Ok OK - here is my top ten

In no specific Order:

I am going to use A.O. Scotts descriptions for after I saw his list I was charmed that he and I agree on almost everything ( except the clint eastwood flicks!)

1. 'L'Enfant' ('The Child') -- The latest urban-realist moral parable from Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, set in their usual Belgian blue-collar milieu, is also a remarkably suspenseful, even thrilling, movie. A young thief (Jérémie Renier) makes a spectacular, appalling mistake, and his reaction to its aftermath leads him, improbably but always believably, toward grace. The Dardennes' method is so apparently modest and matter-of-fact that the thematic richness and formal coherence of the movie can catch you by surprise.

2.'Days of Glory' ('Indigènes') -- Some people do make them like they used to: Rachid Bouchareb, for example, a French director of Algerian descent whose old-school World War II infantry picture bristles with contemporary political relevance. More than that, though, this chronicle of North African soldiers fighting to liberate their colonial oppressors from Nazi occupation is a stirring, magnificent drama of courage, betrayal and solidarity, anchored by an exceptional ensemble of actors.

3. 'Little Miss Sunshine' -- The VW bus gag. Marcel Proust. Alan Arkin. Toni Collette. Just about everything wonderful and ghastly in American life is sent up and celebrated in the best written (by Michael Arndt), best directed (by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris) American comedy in quite some time. Somewhere, the ghost of Preston Sturges is smiling.

4.'Volver' -- No filmmaker loves his characters more than Pedro Almodóvar, who assembles a remarkable group of actresses, led by Penélope Cruz and Carmen Maura, in this bright, passionate celebration of female resilience. And no filmmaker so completely earns the love of the audience.

5.'Little Children' -- The first time you see Todd Field's adaptation of Tom Perrotta's novel, you may remark on the director's impressive control over the unruly source material and the emotional agility of the cast, Kate Winslet in particular. The second time, the film's lurid, crazy side is more apparent, and the intensity of the supporting performances -- Noah Emmerich, Jackie Earle Haley, Phyllis Somerville -- creep into the foreground. This movie, Mr. Field's second feature (his first was ''In the Bedroom'' in 2001), is a complicated blend of gothic, melodrama and sexual comedy, unerringly attuned to the varieties of human failure. (beebs note' this was my favorite film of the whole year! Sorry Tucker!)

6.'A Prairie Home Companion' -- Maybe, if Robert Altman had not died last month, this movie would dwell comfortably on the runner-up list below. But no American director of his era meant more to me than Mr. Altman did, and his last movie was a characteristically cantankerous and generous comedy of valediction. With Meryl Streep at her sublime silliest, it was a lovely final gesture. We miss you, Bob. ( Beeb's note' I saw this with my Dad and he just chuckled the whole way through- that makes it extra nice!)

7. 'Iraq in Fragments' -- James Longley's lyrical documentary gives human faces to the abstractions that govern so much American thinking about Iraq. Depressing, necessary viewing.

8.'Marie Antoinette' -- Destined to be misunderstood. Sofia Coppola's idiosyncratic take on the life of the French queen was heartfelt pop filmmaking at its best.

9. The Departed- This was not on A.O's list - he makes a compelling argument for why he did not include several movies but I highly enjoyed this movie especially with L-Britt and Tucker

10. Dave Chappele's Block Party!!!! I adore Michel Gondry ( this is my second favorite)

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11. MI3- because it was the most fun I ever had making fun of a movie in my entire life- AMEN!

12. Science of Sleep I was so sleepy during this that I did not really fully see it but like I said- I adore monseur Gondry!

lastly I just want to include my top 5 catchups:

5. Mean Girls

4. Shopgirl

3.The Third Man

2. The 40 yr old Virgin

1. The Bridge over the River Quai

Comments

[tuckergurl]

I'm sure if you had seen Half Nelson, it would have been on this list. (Hint, hint)

I am sure Little Children is good. Maybe one day via Netflix. Volver ... not so sure for me. I was really sleepy though. I never did see Marie Antoinette. I was skeptical.

[Jason G]

I think that's apretty good list; Im going to give my school's library a workout and see if I can check 'em all out. Thx!

[Beebs]

yes JG go see all of them- and a whatever is on Tucker's list on her site too!

Tucker- we must rent Little Children together- I promise you will like it- so many people have named it their favorite. Honestly- its nothing like "In the F-en Bedroom"

Also I WILL RENT HALF NELSON!!!!!!!
PPS- can we go see note on a Scandal this week?

[Jason G]

notes on a Scandal is suppposed to be really good. Ilike kate Blanchett.
I really liked her in Little Fish