2017 Acclaimed Films

New York Film Critics Circle: Best Picture: "Lady Bird," Best Director: Sean Baker "The Florida Project," Best Screenplay: Paul Thomas Anderson "Phantom Thread," Best Actress: Saoirse Ronan "Lady Bird," Best Actor : Timothy Chalamet "Call Me By Your Name," Best Supporting Actress: Tiffany Haddish "Girls Trip," Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe "The Florida Project," Best Cinematographer: Rachel Morrison "Mudbound," Best Animated Film: "Coco," Best Documentary: "Faces Places," Best Foreign Language Film: "BPM (Beats Per Minute)," Best First Film: Jordan Peele "Get Out," Special Award: Molly Haskell Career Achievement.

The film critics of the New York Times have listed these film as their favorites for 2017:

A.O. Scott: "The Florida Project;" "Lady Bird;" "Get Out;" "I Am Not Your Negro;" "Faces Places;" "Phantom Thread;" "A Fantastic Woman;" "Graduation;" "A Quiet Passion;" and "War for the Planet of the Apes." He also named: "The Bad Batch;" "BPM (Beats Per Minute);" "Call Me By Your Name;" "Dawson City: Frozen Time;" "I Called Him Morgan;" "Logan Lucky;" "The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected);" "Mudbound;" "Okja;" "The Post;" and "The Shape of Water."

Manohla Dargis:"Dunkirk;" "Ex Libris: The New York Public Library;" "Faces Places;" "The Florida Project;" "Get Out;" "Lady Bird;" "Okja;" "Phantom Thread;" "A Quiet Passion;" and "Wonder Woman." Other Favorites: "After the Storm;" "The Big Sick;" "Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story;" "Call Me By Your Name;" "The Challenge;" "Dawson City: Frozen Time;" "The Death of Louis XIV;" "Escapes;" "Girls Trip;" "Good Time;" "The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki;" "I Am Not Your Negro;" "Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond--Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton;" "Kedi;" "The Lost City of Z;" "Mother!;" "Mudbound;" "My Journey Through French Cinema;" "Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer;" "The Ornithologist;" "Patti Cake$;" "Personal Shopper;" "The Post;" "Professor Marston and the Wonder Women;" "Quest;" "Song to Song;" "Tonsler Park;" "Twin Peaks: The Return;" "The Woman Who Left;" and "Wonderstruck."

"Roy's Best Films Seen in 2017: "Dunkirk," "Moonlight," "Toni Erdmann," "A Man Called Ove," "Hidden Figures," "The Handmaiden," "Fences," "The Lost City of Z," "Hitchcock/Truffaut," "Mudbound," "Paterson," and "Julieta."

2016 Acclaimed Films

New York Film Critics Circle: Best Picture: “La La Land,” Best Director: Barry Jenkins “Moonlight,” Best Screenplay: Kenneth Lonergan “Manchester By The Sea,” Best Actress: Isabelle Huppert “Elle” & “The Things to Come,” Best Actor: Casey Affleck “Manchester By The Sea,” Best Support Actress: Michelle Williams “Manchester By The Sea” & “Certain Women,” Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali “Moonlight,” Best Cinematographer: James Laxton “Moonlight,” Best Animated Film: “Zootopia,” Best Documentary: “O.J.: Made in America,” Best Foreign Language Film: “Toni Erdmann,” Best First Film: Kelly Fremon Craig “The Edge of Seventeen,” & Trey Edward Shultz “Krisha,” and Special Award: Thelma Schoonmaker & Julie Dash “Daughters of the Dust (25th Anniversary Restoration).”

The film critics of the New York Times have listed these films as their favorites for 2016:

A.O. Scott: “Moonlight,” “O.J.: Made in America,” “Toni Erdmann,” “Cameraperson,” “Aferim!,” “American Honey,” “Aquarius,” “Sausage Party,” “A Bigger Splash,” and a tie of “Elle” and “Things to Come.”

Manohla Dargis: “No Home Movie,” “Toni Erdmann,” “Moonlight,” “O.J.: Made in America,” “My Golden Days,” “I Am Not Your Negro,” “Arrival,” “The Handmaiden,” “13th,” and “From the Notebook Of…” She also lists other favorites: “Aquarius,” “Autumn,” “The Dreamer,” “Bagatelle II,” “Certain Women,” “Creepy,” “The Fits,” “The Illinois Parables,” “Into the Inferno,” “Jackie,” “Neruda,” “Krisha,” “La La Land,” “Loving,” “Mountains May Depart,” “Paterson,” “Sunset Song,” and “20th Century Women.”

Stephen Holden: “Moonlight,” “O.J.: Made in America,” “American Honey,” “Embrace of the Serpent,” “Manchester By The Sea,” “Neon Bull,” “Fire At Sea,” “Elle,” “Aquarius,” and Runners Up: “Fireworks Wednesday,” “Krisha,” “Sunset Song,” “Wiener-Dog,” “The Beatles: Eight Days a Week-The Touring Years,” “Chronic,” “Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened,” “20th Century Women,” “Thirteen,” “Paterson,” and “Things to Come.”

Roy's Best Films Seen in 2016: I'm usually mostly a year behind since I see virtually all films on Blu-ray, DVD, or Streaming. Here are the best films I saw in 2016 (listed alphabetically): "The Big Short," "Bridge of Spies," "Brooklyn," "Captain Fantastic," "Carol," "The Danish Girl," "The Man Who Knew Infinity," "The Martian," "The Revenant," "Spotlight," and "Trumbo."

2015 Acclaimed Films

New York Film Critics Circle: Best Picture: "Carol," Best Director: Todd Haynes "Carol," Best Screenplay: "Carol," Best Actress: Saoirse Ronan "Brooklyn," Best Actor: Michael Keaton "Spotlight," Best Supporting Actress: Kristen Stewart "Clouds of Sils Maria," Best Supporting Actor: Mark Rylance "Bridge of Spies," Best Cinematographer: Edward Lachman "Carol," Best Animated Film: "Inside Out," Best Documentary: "In Jackson Heights," Best Foreign Language Film: "Timbuktu," and Best First Film: László Nemes "Son of Saul."

The film critics of the New York Times have listed thse films as their favorites for 2015 :

A. O. Scott: "Timbuktu," "Inside Out," "Spotlight," "The Big Short," "Heart of a Dog," "Carol," "Anomalisa," "Taxi," "Out 1: Noli Me Tangere," "Mad Max: Fury Road,""Creed," "Results," "Welcome to Me," "The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution," "What Happened, Miss Simone," "The Kindergarten Teacher," "Girlhood," "The Diary of a Teenage Girl," "Grandma," "Tangerine," and "The End of the Tour."

Manohla Dargis: "The Assassin," "Mad Max: Fury Road," "Luminous Intimacy: The Cinema of Nathaniel Dorsky and Jerome Hiler," "Bridge of Spies," "Carol," "In Jackson Heights," "The Martian," "The Kindergarten Teacher," "The Diary of a Teenage Girl;" "The Big Short," "Sixty Six," plus 26 more: 71, Amy, Anomalisa, Blackhat, Chi-Raq, Ex Machina, Experimenter, Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem, The Good Dinosaur, The Great Man, Inside Out, Joy, Lost Landscapes of Los Angeles, Magic Mike XXL, Office, Results, The Revenant, Seymour: An Introduction, Shaun the Sheep Movie, Spy, Straight Outta Compton, Tangerine, Timbuktu, Trainwreck,White God, and The Wolfpack.

Stephen Holden: "Carol," "The Big Short," "Spotlight," "The Fool," "The Diary of a Teenage Girl," "The Look of Silence," "Truth," "45 Years," "Tangerine," and "Brooklyn." Runners-up: Son of Saul, Li'l Quinquin, Timbuktu, Love & Mercy, Clouds of Sils Maria, Wild Tales, The Salt of the Earth, and Inside Out.

Roy's Best Films Seen in 2015: As usual, my list is very different from those of the critics since I'm listing only films that I viewed during 2015 (listed alphabetically): "Birdman," "Boyhood," "Clouds of Sils Maria," "Far From the Madding Crowd," "Finding Vivian Maier," "The Invitation Game,""Jimmy's Hall," "Love & Mercy," "The Lunchbox," "Mad Max: Fury Road," "Mr. Turner," "Predestination," "Selma," 'Tangerines," and "Wild Tales"

2014 Acclaimed Films

New York Film Critics Circle: Best Film: "Boyhood;" Best Director: Richard Linklater "Boyhood;" Best Actor: Timothy Spall "Mr. Turner;" Best Actress: Marion Cotillard "The Immigrant" and "Two Days, One Night;" Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons "Whiplash;" Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette "Boyhood;" Best Screenplay: "The Grand Budapest Hotel;" Best Cinematographer: Darius Khondi "The Immigrant;" Best Animated Film: "The LEGO Movie;" Best Non-Fiction Film (Documentary): "Citizenfour;" Best Foreign Film: "Ida;" and Best First Film: Jennifer Kent "The Babadook."

The film critics of the New York Times have listed thse films as their favorites for 2014 (click on their names to read their commentary):

A.O. Scott: "Boyhood," "Ida," "Citizenfour," "Leviathan," "Selma," "Love is Strange," "We Are the Best!," "Mr. Turner," "Dear White People," "The Babadook." Runners up: "Beyond the Lights," "Bird People," "The Dance of Reality" (with "Jodorowsky''s Dune"), "The Grand Budapest Hotel," "A Most Violent Year," "Particle Fever," "Snowpiercer," "Top Five," "Two Days, One Night," and "Wild."

Manohla Dargis: In alphabetical order: "American Sniper," "Beyond the Lights," "Birdman," "Boyhood," "The Dog," "Edge of Tomorrow," "Gloria," "Goodbye to Language," "The Grand Budapest Hotel," "Inherent Vice," "Interstellar," "Listen Up Philip," "Manakamana," "Manila in the Claws of Light," "The Missing Picture," "National Gallery," "Selma," "Snowpiercer," "Violette," and "Top Five."

Stephen Holden:"Boyhood," "Foxcatcher," "Force Majeure," "Citizenfour," "Mr. Turner," "Two Days, One Night," "The Salt of the Earth," "Stand Clear of the Closing Doors," "Ida," and "Only Lovers Left Alive."He also mentioned: "Whiplash," "Stop at Nothing: The Lance Armstrong Story," "Point and Shoot," and "Happy Valley."

Roy's Best Films Seen in 2014: As usual, my list is very different from those of the critics since I'm listing only films viewed in 2014 (listed alphabetically): "American Hustle," "Blue Jasmine," "Captain Phillips," "Chef," "Dallas Buyers Club," "Enough Said," "The Grand Budapest Hotel," "Her," "Ida," "Nebraska, "Stories We Tell," "Tim's Vermeer," and "Two Lives."

2013 Acclaimed Films

New York Film Critics Circle: Best Film: "American Hustle," Best Director: Steve McQueen "12 Years A Slave," Best Actor: Robert Redford "All is Lost," Best Actress: Cate Blanchett "Blue Jasmine," Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto "Dallas Buyers Club." Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Lawrence "American Hustle," Best Screenplay: Eric Singer & David O. Russell "American Hustle," Best Cinematographer: Bruno Delbonnel "Inside Llewyn Davis," Best Animated Film: "The Wind Rises," Best Non-Fiction Film (Documentary): "Stories We Tell," Best Foreign Film: "Blue is the Warmest Color," and Best First Film: Ryan Coogler "Fruitvale Station."

The film critics of the New York Times have listed thse films as their favorites for 2013:

A. O. Scott: "Inside Llewyn Davis," "12 Years a Slave." "Blue is the Warmest Color," "Enough Said," "A Touch of Sin," "All is Lost," "Frances Ha," "Hannah Arendt," "Lee Daniels' The Butler," and tied: "The Great Gatsby," "The Wolf of Wall Street," "The Bling Ring," "Spring Breakers," "Pain and Gain," and "American Hustle." He also listed as runners up: "Before Midnight," "Beyond the Hills," "Caesar Must Die," "Computer Chess," "Fill the Void," "Fruitvale Station," "The Great Beauty," "Her," "In a World," "Much Ado About Nothing," "Museum Hours," "Nebraska," "An Oversimplification of Her Beauty," "Viola," and "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet." Scott also listed best documentaries: "The Act of Killing," "Stories We Tell," "The Square," "Let the Fire Burn," and "Cutie and the Boxer."

Manohla Dargis: In alphabetical order: "American Hustle," "Before Midnight," "Behind the Candelabra" (TV movie), "Captain Phillips," "The Counselor," "The Grandmaster," "The Great Beauty," "Her," "Inside Llewyn Davis," "Manakamana," "Redemption," "Rush," "Spring Breakers," "The Square," "A Touch of Sin," and "12 Years a Slave." Her honor roll also lists: "All is Lost," "Bastards," "Blue Caprice." "Blue Jasmine," "Computer Chess," "Crystal Fairy," "Enough Said," "Faust," "Gimme the Loot," "In the Fog," "The Invisible Woman," "Kill Your Darlings," "Mother of George," "Nebraska," "Our Children," "Post Tenebras Lux," "Reality," "Room 237," "Something in the Air," "Stories We Tell," "This is the End," "This is Martin Bonner," and "Viola."

Stephen Holden:"Before Midnight," "Inside Llewyn Davis," "12 Years a Slave," "The Past," "The Wolf of Wall Street," "American Hustle," "The Great Beauty," "Blue is the Warmest Color," "Nebraska," "A Touch of Sin," "Paradise: Love," "Gravity," and "Spring Breakers."

Roy's Best Films Seen in 2013: The movie business has taken some strange turns over the years. These days, the best films seem to appear in the theaters at the end of the year for the holiday season. As a result, for those of us who watch films mostly on DVD or Blu-ray, those films appear in the late winter or early spring of the following year. In 2013, there were few films appearing on disk in the middle of the year that made a great impact. Accordingly, my list of best films, listed alphabetically, relies heavily on films released in 2012 rather than 2013: "A Late Quartet." "Amour," "Argo," "Before Midnight," "42," "Frances Ha," "Lincoln," "The Master," "Quartet," "Searching for Sugar Man," and "Zero Dark Thirty."

2012 Acclaimed Films

New York Film Critics Circle: Best Film: "Zero Dark Thirty," Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow, "Zero Dark Thirty," Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, "Lincoln," Best Actress: Rachel Weisz, "The Deep Blue Sea," Best Non-Fiction Film (Documentary): "Central Park Five," Best Supporting Actor: Matthew McConaughey, "Magic Mike" & "Bernie," Best Supporting Actress: Sally Field, "Lincoln," Best Foreign Film: "Amour," Best Animated Film: "Frankenweenie," Best Cinematography: Greig Fraser, "Zero Dark Thirty," Best Screenplay: Tony Kushner, "Lincoln," Best First Film: David Franch, "How To Survive A Plague."

The film critics of the New York Times have listed these films as their favorites for 2012:

A.O. Scott: :Amour,” “Lincoln,” “Beasts of the Southern Wild,”“Footnote,” “The Master,” “Zero Dark Thirty,” Django Unchained,” “Goodbye, First Love,” “Neighboring Sounds,” and “The Grey.” Honorable Mention: “Argo,” “Barbara,” “Brave,” “Consuming Spirits,” “The Deep Blue Sea,” “Moonrise Kingdom,” “Pitch Perfect,” “Rust and Bone,” “Take This Waltz,” and “The Turin Horse.” Best Documentaries: “The Gatekeepers,” “The Queen of Versailles,” “How to Survive a Plague,” “This is Not a Film,” and “The Central Park Five.”

Manohla Dargis: “Amour,” “The Deep Blue Sea,” “The Gatekeepers,” “Holy Motors,” “The Master,” “Moonrise Kingdom,” “Once Upon a Time in Anatolia,” “Searching for Sugar Man,” “Silver Linings Playbook,” “Zero Dark Thirty.” The rest of the best (alphabetically): “Argo,” “August and After,” “Auto-Collider XV,” “Barbara,” “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” “Bernie,” “Brooklyn Castle,” “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Departure,” “Footnote,” “The House I Live In,” “The Kid with a Bike,” “Life of Pi,” “Magic Mike,” “A Man Vanishes,” “Middle of Nowhere,” “Miss Bala,” Abel Gance's “Napoleon” (restored version), “Oslo, August 31st,” “The Pirates! Band of Misfits,” “Rust and Bone,” “Skyfall,” “Starlet,” “This is Not a Film,” “The Turin Horse,” and “View From the Acropolis”

Stephen Holden: “Lincoln,” “Amour,” “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” “Argo,” “Once Upon a Time in Anatolia,” “Elena,” “How to Survive a Plague,” “The Invisible War,” “The Sessions,” and “Rust and Bone.”

Roy's Best Films Seen in 2012: Once again, I'm a little behind since I see films primarily on Blu-ray or by download and haven't seen the current crop of late year films in the theaters. I've picked the 14 best films I watched this year, but in no particular order: "A Separation," "Beasts of the Southern Wild," "Beginners," "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel," "The Descendants," "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen," "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy," "My Week with Marilyn," "Hugo," "In Darkness," "Le Havre," "Moneyball," "Footnote," and "Pina."

2011 Acclaimed Films

New York Film Critics Circle: Best Picture: "The Artist"; Best Director: Michael Hazanavicius ("The Artist"); Best Foreign Language Film: "A Separation"; Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki ("The Tree of Life"); Best Screenplay: "Moneyball"; Best Actor: Brad Pitt ("The Tree of Life" and "Moneyball"); Best Supporting Actor: Albert Brooks ("Drive"); Best Actress: Meryl Streep ("The Iron Lady"); Best Supporting Actress: Jessica Chastain ("The Tree of Life," "The Help," and "Take Shelter"); Best Nonfiction Film: "Cave of Forgotten Dreams"; and Best First Feature: "Margin Call"

The film critics of the New York Times have listed these films as their favorites for 2011:

A.O. Scott: In alphabetical order: "Bridesmaids," "A Brighter Summer Day (released in 1991)," "Cedar Rapids," "A Dangerous Method.""The Descendants," "The Future," "The Help," "Incendies," "Into the Abyss," "Margin Call," "Meek's Cutoff," "Mysteries of Lisbon,""Le Quattro Volte," "The Tree of Life,""Tuesday after Christmas,""War Horse," "Warrior," "Weekend," "Winnie the Pooh," and "Young Adult."

Manohla Dargis:In alphabetical order: "Abracadabra," "Aurora,""The Autobiography of Nicholas Ceausescu," "Bridesmaids,""Contagion," "A Dangerous Method," "J.Edgar," "Le Havre," "Hugo," "Melancholia," "Moneyball," "My Joy," "Mysteries of Lisbon," "Of Gods and Men," "Poetry," "Le Quattro Volte," "The Return," "Seeking the Monkey King," "The Skin I Live In," "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy," "Voluptuous Sleep," and "Warrior."

Stephen Holden: "The Descendants," "Of Gods and Men," "The Tree of Life," "Margin Call," "Melancholia," "We Were Here," "Incendies," "A Dangerous Method," "Certified Copy," and "Moneyball." Runners Up: "Take Shelter," "Young Adult," "Rapt," "Poetry," and "A Separation."

Roy's Best Films Seen in 2011: "The Help," "City of Life and Death," "Incendies," "Inside Job," "The Social Network," "The King's Speech,""Another Year," "In A Better World," "Red," and "The Fighter."

Dave's Ten Best of 2011:“The Artist;” “Drive;” “The Tree of Life;” “The Descendants;” “Moneyball;” “The Ides of March;” “Super 8;” “Crazy, Stupid, Love;” “The Adjustment Bureau;” “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.”

2010 Acclaimed Films

New York Film Critics Circle: Best Picture: "The Social Network"; Best Director:David Fincher ("The Social Network"); Best Foreign Language Film: "Carlos"; Best First Feature: "Animal Kingdom"; Best Animated Film: "The Illusionist"; Best Actor: Colin Firth ("The King's Speech"); Best Actress: Annette Bening ("The Kids are All Right"); Best Supporting Actor: Mark Ruffalo ("The Kids are All Right"); Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo ("The Fighter"); Best Cinematography: "Black Swan"; Best Screenplay: "The Kids are All Right"; Best Non-Fiction Film: "Inside Job"

The film critics of the New York Times have indicated these films they consider the most significant of 2010:

A.O. Scott: 10 Best: "Inside Job;" "Toy Story 3;" "Carlos;" "Somewhere;" "The Kids are All Right;" "Greenberg;" "127 Hours;""Last Train Home;" "Secret Sunshine;" "Exit Through the Gift Shop." Runners-Up: "And Everything is Going Fine;" "Another Year;" "Black Swan;" "Boxing Gym;" "The Father of My Children;" "The Fighter;" "A Film Unfinished;" "Fish Tank;" "Four Lions;" "The Ghost Writer;" "Howl;" "I Am Love;" "Let Me In;" "Please Give;" "Solitary Man;" "Tangled;" "Tiny Furniture;" "Vincere;" "White Material;" and "Winter's Bone."

Manohla Dargis: In no order: “Sweetgrass;” “The Ghost Writer;" "Shutter Island;" "A Prophet;" "Vincere;" "Everyone Else;" "Joan Rivers:A Piece of Work;" "Wild Grass;" "The Kids are All Right;" "Inception;""A Film Unfinished;" "The Tillman Story;" "Mesrine: Public Enemy No. 1;" "Last Train Home;" "Enter the Void;" three shorts by Nathaniel Dorsky (“Aubade,” “Compline” and “Pastourelle”); "Get Out of the Car;" "The Social Network;" "A Loft;" "Inside Job;" "Boxing Gym;" "127 Hours;" "Tiny Furniture;" "Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench;" "White Material;" "Black Swan;" "The Fighter;" "True Grit;" "Secret Sunshine;" "The Strange Case of Angelica."

Stephen Holden: "The Social Network;" "Inside Job;" "Inception;" "Carlos;" "Another Year;" "Vincere;" "White Material;" "The Kids are All Right;" "True Grit;" and "My Dog Tulip." Runners-Up: "The Ghost Writer;" "Fish Tank;" "A Prophet;" "Mid-August Lunch;" "Greenberg;" "Exit Through the Gift Shop;" "The Secret in Their Eyes;" "I Am Love;" "Toy Story 3;" "Winter's Bone;" "Lebanon;" "Animal Kingdom;" "The Tillman Story;" "Boxing Gym;" and "Blue Valentine."

Roy's Best Viewed in 2010: "The Hurt Locker," "The Town," "Red Cliff,""Toy Story 3," "Crazy Heart,""A Serious Man," "A Single Man,""The Secret in Their Eyes,""Precious: Based on the Novel by Sapphire," and "As It Is In Heaven." Honorable Mention: "Avatar," "The Baader-Meinhof Complex,""Whip It," "The Kids are All Right," "Everlasting Moments," "The White Ribbon," and "Revanche."

Dave's Best of 2010: Ten best films of 2010: “The Social Network;” “Black Swan;” “A Prophet;” “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo;” “Toy Story 3;” “The Square;” “The Kids Are All Right;” “Animal Kingdom;” ”Winter’s Bone;” and “Somewhere.”

Honorable mention (in alphabetical order): “Blue Valentine;” “The Fighter;” “Inception;” “It’s Kind of a Funny Story;” “The King’s Speech;” “Lebanon;” “Mother;” “127 Hours;” “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World;” and “The Town.”

Director: David Fincher (“The Social Network”); Actor: Colin Firth (“The King’s Speech”); Actress: Natalie Portman (“Black Swan”); Supporting Actor: Christian Bale (“The Fighter”); Supporting Actress: Jacki Weaver (“Animal Kingdom”); Foreign Film: No selection (I did not view any of the 2010 qualifying films);” Original Screenplay: David Seidler (“The King’s Speech”); Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin (“The Social Network”); Cinematography: Roger Deakins (“True Grit”); Original Score: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (“The Social Network); Film Editing: Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall (“The Social Network”).

2009 Acclaimed Films

The NewYork Film Critics Circle: Best Picture: "The Hurt Locker"; Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow ("The Hurt Locker"); Best Foreign Film: "Summer Hours"; Best First Film: "Hunger" (Steve McQueen); Best Animated Film: "Fantastic Mr. Fox"; Best Actor: George Clooney ("Up In The Air"); Best Actress: Meryl Streep ("Julie & Julia"); Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz ("Inglourious Basterds"); Best Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique ("Precious"); Best Cinematographer: Christian Berger ("The White Ribbon"); Best Screenplay: "In The Loop"; Best Documentary: "Of Time and The City"

The film critics of the New York Times have indicated those films they consider the most significant of 2009:

A.O. Scott (lists 19 movies): "Where the Wild Things Are;" "The Hurt Locker," "In The Loop," "Summer Hours," "Of Time and the City," "Up in the Air;" "Funny People," "Bright Star," "Medicine for Melancholy," "Precious," "Coraline," "Avatar," "District 9," "A Serious Man," "Anvil: The Story of Anvil," "Goodbye Solo," "Sugar," "Gomorrah," and "The Baader-Meinhof Complex."

Manohla Dargis: "Gomorrah," "Tulpan," "Summer Hours," "The Hurt Locker," "The Beaches of Agnes," "Public Enemies," "Beeswax," "Ponyo,""The Informant," "Where the Wild Things Are," "Fantastic Mr. Fox," "The Sun," and "Avatar."

Stephen Holden:"Up in the Air," "The White Ribbon," "Still Walking," "The Messenger," "35 Shots of Rum," "The Hurt Locker," "The Headless Woman," "An Education," "Summer Hours," and "Disgrace."

Roy's 10 Best Viewed in 2009: "Inglourious Basterds," "Doubt," "Milk," "District 9," "Revolutionary Road," "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," "Reprise," "Live and Become," "Frost/Nixon," and "Julie and Julia." Honorable Mention: "Up," "The Reader," "Tell No One,""I've Loved You So Long," "A Woman in Berlin," "Notorious," and "Happy-Go-Lucky."

Dave's 10 Best of 2009: “The Hurt Locker;” “An Education;” “A Single Man;” “The Fantastic Mr. Fox;” “Inglourious Basterds;” “Everlasting Moments;” “Up;” “Where the Wild Things Are;” ”District 9;” “Sin Nombre.”

Honorable mention (in alphabetical order): “Away We Go;” “Black Dynamite” “Coraline;” “Drag Me to Hell;” “(500) Days of Summer;” “Food, Inc;” “Gomorrah; “In the Loop;” “Summer Hours;” “Whip It.”

Director: Kathryn Bigelow (“The Hurt Locker”); Actor: Jeff Bridges (“Crazy Heart”); Actress: Carey Mulligan (“An Education”); Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz (“Inglourious Basterds”); Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique (“Precious”); Foreign Film: “Sin Nombre;” Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino (“Inglourious Basterds”); Adapted Screenplay: Nick Hornby (“An Education”); Cinematography: Barry Ackroyd (“The Hurt Locker); Original Score: Abel Korzeniowski (“A Single Man”); Film Editing: Bob Murawski and Chris Innis (“The Hurt Locker”)

Ten best films of the past decade (2000-2009): “City of God;” “No Country for Old Men;” “Wall-E;” “Downfall;” “Pan’s Labyrinth;” “Amores Perros;” “In the Bedroom;” “The Lives of Others;” “The Departed;” “Far From Heaven.”

2008 Acclaimed Films

The New York Film Critics Circle: Best Picture: "Milk"; Best Director: Mike Leigh ("Happy-Go-Lucky"); Best Foreign Film: "4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days"; Best First Film: "Frozen River" (Courtney Hunt); Best Animated Film: "WALL-E"; Best Actor: Sean Penn ("Milk"); Best Actress: Sally Hawkins "Happy-Go-Lucky"); Best Supporting Actor: Josh Brolin ("Milk"); Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz ("Vicky Cristina Barcelona"); Best Cinematographer: Anthony Dod Mantle ("Slumdog Millionaire"); Best Screenplay: Jenny Lumet ("Rachel Getting Married"); and Best Documentary: "Man on Wire."

The film critics of the New York Times have indicated those films they consider the most significant of 2008:

A.O. Scott: "WALL-E"; "Silent Light"; "The Secret of the Grain"; "Man on Wire"; "The Edge of Heaven"; "Happy-Go-Lucky"; "Wendy and Lucy"; "Milk"; "Rachel Getting Married"; and "Cadillac Records."

Manohla Dargis: "Happy-Go-Lucky"; "Synecdoche, New York"; "Alexandra"; "Flight of the Red Balloon"; "Silent Light"; "Paranoid Park"; "The Dark Knight"; "Encounters at the End of the World"; "Still Life"; and "Wendy and Lucy"

Stephen Holden: "4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days"; "The Edge of Heaven': "WALL-E": "Milk"; "The Last Mistress': "Happy-Go-Lucky"; "A Christmas Tale"; "Tell No One": "Frozen River"; and "The Visitor." Honorable Mention (alphabetically): "Alexandra": "The Class'; "Man on Wire'; "Paranoid Park"; "Rachel Getting Married'; "Trumbo"; "Up the Yangtze"; "Vicky Cristina Barcelona'; "Waltz with Bashir"; and "The Witnesses."

Roy's 10 Best Viewed in 2008: "WALL-E," "The Visitor," "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," "There Will Be Blood," "Persepolis," "No Country for Old Men," "Into the Wild," "Juno," "Charlie Wilson's War," and "The Edge of Heaven." Honorable Mention: "The Savages," "In Bruges," "Mongol," "4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days," "Encounters at the End of the World" and "Mamma Mia."

Dave's Best of 2008: "WALL-E;" "Revolutionary Road;" "Milk;" "4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days;" "Let the Right One In;" "The Visitor;" "Doubt;" "Snow Angels;" "The Dark Knight;" "The Wrestler." Honorable Mention (in alphabetical order): "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button;" "Frost/Nixon;" "I.O.U.S.A.;" "I've Loved You So Long;" "Mongol;" "Rachel Getting Married;" "The Reader;" "Slumdog Millionaire;" "Tell No One;" "Wendy and Lucy." 

 Director: Sam Mendes ("Revolutionary Road"); Actor: (tie) Sean Penn ("Milk") and Mickey Rourke ("The Wrestler"); Actress: Anne Hathaway ("Rachel Getting Married"); Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger ("The Dark Knight"); Supporting Actress: Viola Davis ("Doubt"); Foreign Film: "Let the Right One In;" Original Screenplay: Thomas McCarthy ("The Visitor"); Adapted Screenplay: John Patrick Shanley ("Doubt"); Cinematography: Roger Deakins ("Revolutionary Road"); Original Score: Thomas Newman ("Revolutionary Road" and "Wall-E"); Film Editing: Chris Dickens ("Slumdog Millionaire").

2007 Acclaimed Films

The New York Film Critics Circle Awards: Best Picture: "No Country for Old Men;" Best Director: Joel and Ethan Coen "No Country for Old Men;" Best Foreign Film: "The Lives of Others;" Best First Film: "Away from Her," Sarah Polley; Best Animated Film: "Persepolis;" Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis "There Will Be Blood;" Best Actress: Julie Christie "Away from Her;" Best Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem "No Country for Old Men;" Best Supporting Actress: Amy Ryan "Gone Baby Gone;" Best Cinematography: Robert Elswit "There Will Be Blood;" Best Screenplay: Joel and Ethan Coen "No Country for Old Men;" and Best Documentary: "No End In Sight."

The film critics of the New York Times have indicated those films they consider the most significant of 2007:

A.O. Scott He names some singularly and others in groups with common themes: (1) "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days;" "Ratatouille;" (3) "There Will Be Blood"and "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street;" (4) "I'm Not There" and "Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten;"(5) "No End in Sight" and "The Terror's Advocate;" (6) "12:08 East of Bucharest"and "Live-in Maid;" (7) "Into the Wild" and "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," (8) "The Lives of Others" and "Michael Clayton;" (9) "The Savages" and "Away From Her;" and (10) "Knocked Up," "Superbad," and "Juno."

Manohla Dargis: She names two significant films: "There Will Be Blood;"and "Zodiac." Her other favorite releases: "Into Great Silence," "I'm Not There," "Killer of Sheep," "The Bourne Ultimatum," "Eastern Promises," "Michael Clayton," "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days," "I Don't Want to Sleep Alone," "Lady Chatterley," "Colossal Youth," "Monika," "Superbad," "Southland Tales," "No End in Sight," "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," "This is England," "The Savages," "Year of the Dog," "Paprika," "The Host," and "The Kingdom."

Stephen Holden:"There Will Be Blood," "The Lives of Others," "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," "Persepolis," "Starting Out in the Evening," "No Country for Old Men," "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," "Atonement," "Across the Universe," and "Juno." Runners-up: "Avenue Montaigne," "Away From Her," "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," "Breach," "Eastern Promises," "I'm Not There," "Lady Chatterley," "Lust, Caution," "Ratatouille," "The Savages," "This is England," "2 Days in Paris," and "The Wind That Shakes the Barley."

Roy's 10 Best Viewed films during 2007: (Since I see virtually all films on home video-DVD, Blu-ray and HD-DVD-I'm usually a little behind, having seen many films in the first half of the year which were actually from the previous year. My method of selection is to choose primarily the films viewed during the year that were truly memorable for their excellence regardless of the year of issue): "The Lives of Others," "Curse of the Golden Flower," "Letters from Iwo Jima," Away from Her," "The Queen," "Pan's Labyrinth,""Once," "The Departed," "Sweet Land," and "The Good Shepherd." Honorable Mention: "Water," "The Bourne Ultimatum," "Eastern Promises," "Paris, Je T'Aime," "After the Wedding," "Avenue Montaigne," and "Venus."

Dave's Best of 2007: “No Country for Old Men;” “The Lives of Others;” "Persepolis," “Away from Her;” “Into the Wild;” “Michael Clayton;” “Ratatouille;” “There Will Be Blood;” “Juno;” “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead.” Honorable Mention (in alphabetical order): “Black Book;” “The Bourne Ultimatum;” “Breach;” “The Dead Girl;” “Gone Baby Gone;” "Knocked Up," “The Lookout;” “3:10 to Yuma;” “Waitress;” “Zodiac.”

Director: Ethan and Joel Coen (“No Country for Old Men”); Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (“There Will Be Blood”); Actress: Julie Christie (“Away from Her”); Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men”); Supporting Actress: Amy Ryan (“Gone Baby Gone”); Foreign Film: “Persepolis;” Original Screenplay: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (“The Lives of Others”); Adapted Screenplay: Joel and Ethan Coen (“No Country for Old Men”); Cinematography: (tie) Roger Deakins (“No Country for Old Men” and "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) and Robert Elswit (“There Will Be Blood”); Original Score: Stephane Moucha and Gabriel Yared (“The Lives of Others”); Film Editing: Ethan and Joel Coen (“No Country for Old Men”).

2006 Acclaimed Films

The New York Film Critics Circle Awards: Best Picture: “United 93;” Best Director: Martin Scorsese “The Departed;” Best Foreign Film: “Army of Shadows;” Best First Film: “Half Nelson” Ryan Fleck; Best Animated Film: “Happy Feet;” Best Actor: Forest Whitaker “The Last King of Scotland;” Best Actress: Helen Mirren “The Queen;” Best Supporting Actor: Jackie Earle Haley “Little Children;” Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Hudson “Dreamgirls;” Best Cinematography: Guillermo Navarro “Pan’s Labyrinth;” Best Screenplay: Peter Morgan “The Queen;” and Best Non-Fiction Film: “Deliver Us From Evil.”

The film critics of the New York Times have named their best of 2006 as follows:

A.O. Scott: “Letters from Iwo Jima,” “Pan’s Labyrinth,” “L’Enfant (The Child),” Days of Glory (Indigénes),” “Little Miss Sunshine,” “Three Times,” “51 Birch Street,” “Volver,” “Little Children,” and “A Prairie Home Companion.” Scott said that the following 11 films tied for 11th: “The Aura,” “Children of Men,” “The Death of Mr. Lazarescu,” “Fast Food Nation,” “Flags of our Fathers,” “Half Nelson,” “Iraq in Fragments,” “Marie Antoinette,” “Our Brand is Crisis,” “The Queen,” “Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story.”

Manohla Dargis: “Army of Shadows” (originally released in 1969); “Letters from Iwo Jima,” “Inland Empire,” “Our Daily Bread,” “L’Enfant,” “Children of Men,” “Three Times,” “Miami Vice,” “Brand Upon the Brain!,” and “Borat.”

Stephen Holden: “Babel,” “Pan’s Labyrinth,” “Heading South,” “The Queen,” “Letters from Iwo Jima,” “United 93,” “The Death of Mr. Lazarescu,” “Volver,” “A Prairie Home Companion,” and “Little Miss Sunshine.” Runners-up: “Borat,” “The Departed,” “Dreamgirls,” “The History Boys,” “Little Children,” and “Notes on a Scandal.”

Roy's 10 Best Viewed films during 2006: The Best of Youth, Cars, The Constant Gardener, Don't Come Knocking, V for Vendetta, Walk the Line, Good Night, and Good Luck., Brokeback Mountain, Wah-Wah, Capote.

Dave's Top 10 for 2006 and other awards: “Pan’s Labyrinth;” “Children of Men;” “The Departed;” “United 93;” “The Three Burials of Mequiades Estrada;” “Babel;” “V for Vendetta;” “Tsotsi;” “Little Children;” “The Queen.” Honorable Mention (in alphabetical order): “Akeelah and the Bee;” “Caché;” “Cars;” “The Good Shepherd;” “Half Nelson;” “Letters from Iwo Jima;” “Little Miss Sunshine;” “Monster House;” “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer;” “Volver.”

Director: Guillermo del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth"); Actor: Presley Chweneyagae ("Tsotsi"); Actress: Helen Mirren "The Queen"); Supporting Actor: Ken Watanabe ("Letters from Iwo Jima"); Supporting Actress: Rinko Kikuchi ("Babel"); Foreign Film: "Pan's Labyrinth"; Original Screenplay: Guillermo del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth"); Adapted Screenplay: William Monahan ("The Departed"); Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki ("Children of Men"); Original score: Alexandre Desplat ("The Painted Veil"); Film Editing: Stephen Mirrione and Douglas Crise ("Babel")