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One of the masters of modern cinema helms the fourth film on my list. Francis Ford Coppola made a remarkable return to the big screen after a long absence with Youth Without Youth, and outdid himself last year with Tetro, a beautiful, personal story that disappointingly barely cracked $500,000, although it did much better overseas. The film is about Bennie, a young naval soldier who travels to Argentina to find his long-missing brother, who has forged a new identity as an artist named Tetro. The film is an exploration of what it means to be related, as well as the ties between art and identity. Coppola does his best directing work since Apocalypse Now, and the film is beautifully shot and wonderful to look at. Vincent Gallo, as the brooding, angry title character, gives one of the most intense performances of the year, leading a fantastic cast.

Who needs Pixar when you have Mary & Max? The number three film on my list, a claymation feature from the Oscar winning director of the short Harvey Krumpet, is one of the best animated films of the decade. A funny, sweet, touching film, it tells the story of two depressed loners: Mary, a young Australian girl with few friends, and Max, an obese New Yorker with Asperger's Disorder. The two connect through a strange coincidence that leads to them becoming penpals, and the film follows their connection as they grow up and face various hardships. This surprisingly dark film is not necessarily made for adults, but instead for the children within adults, as writer/director Adam Elliot approaches serious subjects with a sense of whimsy. Philip Seymour Hoffman provides the voice of Max, giving one of the best voice performances I have ever seen... or heard, I guess. Unfortunately, this was another film that was available almost exclusively on Video On Demand, but now that it's available on DVD you have no excuse not to see this delightful film.

I mentioned in my previous articles that I would mention a film that was more disturbing than Hard Candy, 4 Months 3 Weeks and 2 Days, and Funny Games. That film is number two on my list, and its not surprising that it comes from writer/director Lars von Trier. Von Trier has outdone himself with Antichrist, a horrifying but beautiful film about a married couple dealing with grief. Absolutely stunning to watch, but difficult to look at, Antichrist features an array of disgusting and shocking images that put Saw to shame. Not surprisingly, the film was unrated, which severely limited its exposure, and the film only made $404,000. Von Trier is a true film artist, and he creates an astonishing work of art that is as captivating as it is repulsive. The film's two stars give the film additional weight and complexity; Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem Dafoe give two of the best performances of the year; as the only two actors in the film, they keep the outrageous scenes grounded in reality with their incredibly honest performances.

For the third year in a row the Best Overlooked Film of the year was also the best overall film of the year. I had no idea what to expect when I decided to watch Nicolas Windig Refn's unique, experimental narrative Bronson, a biopic of the infamous London prisoner who named himself after movie star Charles Bronson. I was stunned from the very first frame by this angry, aggressive, violent film, which explores Bronson's life, relationships, and portrayal by the media. Using a diverse array of storytelling techniques, director Refn effectively brings us into the world of Bronson; you might not find him a sympathetic character, but you get a better understanding of who he is and where he comes from than most traditional biopics ever get out of their protagonists. Of course, the film places itself squarely on the broad, muscular shoulders of its lead actor, and Tom Hardy delivers the best lead performance of the year. He utterly dominates this film, controlling every film and never letting you take your eyes off of him. This is a truly remarkable breakthrough performance from a mostly unknown character actor. Unfortunately, the film made just over $100,000, but hopefully better things will be on the way for the incredibly talented director and star of this extraordinary film.

1) Bronson
2) Antichrist
3) Mary and Max
4) Tetro
5) Anvil! The Story of Anvil
6) The Cove
7) Passing Strange: The Movie
8) Loren Cass
9) Tyson
10) Lorna's Silence

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