Each year we get dozens of ballots from our staff, guest editors, and writers with their picks for the best works of the year. We use those ballots to craft our top ten lists, which will be appearing on the site at the end of the year and into early January—but we also like to take the time to spotlight those picks that, while not quite making the cut, are worthy of recognition.
FILM
Roger Ebert in Life Itself (Image © Magnolia Pictures).
Life Itself
The Babadook
Interstellar
Under the Skin
Citizenfour
The Boxtrolls (Image © Focus Features).
The Boxtrolls
The One I Love
Foxcatcher
John Wick
Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (Image © Marvel).
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Big Hero 6
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part One
The Imitation Game
TELEVISION
Gina Rodriguez of Jane the Virgin (Image © Warner Bros.)
Jane the Virgin
Shameless
Archer
Parks & Recreation
Veep
Aya Cash and Chris Geere in You’re the Worst (Image © FX Productions).
You’re the Worst
At Midnight
The Comeback
Boardwalk Empire
The Leftovers
Transparent
MUSIC
Beck
Beck
Iggy Azalea
Foster the People
Foo Fighters
Tove Lo
Tove Lo
Mark Kozelek
Spoon
Wye Oak
BOOKS
Bud Smith
Everything Neon by Bud Smith
Self-Published Kindling by Mik Everett
Bad Feminist by Roxanne Gay
Nagging Wives, Foolish Husbands by Nathaniel Tower
PODCASTS
Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith
Jay and Silent Bob Get Old
Nerd Poker
Now Playing
Hardcore History
Improv 4 Humans