Publication Date: Friday, January 5, 2007

Jeanne Aufmuth's top flicks

9. Dave Chappelle's Block Party -- Contentious comedian Dave Chappelle knows how to throw a party, in this case a Brooklyn-based block party-cum-outdoor concert that lets loose with wit and style and a mellow vibe. Dark humor laced with razor-sharp edges counterbalances Chappelle's combustible enthusiasm and hilarious one-liners in this contagious doc.

8. The Death of Mr. Lazarescu -- Leave it to the Romanians to craft one of the year's most scintillating indies. A simple narrative chronicles one man's perilous and disquieting journey as he navigates biological inadequacies, human frailties and a startlingly indifferent healthcare system.

7. Babel -- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu did what he does best: weaving a tapestry of the unfamiliar and disconnected into a rich sociological study of cultural discord and emotional commotion. From Mexico to Japan and the barren landscapes of Morocco, "Babel" is graced with flawless performances and near-incandescent intensity.

6. Apocalypto -- This bold telling of the tragic downfall of the Mayan civilization is an epic pursuit fraught with tension. Mel Gibson's politics and allusions to contemporary policy and rage underscore less-than-subtle nuances of despair. Vivid, provocative and utterly breathtaking.

5. Deliver Us From Evil -- One of the scariest movies of the year isn't a schlocky horror film but a documentary chronicling evil within the Christian ranks. Amy Berg's debut feature of the crimes and confessions of pedophile priest Oliver O'Grady speaks volumes about the Catholic Church and the shattering betrayal of trust. Riveting.

4. Half Nelson -- Ryan Gosling's astonishing talent enhances this unexpectedly captivating and disturbing drama. The story of a Brooklyn middle-school teacher and his losing battle with the siren song of crack cocaine is strong and spare and reeking of latent self-destruction. No fairy-tale endings and no quick cinematic fixes -- great stuff.

3. The Queen -- Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown, especially for the contemporary Queen Elizabeth. Stephen Frears' darkly observed and deeply affecting story follows the royals as they seek to uphold the cobwebbed cloisters of duty first and self second, and prevent the British Monarchy from permanent ruin: all crafted with historical and voyeuristic panache.

2. United 93 -- Paul Greengrass touched a dramatic nerve in his quest to re-examine the nightmarish fate of United Airlines' Flight 93, utilizing a powerful documentary-like style to piece together a study of lost innocence and defiant courage. A well-measured portrait of tension and dread, not to mention a powerful reminder of the day the music died.

1. Little Children -- Todd Field's adaptation of Tom Perrotta's exacting novel of dubious adult behavior reads like a contemporary fantasy: a stark adulterous reality with darkly curling comic edges. Fields picks at scabs of domestic bliss that conceal sorrow and betrayal. Original, challenging and resonant.

Jeanne Aufmuth's pans

Akeelah and the Bee -- "Inspiration" packaged with cloying convention, "Bee" utilizes every cliche in the book to hammer home its point with maximum sugar content.

All the King's Men -- An uneasy aura of faux grandeur permeates every frame. Ultimately, it's sloppy where it should have been slick: the ultimate letdown.

Ask the Dust -- Robert Towne's moldy ode to Depression-era Los Angeles is a lifeless and implausible exercise in the decaying romance of literary noir.

Firewall -- This plodding clunker masquerades as a thriller by leading with a cat-and-mouse game that went dreadfully south.

Miami Vice -- "Vice" leeches every bit of spirit from its kitschy '80s namesake -- no style, no substance, no dice.