It is always a very daunting task to make a top 10 list of films. That is because over 600 films are released a year and at least 100 of these films are great or have many redeeming qualities that make them unforgettable. Creating a top 10 always runs the risk of leaving a memorable film out. Additionally, it is impossible to watch everything that is out there, making these lists incomplete.

However, this list is a celebration of the great films of the year and the ones that were most memorable to this writer. Since the year had so many wonderful works, it was hard not to mention some of the honorable mentions.

Among these films are Justin Kurzel's ambitious new adaptation of "Macbeth," Roy Andersson's audacious and satiric "A Pigeon sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence" and the nostalgic immigrant drama "Brooklyn."

There was also the groundbreaking "Tangerine," which had two of the breakout performances of the year, "Steve Jobs," which played with conventions, and "Bluebird" and "Meadowland," which showed two promising directors flirting with important and dramatic themes.

Pixar returned to what it made it great with "Inside Out" while Alex Garland played with the Science Fiction conventions for "Ex Machina," and "Phoenix" featured one of the most striking scenes of the year.

Finally, "Wild Tales" created six riotous stories that showed a new level of comedy while "White God" unleashed 250 dogs on the streets of Budapest. While these films were among the best of the year, they did not quite make the final list.

Without further ado, these 10 films were some of the most memorable, striking and incredibly innovative movies that 2015 had.

10. "The Danish Girl" - Tom Hooper may be criticized for not taking risks with his movies and this film has been criticized for over-sentimentality and the fact that it was not revolutionary as most expected. However, "The Danish Girl" is a film with heart and it finds the director at his most refined. Starring Eddie Redmayne as one of the first transgender women and Alicia Vikander as his caring and supportive wife, the two stars bring some of their best performances to date. With lavish sets, a rhythmic and driving scoring by Alexandre Desplat and intricate costumes, the film drives each emotion with honesty and never tries to manipulate the audience. Where "The King's Speech" was an experiment in visual style and "Les Miserables" tried out the limits of the musical, "The Danish Girl" fuses these two styles and shows Hooper as one of the modern day masters of filmmaking.

9. "Youth" - Paolo Sorrentino's is a soaring symphony of images and great performances with a delightful and moving soundtrack. The film, which takes place in a retirement home, is filled with nostalgia and a yearning for old times. At the center are two distinct artists. One is a conductor, who has retired after his wife became ill while the other is a filmmaker, who is struggling to make a comeback. While the conductor is wanted and admired, the filmmaker is seen as worn out and no longer relevant. As a matter of fact, Sorrentino plays on these themes as he also introduces a washed-up actor, an old soccer player who remembers his glory days and a Miss Universe who still is young and has reached her prime. Michael Caine gives his best performance in years while Harvey Keitel is magnetic. Jane Fonda steals her brief scene, Rachel Weisz brings her raw emotions while Paul Dano is charismatic. "Youth" moves in an elegiac and nonlinear pace but Sorrentino connects all his plot threads and brings together a film that rises to great heights and that ends on a cathartic note.

8. "Victoria" - Last year "Birdman" was praised for editing a film together in one take and it won the Oscar. This year however, Sebastian Schipper did the impossible as he shot a two-hour film in one take. It's easy to say that the only reason this movie is on this list for the achievement and the ambition. However, that is not the case as Schipper takes audiences on a journey filled with action, drama and emotions and it is does it with sheer honesty and truth. Perhaps Hollywood should take a page from this movie as the action sequences are thrilling, explosive and more importantly tense. It is a film that is impossible to quit as it moves at such a rapid pace and action continuously drives forward with the rhythmic camera. But with all the loud action, there are also some intimate moments including a scene with the title character Victoria as she plays the piano and reveals her life to Sonne, one of the German bandits she ends up falling for. The film should be praised for its cinematography but its breakout star Laia Costa deserves so much credit for digging deep into her character and for creating a dynamic one. It's sad to see this film so under-appreciated but it is truly a movie that once discovered is hard to forget.

7. "Testament of Youth" - Perhaps eight years ago this movie would have been an awards contender and would have been given the proper marketing campaign. Audiences would have been driven to theaters because of the massive buzz. However, James Kent's "Testament of Youth" was given a summer release and as a result went off the radar pretty quickly. Not since "Atonement" has there been a truly moving war romance that reaches the emotional level of Kent's film. Led by Alicia Vikander in what may be her best performance to date, the film chronicles Vera Brittain's youth and struggles through World War I. Kent's raw depiction of war truly show the horrors and the devastation. In this movie there are no heroes, there are no victims, just destroyed human beings who long to be with their families. Kent's visual style only adds to the film as he juxtaposes the beautiful nature at the beginning with the destruction towards the end. Vikander's character also goes through a transformation that sees a young girl turn into an adult who must deal with loss and find courage to continue on.

6. "Mad Max: Fury Road" - Out of all the movies on this list, this may have been the biggest surprise of the year. It's hard to expect anything from a reboot nowadays as studios are so wrapped up in creating superhero worlds, extending franchises and finding ways to create the same story. George Miller, however, showed his true genius and made a movie that stands alone. Featuring some of the most intense action sequences and brilliant special effects, this is an adrenaline-filled adventure that is tightly written and which is hard not love. Having seen this film three times in theaters, I realized that the film continues to reveal itself more and more each time. The visuals by John Seale are stellar while Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy give breathtaking performances. The superlatives can go on but what this film is truly one of the best action films of the decade and one that will likely be studied in years to come.

5. "Sicario" - Denis Villeneuve continues to surprise audiences with his tense thrillers. "Sicario" perfectly balances the action thriller with the slow burn and makes for a tense ride that continuous surprises at each turn. Led by Emily Blunt and Benicio del Toro this movie takes no sides in the drug conflict and instead seeks to show a clear picture of the consequences and toll it takes on families and those cops trying to do the right thing. Following an FBI agent who is enlisted by a government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs, Emily Blunt gives an astonishing performance while Del Toro is unpredictable and relishes every scene. Villeneuve may be the master filmmaker but Roger Deakins' lens once again shows the master at work and creates one of the most vivid action sequences of the year and creates a sense of paranoia as he shoots the movie always following the characters and never showing what lies behind. "Sicario" is truly a masterwork and once again shows why Villeneuve is a director to continue looking out for.

4. "The Revenant" - Most people have already heard the legends of how harsh the film shoot was and how the film went over budget and many walked off set. However, what most want to know is if the film paid off. The answer is Alejandro Gonzalez Inaritu's "The Revenant, quite possibly his greatest achievement to date. Not just because of the fact that it was shot in such adverse conditions and because Emmanuel Lubezki proved once again why he is one of the masterful cinematographers of his day but because the movie truly brings audiences on a human journey that shows the human spirit and the willingness to survive. Lubezki's cinematography depicts the beautiful terrain but juxtaposes it with the harsh pain of the characters as he shot Leonardo DiCaprio's body in close-ups and has no qualms about showing the pain and suffering. Led by DiCaprio's physical performance that is sure to win him an Oscar and Tom Hardy's cruel character, Inarritu brings his inner Terrence Malick and creates a story that is sure to leave you drained but one that is truly rewarding.

3. "Room" - For the past two years Lenny Abrahamson has been winning critics over with his dramatic "What Richard Did" and his dramedy "Frank." However, audiences have yet to notice him for his powerful work. This year seems like a turning point with his latest "Room." The first 45 minutes of the film take place in a small room and in the hands of other filmmakers could have easily been seen a claustrophobic area. But since this movie is seen through the eyes of a boy, Jack, the space always seems large and spacious and in many ways magical. Once the characters go outside the film continues its fairytale aspects but Abrahamson makes sure fuse it with dramatic elements in the story. Brie Larson is captivating the role of Ma as she goes through a whirlwind of emotions while Jacob Tremblay is a revelation in the role of Jack. Stephen Rennick's score combines fairy tales aspects with those of dramatic scores and ends up composing one of the most beautiful musical compositions of the year. While there is one plot hole in this film that may frustrate some, Abrahamson has crafted an intricate masterpiece that deserves all the accolades it has been getting.

2. "Son of Saul" - When audiences begin watching this movie, they may have a hard time continuing. That is because of Laszlo Nemes' daring style of shooting this movie in 4:3 ratio and close-ups. The overall feeling is of claustrophobia. But the experiment is well worth it as Nemes takes viewers on a journey through the concentration camps and shows audiences another cruel reality. The film follows Saul as he tries to find a rabbi to give a young boy a proper burial. Saul is part of the Sonderkommando, Jews who worked and helped the Nazis kill off other Jews, and as a result he is forced to take people to the gas chambers and later bring them to the crematorium. The film is not for the squeamish and while Nemes shows plenty of dead corpses it's not really what you see that is hard. Instead it is what is heard as in many instances there are scenes where the audiences are forced to hear the screams of people getting gassed or gunshots as prisoners get killed. Saul is always in frame and audiences are forced to see only what he sees making it a visceral experience. It's astonishing to say this is Nemes' first film as it is truly the work of a master filmmaker.

1. "Carol" - Picking a No. 1 was probably the easiest choice this year as there was no movie so captivating and mesmerizing as "Carol." Todd Haynes' latest film is not only a topical masterpiece but it also treads the line of a thriller and a romance and brings in period elements. Set in the 1950s, the film tells the story of Carol and Therese as they defy societal norms and form a romantic relationship. It's interesting how the film begins as audiences see the relationship from the perspective of an outsider. The characters are introduced through the eyes of a stranger and only after this brief scene, does the film go back a few years to introduce these characters and show us what led to these events. Hayne's vivid direction gets two of the finest performances of the year from Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara. Edward Lachman's cinematography is simple but it uses frames to marginalize Carol and show her unsteady relationship and her fears of losing Therese. Carter Burwell's score is hypnotic as it uses the arpeggiated rhythms to create a simplistic but effective and moving score. The costumes by Sandy Powell tell their own story and the art direction vividly recreates the 1950s. Perfect in every way, it's hard not to adore this sensual and amazing film. "Carol" is by far the best film of 2015 and one that will have audiences talking for years to come.