Top Ten of 2007

I know the days of "Top Ten of 2007" are over but as an avid movie watcher I thought I would give you my list of the top 10 documentary/independent movies I saw in 2007. I love documentaries and indie films but my wife is not such a huge fan. Anyway, some are on the list because they really inspired me or helped me understand the world in a different way while others are on the list because I thought it was fascinating and interesting. I decided on listing only documentaries and indie films for 2 reasons: One, it was a much easier and smaller list to handle than all of the movies I saw in 2007 and Two, these are probably movies most of you haven't ever heard of so maybe you'll go pick a few up and give them a try. Without further ado, the list (in no particular order):

1. Ushpizin (2005): A Jewish sub-titled 'indie' film about the festival of Succoth. In the "helped me understand the world in a different way" category.

2. The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (2007): A documentary about video gaming culture and the journey of one "outsider" to break the long-standing Donkey Kong record. Definitely in the "fascinating" category.

3. The Agronomist (2002): A documentary following Jean Dominique, a Haitian journalist fighting for human rights. Category: inspiring.

4. Year of the Yao (2004): Documentary that followed Yao Ming, NBA star of the Houston Rockets, in his first year in America. Category: fascinating & interesting.

5. Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos (2006): Documentary about the soccer team the NY Cosmos and how they revolutionized soccer in America. Category: fascinating & interesting.

6. God Grew Tired of Us (2005): A Documentary following the Lost Boys of Sudan. Absolutely incredible. Category: ALL of the above.

7. Primer (2003): An incredibly low budget film made by 3 guys. highly involved and philosophical. Category: fascinating.

8. Color of the Cross (2006): A racially charged re-telling of the story of Jesus's death. Category: While not agreeing with the interpretation, it definitely widened my worldview in a healthy way.

9. The Heart of the Game (2005): Follows a high school girls basketball team. Category: Inspiring.

10. Devil's Playground (2002): A documentary that goes into the Amish teenagers "Rumspringa" or time of "sowing wild oats". Category: fascinating.

Honorable Mentions (all released in 2005 oddly enough): On a Clear Day, Grizzly Man, The Boys of Baraka, Chalk