Top Ten Films of 2006
With the Academy Awards airing this Sunday, that means it's time once again for my top 10 movies list from this past year. This year in particular was possibly the most difficult to judge because of the caliber of the films I saw this year. Movies I thought would end up in the top ten earlier in the year have fallen out of the top fifteen. Some of the rankings seem arbitrary since it's difficult to compare two completely different films, but that's what I'm here for and so let's get to it. To change it up a bit this year, these are the movies that almost made it into the top 10:
15. For Your Consideration
14. Thank-You For Smoking
13. Borat
12. The Pursuit of Happyness
11. A Prairie Home Companion
Now on to final list.
10. Venus
Plot Summary: An old man on his way out of life has one last go with youth as he looks after his friend’s grandniece and tries to relive his vicarious youth.
What It Teaches Us: That of the dirty old men out there, Peter O’Toole is the dirtiest old man. Also, it’s easy to get your way if you just toss an old guy a bone or two.
Memorable Moment: Maurice: For most men, the woman's body is the most beautiful thing they will ever see. Jessie: What's the most beautiful thing a girl sees? Do you know? Maurice: Her first child
9. The Last King of Scotland
Plot Summary: A young Scottish doctor becomes the official doctor for dictator Idi Amin.
What It Teaches Us: Stay away from crazy! When people mysteriously start disappearing and your increasingly bipolar employer keeps throwing expensive free stuff your way to deflect questions, you should probably leave immediately.
Memorable Moment: The slow decline in mental health you see in the portrayal of Amin. It’s remarkable how you feel at the end after wondering at the beginning how he could turn insane.
8. Brick
Plot Summary: A high school film noir story of the search for a missing girl and the mysteries behind it. The dialogue itself could be out of a Philip Marlowe story.
What It Teaches Us: That adults don’t exist in the lives of teens these days. I only recall seeing two adults throughout the entire movie – the vice-principal and one parent. Total combined screen time roughly 7 minutes. It also shows how much high school has changed in the past 5 years. They also talk really weird these days.
Memorable Moment: The end when the femme-fatal is exposed in a big way.
7. Wordplay
Plot Summary: Documentary around crossword puzzles as it follows competitors in the national crossword puzzle competition.
What It Teaches Us: That everyone in the movie is smarter than you. Yes, even you!
Memorable Moment: The final competition when one contestant turns from joyous celebration to horrified tragedy when certain victory ends in bitter defeat.
6. Dreamgirls
Plot Summary: Musical about the evolution of three pop singers through the 60s/70s on their quest to become pop stars. Little do they realize from the onset that soon they would become – Dreamgirls!
What It Teaches Us: Sometimes, the best arguments are made through song. It also teaches us that as an audience member, it’s okay to applaud after each song, even if they can’t hear you (because it’s a movie). Also, when the cast waves to the camera, it’s only polite to wave back. Somehow, I felt sorry for the lady sitting next to me.
Memorable Moment: I’d like to believe that somewhere out there that lady is still waving at her Dreamgirls.
5. Pan’s Labyrinth
Plot Summary: During the revolution in Spain, the young stepdaughter of a sadistic army general escapes into a fantasy world reminiscent of “Spirited Away” or any Zelda/Final Fantasy game. As the movie goes on, the real and fantasy worlds play off each other.
What It Teaches Us: When a magical faun tells you to do something in a magical world, you better do it or be willing to face the consequences. If you don’t want a palm-eyed baby-eating monster to come after you, then maybe you should think twice before stealing his grapes.
Memorable Moment: I can’t believe they showed him sewing up his own mouth wound!
4. The Queen
Plot Summary: Following the death of Princess Diana, the Queen must deal with a new prime minister and a commonwealth anxious for a response.
What It Teaches Us: Sometimes it’s good to be the Queen – you get to tell people what to do and you own lots of castles, cars and dogs. But then again sometimes it’s bad to be the Queen, when millions of people hate you. Oh who cares what they think anyway, they’re just peasants.
Memorable Moment: The stag was the most iconic image of the movie, but equally as memorable are the performances of both Helen Mirren and Michael Sheen.
3. The Departed
Plot Summary: An Irish mob has informants in the police and the police have informants in the mob. It’s a chess match between both sides trying to catch the other in the act of betrayal.
What It Teaches Us: No one is as they appear to be. Everyone is a spy and in the end, they will most likely end up dead. If you’re Martin Scorsese, stick with what you know best: mob films with lots of violence and swearing.
Memorable Moment: Oliver Queenan: You're rising up fast. Dignam: Yeah, like a 12-year-old's dick.
2. Children of Men
Plot Summary: In the future women have stopped becoming pregnant and as a result the world dives into a paranoid, mass-hysteric, misanthropic society.
What It Teaches Us: You have three years to get pregnant before babies start becoming extinct. After that, all sex will be safe sex. The future looks mighty bleak so start enjoying your life now!
Memorable Moment: Any of the long, continuous shots throughout the movie that were just amazingly choreographed and coordinated.
1. Little Miss Sunshine
Plot Summary: A little girl enters in a beauty pageant and needs to get to California to compete. Mayhem ensues and in the end, it’s important that family sticks together.
What It Teaches Us: That some parents will ultimately make their children hideous in order to compete in a “beauty” pageant. Also that I’m a loser bringing these winners down with my sarcasm.
Memorable Moment: Olive: I'd like to dedicate this to my grandpa, who showed me these moves. Pageant MC: Aww, that is so sweet. [Audience applauds] Is he here? Where's your grandpa right now? Olive: In the trunk of our car.
There they are this past year's top films. Any debate?
15. For Your Consideration
14. Thank-You For Smoking
13. Borat
12. The Pursuit of Happyness
11. A Prairie Home Companion
Now on to final list.
10. Venus
Plot Summary: An old man on his way out of life has one last go with youth as he looks after his friend’s grandniece and tries to relive his vicarious youth.
What It Teaches Us: That of the dirty old men out there, Peter O’Toole is the dirtiest old man. Also, it’s easy to get your way if you just toss an old guy a bone or two.
Memorable Moment: Maurice: For most men, the woman's body is the most beautiful thing they will ever see. Jessie: What's the most beautiful thing a girl sees? Do you know? Maurice: Her first child
9. The Last King of Scotland
Plot Summary: A young Scottish doctor becomes the official doctor for dictator Idi Amin.
What It Teaches Us: Stay away from crazy! When people mysteriously start disappearing and your increasingly bipolar employer keeps throwing expensive free stuff your way to deflect questions, you should probably leave immediately.
Memorable Moment: The slow decline in mental health you see in the portrayal of Amin. It’s remarkable how you feel at the end after wondering at the beginning how he could turn insane.
8. Brick
Plot Summary: A high school film noir story of the search for a missing girl and the mysteries behind it. The dialogue itself could be out of a Philip Marlowe story.
What It Teaches Us: That adults don’t exist in the lives of teens these days. I only recall seeing two adults throughout the entire movie – the vice-principal and one parent. Total combined screen time roughly 7 minutes. It also shows how much high school has changed in the past 5 years. They also talk really weird these days.
Memorable Moment: The end when the femme-fatal is exposed in a big way.
7. Wordplay
Plot Summary: Documentary around crossword puzzles as it follows competitors in the national crossword puzzle competition.
What It Teaches Us: That everyone in the movie is smarter than you. Yes, even you!
Memorable Moment: The final competition when one contestant turns from joyous celebration to horrified tragedy when certain victory ends in bitter defeat.
6. Dreamgirls
Plot Summary: Musical about the evolution of three pop singers through the 60s/70s on their quest to become pop stars. Little do they realize from the onset that soon they would become – Dreamgirls!
What It Teaches Us: Sometimes, the best arguments are made through song. It also teaches us that as an audience member, it’s okay to applaud after each song, even if they can’t hear you (because it’s a movie). Also, when the cast waves to the camera, it’s only polite to wave back. Somehow, I felt sorry for the lady sitting next to me.
Memorable Moment: I’d like to believe that somewhere out there that lady is still waving at her Dreamgirls.
5. Pan’s Labyrinth
Plot Summary: During the revolution in Spain, the young stepdaughter of a sadistic army general escapes into a fantasy world reminiscent of “Spirited Away” or any Zelda/Final Fantasy game. As the movie goes on, the real and fantasy worlds play off each other.
What It Teaches Us: When a magical faun tells you to do something in a magical world, you better do it or be willing to face the consequences. If you don’t want a palm-eyed baby-eating monster to come after you, then maybe you should think twice before stealing his grapes.
Memorable Moment: I can’t believe they showed him sewing up his own mouth wound!
4. The Queen
Plot Summary: Following the death of Princess Diana, the Queen must deal with a new prime minister and a commonwealth anxious for a response.
What It Teaches Us: Sometimes it’s good to be the Queen – you get to tell people what to do and you own lots of castles, cars and dogs. But then again sometimes it’s bad to be the Queen, when millions of people hate you. Oh who cares what they think anyway, they’re just peasants.
Memorable Moment: The stag was the most iconic image of the movie, but equally as memorable are the performances of both Helen Mirren and Michael Sheen.
3. The Departed
Plot Summary: An Irish mob has informants in the police and the police have informants in the mob. It’s a chess match between both sides trying to catch the other in the act of betrayal.
What It Teaches Us: No one is as they appear to be. Everyone is a spy and in the end, they will most likely end up dead. If you’re Martin Scorsese, stick with what you know best: mob films with lots of violence and swearing.
Memorable Moment: Oliver Queenan: You're rising up fast. Dignam: Yeah, like a 12-year-old's dick.
2. Children of Men
Plot Summary: In the future women have stopped becoming pregnant and as a result the world dives into a paranoid, mass-hysteric, misanthropic society.
What It Teaches Us: You have three years to get pregnant before babies start becoming extinct. After that, all sex will be safe sex. The future looks mighty bleak so start enjoying your life now!
Memorable Moment: Any of the long, continuous shots throughout the movie that were just amazingly choreographed and coordinated.
1. Little Miss Sunshine
Plot Summary: A little girl enters in a beauty pageant and needs to get to California to compete. Mayhem ensues and in the end, it’s important that family sticks together.
What It Teaches Us: That some parents will ultimately make their children hideous in order to compete in a “beauty” pageant. Also that I’m a loser bringing these winners down with my sarcasm.
Memorable Moment: Olive: I'd like to dedicate this to my grandpa, who showed me these moves. Pageant MC: Aww, that is so sweet. [Audience applauds] Is he here? Where's your grandpa right now? Olive: In the trunk of our car.
There they are this past year's top films. Any debate?
posted by Chris Burzlaff @ 2/22/2007
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