The Battle of Algiers was #6 on my ballot. It's one of the first films I saw which got me to look for other things besides story or character development in film. Yes, there isn't much in the way of character development to the point that the main character leaves the film for various lengthy periods of it. However, I think this is intentionally sacrificed to present the events on a larger scope and from different sides of the conflict and give us a sense of how widespread the terrorist attacks are getting. Due to that being sacrificed, the film is able to maintain a fairly epic scope. I didn't appreciate it nearly enough when I first watched it, but a second and third viewing down the road got me to fully appreciate what Pontecorvo did.
The Pianist didn't make my ballot, but it was definitely somewhere in the running. I think it successfully made Nazi-occupied look like hell with the sudden bursts of violence (even if it's directed in a more direct way, as where Come and See is directed with more subjectivity with the sound effects and close-up shots), it captured the mundanity of living in hiding for extended periods of time, and the arrival of a certain character in the final act felt like a catharsis from all the brutality the film presented earlier. It's a really good film which borders on being a great film.
The Pianist didn't make my ballot, but it was definitely somewhere in the running. I think it successfully made Nazi-occupied look like hell with the sudden bursts of violence (even if it's directed in a more direct way, as where Come and See is directed with more subjectivity with the sound effects and close-up shots), it captured the mundanity of living in hiding for extended periods of time, and the arrival of a certain character in the final act felt like a catharsis from all the brutality the film presented earlier. It's a really good film which borders on being a great film.