Best of the Year So Far: Mid-Year Top 5 2019

Another ugh year, mostly due to the less-than-stellar summer movie season.  When I bemoan the summer films, everyone says: but Lion King! Problem is, it's not out yet. Will it be good?  My personal summer movie hopeful is the Tarantino.  So, with what I've got to work with, here are my top five films so far, with no real frontrunner, but if I had to pick one it just might be Ask Dr. Ruth!

My top 5 2019 so far (listed alphabetically)
Ask Dr. Ruth
Avengers: Endgame
Captain Marvel
Rocketman
Spider-Man: Far From Home

Best of the Year So Far: Mid-Year Top 5 2015

Time to post my top 5 of the year and it's slim pickings again: seems to be a trend in recent years. Here it is, with Mad Max way out in front, although I liked Avengers better than most:

My top 5 2015 so far (listed alphabetically)

The Avengers: The Age of Ultron

Ex Machina

Mad Max: Fury Road

Paddington

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Best of the Year So Far: Mid-Year Top 5 2014

Time to post my top 5 of the year and I have just four contenders! Ha! And I thought last year was bad at this time. The only movie that might have had a good shot at my top 5 that got past me was Edge of Tomorrow, which despite good reviews, didn't make it a month in theaters near me. But I've thrown together a list anyhow for tradition's sake, as follows:

My top 5 2014 so far (listed alphabetically)
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Chef
The LEGO Movie
Non-Stop
X-Men: Days of Future Past

Best of the Year So Far: Mid-Year Top 5 2013

Time again for my top 5 of the year, and I've never had no "must sees" at this point.  Ugh! What a movie year this is turning out to be. Auteurs where are you? The eight contenders this year (all "recommended") are: 42, Before Midnight, Identity Thief, Iron Man 3, Man of Steel, Oz The Great and Powerful, This Is the End, Warm Bodies.

It's not gonna be easy to cobble a decent list from them, but here it goes...

My top 5 2013 so far (listed alphabetically)
Before Midnight
42
Iron Man 3
Oz The Great and Powerful
This Is the End

Best of the Year So Far: Mid-Year Top 5 2012

Several years back I realized that I had trouble diferentiating between the movies I liked and the movies I loved from the early part of the year. Roger Ebert has always suggested that this was true of the Academy and why the Oscars have such "short attention span."  He recommended a mid-year ballot to go along with the end-of-the-year ballot combining both to create the nominations list.

For me, I decided a mid-year top 5 usually works.  I wait until July 15, since the first few weeks of January are generally a wash for new releases, and so 7/15 is a little closer to the mid-point (sorry, although it would have been "eligible" I haven't yet seen Spider-Man-- I just can't get excited for a reboot that's premature!).

I have just eight "nominees" for my top 5 this year (the least since 2008)— but three at the top, i.e. "must see" (Moonrise Kingdom, Prometheus, and Seeking a Friend for the End of the World).  This year's nominees (films I'd seen by 7/15 that made my "must see" and "recommended" categories) include: The Avengers, The Grey, Haywire, Snow White and the Huntsman, The Hunger Games, Moonrise Kingdom, Prometheus, and Seeking a Friend for the End of the World.

My top 5 2012 so far (listed alphabetically)

The Grey

Haywire

Moonrise Kingdom

Prometheus

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

Best of the Year So Far: Midyear 2011

Several years back I realized that I had trouble diferentiating between the movies I liked and the movies I loved from the early part of the year.  Roger Ebert has always suggested that this was true of the Academy and why the Oscars have such "short attention span."  He recommended a midyear ballot to go along with the end-of-the-year ballot combining both to create the nominations list.

For me, I decided a mid-year top 5 usually works.  I wait until July 15, since the first few weeks of January are generally a wash for new releases, and so 7/15 is a little closer to the mid-point.  This year, although I had many "nominees" for the top 5, I found it tough to pick a top 5 (sorry, although it would have been "eligible" I haven't yet seen Harry Potter).

I have thirteen "nominees" for my top 5 this year— just two at the top, i.e. "must see" (Dogtooth and Midnight in Paris).  This years nominees (films I'd seen by 7/15 that made my "must see" and "recommended" categories) include: The Adjustment Bureau, Bridesmaids, Cedar Rapids, Dogtooth, The Hangover Part II, Just Go With It, Limitless, The Lincoln Lawyer, Midnight in Paris, Paul, Thor, Water for Elephants, and X-Man: First Class.

My top 5 2011 so far (listed alphabetically):
Cedar Rapids
Dogtooth
Limitless
Midnight in Paris
X-Men: First Class

Best of the Year So Far: Midyear 2010

Several years back I realized that I had trouble diferentiating between the movies I liked and the movies I loved from the early part of the year. Roger Ebert has always suggested that this was true of the Academy and why the Oscars have such "short attention span." He recommended a midyear ballot to go along with the end-of-the-year ballot combining both to create the nominations list.

For me, I decided a top 5 usually works. I wait until July 15, since the first few weeks of January are generally a wash for new releases, and so 7/15 is a little closer to the mid-point. This year, although I had many "nominees" for the top 5, I found it very easy to pick the top 5.

I have thirteen "nominees" for my top 5 this year— just two at the top, i.e. "must see" (Exit and Youth). This years nominees (films I'd seen by 7/15 that made my "must see" and "recommended" categories) include: Alice in Wonderland, Exit Through the Gift Shop, Get Him to the Greek, The Ghost Writer, How to Train Your Dragon, Iron Man 2, Kick-Ass, MacGruber, A Prophet, The Runaways, Toy Story 3, Valentine's Day, and Youth in Revolt.

My top 5 2010 so far (listed alphabetically):
Exit Through the Gift Shop
The Ghost Writer
The Runaways
Kick-Ass
Youth in Revolt

Best of the Year So Far: Midyear 2009

A few years back I realized that I had trouble diferentiating between the movies I liked and the movies I loved from the early part of the year. Roger Ebert has always suggested that this was true of the Academy and why the Oscars have such "short attention span." He recommended a midyear ballot to go along with the end-of-the-year ballot combining both to create the nominations list.

For me, I decided a top 5 usually works. I wait until July 15, since the first few weeks of January are generally a wash for new releases, and so 7/15 is a little closer to the mid-point. This year has had a number of promising films after a pretty lame first few months.

I have eleven "nominees" for my top 5 this year— four at the top: Fanboys; The Hurt Locker; I Love You, Man; and Up— plus, Adventureland, Coraline, The Hangover, Monsters Vs. Aliens, Moon, Star Trek, and Sunshine Cleaning.

My top 5 2009 so far (listed alphabetically):
Adventureland
Fanboys
The Hurt Locker
I Love You, Man
Up

Best of the Year So Far: Midyear 2008

A few years back I realized that I had trouble diferentiating between the movies I liked and the movies I loved from the early part of the year. Roger Ebert has always suggested that this was true of the Academy and why the Oscars have such "short attention span." He recommended a midyear ballot to go along with the end-of-the-year ballot combining both to create the nominations list.

For me, I decided a top 5 usually works. I wait until July 15, since the first few weeks of January are generally a wash for new releases, and so 7/15 is a little closer to the mid-point. This year has been slim pickings for personal favorites. I acknowledge that WALL-E is, easily, the best reviewed film of the year and has already won that Animated Film Oscar— and it deserves it, based on critical consensus. However, it's a No Country For Old Men situation for me, because I liked WALL-E but I can't be dishonest and say I loved it.

I have just seven "nominees" for my top 5 this year— Cloverfield, In Bruges, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Hellboy II, Iron Man, The Mother of Tears, and Shine a Light.

My top 5 2008 so far (listed alphabetically):
Cloverfield
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
In Bruges
Iron Man
Shine a Light