1. Nymphomaniac
Lars Von Trier is probably one of the greatest and most misunderstood film maker of the past twenty years. He's more heard than he is seen. He's always been on the cusp of making it big, with movie studios getting shy and pulling out of backing his projects. Regardless of what you think of his films - if you've ever even seen them - is that they're exceptionally crafted. Dogville might actually be the last-full length completely avant-garde film ever made. But he's returned after his excellent and sombre film Melancholia with his biggest and most ambitious project yet: Nymphomaniac. The film follows Joe, a woman in her fifties, found beaten behind a dumpster by a philosopher, who she then recounts her life story too, involving a lot of sex. Nymphomaniac made headlines when its explicit trailer was accidentally shown before a screening of Frozen. It couldn't have been better marketing. This film wants to break down barriers of America's views on sexuality, and that was one hell of a way to start a conversation.
Why It Has Mass Appeal: Early reviews have pointed out that not only is the film complicated, edgy, and cinematically inventive, it's also hilarious. Most people criticize Von Trier of being overly bitter nihilistic agitator (see Anti-Christ), but Nymphomaniac not only seeks to explore the extremes of human sexuality, but laugh them as well.
Why It Won't Get A Wide Release: Von Trier made this film for American audiences, and cast the kid who starred in the dullest and dumbest Hollywood series (The Transformers) although most mainstream audiences ironically may dismiss the movie as being ridiculous. Likely, Nymphomaniac's fate is, somewhat unfortunately, to be discussed rather than actually seen. Less likely to engender conversation and more like vitriol from ignorant and repressed pundits like Fox News, hopefully people make the time to see it for themselves. Do you plan on seeing any of these movies? Share your observations below.