Every year, there are any number of hidden gems of movies that get overlooked for some reason. Perhaps the film simply didn't get a particularly wide theatrical release, or maybe it just wasn't embraced by a mainstream public that keeps helping repetitious horror flicks open in the $20 million range. BOP loves to acknowledge those little projects that were somehow missed. To qualify for the list, a movie must have made less than $25 million in its theatrical run.

Our winner - by one point - was Murderball, a documentary about a group of extremely competitive rugby players. The thing is, these rugby players just happen to be quadriplegics who outfit their wheelchairs in full-on Mad Max style. The game is violent, fast-paced and overwhelmingly tough. It seems to be an ideal outlet for the men involved to unleash a little aggression and allow their gladiator spirit to explode. The movie does a fine job of switching between actual in-game action and delving into the back stories of individual players. Some of them really stand out. In particular, Mark Zupan, a dangerous-looking guy with a true talent for the game, is the film's breakout star. Frequently, documentaries will be described as "inspirational" or "poignant", and a lot of times that implies a saccharine-sweet subject matter that manipulates the emotions. With Murderball, those words can truly be applied, though it's not because you're overwhelmed with amazement that the stars have overcome the odds. It's clear that all of the people involved in the sport are powerful personalities in their own right, and it is amazing to see them finding an outlet where their individuality is able to shine on through.

Second place goes to Hustle & Flow, the Craig Brewer-directed film about a Memphis pimp named DJay (Terrence Howard) who harbors a dream of becoming a hip hop music star and breaking out of his mundane existence. When he learns that Skinny Black, a rap star from the neighborhood, is going to be returning home for a party, DJay becomes determined that this will be his opportunity for a break and plans to somehow create a demo. To that end, he joins forces with childhood friend and religious record producer Clyde (Anthony Anderson) along with church pianist Shelby (D.J. Qualls). It's not easy for DJay to find his "flow", though, because he's also trying to manage a trio of hookers, each of whom has her own unique needs and quirks. The movie has a number of magical moments, and the cast is outstanding. Along with Howard, Anderson and Qualls, the film features noteworthy performances from Taraji P. Henson, Taryn Manning, Issac Hayes and Ludacris. Hustle & Flow takes some daring chances, including a far-from-Hollywood ending that somehow still manages to be uplifting.

Another documentary, Grizzly Man, comes in at the third position. Directed by auteur Werner Herzog, the movie chronicles the story of grizzly bear activist Timothy Treadwell. Treadwell is a man completely consumed by the bears he loves so much, to the point that he goes off and lives amongst them in Alaska. Ultimately, his passion for the creatures leads him to believe he can be the animals' savior, and the line between what is real and what is not begins to be unclear. Treadwell is unable to recognize the very real danger that comes from dealing with such mammals in their natural environment, and ultimately it leads to his destruction as well as that of a person he loves.

Our first foreign entry takes fourth place. El Crimen Perfecto is a dark comedy about a man named Rafael (Guillermo Toledo) who works at an upscale department store in the ladies' section. He's popular with his female clientele and is very good at his job - so much so, that he believes he is almost certainly a lock for floor manager. Rafael loses out to a hated rival, and suddenly things go terribly awry. He has a dead body on his hands and must rely on help from Lourdes, the one woman Rafael has yet to bed, to help him. Our group enjoyed the film because it is fast and funny and works well as a piece of light entertainment.

Despite his continued insistence to get involved in such movie projects as Bringing Down the House, Cheaper by the Dozen and The Pink Panther, BOP still loves Steve Martin. Shopgirl is a perfect example of the reason we do. It's a melancholy, dreamy film about finding one's space in a massive city where it's all too easy to get lost. Based on a screenplay Martin adapted from his own novel, the movie allows the one-time wild-and-crazy-guy a serious moment of introspection, and it's pretty clear that he doesn't always like what he sees. Claire Danes is simply luminescent in the role of Mirabelle, the shopgirl of the title. Martin, meanwhile, is melancholy and tired as the 50-something man who caresses her with attention despite having no intentions of letting things go very far. And finally, Jason Schwartzman is fairly uproarious in his supporting role. Shopgirl is not an easy film to watch because it is so sad, but it is a special film that deserved to find a wider audience.

Based on a novel by Scott Heim, director Greg Araki's Mysterious Skin takes fifth place amongst our voters in this category. Fans of the book were pleased that Araki stayed so close to the story, which follows two teenage boys who played together on the same little league team as boys. One of them, Brian (Brady Corbet) disappeared for five hours after a game, and was later discovered shivering and with a nosebleed. He believes he was abducted by aliens. The other boy, Neil (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) becomes a rent boy and moves to New York in an effort to escape the small-town moral expectations that exist in their small Kansas community. Brian decides that Neil holds the key to his mystery, and searches him out in an attempt to find answers. We were particularly impressed by the performance of Gordon-Levitt, who is carving out quite a niche for himself as an indie actor and received attention in our vote for Breakthrough Performer.

Junebug is nothing more than a slice-of-life story that takes place in a small North Carolina town, but it is so affecting and carefully drawn, it is impossible to forget. The centerpiece of the film, of course, is the performance of Amy Adams, who won first place in our award for Supporting Actress. But much of the film is striking, from the ramblings of a local artist who imposes the heads of people he knows onto battle scenes from the Civil War, to the anger and confusion of a young man (Ben McKenzie) coming to grips with becoming a father before he is ready. Rare is the movie that can illustrate something as simple as a church picnic in such elegant detail.

Director Danny Boyle shows that he is ever adaptable as he moves from the 2003 zombie film 28 Days Later to the charming family film Millions. The movie follows two young brothers after they discover a bag full of pounds that must be spent before Great Britain's currency converts to the Euro. The trouble is, there is a real criminal who is looking for that bag, and he is fully aware that the boys have it. It sounds like an easy story, but the youthful character of Damian (Alex Etel) mixes things up a bit with his consideration of ethics and discussions with Catholic saints such as Francis of Assisi and Saint Nicholas.

Rounding out our top ten are Downfall, a movie that details the final days of Adolf Hitler and his minions as they are holed up in a bunker at the end of World War II. The film has been nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards as well, and is here primarily on the strength of the performance by Bruno Ganz. Our final film is George Romero's Land of the Dead, a terrific entry in the director's zombie series. If you don't fall in love with zombie Big Daddy, you simply don't have a heart.

Just missing the top ten in this category were Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, It's All Gone Pete Tong and Nobody Knows. (Kim Hollis/BOP)

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