It is hard to believe that the halfway point of 2010 has already been reached. The year began with “Avatar” still dominating the box office and overshadowing new January releases. It finally released its stranglehold the first week of February when the Nicholas Sparks’ inspired adaptation “Dear John” debuted. Other movies that the public turned out for in droves were “Alice in Wonderland,” “How to Train Your Dragon” and “Clash of the Titans” which continued a popular trend advocating the 3D premium format.

This summer’s blockbuster sequels “Iron Man 2” and “Shrek Forever After” have attracted record crowds. “The Karate Kid” reboot has given a whole new generation of kids an underdog hero to cheer for. The highly anticipated “Eclipse,” the third chapter in the best-selling “Twilight Saga” series, opened nationwide on June 30 with audiences still trying to decide if Bella is better off with vampire Edward or werewolf Jacob. In order to initiate some discussion and reflect on the movies released so far, I am willing to stick my neck out on behalf of our faithful readers by selecting my favorite films mid-year 2010 as well as those that I disliked the most. This prioritizing exercise is limited to movies opening January 1 through June 30.

MID-YEAR 2010
TOP 10 FLICK PICKS

1. Toy Story 3
2. City Island
3. A Prophet (France)
4. My Name is Khan (India)
5. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Sweden)
6. The Last Station
7. Broken Embraces (Spain)
8. North Face (Germany)
9. How to Train Your Dragon
10. The Karate Kid

MID-YEAR 2010
BOTTOM 10 FLICK PICKS

1. Greenberg
2. Clash of the Titans
3. Chloe
4. The Eclipse
5. The Girl on the Train (France)
6. The Lovely Bones
7. Knight and Day
8. Date Night
9. Green Zone
10. Shutter Island

By: Keith Cohen "The Movie Guy"