(Note: List updated 6/18/10)

It’s that time of year again, when I join my cineaste brethren for some list-making goodness! As always, my ground rule: I only listed films that received a theatrical release in their country of origin during 2009. While there are still a few films that I haven’t seen, I’m confident that this list is more representative than my average year-end list. So, without further ado:

1. Two Lovers (James Gray, USA)

2. Summer Wars (Mamoru Hosoda, Japan)

3. Vengeance (Johnnie To, Hong Kong)

4. Fantastic Mr. Fox (Wes Anderson, USA)

5. Antichrist (Lars von Trier, Denmark)

6. Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino, USA)

7. Love Exposure (Sion Sono, Japan)

8. Mother (Bong Joon-ho, South Korea)

9. The Limits of Control (Jim Jarmusch, USA)

10. Like You Know It All (Hong Sang-soo, South Korea)

For the second year in a row my results have been tabulated along with a panel of my contemporaries courtesy of Michael Anderson at Ten Best Films; please check it out!