My top films of the year! (so far)

Well the summer is quickly drawing to a close, and having not made a single best films list last year, I thought I would make a post about my favorite films of this year. But the big question is, have we already seen this year's Best Picture winner? No, probably not. The only films that have come out so far that will be nominated for Best Picture are The Tree of Life and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2. There is quite possibly a good chance the Academy won't nominate The Tree of Life, because I have been told that they are not always going to have ten nominees. Ah well, either way it will most likely get the nod. Anyways, before I give you my five favorite films for the year, I am going to list a few critically acclaimed films that I only found to be average.

Thor - A highly entertaining popcorn flick that drastically skips out on developing its characters. Thor works for some situations, but is it a great film? Certainly not. 6/10

Source Code - I keep going back and forth on how I should rate this film, because to me it seems like a childish Inception, and I wasn't a huge fan of that. But it was lifted by Duncan Jones' quick direction, though any character development couldn't keep up. 6/10

The Lincoln Lawyer - The character development was not as bad as the first two films I mentioned, but that isn't to say it doesn't struggle. It is enjoyable for the most part because of  *gasp* McConaughey's performance, but Brad Furman's overlong film does not hold up to its gaping plot holes throughout. 6/10

X-Men: First Class - This was so close to being a great film! I liked it a lot at first, but after plenty of thought it was surprisingly kind of dull and bland. 7/10

Honourable Mentions: Insidious

Top 5:

#5 Kung Fu Panda 2 - Such an incredible sequel to one of DreamWork's most underrated films. Maybe a tad stuffed with action, but Kung Fu Panda 2 is a joy for all ages, and rivals the first film. I only hope they can pull off a good trilogy, unlike Shrek. 8/10

#4 Winnie the Pooh - While no doubt childish, Winnie the Pooh is filled with nothing but charm and memories. 8/10

#3 Midnight in Paris - A delightful Woody Allen comedy. Well directed, perfectly cast, and it overcomes its familiar story with plenty of charm all its own. 8/10

#2 Super 8 - Often criticized because it seems so much like earlier Spielberg science fiction, but I think Super 8 brings a new story with creativity, and keeps what is good about the old films. It is no masterpiece, we all know, but a fun movie with emotional depth and an unforgettable musical score. 8/10

#1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 - No surprise here I am sure, this record breaking masterpiece is thrilling, beautiful to watch with plenty of depth and strong performances. An incredibly epic ending to the most commercially successful film series of all time. 10/10