Beginning in early spring every year, I start assembling my Top 10 film list since I maintain the belief that not all great Oscar contenders are released in the fall. That’s when studios inundate critics with screenings, online links, and the occasional hard-copy DVDs in the 11th hour hoping that what we watch last will be what we remember most. This approach apparently works to some degree, as I didn’t see my top pick until late November and my No. 2 until Dec. 1.
For the first time in 26 years as a critic, I’m including two separate lists: one for Top 10 live-action films and another for Top 5 documentaries. I’m a sucker for documentaries and find that comparing them to live-action productions is an apples and oranges thing.
