indieWIRE CRITICS' POLL '08 | Tom Hall

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.

Tom Hall
The Back Row Manifesto

Best Film
1 - The Edge Of Heaven
2 - A Christmas Tale
3 - Frownland
4 - The Wrestler
5 - Silent Light
6 - XXY
7 - Ballast
8 - Wendy and Lucy
9 - Reprise
10 - Before I Forget

Best Performance
1 - Sean Penn, Milk
2 - Michelle Williams, Wendy and Lucy
3 - Mathieu Amalric, A Christmas Tale
4 - Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
5 - Rebecca Hall, Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Best Supporting Performance
1 - Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
2 - Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
3 - Tarra Riggs, Ballast
4 - James Franco, Milk
5 - Catherine Deneuve, A Christmas Tale

Best Director
Arnaud Desplechin, A Christmas Tale

Best Screenplay
Charlie Kaufman, Synecdoche, New York

Best First Feature
Ronald Bronstein, Frownland

Best Documentary
Man on Wire

Best Undistributed Film
1 - Three Blind Mice
2 - Of All the Things
Note: NOTE RANKED

Comments
Thanks for the opportunity to vote and my best wishes to all of the artists who have kept cinema alive and well during these trying times. We need you more than ever!