You all know the drill: in the month of June, I share with you my favorites of the year so far. You can either see them in theaters or wait for them to come out on DVD and Blu-Ray.

10.) “The Rider”

I’ve heard of none of the actors in the movie, because they’re not really actors. They’re an actual family, and this is a gripping and dangerous look at the world of rodeos. And ex-rodeon star Brady Jandreau knocks it out of the park as the main ex-rodeo star.

9.) “The Death of Stalin”

This political satire is one that made me laugh from beginning to end. The fantastic cast, including Steve Buscemi and Jason Isaacs, nail their roles, and the humor isn’t labored at all. This is smart.

8.) “Annihilation”

Sure, most people wouldn’t be entertained by the film’s views of genetic splicing, but director Alex Garland has shown us a bizarre, yet absorbing experience.

It’s now available on DVD and Blu-Ray

7.) “Ready Player One”

Steven Spielberg’s next movie is an ambitious one-a visual extravaganza to say the least. Never mind all the dizziness you may come across, just see it for what it is.

6.) “Tully”

Jason Reitman’s first directing job since the awful “Men, Women, & Children” shows us a smart, witty, and unpredictable tale about motherhood. Charlize Theron is perfect as a mother raising three little kids, and Mackenzie Davis shines as a young woman, who helps take care of the kids, and the mother. Nice touch.

5.) “Deadpool 2”

This is smarter, funnier, and better than the first. Ryan Reynolds stars once again as the title character, and this movie shows us his sensitive side, instead of just having his wisecracks consume the character. This is what an R-rated comedy sequel should be.

4.) “First Reformed”

Ethan Hawke gives his best performance since “Boyhood” as a priest who struggles to overcome his troubles. Written and directed by Paul Schrader, the movie keeps you guessing from beginning to end.

3.) “Avengers: Infinity War” 

This is the best “Avengers” since the first with a promising villain named Thanos (Josh Brolin), a lot of laughs and fun, a serious cliffhanger, and many MCU heroes from Iron Man to Captain America to the Guardians of the Galaxy.

2.) “Isle of Dogs”

Wes Anderson’s second stop-motion feature is one of the best I’ve ever seen. The voice cast, including Bryan Cranston and Scarlett Johansson, doesn’t sound like cartoon characters, the Japanese culture makes the film feel radiant, and the craftsmanship here is incredible.

1.) “Black Panther”

This is one of the best solo superhero movies I’ve seen. It shows us the title character’s fighting for the people and city that he loves. Chadwick Boseman is outstanding as Black Panther. This is much more than your average superhero movie; this is a masterpiece.

It’s now available on DVD and Blu-Ray.

If these choices aren’t enough for you, there’s also “A Quiet Place,” “Love, Simon,” “Permission,” “Lean on Pete,” “Game Night,” “Paddington 2,” “Thoroughbreds,” “Chappaquiddick,” “You Were Never Really Here,” “Gemini,”  and “Unsane.”

 Come back in December when you find out the real winners of the year.

Categories: List