From Black Swan to Inception, it seems like the same movies keep getting buzzed about. 2010 also gave us gems that were less remembered by the media. Join me as I take a look at those forgotten picks and count down the five best and least recognized films of 2010.

Honorable Mentions:

Secret Sunshine

Vincere

Solitary Man

5. Dogtooth

This movie is from 2009 but had a limited release in the US in 2010. The film is cerebral and strange; the plot follows three teenagers that are confined to a remote country estate. They spend their days watching movies that teach them a vocabulary outside of their own. Thus, any word they are not familiar with is given an out of context and bizarre new meaning. For instance, yellow flowers are referred to as zombies, an armchair as the sea, and salt is a phone. The only member of the family allowed to leave is the patriarch, who goes off to manage a factory; the only outsider allowed in is a woman named Christina, whose position in the family is odd, to say the least. While I found the film to be satirical and darkly hilarious as much as it is insightful, taking ques from famous satires such as Dr. Strangelove, it’s an acquired taste and definitely not for everyone.

4. The Illusionist

From the same French animator responsible for delightful The Triplets of Bellville, The Illusionist follows an illusionist in Edinburg who is stuck in a dying profession. His tricks are overshadowed by rock stars and big performers. He seems down on his luck until an encounter with a young beautiful fan changes his fate. She is convinced that he’s a real magician and follows him. They become fast companions. The film is sweet and beautifully animated, set to muted colors and dazzling characters. While subtitles are usually clunky, the film manages to flow with ease. A charming movie that is best suited for the young at heart.

3. You Don’t Know Jack

A far cry from his Scarface-esque roles; Al Pacino does Jack Kevorkian, also known as Dr. Death, a great service in this movie by making him human and often times relatable. The story is well-paced, and performances from John Goodman and Susan Sarandon are delivered perfectly. Sometimes the plot becomes a bit unfocused and sleepy and is made less interesting by the film’s equally drab color scheme. It often feels cerebral and sterile but also manages to be touching, and in scenes, particularly one where euthanasia goes wrong, purely unnerving. The film forces the viewer to love Jack, which isn’t an easy task.

2. Animal Kingdom

This Aussie import, released in the summer, was not very successful at the box office in the United States but had the critics at their knees. It’s a high tension crime thriller that follows the main protagonist Josh as he peddles his way in family of crime while trying to escape with aid of a compassionate detective. Jacki Weaver gives a sickening, electrifying performance as the matriarch grandmother of the Cody crime clan. Every scene she’s in is as fun as it is gripping. Watch for the Oedipal relationships with her sons and grandsons- it’s chilling. One of the best crime dramas, with perfectly cast characters, that has been released in a while.

1. Carlos

Carlos wasn’t a movie but a 330 minute TV miniseries chronicling the infamous Ilich Ramirez Sanchez or ‘Carlos The Jackal’. He was a violent Venezuelan revolutionary who started a worldwide terrorist organization and famously raided the 1975 OPEC meeting. The man makes the film fascinating and worth the 5 hours it takes to get through. Well acted, Carlos delivers an adrenalin rush for the senses. Whether he’s hijacking planes or capturing hostages he does it with style and grit. However, after hijacking the plane, we spend an hour with him and the hostages boggling their way through several countries as well as other scenes that the film could have done without. While the directors did take some liberties with historical accuracy, they deliver a poignant portrayal of the man behind the monster. Fabulous performance from Edgar Ramirez, who plays Carlos, and overall my high point for films of 2010.