14. Shame
With only two full length movies to his credit, Steve McQueen has regardless become one of the most important living filmmakers. His films are poignant portrayals of real issues but instead of coating them in sentimentality, McQueen opts for a much more visceral approach. Controversially snubbed at the Oscars, in part to its heavy subject matter, Shame is one of the most powerful films released in the last decade. Michael Fassbender is simply incredible as the main character Brandon, who suffers from sex addiction which he manages to keep secret from his friends and coworkers. When his sister comes to stay with him, his world is complicated even further by her presence. Despite incredible praise from many critics, with Roger Ebert naming it his 2nd favorite film of 2011, Shame has not been widely seen or recognized by many film fans and it was egregiously passed up at the Oscars for both for Best Picture and Best Actor. It is a courageous film that bravely confronts touchy subject matter and does so in a way that manages to be both artistic and powerful. The real shame of this film is that it has not received the recognition it deserves.