10. Red Cliff (Chi Bi)
It's wartime in China, 1,700 years ago, and John Woo, after a so-so start, delivers a near epic by the time the final arrow is launched.

9. William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe
Documentary about the life of famed (some would say infamous) attorney William Kunstler is handled in a top-notch manner by his daughters.

8. Inglourious Basterds
Though he's no stranger to violence and retribution, "Inglourious Basterds," with its Jews-Gone-Wild spin, just may be Quentin Tarantino's most badass movie yet.

7. The Sun (SoIntse)
Hirohito is brought to life in Alexander Sokurov's artsy view of the Emperor's final days before the surrender of Japan in World War II.

6. The Blind Side
An African-American teen has his life turned around in unlikely circumstances and, as run-of-the-mill as it may sound, it really works.

5. Is Anybody There?
Sir Michael Caine and a gifted cast deliver a thoroughly rewarding little film about a senior and a young boy who don't quite fit in with their surroundings.

4. Old Partner
An elderly man and even more elderly ox demonstrate friendship at a level most can only dream of in this incredibly touching documentary from South Korea.

3. Death in Love
Writer-Director Boaz Yakin delivers a searing, black-as-night study of a family shredded by circumstance and their own flaws.

2. Mary and Max
Two lost souls find a reason to live in this poignant, charming, depressing and hysterical claymation presentation.

1. The White Ribbon (Das Weisse Band)
Director Michael Haneke brings us the most chilling, powerful, and important film of the year. Oscar will be calling.