Who says critics are out of touch? At the time of writing, entertainment website Pia's "Satisfaction Ranking" for current films has "Intouchables" at No. 3, and "Argo" No. 2. ("Ninkyo Helper" is No. 1.) Kaori Shoji, Mark Schilling, and Giovanni Fazio got together to chew over their No. 1 picks.

Kazoku no Kuni (Our Homeland)

Mark Schilling: I went into this with no expectations, but it blew me away — the way it is dramatized. Everyone has a big scene, and, in Japan, that's usually an excuse for over-acting. (Laughs.) But each of the performances is stripped down to the essentials. There's something raw about it.