By Matt Meier and Tyler Schwartz

Right around this time every year, the Hollywood machine awakens from its post-summer coma and begins revving its engines for the lucrative fall/winter season. With such influential film festivals as Venice and Telluride already underway and the always-exciting Toronto just around the corner, the films that premier over the next month will undoubtedly dictate the pace for the marathon of awards and media coverage leading up to the Oscars.  Some will triumph. Some will fail. Some will quickly come and go like a cool breeze. Nevertheless, the past ten years have proved the fall/winter seasons to be the most exhilarating time to be a film fanatic.

Although 2010 has lacked the quantity of outstanding films we’d seen released by this time last year, the year’s best so far have no shortage of quality.  Each title mentioned below firmly deserves to be applauded as a profound artistic achievement in its own right; and while some will continue their march towards Oscar glory as others slowly disappear under the impending shadow of more highly regarded studio fodder, the following 10 films have rightfully earned their place on this list as the best of the year so far.

10. The Oath

One of the most captivating and layered documentaries I’ve seen in quite awhile, Laura Poitras’ The Oath offers a complex and intimate character study of Abu Jandal, a former body guard of Osama bin Laden.  The film was originally intended to surround the military and Supreme Court trials of Salim Hamdan, Jandal’s brother-in-law and bin Laden’s former driver, who served a five-and-a-half year sentence at Guantanamo Bay before being released in January, 2009; and though this does account for a major portion of the story, Poitras ultimately chose to highlight Jandal as the narrative centerpiece, which proved to be a brilliant directorial choice due to the profound depth of Jandal’s character.  Jandal long ago abandoned the teachings of al-Queda in favor of a more peaceful approach to the Islamic movement, and provided invaluable information to the U.S. government, including the identities of many of the 9/11 hijackers. Poitras, who resided in Jandal’s house for the majority of her shoot in Yemen, presents audiences with the innermost facets of Jandal’s life, ergo providing a look into Islamic culture unlike anything most viewers have seen previously.  And while the film does anything but vilify Jandal – he is truly a fascinating, charismatic, and, at times, inexplicably likeable figure – Poitras actively works to highlight Jandal as a somewhat unreliable character, and one whom cannot always be taken at his word.  For this reason more than any other, The Oathfunctions as one of those rare documentaries that takes a refreshing break from the agenda-driven docs to which audiences have become so accustomed.  Poitras provides an compelling story filled with complex and multi-dimensional characters and encourages audiences to formulate their own interpretation of the text without stuffing its significance down our throats from the first frame onward.  Although The Oath certainly won’t receive as much box office attention as this years’ other more marketed documentaries (namely Countdown to Zero and Waiting for “Superman”), Poitras deserves critical recognition for her accomplishments in this film, and viewers (especially those who already have a certain interest in the subject matter with which the film engages) will leave theaters grappling with a very different perspective of al-Queda and Islamic fundamentalism than their previous understanding. (MM)

9. Toy Story 3

TS3 reaffirms what most of us have known for a long time now: No one makes films quite like Pixar does. Functioning as the climactic final chapter in what is now the most successful computer animated franchise in Hollywood history (the series has earned approximately 1.8 billion worldwide, and still counting), Toy Story 3 more than matches the already high bar set by the first two installments. àMaking threequels is a risky business. Look no further than directors such as Francis Ford Coppola (Godfather 3) and The Wachowski Bros. (Matrix Revolutions) for solid examples of underwhelming second sequels that effectively killed their respective franchises. So, how did Pixar avoid the threequel curse? Simple. They outsourced. àFresh off of winning a best original screenplay Oscar for Little Miss Sunshine, relatively unknown writer Michael Ardnt was hired to develop and write the latest Toy Story installment. Consequently, it comes as no surprise that similar to nearly every Pixar release, the primary reason TS3 works so well is largely attributed to the expertly crafted script. Arndt masterfully constructs a boisterous adventure story that stays true to the one defining element that carries over all three films (Bare with me now, I’m about to put on my college-boy glasses.) At their narrative core, the Toy Story films operate as a multifaceted analysis in familial discontent. Peel away the story’s layers and you’ll find that TS3 is really just a complex character study about a family at a dramatic emotional crossroad. Sound like any film you know? Just like Little Miss Sunshine, Arndt looks to be awarded with at least a nomination come Oscar time. By the time the credits start rolling, Toy Story 3 pushes even the most cynical of moviegoers to the brink of tears. And while the film acts as a fitting conclusion to the series, a fourth installment is already in the works. Any other studio, and I would be apprehensive; but considering Pixar’s undeniable track record of critical and commercial success, can we really doubt these guys anymore?  They never disappoint and every subsequent release gets better and better. No matter where the series goes from here, whether it be infinity or beyond, the Toy Story franchise will always have a friend in me – God, this film turns me into such a sap. (TFTS)

8. Shutter Island

This film marks the fourth collaboration between Scorcese and DiCaprio, and while it’s decidedly a lesser work than their three previous efforts (Gangs of New York, The Aviator, and The Departed), the movie still stands as a dexterously entertaining exercise in suspense. Adapted from Dennis Lehane’s (author of Mystic River) novel of the same name, Shutter Island is best described as Scorsese’s version of Hitchcock. The story has so many intricate twists and turns that it would be a crime to spoil them for you here now. All the same, what is worthy of mention are the obvious dramatic parallel’s Shutter Island shares with another recent Leo film. On the surface, Shutter Island and Inception appear to be entirely different movies. Delve a little deeper, however, and any amateur cinema buff can pompously point out both film’s substantial similarities. Teddy Daniels and Dom Cobb are both widowers dealing with the guilt and repercussions from their spouse’s controversial death. Furthermore, both protagonists possess a penchant for living their lives in an alternate reality. Leo knocks both roles out of the park, but it’s as Teddy in Shutter that we really see him get to flex his “serious” acting muscles. He effortlessly carries the film on his back, never once allowing us to grow tired or bored with the sometimes arduous plot twists. DiCaprio possesses the rare gift that all great screen actors have in common. He’s able to express multiple layers of emotion and subtext with just a flicker of his eye or a flinch of the mouth. Leo once again confirms that he’s a talent of the highest order and perhaps the most versatile superstar actor American cinema currently has. Come Oscar time, expect Leo to be a mainstay in the always-crowded best actor field. The rest of the movie’s performances are uniformly pitch-perfect with Mark Ruffalo and Ted Levine (Will someone give this guy his breakout roll already? He’s one of the most consistent yet least talked about character-actors working today) as the biggest standouts. This being a Martin Scorcese film, the cinematography is aesthetically illustrious as always. Director of Photography Robert Richardson adeptly uses color and light to subtly generate the movie’s paranoid tone and dreamlike atmosphere. Expect some much-deserved kudos come awards time. àShutter Island is by no means a great film. The story lags at times and the anti-climactic final twist will surely [likely?] leave much of the audience emotionally unsatisfied. However, at the end of the day, none of that matters. Shutter Island remains a beautifully crafted film made by a master filmmaker. And while it may not be the masterpiece cinephiles across the country were hoping for, it’s still a damn good time at the movies. Not great. But very good, and you know, sometimes very good is perfectly good enough. Don’t sweat this one Marty – you’re still the best we got. Now, about that Shutter Island/Inception double-feature… (TFTS)

7. Get Low

Robert Duvall delivers an exceptional performance in this dark comedy as an old hermit, Felix Bush, who decides to throw his own funeral party before he dies.  While the plot mostly surrounds Felix working with funeral home owner Frank Quinn (Bill Murray, who offers great comedic balance to Duvall) and Quinn’s assistant, Buddy (Lucas Black), as they prepare for the funeral, the heart of the narrative tension surrounds the gradual revealing of Felix’s past and the events that led him into reclusion.  Get Low is a relatively small piece, but director Aaron Schneider handles it beautifully with the help of  some brilliant cinematography by David Boyd and a minimalist, twang-filled score by Jan A.P. Kaczmarek – a dark horse contender for a Best Score nomination.  Also look for possible (and much deserved) Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor nominations for Duvall and Murray, respectively. (MM)

6. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Adapted from the first book in the posthumously published Millenium Trilogy written by late Sweedish author Stieg Larsson, Girl With The Dragon Tattoo has recently become something of an international phenomenon. The books have sold over 27 million copies around the world and the film adaptation has earned over 103 million at the worldwide box office. To top it all off, the highly anticipated big-budget American remake is already underway with David Fincher attached to direct and Daniel Craig to star, respectively. Seems like a lot of fuss over a pretty standard sub-titled crime drama right? Well, see the movie first, and you’ll understand what all the hype is about. Girl With The Dragon Tattoo has by far the most interesting female protagonist to appear on the silver screen since Ellen Ripley in the first Alien. Lisbeth Salander is not your typical leading lady. She dresses in all black and hides most of her body and face with a plethora of piercings and tattoos. Oh yea, she also has a photographic memory, unrivaled computer hacking abilities, and a propensity for kicking the ever-living-shit out of any chauvinistic male who gets in her way. In short, Salander would make any Betty-Friedan-reading feminine extremist very, very proud. Played by relatively unknown Swedish actress Noomi Rapace, the performance is a tour de force of the highest order. Rapace injects the kind of raw intensity and unwavering commitment to the role that is rarely seen in cinema today. A Best Actress campaign is already in the works, and while it’s a bit of a longshot, I think the underdog factor combined with the towering nature of the performance lands her in Oscar’s final five. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is certainly not for everyone. The film’s graphic depiction of sexual violence will undoubtedly turn off some audience members. However, for those brave enough to stomach it, Girl With The Dragon Tattoo remains a thrilling crime saga imbued with a rare sense of authoritative pace and tone. I’m sure Fincher and Co. will do a fine job with the adaptation, but no matter the final quality, it will never be able to surpass the uniquely unrefined nature of the original. (TFTS)

5. Cyrus

The first studio-funded film from mumblecore stalwarts Mark and Jay Duplass [The Puffy Chair (2005), Baghead (2008)], Cyrus is unlike any mainstream comedy released in the past ten years. The movie follows depressed divorcée John (played by the always-charming John C. Reilly) as he gets seriously involved with single mother Molly (Marisa Tomei). Little does John know, a major roadblock stands in the way of his pursuit of true love…

Enter Cyrus, Molly’s rambunctious 21-year-old son played to perfection by Superbad’s Jonah Hill. It’s at Cyrus’ introduction that the film really starts to show off its comedic chops, as we soon discover that Cyrus has some deep-seated mommy issues that would make even Oedipus blush. From this point forward the movie, focuses primarily on John and Cyrus’s passive-aggressive duel for the woman they love, a battle that is at once both hilarious and increasingly cringe-worthy. As per usual for Duplass films, the script was almost entirely improvised, a stroke of genius that helps create the film’s most endearing scenes. For what makes Cyrus different from nearly any other recent comedy, is the movie’s amazing ability to capture subtext.  In every scene, the funniest moments aren’t in the dialogue, but in the character’s hysterically candid reactions. The directors highlight these exchanges by employing the constant use of shaky zooms and pans. This crude stylistic decision goes a long way in accentuating the extreme awkward tension that carries the narrative through most of the film. While all the performances receive high marks, (Catherine Keener is a constant highlight…can we get this woman an Oscar already?!) it’s Jonah Hill who steals the show. Already an established comedic force in such mainstream comedies likeForgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) and Get Him To The Greek (2010), it’s at Cyrus’ most dramatic moments that Hill really shines. Never does he settle for anything less than complete honesty, every awkward pause and shift in body language adding volumes of unspoken emotional layers to an undoubtedly complicated character. The film does lose momentum during its rushed third act; however, that’s a small knock for a film that consistently delivers big laughs and captivating sentiment throughout. The Duplass brothers once again establish themselves as the preeminent filmmakers to emerge from the ultra-low-budget mumblecore movement. Cyrus acts as their major league debut and while it’s not a homerun, the movie is a solid double – not too shabby for a first at bat. If Cyrus is an indication of things to come, then the Duplass Brothers have a very bright future in front of them. So whether you want to classify them as mumblecore or not, I expect we’ll be hearing more from these fearless independent mavericks in the very near future. Listen closely, and you’ll hear it: a faint mumble growing louder and louder and louder… (TFTS)

4. The Kid’s Are All Right

Within the ever intensifying debate over gay marriage, the topic of familial stability has often taken center stage, with the conservative opposition largely fueled by their pessimistic response to a single misguided question: “Are same-sex couples capable of providing a wholesome and nourishing environment in which to raise their children?”  The Kids Are All Right deftly tackles this question with a greater sense of profound simplicity than anything we’ve seen before in film or television, and the title of the film truly says it all.  The story surrounds a lesbian couple, Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore) and their two children, Joni (Mia Wasikowa) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson), who were conceived via sperm donor, Paul (Mark Ruffalo).  With Joni having just turned 18, Laser pushes her to contact their sperm daddy to find out more about him.  Paul gradually begins spending increasing amounts of time with each of the family members with the exception of Nic, who remains reluctant to allow Paul into their lives.  The tensions that ensue, though clearly brought about by rather unique circumstances, reflect the same sort of family dynamics we are used to seeing in male-female partnerships (i.e. one partner feels inadequate in terms of her independent accomplishments and seeks more support and encouragement from the other, who feels she is losing control of her family).  With the recent overturning of Proposition 8 (California’s ban on same-sex marriage, passed back in 2008), the thematic relevance of such a piece along with the Oscar-worthy performances from Bening, Moore, and Ruffalo, who offers his career-best and is due for an Oscar nomination, should allow The Kids Are All Right to sneak into that 10th Best Picture slot, and we can certainly expect a strong push for a Best Original Screenplay nod. (MM)

3. Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom, the debut feature film for Australian writer/director David Michôd, is bar none the absolute best indie/foreign crime drama to come along since Fernando Meirelles’ City of God (Cidade de Deus, 2002).  A tension-filled rollercoaster of raw, unapologetic emotion that bounces from wry humor to shocking, leap-from-your-seat brutality, Michôd dares his viewers to turn away from the screen and reach for their popcorn as he guides them through the severe and merciless streets of the Melbourne underworld, where a staggering new twist and turn awaits them at every corner.  The film stars James Frecheville as Joshua “J” Cody in a flawless first screen performance, executing the role with stoical restraint and nuanced vulnerability.  After J’s mother overdoses on heroin, J goes to live with his grandmother, Janine “Smurf” Cody (performed by Jacki Weaver with bone-chilling menace), and his uncles, a notorious group of armed robbers and drug dealers led by the eldest brother, Andrew “Pope” Cody (Ben Mendelsohn, who embodies the character with a disturbingly realistic sense of sociopathy) and his partner, Barry “Baz” Brown (Joel Edgerton), who wants to retire from his criminal life.  Though initially excited to be welcomed into the gang, J quickly finds himself tangled in the center of a police murder investigation led by Detective Nathan Leckie (Guy Pierce), who persistently works to exploit valuable incriminating information from J while the Cody crime family does everything in their power to ensure his silence.

Loosely inspired by real criminal events that took place in Melbourne (including the Walsh Street police shootings of 1988), Animal Kingdomcombines the gritty realism of City of God and The Hurt Locker (Kathryn Bigelow, 2009) with the dramatic excitement of Scorsese’s The Departed(2006) – not to mention a show-stealing, villainous performance from Jacki Weaver that would make even Frank Costello blush.  But don’t expectAnimal Kingdom to approach the box office and/or Oscar success of any of those three films, despite having already matched their critical acclaim.  Since the film is in English, it won’t receive a bid for Best Foreign Language Film, and it seems hard to imagine a relatively unknown Australian crime drama making a push for Best Picture, or any other category for that matter.  Even The Hurt Locker, which made a relatively small splash at the box office and owns the title of lowest grossing film to win a Best Picture, had more than quadrupled Animal Kingdom’s box office earnings by this same week in its release and was playing in nearly twice as many theaters (93 vs. 53).  Unfortunately, Animal Kingdom seems destined to share the same fate as Moon (Duncan Jones, 2009), last year’s most underrated and underappreciated film.  Though Jones’ directorial debut as a writer/director was certainly brilliant from a cinematic and narrative standpoint and was worthy of its own kudos, Sam Rockwell’s performance truly carries the film and was hands down the best male performance of the year.  However, Moon’s failure to garner much attention from the box office allowed Rockwell’s performance to go unnoticed, and this will likely be the case for Jacki Weaver and Animal Kingdom as a whole.  Unless the film witnesses some drastic box office changes as it approaches its 4th and 5th leg, expect Animal Kingdom to be this year’s hidden gem, the unmentioned masterpiece that far too few will have the chance to appreciate. (MM)

2. Inception

For those of you who have yet to experience this critically acclaimed, nearly $700-million-grossing worldwide phenomenon, crawl out from whatever rock you’re living under and go see it.  Whether you love the film or hate it, Inception warrants an opinion at the very least.  Beyond its laundry list of accomplishments in literally every category from writing to acting to special effects, Inception first and foremost solidifies Christopher Nolan’s status as the most creative and intellectual box-office auteur working in the industry today.  This is what happens when you combine a blockbuster budget with an indie-minded writer/director who continues to raise the bar with every film he makes.  After starting his career with the completely independently financed Slamdance Selection Following (year) followed by the much-beloved indie masterpiece Momento(2001?), Nolan is one of the few directors (along with Steven Soderberg, Danny Boyle, Gus Van Sant, and Quentin Tarantino) to successfully transition from indie to mainstream without losing any of his original thematic and cinematic authorial sensibilities.  Expect plenty of buzz to follow this all-but-guaranteed Oscar contender in the coming months and especially as we enter award season.  I assure you, this is only a small sample of the extensive Inception coverage we plan on releasing here on the site. This is the type of film that deserves to be talked about for many years to come. No matter what lens you view it from, Inception undeniably stands as a landmark film. So leave your expectations at the door and embrace the ride because the dream is real, folks – this one’s a game-changer. (MM)

1. Greenberg

Coming in at number one on our list is Greenberg, the sixth film from writer/director Noah Baumbach. Having proved his indie credibility in 2005 with the heartbreaking The Squid and the Whale, his latest acts as a return to form for the auteur. While Squid was pretty much unanimously hailed as a modern masterpiece (which it most certainly is, perhaps the best “divorce” film ever made without the name Kramer in the title) Baumbach’s follow-up, Margot at the Wedding, was largely seen as a disappointment by both critics and audiences alike. With Greenberg, however, the director once again reminds us why he’s one of the most promising filmmakers working in Hollywood today.

I’m not going to insult you by overanalyzing and thus spoiling the movie’s intimately intricate narrative arc. Do yourself a favor and experience the film for yourself (If you have a Netflix account, I command you to put it at the top of your queue this very instant. I’ll wait… Done? Lovely. Thanks for your cooperation). For basic purposes, all you need to know is that it chronicles the life of Roger Greenberg, a forty-something-year-old neurotic recently released from a mental institution who has returned to his hometown Los Angeles to house-sit for his pretentiously wealthy brother. Soon after arriving, Greenberg has his first encounter with the film’s other protagonist, his brother’s emotionally vulnerable nanny, Florence. The two characters embark on a decisively awkward courtship that functions as the film’s primary focus throughout.

One of the numerous highlights of the film are the organically understated performances. Leading the charge is Ben Stiller, in by far his best dramatic role since The Royal Tenenbaums. Hollywood’s reigning class-clown guilelessly exposes facets of his own tortured psyche in a manner that remains all but nonexistent in previous performances. Rhys Ifans and Jennifer Jason Leigh (Baumbach’s wife and the film’s co-writer) also offer fine turns as Roger’s best friend and former girlfriend, respectively. However, the film’s true standout performance undoubtedly belongs to mumblecore veteran Greta Gerwig. Playing the role of Florence, Gerwig’s performance provides the film’s moral backbone and benevolent heart. She embodies the emotionally wounded character with such effortless grace that it hardly seems fair to qualify it as acting at all.  It undeniably reigns as the breakout performance of 2010. While I highly doubt we’ll see her name mentioned come nomination time, we can surely look forward to seeing the magnificent Ms. Gerwig pop up a lot more in the very near future.

With Greenberg, Baumbach has given us the best character drama since, well, The Squid and the Whale. He has proven himself to be a master storyteller, and his name deserves to be mentioned alongside such talents as Hal Ashby and frequent collaborator Wes Anderson [the two co-wrote both The Life Aquatic (2004) and Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)]. The auteur’s derisively unique style of dialogue and characterization harkens back to such classic films as Marty (Delbert Mann, 1955) and The Apartment (Billy Wilder, 1960). Conversely, his adroit employment of silence and sound design echo the naturalistic atmosphere of acute character pieces like Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (Martin Scorsese, 1974) and Straw Dogs (Sam Peckinpah, 1971) (I really wish NB was doing the remake instead of Rod Lurie – it could have had an outside shot at topping the original). Watch the scene when Greenberg takes a swim in his brother’s pool. It’s the best use of sound design in illustrating a character’s inner turmoil since Jack Nicholson’s famous concerto scene in the timeless 1970 character drama Five Easy Pieces (a film the director has admitted to watching numerous times before filming). With Greenberg, Mr. Baumbach firmly establishes himself as one of the leading auteurs working today. His latest film validates his tremendous talent and offers us a shining beacon of hope for the future of independent filmmaking. To all the young filmmakers out there: Take a good look. This is the level we need to strive to achieve in our work. This level of emotional sincerity is what filmmaking is all about. Embrace it. Study it. We need more movies like this one. (TFTS)