#1 - City of God Fernando Meirelles' gripping portrait of Brazil's violent ghettos has earned frequent comparisons to Goodfellas. Both films utilize spectacular camerawork and editing to put the viewer in the center of a true crime story. The difference, one that makes this film resonate even more than Scorsese's masterpiece, is that the inhabitants of the City of God have not wanted to be gangsters their whole lives -- they never had a choice.
#2 - 21 Grams Director Alejandro González Iñárritu and writer Guillermo Arriaga team up once again (following the exquisite Amores Perros) to explore nothing less than the weight of the human soul. Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro and especially Naomi Watts masterfully depict the poetry of loss and redemption in scenes so achingly real we forget we're watching a movie. The shattering event at the tale's center is reflected in the film's fractured narrative, a bold decision that pays off a dozen different ways.
#3 - Lost in Translation Sofia Coppola delivers one of the unlikeliest and most touching love stories in years -- a portrait of two lonely, jet-lagged Americans who meet in a Tokyo hotel. Bill Murray, who has become a master at mixing irony and sorrow, delivers a performance every bit as good as his work in Rushmore and Scarlett Johannson matches him step for step. But the real star here is Coppola, who demonstrates an expert's sense of composition and pacing in only her second film.
#4 - In America The most emotional movie I saw all year was this simple, sweet story penned by director Jim Sheridan and his two daughters. An Irish family escapes the grief of a recent loss by journeying to America and building a life in Hell's Kitchen. Told from the perspective of two young girls, the film has a twinge of magical realism that blends beautifully with the raw emotions and hard financial times the family must weather.
#5 - Whale Rider A beautiful, mythic coming-of-age tale about defying expectations. Keisha Castle-Hughes gives an astonishing debut performance -- if her school recital speech doesn't emotionally wreck you, you simply have no heart. This film is both a fascinating glimpse into a little-known culture and an exploration of family conflict that crosses all borders. And it has one of the best endings I've seen.
#6 - Kill Bill: Vol. 1 Tarantino's first film in 6 years is a bloody, kinetic tour of genre raunch - from its blaxploitation opening, through a powerful anime sequence and a little De Palma detour, culminating in a 20-minute slash-and-splat yakuza showdown. It's all tremendous fun, but Uma Thurman grounds the film and deepens it, turning a simple revenge tale into a pop culture opera laden with genuine emotion.
#7 - Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl Who could predict that a movie based on a theme park ride would turn out so original? Johnny Depp gives a performance for the ages -- his Jack Sparrow is a fully-realized drunken delight. But it's easy to heap praise on Depp and ignore the elegantly orchestrated action scenes, clever script and lovely performances by Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. A delight from start to finish.
#8 - The School of Rock Richard Linklater proves he can do anything, following the animated philosophical head-trip Waking Life with a play-to-the-rafters comedy about prep school kids in a rock band. Jack Black is a manic treasure -- I can't imagine this film being made with anyone else -- though the more unexpected achievement here (in both script and performance) is how rich and rounded every kid in the class turns out.
#9 - American Splendor Husband and wife team Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini deliver the year's most original film, a blend of documentary and fiction, animation and live action, pathos and big laughs. Paul Giamatti and Hope Davis are flawless as cantankerous cartoonist Harvey Pekar and his wife Joyce, bringing to life the unlikeliest of love stories.
#10 - Big Fish A magical exploration of fathers and sons, husbands and wives, and the power of storytelling. Ewan McGregor is perfectly cast as the earnest, idealized younger version of Albert Finney's dying patriarch and Billy Crudup works wonders in the thankless role of Edward Bloom's son, who is fed up with the tall tales and longs to connect with his dad.
And the rest... 11. Finding Nemo 12. Spellbound 13. Capturing the Friedmans 14. The Fog of War 15. Raising Victor Vargas 16. All the Real Girls 17. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King 18. The Station Agent 19. Master and Commander: Far Side of the World 20. Holes 21. Swimming Pool 22. Monster 23. Thirteen 24. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines 25. X2: X-Men United 26. Elf 27. The Cooler 28. Matchstick Men 29. Freaky Friday 30. Bend it Like Beckham 31. The Matrix: Reloaded 32. The Italian Job 33. House of Sand and Fog 34. Mystic River 35. The Guru 36. Intolerable Cruelty 37. A Mighty Wind 38. Cold Mountain 39. Seabiscuit 40. The Missing 41. Laurel Canyon 42. Shanghai Knights 43. Identity 44. Paycheck 45. The Rundown 46. Runaway Jury 47. Once Upon a Time in Mexico 48. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days 49. Phone Booth 50. Daredevil 51. Old School 52. Love Actually 53. Down With Love 54. Hulk 55. Something's Gotta Give 56. The Matrix: Revolutions 57. Hope Springs