It's half way through the year so, as is traditional, I'm going to take a couple of weeks off from new DVDs and have a look back at the best so far. And, in general, it hasn't been the greatest of years for DVD releases, particularly as far as the blockbuster movies are concerned.

Action films have been particularly disappointing, but we can expect a lot more to emerge after the American summer. There have, however, been a fair number of smaller gems you may have missed. Here are some of my personal favourites from the first half of 2010. I'll go through the rest next week

Comedy
I've had my comedy funny-bone tickled a few times this year, most extensively by the English political comedy In The Loop (*****). This is the film spin-off from a little-seen TV satire In The Thick of It. Starring Peter Capaldi as the unbelievably foul-mouthed authoritarian spin-doctor for the British PM, it examines the lead-up to an Iraq-style war as a hapless new MP becomes embroiled in political machinations after a couple of ill-advised offhand comment to the press.
And I don't know whether the Coen brothers latest outing, A Serious Man (****) is a comedy or a drama but their tale of growing up Jewish in small town America is bafflingly wonderful, a strange parable of searching for meaning amongst life's constant trials and tribulations. Also as much drama as comedy is Up In The Air (****), a recession romance, carried along by a razor-sharp script and an effortlessly charming and impressively layered performance from George Clooney.

Animation
If you haven't seen Up (*****) yet then you've missed the best animated film in many moons. Charming, funny, beautiful to look at, it is easy to forgive the occasional (very tasteful) slide into sentimentality. You will laugh and cry.
Also worth a mention is the very funny Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (****) which promised so little from that title and delivered imaginative silliness on a grand scale that will amuse most adults as much as kids. In a different vein director Wes Anderson's quirky retro take on Roald Dahl's The Fantastic Mr Fox (****) was a charmer (again starring Clooney) that overcame its relocation of the English setting through sheer detail and surprising delicacy.
And here I should mention the (non-animated) Where The Wild Things Are (****). I really liked this darker more serious take on childhood which went a long way towards capturing the pure and sometimes destructive joy of small children.

Sci-fi
In a wretchedly average year for sci-fi (think Surrogates and Gamer) one film was a beacon of imagination and intelligence: Moon (****), from David Bowie's son Duncan Jones. Moon is an unashamed return to the days of thinking sci-fi, bringing to mind films such as Silent Running, BladeRunner and even 2001: A Space Odyssey, made on the tightest of budgets and showcasing a superb solitary turn from Sam Rockwell. No explosions, just a haunting examination of what it means to be human.

Documentary
Who can fail to love Anvil! The Story Of Anvil (****)? The story of the titular unsuccessful 'Demigods of Canadian Metal” skews towards Spinal Tap territory but is grounded in the genuine friendship and musical love of the two bandmates. Funny, touching and unflinching in showing the toll a life of unfulfilled dreams has taken on loyal family members.
Also well worthwhile: The Cove (****) and It Might Get Loud (****).

Soccer
How could I let this week pass without mentioning two really excellent little films which have football connections (though are not 'sports movies” in any traditional sense). Ken Loach's delightful comedy drama Looking For Eric (****) isn't really about soccer at all but about a down-at-luck postman who starts having conversations with his hero ex-Manchester United captain Eric Cantona. It's a great little film, funny charming and honest in Loach's straight-head working class way.
And Martin Sheen (The Queen, Frost/Nixon) adds controversial English soccer manager Brian Clough to his cast of character roles in The Damned United (****), with a fascinating glimpse into the contradictory character of one of the sport's great characters.