The Best of 'O2

Spider-Man fought Jedi Knights for box-office receipts, but smaller-scale flicks managed to win pieces of the pie while garage bands battled to become the next Rolling Stones. After sifting through top-flight releases and those that brought "doo" to mind more than Scooby, the Arts Desk has voted and tabulated scores. Here it is, love us or hate us: the top 10 albums and films of the year.

Number 1

"Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers" -- Calling Peter Jackson's blockbuster adaptation a fantasy fan's dream come true doesn't do it justice -- this is filmmaking at its pinnacle. "The Two Towers," the middle segment of Tolkien's trilogy, has lost little of the human element and emotion that powered 2001's "The Fellowship of the Ring." Part two actually trumps its predecessor in terms of spectacle, as the climactic battle of Helm's Deep -- complete with 10,000 roaring orcs -- rivals Kurosawa's samurai epics and the up-close-and-personal battle dynamics of "Glory" and "Braveheart." From the conflicted hero Aragorn to the stubborn dwarf Gimli, every character is further developed, but it's Andy Serkis' Gollum who makes the biggest impact.

The White Stripes, White Blood Cells -- When Jack and Meg White released this rollicking record on an indie label in 2001, they had no intentions of venturing beyond their Detroit fan base and into the spotlight. Thanks to the album's 2002 reissue on big-name label V2 and the ensuing national success, the minimalist garage-rock duo has revamped a musical genre that previously was growing staler by the minute. Jack White's raucous vocals lose control at the right times, ripping through "Fell in Love With a Girl" and "Hotel Yorba" with intensity. His guitar playing and Meg's prowess on the drums are nothing short of mechanic precision, but the songs brim with madness and emotion all the same -- the desperate "I'm Finding it Harder to Be A Gentleman" and childhood folk tune "We Are Going to Be Friends" combine clockwork and gentle catharsis to make rock perfection.

Number 2

"Gangs of New York" -- After many years of preparation and much off-screen drama, Martin Scorsese's latest endeavor brought the New York of the bloody Civil War era to multiplexes. The dingy and elaborate set by Dante Ferretti functions as a character in itself, serving as the backdrop to the violence and debauchery that primitive gangsters such as Daniel Day-Lewis and Leonardo DiCaprio revel in. Stunning performances from these two actors breathe life into the film as their characters battle for so-called honor during a decidedly dishonorable period of American history.

Coldplay, A Rush of Blood to the Head -- Already elevated above the sludge of nu-metal and banality of modern rock, Coldplay broke from the pack of acclaimed "next Radiohead" bands with the lovelorn urgency of this sophomore effort. The album soared commercially thanks to the uplifting propulsion of the hit "In My Place," but A Rush of Blood to the Head is most masterful for its emotional progression sequenced from song to song. Whatever the listener's personal struggle -- a turbulent relationship, identity crisis or political crusade -- the album metaphorically frames the conflict from jarring impact to steadfast battle to heartfelt weariness and, finally, to resolved perseverance.

Number 3

"Spirited Away" -- The best animated movie in years isn't even from this country, it's Japanese. It's a hypnotic masterpiece of the imagination, a metaphor-laden adventure through ghostly nightmares and haunting dreamscapes. The film's images, from frightening to moving, are unforgettable. It's impossible not to become absorbed in Hayao Miyazaki's fantastical world, so full of vibrant life, exuberant characters and evidence that proves what we all know -- kids are smarter than their parents.

The Roots, Phrenology -- After years of being the most intelligent but also unappreciated hip-hop band in the business, The Roots finally have melded their ambition with their talent. About as far from their jazzy rap sounds of the past as MC Black Thought's lyrics are from Nelly's, Phrenology is not the Roots of Things Fall Apart. Rather, it is a hard-hitting assault that makes the message of the Roots -- one of truth and pride rather than diamonds and Escalades -- more widely accessible and marks the most intelligent hip-hop production of the year.

Number 4

"Catch Me If You Can" -- After giving us the weighty sci-fi flicks "A.I." and "Minority Report," Steven Spielberg returns with this light, entertaining ode to '60s summers, stewardesses and check fraud. Leonardo DiCaprio is in his element as the cunning, mischievous con man -- well, boy -- Frank Abagnale Jr. The film flows well as the misguided youth is torn between his sweet yet tax-evading dad (Christopher Walken) and the FBI G-man (Tom Hanks) assigned to track him down.

Wilco, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot -- Love, American style. The former alt-country kings outgrew their roots, defeated music industry moguls and delivered their best album, an American classic and a heartfelt, heart-broken gem. Spacious and wandering, like a radio cure broadcast from a distant tower, the album sees front-man Jeff Tweedy confront his confused self and the ashes of his home as he looks for lost love. But he finds the most gorgeous, lilting melodies of his career, from the gentle "Jesus, Etc." to the breeze of "Heavy Metal Drummer." And in songs like "Ashes of American Flags" and "Reservations," his lyrics are pure poetry, full of self-doubt and hoping to stumble across a reawakening. Longing rarely has sounded better or more profound.

Number 5

"Y Tu Mam