Best Films of 2006

[Pulpmariachi]

So . . . what's everyone's top 10 list? Or top 5? Or just top three? What, in your opinion were the best movies of 2006?

Oh . . . and Zap, are you doing your Oscar list again this year?

[ZapRowsdower]

Oh, definitely. I love doing that.

[frankenjohn]

My Top 10:

1. The Fountain
2. Little Children
3. Children of Men
4. The Departed
5. United 93
6. Superman Returns
7. Cars
8. The Proposition
9. Brick
10. A Prairie Home Companion

[Heineken Skywalker]

Didn't make it to the movies nearly as often as most of you, but here's my top ten as of right now. It'll probably change as I catch up with some of the other 2006 releases on DVD and cable.

1. Pan's Labyrinth
2. Apocalypto
3. United 93
4. The Departed
5. Casino Royale
6. Children of Men
7. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
8. Clerks II
9. Rocky Balboa
10. X-Men 3: The Last Stand

Gee, Pulp and Zap, where are your lists?

[Pulpmariachi]

I wanna see one more 2006 movie before I make mine. You know...just in case.

[ZapRowsdower]

Yeah, I'm holding off until I see Flags of Our Fathers... Actually, if possible, I'd like a chance to see the Last King of Scotland as well. The limited release movies that are getting a courtesy re-release to boost publicity for the Academy. Then I'll make my list.

But I will say that as of right now the list is topped off by the Departed and Children of Men, in no particular order.

[Pulpmariachi]

Could be subject to change, or it couldn't be, but here are the movies I liked best from 2006 that I saw:

10. United 93 -- I was particulary blown away until about the last 20-30 minutes, when Greengrass focused on the airplane, and there the film was what it needed to be, respectful, reverent, and encompassing.

9. Pan's Labyrinth -- there may have been conventions, but it was so well executed it's hard not to put it here.

8. The Prestige -- great twists, great acting, I'd say vintage Nolan but it's a little too soon for that, so I'll say, great Nolan.

7. Happy Feet -- dancing, wall to wall music, social commentary, political commentary, generic kids' movie messages, and more music and dancing. You do wanna dance when seeing this and yes it's incredibly cute but it's still great, even if a lot more intense than I originally thought.

6. Superman Returns -- Bryan Singer explores the myth and the worship of Superman, focusing our emotions on how people who live with him deal with it. It's not just an average summer explosion blockbuster, though it does offer that, but characters are more put more interest towards and emotions explored and you can see the heart. Plus, it has the best action sequence of the year with the airplane.

5. Stranger than Fiction -- great delivery, Will Farrell's "The Truman Show", there might be some bias here because I love movies about books, ya know? Hilarious then strangely sad and heartbreaking (on another note, when frankenjohn called it pretentious he offered up another definition that was wrong, since prentension implies something's trying to be what its not but this new film knew what it wanted to be and didn't care if people weren't didn't get it).

4. Brick -- noir in a high school, you may not understand what they're saying half the time and you won't like it unless you accept this heightened realism, but it's well-paced, well-made, well-acted, and even if you bring in the technical aspects, like having a budget of $500,000, it's still impressive.


3. The Departed -- here's a twist, here's another twist, and another. Scorsese returns to form with "The Departed", a nod to his earlier, more violent days. Great performances all around, totally unpredictable (okay, you know people are going to die, but Scorsese is great at shocking you concerning when it's actually going to happen), awesome soundtrack, intensity out the roof, dirtier language than a sailor, and, well goddammit, it's just a great film.

2. Little Miss Sunshine -- especially more identifiable if you've gone on cross-country road trips, directors Dayton and Faris offer something that we can see happening to us, might've happened while on the road, and mix in some great jokes along the way. Laughs come right and left as everyone in the cast gives it their all (if Arrested Development is The Royal Tenenbaums meets Cops this is The Royal Tenenbaums meets Vacation). Great music takes along, the most hated but loved cars, family dreams. It's also a brilliant satire about how our world is today, especially the families, which may look like the perfection certain politicians want but they're all quite messed up.

1. Children of Men -- I wrote a huge review of this but it barely touches anything. Everything works perfectly in it, the acting, the pacing, the humor, and technically it's the most impressive film of the year. We'll put off the amazing long takes for a moment where and just looking at the cinematography it captures the bleakness of the world, it reflects the world and puts you in it, but only shows a little bit of it (which was what good cinematography is, not just pretty lighting and elaborate cameramoves, okay, they do play a part, but it's all concerned with putting you in the world) and you can't take your eyes off-screen. Issues today are handled subtley and blatantly, and there's nothing wrong with it at all. Seriously, this is the sort of movie where if someone said they hated, I would never listen to their opinion on another film again. Not that I'm a snob or anything....

[Heineken Skywalker]

And see, my top ten has changed already.
Just added CHILDREN OF MEN and I've adjusted my list above to reflect that. I didn't love it as much as Pulp, but it's definitely one of the best and most original films of the year.

[ZapRowsdower]

Subject to change pending wide release of certain movies.

1. A very intense battle between Children of Men and the Departed
3. Letters from Iwo Jima
4. The Proposition
5. Babel
6. Little Miss Sunshine
7. A Prairie Home Companion
8. Brick
9. Apocalypto
10. Dreamgirls

[Heineken Skywalker]

Another major shakeup in my list as PAN'S LABYRINTH and UNITED 93 join my top 10.
See my post above for the complete list and rankings.