TopPicks Index
Top 10 Marcy Dermansky's Favorite Films of 2006
A list of film critic Marcy Dermansky's top ten films of the year 2006.
Top 8 Worst Movies of 2006
Worst Movies of 2006: Some filmmakers want to make you suffer and call it art. If there's no agony in your own hum drum life, turn to the silver screen and experience pain beyond your wildest belief. Leave the theater with a raging headache and anger against your fellow man. Highlights of the worst in foreign and independent film include Mel Gibson's Apocalypo, Alejandro González Iñárritu's Babel and the Dardenne Brother's L'Enfant.
Top 10 Documentary Films of 2006
There have been so many intriguing and accomplished documentaries in 2006 that we decided to give them their own list.
Top 10 Jurgen Fauth's Favorite Films of 2006
A list of film critic Jürgen Fauth's top ten films of the year 2006.
Top 7 Best Romances of 2006
Read this list and you might think we are a little twisted. Okay, we are little twisted. But our top romances of 2006 include the moving reunions of old lovers, gay threesomes, two quirky Gael Garcia Bernal films, and old fashioned cowboy and young pretty girl love.
Top 5 Most Talented Newcomers in Film 2006
Maybe you haven't heard these names yet, but take note: the future stars of cinema are making their presences known. Newcomers Ivana Baquero, Abbie Cornish, Paul Dano, Shareeka Epps, and Zoe Weisenbaum all gave unforgettable performances this year.
Top 10 Movies about Writers
Burdened with a craft that's essentially uncinematic, writers in the movies are perennially blocked, broke, and insane, simultaneously romanticized and ridiculed for their excesses--from the wise-cracking drunks of Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle to the sticky sweetness of Shakespeare in Love, the self-regarding self-reflexivity of Adaptation, and the homicidal madness of The Shining. Here are ten films that have something real to say about what it means to write.
Top 10 Independent Romances
We adore a good love story, a film so romantic that the conclusion will make you gasp and bring tears to your eyes. Our top indie romances include Richard Linklater's two-part French-American slacker love story, David Lynch's sweetest movie, and Sofia Coppola's "Lost in Translation."
Top 10 The Worst Movies of 2005
It's not all popcorn and free movies: the lives of film critics are fraught with danger. Sore backs, headaches, and loss of faith in cinema as an art form are only some of the risks we bravely face on a day to day basis—so you won't have to. From the megaplex to the art house, the world of movies is a minefield, and this is our list of the most explosive dissapointments of the year.
Top 10 Jurgen Fauth's Favorite Films of 2005
Blame the political climate, the wars or the natural disasters--one thing is certain: it was an outstanding year for tragedy. Consquently, there's much pain, bloodshed, and lost love on this year's top ten list. Here they are: Jurgen's favorite films of 2005.
Top 10 Marcy Dermansky's Favorite Films of 2005
This year I was swept away by small moments in small films: the breathtakingly radiant smile of Isild Le Besco in "A Tout De Suite," the nervous, giddy glee of Mona Press in "My Summer of Love," and the heady triumph of Sibel Kikelli in "Head-On" returning home in her wedding gown the morning after sleeping with a man who was not her husband.
Top 10 Films of 2005 So Far
It's that time of year again: with the wreckage of the summer blockbusters behind us, Hollywood slowly gears up toward the big Oscar end-run in December. But world film follows its own seasons, and many great movies come out early in the year. Here are our favorites of 2005... so far.
Top 10 Essential World Films
The very best foreign films--or at the very least, Jurgen's list of favorite world films.
Top 10 Christmas Movies for Cynics
Tired of "It's a Wonderful Life" yet? Sick of "White Christmas?" Here is our list of ten Christmas movies that are guaranteed not to fill you with the holiday spirit.
Top 10 World Films We Love to Hate
One of the reasons we love foreign film is the inventiveness, the excitement you feel when you're discovering a kind of movie you've never seen before. But subtitles alone don't make art. Even foreign film often follows a crowd-pleasing formula that sucks all the life right out of it. Here are the worst offenders--world films we love to hate.
Top 10 Marcy's Top Ten Films of 2004
Marcy's top ten favorite films of the year 2004.
Top 10 Jurgen's Favorite Films of 2004
Jurgen's top ten favorite films of the year 2004.
Top 10 Films of 2004 So Far
Why wait until December? The year has already seen some outstanding releases that deserve a little extra spotlight. Here is our top ten list of the best films of 2004, so far.
Top 7 Thanksgiving Movies
Thanksgiving is about more than turkey and football: it's a complicated celebration of the American family gathered around a table. Here are our top picks of the best Thanksgiving films.