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Of the blockbusters, my favorite so far is Captain America: The Winter Solider, with The Edge of Tomorrow close behind. Maleficent gets a special note for featuring my favorite character/actor of the year so far - I really liked Jolie in that role.

David Mumpower: I suspect that Gravity has ruined me for other blockbusters, at least in the short term. I mentioned recently how much I enjoyed Edge of Tomorrow yet I agree with the peanut gallery that it did not stick the landing. I loved a lot about Godzilla, particularly the climactic action sequence. It will probably not wind up in my top ten for the year, though.

Upon reflection, my favorite movie of the year to date is a sequel I do not enjoy as much as its predecessor and that is How to Train Your Dragon 2. I quite like the movie, would recommend it to everybody and consider it to be a likely top ten entrant. Like Kung Fu Panda 2 before it, the movie happens to be quite a bit more somber than the first film, something I admired about that title. I would note that the original was my number one film of 2010. So, possessing that sort of quality is a tall order for any sequel. 2010. So, possessing that sort of quality is a tall order for any sequel.

With regards to How to Train Your Dragon 2, I would have preferred a happier story. Still, it is exactly the kind of animated movie the industry needs to advance. The fact that it is underperforming at the box office frustrates me to no end. This is a wonderful story featuring some of the best characters created in the 2000s. The fact that the sequel did not break my heart is an achievement in and of itself, much like The Bourne Supremacy.

Kim Hollis: I echo David’s selection of How to Train Your Dragon 2 in almost every aspect of what he said. It’s a treasure of a movie that is not quite as good as its predecessor and yet is truly, truly wonderful. Yes, it is more somber, but I think that the movie does a masterful job of balancing its serious moments with its comedy. The pacing is handled very well. HTTYD2 has gorgeous animation, well-crafted characters and a storyline that feels like a natural progression.

Other films I’ve truly enjoyed this year are The Grand Budapest Hotel, Edge of Tomorrow (and I’m not troubled by the ending), X-Men: Days of Future Past and The LEGO Movie.

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