The story centers around a high school freshman named Charlie who is still suffering from the tragic suicide of his best friend. The lonely boy eventually befriends a group of outsiders including Sam and Patrick, step-siblings who look after Charlie. Charlie falls for Sam, who is a senior attempting to get into Penn State. Over the course of the film, a special relationship between Charlie and his aunt is revealed, as is Charlie’s confusion about muddled memories he has about his childhood.

By the end of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Charlie’s issue is revealed as his friends and family gently nurture him. Charlie’s ability to overcome the stunning amount of trauma he has experienced in his young life makes him a compelling protagonist. It is his cadre of friends, however, who steal the movie. Watson’s nuanced portrayal of an unsure girl being rushed into adulthood is impeccable. Ezra Miller’s portrayal of her gay step-brother is even more remarkable. His relationship with a member of the football creates issues for both boys. Obviously, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is notably complex in comparison to regular teen fare, and that is what identifies it as an instant teen classic.

Our third selection is Seven Psychopaths. The Colin Farell dark comedy is director Martin McDonagh’s messy follow-up to a previous winner in this category, In Bruges. Just as was the case with In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths features a vast amount of violence combined with some genteel moments of quiet introspection from the various characters involved. Farell portrays a writer who is attempting to create a screenplay celebrating some homicidal maniacs. Helping him in his quest is Billy Bickle, whose vocation of record is kidnapping dogs then returning them in exchange for finder’s fee rewards. Yes, it’s that kind of movie.

The appeal of Seven Psychopaths is not the reveal of each of the seven members, although that aspect is definitely enjoyable. Instead, it is watching Farell play the straight man to an escalating series of violent killers, all of whom are philosophical about their lot in life. The violence in the movie is off-putting to some. Those who are not dissuaded by such over the top murdering will be entertained and challenged by the notions of the film. By the time the writer debates the necessity of a final shoot-out, our staff recognized the novelty of this movie. It is self-aware without being Wes Craven/Scream showy. We relish its creativity and laud it as third Best Overlooked Film of the year.

The naming conventions of our fourth and fifth selections are in stark contrast to one another. On the one hand, we have Seeking a Friend for the End of the World. The affectionate Steve Carell romantic comedy presents an understated examination of the importance of companionship. Gracelessly dumped at the start of the movie, Carell’s character undertakes any number of odd tasks in order to win and sustain the attention of an erratic woman who looks a lot like Keira Knightley. The two actors have unexpectedly great chemistry together, and their love story soothes the soul. For a film with such famous leads, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World deserved a much better box office fate.

Continued:       1       2       3