2022 was the year of comebacks and second chances in the entertainment industry, especially for actors. This list includes two Oscar winners, Brendon Fraser and Ke Huy Quan. However, that's not all; it was also the year when some actors finally got the recognition they deserved, years after being in the business. One acted alongside Quan as his wife as the lead in Everything Everywhere All At Once: Michelle Yeoh.
Michelle Yeoh was born in Malaysia, and in the late 1990s and early 2000s, she rose to international fame with action and genre movies. The actress is deeply loved by many, some who have been following her career for a long time and some new fans. She has a background in dancing, which helped her a lot with the action sequences, especially when martial arts were involved, which correlates to most of her movies. With her recent Oscar nomination and win this year for her role as Evelyn in Everything Everywhere All At Once, many went back to see her previous work.
Here are her top 12 ranked movies, according to the critic's website Rotten Tomatoes.
12 Boss Level – 73%
Boss Level tells the story of Roy Pulver (Frank Grillo), a former special forces agent stuck in a loop on the day he dies. However, that's not enough: a group of assassins hunts him to prevent him from getting out of the loop. Yeoh is a supporting character on Pulver's journey. The actress plays Dai Feng, who teaches Pulver how to fight with a sword. The movie uses sci-fi elements and videogame tactics for narrative and plot. Also in the cast are Mel Gibson and Naomi Watts.
11 Sunshine – 76%
In Yeoh's resume, sci-fi movies are a common thread throughout the years, and Sunshine is no exception. Set in the future, eight men and women go to try to prevent the sun from dying and therefore end life on Earth. The actress plays Corazon, a biologist that takes care of the "oxygen garden." In The Hollywood Reporter actress roundtable, she explained how she fought for her role, as it was initially written for a man. She also wanted more diversity in the film, claiming it wouldn't only be Russians and Americans going on a mission to save Earth — it would be a global approach.
10 The Heroic Trio – 80%
The Heroic Trio is a Chinese action-packed story set in Hong Kong. It deals with the crime life in Hong Kong but with a dab of the absurdity found in more classic action movies. Yeoh plays the Invisible Woman, who helps the villain, Evil Master (Yen Shi-Kwan). Her job is to kidnap babies and take them to the Evil Master so that he can raise them to become unbeatable soldiers. However, the Invisible Woman reconnects with her martial sister, Wonder Woman (Anita Mui) and Thief Catcher (Maggie Cheung). They decide to team up and defeat the Evil Master.
9 Executioners – 80%
In a very different setting from the first action film, now, ten years after The Heroic Trio, a nuclear explosion destroyed Hong Kong, leaving the city in complete chaos in Executioners. Mainly because the explosion has contaminated the water, the quest to find drinkable water has increased the desperation of the people living there. The three women from the first movie will have to fight Mr. Kim (Anthony Wong), the head of the main water company, who controls the government.
8 Kung Fu Panda 2 – 81%
Yeoh has done very few voice-acting movies during her career, including Kung Fu Panda 2. Kung Fu Panda pays homage to classic martial arts movies. These classics influenced most films done by the actress. Yeoh voices the goat with the ability of second sight and therefore makes predictions of the future, Soothsayer. The character only appeared in this movie in the four-film franchise.
7 Far North – 86%
Set in the brutal scenario of the artic, Far North is a mixture of survival, superstitions, and crime. When Saiva (Yeoh) is born, the Shaman declares she is evil and will bring the downfall of those who come in contact with her. The movie was based on a short story by Sara Maitland. Michelle acts alongside another Chinese actress, Michelle Krusiec, and Sean Bean.
6 Tai Chi Master – 86%
Tai Chi Master is an action movie in Chinese, which is almost the trademark of many Michelle Yeoh films. The story is a fictionalized version of the invention of the martial art called Tai Chi, which consists of more elegant movements than most martial arts. Tai Chi is rooted in Taoism; it believes in a balance between opposite natural forces. This can be seen in the lead characters and their major battle in the movie. Yeoh plays Sin-Liu, a fighter who is looking for her missing husband. The film was directed by Woo-Ping Yuen, with whom the actress has collaborated on a few projects in her career.
5 Master Z: Ip Man Legacy – 89%
This is the fourth installment in the action movie franchise Ip Man. The movie is in Chinese and was also directed by Yuen Woo-ping. The director has an impressive resume filled with action movies, including Kill Bill 2, where he was a martial arts advisor. Yeoh takes the antagonist route and plays Tso Ngan Kwan. Kwan becomes the anti-villain, as her main goal is to turn her gang into a legitimate business — even if by the wrong means.
4 Crazy Rich Asians – 91%
Crazy Rich Asians is a fun romantic comedy that gives room to social commentary. The movie is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Kevin Kwan. It tells the story of Rachel Chu (Constance Wu), who is meeting her boyfriend, Nick Young's (Henry Golding), family for the first time — and she didn't know he was extremely wealthy, very different from her upbringing. Yeoh plays Eleanor, the lead's future mother-in-law, unhappy with her son's decision to marry her.
3 Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – 91%
Yeoh's resume is filled with action movies, so it was only a matter of time before she joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings expanded the superhero universe on-screen more than adding another superhero to the story; it was an important cultural landmark. Yeoh is not the movie's lead, playing a supporting character named Ying Nan, who nevertheless is quite essential to the story, as she is the protector of Ta Lo, a dimension that holds the Dweller-In-Darkness and the Soul Eaters.
2 Everything Everywhere All At Once – 93%
Everything Everywhere All At Once not only took the world by storm, but the A24 movie also took most Academy Awards home from its 95th that happened earlier this year. Yeoh plays the lead character of the movie, Evelyn, a depressed mom and business owner that is unhappy with her life choices. Yeoh did an excellent job and won her first Academy Award for Best Actress for the role. Because the movie is about the multiverse, the actress also had to play multiple versions of Evelyn with different internal and external struggles. The narrative combine of the elements seen throughout her career, such as the heavy sci-fi genre and incredible martial arts action sequences.
1 Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – 98%
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was the movie that catapulted director from Tawain Ange Lee's career in the United States and the highest ranked on Michelle Yeoh's resume. This is a historical drama set in the 19th century in China during the Qing Dynasty. Master Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat) gives his sword to his lover Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh) to deliver to safe keeping. The sword is stolen, and they must go after it and embark amazing adventure. The movie is filled with martial art sequences that were highly praised, as incredible great scenery.