BRYN EVANS:

1. The Dark Knight (dir. Christopher Nolan) — The year's biggest film was also its best. Christopher Nolan's epic is now the watermark against which all superhero films must measure (not that difficult, I realize). Heath Ledger's Joker was the year's best performance, the character as it was always meant to be played — chaos unhinged. Along with Batman Begins, Nolan is on his way to crafting one of the all-time great genre epics.

2. Standard Operating Procedure (dir. Errol Morris) — Errol Morris's unnerving look into the abuse that took place at Abu Gharaib prison. A meticulously crafted documentary and an exposure of U.S. military folly, as well as a subtle look into the nature of photographs to both reveal and conceal the truth.

3. Pineapple Express (dir. David Gordon Green) — A future cult classic, with great performances (especially James Franco's heartfelt stoner), ’70s-inspired cops ’n’ robbers action and even a little gay subtext, all tied together with direction by David Gordon Green.

4. Funny Games (dir. Michael Haneke) — Love it or hate it, Haneke’s English remake of his earlier film is a masterful, squirm-inducing exercise in terror and frustration.

5. My Winnipeg (dir. Guy Maddin) — Guy Maddin's ode to his beloved city is a gorgeous blend of cinema tricks and revealing autobiography.

6. Paranoid Park (dir. Gus Van Sant) — Gus Van Sant produced two great, totally different films this year. There was the prestige picture Milk, with its timely content and Sean Penn's larger-than-life performance, and Paranoid Park, whose gorgeous visuals and mournful look at adolescence packed the greater punch.

7. In Bruges (dir. Martin McDonagh) — Martin McDonagh's tale of guilt-ridden, violent criminals whiling away their time in a dull Belgian city is hilarious and unabashedly cynical.

8. Stuck (dir. Stuart Gordon) — Hopefully, Stuart Gordon's pitch-black comedy will find a wider audience on video; the tale (based on a true story) of a woman who lets an accident spin out of control with horrific results is dirty, funny and packs a punch.

9. Bigger, Stronger, Faster (dir. Chris Bell) — While its DIY style lacks polish, Chris Bell's documentary offers some surprising information on the culture of steroid use and athletic performance.

10. Tropic Thunder (dir. Ben Stiller) — Lifting the 1941 curse on big budget comedy awfulness, Tropic features Ben Stiller's first funny appearance in years, and Tom Cruise's insane performance must be seen to be believed.

KYLE FRANCIS:

1. The Dark Knight (dir. Christopher Nolan) — Chris Nolan sails past the “best superhero movie ever made” mark by making what would be a legitimately good film in any genre, superheroes be damned. With its airtight structure, excellent performances and sharp, fast dialogue, The Dark Knight transcends what few flaws it has and proves that there's no reason an action movie can't make a film snob's pants wet.

2. Wall-E (dir. Andrew Stanton) — Not just the best animated film of the year, but one of the best science fiction films of the past decade.

3. Let the Right One In (dir. Tomas Alfredson) — Swedish vampires!

4. Redbelt (dir. David Mamet) — The ending is the only reason this isn't a spot higher. Otherwise, this is David Mamet very much on form.

5. Synecdoche, NY (dir. Charlie Kaufman) — Overlong and occasionally baffling, Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut is also an uncommonly honest, haunting portrait of existential angst.

6. Iron Man (dir. John Favreau) — The script of John Favreau's superhero debut is as finely tuned and beautifully efficient as Tony Stark's mk III armor. With all the action-film gristle trimmed away, all we're left with is an hour and a half of pure, juicy terrorist punching.

7. Fix (dir. Tao Rispoli) — Though indie-guru Tao Rispoli's placement of the audience within the narrative of the film isn't original, his version of the “one character always holding a camera” device is by far the most watchable I've seen.

8. Tropic Thunder (dir. Ben Stiller) — The funniest part about Ben Stiller's satirical action film is that it is, in and of itself, a better filmed action-romp than the movies it sends up.

9. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (dir. Nicholas Stoller) — A sharp, witty take on the rom-com genre by a writer who knows it inside and out. Also worthwhile for Kirsten Bell’s sex faces.

10. Burn After Reading (dir. The Coen Brothers) — The Coen brothers know that the only way to follow up a dour, brilliant film like No Country for Old Men is with the silliest movie of one's career.

PETER HEMMINGER:

1. Wall-E (dir. Andrew Stanton)

2. Synecdoche, NY (dir. Charlie Kauffman)

3. The Dark Knight (dir. Christopher Nolan)

4. In Bruges (dir. Martin McDonagh)

5. The Wrestler (dir. Darren Aronofsky)

6. Iron Man (dir. John Favreau)

7. Burn After Reading (dir. The Coen Brothers)

8. Frost/Nixon (dir. Ron Howard)

9. Funny Games (dir. Michael Haneke)

10. Young People Fucking (dir. Martin Gero)

JEFF KUBIK:

1. Wall-E (dir. Andrew Stanton)

2. The Dark Knight (dir. Christopher Nolan)

3. There Will be Blood (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson) (ed. note — technically a 2007 release, but it didn’t hit Calgary theatres until January, 2008)

4. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (dir. Nicholas Stoller)

5. Iron Man (dir. John Favreau)

6. Synecdoche, NY (dir. Charlie Kauffman)

7. Kung Fu Panada (dir. Mark Osborne and John Stevenson)

8. Tropic Thunder (dir. Ben Stiller)

9. Young People Fucking (dir. Martin Gero)

10. Doomsday (dir. Neil Marshall)

JOHN TEBBUTT:

1. Wall-E (dir. Andrew Stanton) — An instant classic from Pixar, who know how to make instant classics.

2. Iron Man (dir. John Favreau) — I can't believe how much this didn't suck.

3. Stuck (dir. Stuart Gordon) — The best film nobody saw. Wrenching, outrageous, and unforgettable.

4. In Bruges (dir. Martin McDonagh) — This has everything I look for in a gangster movie, and then some.

5. Burn After Reading (dir. The Coen Brothers) — The Coens really know how to make me vibrate with glee.

6. RocknRolla (dir. Guy Ritchie) — A fantastic return to form for Guy Ritchie.

7. Son of Rambow (dir. Garth Jennings) — Hilarious and touching.

8. Tropic Thunder (dir. Ben Stiller) — I can't believe how much this one didn't suck, either.

9. Kung Fu Panda (dir. Mark Osborne and John Stevenson) — Hiyaaa!

10. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (dir. Woody Allen)

MOST EMOTIONALLY DEVASTATING FILM SINCE GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES:

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (dir. Kurt Kuenne)

This film will turn you into a weeping, shivering puddle. Take that as either a recommendation or a warning.

AT LAST! THE YEAR'S MOST OVERDUE DVD RELEASES:

• Blast of Silence (dir. Allen Baron, 1961) — Criterion finally gives this cult hitman drama it's first home video release. Worth the wait!

• Spaced: The Complete Series (1999-2001) — Absolutely brilliant British sitcom, written by and starring Jessica Stevenson and Simon Pegg.

• Duckman: Seasons One and Two (1994-1997) — What can I say? I've been waiting.

FILMMAKING TREND THAT NEEDS TO DIE:

• Action scenes filmed so that you can't actually see what's going on (see: Quantum of Solace)