The 38th Annual IRA Film Awards -- Best Of 2012

THE 38TH ANNUAL IRA FILM AWARDS



THE BEST MOVIES OF 2012


BEST PICTURE

Once Upon A Time In Anatolia --- By Acclamation
(won a majority of the ballots on the first round)

1. Once Upon A Time In Anatolia – 28 pts.
2. (tie) The Deep Blue Sea – 13 pts.
                                    and
               The Loneliest Planet – 13 pts.
    4. The Kid With A Bike – 12 pts.
    5. Django Unchained – 9 pts.


BEST DIRECTOR

1. Nuri Bilge Ceylan for Once Upon A Time In Anatolia – 28 pts.
2. Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne for The Kid With A Bike – 15 pts.
3. Terence Davies for The Deep Blue Sea – 12 pts.
4. Quentin Tarantino for Django Unchained – 10 pts.
5. Julia Loktev for The Loneliest Planet – 9 pts.


BEST ACTOR

1. Jean-Louis Trintignant for Amour – 24 pts.
2. Jack Black for Bernie – 21 pts.
3. Lior Ashkenazi for Footnote – 18 pts.
4. Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained – 9 pts.
5. Joaquin Phoenix for The Master – 7 pts.

BEST ACTRESS

1. Rachel Weisz for The Deep Blue Sea – 27 pts.
2. Emmanuelle Riva for Amour – 26 pts.
3. Hani Furstenberg for The Loneliest Planet – 23 pts.
4. Ariane Labed for Attenberg – 19 pts.
5. Michelle Williams for Take This Waltz – 8 pts.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

1. Taner Birsel for Once Upon A Time In Anatolia – 21 pts.
2. Leonardo DiCaprio for Django Unchained – 12 pts.
3. Samuel L. Jackson for Django Unchained – 10 pts.
4. (tie) Zachary Booth for Keep The Lights On – 9 pts.
                                              and
               Robert De Niro for Silver Linings Playbook – 9 pts.
                                              and
               Dwight Henry for Beasts Of The Southern Wild – 9 pts.
                                              and
               Matthew McConaughey for Bernie, Killer Joe, Magic Mike and The Paperboy – 9 pts.


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Cecile De France for The Kid With A Bike – By Acclamation
(won a majority of votes in first round balloting)

1. Cecile De France for The Kid With A Bike – 32 pts.
2. Shirley MacLaine for Bernie – 22 pts.
3. Sally Field for Lincoln – 11 pts.
4. Juliette Binoche for Cosmopolis – 8 pts.
5. Amy Adams for The Master – 6 pts.


BEST SCREENPLAY

1. Ebru Ceylan and Nuri Bilge Ceylan and Ercan Kesal for Once Upon A Time In Anatolia – 23 pts.
2. Joseph Cedar for Footnote – 19 pts.
3. Quentin Tarantino for Django Unchained – 18 pts.
4. Jeanne-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne for The Kid With A Bike – 13 pts.
5. (tie) Joe Carnahan and Ian McKenzie Jeffers for The Grey 10 pts.
                                                  and
              Tony Kushner for Lincoln – 10 pts.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

1. Gokhan Tiryaki for Once Upon A Time In Anatolia – 25 pts.
2. Inti Briones for The Loneliest Planet – 22 pts.
3. Mihai Malaimare Jr. for The Master – 12 pts.
4. Florian Hoffmeister for The Deep Blue Sea – 10 pts.
5. Peter Suschitzky for Cosmopolis – 7 pts.

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

1. Arvinder Grewal for Cosmopolis – 20 pts.
2. James Merifield for The Deep Blue Sea – 17 pts.
3. Hugh Bateup and Uli Hanisch for Cloud Atlas – 14 pts.
4. Rick Carter for Lincoln – 12 pts.
5. (tie) David Crank and Jack Fisk for The Master – 8 pts.
                                            and
              Alex DiGerlando for Beasts Of The Southern Wild – 8 pts.

BEST SCORE

1. Dan Romer and Benh Zeitlin for Beasts Of The Southern Wild – 19 pts.
2. Jonny Greenwood for The Master and Norwegian Wood – 17 pts.
3. Johann Johannsson for The Miners’ Hymns – 15 pts.
4. (tie) Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek and Tom Tykwer for Cloud Atlas – 10 pts.
                                           and
               Samuel Barber for The Deep Blue Sea – 10 pts.

BEST EDITING

1. Todd Woody Richman and Tyler H. Walk for How To Survive A Plague – 20 pts.
2. Bora Goksingol for Once Upon A Time In Anatolia – 17 pts.
3. Bill Morrison for The Miners’ Hymns – 12 pts.
4. Wolfgang Widerhofer for Michael 10 pts.
5. Nicolas Chaudeurge for Wuthering Heights – 9 pts.

BEST COSTUME

1. Kari Perkins for Bernie – 22 pts.
2. Colleen Atwood for Snow White and the Huntsman and Dark Shadows –   12 pts.
3. Steven Noble for Wuthering Heights – 10 pts.
4. (tie) Ruth Myers for The Deep Blue Sea – 9 pts.
                             and
           Mark Bridges for The Master – 9 pts.

SOMINEX

1.  (tie) Les Miserables – 17 pts.

               and

        Beasts of The Southern Wild – 17 pts

3. The Turin Horse – 13 pts.

4. Prometheus – 12 pts.

5. (tie) Keyhole – 5 pts.

              and

         Life Of Pi – 5 pts.

              and

         2 Days In New York – 5 pts.

DRAMAMINE

1     1. The Intouchables – 30 pts.

2     2.  (tie) Hitchcock – 8 pts.

                     and

             Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – 8 pts.

 4. Silver Linings Playbook – 7 pts.

 5. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – 6 pts.

MECHANICAL ACTRESS

1     1. Anne Hathaway for Les Miserables – 32 pts.

2     2. Amanda Seyfried for Les Miserables – 20 pts.

3     3. Helena Bonham Carter for Les Miserables – 16 pts.

4     4. Judi Dench for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Skyfall – 9 pts.

5     5. (tie) Isabelle Allen for Les Miserables

                              and

            Gina Carano for Haywire – 5 pts.

MECHANICAL ACTOR

1     1. Russell Crowe for Les Miserables – 18 pts.

2     2. Sacha Baron Cohen for Les Miserables – 16 pts.

3     3. Hugh Jackman for Les Miserables – 15 pts.

4     4. Taylor Kitsch for Battleship, John Carter and Savages – 8 pts.

5     5. Dev Patel for The Bext Exotic Marigold Hotel – 8 pts.

PAST IRA WINNERS


THE COMPLETE IRA MOVIE AWARD WINNERS

1975 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Barry Lyndon
Best Director: Claude Chabrol for La Rupture and Just Before Nightfall
Best Actor: Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest
Best Actress: Ellen Burstyn in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore
Best Supporting Actor: François Perrier in Just Before Nightfall
Best Supporting Actress: Blythe Danner in Hearts Of The West
Best Screenplay: Tom Stoppard and Thomas Wiseman for The Romantic Englishwoman
Best Cinematography: John Alcott for Barry Lyndon



1976 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: (tie) Lipstick, and The Marquise Of O
Best Director: Eric Rohmer for The Marquise Of O
Best Actor: Sean Connery in Robin And Marian
Best Actress: Sissy Spacek in Carrie
Best Supporting Actor: Jason Robards in All The President’s Men
Best Supporting Actress: Anne Bancroft in Lipstick
Best Screenplay: Alain Tanner and John Berger for Jonah Who Will Be 25 In The Year 2000
Best Cinematography: Nestor Almendros for The Marquise Of O



1977 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Annie Hall
Best Director: Wim Wenders for The American Friend
Best Actor: John Gielgud in Providence
Best Actress: Dianne Keaton in Annie Hall and Looking For Mr. Goodbar
Best Supporting Actor: G. D. Spradlin in One On One
Best Supporting Actress: Vanessa Redgrave in Julia
Best Screenplay: Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman for Annie Hall
Best Cinematography: Robby Müller for The American Friend


1978 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Days Of Heaven
Best Director: Terence Malick for Days Of Heaven
Best Actor: Jon Voight in Coming Home
Best Actress: Jane Fonda in Coming Home
Best Supporting Actor: Dom DeLuise in The End
Best Supporting Actress: Stephane Audran in Violette
Best Screenplay: Eric Rohmer for Perceval
Best Cinematography: Nestor Almendros for Days Of Heaven


1979 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Fedora
Best Director: Blake Edwards for 10
Best Actor: Clint Eastwood in Escape From Alcatraz
Best Actress: Hanna Schygulla in The Marriage Of Maria Braun
Best Supporting Actor: Denholm Elliott in Cuba and Saint Jack
Best Supporting Actress: Frances Sternhagen in Fedora and Starting Over
Best Screenplay: Billy Wilder and I. A. L. Diamond for Fedora
Best Cinematography: Tak Fujimoto for Last Embrace and Remember My Name
Best Music: Miklos Rozsa for Fedora and Last Embrace
Best Production Design: Dean Edward Mitzner for 1941


1980 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: The Big Red One
Best Director: Sam Fuller for The Big Red One
Best Actor: Lee Marvin for The Big Red One
Best Actress: Jodie Foster for Carny and Foxes
Best Supporting Actor: (tie) Joe Pesci in Raging Bull and Harry Dean Stanton in The Black Marble, The Long Riders, Private Benjamin and Wise Blood
Best Supporting Actress: Pamela Reed in The Long Riders and Melvin And Howard
Best Screenplay: Sam Fuller for The Big Red One
Best Cinematography: Jordan Cronenweth for Altered States
Best Music: Dana Kaproff for The Big Red One
Best Production Design: Tambi Larsen for Heaven’s Gate


1981 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Cutter’s Way
Best Director: Ivan Passer for Cutter’s Way
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges in Cutter’s Way
Best Actress: Faye Dunaway in Mommie Dearest
Best Supporting Actor: Jack Nicholson in Reds
Best Supporting Actress: Mona Washbouurne in Stevie
Best Screenplay: John Guare for Atlantic City
Best Cinematography: Jordan Cronenweth for Cutter’s Way
Best Music: Georges DeLerue for The Last Metro, Rich and Famous, True Confessions and The Woman Next Door
Best Production Design: Ken Adam for Pennies From Heaven
Best Costume Design: Shirley Russell for Reds


1982 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Victor/Victoria
Best Director: Blake Edwards for Victor/Victoria
Best Actor: Jack Lemmon in Missing
Best Actress: (tie) Julie Andrews in Victor/Victoria and Jessica Lange in Frances
Best Supporting Actor: Robert Preston in Victor/Victoria
Best Supporting Actress: Lesley Ann Warren in Victor/Victoria
Best Screenplay: Blake Edwards for Victor/Victoria
Best Cinematography: Xaver Schwartzenberger for Lola and Veronika Voss
Best Music: Henry Mancini and Leslie Bricusse for Victor/Victoria
Best Production Design: Rodger Maus for Victor/Victoria
Best Costume Design: Patricia Norris for Victor/Victoria


1983 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Berlin Alexanderplatz
Best Director: Andrzej Wajda for Danton
Best Actor: Eric Roberts for Star ’80
Best Actress: Shirley MacLaine for Terms Of Endearment
Best Supporting Actor: Jerry Lewis for The King Of Comedy
Best Supporting Actress: Jamie Lee Curtis for Trading Places
Best Screenplay: Bill Forsyth for Local Hero
Best Cinematography: Sven Nykvist for Star ’80
Best Music: Peer Raben for Berlin Alexanderplatz
Best Production Design: Fernando Scarfiotti for Scarface
Best Costume Design: Yvonne Sassinot DeNestle for Danton


1984 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: (tie) L’Argent and Once Upon A Time In America
Best Director: Sergio Leone for Once Upon A Time In America
Best Actor: Clint Eastwood in Tightrope
Best Actress: Helen Mirren in Cal
Best Supporting Actor: Jean-Luc Godard in First Name: Carmen
Best Supporting Actress: Christine Lahti in Swing Shift
Best Screenplay: Franco Arcalli, Leonardo Benvenuti, Piero De Bernardi, Franco Ferrini, Sergio Leone, Enrico Medioli for Once Upon A Time In America
Best Cinematography: Robby Müller for Paris Texas and Repo Man
Best Music: Ennio Morricone for Once Upon A Time In America
Best Production Design: James Singelis for Once Upon A Time In America
Best Costume Design: Mic Cheminal for Entre Nous


1985 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Prizzi’s Honor
Best Director: Martin Scorsese for After Hours
Best Actor: Jack Nicholson in Prizzi’s Honor
Best Actress: Mia Farrow in The Purple Rose Of Cairo
Best Supporting Actor: William Hickey in Prizzi’s Honor
Best Supporting Actress: Anjelica Huston in Prizzi’s Honor
Best Screenplay: Joseph Minion for After Hours
Best Cinematography: Andrzej Bartkowiak for Prizzi’s Honor
Best Music: Brian Gascoigne and Junior Hamrich for The Emerald Forest
Best Production Design: Jeffrey Townsend for After Hours
Best Costume Design: Ann Roth for The Jagged Edge and Sweet Dreams


1986 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Eyes On The Prize
Best Director: David Lynch for Blue Velvet
Best Actor: (tie) Daniel Day-Lewis in My Beautiful Laundrette and Jeff Goldblum in The Fly
Best Actress: Laura Dern in Smooth Talk
Best Supporting Actor: Steve Buscemi in Parting Glances
Best Supporting Actress: Mary Stuart Masterson in At Close Range
Best Screenplay: Hanif Kureishi for My Beautiful Laundrette
Best Cinematography: Frederick Elmes for Blue Velvet
Best Music: (tie) George Delerue for Platoon and Herbie Hancock for Round Midnight
Best Production Design: Patricia Norris for Blue Velvet
Best Costume Design: Jenny Beaven and John Bright for A Room With A View



1987 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Housekeeping
Best Director: Bill Forsyth for Housekeeping
Best Actor: Gary Oldman in Prick Up Your Ears
Best Actress: Christine Lahti in Housekeeping
Best Supporting Actor: John Mahoney in Moonstruck and Tin Men
Best Supporting Actress: Vanessa Redgrave in Prick Up Your Ears
Best Screenplay: Bill Forsyth for Housekeeping
Best Cinematography: Phillippe Rousselot for Hope And Glory
Best Music: David Byrne, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Cong Su for The Last Emperor
Best Production Design: Santo Loquasto for Radio Days
Best Costume Design: Mary-Jane Reyner for Housekeeping


1988 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Dead Ringers
Best Director: David Cronenberg for Dead Ringers
Best Actor: Jeremy Irons in Dead Ringers
Best Actress: Jodie Foster in The Accused
Best Supporting Actor: Divine in Hairspray
Best Supporting Actress: Claudia Karvan in High Tide
Best Screenplay: Christopher Hampton for Dangerous Liaisons
Best Cinematography: Vittorio Storaro for Tucker: The Man And His Dream
Best Music: George Fenton for Dangerous Liaisons
Best Production Design: Dean Tavoularis for Tucker: The Man And His Dream
Best Costume Design: Van Smith for Hairspray


1989 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Story Of Women
Best Director: Claude Chabrol for Story
Of Women
Best Actor: John Hurt in Scandal
Best Actress: Isabelle Huppert in Story Of Women
Best Supporting Actor: Ethan Hawke in Dad and Dead Poets Society
Best Supporting Actress: Anjelica Huston in Enemies: A Love Story
Best Screenplay: Blake Edwards for Skin Deep
Best Cinematography: Jeff Preiss for Let’s Get Lost
Best Music: Michael Kamen for The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen
Best Production Design: Dante Ferretti for The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen
Best Costume Design: Jane Robinson for Scandal


1990 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: GoodFellas
Best Director: Martin Scorsese for GoodFellas
Best Actor: Michel Blanc in Monsieur Hire
Best Actress: Anjelica Huston in The Grifters
Best Supporting Actor: Joe Pesci in GoodFellas
Best Supporting Actress: Lorraine Bracco in GoodFellas
Best Screenplay: Craig Lucas for Longtime Companion
Best Cinematography: Oliver Stapleton for The Grifters
Best Music: Elmer Bernstein for The Grifters
Best Production Design: Dennis Gassner for The Grifters
Best Costume Design: Richard Bruno for The Grifters


1991 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: The Man In The Moon
Best Director: Robert Mulligan for The Man In The Moon
Best Actor: River Phoenix in Dogfight and My Own Private Idaho
Best Actress: Judy Davis in Barton Fink, Impromptu, and Naked Lunch
Best Supporting Actor: Harvey Keitel in Bugsy, Mortal Thoughts, and Thelma & Louise
Best Supporting Actress: Juliette Lewis in Cape Fear
Best Screenplay: Michael Tolkin for The Rapture
Best Cinematography: Freddie Francis for Cape Fear and The Man In The Moon
Best Music: Ennio Morricone for Bugsy
Best Production Design: Dennis Gassner for Barton Fink and Bugsy
Best Costume Design: Albert Wolsky for Bugsy


1992 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Raise The Red Lantern
Best Director: Robert Altman for The Player
Best Actor: Tim Robbins in Bob Roberts and The Player
Best Actress: Emma Thompson in Howards End
Best Supporting Actor: Jaye Davidson in The Crying Game
Best Supporting Actress: Judy Davis in Husbands And Wives
Best Screenplay: Michael Tolkin for The Player
Best Cinematography: Zhao Fei and Lun Yang for Raise The Red Lantern
Best Music: Lenny Niehaus for Unforgiven
Best Production Design: Marc Caro for Delicatessen
Best Costume Design: Alexander Julien for The Player
Sominex Award: A Few Good Men
Dramamine Award: Basic Instinct
Mechanical Actor: Michael Douglas in Basic Instinct
Mechanical Actress: ****


1993 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Six Degrees Of Separation
Best Director: Nancy Savoca for Household Saints
Best Actor: Dennis Quaid in Flesh And Bone
Best Actress: Stockard Channing in Six Degrees Of Separation
Best Supporting Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio in A Boy’s Life and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?
Best Supporting Actress: Regina Tourney in Like Water For Chocolate
Best Screenplay: Mike Leigh for Naked
Best Cinematography: Michael Balhaus for The Age Of Innocence
Best Music: Elmer Bernstein for The Age Of Innocence and The Cemetery Club
Best Production Design: Dante Ferretti for The Age Of Innocence
Best Costume Design: Gabriella Pescucci for The Age Of Innocence
Sominex Award: Heaven And Earth
Dramamine Award: Falling Down
Mechanical Actor: Richard Gere in Sommersby
Mechanical Actress: Madonna in Body Of Evidence


1994 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Red
Best Director: Krzyzstof Kieslowski for Red and White
Best Actor: Terence Stamp in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Best Actress: Linda Fiorentino in The Last Seduction
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale in Little Women
Best Supporting Actress: Kristin Scott Thomas in Four Weddings and a Funeral
Best Screenplay: Steve Baranczek for The Last Seduction
Best Cinematography: Stephen Czapsky for Ed Wood
Best Music: Zbigniew Preissner for Red and White
Best Production Design: Dennis Gastner for The Hudsucker Proxy
Best Costume Design: Lizzie Gardiner and Tim Chappel for Priscilla, Queen of The Desert
Sominex Award: Wyatt Earp


1995 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Exotica
Best Director: Terry Zwigoff for Crumb
Best Actor: John Travolta in Get Shorty
Best Actress: (A three-way tie) Mia Kershner in Exotica; Alicia Silverstone in Clueless; Nicole Kidman in To Die For
Best Supporting Actor: Tim Roth in Rob Roy
Best Supporting Actress: Mare Winningham in Georgia
Best Screenplay: (tie) Atom Egoyan for Exotica and Buck Henry for To Die For
Best Cinematography: Newton Thomas Sigel for The Usual Suspects
Best Music: John Ottman for The Usual Suspects
Best Production Design: Dante Ferretti for Casino
Best Costumes: Mona May for Clueless
Sominex Award: The Brothers McMullen
Dramamine Award: Braveheart
Mechanical Actor: Dennis Miller in The Net and the cast of The Brothers McMullen
Mechanical Actress: Annette Bening in The American President


1996 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: La Ceremonie
Best Director: Claude Chabrol for La Ceremonie
Best Actor: Ewen McGregor in Trainspotting
Best Actress: (tie) Kristin Scott Thomas in The English Patient and Emily Watson in Breaking The Waves
Best Supporting Actor: Ian Holm in Big Night
Best Supporting Actress: Mary Kay Place in Citizen Ruth and Manny & Lo
Best Screenplay: John Sayles for Lone Star
Best Cinematography: (tie) Darius Khondji for Stealing Beauty and Oliver Stapleton for Kansas City
Best Music: Tiffany Anders, Burt Bacharach, David Baerwald, Carole Bayer Sager, Ed Berghoff, Elvis Costello, Gerry Goffin, Louise Goffin, Tonio K, Larry Klein, J. Mascis, Joni Mitchell, Boyd Rice, David A. Stewart, and J. Mayo Williams for Grace Of My Heart
Best Production Design: Harley Jessup for James And The Giant Peach
Best Costume Design: Dona Granata for Kansas City
Sominex Award: The English Patient
Dramamine Award: A Time To Kill
Mechanical Actor: All the men in She’s The One
Mechanical Actress: Maxine Bahns in She’s The One


1997 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: (tie) Crash and Grosse Pointe Blank
Best Director: David Cronenberg for Crash
Best Actor: John Cusack for Grosse Pointe Blank
Best Actress: Julie Christie in Afterglow
Best Supporting Actor: Kevin Spacey in L. A. Confidential
Best Supporting Actress: Christina Ricci in The Ice Storm
Best Screenplay: Neil LaBute for In The Company Of Men
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins for Kundun
Best Music: (tie) Eleni Karaindrou for Ulysses’ Gaze and Michael Nyman for Gattaca
Best Production Design: (tie) Dan Weil for The Fifth Element and Jan Roelfs for Gattaca
Best Costume Design: Denise Cronenberg for Crash
Sominex Award: The Pillow Book
Dramamine Award: Con Air
Mechanical Actor: Billy Zane in Titanic
Mechanical Actress: Elisabeth Shue in Deconstructing Harry and The Saint


1998 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Gods And Monsters
Best Director: (tie) Bill Condon for Gods And Monsters and Todd Solondz for Happiness
Best Actor: Ian McKellen in Gods And Monsters
Best Actress: Christina Ricci in The Opposite Of Sex
Best Supporting Actor: Dylan Baker in Happiness
Best Supporting Actress: Lisa Kudrow in The Opposite Of Sex
Best Screenplay: Bill Condon for Gods And Monsters
Best Cinematography: Maryse Alberti for Happiness and Velvet Goldmine
Best Music: Carter Burwell for Gods And Monsters
Best Production Design: Thérèse DePrez for Happiness
Best Costume Design: Bruce Finlayson for Gods And Monsters
Sominex Award: Dangerous Beauty
Dramamine Award: Stepmom
Mechanical Actor: Bruce Willis in Armageddon, The Siege and Mercury Rising
Mechanical Actress: Jena Malone in Stepmom


1999 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Fight Club
Best Director: (tie) David Fincher for Fight Club and Spike Jonze for Being John Malkovich
Best Actor: Terence Stamp in The Limey
Best Actress: (tie) Nicole Kidman in Eyes Wide Shut and Hillary Swank in Boys Don’t Cry
Best Supporting Actor: Philip Seymour Hoffman in Magnolia and The Talented Mr. Ripley
Best Supporting Actress: Catherine Keener in Being John Malkovich
Best Screenplay: Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor for Election
Best Cinematography: Robert Richardson for Bringing Out The Dead and Snow Falling On Cedars
Best Music: Trey Parker and Marc Shaiman for South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
Best Production Design: Owen Paterson for The Matrix
Best Costume Design: Michael Kaplan for Fight Club
Sominex Award: The World Is Not Enough
Dramamine Award: The Green Mile
Mechanical Actor: Kevin Spacey in American Beauty
Mechanical Actress: Annette Bening in American Beauty


2000 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: L’ Humanite
Best Director: (tie) Terence Davies for The House Of Mirth and Jim Jarmusch for Ghost Dog: Way Of The Samurai
Best Actor: Forrest Whitaker in Ghost Dog: Way Of The Samurai
Best Actress: (tie) Severine Caneele in L’ Humanite and Michelle Yeoh in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Best Supporting Actor: Jack Black in High Fidelity and Jesus’s Son
Best Supporting Actress: Lupe Ontiveros in Chuck And Buck
Best Screenplay: Kenneth Lonnergan for You Can Count On Me
Best Cinematography: Remi Adefarasin for The House Of Mirth
Best Music: RZA for Ghost Dog: Way Of The Samurai
Best Production Design: Gideon Ponte for American Psycho and Hamlet
Best Costume Design: Monica Howe for The House Of Mirth
Sominex Award: Mission Impossible 2
Dramamine Award: The Replacements (aka The Scabs)
Mechanical Actor: Ian Holm in Joe Gould’s Secret
Mechanical Actress: Charlize Theron in Reindeer Games


2001 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: The Werckmeister Harmonies
Best Director: Bela Tarr for The Werckmeister Harmonies
Best Actor: John Cameron Mitchell for Hedwig And The Angry Inch
Best Actress: Naomi Watts in Mulholland Drive
Best Supporting Actor: Steve Buscemi in Ghost World
Best Supporting Actress: Scarlett Johansson in Ghost World and The Man Who Wasn’t There
Best Screenplay: Daniel Clowes and Terry Zwigoff for Ghost World
Best Cinematography: (tie) Peter Deming for From Hell and Mulholland Drive and Christopher Doyle and Mark Lee Ping-bin for In The Mood For Love
Best Music: Mihály Vig for The Werckmeister Harmonies
Best Production Design: Edward T. McAvoy for Ghost World
Best Costume Design: Mary Zophres for Ghost World
Sominex Award:
Dramamine Award:
Mechanical Actor:
Mechanical Actress:


2002 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: (tie) Far From Heaven and The Son’s Room
Best Director: (tie) Todd Haynes for Far From Heaven and Aleksandr Sokurov for Russian Ark
Best Actor: Greg Kinnear in Auto Focus
Best Actress: (tie) Emmanuelle Devos in Read My Lips and Julianne Moore in Far From Heaven and Samantha Morton in Minority Report and Morvern Callar
Best Supporting Actor: Eddie Izzard in The Cat’s Meow
Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Clarkson in Far From Heaven
Best Screenplay: Bill Condon for Chicago
Best Cinematography: Tilman Büttner for Russian Ark
Best Music: Elmer Bernstein for Far From Heaven
Best Production Design: Mark Friedberg for Far From Heaven
Best Costume Design: Sandy Powell for Far From Heaven and Gangs Of New York
Sominex Award: Naqoyqatsi
Dramamine Award: Bowling For Dollars
Mechanical Actor: Anthony Hopkins in Red Dragon
Mechanical Actress: Catherine Keener in Lovely And Amazing


2003 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Decasia
Best Director: Bill Morrison for Decasia
Best Actor: Johnny Depp in Pirates Of The Caribbean
Best Actress: Hope Davis in American Splendor and The Secret Lives Of Dentists
Best Supporting Actor: Max Pirkis in Master and Commander: The Far Side Of The World
Best Supporting Actress: Ludivine Sagnier in Swimming Pool
Best Screenplay: Shari Springer Bergman and Robert Pulcini for American Splendor
Best Cinematography: Peter Suschitzky for Spider
Best Music: Michael Gordon for Decasia
Best Production Design: Andrew Laws for Down With Love
Best Costume Design: Daniel Orlandi for Down With Love
Sominex Award:
Dramamine Award: In My Skin
Mechanical Actor: Anthony Hopkins in The Human Stain
Mechanical Actress: Nicole Kidman in The Human Stain


2004 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Kinsey
Best Director: Bill Condon for Kinsey
Best Actor: Ethan Hawke in Before Sunset
Best Actress: Laura Linney in Kinsey and P.S.
Best Supporting Actor: Peter Sarsgaard in Kinsey
Best Supporting Actress: Kirsten Dunst in Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind
Best Screenplay: Bill Condon for Kinsey
Best Cinematography: Christopher Doyle for Hero, Last Life In The Universe and Days Of Being Wild
Best Music: Alberto Iglesias for Bad Education
Best Production Design: Dante Ferretti for The Aviator
Best Costume Design: Emi Wada for Hero and House Of The Flying Daggers
Sominex Award: The Village
Dramamine Award: The Passion Of The Christ
Mechanical Actor: Cate Blanchett in The Aviator
Mechanical Actress: Anthony Hopkins in Alexander


2005 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Mysterious Skin
Best Director: Gregg Araki for Mysterious Skin
Best Actor: Joseph Gordon-Leavitt in Mysterious Skin
Best Actress: Maria Bello in A History Of Violence
Best Supporting Actor: Paddy Constantine in My Summer Of Love
Best Supporting Actress: Catherine Keener in Capote
Best Screenplay: Gregg Araki for Mysterious Skin
Best Cinematography: Robert Elswit for Good Night And Good Luck and Syriana
Best Music: Howard Shore for A History Of Violence
Best Production Design: William Chang Suk Ping for 2046
Best Costume Design: William Chang Suk Ping for 2046
Sominex Award: Saraband
Dramamine Award: Crash
Mechanical Actor: Tom Cruise for War Of The Worlds
Mechanical Actress: Dakota Fanning for War Of The Worlds

2006 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: L’Enfant
Best Director: Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne for L’Enfant
Best Actor: Ryan Gosling in Half Nelson
Best Actress: Maggie Cheung in Clean
Best Supporting Actor: Anthony Mackie in Half Nelson
Best Supporting Actress: Carmen Maura in Volver
Best Screenplay: (tie) Guillermo Del Toro for Pan’s Labyrinth and Jean- Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne for L’Enfant
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki for Children Of Men
Best Production Design: Eugenio Caballero for Pan’s Labyrinth
Best Music: Philip Glass for Notes On A Scandal and The Illusionist
Best Costume Design: Sharon Davis for Dreamgirls
Sominex Award: The Da Vinci Code
Dramamine Award: Babel
Mechanical Actor: Robert Downey, Jr. in Fur and A Scanner Darkly
Mechanical Actress: Julianne Moore in Children Of Men


2007 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Best Director: Andrew Dominik for The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Best Actor: Casey Affleck in The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford and Gone Baby Gone
Best Actress: Marina Hands in Lady Chatterley
Best Supporting Actor: Paul Schneider in The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford and Lars And The Real Girl
Best Supporting Actress: Amy Ryan in Gone Baby Gone
Best Screenplay: Corneliu Porumboiu for 12:08 East Of Bucharest
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins for The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford, In The Valley Of Elah and No Country For Old Men
Best Production Design: Patricia Norris for The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Best Music: Nick Cave and Warren Ellis for The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Best Costume Design: Patricia Norris for The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Sominex Award: Youth Without Youth
Dramamine Award: Before The Devil Knows You’re Dead
Mechanical Actor: John Travolta in Hairspray
Mechanical Actress: Meryl Streep in Lions For Lambs and Rendition


2008 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: The Edge Of Heaven
Best Director: Fatih Akin - The Edge Of Heaven
Best Actor: Michael Shannon - Shotgun Stories
Best Actress: Anamaria Marinca - 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
Best Supporting Actor: Emile Hirsch - Milk
Best Supporting Actress: Hanna Schygulla - The Edge Of Heaven
Best Screenplay: Fatih Akin - The Edge Of Heaven
Best Cinematography: Jody Shapiro - My Winnipeg
Best Production Design: Rejean Labrie - My Winnipeg
Best Music: Carter Burwell for In Bruges and Burn After Reading
Best Costumes: Danny Glicker - Milk
Sominex: The Happening
Dramamine: The Reader
Mechanical Actor: Mark Wahlberg for The Happening
Mechanical Actress: Meryl Streep for Doubt


2009 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: Hunger
Best Director: Olivier Assayas - Summer Hours
Best Actor: Sharlto Copley - District 9
Best Actress: Catalina Saavedra - The Maid
Best Supporting Actor: Liam Cunningham - Hunger
Best Supporting Actress: Anna Faris - Observe & Report
Best Screenplay: Olivier Assayas - Summer Hours
Best Cinematography: Sean Bobbitt - Hunger
Best Production Design: Philip Ivey - District 9
Best Music: Marvin Hamlisch - The Informant!
Best Costumes: Janet Patterson - Bright Star
Sominex: Public Enemies
Dramamine: Anti-Christ
Mechanical Actor: Peter Sarsgaard for An Education
Mechanical Actress: Hilary Swank for Amelia


2010 IRA Film Award Winners
Best Picture: A Prophet/Un Prophete
Best Director: Jacques Audiard - A Prophet/Un Prophete
Best Actor: Edgar Ramirez - Carlos
Best Actress: Tilda Swinton - I Am Love
Best Supporting Actor: Niels Arestrup - A Prophet/Un Prophete
Best Supporting Actress: Dale Dickey - Winter's Bone
Best Screenplay: Thomas Bidegain and Jacques Audiard - A Prophet/Un Prophete
Best Cinematography: Yorick Le Saux - I Am Love
Best Production Design: Francesca Balestra Di Mottola - I Am Love
Best Music: John Adams - I Am Love
Best Costumes: Antonella Cannarozzi - I Am Love
Sominex: Cairo Time
Dramamine: Black Swan
Mechanical Actor: Vincent Cassel for Black Swan
Mechanical Actress: Natalie Portman for Black Swan
The Governor Scott Walker Award For Achievement In Political Thuggery: Waiting For "Superman"

The Best Movies Of The 2000s (Voted in 2010)
1. The Son/Le Fils
2. Zodiac
3. Yi Yi
4. The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
5. The Edge Of Heaven (tie)
    In The Mood For Love (tie)
7. The Heart Of The World (short by Guy Maddin)
8. Mysterious Skin (tie)
    Bus 174 (tie)
10. The Death Of Mr. Lazarescu (tie)
      Head-On (tie)
      Spirited Away (tie)


2011 IRA FILM AWARD WINNERS
Best Picture: The Tree Of Life
Best Director: Terrence Malick - The Tree Of Life
Best Actor: Peyman Moadi - A Separation
Best Actress: Leila Hatami - A Separation
Best Supporting Actor: Hunter McCracken - The Tree Of Life
Best Supporting Actress: Sareh Bayet - A Separation
Best Screenplay: Ashgar Farhadi - A Separation
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki - The Tree Of Life
Best Production Design: Dante Ferretti - Hugo
Best Score: Alberto Iglesias - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Skin I Live In
Best Editing: Hank Corwin, Jay Rabinowitz, Daniel Rezende, Billy Weber, Mark Yoshikawa - The Tree Of Life
Best Costumes: Jacqueline Durran - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Sominex Award (The Movie That Put Us To Sleep): Midnight In Paris
Dramamine Award (The Movie That Made Us Sick): The Help
Mechanical Actress: Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Mechanical Actor: Owen Wilson - Midnight In Paris


2012 IRA FILM AWARD WINNERS
Best Picture: Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Best Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan - Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Best Actor: Jean-Louis Trintignant - Amour

Best Actress: Rachel Weisz - The Deep Blue Sea

Best Supporting Actor: Taner Birsel - Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Best Supporting Actress: Cecile De France - The Kid With A Bike

Best Screenplay: Ebru Ceylan and Nuri Bilge Ceylan and Ercan Kesal - Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Best Cinematography: Gokhan Tiryaki - Once Upon A Time In Anatolia

Best Production Design: Arvinder Grewal - Cosmopolis
Best Score: Dan Romer and Benh Zeitlin - Beasts Of The Southern Wild

Best Editing: Todd Woody Richman and Tyler H. Walk - How To Survive A Plague

Best Costumes: Kari Perkins - Bernie
Sominex Award (The Movie That Put Us To Sleep): (tie) Les Miserables and Beasts Of The Southern Wild

Dramamine Award (The Movie That Made Us Sick): The Intouchables

Mechanical Actress: Anne Hathaway - Les Miserables
Mechanical Actor: Russell Crowe - Les Miserables

The IRA Top 100 Films Of The 1950s

The IRAs are a mysterious but august film society that has voted on the best films of the year since 1976. More international and indie focused than the Oscars, more mercurial than the LA Film Critics, more loyal to their favorites than the Golden Globes, the IRAs have just had a weekend in Provincetown, Massachusetts where the winners for the Best Films of 2012 were voted on and announced. The IRAs also  followed up months of discussion and debate and balloting and re-watching of DVDs and DVRing of TCM to determine the best films of the 1950s. Below you'll find the list of the Best Films Of The 1950s, followed by our picks for the Top Films Of 2012.

The IRAs began when passionate film students complained about the annual awards shows, declared "We could do better" and had an all-night, knock-down, drag-out fight to establish the very first winners of the IRAs. (One of the members is named Ira but how his name became the name of the award is a story lost in the mist of time.) The rotating group of members have been profiled in the New Yorker and over the years have included Oscar-winning writers, major directors, top studio executives, best-selling and critically acclaimed authors on movies, critics and others. They have no more claim to pronounce the best films of the year than anyone else but they've been doing it for 37 years so hey, it's tradition.

If you're like me, the list will infuriate you -- some movies should be higher up, some should be lower down and some shouldn't be on the list at all. That's half the fun. If you're passionate about movies or TV or books or music or any art form, chances are you've bristled over awards season and known you and your friends have better taste. How come Archer doesn't win Best Comedy? And Breaking Bad Best Drama? Or Borgen? Or The Good Wife?

So why not form your own group? It's not just fun to hand out awards; it's the best way to make certain your youthful enthusiasm for TV or music or books or whatever doesn't lose focus when work and life intrude. When all your friends tell you you have to read such and such a book or listen to a certain CD before the annual get-together, guess what? You do! Sometimes homework can be fun.

IRAs: The Best Movies of 1950s

1. The Earrings of Madame de… (Max Ophüls, 1953) 1058 pts/81 pts

(See note at bottom for explanation of point totals.)

2. Touch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958) 940/55
3. Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958) 820/49
4. Rear Window (Alfred Hitchcock, 1954) 856/49
5. The Searchers (John Ford, 1956) 801/48
6. In a Lonely Place (Nicholas Ray, 1950) 776/45
7. Anatomy of a Murder (Otto Preminger, 1959) 787/44
8. Tokyo Story (Yasujiro Ozu, 1953) 885/44
9. North by Northwest (Alfred Hitchcock, 1959) 918/41
10. Pickpocket (Robert Bresson, 1959) 798/39

11. A Man Escaped (Robert Bresson, 1956) 738/61
12. Some Came Running (Vincente Minnelli, 1958) 773/55
13. Ordet (Carl Theodor Dreyer, 1955) 776/53
14. Pickup on South Street (Samuel Fuller, 1953) 732/52
15. Written on the Wind (Douglas Sirk, 1956) 766/50
16. The Big Heat (Fritz Lang, 1953) 732/50
17. Kiss Me Deadly (Robert Aldrich, 1955) 711/49
18. The River (Jean Renoir, 1951) 713/49
19. Sunset Blvd. (Billy Wilder, 1950) 725/44
20. Some Like It Hot (Billy Wilder, 1959)713/32

21. The Naked Spur (Anthony Mann, 1953) 693/67
22. Ugetsu (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1953) 681/55
23. Night and the City (Jules Dassin, 1950) 656/50
24. Rio Bravo (Howard Hawks, 1959) 651/48
25. The Band Wagon (Vincente Minnelli, 1953) 666/47
26. French Cancan (Jean Renoir, 1954) 681/47
27. Imitation of Life (Douglas Sirk, 1959) 672/47
28. Pather Panchali (Satyajit Ray, 1955) 702/47
29. Rebel Without a Cause (Nicholas Ray, 1955) 667/45
30. The Night of the Hunter (Charles Laughton, 1955) 660/42

31. Kanal (Andrzej Wajda, 1956) 608/62
32. On Dangerous Ground (Nicholas Ray, 1952) 600/56
33. Sansho the Bailiff (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1954) 649/54
34. Bigger Than Life (Nicholas Ray, 1956) 641/54
35. Early Summer (Yasujiro Ozu, 1951) 604/51
36. Diary of a Country Priest (Robert Bresson, 1951) 605/48
37. Floating Weeds (Yasujiro Ozu, 1959) 628/48
38. Smiles of a Summer Night (Ingmar Bergman, 1955) 607/45
39. All About Eve (Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1950) 618/40
40. Sweet Smell of Success (Alexander Mackendrick, 1957) 600/37

41. Strangers on a Train (Alfred Hitchcock, 1951) 580/57
42. The Man From Laramie (Anthony Mann, 1955) 553/56
43. Johnny Guitar (Nicholas Ray, 1954) 595/56
44. Gun Crazy (Joseph H. Lewis, 1950) 564/54
45. All That Heaven Allows (Douglas Sirk, 1955) 566/51
46. The 400 Blows (François Truffaut, 1959) 559/49
47. Lola Montès (Max Ophüls, 1955) 560/49
48. Viaggio in Italia (Roberto Rossellini, 1953) 546/44
49. The Bad and the Beautiful (Vincente Minnelli, 1952) 558/42
50. Bob le Flambeur (Jean-Pierre Melville, 1956) 536/37

51. Ashes and Diamonds (Andrzej Wajda, 1958) 524/68
52. Ride Lonesome (Budd Boetticher, 1959) 532/62
53. Late Chrysanthemums (Mikio Naruse, 1954) 523/55
54. The Asphalt Jungle (John Huston, 1950) 512/51
55. Senso (Luchino Visconti, 1954) 507/51
56. I Vitelloni (Federico Fellini, 1953) 498/48
57. Bend of the River (Anthony Mann, 1952) 497/47
58. The Quiet Man (John Ford, 1952) 495/43
59. A Star Is Born (George Cukor, 1954) 524/38
60. Pyaasa (Guru Dutt, 1957) 494/32

61. The Killing (Stanley Kubrick, 1955) 480/56
62. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Don Siegel, 1956) 471/55
63. Winchester ’73 (Anthony Mann, 1950) 486/55
64. 99 River Street (Phil Karlson, 1953) 469/54
65. Bonjour Tristesse (Otto Preminger, 1958) 468/53
66. It’s Always Fair Weather (Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly,1955) 469/53
67. The Life of Oharu (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1952) 459/47
68. Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa, 1954) 492/41
69. Mr. Arkadin (Orson Welles, 1955) 474/41
70. Stalag 17 (Billy Wilder, 1953) 463/40

71. Where the Sidewalk Ends (Otto Preminger, 1950) 449/65
72. The Big Combo (Joseph H. Lewis, 1955) 458/62
73. Forty Guns (Samuel Fuller, 1957) 426/60
74. The Tall T (Budd Boetticher, 1957) 456/57
75. Touchez Pas au Grisbi (Jacques Becker, 1954) 436/49
76. Rashomon (Akira Kurosawa, 1950) 445/46
77. Wagon Master (John Ford, 1950) 408/45
78. The Girl Can't Help It (Frank Tashlin, 1956) 418/45
79. East of Eden (Elia Kazan, 1955) 405/40
80. Hiroshima, Mon Amour (Alain Resnais, 1959) 414/32

81. The Man Who Knew Too Much (Alfred Hitchcock, 1956) 396/59
82. Stars in My Crown (Jacques Tourneur, 1950) 402/58
83. Ace in the Hole (Billy Wilder, 1951) 363/53
84. The Phenix City Story (Phil Karlson, 1955) 362/51
85. Rififi (Jules Dassin, 1955) 393/48
86. Nights of Cabiria (Federico Fellini, 1957) 389/48
87. The Golden Coach (Jean Renoir, 1952) 361/47
88. Street of Shame (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1956) 402/46
89. 3:10 to Yuma (Delmer Daves, 1957) 370/45
90. The Flowers of St. Francis (Roberto Rossellini, 1950) 363/40

91. Wild Strawberries (Ingmar Bergman, 1957) 346/63
92. The Big Knife (Robert Aldrich, 1955) 315/58
93. The Cranes Are Flying (Mikhail Kalatozov, 359/57
94. The Wages of Fear (Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1953) 294/56
95. Paths of Glory (Stanley Kubrick, 1957) 341/54
96. Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (Frank Tashlin, 1957) 262/54
97. Mon Oncle (Jacques Tati, 1958) 276/42
98. Singin’ in the Rain (Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly, 1952) 328/40
99. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Howard Hawks, 1953) 297/39
100. M. Hulot’s Holiday (Jacques Tati, 1953) 255/36

Note: The first point total is overall points to establish the order on the list. (Many prior ballots determined the Top 100.) This point total determined what “group” it was in (eg. 91-100, 61-70 and so on.) The second point total is for position in that group (eg, among those ten films, which one should be ranked first, which second and so on). Some groups saw very little change in order; others saw substantial fluidity. When two or more films in a group received the same point total, we voted to break the tie. For example, “Ordet” and “In A Lonely Place” were tied for 10th place but the vote to break the tie placed “In A Lonely Place” in the Top 10 and “Ordet” in the #11-20 group. Even though it originally had the most points of any of those films, the final balloting placed “Ordet” at #13 instead of #11. On the other hand, “The Earrings of Madame de…” ranked #1 from beginning to end.


PREVIOUS IRA ALL-TIME BALLOTS


 THE IRA TOP 100 MOVIES OF ALL TIME

1. The Rules Of The Game
2. The Magnificent Ambersons
3. Citizen Kane
4. Vertigo
5. The Searchers
6. Letter From An Unknown Woman
7. The Big Sleep
8. Psycho
9. The Man Who Shot LIberty Valance
10. The Apartment

11. Shoah
12. The Earrings Of Madame de...
13. The Shop Around The Corner
14. Tokyo Story
15. Rear Window
16. Notorious
17. Touch Of Evil
18. North By Northwest
19. The Palm Beach Story
20. The General (1926)

21. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles
22. The Big Heat
23. Sunset Blvd.
24. Red River
25. Chinatown
26. Sunrise
27. Double Indemnity
28. Laura
29. His Girl Friday
30. Ugetsu

31. Rio Bravo
32. Anatomy Of A Murder
33. The Miracle Of Morgan's Creek
34. Chimes At Midnight
35. All About Eve
36. The Decalogue
37. The Awful Truth
38. Some Like It Hot
39. Danton
40. Imitation Of Life

41. McCabe And Mrs. Miller
42. Sherlock Jr.
43. Once Upon A Time In The West
44. 2001: A Space Odyssey
45. Ordet
46. A Man Escaped
47. Man With A Movie Camera
48. Written On The Wind
49. The Philadelphia Story
50. Kiss Me Deadly

51. Out Of The Past
52. Force Of Evil
53. Advise And Consent
54. Home From The Hill
55. Sweet Smell Of Success
56. The Lady Eve
57. Make Way For Tomorrow
58. Breathless
59. The Third Man
60. Cluny Brown

61. Pickup On South Street
62. Shanghai Express
63. The Passion Of Joan Of Arc
64. The Naked Spur
65. White Heat
66. The Crowd
67. The Crime Of Monsieur Lange
68. Night Of The Hunter
69. The Band Wagon
70. The Scarlet Empress

71. Red (1994)
72. All That Heaven Allows
73. Victor/Victoria
74. Band Of Outsiders
75. Day Of Wrath
76. Rebel Without A Cause
77. In A Lonely Place
78. The Marriage Of Maria Braun
79. It's A Wonderful Life
80. The 400 Blows

81. Metropolis
82. Diary Of A Country Priest
83. Casablanca
84. Lola Montes
85. Raging Bull
86. The Last Picture Show
87. Shock Corridor
88. Meet Me In St. Louis
89. Fanny And Alexander
90. A Star Is Born (1954)

91. Ali: Fear Eats The Soul
92. The Leopard
93. Play Time
94. A Matter Of Life And Death
95. How Green Was My Valley
96. Mildred Pierce
97. What Ever Happened To Baby Jane
98. Travels With My Aunt
99. Days Of Heaven
100. In The Mood For Love

The Best Movies Of The Decade -- The 2000s (Voted in 2010)

1. The Son/Le Fils
2. Zodiac
3. Yi Yi
4. The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
5. The Edge Of Heaven (tie)
    In The Mood For Love (tie)
7. The Heart Of The World (short by Guy Maddin)
8. Mysterious Skin (tie)
    Bus 174 (tie)
10. The Death Of Mr. Lazarescu (tie)
      Head-On (tie)

Spirited Away (tie)

Best Music Of 2012

The Grammys are Sunday night on CBS and it looks to be one of the tightest races in many a moon for Album Of The Year and other top categories. My money is on Mumford & Sons because when it comes down to it, the Grammys love commercial success (especially when paired with critical acclaim) and though it's silly to say after just two albums, Mumford & Sons is overdue.

To celebrate, here are my picks for the Best Albums of 2012. First I give the list and then an extended version with comments and links to videos so you can sample the music. Enjoy! And let me know what your favorites of the year are, especially if they're not on this list. We can argue over what should be ranked where, but the main point is to discover some great new music. I hope you'll find some here.

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2012

1. Rumer -- Seasons Of My Soul/Boys Don't Cry (70s pop perfection)
2. Branford Marsalis -- Four MF's Playin' Their Tunes (hard-driving jazz; faultless)
3. The Tallest Man On Earth -- There's No Leaving Now(inspiringly good Dylanesque rock)
4. Frank Ocean -- Channel Orange (state of the art soul)
5. Paul Buchanan -- Mid Air (emotionally intense, late night confessions)
Bill Fay -- Life Is People (age+wisdom+piano+God)
6. Johann Johannsson -- The Miners' Hymns (the film score of the year)
7. Fiona Apple -- The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver Of The Screw And Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do (pop artist at peak of her powers)
8. Jamey Johnson -- Living For A Dream: A Tribute To Hank Cochran (all-star country hoedown)
9. Dr. John -- Locked Down (triumphant New Orleans music)
Jon Cleary Occapella! (tip of the hat to Allen Toussaint)
10. Mumford And Sons -- Babel (flowering of Americana)
The Lumineers -- The Lumineers
Pigpen Theatre Co. -- Bremen
The Avett Brothers -- The Carpenter

11. Kasey Chambers And Shane Nicholson -- Wreck And Ruin (world class folk-country-blues)
12. Nas -- Life Is Good (rap for grown ups)
13. Leonard Cohen -- Old Ideas (magisterial pop)
14. Josephine -- Portrait (two English lasses with talent to burn)
Lianna La Havas -- Is Your Love Big Enough
15. Grant-Lee Phillips -- Walking In The Green Corn (acoustic gem)
16. Antibalas -- Antibalas (Fela Kuti lives!)
17. Iris Dement -- Sing The Delta (comeback of the year)
Boo Hanks with Don Flemons -- Buffalo Junction
18. Vijay Iyer Trio -- Accelerando (jazz piano)
Brad Mehldau -- Where Do You Start/Ode
19. The Hives -- Lex Hives (rock, by god)
Japandroid -- Celebration Rock 
The Doughboys -- Shakin' Our Souls 
20. Bruce Springsteen -- Wrecking Ball (life in them old dogs yet)
Bob Dylan -- Tempest

21. Chris Smither -- Hundred Dollar Valentine (blues master)
22. Diana Krall -- Glad Rag Doll (digging deeper jazz talent)
23. Ed Sheeran -- + (thoughtful British pop)
24. Kendrick Lamar -- good kid, mA.A.d city (rap smarts)
25. Melody Gardot -- The Absence (singular voice heads to Brazil)
26. Father John Misty -- Fear Fun (Fleet Foxes redux, in a good way)
Damien Jurado -- Maraqopa
Lord Huron -- Impossible Dreams
Boy And Bear -- Moonfire 
27. The Time Jumpers -- The Time Jumpers (Western swing)
28. Neil Young And Crazy Horse -- Psychedelic Pill/Americana (still kicking, still stinging)
29. Michael Kiwanuka -- Home Again (70s soul circa Bill Withers)
Miguel -- Kaleidoscope Dream (70s soul circa Marvin Gaye)
30. Bettye LaVette -- Thankful N' Thoughtful (soul survivor)

31. Various Artists -- Mercyland: Hymns For The Rest Of Us (church music for those who don't go to church and some who do)
32. Billy Bragg And Wilco -- Mermaid Avenue Volume 3 unexpected gem from vault)
33. Regina Spektor -- What We Saw From The Cheap Seats (quirky pop)
Norah Jones -- Little Broken Hearts (leaving jazz behind)
34. Jack White -- Blunderbuss (eclectic; electric)
35. Tame Impala -- Lonerism (psychedelica redefined)
36. Green Day -- Uno!/Dos!/Tres! (purging punk pop)
37. Brandi Carlile -- Bear Creek (an indie voice in the wilderness)
38. Ravi Coltrane Spirit Fiction (jazz royalty, wearing the crown well)
39. John Mayer -- Born And Raised (skip the interviews, play the music)
40. Punch Brothers -- Who's Feeling Young Now?/Ahoy (bluegrass expanded)
Jason Aldean Night Train(country demanded)
Dwight Yoakam -- 3 Pears (rebel remanded)

41. Brian Eno -- Lux (genius in solo instrumental mode)
42. Bruno Mars -- Unorthodox Jukebox (Michael Jackson's heir apparent)
43. Suzanne Vega -- Close Up Vol. 4: Songs Of Family (revealing catalog)
44. Jake Bugg -- Jake Bugg (promising UK folkie)
45. Band Of Horses -- Mirage Rock (career best for rockers)
46. The Magnetic Fields -- Love At The Bottom Of The Sea (miserablist pop)
47. Bryan Ferry -- The Jazz Age (left turn instrumentals)
48. David Byrne And St. Vincent -- Love This Giant (a rock giant shows signs of life)
49. Damon Albarn -- Dr. Dee(pastoral concept album about English eccentric)
50. Kris Kristofferson -- Feeling Mortal(one foot in the grave country)

BEST REISSUES

Bill Withers -- Bill + Withers: The Complete Sussex And Columbia Albums
Louis Armstrong -- The Okeh, Columbia And RCA Victor Recordings 1925-1933

EARLY FAVORITES FOR 2013

The Mavericks -- In Time
Richard Thompson -- Electric
Wayne Shorter -- Without A Net
Ron Sexsmith -- Forever Endeavour
William Tyler -- Impossible Truth
Aaron Neville -- My True Story
Eels -- Wonderful Glorious
Miles Davis Quintet -- Live In Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series Volume Two

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2012 -- THE EXTENDED VERSION

1. Rumer -- Seasons Of My Soul/Boys Don't Cry (70s pop perfection)

I've been waiting two years to say this: Seasons Of My Soul is the best album of the year. She's from the UK but Rumer isn't a soul sister like Adele. She's got a Karen Carpenter vibe, a deceptively mellow voice that proves addictive. Still waters run deep, though; her debut is an emotionally rich collection that deepens with every listen. Rumer also nods to Burt Bacharach and her demos were so striking, it's no surprise to discover that Bacharach himself invited her to meet with him and asked her to sing some of his new songs. That's like starting a rock band and having Paul McCartney call you up and say he's got a tune you might fancy. I can speak very confidently about this debut and Rumer's potential. Seasons Of My Soul came out in the UK in 2010 and I fell in love with it immediately. I've lived with it a long time and seen her in concert, where Rumer was even more impressive than she is on CD. You can really spot an artist that's in it for the long haul when they wow you in concert. I waited and waited for the album to come out in the US but it was delayed again and again as success took her all over the world and her label waited for the right time to launch her in the US. Her second album came out before that happened; Boys Don't Cry is a striking covers album showing her great taste and interpretive ability. Still, I suggest you start with the debut. That CD finally came out in January of 2012 and I interviewed her to mark the occasion. She got some good notices but didn't quite break out the way she did back in the UK. Don't worry; she's not going anywhere and the US will catch on at some point. Here's her wonderful debut single, "Aretha."

2. Branford Marsalis -- Four MF's Playin' Their Tunes (hard-driving jazz; faultless)

Did somebody say jazz was dead? Ha. Not when talent like Branford Marsalis can deliver straight no chaser jazz that's swinging, melodically strong and bursting with vigor. Experimentation is fine but there's no need for the trappings of other genres when the music is this good. The title is my least favorite part; it's too obvious and blunt for an album this good. Here's an in-studio look at the recording of the album closer "Treat It Gentle." Jazz didn't die with Miles Davis and it's not just for the museum. Here's proof.

3. The Tallest Man On Earth -- There's No Leaving Now(inspiringly good Dylanesque rock)

The Tallest Man On Earth is one of the most exciting talents to emerge in recent years. He comes from Sweden, sings like he's from Woody Guthrie's part of the country and writes great folk-ish songs that would tag him as "the next Dylan" if anyone was still dumb enough to curse an artist with such a label. Best of all, he's reached the wide world thanks to the reach of digital music; great albums can indeed burst out from anywhere without the help of a major label. I somehow missed his debut, but a rave in a UK magazine sent me to the web where I quickly sampled two or three songs and then immediately downloaded the entire album from iTunes because I couldn't bear to wait for a CD. (I bought one later, anyway.) That was The Wild Hunt, my favorite album of 2010. Now he's released his third full length album and There's No Leaving Now is a confident extension of everything that's come before. TTMOE has subtly expanded his musical palette but the emphasis is still on his guitar and his songs, most of the time, with the occasional piano and other instrumentation thrown in. If anything, it might be his strongest yet. So in four years we've had three albums and two EPs, and each one has steadily improved on what came before. Plus, like Rumer, I've seen him in concert and was blown away by his skill, charisma, humor and stage presence. He is the real deal. When it comes to discovering acts all over the world in this post-record label, post-MTV, post-radio world, I've seen the future of rock and roll and it's The Tallest Man On Earth. That's why it's so easy to spot him, I suppose. Here's the lead single, the infectious "1904."

4. Frank Ocean -- Channel Orange (state of the art soul)

Frank Ocean's mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra scraped onto my list of the best albums of 2011. I have to admit, I wasn't expecting the full-blown r and b mastery of Channel Orange, which ranges from the mind-blowingly smart "Pyramids" to the cleverly emotional "Thinkin Bout You." Marvin Gaye would be taking notes. (Okay, to be accurate Ocean has been taking notes from Gaye. But you get my point: he's good.) The matter-of-fact personal backstory is just a no-fuss bonus. It's like Jackie Robinson (re)breaking the color code of baseball. When you're this talented, people will pay attention.

5. Paul Buchanan -- Mid Air (emotionally intense, late night confessions)
Bill Fay -- Life Is People (age+wisdom+piano+God)

Do you know the Blue Nile? They're a Scottish band of legendary impact in the UK, with albums coming sparingly over the years and then not at all. Their live performances have been even rarer. But like, perhaps, Nick Drake, their work has an intensity and power you simply can't get anywhere else, matched with mature lyrics and melodies to die for. Their debut Walk Across The Rooftops became a cult classic while Hats became their big seller, a landmark work that never quite moved beyond critical acclaim in the US. Nine years after their last album, leader Paul Buchanan has delivered this heartbreaker, a solo album pared down almost solely to his voice and a piano that as always focuses on the needs and concerns of adults like few other artists. The title track (below) stops me dead in my tracks. You listen to this music late at night, with the lights off, your heart almost stopping in sympathy with the beauty on display. Their debut album contained one of my favorite romantic lines, a favorite because it's so mature. Buchanan pleaded with his lover to stay, stay, promising her, "I will understand you." Really, who could ask for anything more? Now if you don't find this performance entrancing, fair enough -- move on. I'm sure something else on this list will appeal. But if you're intrigued like I was, trust me, the rest of the album is just as good. Mid Air is the rare pop album that delves into family, a long marriage, raising children and other concerns with the same passion the Stones brought to drinking and drugging. Just a lot quieter.

Bill Fay is a genuine cult figure from the UK. But I shouldn't pretend I've ever heard of him. Life Is People is his first album of all new songs in 41 years and it came with words of praise from all and sundry, many of whom claimed him as a touchstone in their lives. What? How come I've never heard of him? That's the sort of praise -- when coming from artists and critics you like -- that sends me running to the music. I haven't lived with it long enough yet, but this album is growing on me steadily. Like Mid Air, it's mostly Fay's voice and a piano (with a strong band backing him up at times) and years of distilled wisdom. I won't be surprised if a year from now it's grown in my estimation but it's already a unique and noteworthy album. Plus, it's deeply religious in its way, with nods to God threaded throughout the album quietly but persistently. In a year where I didn't discover much pure gospel music, this was welcome. It's not gospel of the "Thank You, Lord" variety (though one track is called "Thank You Lord"). It's more a wide-eyed wonder over the beauty of creation, which happily encompasses this gentle reverie of an album.

6. Johann Johannsson -- The Miners' Hymns (the film score of the year)

Technically, this score for the film of the same name came out in 2011. But I just discovered it and it's too good to ignore on a technicality. The film is by Bill Morrison, who has made a career out of crafting movies from found footage. His landmark workDecasia turned decaying film stock into a beautifully sad thing of beauty and had a killer score to match. Now comes this film, a genuine masterpiece as well. It is certainly one of the two or three best films released in the US in 2012. It uses footage from annual gathering of miners who were celebrating their union's strength. Cut together from various events over the years, it becomes an unwitting funeral for that very way of life. You needn't own a copy of The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists to appreciate the moving, beautiful way Morrison tells a story without a single word of narration or dialogue. It's all held together by Johannsson's masterful score, a complex and stirring elegy indeed.

7. Fiona Apple -- The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver Of The Screw And Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do (pop artist at peak of her powers)

I don't care if Fiona Apple's next album has a title as long as a novel, not when the pop music she's creating is this good. I'll type out every word and say, if you've been a fan of hers in the past, don't hesitate. She's at the top of her formidable game here. She may indulge herself on the titles, but everything else here is wonderfully eccentric, catchy as hell and right to the emotional point. She does what she does and it's wonderful.

8. Jamey Johnson -- Living For A Dream: A Tribute To Hank Cochran (all-star country hoedown)

He co-wrote the Patsy Cline classic "I Fall To Pieces." You could put that on your gravestone but Nashville legend Hank Cochran wrote plenty of other gems in his long career. This is nominally a Jamey Johnson album but it's filled to the bursting with guests, making this a de facto all-star tribute to a great talent. Johnson, never in better form, serving as ringleader for artists like Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello, Willie Nelson, George Strait, Allison Krauss, Vince Gill and more. It's better than most tribute albums. I think Johnson's presence throughout gives this a cohesiveness so many other like-minded projects lack. Here's Johnson and Krauss performing the first track, "Make The World Go Away" on Letterman.

9. Dr. John -- Locked Down (triumphant New Orleans music)
Jon Cleary Occapella! (tip of the hat to Allen Toussaint)

Sometimes, with iconic artists like Dr. John that have reached the twilight of their careers, every time they release a new album it's automatically touted as a career capper, a return to glory, the best in years and so on and so forth. Well, I hope this isn't a career capper because that would mean we might not get anything this good again. But this isn't a victory lap, it's funky and locked in New Orleans jazz of the highest order. Does "Revolution" sound like a man fading away gracefully? Heck no. And when he says in an amusingly droll voice, "Let's all jut pray on it right now," that's not followed by a moment of silence, it's followed by a stirring solo that let's you know Dr. John is going to lead the revolution, given half a chance. Righteous stuff. Jon Cleary doesn't have the national profile of Dr. John but those in the know know he's a New Orleans mainstay. His new album is a tribute to the great Allen Toussaint and is as vibrant and loose and funky and free as one would hope. Sure, there's "Southern Nights" (how couldn't there be?) but he also digs up some lesser known gems. Much like Cleary himself. He plays most of the instruments most of the time, though Dr. John, Bonnie Raitt and others stop by. Irresistible. The fan video I've included is raw as can be. But the sound is great and it's fun to peek over shoulders at his piano work.

10. Mumford And Sons -- Babel (flowering of Americana)
The Lumineers -- The Lumineers
Pigpen Theatre Co. -- Bremen
The Avett Brothers -- The Carpenter

As I get older, I'm drawn instinctively more and more towards "porch music," songs that are delivered acoustically and with a folksy directness. I can still get stirred by hip-hop and that front porch can include an electric guitar (just run the cord through the window so it can be plugged into an outlet in the kitchen). But the feeling of a band, the feeling of people in a room creating music strikes a chord with me more and more. So the rise of Americana, which of course has always been with us in one form or another, is welcome indeed. Mumford And Sons have been at the commercial forefront. And they've flourished in the glow of commercial success. Their follow-up Babel is stronger in every respect than their debut; these guys are embracing a wider audience without ignoring the strumming heart of what they do. They're stadium ready with this widescreen album but they're taking the stage with banjo and acoustic guitars in hand. The Avett Brothers on the other hand have shied away from the spotlight a bit. Their last album I And Love And You had a thunderous sound (and was my favorite album of 2009). But the acclaim has spooked them a bit I think. The Carpenter is a little more tentative and certainly quieter. (And while the religious beliefs of certain Mumfords gets attention, The Carpenter has more notable religious overtones). Mumford wins this round. Following in the wake of these two excellent bands are acts like The Lumineers, who deliver a great debut in the same vein. Sure, they deserve their own attention. But if you lvoe those two bands, this is right in your wheel house. Coming from a more offbeat angle is Pigpen, a theater troupe that has created marvelous plays filled with humor, puppetry, storytelling and excellent songs. Many of those can be found on this album mixed with some originals and they have a confidence and distinctive lyricism that should win this band/troupe a much wider audience. See their theatrical productions; see them perform as a band on tour; or for heaven's sake buy their album.

Mumford And Sons "I Will Wait"

The Avett Brothers "Live And Die"

The Lumineers "Stubborn Love"

Pigpen Theatre Co. "Bremen" (Watch this for a glimpse of their theatrical magic as well)

11. Kasey Chambers And Shane Nicholson -- Wreck And Ruin (world class folk-country-blues)

Both acts have terrific solo work, but this husband and wife team from Australia is one of the best male/female country duos in a long, long time. Their first album together -- Rattlin' Bones -- just blew me away. This follow-up is just as good, filled with vivid numbers drawing on folk and country and blues for a...well, a bone-rattlin' hoedown that is infectious and moving and just plain fun. Did you buy O Brother, Where Art Thou? Buy this.

12. Nas -- Life Is Good (rap for grown ups)

Nas has always understood that honesty is more powerful and strong than boasting, though he can do his share of boasting too. You won't find Killer Mike on my list; gangsta rap that can't see beyond braggadocio doesn't interest me anymore. Here Nas raps with all the fervent skill he's always possessed, ripping apart the competition while making it cool to worry about his teenage daughter. This is just about as good as Nas at his best and that's as good as rap gets. Okay, I'm not street but I'm not a farmer either. That doesn't stop me from loving good rap or good country. "Daughters" is a classic, a perfect intro for those who don't usually delve into this genre. just try not to nod your head while listening.

13. Leonard Cohen -- Old Ideas (magisterial pop)

What a great second wind the great Leonard Cohen is enjoying. Financial travails brought him down from the mountain and out onto the road where this cool figure embraced the massive audience that had been waiting for him all these years. His craggy, Grand Canyon of a voice had deepened even more, but Cohen delivered his portfolio of classic tunes with majesty and appealing, witty reserve. Now we get this great, autumnal gem. He's pared away the unessential. But the result isn't austere and cold; it's as tuneful and rich as ever. Just older and wiser, a second flowering. Maybe it's been a while since you've purchased a Leonard Cohen album. It shouldn't be.

14. Josephine -- Portrait (two English lasses with talent to burn)
Lianna La Havas -- Is Your Love Big Enough

The marvelous Corinne Bailey Rae threw down the gauntlet, embracing pop and soul and rock with aplomb on her brilliant debut. That gauntlet has been snapped up by a handful of talented artists, led by Josephine (who leans towards the full-bodied soul) and Lianna (who is a bit more folksy). Both feel like genuine artists right off the mark. These are the sort of debuts that leave you tapping your toes, waiting for them to come to town in concert or release a new album right away. NIna Simone, Maxwell, Erykah Badu, Phoebe Snow, Bill Withers, Joni Mitchell - take your pick of excellent influences you can spot here. Can't wait for more.

15. Grant-Lee Phillips -- Walking In The Green Corn (acoustic gem)

What a pleasure. After fronting the excellent band Grant Lee Buffalo, Phillips finally disbanded if after label support never matched the critical acclaim of the group. As a solo artist, he turned to a more acoustic sound, one that's grown richer and more assured with each release. His latest was funded in part by fans, the sort of communal support you read about but don't always see happening in practice for the acts that deserve it most. It's a lovely work. If you've lost track of him over the years, now is as good a time as any to listen again. He hasn't been waiting for you; he's gone ahead. Here's hoping you catch up.

16. Antibalas -- Antibalas (Fela Kuti lives!)

Honestly, I get so much music handed to me by labels or make impulsive buys based on a rave review that half the time I forget why I've bought an album. But they all go on my phone (yep, it's 2013) and every once in a while I'll start to listen to an artist without the foggiest idea of who they are. That was certainly the case with Antibalas. The first track began and I was immediately intrigued. Was this some archival album, a compilation of some world music act I'd never heard of before? You can't help but have an open mind when you don't know the first damn thing about an album. All I knew was that I loved it. Turns out Antibalas is a new act from Brooklyn of all places, a group devoted in part to the music and spirit of Fela Kuti. Mission accomplished. This album was recorded for Daptone Records, the home of the great Sharon Jones and a host of other acts that love classic music genres but play them with the ferocity and passion of the new, not as some musty work of revivalism. It's a perfect fit for this band. To top it off, the music video for "Dirty Money" is clever enough to make me enjoy music videos again.

17. Iris Dement -- Sing The Delta (comeback of the year)
Boo Hanks with Don Flemons -- Buffalo Junction

What the heck happened to Iris Dement? I'd been wondering that for years. This little gal with a huge, rustic voice that could shake mountains and sounded like it was living back n the 1920s blew me and everyone else away when she broke through with My Life and its instant classic of a tune "Sweet Is The Melody." (I still sing that one, poorly, all the time.) Her next album was political in nature and proved, unfortunately, how few artists outside of Dylan can create enduring tunes that are overtly political. And then...nothing. Turns out she made an album of gospel covers I missed. But essentially it's been 16 years between albums of new music for her. Why? She just wasn't ready, or to be exact she felt the songs weren't ready. They are now because Sings The Delta picks up right where she left off, delivering pure, coal country, mountain music of a variety so pure it makes most Nashville product sound like Carly Rae Jepsen. Remarkably, it's been worth the wait. I haven't been waiting for a new album from Boo Hanks because frankly I'd never heard of this bluesman. Heck, his debut album came out when he was 79 years old, which has to be close to a record. Now he's collaborating with Dom Flemons of the terrific group Carolina Chocolate Drops and Hanks' second album is a low-key, witty and tuneful delight. Thirteen songs under 30 minutes and it's both just right and over way too soon. His video (a fan's bootleg, I think) starts just as the song does and it's pretty raw but gives you a sense of his playful style. Here's a fine No Depression feature telling his story.

18. Vijay Iyer Trio -- Accelerando (jazz piano)
Brad Mehldau -- Where Do You Start/Ode

I suppose jazz long ago became the realm of the wealthy and obsessive aficionados. The clubs that show the top acts are very expensive and usually offer short sets at high prices. Or you head to even more expensive venues like Lincoln Center. It's a pity since jazz at its best is popular music. But it won't rustify as long as artists like Vijay Iyer and Brad Mehldau are around to deliver. Iyer's album is a probing affair that takes a few listens to sink in. Mehldau shows off both sides of his talent with two albums. The first contains his usual wide-ranging covers while the second is all originals. You wouldn't want to give up either, but here I'll give the edge to the originals. The Branford Marsalis is for the unconverted; these are for the believers.

19. The Hives -- Lex Hives (rock, by god)
Japandroid -- Celebration Rock 
The Doughboys -- Shakin' Our Souls

The Hives are so good live and bursting with such confidence that it confuses me sometime. Do these guys fill stadiums? Have they sold millions of copies of their albums? They sure look like they have and their music sure as hell deserves to do so. It's been five years since their last album and they don't miss a trick, delivering a collection of songs that builds catchy songs out of the barest of essentials (a hand clap, a brief phrase like "Come on!" repeated over and over, etc.) and making it uproariously fun. They know they're the biggest band of the world, even if we don't know it yet. Japandroids from Canada also know how to rock and their 
second album shows them growing by leaps and bounds. Sure, the Ramones would have released seven albums in the last four years, but at least they're making sure they get it right. Maybe both groups took notes on The Doughboys. These garage rockers from Jersey took their own sweet time. They flirted with fame in the 1960s, broke up and reunited for a laugh in 2000. This time it stuck and they've finally recorded sporadically. Their new album may be their best and no wonder Steven Van Zandt is a fan -- they sound as hungry and ready to go as any kids on their first go-round. Great stuff.

20. Bruce Springsteen -- Wrecking Ball (life in them old dogs yet)
Bob Dylan -- Tempest

I'm a huge fan of Bruce Springsteen. But I haven't placed a Springsteen album of new material on my best of the year list since Tunnel Of Love. He's a great artist and almost every album has added at least a few new worthy songs to his catalog. But there's no question the early 1970s to the late 1980s were his peak years as a songwriter. His tribute to Pete Seeger was a revelation, however, and that barn-burning collection of covers pointed a way forward for him. He's finally capitalized on that breakthrough with Wrecking Ball, which combines the musical richness of that album with fiery lyrics as impassioned as anything he's done since Nebraska and Born In The USA. And for the same reasons: nothing gets his ire up like a vicious economic downturn. hard times suit him. Dylan, on the other hand, has had his valleys like anyone. But he's delivered great albums all throughout his career, a rarity in any area of the arts. Tempest shoots itself in the foot at the end, delivering its longest and least-interesting tracks as a finale. But the first seven or eight are just terrific, nimble and clever and rich. They'll be great live material for years to come. I can even enjoy "Tempest," even though as one wag put it this tune about the Titanic with its 87 verses seems designed solely to become the one Dylan song that almost can't be covered by anyone else. Ever.

21. Chris Smither -- Hundred Dollar Valentine (blues master)

I've got a lot of catching up to do with this journeyman blues talent, long championed by Bonnie Raitt as a world class songwriter. If you need proof of what a great ear Raitt has, just check out this album. Apparently, he's been his own worst enemy for many years. But Smither has been productive for many years now. It's all come together here, the first album of all original songs in his four decades of writing and singing and playing. Here's the title track.

22. Diana Krall -- Glad Rag Doll (digging deeper jazz talent)

Diana Krall is an intriguing talent. She's always been taken seriously as a jazz musician, despite her striking good looks. Still, I sometimes felt she overcompensated, trying to downplay her singing in favor of proving her jazz chops on occasion, treating vocals like a lesser evil of sorts. That stopped for good when she accepted the challenge of recording with strings (arranged by Claus Ogerman. He's been involved with her best work, back in 2001 with her hit The Look Of Love and then again on 2009's Quiet Nights. I think her work with him has allowed her to loosen up and find strength in her voice. She finds just the right balance on this delightfully loose album produced by T Bone Burnett and including mostly covers of tunes from the 1920s and 1930s drawn from her father's collection of 78s.

23. Ed Sheeran -- + (thoughtful British pop)

A talented British lad, Ed Sheeran recorded an EP that caught the ear of both Jamie Foxx and Elton John. Since then he's released a debut album that was a smash hit in the UK, co-written a song for boy band One Direction, toured with Taylor Swift and appeared on her latest album and so on and so forth. So the surprise is how mature and not poppy as such his debut sounds. He'll be duetting with Elton John at the Grammys I'll bet and it should be a highlight of the evening. When everyone rushes out to buy his album, they won't be disappointed.

24. Kendrick Lamar -- good kid, mA.A.d city (rap smarts)

This is the rap breakthrough of the year. Happily, it's for an artist that doesn't celebrate violence or pretend he's harder than everyone else. Instead Lamar voices fear and insecurity, along with the rush of pleasures that life can offer as well. HIs preacher man voice on one track ("Martin had a dream! Martin had a dream! KENDRICK has a dream!") is hilarious and his insightful, vivid tracks are broken by the typical bits of comedy that are untypically funny. I've no reason to think this but I suspect he might prove a good actor, or at least a good guest on Saturday Night Live. Happily the hype has been completely justified this time.

25. Melody Gardot -- The Absence (singular voice heads to Brazil)

Melody Gardot has traveled an unexpected path to music (mainly stemming from a devastating accident, after which playing music was the only time she didn't feel pain). But her three albums have proven consistently strong. The Absence may be globe-trotting and draw inspiration from Brazil to Buenos Aires and beyond. But it's essentially true to her gift for strong melodies and a quiet, inviting aura. An excellent follow-up toMy One And Only Thrill.

26. Father John Misty -- Fear Fun (Fleet Foxes redux, in a good way)
Damien Jurado -- Maraqopa
Lord Huron -- Impossible Dreams
Boy And Bear -- Moonfire

Sometimes popular music is like mining for gold. Someone strikes a rich vein and then you've got yourself a gold rush. Fleet Foxes and My Morning Jacket may have helped pioneer a spacey, modern spin on Crosby, Stills & Nash mixed with modern arrangements. But that sound -- you know it when you hear it -- is offering up treasure to a lot of acts. Father John Misty is a spinoff from Fleet Foxes, Damien Jurado is enjoying a fruitful collaboration with producer Richard Swift (a miner in the tunnels of popular music himself), Lord Huron is a wanderer who came to music via painting and Boy And Bear are Australians who delivered Moonfire in 2011; it just took a while for their gems to make it to these shores and my attention. Sure, some of these acts will have proven to be riding on the coattails of what others discovered and the veins they've jumped a claim on will soon run dry. That doesn't make what they've mined any less appealing. And some will surely show a gift for expanding on this initial burst of inspiration. Hey, MMJ can't seem to be bothered with this path anymore, so someone should explore it.

Father John Misty "Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings"

Damien Jurado "Museum Of Flight"

Lord Huron "Time To Run"

Boy And Bear "Feeding Line"

27. The Time Jumpers -- The Time Jumpers (Western swing)

A Nashville institution, The Time Jumpers are a collective of sorts that has been performing Western swing since the late 1990s. They finally released a live album in 2007 to great acclaim. But this is their first studio album. It's sheer pleasure, with Vince Gill rejoining the group for the album, apparently a homecoming of sorts.

28. Neil Young And Crazy Horse -- Psychedelic Pill/Americana (still kicking, still stinging)

Neil Young released two albums this year, not to mention a Jonathan Demme concert film for his recent excellent album Le Noize (an intended acoustic affair that got noisier and louder than expected). Americana is a head-turning collection of covers andPsychedelic Pill is another fuzzy, loud, stomping collaboration with Crazy Horse. He's irascible, he's a tinkerer (hey Neil, exactly how big are the music files for your new digital standard? I love high quality but will each song need a terrabyte to meet your standards), he's a writer but most of all he's a musician of remarkable consistency. Especially for one so musically restless.

29. Michael Kiwanuka -- Home Again (70s soul circa Bill Withers)
Miguel -- Kaleidoscope Dream (70s soul circa Marvin Gaye)

A British act whose debut album is mature, accessible and sure to improve with time. One more reason to always pay attention to the BBC's Sound Of... poll. (He won it in January of 2012.)

"Adorn" is the killer here from Miguel. But this is sexy, soulful stuff. Here's hoping success will suit Miguel and he'll get even better.

30. Bettye LaVette -- Thankful N' Thoughtful (soul survivor)

Like Shirley Horn, this artist waited until late in her career before receiving the attention her talent deserved. But the time was well spent, deepening her skills and preparing her to make the most of the opportunity. This may be her best album since the breakthroughI've Got My Own Hell To Raise.

31. Various Artists -- Mercyland: Hymns For The Rest Of Us (church music for those who don't go to church and some who do)

Producer Phil Madeira wanted to show the ties that bind all the major religions of the world. So he developed Mercyland: Hymns For The Rest Of Us, a collection of country, folk, blues and other artists delivering songs of faith with a twist. I love the song below, in which Shawn Mullins sings, "God don't hate the Muslims/ God don't hate the Jews/ God don't hate the Christians/ But we all give God the blues." Not every song is droll; many are just simple testaments of faith. And the acts are sterling, from Carolina Chocolate Drops to Emmylou Harris, The Civil Wars and many more. It contains two traditionals, which fit snugly alongside new tunes like "Leaning On You" and "Lights In The Valley." Can I get an amen?

32. Billy Bragg And Wilco -- Mermaid Avenue Volume 3 unexpected gem from vault)

This album doesn't even really exist on CD (just as a digital download) but it's still one of the best of the year. Billy Bragg and Wilco were given a cache of Woody Guthrie lyrics to set to music. The result was Mermaid Avenue Volumes 1 and 2. Each one was among the best of their years way back in 1998 and 2000. Now all these years later, a boxed set with both albums and 17 extra tracks has come out. Mermaid Avenue: The Complete Sessions is the name of it. Even if you own the first two albums already, it's only $30 at Amazon and it's worth it to get those two and what amounts to an entire extra album. Or you can just get the download of the 17 new tracks. These aren't the cast-offs or tracks that didn't quite work. By and large, they're new tunes just as strong as the ones we've heard. God knows why they didn't come out a decade ago. An unexpected treat. I couldn't find any of the new songs online so here's a gem from the earlier sets.

33. Regina Spektor -- What We Saw From The Cheap Seats (quirky pop)
Norah Jones -- Little Broken Hearts (leaving jazz behind)

So many female acts seem to have a hiccup in their singing these days; it must drive Regina Spektor. But she keeps following the beat of her own eccentric drummer. Chart dominance has escaped her, but her pop sense and quirky lyrics are serving her well. Meanwhile, Norah Jones sort of lost her way for a while. But embracing pop has pushed her to embrace stronger melodies again as well; this is a return to form.

34. Jack White -- Blunderbuss (eclectic; electric)

He may have multiple side projects, movie soundtracks, producing gigs and now offical solo albums. I still miss White Stripes, especially since I never got to see them in concert. Blunderbuss feels a little unfocused to me, as if Jack White weren't exactly clear what his musical identity is meant to be without the conceit of a band. Still, song for song it's muscular fun, though the "Love Is Blindness" cover is both good and yet somehow more suited to a B side or live show. I do love this video, where Jack looks like he's auditioning for Edward Scissorhands.

35. Tame Impala -- Lonerism (psychedelica redefined)

Psychedelic rock and yet another winner from Down Under. Retro but not, if you know what I mean.

36. Green Day -- Uno!/Dos!/Tres! (purging punk pop)

After their weighty concept albums, Green Day have cleaned out their system by releasing not one, not two but three albums of spiky punk pop. The natural inclination is to immediately complain: why didn't they just release one great album with the best 14 songs? But both Uno! and Dos! are pretty much filler free and putting out all three feels like a nutty, freeing sort of gesture in and of itself. Fans seemed freaked out by the idea: even if you add up all their sales, it's less than 500,000 copies and the lowest total of their career. But then, 21st Century Breakdown did remarkably (and unfairly) little in terms of album sales. It's a pity since they've influenced so many and still have the goods. I guess it's hard to maintain street cred when the last street you were on was Broadway. It's your loss, fans.

37. Brandi Carlile -- Bear Creek (an indie voice in the wilderness)

Let me be honest. When I'm getting ready to do my best of the year list, I play catch up by surfing through all the other lists I can find and checking out artists that sound intriguing. That's how I stumbled on Brandi Carlile. If I'd been able to spend more time with it, this album might well rank higher. Obviously, others have been fans of her for years but she was a terrific find, an act I can't wait to see in concert but which already has a back catalog to explore. Hell, she's so cool Kris Kristofferson appears in her music video. As an actor!

38. Ravi Coltrane Spirit Fiction (jazz royalty, wearing the crown well)

Many talented musicians have been the offspring of major acts. It's never easy to get out of their shadows and establish your own identity. Ravi Coltrane had two talented parents but he's made his own way long ago. Here's more proof.

39. John Mayer -- Born And Raised (skip the interviews, play the music)

I remember how gracious John Mayer was won he won one of his first Grammys, saying it had come very quickly and he was going to work hard to earn it in the years to come. Well done, I thought. He hasn't been terribly gracious since but his music has steadily improved. This may be his best album yet, striking a Laurel Canyon pose that suits him very well. If you've been away for a while or never really been a fan, this is the time to give another listen. This should probably be higher but I'm still getting over the shock of liking it so much.

40. Punch Brothers -- Who's Feeling Young Now?/Ahoy (bluegrass expanded)
Jason Aldean Night Train(country demanded)
Dwight Yoakam -- 3 Pears (rebel remanded)

Some people think they don't like country music. Really? Not Hank Williams or Johnny Cash or Patsy Cline or Willie Nelson? Oh, well, okay they like some of them of course. If you don't want to wait 40 years to appreciate some country music, try out the Punch Brothers, who have expanded the definition of bluegrass; Jason Aldean who is a traditionalist to many but only because Dwight Yoakam paved the way. All three have strong new albums. Aldean's getting better and Yoakam has his best in a few years. The Punch Brothers haven't even really peaked yet. Just to prove it, they've followed their latest album with an even better EP.

41. Brian Eno -- Lux (genius in solo instrumental mode)

Brian Eno is one of the most important artists in music history. A founding member of Roxy Music, he's also been a key player in some of the best must by David Bowie, U2, Talking Heads and too many more to mention. Heck, he's even virtually invented entire genres like ambient and New Age. His latest instrumental album is as intriguing and beautifully shaped as always. How it will rank alongside masterpieces like Another Green World or Music For Airports is yet to be seen. But it's the latest addition to a discography that few will ever approach, much less match. I rarely say this but I'll say it here: a genius. Here's a wonderful collaborative video he made with visual input from fans.

42. Bruno Mars -- Unorthodox Jukebox (Michael Jackson's heir apparent)

I'm a bit disappointed with this album, to be honest. The music highs on it are so strong, it deserves to be on here. ("When I Was Your Man" is classic.) But here and there on the album, Mars is...crude. Mind you, I'm not remotely offended. (Green Day and Miguel have songs that are rather hilariously crude on this list.) But it just doesn't suit Mars. He's the heir apparent to Michael Jackson as far as I'm concerned, a complete entertainer who can create world-beating popular music. He needs to make a Thriller-like vow to create an album on which there's no quirkiness, no rawness. An album where every single track sounds like #1 hit a la "Locked Out Of Heaven." (Another gem.) He can do it. Just listen.

43. Suzanne Vega -- Close Up Vol. 4: Songs Of Family (revealing catalog)

It's pretty remarkable what Suzanne Vega has done here. She took a necessity (reclaiming some of her songs by re-recording them) and turned it into a four volume project that showed the remarkable catalog of tunes she's written over the years AND delivered versions that shine new light on them. A singular, under-appreciated talent.

44. Jake Bugg -- Jake Bugg (promising UK folkie)

Sure he's cute but don't hold that against him. Jake Bugg is a real folkie with a flare for muscular melodies when called for. BUgg has enjoyed great success in the UK but he's young enough to hear his music name-checked with Dylan and foolishly say Dylan's not much of an influence. (Dude, if you're holding a guitar, Dylan is an influence. Trust me. And if someone says you're influenced by Dylan, say "thank you.") It's come a little fast, so we won't know until the second album how this is going to pan out. But he's got "promising" written all over him and "Two Fingers" has a Supergrass sort of catchiness that's hard to shake.

45. Band Of Horses -- Mirage Rock (career best for rockers)

I've never quite had a handle on Band Of Horses. But happily they've managed to plug along anyway and improved mightily, peaking with 2010's Infinite Arms and now their latest. In it for the long haul, clearly.

46. The Magnetic Fields -- Love At The Bottom Of The Sea (miserablist pop)

Here's hoping Stephen Merritt never finds true love, or at least never for very long. His hand-crafted pop songs of misery and regret and occasional success are a never-ending source of delight. it's been a while since 69 Love Songs captured the attention of the world. But he's been consistently good long before and long after that cheeky stunt.

47. Bryan Ferry -- The Jazz Age (left turn instrumentals)

It was inevitable, I suppose. Rock stars have long turned to "symphonic" backing to put a new, mature spin on their catalog. Others have gone acoustic or country or choral or done anything to shine a new light on the classics fading further and further into the past. Surely it was only a matter of time before someone said, "My music needs to be played in the style of a 1920s swinging jazz orchestra." Okay, maybe it wasn't that inevitable. But it makes perfect sense for Bryan Ferry, whose work has always echoed cabaret and earlier eras. Nonetheless, it makes sense but it's also bonkers. Ridiculous. Silly. And yet somehow quite wonderful. I'm a little surprised there aren't vocals on every track, perhaps a songbird to chirp in on the second or third verse a la those old 78s. But this odd conceit is actually charming and quite convincing. Put it on your coffee house and customers will probably wonder what 1930s band is playing.

48. David Byrne And St. Vincent -- Love This Giant (a rock giant shows signs of life)

When Brian Eno isn't around, David Byrne finds inspiration in other places. This time, it's St. Vincent, who proves an excellent foil for him. Together they've created a genuine album of collaboration, with some great horns and a distinctive back and forth that makes one hope they do this again soon.

49. Damon Albarn -- Dr. Dee (pastoral concept album about English eccentric)

Damon Albarn has proven so good in so many contexts, he deserves to be followed without question no matter where he goes. That might mean a cartoon rock band or world music from Africa or a concept album about 16th century figure John Dee, a somewhat obscure historical figure to most who was a major figure in his time, a genuine scholar and also a spiritualist who tried to commune with angels. Albarn has crafted a lovely work with choral flourishes, instrumentals and songs with melodies of Blur-like beauty. I could call it an opera; should call it an opera since that's what it is. But his pop fans are scared enough already and if they listen without realizing it's an opera, they might actually like it.

50. Kris Kristofferson -- Feeling Mortal (one foot in the grave country)

Kris Kristofferson has always been more important as a songwriter than a recording artist. But that shouldn't overshadow the fact that he's recorded some great work, from key early works that expanded the notion of country to his collaborations with Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings in The Highwaymen. He always seemed like the lucky fellow in that group but they appreciated more than I the depth of his songs. Still, he's 76 now and delivering one of the best albums of his career. I call this category the one-foot-in-the-grave genre. Not because the artist has suddenly become better but because the mortality they're staring down makes us focus and pay attention before it's too late. That might seem cynical but we're the lucky ones if we do. It's probably not Kristofferson that's feeling mortal, it's us.

BEST REISSUES

Bill Withers -- Bill + Withers: The Complete Sussex And Columbia Albums
Louis Armstrong -- The Okeh, Columbia And RCA Victor Recordings 1925-1933

As album sales fade, record labels have started to deliver no-frills boxed sets. I think it's great. Bill Withers is one of the major talents of the 1970s and 1980s; he's been rediscovered and appreciated anew a number of times now over the past decade. Too often, he's seen as peaking with those first two classic albums. But the deeper I get into his catalog, the more I see how strong he was throughout. You simply have to own Just As I am and Still Bill. But you'll be smart if you keep going and listen to Justments, Making Music, Naked And Warm.... This nine CD set (all eight studio albums plus his live record) is a welcome reminder of how his talent goes way beyond "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Lean On Me." Sure, you know "Grandma's Hands." But what about "Railroad Man" with Jose Feliciano from Justments?

Louis Armstrong has been packaged and repackaged many times over. But you can't ever tire of the Hot Fives and Hot Sevens, the key early work that defined jazz. Armstrong's boxed set contains all of that music and a wealth of others. Every home used to have an encyclopedia. Every home should have this music. It's essential. And it's never been more affordable. "Potato Head Blues" is only Woody Allen's short list of the reasons he's happy to be alive. Listen and you'll know why.

EARLY FAVORITES FOR 2013

The Mavericks -- In Time
Richard Thompson -- Electric
Wayne Shorter -- Without A Net
Ron Sexsmith -- Forever Endeavour
William Tyler -- Impossible Truth
Aaron Neville -- My True Story
Eels -- Wonderful Glorious
Miles Davis Quintet -- Live In Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series Volume Two