Top 10 Movies of 2006

Well another year has gone by, and not much has changed except that I’ve seen a whole lot more movies than I had 12 months ago. The first half of 2006 had its share of disappointments, but the latter 6 months proved that good things come to those who wait. As always I didn’t get to see everything I wanted to, so the following list is subject to change (I saw my favorite film of 2005, Munich, 2 weeks after making my top ten list last year), but of the 40 movies I saw this year, these were the cream of the crop.

Honorable Mention: The Wire
I’m not really one for honorable mentions, and rest assured that the only reason I’m making an exception for The Wire instead of putting it at the top of the list with a #1 next to it is because it is a TV show. Simply put, season 4 of The Wire is both the highest achievement in filmed entertainment of 2006 and the greatest season of television ever produced. I know this is high praise, and I know us Wire-fanatics can be annoying with our overwhelming love for the show, but it’s 100% deserved. I have never in my life felt more personally invested in fictional characters than I did with the 4 Baltimore 8th graders who were the focus of this season. When one of them achieves a small victory you feel it yourself, and when one suffers a crushing defeat you feel that too. There’s a scene near the end of the season where a character takes out his frustration by beating the hell out of his steering wheel, and I could only laugh because I had done the same thing to my sofa cushion minutes earlier. Believe the hype on this one folks. You’ve never seen television like this before.

10 Borat: Cultural Learnings of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
In 20 years 2006 will be remembered for 2 things: pirates (more on them in a bit) and Borat. More than just a movie, Sacha Baron Cohen’s horny, racist reporter from Kazakhstan became a full blown pop-culture phenomenon. It’s not hard to see why though, as the film is one of the funniest and most thought-provoking comedies in a decade or more. Many comedies claim to push the envelope with shocking humor you’ll have to see to believe, but Borat actually delivered with scenes that this jaded movie-goer could not believe they got away with.

9 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
I’m not sure how many people reading this list have actually seen this one. If this movie slipped under your radar though, I’d recommend checking it out. In all seriousness, the film wasn’t perfect (I personally could have done without the whole island natives sequence), but it was definitely the best of this year’s summer blockbusters. The scenes of the Kraken’s attacks were some of the most stunning action sequences I’ve ever seen, and Davey Jones is easily one of the most impressive CG creations to date. I know a lot of people are getting sick of all the sequels these days (though box office receipts suggest otherwise), but if they continue to make them as quality as PotC, I say keep ‘em coming.

8 The Science of Sleep
Michel Gondry is kind of a weird guy, but he makes some great, quirky films. His last effort, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is one of my all time favorites, so I was interested to see how he followed that one up, although I knew a big piece of the puzzle was missing in the form of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman. Turns out I didn’t have anything to worry about though, as The Science of Sleep ended up being every bit as funny and touching as I’d hoped. I was also very impressed with the star, Gael Garcia Bernal (who I believe is the only actor to appear in 2 films on this list). Like Jim Carrey in Eternal Sunshine, he plays a character with plenty of flaws, but you can’t help but understand what he’s going through and root for the guy. Much as I loved it, the film isn’t for everyone, but if you’re up for a strange and challenging film, Science of Sleep definitely fits the bill.

7 Casino Royale
I’ve been a fan of James Bond movies since I was 12, but somewhere over the years I lost interest in the series aside from occasionally revisiting the Connery originals. Casino Royale reminded me what was so great about those films, and why the post Connery installments didn’t quite measure up. The film has its share of action movie spectacle with sequences that should excite any action junkie, but it’s the suspense and intrigue that sets Casino Royale out from the Bond pack. There were scenes that made me sit up and go “That’s why it would be so cool to be a spy!”, as well as the series’ most cringe-worthy torture scene since Goldfinger’s laser. And of course no Bond movie would be complete without the Bond-girl. Eva Green is gorgeous as expected, but she also adds more to the movie as a character than any Bond-girl I can remember. If they can keep the series at this level for future installments, consider me very happy to be a Bond-fan again.

6 Brick
Over the past year or so I’ve gotten very into film noir (Thank you Frank Miller), which is a genre that I couldn’t explain if I tried, but if you watch Brick, I think you’ll walk away with a good idea. Pretty much every trademark of noir is present in the film, except in this case it’s set in a contemporary high school. The film stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, whom you might remember from 3rd Rock From the Sun. He’s come a long way since those days, knocking out several indie performances in the last few years. The guy has obvious talent and I expect him to blow up in a big way in the near future. And if you’re not interested yet, I should mention that it has Tavon from FX’s The Shield in it.

5 The Proposition
I’m not generally a big western guy, but there are some big exceptions including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Deadwood, Unforgiven, and Once Upon a Time in the West. Well you can add the Proposition to that exclusive list. The film set in the Australian outback is absolutely brutal. It starts out very slow, but that just makes it all the more shocking when the blood and guts start flying. You don’t see a lot of movies like this anymore, but I’m glad they’re still making them.

4 Children of Men
Now THIS is what I’d like to see more of in Hollywood, a completely original science fiction movie that spends less time throwing special effects at you and more time making you think. While so many movies struggle to accomplish one theme, Children of Men creates an effective cautionary vision of the future, a message of hope, and a window to the world around us by holding a mirror up to ourselves. The film comes from director Alfonso Cuaron whom I’ve been singing the praises of since his addition to the Harry Potter series in 2004. Seems I picked the right horse to bet on, because the film is beautiful to look at, but you’re so drawn in by the story the first time around that you need to watch it a second time just to see the amazing filmmaking on display.

3 Babel
I frequently have trouble getting into ensemble films because you are given so little time to connect with the characters and often there’s 1 or 2 standout storylines that you wish were on screen whenever they focus on the others. Thankfully that does not happen with Babel. There are 4 (or 3 depending on who you ask) parallel stories that are equally compelling, and the acting is stellar across the board (particularly Brad Pitt who gives a career-best performance). There was no point during the film where I found myself wishing that they’d cut back to another character, and that is no easy feat. Another thing that separates Babel from other ensemble pictures is how hard it is to nail down the theme of the film. When you see it you have an understanding of what ties the stories together but explaining it is another matter entirely. A far cry from simply going “This movie’s about x”.

2 The Departed
Here’s a movie that I can’t imagine anyone not liking. Martin Scorcese is one of my top 3 favorite directors ever, and I consider The Departed one of his best films (yes, I’d even rate it above Goodfellas). There were a lot of movies this year with all-star casts, but The Departed tops them all, with every single major actor in the film absolutely killing whenever they’re on screen. Are you a Leonardo DiCaprio fan? You have to see this movie. A Mark Wahlberg fan? You have to see this movie. Jack Nicholson fan? See this movie. Perhaps the best thing about the film though is that at its heart it’s really just a popcorn crime thriller. The movie sets out to do one thing, and that is entertain. I can’t think of another movie I saw this year that I had as much fun watching.

1 United 93
I know most people really don’t like the idea of a movie about the tragedy of 9/11, and when these films were first announced, I was in the same boat as you. Then I saw United 93 (not Flight 93 which was a made for TV movie) opening weekend in Times Square, and I can honestly say it was one of the most surreal experiences of my life. Check any preconceived notions you have at the door. There is nothing manipulative or exploitative about this film. It is simply a reminder of one of the greatest acts of heroism of the 21st century with a finale that is one of the most inspiring movie-moments I’ve ever seen. It’s not an easy film to watch, but if you are an American or a lover of film or both, you owe it to yourself to see it.