Best of the Year...So Far

June is almost at a close, and now I feel is an appropriate time to look at what the year has offered so far. For me, this has generally been the year of disappointment. Many of the films I was looking forward to have failed to really impress me. Still, I'm happy to report that it hasn't been all bad. In fact, there's been a few surprises here and there. Here's my two cents.

Best So Far: Exit Through the Gift Shop

Whether it's all fact, all fabricated, or somewhere inbetween, this is a fascinating documentary, extremely well-crafted and probes some interesting territory. There's a great insight on the role of street art, what it means through its expression, and how the pop culture world can warp and erode an artist's sensibilities as well as the public's taste. There's a wonderful grey area the film inhabits, and the ideas and questions it puts forth are always interesting to examine. So far, there has yet to be another film this year that has engaged me quite on the level as this one.

Best of the Rest:

A Prophet

-I'm cheating a bit with this film because its technically a 2009 release. However, it's general wide release didn't come until March of this year, so I'm counting it anyway. This is a great film, excellent from beginning to end. The story is complicated and very compelling, the performances are extraordinary, and director Jacques Audiard has crafted a grandiose tale that will go down as one of the best cinematic presentations.

Toy Story 3

-It's not just because it's the only film this year that has moved me to tears. It's because this is a film that balances the well done humor and emotional impact. This series is fifteen years old, and it feels fresh as the day it first arrived. The story is smart, witty and mature, leaving nearly all who watch it continuing to marvel at the fantastic job that Pixar continues to provide.

Please Give

-It's not a perfect film, but I did rather enjoy this humorous look at a close knit group. I particularly loved the performances in the film, the highlight being Catherine Keener. She works magic in the most subtle ways, the supporting players around her add to the humorous insight the film provides.

No One Knows About Persian Cats

-The real reason why I love this film so much is that it embodies the reason why people are supposed to make movies. As long as you have a story to tell, then you should express it, no matter what the circumstances. Being shot in Iran, the laws there prevent much of what is discussed in the film to be seen, but these filmmakers pushed on, and that's inspiring. It's also great to see a film that isn't a hatchet job on the country; there's a level of respect and admiration that goes in hand with the critical statements, and it all resulted in a film that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Other Highlights:

How to Train Your Dragon, Kick-Ass, The Ghost Writer, Waking Sleeping Beauty, Green Zone, and The Good, The Bad, The Weird.

Worst So Far: The A-Team

Jonah Hex and The Wolfman were strong candidates as well, but this "adaptation" was truly awful. The plot is ridiculous and nonsensical. The humor is flat and without character. The acting ranges from the mediocre to the downright horrid. The action sequences are shoddily put together and horribly executed. Thank goodness Sharlto Copley is in it, otherwise there wouldn't be a single thing worth mentioning as somewhat of a positive. But he's nowhere near enough to save this downright terrible film.

There's some interesting new summer releases coming up, headlined by Inception and also including films like Knight and Day, The Last Airbender, Predators and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Then we get onto the prestige pictures later in the year. Hopefully the heat will actually turn onto this rather disappointing movie season.