Six months down, six to go! We are officially halfway through the calendar year, and unlike 2022 we have actually received a fair amount of quality films already (last year when I saw “Banshees of Inisherin” in October, I had maybe three films that could qualify for a year-end top 10; this year I’m already looking at five). Here is a rundown of the films from January through June that I consider the best and the worst, as well as some notable performances and what we should all be looking forward to in the second half of 2023.

Best Films: Air, BlackBerry, Chevalier, Past Lives, Reality

I can see a world where all of these end up holding on and appearing on my Top 10 list at the end of the year (two are all but assured). I was surprised how much I liked “BlackBerry” and “Reality,” and “Past Lives” joins “La La Land” in the “hurts so good” genre of romance films. I also really enjoyed “Scream VI” (no matter how bias I may be) and “Across the Spider-Verse” (even in folk need to calm down labeling it one of the greatest superhero films ever made).

Worst Films: Hypnotic, Mafia Mamma, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, We Have a Ghost, Your Place or Mine

I saw two of these as part of Regal’s Monday Mystery Movie (“Hypnotic” and “Mafia Mamma,” both harmless but very much not good) but it should come as no surprise that some of the worst films to come out so far this year are Netflix originals or a DCEU flick. Nothing truly offensive or painful, though “Ghost” is fairly cringey and very unfunny. You likely haven’t heard of these films, much less watched them, and feel free to keep it that way.

Biggest Surprises: BlackBerry, The Blackening, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

“BlackBerry” could’ve simply been a “Social Network” wannabe, but it manages to be funny and intense. “The Blackening” may be lacking in scares but it is very funny and has great energy about it, and for most of its runtime “Dungeons & Dragons” is (almost shockingly) effective as an action-comedy. Check them all out if you haven’t!

Best Performances: Jay Baruchel and Glenn Howerton (“BlackBerry”), Priya Kansara (“Polite Society”), Jonathan Majors (“Creed III”), Rachel McAdams (“Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.”)

Baruchel is so nerdy and neurotic as BlackBerry’s founder Mike Lazaridis, while Glenn Howerton chews scenery as Jim Balsillie, the company’s vulgar CEO. Rachel McAdams (great in anything she chooses to do) is giving wholesome mom energy in “Are You There God?” and Jonathan Majors is brutal in “Creed III.” One of my sneaky favorite performances, however, comes from Priya Kansara in “Polite Society.” She’s funny but also snarky, and I’m excited to see her in more things in the future!

Most Anticipated: Barbie, The Killer, Killers of the Flower Moon, Napoleon, Oppenheimer

A lot of historical dramas are on the horizon (it will be awards season, after all), and some of them are shaping up to possibly be classics. Not to put too fine a bow on things, but when Scorsese, Fincher, Nolan, and Scott (not to mention Gerwig) make a movie, you pay attention. I’m glad some of the most notable directors of all-time are still getting $100 million to make adult dramas (and also “Barbie”), and hope at least half of these end up being as good as I’ve hyped them up to be in my head.