1.  Sideways:  The strength of this quirky road picture is the well-rounded characterizations of the story's unique players. Merlot will never be the same.       

2.  Hero:  A marvel of action and breathtaking photography, the images from this spellbinder still haunt me.

3.  Million Dollar Baby: He's an oldie but this one proves he's still a goodie. Clint Eastwood is the Grandma Moses of the cinematic art form ---churning out memorable performances, directorial efforts and musical scores when others are counting the days to retirement.

4.  Garden State: Zach Braff directed, wrote and starred in this on-the-money dissection of a young man who is lost in the muddle of his life’s purpose.

5.  Kinsey: An astounding history lesson that exposes the emotional toll of the scientific exploration of human sexuality, this absorbing drama boasts an incredible leading performance by Liam Neeson.

6.  Fahrenheit 911: Shocking and polarizing, Michael Moore’s documentary sparked heated discussions and influenced many at this year’s election. A mighty feat for celluloid.

7.  Finding Neverland: Magical and poignant with a haunting original score, this beautiful tribute to James Barrie’s inspiration for "Peter Pan" is elevated by the low-key performance of Johnny Depp as the famed writer.

8. The Aviator: Martin Scorsese is never boring and this fascinating bio of Howard Hughes is no exception.

9. Spiderman 2: Action sequels rarely rate a top ten list but this Sam Raimi thrillfest delivers spectacular CGI effects and expands the complex personality of Peter Parker with a punch.

10. The Incredibles/ The Polar Express/ Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow: These three fun family films broke new technical ground with jaw-dropping results.