Superheroes, Dancing Penguins and Magicians: The Top 10 Best Films of 2006
Jun 16 '08
The Bottom Line Generally the year was very mediocre. However, the few films that were good were amazing and some of my all-time favourites came out this year.
Overall 2006 was a mediocre year for movies. Most of the movies I saw managed to be slightly entertaining, but nothing exceptional. However, when there was a good movie, it was simply amazing. Four films this year have launched themselves into my all time favourites and there were a handful of other good ones as well. They came in all different genres; horror, comedy, fantasy, children's, action and drama all made their way onto my list.
I do realize that this list is about a year and half late. This is because I've been trying to watch as many 2006 movies as possible, so this list truly is the best of the best (in my opinion of course). Feel free to voice your opinion on it, whether I emitted any good movies or whether any of the movies on my list were there undeservingly.
TOP FILMS OF 2006
10. X-Men: The Last Stand – The third and final film in the X-Men trilogy got trashed by critics and fans alike, more-so because Brett Ratner was helming it, rather than anything to do with it’s cinematic merits. As it stands, X-Men: The Last Stand has the most complex and thought-provoking plot of the three, focusing on the prejudice the mutant community faces when a cure is developed for them. What makes this stand out from other superhero films is that while it doesn’t skimp on the action and carnage, the characters and story are still well developed, and not simply an excuse to showcase some special effects.
9. Night at the Museum – An extremely fun children’s film in which Ben Stiller plays a Security guard at a museum where the exhibits come to life at night. What makes the film such a joy is its refusal to throw in cheap gags or juvenile humor, unlike most other children’s films these days. It’s a throwback to the old-fashioned children films they don’t make anymore; the ones where imagination and creativity where paramount and both kids and adults could enjoy.
8. Idiocracy – Fox dumped this comedy from Mike Judge, the creator of King of the Hill, with absolutely no marketing or promotion. There wasn’t even a poster designed before the theatrical run. It’s a shame, because Idiocracy is one of the best comedies of the year. The film follows an average Joe, who is cryogenically frozen and awakes in the future to find that he is now the smartest man alive and that America has decreased into a nation of complete morons. There’s plenty of jokes at the expense of the American’s idiocy (using a Gatorade-type drink to water plants), but there’s also a lot of intelligent social commentary on American society. The scary part is half of the idiotic stuff in the film (a Television show called “Ow, my balls!”) doesn’t seem too far off from our current society.
7. Happy Feet – A beautiful and touching story about a penguin who likes to dance, and the journey he goes on in a quest to save his kind when faced with the damage done by humans. The CG-animation is the top of the cream, but the movie succeeds based on the lovable characters, inventive musical numbers and all around creativity. The idea of dancing and singing penguins hasn’t been done before and could’ve come across as hokey, but director George Miller really makes it work. While there is a dearth of laughs, especially for a children’s film, Happy Feet is definitely the best animated feature of the year.
6. The Illusionist – The stunning and beautiful tale of an 18th century magician who goes up against royalty and the law in his quest to regain the love of his life. Definitely one of the more mysterious movies of the year and it will keep you guessing till the very end. There’s the right mix of suspense, romance, drama and mystery and the technical aspects (particularly the cinematography) are simply amazing.
5. Casino Royale – I’ve never been a fan of the cheesy, hyper-stylized James Bond flicks, in which the secret agent began driving around in invisible cars and other things of the sort. Casino Royale is the complete opposite, a James Bond film more grounded in reality. It’s gritty, brutal and has some of the best action scenes of any film for the past few years. Daniel Craig makes James Bond a more complex and real character, one we actually care for, and there’s more heart and emotion in this than any of the recent Pierce Brosnan efforts, as well as the right amount of black humor. One can tell that having the film written by Academy-award nominated director Paul Haggis really benefited it, as he understands how to make a “fun” film, as well as a “good” one.
4. The Hills Have Eyes – No other horror film in 2006 had as much of an impact as this remake of the 1970’s classic by Wes Craven. French director Alexandre Aja, who previously helmed the horror masterpiece High Tension, manages to improve on the original, which is a rare case for remakes. The movie has a slow-buildup, letting the audience get a feel for the characters, before completely unleashing the most terrible circumstances on them, ranging from torture to rape to cold-blooded murder. Aja knows how to create old-fashioned suspense along with all the brutality, which really makes this film one of the more horrifying of the year. A movie about cannibalistic mutants hiding out in the dessert could have been cheesy as hell; instead, it made my own friend afraid to walk home alone that night.
3. Borat – Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen brings one of his funniest characters from his hit show “Da Ali G Show” to the big screen. Shot in a documentary style and disguised as Borat, an anti-Semitic, racist, sexist and homophobic Kazakhstan news reporter, Cohen manages to infuriate dozens of unsuspecting people in his road trip across the U.S, while revealing the bigotry and racism of many American citizens. It’s the funniest movie of the year. I laughed from start to finish, although the easily-offended need not watch.
2. The Prestige – A masterpiece, plain and simple. The film takes place in the 18th century, where two magicians working together start a rivalry, with the stakes getting higher and higher as each of them bring it to the next level. The audience never knows where the story’s going, and when they think they do, the film turns 180 degrees in the other direction. The story is incredibly complex, imaginative and detailed, truly transcending any one genre, and it’s not till the end that the sheer brilliance behind it is revealed. Featuring stunning performances from the likes of Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman and David Bowie (!), as well as masterful direction from one of cinemas recent best directors, Christopher Nolan, The Prestige is easily one of the best films of the year and one of my personal favourites.
1. Pan’s Labyrinth – It really is a crime that this Spanish film lost in the Best Foreign Film category at the Oscars (although I admit I didn’t see the winner). Pan’s Labyrinth is a beautiful fairy tale, a combination of war-time drama and fantasy, as well as mixing in some elements of horror. The fantasy world director Guillermo Del Toro has created is one of the most bizarre, strangely-beautiful fantasy worlds in any film I’ve seen, while the dramatic elements, involving a young girl living with a General during the Spanish Civil War, are some of the most heart wrenching and horrific in any film in recent years. It’s this mix of the two genres, that compliment and contrast each other particularly well, which really sets this movie apart from other fantasy’s or dramas.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Little Man – I’ll probably get a lot of flak for including this on my list, even if it is just in the honorable mentions. I’m sure the few people on my “Trust List” are already considering deleting themselves. However, I’m a fan of all the Wayans Brothers past movies and Little Man was in line with some of their funnier efforts. While it was juvenile and idiotic, it still managed to deliver plenty of laughs, in a retarded, stupid sort of way. A midget poses as a baby so he can infiltrate a couple’s house and steal a jewel: lots of gags involving breast-feeding and diapers ensue, including one demented (but funny) instance where said midget-baby makes love to the female half of the couple. What can I say, it's not very intelligent, but it is funny.
Superman Returns – While this reboot of the Superman films could’ve used a lot more action and not as much cheese, it still stood out from most other action flicks this year due to its emotional core, fascinating visuals, dark humor and an amazingly fun turn as Lex Luther, from the always great Kevin Spacey. I’ve never been a fan of the all too perfect Superman, but this movie was only a hair away from a spot on my Top 10.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning – Going into this, the general reaction seemed to be horror fans either loved or hated this movie. I fell somewhere in between, although leaning more towards the former. While it’s got practically the same plot as the last 5 Texas Chainsaw Massacre films, it still managed to be one of the more brutal and disturbing movie experiences of the year. My eyes were shut for a good portion of the scenes involving the chainsaw and I left the theatre feeling dirty, which is how a good horror film should make you feel.
Final Destination 3 – The Final Destination movies serve one purpose, and that is to show annoying teenagers dismembered in incredibly odd and inventive fashions. Final Destination 3 succeeds on the series mantra, providing a good two hours of death by nail gun, tanning beds and a roller coaster ride. It’s an enjoyable way to kill some time if you’re more in touch with your macabre side.
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