The common thread of the films selected as my top 10 connected to me at a deep emotional level. ‘Best’ to me means that seeing this film was a life altering experience ¾ at least in a small way.

1. Hotel Rwanda: Don Cheadle ("Ocean’s Twelve") is real life hero Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, who saved over 1,200 citizens from death (a la Oskar Schindler).

   While Paul was trying to save all these human lives, he was also focused on his family. He is a member of the Hutu tribe, his Tutsi wife Tatiana (Sophie Okonedo) fought for her family as much as Paul fought for humanity in his country. Okonedo was outstanding in "Dirty Pretty Things" as a prostitute. Here, as a courageous wife and mother, her performance soars with strong emotions. She and Cheadle deliver Oscar caliber performances.

   It’s outrageous that the righteous Western World and the UN stood by and effectively did nothing. Proclamations do not amount to squat. These governments and institutions seem able to define "acts" of genocide, but just how many such acts constitute genocide? Is the answer when everyone is dead and there is nothing left to do but count the corpses and feel sorry for them? The real answer may be if we are looking at a movie in 2014 saying similar things about the Sudan.

   Far more important than what governments did not do was that in spite of all the inaction, in the face of adverse circumstances, a single individual can truly make a difference. This makes for a very inspirational film.

    

2. Sideways: The wonderful metaphor of wine to real life is one aspect of the intelligent and thoughtful dialogue throughout the film. Writers Alexander Payne (who directs the film) and Jim Taylor also wrote "Election" and "About Schmidt." Each of the films deals with issues of self-discovery, at any age. Here we see real life romance in offbeat ways.

4. Before Sunset: Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke have the sturdy chemistry that infuses Celine and Jesse with undeniable genuineness and offer a slice of the small, important, moments that form the best of what life offers. Her Nina Simone imitation at the conclusion is sheer perfection. In the visual style bathed in the golden tones of gathering dusk, a magical quality surfaces and leaves one breathless. The perfect romantic movie with just the right amount of angst.

6. Ray: A solid story, across the board fine acting, along with high production values and great music make this an exceptional film. Regina King as Margie Hendricks, defines what background singers can bring to a performance. Last year’s film "The Girl with a Pearl Earring" examined the intuitive process of creating a painting. This film does a magnificent job of capturing the spirit of making music, to the extent that you get an epiphany and say, "Now I know what that song really means." Although I loved Jeff Bridges and Don Cheadle in the aforementioned films, after reflecting a few months, I have to give it up to Jamie Foxx as best actor because he found a way to make you think he was Ray Charles himself. He became Ray Charles. Let’s hope that he does not get a nod for best supporting actor for "Collateral," as that will almost certainly split his vote (a la Julienne Moore in "The Hours" and "Far From Heaven") and he may win nothing. This performance deserves to be recognized with a win, not just a nomination.

7. Vera Drake: Director Mike Leigh ("Secrets and Lies") is the master of in-your-fac subtlety. The subject is abortion. Imelda Staunton is so outstanding with her lead actress performance that about half way through the film you know you are seeing acting that as is good as it gets.

8. The House of Flying Daggers: Yimou Zhang is one of my favorite directors ("Raise the Red Lantern," "Ju Do" and more recently, "Hero"). He often uses Ziyi Zhang (best known for "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon"), who he also directed in the melodramatic tearjerker "The Road Home." This film has many positives to recommend it, Ziyi’s acting, and magnificent photography being the most important. Fun aspects include the forbidden love story, a "come back from the dead" scene of a lover with the attitude, "if I can’t have you, no one can," and a one-on-one battle that lasts long enough for the weather to change (a lot).