Halfway Mark: Worthy Oscar Contenders from the first Half of the Year

Today officially marks the halfway point of 2014, if you can believe it. I don't know about the rest of you but I feel as if this year has been a blur, and I can say that about a lot of the movies that have come and gone through the last few months.

There has been only one movie from this year, thus far, that's challenged anything on my top 10 list from last year (a truly banner year in film unlike one we've had in awhile). That being said, there are truly some memorable performances, and even details about those films that were standouts, even if the overall product wasn't as great as its little pieces.

So read on, to see a few worthy contenders I feel deserve to remain in the conversation come awards season time.

A Few Words On Godzilla

I have to say, summer blockbusters don't get much better than they do with "Godzilla", the most recent adaptation in the famous monster's film canon. Not since 1998's disastrous adaptation (the one starring Matthew Broderick of "Ferris Bueller" fame) have we had an American Godzilla film, and the last Godzilla film at all was released in 2004 ("Godzilla: Final Wars").

I don't really have a whole lot to say on the film other than the fact that I really did like it, so a "formal" review wouldn't exactly be all that exciting. I will, however, run through the things I liked and the things I disliked with the film.

New Godzilla Trailer

I have to admit, even I'm starting to want to go and see this.

Godzilla opens everywhere May 16th. The film stars Aaron Taylor Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Academy Award Nominee Ken Wantanabe, Juliette Binoche, Academy Award Nominee Sally Hawkins and Bryan Cranston.