1. Mulholland Dr. (2001): In dreams.
- Casino Royale (2006): The Bourne Bond.
- David Cronenberg: A History Of Violence (2005); Eastern Promises (2007): The past is never past. You can’t hide who you are forever.
- Ghost World (2001): The pleasures and perils of geekdom.
- Iron Man (2008): Everything I want out of a comic book film.
- Lost In Translation (2003): Words fail.
- No Country For Old Men (2007): On the border, a mop-top with a stun gun. Death is the great equalizer.
- The Two Towers (2002): (see KC’s feature).
- Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008): A portrait of the artist as a rich dog in Spain, on perpetual holiday, and the women who (think they) love him. KC hates it.
- Zodiac (2007): Chasing a dead-end: The case of a shadowy villain who revels in his own mythology, and the obsessives bent on bringing him to justice.
With honors
- Almost Famous (2000): A rock & roll fantasy with heart.
- The Dark Knight (2008): (see KC’s review).
- The Departed (2006): Scorsese on auto-pilot.
- Match Point (2005): Crimes And Misdemeanors redux.
- Million Dollar Baby (2004): A love story with boxing as the backdrop.
- Pan’s Labyrinth (2006): Childhood magic and loss.
- Sideways (2004): Paul Giamatti, a loser who loves wine and writes books that don’t sell.
- Spirited Away (2002): Another film about childhood magic and loss.
- Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004): Another film about the pleasures and perils of geekdom.
- Quentin Tarantino: Kill Bill (2003, 2004); Death Proof (2007); Inglourious Basterds (2009): Soul cartoons, only nothing as soulful as the great Jackie Brown — let alone Pulp Fiction.
Runners-up
- Adaptation (2002): The crazy dream-life of creative people.
- American Splendor (2003): Paul Giamatti, a loser who writes comic books.
- The Cell (2000): Inside the mind of a killer.
- Extract (2009): Office Space redux.
- Femme Fatale (2002): Pure cinema.
- The Hurt Locker (2009): War is a drug.
- Let The Right One In (2008): Because of its Swedish setting and the knowing regard for innocents, a refreshingly different kind of vampire story.
- The Prestige (2006): Illusionists compete in a film that explores the power of illusion.
- The Royal Tenenbaums (2001): The Glass family is brought to life onscreen.
- Wonder Boys (2000): Afternoon of a stoned author.
