Lists, 1/8.

Shelly Kraicer draws up a list of some of the best Chinese-language films of the year, "one of what I hope are many off centre top/middle/bottom 2s, 10s, and 20s lists. The more off centre, the less 'authoritative.' All for the good."

Kong Rithdee in the Bangkok Post: "Despite some initial concerns that audiences are likely to feel less eager to visit the theatre due to economic, psychological, or technological reasons (more and cheaper DVDs), no fewer than 35 Thai films are slated for release during the next 12 months. Following are 10 highlights you may like to keep an eye out for." Thanks, Peter! More from Wise Kwai, via Grady Hendrix.

Priyanka Khanna offers Hindustan Times readers a "cine-goer's checklist for 2007."

"Before 2007 runs away with all our lives, Film Threat takes one last look back at the best and worst films of 2006." Funniest blurb's for... Destricted? Probably.

J Robert Parks has a very fine list, and at the top of it is The Devil's Miner.

With Time's new design comes a special section: "25 Top Ten Lists," among them, Richard Corliss's (#1: Pan's Labyrinth), Richard Schickel's (#1: Letters From Iwo Jima), Carolina A Miranda's write-up of the DVD list (#1: Dave Chappelle's Block Party) and Web videos (#1: Urban Ninja).

For Joe Leydon, it's ten pairs of favorites counting all the way up to Stranger Than Fiction and The Queen.

David Poland breaks down the Big Chart at Movie City News. Example: "Only three films this year - United 93, The Queen, The Departed - got votes on more than half the Top Ten lists."

"[T]his year showcased many directors who found new and exciting ways to tell stories or explore genres (Paul Greengrass, Alfonso Cuarón, Sofia Coppola, Spike Lee, Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, George Miller, Clint Eastwood, Rian Johnson, Stephen Frears, Martin Campbell), while other directors went back to their roots (Martin Scorsese, Kevin Smith, Sylvester Stallone)," writes Collin Souter at Hollywood Bitchslap. "I also remember laughing a lot this year, both at comedies and at M Night Shyamalan." His #1: Children of Men.

Dave Micevic finishes his list, putting Children of Men at its top.

Never mind what the current distribution system serves up, decides Thomas Groh. His best viewing was experienced in repertory theaters and via a DVD player.

Online Film Critics Society goes for United 93. James Rocchi has the full list at Cinematical.

Time Out readers in the UK vote for Casino Royale as best film of 2006.

Film Journal editor Rick Curnutte has a top ten, though he says it's "not yet finalized..."

New York's Logan Hill checks what's currently where in the "rave-backlash-reappraisal cycle."

David Carr was all over the New York Film Critics Awards event.

Matt Singer at IFC News: "This is not a list of the greatest graphic novels of all time, or anything like that; it's rather a list of five standout books in five different genres that deserve a wider audience amongst the moviegoing public."

REM, Patti Smith, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, the Ronettes and... Van Halen? Yes, they'll all be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March. The BBC reports.

Posted by cphillips at January 8, 2007 2:30 PM