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Best of 2006
2006 was a strange, but ultimately worthy year in film, one that fully revealed itself to be something special only towards the end. The fall/winter season is unfortunately when everything worthwhile is finally unveiled, the late rush for awards recognition. This year slowly progressed with mostly weak efforts until October, when the major studio and art films finally rolled out. As far as American film is concerned, the few stellar efforts don’t necessarily make up for a relatively lackluster year. Out of the four American studio produced films I have on my top ten, only two of them are actually directed by Americans. In comparison to a year like 2004, this one was seriously lacking in quality. However, international film more than made up for the lesser domestic efforts. Before I get into my list, allow me to explain what it entails. These are my ten favorite films of 2006, the films I enjoyed most. This list includes anything I saw in theaters, whether in regular theatrical release or festivals. I find each film to be particularly strong, especially the top five choices. I was surprised that I actually found it difficult to rank the films and even more difficult to come to a final decision on what would be included. I think that ultimately represents a noteworthy year for cinema.
Honorable Mentions
Bab’Aziz - A beautiful, poetic journey through Sufi culture - described by director Nacer Khemir as “the beating heart of Islam”. An old, blind dervish named Bab’Aziz travels across the desert with his granddaughter Ishtar to a magical Sufi celebration, meeting fellow wanderers along the way and listening to their stories. These stories are rich and moving, a contemplation of the soul and an exploration of the mystical and wondrous aspects of life from a fascinating culture. The film is enlightening and magical, warm and moving, elegant and spectacular. This was one of the great treats at AFI 2006.
Babel - Alejandro González Iñárritu’s highly ambitious and brilliant epic contains some of the best performances of the year in Rinko Kikuchi, Brad Pitt, and the two Moroccan boys. Wrenching and exhausting, Babel is the work of a skilled cinematic artist with depth and substance. The Japanese story is haunting and unforgettable, with one of the great moments in film this year at the nightclub. Iñárritu’s finest achievement yet.
Marie Antoinette - One of the most misunderstood and under-appreciated films of the year. Sofia Coppola is, simply put, one of my favorite filmmakers working today. Her sensibilities are fresh and original, her voice singular and profound. Marie Antoinette is her most visually assured work, graceful in its imagery and startling in its production values. The sets and costumes are beautiful, perfectly complimented by the exceptional cinematography. Coppola gives this film the stamp of a true visionary, yet another example of her talent and importance.
The Departed - This came extremely close to making my top ten. A very good Martin Scorsese film is usually a great film for most other filmmakers, so that ten other movies managed to top this for me is why I feel 2006 wound up being such a wonderful and rewarding year. The Departed is a blistering entertainment from Scorsese, the leanest and fiercest thriller he’s made since Cape Fear. The writing is sharp, the performances are phenomenal, and the editing is masterful. Leonardo DiCaprio proves once again why he’s the best actor of his generation, acting his heart out against the intimidating, instantly classic Jack Nicholson. A grand entertainment.
Top Ten Favorites
10. Casino Royale - Martin Campbell
It still surprises me that Casino Royale was so effortlessly successful in renewing the exhausted Bond franchise. To revitalize an ailing series with such intelligence, energy, and charisma is no small feat. Casino Royale is pure and sophisticated escapist entertainment. The filmmakers approached the material with the appropriate classical sensibilities, finally dismissing the exaggerated, nonsensical, and plain tedious direction the franchise had taken. Casino Royale establishes actual characters to invest in, most notably the iconic leading man. Bond is charming and sophisticated, but he’s also flawed and reckless. He’s dangerous and cold, but not impenetrable or invincible. The chair sequence with Le Chiffre (a great Mads Mikkelsen) is one of the best moments the franchise has seen. It’s been quite a while since the “event” film has been this exciting. And as I stated in my review, Daniel Craig is absolutely the best thing to happen to this character since Sean Connery retired the tux in 1971. Here’s hoping the next one is even better.
9. Volver - Pedro Almodovar
Penelope Cruz gives the absolute best performance of her career and the year in Almodovar’s beautiful, passionate drama. Cruz’s performance is so rich and deep and moving. Almodovar writes real, sexy women, and Cruz provides the exact personality necessary for the main role of a woman dealing with so many different obstacles in her life, whether it’s the ghostly reappearance of her mother, the troubles of her daughter, or the secrets of her past. Carmen Maura is excellent as Irene - Raimunda’s mother who’s come back from the dead to comfort her daughters and ask for forgiveness. Volver is hilarious, touching, and easily Almodovar’s most accessible film. His talent is on full display, in everything from the imagery to its themes. Raimunda’s song is one of the most powerful moments I experienced in cinema this year, a testament to Almodovar’s brilliant writing and Penelope Cruz’s magnificent performance. The sequence is sweet and nostalgic while being somber and emotional - further proof of Cruz’s vulnerability and power as a completely realistic and complex character. This is great acting and great cinema, easily one of the most enjoyable films of 2006.
8. The Lives of Others - Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Intellectual storytelling by an immensely talented debut filmmaker. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's remarkable political thriller is one of the great debuts of this decade, reminiscent of The Lost Honor of Katherina Blum in its acute and relevant themes. Tense and tragic, The Lives of Others is an extremely well-written thriller about people who refuse to conform against the harshest, cruelest, and deadliest circumstances during the GDR’s system of control in early 80’s East Germany. Ulrich Mühe is tremendous as the conflicted Stasi officer who leads a talented cast including the fantastic Sebastian Koch and Martina Gedeck. The dynamic between the three leads is particularly strong, developing into a nervous and suspenseful situation that concludes with considerable power. Donnersmarck paces the story with a lean and sophisticated structure, never overdoing the message or relying on convenient plotting. This is first-class, elegant filmmaking by someone who deserves wide recognition. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck has the gift.
7. Children of Men - Alfonso Cuarón
This compelling, engrossing futuristic drama marks the return of serious, provocative science-fiction. Alfonso Cuarón’s passionate direction gives Children of Men an urgency and relevance that instantly places it among the best, most important films of the year. This film is frightening, suspenseful, moving, and brilliantly crafted, eschewing the overly sentimental indulgences a lesser filmmaker might be inclined to present. Cuarón explores the nature of hope through a bleak, apocalyptic setting, maintaining a believable and often times brutally realistic tone throughout the entire picture. Children of Men is an ambitious, rather fearless vision from a filmmaker of tremendous skill. Thoughtful, sophisticated cautionary tales can be extremely affecting, and Cuarón makes his points heard loud and clear. Art is a reflection of who we are, and Children of Men’s potent sociopolitical commentary is not to be undermined. This is powerful, immediate storytelling that demands to be seen and pondered, a spectacular journey into the source of our greatest strength...... And I still have no idea how Cuarón staged many of those long, extended takes. Astonishing.
6. Inland Empire - David Lynch
The most fascinating and ingenious film I’ve seen in quite a while, Inland Empire is experimental and visionary, the work of a singular, brilliant mind at its most uncompromising and dazzling. David Lynch is a true original, never resorting to simplicity or predictability, insisting on pushing the boundaries and challenging the very nature of cinema. At three hours, Inland Empire is an exhausting work filled with layers of unhinged, peculiar, and extraordinary sensibilities. The experience is a bit maddening simply because it’s so loose and free, but the genius of it is too overwhelming to dismiss. Inland Empire is probably the best portrayal of a nightmare I’ve seen on film, using dream-logic more effectively than anyone has ever imagined. This is easily the least accessible film of the year, maybe the decade, but what Lynch accomplishes for those willing to take the ride is something new and profound. Laura Dern gives an incredible performance in the lead, plunging herself into material most actresses wouldn’t dare to touch. Her work is fairly astounding, especially in the second, completely lunatic second half. Lynch deserves applause for the sheer audacity of his vision here. This film is unlike anything I’ve seen.
5. Time - Kim Ki-duk
Time is one of the most unnerving, yet entertaining film experiences I had this year. One of the best films presented at AFI 2006, Kim Ki-duk’s bizarre, transfixing romantic thriller is effortless in its ability to shock and provoke. In many ways, Time is similar to the structure of Christopher Nolan’s The Prestige, following two characters and their intense, sickening obsession with each other. Ki-duk takes complex issues dealing with image, love, and the nature of sexual attraction, and places them in a delicate, rather simple cinematic structure. The obsession between the two lead characters goes back and forth, building to the inevitable, disturbing conclusion. This film sticks with you long after watching it, with specific images and moments that are impossible to shake. Ki-duk makes a particularly strong case for best filmmaker working in Asia, and Time is one of the best examples of his expert craft. Plus, the collective gasp from the audience I saw this with was one of the great moments I had in a theater this year. Excellent film.
4. The Prestige - Christopher Nolan
Christopher Nolan’s triumphant period thriller was one of the great surprises this year. Nolan has become the most exciting mainstream filmmaker working in Hollywood today, following the great Batman Begins with something darker, more complex, and daring. The Prestige is an atmospheric thriller about cold and distant characters who inflict pain because of a bitter, cruel rivalry. This is a tragedy of evil men who ruin everything and everyone in their path for success, a character study of the terrible extents to which a person will reach in order to fulfill their darkest, most despicable needs. That Christopher Nolan presents these themes in such an entertaining and engaging form is the ultimate trick of his achievement. The twists and turns are the misdirection, the evil of the characters and story is the core. The Prestige is not necessarily a pleasant experience, but Nolan’s determination to explore the essence of evil with such complexity and depth is what makes the film so impressive and memorable. Christian Bale’s performance is his best, switching between two brilliant, but troubled individuals. The apathetic and sullen tone of the film is understandably not for everyone, but the film’s gripping storyline and unusual characters kept me on the edge of my seat. This is the second consecutive year that Nolan’s work has made my end of the year list. 2008 can’t get here soon enough.
3. The Good Shepherd - Robert De Niro
I find it amazing and inspiring that Robert De Niro brought forth the best American film of 2006. He hasn’t directed a film in over a decade, his acting career has pretty much reached its end, and yet here at this late stage in his career, De Niro suddenly returns with a work of tremendous artistic depth, reminding us all of his importance. The Good Shepherd is a sharp, intellectual entertainment layered with fascinating content and nuanced characters. As I stated in my review, The Good Shepherd is a a quietly elegant film that builds to an epic, operatic depth unseen in most contemporary American films. De Niro’s work is so careful, so subtle, so professional. The film’s emotional climax is terrifying and disheartening, but the depth it reaches is beyond anything that’s been done in American film this year. I ended my review by saying, “This is great material elevated to high art, a stunning achievement for one of the most important figures in the last thirty years of cinema.” I think that’s the best way I can describe my admiration for this film.
2. Curse of the Golden Flower - Zhang Yimou
Zhang Yimou’s exquisitely crafted period epic is perhaps my favorite of his films. Curse of the Golden Flower is a towering work of art, further demonstration of Zhang Yimou’s impeccable craft. It’s an understatement to call this a beautifully shot film. The imagery in Curse of the Golden Flower is astonishing in a way that only Zhang Yimou understands how to present. The meticulous attention to detail in everything from costumes, to sets, to visual effects is staggering. This is old-fashioned Zhang Yimou, reminiscent of Raise the Red Lantern in its slower, more delicate pacing. The film builds to an operatic conclusion that simply dwarfs most epics. The scope of Curse of the Golden Flower is quite remarkable - a level few filmmakers have achieved in recent years. This is grandiose cinematic art by one of the best filmmakers in the world. It amazes me that Zhang Yimou is so prolific, and the world of film is all the better for it.
1. Days of Glory - Rachid Bouchareb
The best war film since The Thin Red Line and my favorite film of 2006. This exceptionally powerful drama about the North African Muslims that fought with the French during World War II is grand, classical filmmaking. The last thirty minutes displays the most visceral direction I’ve seen since Munich - a nervous, desperate, and ugly defense that feels incredibly real and horrifying. The cast won the best ensemble award at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, and not enough can really be said about their work. These are great performances by extremely talented actors, especially Sami Bouajila in the lead role. Days of Glory is beautiful and tragic, riveting and emotional. This is the first film I’ve seen by writer/director Rachid Bouchareb, but now I’m more than eager to see his other work. This is how it’s done. Amazing film.
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