10) No Man's Land

Starting off my top ten is the Academy’s pick for Best Foreign Film of the year. Coming from Bosnia/Herzegovina, this brooding war drama takes place in a small trench in between the frontlines of the Balkan War. Most of the action surrounds two troops, a Bosnian and a Serbian, holding one another at gunpoint in the trench and dialoguing about their thoughts on the war. Meanwhile their comrade, who they thought was dead, wakes up to find himself unable to move without triggering a deadly landmine just under him. The situation seems impossible to solve so the UN sends a group of peacekeepers to go and solve the problem. Unfortunately, the UN proves to be a considerable less effective peacekeeper than everyone thought. This film gives us a startling inside look at the pain and conflict that goes on everyday in the Balkans and makes us wonder if the Western powers really can do any good by interceding. This film makes my top ten for being thought-provoking and well-made, but I put it behind Amelie because it frankly is just not as entertaining and memorable. Nonetheless, this is a great film and one that every film-buff should watch at least once.