Only number 10? That really was an incredibly strong year. 

This year In Between Days could easily finish at the No.1 spot. I think 2007 has been the most disappointing year in my movie watching experience - ever. 

I can't really sleep at the moment (it's five o'clock in the morning here in Germany), and I'm going to rewatch this year's personal favorite, Lady Chatterley, at the cinema in a couple of hours. hope I won't have to drink too much coffee. 

Hmm, seems I'm rambling a bit. To get back to the film, I don't think your comparison to other filmmakers was problematic (If Kim mentions them herself as inspiration, how could it?). It's just that I feel the Dardennes, Jia and Tsai are such distinct and idiosyncratic filmmakers that it's almost impossible to compare them to anything or anybody. They are in my opinion some of the most unique voices in film history, and have of course influenced and inspired lots of filmmakers. 

Maybe the experimental background you mention was one reason why I found Kim's style very fresh and unique. I felt like she was recycling something new and personal out of a clichd and over-used formula. I think she definitely borrowed from the three above-mentioned filmmakers, but more from certain scenes and ideas, than from their style or aesthetics. That's usually something i consider "bad" borrowing: trying to imitate or even pay hommage to a specific way of filmmaking (maybe the main reason why I found Tarantino's last two (or if you want three) films his weakest - it's more a "fanboy" effort than a primal scream). The raw energy I felt in So Yong Kim's In Between Days on the other hand, was very inspiring to me.

I definitely need to check out Miranda July's work. I'm still a bit pissed at myself that I didn't buy her last film on DVD when I could have had it as a bargain. Haven't heard of Glue before. Thanks for the tip. And I need to get hold of Kim's feature on DVD. So many films I want to own, but so little money. If only I was a workaholic, and not a lazy bone.