1. Shame

Cold and minimalist but wholly mesmerizing.

2. Beginners

Sweet, moving, and sporting a droll humor that perfectly complements the melancholy.

3. Martha Marcy May Marlene

Incredibly tense and disturbing, marking Sean Durkin as someone I envy.

4. Tree of Life

Christmas reunion this year felt profound for some reason…

5. The Descendants

A portrait of a family struck by tragedy that is never saccharine and always true.

6. Melancholia

A complete turn around from Antichrist and his most satisfying since Breaking the Waves.

7. Drive

I’m giving you a night call to tell you how I feel…

8. Jane Eyre

Cary Fukunaga proves not all adaptations have to be uninspired.

9. Midnight in Paris

Light and breezy, but that shouldn’t be a bad thing.

10. The Skin I Live In

Bizarre, provocative, and classic Almodovar.

Honorable Mention:  The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Certified Copy, 50/50

[Hm, why am I making a list before seeing Weekend, Margaret, Take Shelter, and Young Adult…]