1. There Will Be Blood (2007)

This is the modern day Citizen Kane , not only in terms of technical brilliance and ingenuity but thematically as well. This is the reality of the American dream, where there is prosperity and opportunity there is also blood. This is classical film-making at its best. Paul Thomas Anderson 's careful and controlled direction is felt in every frame. He isn't alone in creating this epic. It is the powerful performances by Daniel Day Lewis and Paul Dano that bring this film to perfection. This is one of the greatest films of all time in my book.

| 9 |  8.1 |    92  |  91% / 8.4 |   |

2. No Country for Old Men (2007)

Cormac McCarthy 's brilliant book is turned into a brilliant movie headed by Joel and Ethan Coen . I would call No Country for Old Men a perfect movie, stylistically, technically, artistically perfect. It's also a more accessible movie which is why it won the Oscar against There Will Be Blood . The story is straightforward, it's about a man who finds a lot of heroin and money then is pursued by a gun for hire but underlying this is a film about existential angst in a changing, yet never changing world full of violence and greed.

| 9 |  8.2 |    91  |  95% / 8.6 |   |

3.  Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

Pan's Labyrinth is a dark and beautiful film. Guillermo del Toro  has proven himself to be a master of storytelling and mise en scène. It is gorgeously shot with meticulous attention to detail. There are a lot of visual motifs throughout the film which are their own poetic language and, when understood, provide new and powerful support for the main themes. This is a dark fairy tale through which the allegory of war and horror is told but what are the real horrors, the monsters in her fantasies or that which is committed in reality?

| 9 |  8.3 |    98  |  95% / 8.5 |   |

4.  Children of Men (2006)

First off, Alfonso Cuarón  pulls off a technical masterpiece as far as the actual filmmaking goes. Some of the shots only Emmanuel Lubezki  could pull off; just astounding. There are a lot of long single takes including action sequences; the ‘driving backwards in a car action scene’ being one of the best and most memorable. One of the things that struck me the most throughout the film is that Clive Owen's character never picks up a gun. He would be justified, the audience wants him to and he is given the opportunity several times yet he never does.

| 9 |  7.9 |    84  |  93% / 8 |   |

5.  The Lives of Others (2006)

Das Leben der Anderen follows an agent of the secret police in East Berlin as he spies on, and gets increasingly involved with, his subjects. This is a film about voyeurism, humanity and life during the socialist state that was the GDR. First time writer/director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck  weaves a precise and intelligent narrative which is engaging and thrilling. Sincere thanks must be given to the excellent cast whose performances make this movie magnificent. This is one of the few depictions of life under the GDR, it should not be missed.

| 9 |  8.5 |    89  |  93% / 8.2 |   |

6. City of God (2002)

Cidade de Deus is a powerful and haunting story of life in poverty in the favela's of Rio de Janeiro and the only way out of the slums is a violent life of crime. This film is as vibrant as the city it is set in, the colors, the energy, everything builds up the momentum and intensity that feels like it could burst at any moment. Every actor offers a compelling performance and the film does not let go of your attention for a second. It is emotional, disturbing, and provocative; forcing the viewer to take a deep look into poverty and the gamble that is life.

| 9 |  8.7 |    79  |  90% / 8.3 |   |

7.  Spirited Away (2001)

Hayao Miyazaki  excels at reminding the viewer of the magic and wonder of childhood where anything is possible. Spirited Away is a wonder of filmmaking with gorgeous animation and imaginative world-building and storytelling. Each character is unique and memorable with an important part to play, even the villains are fleshed out with motives and arcs. Our protagonist, Chihiro, is a fearless and adventurous girl who through determination can accomplish anything. A beautiful film that is an essential and rewarding experience.

| 9 |  8.6 |   94  |  97% / 8.5 |   |

8.  Waking Life (2001)

One of the most cerebral and interesting films of the decade,  Richard Lanklater  explores philosophy, society and dreams in this unique and truly wonderful film. You may or not be in love with the rotoscope technique, I thought it added to the dream-like state the film is trying to convey however many of the pieces you could just listen to and be inspired by. This is an exploratory piece without narrative which asks the questions we do "what am I supposed to do with my life?" Whatever the answer, Waking Life is worth the time and effort to ponder and experience.

| 9 |  7.5 |   82  |  80% / 7.4 |   |

9.  Before Sunset (2004)

This film takes place 9 years after  Before Sunrise (1995)  in both real and diegetic time. I watched Before Sunrise about a year and a half ago. I think it’s good to put distance between the two films so you can think about the characters, I reflected back on that film often wondering what became of them, watching this the day after would have spoiled the magic of this film. I enjoyed Before Sunset a lot more but I think that is due to how I have changed in the last 18 months, not necessarily the sequel itself being better.

| 9 |  8 |    90  |  95% / 8.3 |   |

10.  Y Tu Mamá También (2001)

Alfonso Cuarón   has an amazing and varied body of work. Y Tu Mama Tambien (literally: and your mother too!), is a fantastic film about friendship, love, sexuality and social constructs. In a generation without father figures and role-models, all young-men have to look to are cultural icons and social constructs/taboos, this story focuses on how two friends learn about themselves and relationships during a road-trip with a desperate woman. Intelligent, sincere and provocative, this is arguably one of the years and decades best.

| 9 |  7.7 |   88  |  91% / 8 |   |

1. Holy Motors (2012)

Wow, this may be one of the strangest films I’ve seen but it actually made sense to me. I enjoyed it on a visceral and visual level but I really felt like I understood it, I’m sure there is lots I’m missing but this is not just a trite bit of weirdness, this is high-art with an intellectual and purposeful backing. Lots of people will pass it off as incoherent or pretentious etc. but I would say stop and think about what you are seeing and trust and respect the director enough to give the benefit of the doubt that there may be something there worth thinking about and feeling. This is a tragic yet humorous film which is a breath of fresh air, this is the kind of stuff that keeps cinema alive and interesting.

| 9 |  7.3 |    85  |  91% / 8.2 |   |

2. The Master (2012)

Paul Thomas Anderson may be the greatest director of our day. While not a very accessible piece, The Master is a masterpiece of cinema. From a technical standpoint it is flawless, in Magnolia , PTA and the camera are their own characters but here everything is seamless. Every superlative thrown Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman's way is deserved; they are captivating and mesmerizing in their roles. I can't say I fully understand thematically what was being conveyed but I'm looking forward to watching it a few more times to find out.

| 9 |  7.9 |    85  |  85% / 8 |   |

3. Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

I had very high expectations for this movie, but they were met. What I didn't expect was so many references to other Wes Anderson movies, there were a lot of scenes straight from Fantastic Mr. Fox , I wish I would have watched that right before seeing this. It is a fantastic film which I can't recommend highly enough; it is light and fun with lots of laughs and excellently written and directed. The will easily make my top 10 this year; we'll see if it gets any nominations but opening at Cannes speaks for itself. Too bad it only got a limited run here in the states.

| 9 |  7.9 |    84  |  94% / 8.1 |   |

4. Django Unchained (2012)

There are valid criticisms for Django Unchained but I think Quentin Tarantino accomplished his goal with energy and style and I couldn't help but enjoy the ride. This is QT's personal revenge fantasy against everyone who had a hand in one of our nations most heinous acts and that revenge is swift and bloody. Foxx, Waltz and DiCaprio are all at the top of their game as is QT's acoustic precision. In his usual style, this film pays homage to the spaghetti westerns and blaxploitation films that inspired it. Not for the faint of heart, but easily one of the years best.

| 9 |  8.8 |    80  |  88% / 7.9 |   |

5. Amour (2012)

Possibly Michael Hanake's least-depressing work, Amour is a look at the unstoppable, relentless, slow-march of time; slowly, cruelly degrading your soul and body until you are physically and 'spiritually' only a husk of your former self, sapped of all of your strength and vigor patiently awaiting the day when you finally meet your untimely demise which may just be the kindest and most gracious event to happen to you in the last decade. Also, a great film! Hanake is a master of his craft. I also recommend Away from Her, along a similar vein although more-cheery...ish.

| 8 |  8 |    94  |  93% / 8.7 |   |

6. Rust and Bone (2012)

Recognized by the Golden Globes but not eligible for the Oscars (as France's official submission was The Intouchables ). Rust and Bone is about two damaged individuals finding peace and love. Beautifully filmed and acted, this is one of the finest dramas of the year. Emotive, frustrating and the inspired casting makes this . To be honest, To date I've not been a fan of Marion Cotillard (haven't seen La Vie en Rose ) but here she is perfect. This film feels true to life, isn't predictable and inspires hope.

| 8 |  7.6 |    74  |  81% / 7.5 |   |

7. Cloud Atlas (2012)

There are some obvious flaws but I admire what Tom Tykwer  and Andy and Lana Wachowski tried to accomplish. For me, the important things about this film worked as to make the technical details forgettable, thematically and emotionally it was unexpectedly resonant. How the film is able to jump from  each scene and each time period so seamlessly is a remarkable feat. There are some weaker stories but each one added something important. Perhaps the biggest compliment, I wanted to re-watch it the second it was over.

| 8 |  8 |    55  |  64% / 6.5 |   |

8. A Royal Affair (2012)

A perfectly cast period-drama with history on its side.   Alicia Vikander  and  Mads Mikkelsen  are truly gripping in their roles, Vikander who has done a lot recently will be someone to watch out for in the coming years and Mikkelsen while Mikkelsen has long-since proven himself. This is a piece of world history that I have never been privy to but is fascinating. The difference a few individuals can make in history and a country (it does help when you have authoritarian rule).  It is a tad long but I never got bored and I can't appreciate enough the type of change they brought about.

| 8 |  7.6 |    73  |  89% / 7.2 |   |

9. Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

Kathryn Bigelow's follow up to her 2009 war-time drama The Hurt Locker. ZD30 is an incredibly interesting peak inside of the greatest man-hunt in history and entertaining to boot. Basically a procedural which is anchored by Jessica Chastain's tempered performance. A lot has been made out of the torture sequences but that's the point of the movie, were the lengths the United States have to go through worth the end-result? In light of other sources and a documentary at Sundance 2013, this movie is rather tame in what occurred.

| 8 |  7.7 |    95  |  94% / 8.6 |   |

10. Anna Karenina (2012)

Joe Wright continues his literary journey and use of Kiera Knightly in this wonderful adaptation. The film uses a distinct visual and transitional style, not unlike a theatre, to cover a lot of ground quickly and keep the film moving at a brisk pace. It also allows the thematic and emotional message to come through. I was surprised at  Aaron Taylor-Johnson  who has come a long ways from his teenage-twerp roles. Visually stunning, emotionally engaging and based on one of the greatest novels of all time, Anna Karenina may be one of my favorite films of the year.

| 8 |  7.1 |    63  |  62% / 6.5 |   |