Andrew, it's not a masterpiece, not remotely, and I speak French. It was overlong, wandering, diffuse, and unclear, not remotely as compelling, beautifully filmed or acted as this year's "Un Secret." I enjoy Mathieu Amalric and Deneuve both, but even the delights of watching them grew stale quickly because the story just doesn't work. The sister "banished" Henri (Amalric) from the family, but we never understand what the hysteria is all about. Their brother Ivan suggests that Henri wrote Elizabeth a terrible letter, but Henri denies it. Then we see Elizabeth give him a letter addressed to her (inside another envelope) as his Christmas present. It's simply cheating the audience to make the major rupture in the family about this letter and then not reveal what's in it. If the point is that families are crazy, even French ones, that's not a real point, but a cliché. My heart wasn't broken for one moment here, though I did pity some of the characters at times. Had they been less frozen and more richly drawn, I might have felt more, but the movie was cold, cold, cold. And dull, dull, dull.

Mostly for how many good movies I have not seen this year. Of those listed above which I have seen, I found the Flight of Red Balloon the best, even better than A Christmas Tale. For me, the Flight of Red Balloon lingers longer than most movies than I have seen.

I haven't seen all of these movies, but I appreciate this list and the thought that went into choosing it. It's nice to have one good reviewer on this site. I will be checking out these films because I trust this source much more.

I just watched "The Pacific and Eddy" It's covered in palm leaves from all the Indie Awards.

It is shit. It is 100% shit. Mumblecore is shit. Gus Van Sant is shit too. Indie films are pretty much shit. Reviewers who throw their panties on stage for any twisted piece of shit are morons.

What's the business on "Waltz With Bashir?"

I live in New Orleans.

I first heard about the film about four months ago.

This movie must be getting a pretty slim distribution.

It apparently isn't even on the map over here yet.

When would it probably be realistic to look for the DVD release of this movie?

While I think "A Christmas Tale" was most enjoyable, I did not see it as essential viewing. "Wendy and Lucy" 's politics are quiet, but I can't think of any other film that reflects the state of the US more accurately. I was really disappointed to see it omitted from your list.

I found it funny, smart, touching, and beautifully filmed. Boren is brilliant.

I'm surprised to discover that "The Visitor" has somehow been left off your list. I'm sure it was just an oversight or perhaps simply a difference in definition of "indie film" but clearly "The Visitor", with its nuanced, powerful performances by Richard Jenkins and Hiam Abbass, deserves a spot in the top 10 indie films of the year.

I just finished watching it. It's a peek into a world I didn't know existed - an impoverished, violent and bleak suburb of Naples. It appears that many of the actors and nearly all of the extras were locals. The apartment block where much of the action takes place is an amazing crumbling dystopian behemoth.

For the time and effort you put into bringing the gospel of good cinema to those of us who don't have the time to see everything that comes along, and want to make our trips to the video store/theatre count. And after reading Ms. Zacharek's bizarre and disconcerting list, I appreciate your fine sensibilities all the more.

If you have seen 250 films this year and that's below average it's easy to have missed "Yella" which played at the Film Forum this year. "Yella" is a German film that won all of the major German Academy Awards (The Lolas)including Best Film, Best Director and Best Actress.

If you want to see a very tight drama that was inspired by "Carnival of Souls" check it out when it arrives on DVD on February 24th.

But if ya wanna be inspired by the original movie, check out the Criterian disc, they cleaned up one 'o those early 60's drive in prints, so now when you see "Souls," you don't have to squint.

Te other really annoying thing about the movie was the constant referencing of "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Twice the mentally ill son Paul is seen watching the famed 1935 Max Reinhardt movie of the play. Then the score bubbles up with Mendelsohn's incidental music to it way too often. Finally, and most dismally, the angry sister quotes Puck's "And if we shadows have offended" in the movie's last moments. Well, the movie isn't magical or especially witty or even funny. Calling up the spirit of the playwright, the composer, and the director threw the flaws of this movie into much too high relief.

I liked Momma's Man, but I'm the only one I know who did. Interesting to see it here.

would be a more appropriate title for this mish-mosh of an utterly joyless film, filled with angry people who move from the hysterical to the laconic, smoking and drinking in every frame.

I was so ready to fall in love with this film, but couldn't find a single character worth the effort, except for the frumpy father played by Jean-Paul Roussillon.

Gotta agree with Lev here. This film is turkey.

All I can say to Lev R. and the other anti-Christmas Tale poster is that tastes vary. I don't mean that as a diplomatic copout. To me, comparing Christmas Tale to A Secret isn't an apples-to-apples comparison. They're totally different kinds of works, with totally different aims. Someone who loves one probably won't love the other. Certainly true for me and apparently for you too, Lev.

Klytus: Don't worry, Waltz With Bashir will get there. I don't know the N.O. art-house scene, but this is a Sony Classics release which only just opened in NY/LA on 12/26. They operate a very old-school platform release which will take the film to SF/Chi/DC next, then to the top 10 markets, and then the top 25. It'll get there, and then they'll have the Sony DVD ready to go by about May 15.

on Gomorrah: I saw it at Cannes and totally loved it. Close to Xmas Tale for the movie of the festival. But I restrict this list to 2008 theatrical releases; I don't think it makes sense to include festival-only movies seen by zero regular moviegoers. Gomorrah's theatrical release is on the way, in March I think, and I'd be very surprised if it didn't make my '09 list.

Thanks for the thoughtful responses, everybody.