13. Oslo, August 31st
Directed by Joachim Trier (a relative of Lars), "Oslo, August 31st" is relatively small in scale as it explores a man's one single day out of rehab as he encounters the past and deals with all of its demons. It is an investigative character study that digs deep into psyche of a troubled soul. A common theme that seems to be percolating between all these films is the sadness beneath everyday life, and this one's no different. It's emblematic of a world in which life passes us by and sometimes there is no way to catch up with it. The melancholy mood is the soul of the movie and by the last shot, there is a catharsis that makes you feel reinvigorated of life as well as a sunny outlook.
12. The Loved Ones
Released in Australia in 2009, this horror film will benefit from knowing as little about it as possible. All that I will say is that it is a John Hughes horror movie. The protagonist Lola is probably one of the best horror movie characters written on-screen. She is at once incredibly sympathetic while being terrifyingly sick and twisted. Sean Byrne's debut feature knows how to balance the film between its horror and other subplots that has its own revelations. This pacing keeps the goriness from getting too much for an audience to handle and provides a break in the narrative that is deserved. Most first-time filmmakers would be uncomfortable with that but this one strikes the balance for this future cult classic.