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Jumping to the other end of the spectrum, Submarine is the fourth best overlooked film of the year and, the funniest film of 2011. I was discussing with a friend recently how great British coming-of-age films are, and Submarine is perfect evidence for this argument. Richard Ayoade's directorial debut is the perfect combination of heartfelt sweetness and hilarity. It never reaches for a laugh, and the flow of the story is so perfect and effortless, never cynical even when taking on serious topics. Newcomer Craig Roberts is brilliantly funny in the lead role, but also so sympathetic in his naivety and optimism. Supporting performances by Sally Hawkins, Paddy Considine, and wonderful young actress Yasmin Paige help develop this great film, which was shamefully overlooked in America, where it only made $467,602.

Miranda July seems to have the makings of a fixture on this list, as her films tend to be both brilliant and very non-commercial. July's second feature film, The Future, is the third best overlooked film of 2011, making only $568,662. July has proven herself to be a unique talent, effortlessly exploring and perfectly encapsulating her characters' quirks and insecurities. July wrote and directed The Future, which she also stars in as half of a couple trying to figure out their place in the world and drifting apart as a result. The strangeness of the film may be too much for some people, but the heart that beats in every minute of The Future is so overwhelming and earnest that I was completely swept away by it. The impressive cinematography and editing, and Jon Brion's perfect score, make this film even better than July's last, Me and You and Everyone We Know.

While The Future was about a couple drifting apart, the second best overlooked film of the year is about a couple coming together. Do not let its low budget and low production value fool you, because Weekend is perhaps the best and most sophisticated film in the mumblecore genre's brief history. Andrew Haigh's directorial debut is about two men who have a weekend-long affair, yes, but it has so much more than that packed into it. It is a story about trust, about trying to both define and understand who you are. But there is also a political message woven into it, exploring the idea of privacy and how it is appropriate to act when there is a possibility of being watched. Not surprisingly, this unrated gay love story didn't do well at the box-office, making only $484,592, but hopefully it is a sign of great things to come for Haigh.

I'm not sure why I decided to see Maryam Keshavarz's directorial debut, Circumstance. I didn't know anything about the film, and had never heard of it before it showed up at the theater I was living nearby, but I didn't have anything better to do, so I figured I'd check it out. Thank goodness I did, because Circumstance is a stunningly beautiful, deeply emotional film that tells a story rarely seen in films today. Keshavarz explores the maturation of two teenage girls in Iran, focusing on the oppression of women in the religiously-dominated society. Not only does the film explore a complicated political situation so clearly and thoroughly, but it doesn't do it at the expense of the story. Atafeh and Shareen are compelling and sympathetic characters, and even Mehran, who almost acts as the story's villain, is a multi-dimensional character whose motives are clear even when his actions are detestable. Of course, being in Persian, Circumstance was not a big box-office draw, making $454,121, but it is, without a doubt, the best seriously overlooked film of the year.

A number of films didn't crack my top ten list but definitely deserve more attention than they got. The documentaries If a Tree Falls and Tabloid were both fascinating exposes of controversial figures. The action film Point Blank and the animated Chico and Rita are both atypical foreign films that would appeal to American audiences if they were given a chance. The same can't be said of Le Quattro Volte, a beautiful but very slow film with no dialogue and very little action, but anyone willing to accept the film on its own terms is in for a treat.

1) Circumstance
2) Weekend
3) The Future
4) Submarine
5) We Need to Talk about Kevin
6) The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975
7) Terri
8) The Housemaid
9) Project Nim
10) Elite Squad: The Enemy Within

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