indieWIRE CRITICS' POLL '08 | Grady Hendrix

This is the latest ballot in indieWIRE's 2008 Critics Poll, continuing the tradition of a national survey of critics by calling attention to the year's best -- and, in many cases, most overlooked -- films, providing a meaningful counterpoint to much of the year-end hoopla. Note that some lists are unranked at the discretion of the critic. For all categories except Best Undistributed Film, eligible feature films had first-run theatrical engagements in the U.S. during 2008. Films without a U.S. distributor, screened anywhere (festival circuit, one-off screenings, etc.), are eligible in the Best Undistributed Film category. The full list of critics poll ballots is available here at indieWIRE and tabulated results are being published by indieWIRE later this month.

Grady Hendrix
Variety Asia

Best Film
1 - Sparrow
2 - Slumdog Millionaire
3 - Tokyo Gore Police
4 - United Red Army
5 - Love Exposure
6 - Mad Detective
7 - Synechdoche, New York
8 - Not Quite Hollywood
9 - The Chaser
10 - Martyrs

Best Director
Koji Wakamatsu, United Red Army

Best Screenplay
Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire

Best First Feature
Tokyo Gore Police

Best Documentary
Not Quite Hollywood