10. THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST

The Passion of the Christ isn’t a flawless picture, but it was powerful enough to transform crowds of people into believers and even convinced one Texas man to confess to a murder committed years before.  How many films have the power to do that?  The answer, I’m sure you’d agree, is very few.  That’s because no film has ever portrayed the death of Jesus with such painful realism.  The Passion of the Christ is passionate, powerful, brave and even flawed; very much like the film’s uncompromising director.

9. KILL BILL, VOL. 2

If you had asked me a year ago if Kill Bill Vol. 2 would make my top 10 list, I would have probably chuckled and quickly replied with a certain “no.”  I felt Vol. 1 lacked story and was over-the-top.  But with Vol. 2, Quentin Tarantino offers us a film that is completely unlike its predecessor.  That’s the brilliance of Tarantino.  Few modern day directors could even get a film made like the Kill Bill series: a basically pointless four hour bloodbath revenge flick with little star power and no big finale.  But not only did Tarantino get Kill Bill made, he made it into one of the most unique, artful and purely entertaining films of his masterful career.

8. VERA DRAKE

It’s all about morals, the right to live and the right to choose death.  No, I’m not talking about Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby, but rather Mike Leigh’s equally important masterpiece, Vera Drake.  The similarities between Eastwood and Leigh films go on and on: both cover touchy subjects, both boast unforgettable lead actress performances and both are brilliant and challenging.  Imelda Staunton gives a standout performance in the title role as an elderly woman who “helps out” pregnant ladies who do not wish to have their babies born.  Anyone who was impressed with The Cider House Rules should be blown away by Leigh’s film, which makes Cider House look like cheap propaganda.

7. COLLATERAL

Years ago, the thrill was taken out of the word thriller.  This year, director Michael Mann put it back in with his suspenseful L.A. drama, Collateral.  Jamie Foxx nearly steals the show from costar Tom Cruise by playing the fearful yet brave taxi driver who is held hostage by a ruthless hitman (Cruise).  Collateral, even more so than Heat or The Insider, creates suspense by building strong characters and casting strong leads.  The result is the most exciting thriller of the year.

6. BEFORE SUNSET

The year’s best sequel didn’t star a giant green ogre or a superhero in tights but rather two thirty-somethings with hearts full of regret and wonder.  Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy give standout performances in Richard Linklater’s heartbreaking Before Sunrise follow-up as a couple who passed up their one chance at love nine years ago.  Before Sunrise, which was one of the best films of 1995 was a modern day Casablanca; Sunset is the sequel that we always hoped for but never received.  Until now.

5. GARDEN STATE

Garden State is Sideways for the younger generation, a smartly-written film that truly connects with its intended audience.  Scrubs star Zach Braff makes a smooth transaction from TV to the movies by playing Andrew Largeman, a twenty something loner who returns to his childhood hometown after the surprise death of his mother.  But it’s Natalie Portman (who was also great in Closer) who stands out as the talkative but loveable Sam, the girl that steals “Large’s” heart.  Garden State is touching, entertaining, truthful and funny.  And atop of all that, it boasts the best motion picture soundtrack that I heard all year.

4. SIDEWAYS

Great movies are like a fine wine in the sense that they get better with time.  Alexander Payne’s funny and touching new comedy, Sideways, is that rare type of film that is likely to get better with each passing year.  Paul Giamatti gives a superb performance as Miles, a divorced author who along with his college roommate Jack, goes on a wine-tasting road trip through California.  Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh are equally perfect in their supporting roles.  Sideways is a superbly written, refreshingly original and remarkably true picture.  And that’s something worth drinking to.

3. HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS

Since its release in 2000, numerous filmmakers have tried to bring back the muted stealth and beauty of Ang Lee’s masterful Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, only to achieve moderate success.  That is until now.  Zhang Yimou, who also directed the visually stunning Hero earlier this year, not only captures the visual beauty of Crouching Tiger, but often surpasses it.  The beautiful Ziyi Zhang (who was first seen in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), steals the show as Mei, a gifted blind dancer who is rumored to be a member of the House of Flying Daggers – an anti-government group that steals from the rich and gives to the poor.  A wealthy playboy, Jin, is hired to follow her back to the House of Flying Daggers in hopes of finding and repressing the revolutionary group, but instead Jin finds himself falling in love with her.  House of Flying Daggers is breathtaking, dazzling, romantic and easily the most beautiful film of the year.  Hero was simply a warmup for Yimou – House of Daggers is the real thing. 

2. MILLION DOLLAR BABY

Good filmmaking takes passion, skill, experience and – above all – heart, which are many of the same qualities that are necessary in the sport of boxing.  In Million Dollar Baby, Clint Eastwood’s equally powerful follow-up to last year’s Mystic River, Hilary Swank plays 32-year-old boxing wannabe Maggie Fitzgerald.  Maggie is considered too old, too inexperienced and too “girly” to be a boxer, but she also has more heart and passion that anyone in the gym.  With that said, Eastwood is much like the Maggie Fitzgerald of filmmaking: he’s smart, passionate and at the top of his game in his old age.  Million Dollar Baby throws all the right punches and hits you like a left hook; it’s easily the best boxing film since Raging Bull.

1. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND

Sooner or later it was bound to happen: a story penned by the brilliant Charlie Kaufman would take the number one spot on my year-end countdown.  Jim Carrey, in one of the finest performances of his career, plays Joel, a brokenhearted loner who decides to get his ex-girlfriend Clementine (Kate Winslet), off his mind by having her clinically erased.  Clementine has already had Joel erased from her memory – Joel is having it done out of revenge.  Michel Gondry directs Eternal Sunshine with an abundance of style, as Joel’s memories are erased in reverse order.  Each revealed memory leads to a lovely and heartbreaking scene that could only be dreamed up by the remarkably original Charlie Kaufman; he is the most innovative and entertaining screenwriter working today.  Sunshine bends our minds, fills our brain and breaks our heart while saying a great deal about memories and love without being preachy or illogical.