Halfway through the year, these 2011 flicks are worth renting

Warner Bros

This weekend, the American public gets to assess the damage wrought by Decepticons on the fair city of Chicago—and celebrate the Fourth, of course. But the holiday also marks the year's midway point. The movies are typically better from here on out, with awards season finally on the distant horizon, but the next few days offer the perfect opportunity to take stock of the year-so-far in film.

Many of the year's most rewarding movies—namely Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life and Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris—are still wending their way through theaters, but several notable 2011 releases have already made it to home video. Below is a list of five highlights worth catching up with this long weekend.