indieWIRE CRITICS' POLL '08 | Melissa Anderson

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.

Melissa Anderson
Time Out New York

Best Film
1 - Silent Light
2 - La France
3 - Before I Forget
4 - Waltz With Bashir
5 - Wendy and Lucy
6 - Momma's Man
7 - Che
8 - The Duchess of Langeais
9 - Happy-Go-Lucky
10 - The House Bunny

Best Performance
1 - Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
2 - Michelle Williams, Wendy and Lucy
3 - Sean Penn, Milk
4 - Guillaume Depardieu, The Duchess of Langeais
5 - Anna Faris, The House Bunny

Best Supporting Performance
1 - Josh Brolin, Milk
2 - Viola Davis, Doubt
3 - Tilda Swinton, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4 - Toby Jones, W.
5 - Mos Def, Cadillac Records

Best Director
Carlos Reygadas, Silent Light

Best Screenplay
Serge Bozon and Axelle Ropert, La France

Best First Feature
Ballast

Best Documentary
Waltz With Bashir

Best Undistributed Film
1 - The Headless Woman
2 - 35 Rhums
3 - Still Walking
4 - La Vie Moderne
5 - De la guerre
Note: NOT RANKED