indieWIRE CRITICS’ POLL ’08 | Vadim Rizov

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.

Vadim Rizov
Freelance

Best Film
1 – In The City of Sylvia
2 – A Christmas Tale
3 – Still Life
4 – Flight of the Red Balloon
5 – Of Time and the City
6 – Shotgun Stories
7 – Happy-Go-Lucky
8 – The Order of Myths
9 – Vicky Christina Barcelona
10 – Woman on the Beach

Best Performance
1 – Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
2 – Javier Bardem, Vicky Christina Barcelona
3 – Chiwetel Ejiofor, Redbelt
4 – Michael Shannon, Shotgun Stories
5 – Juliette Binoche, Flight of the Red Balloon

Best Supporting Performance
1 – Brad Pitt, Burn After Reading
2 – Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
3 – Penelope Cruz, Vicky Christina Barcelona
4 – David Straithern, My Blueberry Nights
5 – Emmanuelle Devos, A Christmas Tale

Best Director
Jose Luis Guerin, In The City of Sylvia

Best Screenplay
Terence Davies, Of Time and the City

Best First Feature
Shotgun Stories

Best Documentary
The Order of Myths

Best Undistributed Film
1 – Tony Manero
2 – Gitmek: My Marlon and Brando
3 – Just Anybody
4 – Idiots and Angels
5 – Somers Town
6 – The Cottage
7 – Milky Way Liberation Front
Note: NOT RANKED

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