Forget the 12 gifts of Christmas – this is the time of year when your newspapers are flooded with top ten lists. There’s the top ten movies of the year, the top ten albums of the year, the top ten political players of the year, the top ten sports plays of the years, the top ten winners of the year, the top ten losers of the year, the top ten …

You get the point. But here’s a question for you – just who cares what these pretentious jerks say are the top ten of anything? Who are they to tell you what the top ten movies of the year are? Oh, you really liked “The Brown Bunny?” Too bad Michael Wilmington said it sucks, making you completely irrelevant. But hey, you hated “Garfield: The Movie”, yet Pulitzer winner Roger Ebert gave it three stars. It must be good!

Here’s the spot where I ask you to listen to me. Be proud of the movies you loved. They did something for you that they may not have done for anybody else. While I’m sure there may be movies that you love and I absolutely despise, I’m willing to look past that. After all, it’s Christmas.

So, instead of some arrogant declaration of the “Top Ten Films of 2004,” I want to share with you a few of my favorites – maybe some films that you may have skipped at the multiplex and now are ready to check out on video.

New classic No. 1: “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”

This is simply an amazing film – it’s a piece of art that could be played in any video art gallery. It follows the story of Joel (Jim Carrey), a man who has ventured to a new company to have his ex-girlfriend erased from his memory. Watch for the spectacular vision of filmmaker Michel Gondry. Things slowly start to fade in each frame as Clementine (Kate Winslet) is wiped from Joel’s memory. This fourth chapter in screenwriter Charlie Kaufman’s career is his finest. If for some reason you have not seen this film, stop reading this and go buy it right now.

New classic No. 2: “Dawn of the Dead”

Yes, yes, this is a trite, monotonous, somewhat predictable horror remake. But guess what, it might just be the best ride of the year. Its delightful characters will make you smile more than scream, and you’ll find yourself completely surprised at how great something that sounds so silly can become at the hands of a great filmmaker. For a quick, fun ride, check this out.

New classic No. 3: “Young Adam”

This suspense thriller follows the likes of Ewan McGregor and Tilda Swinton on a Hitchcock-like bend of overwhelming guilt. Greatest scene – McGregor’s character being forced to sit through a murder trial where he knows the defendant is innocent, yet likely to be convicted and sentenced to death. Watch McGregor’s painful reactions to having to hold back one word that could save a man’s life. This film from Scottish filmmaker David McKenzie is a brooding drama, but it has got the suspense to please most audiences.

And, a slew of others:

“Mean Girls” – Written by “Saturday Night Live” star writer Tina Fey, this is one of the best SNL helmed films ever made.

“Anchorman” – Will Farrell is hilarious in this send up to 1970s network news. Anybody who works in the news business, or is just a news junkie for that matter, will find this movie absolutely hilarious.

“Hero” – Directly imported from China, “Hero,” staring Jet Li, is one of the most gorgeous, technically sound films in years. “Hero” is a must for those just purchasing their first HDTV home theater system.

“Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow” – Okay, I guess this is what I get for making my first real box office prediction. I said this film would take off, and it is looking to be one of the biggest financial disasters in some time. I stand by my word, this film is fun – you’ll just have to get passed all of the spectacular sepia tone that makes this a true vintage piece. Yes it’s corny, but after getting past the cheese, “Sky Captain” is a lot of fun.

“Primer” – Every person I know who has seen this movie has watched it twice. Telling the story of a couple engineers who invent a time travel device in their home garage, “Primer” has either captivated the people I know, or absolutely turned them off. Love it or hate it, “Primer” is an excellent film. After all, even the people who despise it have watched it twice. That’s more that can be said for most of the “Lord of the Rings” films.

There they are, a handful of my favorite films of the year. We are entering the best run for movies with award season approaching, so be on the lookout for more greats at the cinema. Until next year, then – it’s been fun.