From boxing to aliens, cancer to romance, quite a few of this year’s films have hit the mark. As we enter the awards season, I have compiled a list of my top eight favorite films of the year thus far.

8. Rise of the Planet of the Apes

I expected this movie to suck. And in a few unfortunate ways, it did. The acting is pretty dry and the script is probably even worse. However, despite all of its flaws, this film still left me staring at the screen without blinking for the entire last hour. The break-out of the apes and their invasion of California ought to be considered the most memorable moments from 2011 in film. The special effects alone make watching the movie worth it. As a diehard fan of the original, this is probably the only sequel that I approve.

7. Midnight in Paris

It’s hard for Woody Allen to strike out when he makes a film. With this masterpiece, Woody Allen proves that he’s still got it at 75. While the film is riddled with many references to 1920s culture that I simply don’t understand, the story is so mesmerizing and wondrous to dream of that I wasn’t distracted by the prohibition era cultural references. Any fan of Fitzgerald, Hemingway, or Dali will have a field day while watching this film. Plus, the shots of Paris are extraordinary.

6. Super 8

As someone who fell in love with “E.T.” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” at the age of eight, this movie exceeded all of my expectations. The story, minus the alien, is so pure and heartfelt that it screams classic Spielberg. The movie didn’t go wrong. The alien wasn’t overused, and the family drama didn’t create a soap opera. This is the summer movie that everyone should see.

5. 50/50

A comedy about cancer. It shouldn’t have worked, but it did. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen come together for the best duo of the year thus far. Both actors do serious work in the film while still offering some of the best laughs of the year. The movie gave Rogen a fantastic opportunity to play a more complex role than in the past, and it’s a treat to see him pull it off so well.

 

4. Horrible Bosses

In a year that produced some of the worst comedies possible—think “The Hangover Part II” and “Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star”—this movie deserves all the acclaim that it received. With three fantastic (well, maybe not Jennifer Aniston, but still…) actors as the villainous bosses and three even better comedians playing their pissed-off workers, this revenge story was packed with laughs. Great cameos, intricate plans gone wrong, and a plot so ridiculous it had to be told—this one had it all. And come on, who doesn’t want to see Charlie Day in his big screen debut after his success on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”?

3. Tree of Life

Whether you loved it or hated it, you can’t deny the sheer beauty of it all. The direction and cinematography are some of the best I’ve seen. I’m sure I liked it, but I’m not quite sure how much.  There’s really nothing else to say about it. I can’t possibly explain what it’s about or what happens. Just see it. Or don’t. Or see it twice. You’ll catch a lot more that second time around.

2. Warrior

Easily the best ensemble cast this year thus far. Nick Nolte, Joel Edgerton, and Tom Hardy all give the performances of their career in this heart-breaking story about brothers who must fight each other to save themselves from shame and defeat. Probably the best boxing movie ever made, next to “Rocky” and “Raging Bull,” it is nothing short of a tragic tale that somehow ends in the most triumphant finale of the year. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this one.

1. Drive

Words cannot describe the experience one has while watching this film. The story follows Ryan Gosling as a masculine driver for Hollywood stunts during the day and heists at night. Bloody vengeance and pulsating beats make up most of the film’s exposition since there never seems to be much dialogue. The style is reminiscent of some noir B-movie that seems to have been lost in time and only resurfaced now. Thank God it did.