Again, I like a little bit of time between lists because over time films that were not buzzed about will get discovered, and some films settle better over time. I liked my top three initially, but I also liked other movies initially that have worn some. Ratatouille and Knocked Up are two such examples. They are good films, but do not have the replay value of the top three, all of which I have seen at least once.

There are three Criterion films on this list, and I saw all of them for the first time this year. There is one other Criterion 2007 release that did not make my list, and that is The Darjeeling Limited. It is my least favorite Wes Anderson, but I was going to try to revisit for this poll and keep an open mind. For whatever reason (and honestly, a big one was lack of motivation), I did not get back to Wes. Another time.

There are five international films, which seems small. A Girl Cut in Two is a late Chabrol that I seem to be in the minority about. Although I don’t think many in the states have seen it. Funny Games was an American remake of an international film by the same director, which is quite unusual. What’s a coincidence is that the original film came out 10 years earlier, and spoiler alert, it will make my upcoming 1997 list. There is a similar scenario, albeit not identical, where an adaptation and the original will make two lists, but I won’t say which that is yet. Some will probably guess.

There are three documentaries on the list, although I’m not sure that the Guy Maddin film really counts. No End in Sight is a movie that was impactful at the time, but may seem dated now. I have not rewatched it, so there’s no way to know. Another highly regarded documentary, Taxi to the Dark Side did not hold up and did not make the list.

Finally, this is the first time that I’ve had a list entry directed by someone who follows me on Twitter. That would be Larry Blamire and Trail of the Screaming Forehead. The fact that he follows me had no influence on the film’s inclusion. To my surprise, it only has a 5.9 rating on IMDB (granted, that isn’t the ultimate arbiter). I think most do not get his humor or his aesthetic.

1. There Will Be Blood
2. Persepolis
3. No Country for Old Men
4. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
5. Secret of the Grain aka Couscous
6. I’m Not There
7. My Winnipeg
8. Zodiac
9. No End in Sight
10. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
11. Secret Sunshine
12. Into the Wild
13. King of Kong
14. Control
15. Trail of the Screaming Forehead
16. Superbad
17. A Girl Cut in Two
18. Michael Clayton
19. Hot Fuzz
20. Funny Games