As a film student, I make it my priority to see lots of movies. Summer is a bit of a dry spell when it comes to good films, at least in my opinion. But out of the movies that I’ve seen from 2016 so far, these are five of my favorites:

1. Zootopia

"Zootopia" is on my top list of animated movies overall. It mixes fun adventure with a rather insightful message about discrimination and racism. Either way, a young bunny doesn’t have support when she wants to grow up to become a cop, but she shows everyone that she can do it. Of course she meets an unlikely friend along the way and they eventually help each other and solve the world’s problems, a common theme in Disney movies. This film is full of cute fluff but also serious social themes. It’s also very visually pleasing and has hidden Frozen easter eggs throughout. Disney does an impressive job with this movie.

2. Hail, Caesar!

The Coen Brothers created a homage to 20th century Hollywood with this film, and apparently 20th century Hollywood included quite a bit of shenanigans. It is a very quirky film that may be only for a specific group of people, but it’s cast is a perfect match for the chaos that goes on within. There are also some cheeky musical numbers to watch out for including the hilarious and rather dreamy, Channing Tatum. The Coen brothers are basically making fun of cinema in itself and film making. If you’re into light, comical and somewhat random films, this one is for you.

3. Deadpool

I was more than excited to see Marvel’s first R-rated film. I knew this meant that they didn’t have to hold back on the crude humor at all, and they definitely didn’t. I’ve never read "Deadpool" and I didn’t really know anything about the story, but what I had heard from others was that "Deadpool" is quite inappropriate and we all hoped Marvel would deliver, which they did. Ryan Reynolds does an excellent job of capturing Deadpool’s vulgar persona. What I appreciated the most was the breaking down of the fourth wall. The opening credits were enough to have me to love the movie already. Instead of “starring Ryan Reynolds” they said “starring God’s perfect idiot.” I thought this gave the film a great kickoff. I was humored enough by that point. Another example is when Deadpool stops by the X-Men’s mansion, and says “Funny I only ever see two of you. It’s like the studio can’t afford another X-Man.” What’s nice about Deadpool compared to other heroes is how he’s more of an anti-hero. He only becomes a “hero” to save his girlfriend so he doesn’t have the shiny, perfect, polite characteristics that a lot of other heroes have. He’s perfectly naughty and obscene.

4. Finding Dory

Another animated film! Finding Dory had a lot of expectations resting on its shoulders, especially for my generation since we were the "Finding Nemo" generation. While the film had basically the same premises as the first, it was still dazzling in its excitement and sentimental motifs. The film did an amazing job pulling at our heart strings with baby Dory. There were also a lot of great actors used to voice the characters in the film such as Ellen DeGeneres of course, Ed O’Neill and Ty Burrell, who brought the perfect amount of charisma to their characters. It was perfect for kids and adults who are kids at heart. It’s an endearing sequel to a childhood favorite.

5. Sing Street

I saved my favorite for last. In this film, a young teenage boy starts a band to the get the girl of his dreams. It’s set in 1980s Dublin, Ireland, and the set and costume designers do an excellent job of re-creating the look of the time. The film is spectacular in its innocence when it comes to puppy love and it hints at rather serious issues without making the tone depressive and mopey. The cast perfectly showcases the struggles of adolescence. But most of all, the music is incredible. There’s a real 80s feel to all of the songs “Sing Street” perform. My personal favorite is “Drive it Like You Stole it.” I jam out to this song every time I’m in my car, honestly. John Carney does an exceptional job at creating films that have a feel-good quality without being too cliché. It’s definitely one I would suggest to anyone who likes a heartfelt movie and good music.

These are five of my favorite films from 2016 thus far! Of course, I haven’t seen all of the films that have been produced this year but from the ones I have seen, these are some that I personally enjoyed immensely.