| Rank | Critic | Publication | List Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Erica Abeel | Huffington Post | 2011 |
| 1 | Melissa Anderson | Village Voice | 2011 |
| 5 | Ali Arikan | Slant | 2011 |
| 4 | Jamie Christley | Slant Magazine | 2011 |
| Daniel Carlson | Pajiba.com | 2011 | |
| Godfrey Cheshire | indiewire poll | 2011 | |
| 7 | Daryl Chin | Freelance | 2011 |
| 7 | Chris Cabin | Filmcritic.com | 2011 |
| 8 | Joumane Chahine | Film Comment | 2011 |
| 4 | Chris Chang | Film Comment | 2011 |
| 9 | David Cox | Film Comment | 2011 |
| 8 | Bill Desowitz | indieWIRE | 2011 |
| Mahola Dargis | New York Times | 2011 | |
| 8 | Austin Dale | indiewire | 2011 |
| 4 | Brian Darr | Hell on Frisco Bay | 2011 |
| 5 | Nathan Duke | Douglaston Patch | 2011 |
| 10 | Blake Dew | We Got This Covered | 2011 |
| 9 | Jim Emerson | 2011 | |
| 5 | Film Comment | 2011 | |
| 2 | Jon Frosch | France 24 | 2011 |
| 4 | Graham Fuller | ArtInfo | 2011 |
| 11 | Roger Friedman | Showbiz 411 | 2011 |
| 5 | Mark Fansworth | Global Comment | 2011 |
| 3 | Scott Foundas | Film Comment | 2011 |
| Larry Gross | Village Voice film poll | 2011 | |
| 5 | Andrea Gronvall | Freelance | 2011 |
| 8 | Beth Hanna | 2011 | |
| 8 | Stephen Holden | New York Times | 2011 |
| J Hoberman | Village Voice | 2011 | |
| 4 | Robert Horton | The Herald | 2011 |
| 6 | Eric Hynes | Reverse Shot | 2011 |
| 3 | Christoph Huber | Die Presse | 2011 |
| 2 | Alexander Horwatch | Film Comment | 2011 |
| 1 | Richard Huang | NY Movies Examiner | 2011 |
| 7 | Skander H. | Skandies | 2011 |
| 7 | Richard T. Jameson | MSN | 2011 |
| 10 | Caryn James | indieWIRE | 2011 |
| 4 | Kristin Jones | Film Comment | 2011 |
| 10 | Ben Kenigsberg | Time Out Chicago | 2011 |
| 1 | Glenn Kenny | MSN | 2011 |
| 5 | Peter Keough | Boston Phoenix | 2011 |
| 2 | Ryland Walker Knight | indiewire | 2011 |
| 9 | Dennis Lim | Moving Image Source | 2011 |
| 10 | Karina Longworth | LA Weekly | 2011 |
| 3 | Nathan Lee | Film Comment | 2011 |
| 7 | MSN | 2011 | |
| 5 | Kim Morgan | MSN | 2011 |
| 4 | Kat Murphy | MSN | 2011 |
| 10 | Patrick McGavin Lightsensitive.typepad.com | 2011 | |
| 2 | Todd McCarthy | Hollywood Reporter | 2011 |
| 8 | Benjamin Mercer | Village Voice | 2011 |
| 7 | Olaf Moller | Film Comment | 2011 |
| 3 | Corwin Neuse | MSN | 2011 |
| 9 | Mark Olsen | indiewire poll | 2011 |
| 2 | Clint O'Connor | Cleveland Plain Dealer | 2011 |
| 1 | Gerald Perry | Boston Phoenix | 2011 |
| 3 | Richard Porton | Cineaste | 2011 |
| 1 | Gerald Peary | Boston Phoenix | 2011 |
| 10 | Jon Plaut | Alternative Press | 2011 |
| Nicolas Rapold | Film Comment | 2011 | |
| 5 | Jonathan Rosenbaum | 2011 | |
| 9 | Lisa Rosman | Time Out New York | 2011 |
| Stephen Schaeffer | Boston Herald | 2011 | |
| 3 | A.O. Scott | New York Times | 2011 |
| 4 | Jason Shawhan | Nashville Scene | 2011 |
| 8 | Chuck Stephens | Film Comment | 2011 |
| 4 | Gavin Smith | Film Comment | 2011 |
| 7 | Anne Thompson | Thompson on Hollywood | 2011 |
| 2 | Amy Taublin | Film Comment | 2011 |
| James Verniere | Boston Herald | 2011 | |
| Seth Coleter Walls | Village Voice | 2011 | |
| Manuel Yanez-Murillo | 2011 | ||
| 3 | Michael Bartlett | Senses of Cinema Poll | 2012 |
| 9 | John Beifuss | Memphis Commercial Appeal | 2012 |