16. Calvary
As with Le Week-End, Calvary's approach to humour is one full of pathos and emotional resonance, dealing with issues which don't immediately make you think of laughter such as morality and the erosion of religious faith in the modern world. That said, if you're a fan of director John Michael McDonaugh's hit comedy The Guard you'll have a pretty good idea of the kind of downbeat humour on display in Calvary. Again Brendan Gleeson takes the lead role, this time as a Catholic priest in Ireland who receives a death threat and spends the following week putting his life into order. Gleeson plays the doomed man with the kind of world-weary yet wise expression he does so well, while the excellent supporting cast including Dylan Moran, Kelly Reilly and Domhall Gleeson provide a mix of despair, chaos, hope and humour which makes the film such a compelling experience.