20) Rabbit Hole – Avg Tier 6.75

“This is the type of material that screams for the Academy’s attention. Somehow, however, Mitchell sidesteps cliche and brings us a measured account of how people react to and deal with tragedy. Both Kidman and Eckhart deserve Oscar-buzz. It could be pitched as ‘In the Bedroom’ meets ‘Rachel Getting Married’ which sounds explosive and/or drab but rather it’s in fact dialed down and completely engaging.” – KasperL

19) Never Let Me Go – Avg Tier 6.78

“Beautifully directed, phenomenally well-acted love story set in an alternate past. This is a subversion on the typical Hollywood fare and actually invites audience interpretation and reflection. Rather than belittling the characters for their atypical response to their “purpose”, I condemned a world that would marginalise and trample on the underclass so carelessly, at once reminded of the brevity and preciousness of life. Remarkably restrained and poetic in its elegance” – anchovies

18) The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Avg Tier 6.81

“Some films take you flying, but this film drags you in. The characters, particularly Rapace’s damaged Lisbeth, are rivetting. Her modern story is deftly juxtaposed with an old investigation taken on by Nyqvist’s Blomkvist. This mystery feels remarkably present, and the films consistently intriguing turns left me riveted to its luxuriously paced unraveling. I would have expected the disparate pieces of this film to feel incongruous, but they come together with a delightful elegance.” – thaklos

17) Lebanon – Avg Tier 6.99

“This is what cinema is for. For an hour and a half, I was in that tank, I was in that war.” – soarom

16) Shutter Island – Avg Tier 7.02

“Shutter Island is a deep and complex picture. It is more than what is tossed to us. It is an examination of a man, his sanity, and the avocation of the populace. The film is too predictable. You know it, I know it, but I believe it is obvious for a reason. Scorsese made a film that is purely psychological; there is NO twist. What we the viewer are left with is an ending that is meant to be explored to the point of being able to find the answer only in between the lines, and in the shades of grey” – Farzan

15) How to Train Your Dragon – Avg Tier 7.18

“A definite feel good movie, I don’t really know why. I was just really happy when I left the theater. The dragons are all pretty cute, which coincides well with the story. The animation is really great and the voice acting is very good as well (finally Gerard Butler gets to do a movie without faking an American accent). It’s great to see Dreamworks bring the goods so Pixar doesn’t just dominate animation every year. Extra-kudos for taking a slight risk at the end. Recommended to all.” – SirStuckey

14) Let Me In – Avg Tier 7.23

“For one reason or another, remakes of superb films often have about the competence of Ke$ha covering the Rolling Stones. Fortunately, Let Me In exceeds in predecessor in almost all respects. Grittier, more atmospheric, and better-filmed, Let Me In improves upon the structure and storyboarding of Let the Right One In while still redoubling the stylistic characteristics. Backed by a dark, menacing score, the suspenseful moments of Let Me In bring intensity where the original lacked. Superb.” – NorthSider

13) The Fighter – Avg Tier 7.32

“The boxing takes a backseat to dysfunctional family drama, and David O’Russell handles it perfectly. “The Fighter” packs an emotional punch to gut, brims with humor, and shakes of sadness. Wahlberg is perfectly overshadowed by his fierce co-stars, particularly Bale and Melissa Leo delivering career-defining roles. You won’t find a larger grab-bag of talent and power this season.” – MJVmovieMan

12) Four Lions – Avg Tier 7.39

“A comedy about British Muslim extremism? There’s only one person who could pull it off: Chris Morris. His secret? Research. You cannot make a film like this – carefully negotiating a minefield of potential outrage while cracking jokes – without having learnt a lot on the subject and the people. The final act is the sobering conclusion to his research, the demystification of the mindset and motivation of people who have radicalised, how we react to them and Muslims at large. Also a crow explodes.” – DaWolfey

11) Winter’s Bone – Avg Tier 7.42

“So raw and hard-edged, but surprisingly subdued all the same. It never feels overcooked or unbelievable, and the matter-of-factness with which the material is dealt gives it a slow-burn quality that makes it that much more intense and powerful. Jennifer Lawrence and John Hawkes are fantastic.” – Criminal5