7. Wall-E — This animated gem may frustrate many—after all, how many adults, let alone children, can sit through nearly an hour without dialogue? The greater story though is what the tiny robot WALL-E can teach us regarding our planet, our relationships, and what it means to find joy in life's simple pleasures. The love between WALL-E and female robot companion EVE created more sparks on-screen than most human actors we saw this year.

6. The Dark Knight — Christopher Nolan's dark vision of a world torn apart by chaos, lawlessness and anarchy. The Joker (portrayed stunningly by the late Heath Ledger) is evil incarnate and the Caped Crusader (Christian Bale) is the flawed, conflicted hero. It is a stirring film-going experience that goes beyond your average superhero tale. In Gotham, the villain may not be who you think it is and our heroes may not be so righteous after all.

5. Son of Rambow — A delightful film on the power of art, faith, and friendship. Set in the early '80s, the film follows Will, a young English boy set free from his oppressive religious upbringing after being exposed to a pirated copy of that masterpiece of filmmaking First Blood by the school ne'er do well, Lee Carter. Together, they form an unlikely friendship and the two embark on recreating the film using a home-video camera. Through their eyes we learn how art, imagination, and creativity can uplift a soul beaten down by moralism and religiosity.

4. Frost/Nixon — Powered by two magnificent performances by Michael Sheen and Frank Langella, this engrossing drama depicts two powerful, charismatic men seeking their own personal redemption. The two go toe-to-toe in a verbal sparring match that, even if we know the ending, keeps you on the edge of your seat.

3. The Visitor — Like Under the Same Moon, The Visitor is a stirring commentary on immigration and what it means to live in the United States. Much more, it teaches us what it means to be human as an isolated loner Professor, Walter Vale (Richard Jenkins), befriends a young couple living and working here illegally. They have much to teach each other and we are witnesses to a magical transformation of body and soul as Vale comes alive and begins to really experience joy and freedom.

2. Young @ Heart — A heartwarming and heartbreaking documentary of the Young @ Heart chorus, a group of elderly folks facing death, illness, and frailty. Together, these seniors travel and perform in concert halls and prison yards, bringing their own unique spin on songs from such artists as James Brown, Sonic Youth, and Coldplay. Filmmaker Stephen Walker weaves an engrossing story of how the body and mind may fail but the spirit remains steadfast. Witnessing inmates who are doing hard time reduced to tears in the presence of these performers is a revelation.

1. Doubt — John Patrick Shanley's adaptation of his own stage-play will leave you profoundly moved and, perhaps, perplexed. No other film this year will spur as much discussion and debate as this gem of a film about a Roman Catholic priest's alleged indiscretions with a young African-American parishioner. Phillip Seymour Hoffman, our finest American actor, is Father Flynn ,who butts heads with an overbearing taskmaster of a nun, Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep). What may or not have happened is never resolved definitively but the heart of the film is the struggle between moralism and grace, law and gospel. Sister Aloysius is the unyielding, and ultimately unloving, letter of the law while Flynn represents compassion and love. It is a stirring commentary on the state of the Church and how religion is perceived in our culture today. Streep may go over the top at times but it is Hoffman's subdued performance that is so captivating. Whatever side of the fence you land in judging Father Flynn, one thing is certain: Doubt is unforgettable

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