First annual indieWIRE film critics' poll

By Dennis Lim

Welcome to the first annual indieWIRE film critics’ poll. If you’re experiencing deja vu, it’s because this national survey is a direct descendant of the Village Voice poll, which I conducted from 1999 to 2005 ("Take One" through "Take Seven") with the help of my former colleagues J. Hoberman and Michael Atkinson. Recent developments at the Voice have left that poll without a home and the good folks at indieWIRE have graciously stepped in to adopt it….

[SF360 editor’s note: This story appeared originally in its complete form in indieWIRE Thurs., Dec. 21. For the whole story, which includes a summary/analysis of indieWIRE’s poll, go here. You can also log into indieWIRE’s databases for invididual critics’ comments and lists. SF360.org will be publishing lists and comments from the San Francisco Bay Area-based film community during the holiday break. What follows are the top 20 Best Film vote-getters in indieWIRE’s poll.]

1. "The Death of Mr. Lazarescu"
2. "L’Enfant"
3. "The Departed"
4. "Inland Empire"
5. "Army of Shadows"
6. "Three Times"
7. "Old Joy"
8. "United 93"
9. "Children of Men"
10. "Half Nelson"
11. "The Queen"
12. "Climates"
13. "A Scanner Darkly"
14. "Pan’s Labyrinth"
15. "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan"
16. "A Prairie Home Companion"
17. "Volver"
18. "Battle in Heaven"
19. "Letters From Iwo Jima"
20. "Mutual Appreciation"

12.22.2006