1. "Dreamgirls": What makes a movie a transcendent and overwhelming experience? Is it when you find yourself clapping and cheering throughout it? Or is it spectacular moments such as when Eddie Murphy spins from a quiet backstage piano solo to the soulful intensity of "Fake Your Way to the Top"? Or is it the gospel revival echoes of "Steppin' to the Bad Side," or is it Beyoncé Knowles twirling around the lit stars of The Dreams debut? Can it all be summed up in Jennifer Hudson's star-making performance that can break even the coldest heart? Whatever the case, this movie is one dream that I, thankfully, still can't get out of my head.
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2. "The Queen": Despite her obvious talents, Helen Mirren could have easily fallen flat on her face playing the iconic Queen Elizabeth II during the pivotal week in Britain's history following Princess Diana's death in 1997. Instead she and director Stephen Frears create a multilayered and moving portrayal that is the center of a film chronicling the breaking point at which the old guard must learn from the new to survive.
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3. "Children of Men": Director Alfonso Cuaron takes the viewer on a fantastic ride into a future, where women have been unable to reproduce for decades and the world has been hurled into chaos. Clive Owen is stellar as a former activist whose ex-wife (Julianne Moore) convinces him to help smuggle a pregnant girl out of a newly totalitarian Britain.
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4. "Little Children": A haunting look into the world of lonely, suburban 30-somethings and their journey into delayed adulthood with terrific performances by Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson.
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5. "Marie Antoinette": Talk about a visionary tale -- Sofia Coppola creates a beautiful and sympathetic portrayal of the misunderstood French queen thanks to an unheralded turn by Kirsten Dunst.

6. "The Lives of Others": An East German secret police officer becomes entangled in the lives of a writer and his girlfriend during long-term surveillance. The movie is a stirring reminder of the silent horrors of the Cold War and the dangers of any totalitarian state.

7. "Quinceañera": A teenage girl has a lot of growing up to do as her 15th birthday approaches in this touching tale set among the culture clash of the Echo Park neighborhood in modern-day Los Angeles.
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8. "Pan's Labyrinth": This film is another wonderful vision from the imaginative mind of Guillermo del Toro that contrasts a lonely girl's fantastical world with the brutal reality of fascist Spain during Franco's rise to power.

9. "United 93": The first major movie detailing the events of Sept. 11 sadly looses something after the depiction of the traumatic events at the World Trade Center, but the initial hour is a harrowing account that should serve as a history lesson for generations to come.
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10. "The Departed": Martin Scorsese juggles two great performances from Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon to create one of the most entertaining thrillers in years.
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Honorable Mentions
"Little Miss Sunshine"; "Shut Up & Sing"; "Inside Man"; "Babel"; "Letters From Iwo Jima"

Worst of the Year
"Flicka"; "Date Movie"; "Ultraviolet"

What are the year's 10 best movies? Write us at heymsn@microsoft.com

Gregory Ellwood writes the Hollywood Hitlist column for MSN Movies. He's worked in the movie industry for almost a decade and lives in Los Angeles.