. In 2020 and 2021, movie theaters’  sales decreased, but in 2022, things started getting back to normal. According to the-numbers.com, the total box office sales nearly doubled from 2021 to 2022, showing the impact of the pandemic. Last year gave us hundreds of new movies, and these are the top 5 of the box office, according to IMDb.

#5: Minions: The Rise of Gru

Total box office sales: $939,628,210

As the number five movie on the list, and the fifth of the Despicable Me series, it’s clear that fans of the franchise loved this movie. It was released July 1st and quickly became a must-watch for the summer. This comedy for all ages gave audiences a look into how the main character, Gru, became his own kind of villain. Movie-loving students Regan Johnson and Riley Ponteliona agreed, “It was a really interesting movie. The plot was captivating and it wasn’t like the other Despicable Me movies, which was really cool. Bob is the best Minion!” The film was so popular that groups of teenagers would even go to the theaters dressed in suits, tagging TikTok posts with #GentleMinions. Whether the teens were superfans or dressed up for mockery, it’s clear that the movie was a hit last year.

#4: Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness

Total box office sales: $955,775,804

Along with Thor: Love and Thunder and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the sequel to Doctor Strange became one of the many Marvel smashes of the year. Freshman Vaishnavi Iyer said, “It was really awesome and super cool with very good graphics and cool scenes.” This movie amazed viewers with its beautiful visual effects, gripping storylines, and array of new characters. Although it’s rated PG-13, this is definitely one of the darker Avengers movies, with more violence and gore. Even with these themes, the film still managed to give audiences a laugh and introduced some of the first LGBTQ+ characters to the MCU.

#3: Jurassic World: Dominion

Total box office sales: $1,001,978,080

The sixth and final film of the Jurassic movies earned the lowest Metascore of the series with a 38%, while the previous movie (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) received a 51%. Many critics and fans were disappointed by the conclusion, even though the box office sales showed high promise for the movie. Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, and actors returning from the previous movies team up once again to fight dinosaurs and save the world from destruction. Many have speculated another Jurassic film may be produced in the future, though it’s unlikely due to Dominion being such a flop.

#2: Top Gun: Maverick

Total box office sales: $1,488,732,821

The sequel to 1986’s Top Gun became a smashing hit all around the world. Bringing in new and old characters alike, fans went crazy for the humor and action the film brought. It follows a new, elite team of pilots as they are led on a mission by Maverick, who returns to flight after 30 years. The film also reintroduced and popularized the song “Great Balls of Fire”, originally sung by Jerry Lee Lewis but now hilariously covered by Miles Teller. The film did so well, it wouldn’t be surprising if a third Top Gun were to come out soon!

#1: Avatar: The Way of Water

Total box office sales: $1,749,253,993 (As of January 11th)

This beautiful sequel brought in the most money of 2022, despite only being released December 16th. It quickly surpassed all expectations, bringing in over $100 million on opening weekend alone, and it has already received dozens of nominations, including Best Picture and Best Visual Effects. With a budget so high, it’s no wonder the film depicts some of the most spectacular images and scenery of all time. The movie returns to the story of Jake, now living among the Na’vi as one himself, and his family defeating disturbances and enemies of all kinds. Knolls student Aniket Parikh remarked, “It was a good movie but it was too long, and it sometimes felt more like a nature documentary.” Even with its contradictions, the general audience has enjoyed this film. You can still see the top movie of 2022 in theaters, but snag your ticket quickly; everybody seems to want to watch this flick!

Now that the top movies of last year have been revealed, you too can watch them on various streaming services and networks. Do these movies deserve to be the top 5 movies of 2022? It’s up to you to decide for yourself!