I've always believed that real life is far more amazing than any fiction we can imagine, but far more difficult to articulate through art. Nevertheless, half of my Top 10 picks are stories based on real people or events, and most of the others explore aspects of humanity through fiction. My resolution for 2006: Lighten up!

		More on the films of 2005 Barbara Vancheri: Best Films of 2005 / A breakthrough year in film Barry Paris: Best Films of 2005 / Documentaries proved to be the reel deal Let's not forget the stinkers: Worst films of 2005

1. "MUNICH": It's hard to beat Steven Spielberg doing what he does best. "Munich" humanizes and demonizes people and philosophies on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conundrum in a taut historical fiction.

2. "CAPOTE": Philip Seymour Hoffman may have turned in the best film acting performance of the year, and the script by Dan Futterman based on Gerald Clarke's book offers a peek into the practices, if not the mind, of a genius.

3. "THE PRODUCERS": Mel Brooks' 1968 original is one of my favorite comedies. The stage musical within the film adaptation of the Broadway hit is a parody of glitzy, gag-me-with-a-top-hat stage shows. Leave it to Brooks to go over over-the-top.

4. "MILLIONS": Director Danny Boyle's charming dramatic-comedy fable of ethics and spirituality in the hands of children spent much of this year as my favorite 2005 release.

5. "PARADISE NOW": After watching "Munich," check out this Palestinian director's Arabic-language film, produced on location with an Israeli and Palestinian crew, about the life, motivation, philosophy and death of a fictional Palestinian suicide-bomber. Not propaganda; it's art.

6. "BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN": Holster those prejudices, cowboy, and wrap your lasso around the idea of Marlboro Men in a sleeping bag. Do that, and Ang Lee's film becomes nothing more than a great story about a tortured long-term love affair.

7. "GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK": Granted, it's not a biography of fabled newsman Edward R. Murrow. And of course writer-director George Clooney is looking to the past to flaunt his political biases about today. Nevertheless, "Good Night" is a good movie fully deserving of its good luck.

8. "BATMAN BEGINS": After going all Technicolor schmaltz for a couple of lame films, the Batman franchise is back with a far darker look at one of the comic-book universe's most tortured and interesting characters. Christian Bale is the best Batman since Michael Keaton.

9. "SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL": "Hotel Rwanda" was one of the best films of 2004. "Shake Hands With the Devil" is a documentary based on the autobiography of Romeo Dallaire, the United Nations general who tried to stop the 1994 Rwandan genocide and has tortured himself since for failing. A chilling description of a contemporary Holocaust.

10. "WALK THE LINE": Director James Mangold could have made a biography of country legend Johnny Cash. Instead, he hung his frame around the tumultuous real-life love story of Cash and June Carter, and that made all the difference.