10. Elena – Dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev (Russia)
Of my theatrical releases, two of these made waves in 2011 on the festival circuit, such as Russian auteur Andrei Zvyagintsev’s third film, Elena (the 2012 Los Angeles film festival screened his neglected 2007 sophomore feature The Banishment, for which I felt extremely thankful to have had the opportunity to experience—and with his trio of films, you can note this director as one of the most exciting names working in cinema). With a score by Philip Glass and a noir tinged tale concerning class issues and inheritance, his third feature is a beautifully calibrated take on icy issues of the heart.
9. Middle of Nowhere – Dir. Ava DuVernay (US)
The only woman director to make my Top 10 list is the amazingly talented Ava DuVernay with her sophomore film, Middle of Nowhere, for which she won Best Director at 2012’s Sundance Film Festival. I’ve been championing this title since I saw it last January and I am extremely pleased to see the wonderful critical response it has gone on to receive. Featuring a handful of excellent performances (both from seasoned vets like Lorraine Toussant and up and comers like David Oyelowo and Omari Hardwicke) is centered on an excellent lead role for newcomer Emayatzy Corinealdi. Please check out her also amazing first film, I Will Follow, if you haven’t already done so.
8. Sound of My Voice – Dir. Zal Batmanglij (US)
Zal Batmanglij’s stupendous debut feature, Sound of My Voice, which premiered at Sundance 2011 (his next feature, The East, premieres next month at Sundance 2013), does wonders with a limited budget and a creepy performance from Brit Marling (they wrote the film together). Provoking, intense, with a great soundtrack and engrossing performances, this is exactly the type of cinema largely absent from the American film scene.
7. Moonrise Kingdom – Dir. Wes Anderson (US)
Wes Anderson doesn’t so much reinvent himself but finally branches out in new directions with this immensely rewarding film about adolescence and the nostalgia of falling in love. While a large part of the success of the film is balanced on two very endearing performances from its young leads, Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward, Anderson fleshes out his universe with appealing supporting performances from Bruce Willis, Tilda Swinton, Ed Norton, Frances McDormand, and Bill Murray. The film is a magical ode to childhoods filled with records, romantic runaway adventures, and those pulp fiction paperbacks of yore.
6. Compliance – Dir. Craig Zobel (US)
One of the most uncomfortable theatrical experiences I had this year was squirming through Craig Zobel’s deliciously tense Compliance, which does feature a delightfully unassuming performance from Ann Dowd. You’ll hate to believe that people could be so foolhardy, but, loosely based on a true story, this makes for some of the most thrilling cinema you’re going to see not just in this year, but any other.
