Meanwhile, Winter’s Bone goes a different way with the subject matter by making the world itself the source of claustrophobia as a girl raised in the hills with little hope of ever escaping is forced to determine how far she will go to protect her home and her way of life. In the end, she too finds herself looking at gruesome body parts. Clearly, the staff at BOP is thematically drawn to such movies, which says a lot about just how collectively twisted we are.

Heartache is the theme for our next trio of selections. The Ghost Writer is a gripping tale of history repeating itself as Ewan McGregor earns a once in a lifetime opportunity to write the autobiography of a world leader. After he becomes aware that he is not the first person to receive this assignment, he investigates the series of mishaps that led to his predecessor’s untimely demise. Say what you will about Roman Polanski the man, he once again proves that he is one of the finest filmmakers in the world.

Blue Valentine’s heartache stems from a different source. Through fractured time and odd symmetry, the story reveals the beginning as well as the bitter end of a relationship that leads to marriage and divorce. The heart wrenching aspect of the dissolution of their coupling is that a child is involved, one who is not the biological spawn of the father who raises her. The acting in Blue Valentine is sublime as the characters deal with the pain of loss; the same can be said of the next nomination as well. Rabbit Hole centers upon a married couple coping with the recent loss of their son, who died in a hit and run perpetrated by a conscientious teen who becomes almost as much a victim of the circumstance as the parents. BOP apparently likes suffering and misery a lot these days.

A trio of complete unknowns rounds out our top ten. Solitary Man is a Michael Douglas tour de force wherein he portrays a horndog lothario facing the end of the good life. Broke and forced to seek help from his daughter as well as his girlfriend, Douglas’ character is unable to keep it in his pants even when it comes to the college age daughter of his girlfriend. The dirty old man character is ordinarily mined for laughs in Hollywood, but Douglas imbues the character with a stifling immaturity and self-destruction that makes him equal parts sympathetic and sickening.

Four Lions is an entirely different type of film, a black comedy about suicide bombers. Yes, I am aware of how tasteless that sounds, but the movie is jaw-droppingly insightful in between slapstick moments of inappropriate comedy. Our final selection, I Love You Phillip Morris is a novel take on how a closeted married man changes his life by accepting who he is. And there are some pretty funny con jobs thrown in as well. Ewan McGregor and Jim Carrey are A-list actors who star in the Ocean’s 11 answer to Brokeback Mountain. If that description doesn’t sell you on the premise, we can’t be friends.

Voting at the bottom of the top ten this year was unprecedentedly tight. As such, several worthy contenders narrowly missed selection. The Swedish production of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Mother and Child, The Secret in Their Eyes, Micmacs, City Island, Stone and Dogtooth were all within a few points of earning a well deserved spot on our list. BOP’s staff passionately recommends that you give each of these films a chance. (David Mumpower/BOP)

The Calvins Introduction
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Album
Best Cast
Best Character
Best Director
Best Overlooked Film
Best Picture
Best Scene
Best Screenplay
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best TV Show
Best Use of Music
Best Videogame
Breakthrough Performance
Worst Performance
Worst Picture

---

Continued:       1       2