Listmania: The Second Annual Zeppo Marx Appreciation Award

Welcome to the Second Annual Zeppo Marx Appreciation Award. For this pointless award, we pay tribute to the films that may have been overlooked in favor of something flashier and more interesting. In some cases, these films exceed the expectations set by those around them. However, to remove these lesser known titles is to sacrifice what is great about cinema. Just like Zeppo Marx, these films have a thankless job that is worthy of further recognition in really arbitrary categories. Join me in honoring 10 films that are better than those films you likely call great and deserve to have more attention.

Left to right: Juliette Binoche and Kristen Stewart

Kristen Stewart Movie

Winner: The Clouds of Sils Maria

Better Than: American Ultra

There's a good chance that if you've been watching movies in the past few years, you have a strong opinion on Kristen Stewart's "acting." For many, the Twilight star is not very good. However, you have to turn to her independent work to understand what works best about her. In The Clouds of Sils Maria (a film sponsored by Chanel), she gives one of her career best performances in a story about the fragility of aging women in the industry. Compared to her other film American Ultra, which saw her team back up with Adventureland co-star Jesse Eisenberg, it's a riveting performance. American Ultra failed to capture the magic, even of a stoner action-comedy and only adds fuel for those wanting to call Stewart bad. Don't be one of those people. See a good movie by her instead.

Gregg Turkington

Obnoxious Entertainers

Winner: Entertainment

Better Than: Entourage: The Movie

There are two ways to make characters you're supposed to hate: be aware of it; or face the ridicule. There's a good chance that Entourage: The Movie left audiences wondering why any of these people showed up, save for a paycheck. Their reflection of chauvinistic world views definitely doesn't suit the contemporary age gracefully. However, neither does Entertainment. The only difference is that the film that pits an unnamed comedian into the heart of a dying career is more accepting of the faults. In fact, it revels in them as things beautifully collapse into madness. Sure, Entertainment may not have Ronda Rousey beating up the protagonist and reflecting the fall of masculinity, but it does have a different kind of destruction: the self. It's funny, sad, and everything that Entourage should be but is too afraid to leave their expensive yacht for.

BDSM Relationships

Winner: The Duke of Burgundy

Better Than: Fifty Shades of Grey

There was a lot of anticipation for the E.L. James adaptation of her erotic novel. Many wondered if it would be watered down or have its explicit heart. Whatever the cause, most people would argue that it's an unfair depiction of BDSM culture. It's a Hollywood version that can go naughty, but never full on explicit. While more timid with its actions, The Duke of Burgundy is a far more loving and beautiful film that looks at BDSM culture through a lesbian couple. With plenty of focus given to the study of butterflies, it's a wonderful film that may not be as kinky as this category sounds, but it definitely shows the emotional core underneath that bonds people together in such profound ways, beyond sex.

Car Franchise Sequel

Winner: Mad Max:: Fury Road

Better Than: Furious 7

Here's a simple argument to be made: how often have people talked about Furious 7 this year? With exception to the story around Paul Walker's death and that one song, it's largely been forgotten by the general public in favor of a less likely to be successful sequel from the Mad Max franchise - one that pretty much set the bar for what car movies could be. Director George Miller may be grey haired by now, but his energy and ferocity isn't. He's just as insane and creative as ever, producing one of the greatest action films of the year and providing something that has yet to be quieted. The fact that the film is getting Golden Globe nominations shows that it's something greater. Sadly, Furious 7 doesn't quite have nearly the same momentum.

Desiree Akhavan

Sexually Promiscuous Young Woman

Winner: Inappropriate Behavior

Better Than: Tangerine

There is one common praise that has been popping up for most of the year: Tangerine. To summarize, it's a film about two transgender prostitutes experiencing problems on Christmas Eve. It was shot entirely on camera phones. For that, it's a bigger achievement than Inappropriate Behavior. However, the story cannot compare. Billed as a "Pansexual Annie Hall," Inappropriate Behavior is a comedy about a woman dealing with a variety of conflicts in her life, including her racial and sexual identity. With plenty of strong humor and a great story, it's a film that unfortunately feels forgotten by most people after its initial release earlier this year. If nothing else, the characters are better written (read: less obnoxious) and the story has a more cathartic payoff. Tangerine may be more revolutionary aesthetically, but it's still a far more flawed movie.

Alicia Vikander

Robots

Winner: Ex Machina

Better Than: Chappie

Be honest, if you were told about Ex Machina and Chappie at the start of 2015, which would you think would be more beloved? Chappie was the third film from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Neil Blomkamp (District 9). Ex Machina was Alex Garland's directorial debut. By some stroke of luck, the former film was immediately labeled a disaster while the latter become one of the sleeper hits of the year. Its take on the "Frankenstein" mythology by way of circuit boards showed that audiences were willing to embrace the existential with the technology in ways that created one of the most eerie and wonderful stories of the year. Considering that Oscar Isaac was on an upswing for the past few years anyways, this only adds to his impressive run of films (even his TV work on Show Me a Hero is excellent). However, the film also has the edge for this moment alone.

Left to right: Katherine Waterston and Elisabeth Moss

Mental Breakdowns

Winner: Queen of Earth

Better Than: The Voices and Welcome to Me

Want to know what should be considered as offensive as racism and sexism? Inaccurately depicting mental illness. It was a terrible year for this subgenre (yes, it's a subgenre) because between The Voices being about a serial killer provoked by his pets; and Welcome to Me being a lazy update of Being There, it seems to suggest that there's comedy in very uncomfortable corners. There isn't, and these two films are garbage. Queen of Earth is a film that at least challenges the notion by showing the slow decline into insanity with an expert performance by Elisabeth Moss. It may be largely understated, but the film shows how it's the little things that will set someone off. Note to 2016: work on how you depict mental disorders. If you don't do it right, your film won't be any good. Not even half good. It's just going to be bad.

Use of Music

Winner: Junun

Better Than: Magic Mike XXL

Not since Girl Walk // All Day has there been a film so rich with life solely because of music. While there are strands of dialogue throughout, it's essentially a love letter to Indian music. What is created is a beautiful film that should also serve as tourism marketing for those wanting to visit. While not technically similar, the road trip version of Magic Mike XXL still uses music to gyrate and show the culture of Florida. There's plenty of fun moments, but some moments are overlong and lack the strong emphasis that made the first one great. Junun may not have anything on this, but Magic Mike XXL has nothing on the energy of Junun.

Lola Kirke

Noah Baumbach Film

Winner: Mistress America

Better Than: While We're Young

It's tough to really argue that either of these films are inferior to each other. Noah Baumbach's status as a drama-comedy dynamo who captures the conflicts of life has made him one of the most interesting voices in cinema. However, Mistress America feels like a next step for him in which he takes the sibling relationship and applies it to a screwball comedy; a formula that has long been abandoned and only imitated poorly. Somehow, Greta Gerwig brings one of the best performances of the year with a great sense of deadpan comedy and chemistry with Lola Kirke. That isn't to say that While We're Young is without note. It has plenty to offer. It's just that Baumbach and Gerwig may be one of the greatest collaboration teams in cinema right now. Between Mistress America and Frances Ha from two years ago, they have created both career bests.

Left to right: Leland Orser and Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Cults

Winner: Faults

Better Than: What We Do in the Shadows

Before I get flack, please consult the proper definition of cult: a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing. In that case, What We Do in the Shadows is a literal cult movie. The found footage story became one of the breakout films of the year. Despite having a solid cast of Australia's funniest faces, the film failed to capture any real magic with me and served the found footage format only as a novelty. Meanwhile, there's a lot to admire about Faults, which is a great twist on the cult environment, featuring excellent performances by Leland Orser and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. As a whole, it's a gripping drama with a lot of clever writing worthy of recognition.