There is nothing more arbitrary –- and more completely entertaining –- than a “Best of” list.
But every December, Rolling Stone film critic and editor David Ehrlich puts together a beautiful montage, compiling the best movies of the year. The clips, taken from 25 different movies, flow together to form their own kind of story. Even if you haven’t seen the movies, or simply snoozed through the trailers, you’ll be able to capture the heart of each one in just under 13 minutes (allowing you to form barely informed, but super snarky opinions, come Oscar time).
And while you may not agree with all of his choices (Magic Mike 2 features prominently here) chances are you’ll respect them. The critic pulls from a wide variety of genres, and isn't too sanctimonious to include some of the year's best commercial blockbusters.