IndieWire Year End Critics' Poll

One of my favorite "movie lists" is out, and it allows me to do a little bragging.

Each year IndieWire polls critics from around the country and compiles their Top 10 lists of the year.

Topping this year's list is Hou Hsiao-hsien's The Flight of the Red Balloon - a delightful film that (and here's where the bragging comes in) was fortunate enough to program at the 2008 Indianapolis International Film Festival.

The complete Top 10:
Rank Title pts. mentions

1	The Flight of the Red Balloon	495	43
2	A Christmas Tale	454	38
3	WALL-E	368	32
4	Wendy and Lucy	366	36
5	Happy-Go-Lucky	346	31
6	Paranoid Park	335	31
7	Still Life	330	31
8	Silent Light	310	26
9	Synecdoche, New York	290	25
10	Waltz with Bashir	283	27

A little further down on the list (see the complete list here) is another film I programmed that also played at the Nashville Film Festival, the sublime In the City of Sylvia. And at #24 is a third (and underrated film) that I exhibited at IIFF, Reprise. Other films of interest on the list include the Werner Herzog doc (that also played here in Nashville) Encounters at the End of the Earth, Harmony Korine's Mister Lonely, and Up the Yangtze.

My favorite part of the poll are the Best Undistributed Films - these include some of the best films played at festivals around the nation - several of which I've seen...and many of which you'll get to see at the 2009 Nashville Film Festival (I can't tell you which ones yet). Indeed, 7 of the 76 films mentioned on the list have been entered for 2009 NaFF consideration. You'll also note that 2008 NaFF films - You, the Living and Of All the Things made this list.

So, list junkies, enjoy parusing these fascinating selections - many are still to come to theaters and many are now available on DVD.

That should tide you over 'til April.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and Happy Holidays to all.

NOTE: My Top 10 will be coming shortly after the turn of the year for those of you who care.