Nos. 11-20: We're almost there

No. 20. "Offside": A remarkably smart and entertaining film about a group of girls who get caught trying to sneak into a big Iranian soccer match. It manages to discuss gender in Iranian society and sports fandom. And the celebration scene at the end is great.

No. 19. "Into the Wild": I initially had this a bit lower on my list. While I don't agree it is the masterpiece that many do, I decided to bump it into the top 20 for two reasons. First, the supporting characters almost all left an indelible impression. Catherine Keener especially is amazing here. Second, in retrospect, the film didn't let Hirsch's McCandless off as easily as I'd first thought. While it clearly admires aspects of his personality, it does clearly shows how his inability to see past his own philosophy kept him from absorbing the wisdom from those he meets along the way that might have saved him. He was spouting off wisdom but refused to accept any in return.

No. 18. "Charlie Wilson's War": While it might not be Aaron Sorkin's masterpiece, it does manage to showcase the same verbal wit that made "The West Wing" and "Sports Night" shine. That being said, I would be interested to read Sorkin's original ending before it was changed to see if it was as much of an improvement over the final one as I'ver read.

No. 17. "Away from Her": As a story about losing a loved one gradually, it is an extremely effective, heart-rending portrayal, and Christie's grace lends it even more emotional weight. By that measure, the film possibly should have cracked the top 10 list, but parts just seemed a bit, well, false. Maybe it is just because I'm judging all cases by my own experience with my grandfather, but Christie's character seems afflicted more with movie Alzheimer's than actual Alzheimer's. That is really one of the film's only flaws.

No. 16. "Hot Fuzz": Flat out one of the year's most consistently funny films. Personally I even thought the film was, heresy of all heresies, an improvement over their last outing, "Shaun of the Dead." Unlike some recent spoofs that simply seem to be a string of reference points, "Hot Fuzz" manages to send up the buddy-action movie genre with an actual storyline and characters. Just flat-out hilarious.

No. 15. "The Wind that Shakes the Barley": While this IRA drama can get a bit repetitive, it is also an extremely powerful film with another top-notch performance by Cillian Murphy.

No. 14. "After the Wedding": Mads Mikkelsen, the villain in "Casino Royale," plays the head of an orphanage in a poor village in India who gets invited to the wedding of the daughter of a potential donor. Instead of a mere celebration, he finds a web of secrets, plans and deceptions in which he is a key piece. An exceptionally interesting examination of power and, ultimately, love.

No. 13. "There Will Be Blood": I'll be honest. I need to see this one again. I had a splitting headache the entire time through that might have clouded my experience. That said, great first half, but the second half was a bit of a let down, and I think more development was needed with Dano's storyline to really have the final scene be as powerful as it was intended to be.

No. 12. "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford": Yes, narration sometimes becomes a bit much and the film occasionally feels as long and unwieldy as the title. That being said, at its best, it is as good as any film this year. And Casey Affleck is a flat-out revelation. This is the year's best performance, overshadowing what might also be the best work of Brad Pitt's career. This is another one that could easily move into the top 10 with another viewing.

No. 11. "Gone Baby Gone": A Ben Affleck-directed movie nearly cracked the top 10. Who would have thunk it. The storyline isn't always as solid as you'd like, but they manage to maintain a rather stunning moral ambiguity, not allowing the audience any easy copout the way lesser films (I'm looking squarely in your direction "The Contender") often do. And the final scene is simply stunning. Oh and Amy Ryan, simply amazing. If not for Affleck's Robert Ford, this would be the year's top performance.

Up next, the top 10. Although you can probably guess it at this point.