2. MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA – I absolutely love this film. It was so beautifully filmed and acted. Ziyi Zhang is perfect as the young girl turned geisha, with the marvelous Ken Watanabe as her love interest.

3. MUNICH – When Steven Spielberg tackles a sensitive subject matter, he does it better than anyone. This is a gripping, riveting movie about a tragic event and its aftermath. Truly a stunning film.

4. MATCH POINT – This is simply the best film Woody Allen has made in years, and it’s nothing like his previous accomplishments. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers and Scarlett Johansson are sensational as two people caught up in an illicit love affair.

5. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE – Another visually stunning film with a slightly more realistic look at how Jane Austen’s heroine may have lived in a family home with too many daughters to marry off. Keira Knightley is superb, as well as Donald Sutherland and Brenda Blethyn.

6. MARCH OF THE PENGUINS – I was totally blown away by this documentary --- a true feat in filmmaking. The story of the trek of these penguins was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Plus it was narrated by Morgan Freeman …… fabulous!

7. THE WHITE COUNTESS -- The last collaboration of Ismail Merchant and James Ivory. Ralph Fiennes and Natasha Richardson are perfectly paired in this love story set in exotic 1936 Shanghai.

8. CAPOTE – Philip Seymour Hoffman is simply outstanding as Truman Capote in this exceptional film, which details the six years of his life during which he wrote “In Cold Blood”.

9. EL CRIMEN PERFECTO (The Perfect Crime) – It drives me crazy when people tell us they won’t watch films with sub-titles. If you like black comedies, this is one of the best. A delightful film (in Spanish)…… truly worth seeing.

10. GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK – Black-and-white films are a thing of the past, so it was incredibly ingenious for George Clooney to dare to make this film. Not only does he expertly cover a nasty period in our recent history, but Clooney also showcases the courage these people had in exposing such madness.

2. MUNICH – Steven Spielberg again delivers an historic event in dramatic fashion…..an unforgettable re-telling of a terrorist act which future generations should always remember. White-knuckle tension in a chilling film.

3. PRIDE & PREJUDICE – The best version yet of Jane Austen’s oft-told tale where aristocratic wealth meets plebeian beauty, and the result is movie magic. A wonderful ensemble cast, headed by Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFayden.

4. THE WHITE COUNTESS – An emotionally empty blind man meets a downtrodden Russian countess in pre-WWII Shanghai. If this sounds less than appealing, the heartbreaking performances by Ralph Fiennes and Natasha Richardson will change your mind.

5. MATCH POINT – If Alfred Hitchcock had directed “Fatal Attraction”, the result might look like this. Woody Allen, in a rare departure from his normal comic lunacy, shows a deft hand in keeping an audience completely in his spell.

6. HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE -- The wondrous animation is the star of this show. You literally have to see it, and most definitely on the big screen, to believe it. Worth a second viewing, if only to focus on the incredible artistry.

7. CRASH -- A taut, thought-provoking thriller with over 20 major speaking parts. If you like irony in your drama, this film has plenty. If you want tender moments and searing suspense, it has them too.

8. GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK – No doubt Edward R. Murrow would approve of David Straitharn’s portrayal of him. Even if you don’t remember Murrow’s on-air verbal jousting with Wisconsin Senator Joe McCarthy in the early 50’s, you’re in for a treat.

9. WALK THE LINE – Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon give memorable performances in this biopic of Johnny Cash and June Carter. The re-creation of Cash’s Folsom Prison concert is alone worth the price of admission.

10. MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA – This will be much higher on Jeanne’s list. I understand it is mostly faithful to the book, but even if you haven’t read the best seller, go see this sumptuous look at a fabled era in Japanese lore.