But there is no such thing as a “best” film; only favorite films which appeal to people for all sorts of specific reasons. Other qualifications to keep in mind as you groan over my list: I’ve missed a couple of biggies (The Emigrants, Roma); I’ve yet to see the late December releases; and I am unapologetically prejudiced in favor of American films and action flics. Now read ’em and weep.

1 The King of Marvin Gardens (Bob Rafelson) A haunting, low-keyed, and tragic film about the reunion of two brothers in a barren, wintry Atlantic City. Rafelson’s restrained pacing finds poetry in naturalism, and Jacob Brackman’s script contains fond echoes of Salinger. I put it on the top of the list because no other film I saw this year moved me half as much.

2 City (John Huston) A painfully unsentimental view of a boxer slipping into nothingness and the people who surround him. Huston’s best film in a long, long time.

3 The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (Luis Bunuel) A master at the height of his powers. Cruelly witty, sardonic, observant, and everything else you’d ever want a film to be.