Year's Best, So Far...

By all accounts, 2014 has been a mediocre year for movies. Through last weekend (The Fourth of July weekend), the Box Office for 2014 is down four percent. That doesn't sound big, but when you factor in inflation, ticket price increases, and the prevalence of 3D, IMax, and other formats that jack up the prices, that's a bad sign about audiences.

In fact, this year's Fourth of July weekend saw $100 million less in ticket sales than 2013, you know the year where "The Lone Ranger" landed with a thud. I wrote last week about the creative energy seemingly moving to the small screen, and these trends back that up.

Traditionally many of our best movies come out in the fall (or more likely in late November and December). These are usually the award contenders, but they don't make the most money. That usually happens in the summer.

There's still hope for summer. Perhaps the best action movie will be "Guardians of the Galaxy," which opens August 1. And there's still hope to have a crop of great films in 2014, even though we're half way through the year.

But in honor of reaching the half way point, here's my list of the five best movies of the year to this point.

5. "A Million Ways to Die in the West," released May 30. I know this didn't make a ton at the Box Office, and its comedy probably isn't for everyone, but I had fun with this movie. It has a good cast, a good sense of pace, and it was a lot of fun.

4. "Draft Day," released April 11. This is a surprise on this list for many, myself included. When I first saw the trailers, I shrugged. But this was a surprisingly fun and engaging movie about the NFL draft. Even my wife loved it, so this is one that appeals to non sports fans, too.

3. "The Grand Budapest Hotel," released March 28. This quirky gem from Wes Anderson is the kind of strange delight we look for each year. It had a great cast, good story, and good timing. I think it's one of his better films.

2. "Monuments Men," released February 7. This movie was originally supposed to be released at Christmas 2013 and compete in last year's crowded award field. It got pushed to February, a time not noted for it's exceptional releases. That being said, I loved this movie and the work George Clooney put into it. I think it's a long-shot for awards, but it could end up being one of the year's best.

1. "The Fault in Our Stars," released June 6. This is not only the best film of summer, so far, but the best film of the year, so far. It's a gripping subject matter handled beautifully. It's been a big year for Shailene Woodley so far, and this film might get her a few nominations come awards season.