The Best of 2006

UPDATED! After finally getting around to watching a few more of the later entries of 2006, as well as re-watching some of the earlier ones, I've decided to make a few changes to this list. Only two films have been added (After the Wedding and The Wind That Shakes the Barley), but you may note that the order of some of the others has also been rearranged.


In retrospect, 2006 turned out to be a pretty good year for movies (the last exceptional year being 2002). A lot of the films that didn't make this year’s Top Ten are actually superior to many of the Top Ten films of previous years. The breakdown will begin with a list of ten Honorable Mentions, followed by the ten Runners Up, and then finally the coveted Top Ten of the year, all in rank order. With that said, there were several worthy films that just couldn't make the top thirty cut this year (Cars, The Pursuit of Happyness, Deja Vu, Akeelah and the Bee, Rocky Balboa and The Descent to name a few), but they are still great flicks that everyone should check out. The following are just the cream of the crop. Here we go:


HONORABLE MENTION

30. Babel

It shouldn’t have been nominated for Best Picture, but this film still has quite a lot to offer. Wonderful performances from the entire cast, in addition to the spectacular camerawork and editing, make up for its many shortcomings. However, it is still Inarritu’s least impressive film to date.





29. The Proposition

This darkly atypical Western, set in the rugged Australian Outback, is certainly one of the more bizarre films of the year. It has its share of flaws, but terrific performances from Guy Pearce and Danny Huston, as well as an engaging score, make it seem a great deal better than it probably is.





28. Volver

Pedro Almodovar’s best—and least eccentric—film to date, Volver manages a fine balancing act between comedy and suspense, and allows Penelope Cruz to finally shine as an actress. It reminds one of some of Hitchcock’s earlier and lighter works.






27. Half Nelson

An outstanding debut feature for writer/director Ryan Fleck and writer/producer Anna Boden, who show great talent with their words and their camerawork. Ryan Gosling gives a shattering performance as a drug addicted teacher and fully deserves the Oscar nomination bestowed upon him.





26. An Inconvenient Truth

This documentary is really nothing more than a filmed PowerPoint presentation, even though it is assembled exceptionally well. In the end, it is the global warming message—which is conveyed very successfully—that makes watching it a captivating experience. This is the best documentary of the year.





25. A Scanner Darkly

This underrated endeavor in animation actually showcases some rather awesome visuals. People may have to take in subsequent screenings in order to follow the plot, but this is the first film to truly reflect the style of author Philip K. Dick, who also penned Blade Runner and Minority Report.





24. Marie Antoinette

Director Sofia Coppola’s grossly under-appreciated film had audiences confused upon its release. Is it meant to be a serious attempt at a period epic, or merely a commentary on the current time in which we live? The answer, of course, is both. It is a well-known story of the past that is being told with the familiar language of the present.




23. The Painted Veil

A beautiful production that features a superb performance by Naomi Watts, The Painted Veil got lost in the crowded slate of late December releases. Sharp direction and a well-written script don’t hurt either, although the film loses some of its strength in the final half-hour.






22. Happy Feet

Happy Feet turned out to be the surprise animated hit of the year. Gorgeous animation, witty dialogue, a strong environmental message and even spiritual undertones combine to form a satisfying feature that has something for everyone. Plus, it seems that penguins are just “in” these days.





21. Notes on a Scandal

Director Richard Eyre and screenwriter Patrick Marber have adapted Zoe Heller’s pulpish novel and, inspired somewhat by the tense melodrama of daytime soap operas, created an effectively creepy thriller about a needy sociopath. Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett both act up a storm and have rarely been better.





THE RUNNERS UP

These films are almost a Top Ten in their own right in that many of them are a great deal better than last year’s Top Ten. Yet, for some reason or other, they just barely missed the final cut this year.

20. Blood Diamond

Like most of Edward Zwick’s films, Blood Diamond has a plot filled with masked contrivances, but it still delivers as a motion picture. Leonardo DiCaprio is the standout in his Oscar nominated role as a Rhodesian diamond smuggler, and the film’s cinematography ranks with the best of the year.





19. Pan’s Labyrinth

One of the most imaginative films in recent years, Pan’s Labyrinth combines the dark and brutal reality of the world around us with the awe and wonderment of fairy tales. It is a violent and heartbreaking picture—definitely not for children—and is made with beautiful precision by director Guillermo Del Toro.





18. Water

Set in the years just prior to India’s independence, Water tells the sad tale of several young widows who, due to their Hindu culture, are forced to remain unmarried and live ascetic lifestyles until they die. The movie stirred up a lot of controversy during its production, but has been justly rewarded with an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Film.




17. Curse of the Golden Flower

A grand epic in the vein of William Shakespeare, Curse of the Golden Flower radiates perfection in every frame. Not missing a single beat, director Zhang Yimou fashions a majestic picture that is filled with beauty, treachery and despair. The stunning visuals positively leap off of the screen.





16. Letters from Iwo Jima

Clint Eastwood’s second Iwo Jima film—leagues above Flags of Our Fathers—pacts a powerful punch and ended up knocking Dreamgirls out of the Best Picture lineup. For once the Academy did something right. This is a beautifully executed production and Ken Watanabe is unforgettable as the Japanese general who resigns his troops to a slaughter.



15. The Good Shepherd

The true epic of the year chronicles the birth of the CIA, as seen through the eyes of a reticent Yale graduate (Matt Damon) who begins working for OSS during World War II. The film follows him all the way to the 1960s, where he has grown into a cold and bitter CIA operative. This is a masterpiece of the genre that effectively analyzes the price one must pay in order to maintain a firm grasp on the world.



14. Brick

It was a daring move to set a murder mystery in a High School, using teenagers to act out the noir-ish narrative style of detective writers like Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. Fortunately, the film isn’t played out as a joke or as an homage, but takes itself dead seriously. It will likely emerge as a cult classic somewhere down the road.




13. United 93

Incomparably better than the other 9/11 movie released in 2006—the sluggish World Trade Center—United 93 is absolutely riveting cinema. Director Paul Greengrass assembles an impressive group of unknown actors to recreate the events of that horrific day, and the result is first rate, edge-of-your-seat drama.





12. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

Director Tom Tykwer has not only succeeded in filming a novel that was believed to be unfilmable, but he has done it with quality and passion. The most expensive film in German history, Perfume is one of the best looking pictures of 2006. The story will turn off about as many people as it attracts, but then again, the same was true of the book.



11. The Wind That Shakes the Barley

Director Ken Loach's gripping account of the birth of the Irish Republican Army is a harrowing film that follows two brothers (Cillian Murphy and Liam Cunningham) as they lead a rebellion against British authority. This gut-wrenching, all-too-realistic dramatization won the Palme d'Or at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.



And here we are:

THE TOP TEN FILMS OF 2006

10. The Last King of Scotland

A veteran of documentaries, director Kevin Macdonald (Touching the Void) absolutely nails his first narrative feature in which we follow the rise of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker, in the best performance of the year). James McAvoy is also excellent as the naïve Scottish doctor who is seduced by Amin’s charms, only to find that he is terrifyingly in over his head.



9. V for Vendetta

This film received a lot of praise upon its release but seemed to be forgotten by the year’s end. This is unfortunate because it is probably, to date, the best translation of a graphic novel to the screen. Natalie Portman does a solid job and Hugo Weaving is pitch-perfect as the story’s anti-hero. It’s a well-made film in every respect.




8. Casino Royale

Based on Ian Fleming’s original spy novel, Casino Royale is the first film in the Bond series to realize how the character is actually written. Daniel Craig makes a fantastic debut in this gritty, gadget-less entry that emphasizes character development over stunts. It’s the best one since On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.





7. The Fountain

Darren Aronofsky’s The Fountain was the most misconstrued film of the year. Those who professed that this complex love story could only be appreciated under some kind of drug induced state obviously refused to put in any rational effort. It has many possible explanations, which ultimately depend on what you bring to the table. It’s brilliant filmmaking that will hopefully be recognized in the future.



6. After the Wedding

Nominated for Best Foreign Film, After the Wedding is a riveting, character-driven melodrama that ranks with the best of Ingmar Bergman. Danish filmmaker Susanne Bier works with a superb cast (headed by Mads Mikkelsen) to bring us an ingeniously constructed tale that moves like an emotional freight train. You won't see the twists and turns in this one coming.



5. The Lives of Others

Set in East Germany, 1984, this film looks at the extreme lengths to which the Secret Police went in order to monitor and interrogate its questionable citizens. A respected playwright (Sebastian Koch) comes under suspicion of having anti-socialist sympathies and is soon placed under such surveillance. This is the best foreign film of the year.




4. The Departed

Martin Scorsese makes a triumphant return to the crime genre and delivers his most satisfying picture in years. Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon are excellent as a pair of moles working on either side of the law. The dialogue is sharp, the editing is second to none, and the camerawork, as it is with any Scorsese film, is outstanding. It is most certainly at home in the Best Picture category.



3. The Prestige

The Prestige isn't really about magic at all. Although the intricate plot is chiefly concerned with the disturbing feud that erupts between two rival magicians, the central theme is actually obsession. Both characters give up everything, including their humanity, through their efforts to constantly defeat each other. Shot and edited to perfection, this film actually makes you feel your brain cells working overtime.



2. The Queen

Even though much of the success of The Queen is due to the superb lead performance by Helen Mirren, the film does have a great deal more to offer. Director Stephen Frears has created a fascinating portrait of a woman caught between the modernizing world and her own traditions. Michael Sheen (robbed of an Oscar nom) is equally good in the role of Tony Blair, and the music by Alexandre Desplat is exemplary.



1. Children of Men

Children of Men is a cinematic masterpiece. Of all of the exceptional films released in 2006, this is perhaps the only one that will be remembered fifty years from now. The plot is deceptively simple, but as is the case with most science fiction tales, the themes it addresses are complex and thought provoking. Director Alfonso Cuaron guides the story and the actors with complete control, and it won’t be a stretch to assume that the cinematography will be analyzed by film students for years to come. A magnificent achievement.


And there it is. The best of the year, so says The Fish.