This gooey-hearted, sharp-scripted sorta-indie earmarked Abigail Breslin, Steve Carell and Paul Dano as performers to follow under any and all circumstances. Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear, a cameo by a pre-Breaking Bad Bryan Cranston and a to-die-for talent show finale carried it the rest of the way to greatness. It went on to snag four Oscar nominations and two wins, for Alan Arkin's supporting performance and that sterling screenplay from Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3).