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Top 20 of 2006
Most critics seems to be looking back fondly on the films of 2006 now that it has come to an end, and I am certainly not going to argue. It’s been a promising year for cinema. Several filmmakers that already possessed freakishly large amounts of talent seem to be hitting their prime and veteran directors continue to prove their worth. The one thing that still fails to remain promising in my eyes is distribution, which is the primary reason that my list is not more expansive. For as many worthy films that I came up with, there were just as many films receiving lots of buzz and positive ink that I would have loved to take a look at. I hear lots of great things about a lot of the foreign films that were out in limited release, but I have no idea when I’ll get to see them. This is why my official favorites of the year list usually can’t be put together until about June. Even so, I think I did a fine job of hunting down some harder to see films and am glad to be able to include them on my list. Of all the films I missed out on, the one that bothers me the most is David Lynch’s Inland Empire. Now I know Lynch is distributing this himself so it must be difficult to get it into wide release, but come on already! Based on what I’ve read and my appreciation for Lynch’s work, I am almost certain this would have made it somewhere on the list, probably quite high in fact. Even though the films listed here represent the best of what I saw this past year, I seem to still be able to find flaws in a lot of them. Only a few have really been worthy of the praise they are receiving. Either way, they are still great achievements that have made this an exciting year to be a film lover. Anyway, with great apologies to Mr. Lynch, here are my top 20 films of the year, based on quality to some extent, but mostly on my own personal enjoyment.
20. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (Gore Verbinski)
Though flawed and way too long (it seems universally accepted that the cannibal island sequence was unnecessary) I can’t help but enjoy this film. It’s interesting how this wasn’t meant to be a trilogy, but they were able to take enough from the first film and use it to develop something larger in a believable way. This is a great example of a fun, action-packed blockbuster with stunning effects. Davy Jones is one of the best and creepiest villains to come around in a long time. The cliffhanger leaves plenty of room for an entertaining conclusion to the trilogy.
19. A Prairie Home Companion (Robert Altman)
I’m not trying to be sentimental by heaping praise on Altman because he passed away (ok, well maybe just a little bit, but not intentionally). This film would have probably made the list either way. An intimate, funny, and surprisingly haunting film about treating death as a celebration of life couldn’t possibly be a better final film for anyone to make. Bonus points for excellent references to The Great Gatsby and the funniest scene involving duct tape in recent memory.
18. Little Children (Todd Field)
Todd Field’s finely crafted film is highly ambitious and quite flawed at times, but manages to get by on excellent performances and solid directing. The narration gets in the way a bit at times near the beginning, but in some cases makes the film feel more like a novel (and I mean that in a good way). Winslett is tremendous as always and Patrick Wilson shows talent that was apparently in hiding when he was making The Phantom of the Opera. And who could’ve predicted that the kid that played Moocher in Breaking Away (Jackie Earle Haley) would grow up to give a performance as a pedophile that winds up being one of the most creepy and memorable of the year? An uneven, yet admirable effort from an interesting director that needs to work more often. I believe that Field has a truly remarkable film in him somewhere, but this one isn’t quite it.
17. Casino Royale (Martin Campbell)
Right up there with Pirates 2 as the best action blockbuster of the year, but this goes higher because I was surprised to enjoy it as much as I did. Daniel Craig is tremendous and I love the much needed reckless intensity he brought to the role. Eva Green follows up the acting promise she showed in The Dreamers, and manages to impress without taking her clothes off for half of the film. It drags a bit near the end, which I’ll just choose to blame on Paul Haggis – because someone needs to be blamed and he was credited as a writer on this (he must have just done a late polish). There are also some really excellent stylistic choices here, particularly the black and white opening and the use of overexposed lighting in the bathroom scene after Bond is poisoned. Great stuff and it gives every reason to believe that the next one in the series can be even better.
16. Brick (Rian Johnson)
Noted mostly for its quirky film noir in high school premise (which isn’t really that original, the TV show Veronica Mars used a similar concept before this came along), Brick is a stylish and enjoyable “detective” story from first time director Johnson. He effectively creates a unique world that functions as a sort of hyper-realistic version of modern teenage life while paying loving homage to the film noir genre. One’s enjoyment of the film depends heavily on whether or not you’re willing to buy into it. Joseph Gordon-Levitt gives a terrific lead performance. I still find the film’s unusual and haunting score getting stuck in my head from time to time.
15. The Prestige (Christopher Nolan)
It seems that a lot of people didn’t really care for this, but I’ll be damned if I wasn’t entertained throughout. Despite being a bit too dark at times, Nolan is without a doubt a gifted filmmaker, and his talent is very much on display here. Wally Pfister’s cinematography, which apparently relied heavily on natural and practical lighting sources, is some of the best work of the year. My only real problem was that the big twist could be seen coming from about a mile away, and when I thought there’d be more to it than I expected, there really wasn’t. But I’ve never been a huge believer in the idea that a clever plot twist can make or break a film, so it didn’t exactly ruin my overall enjoyment.
14. Marie Antoinette (Sofia Coppola)
Trashing this film seemed to be the hip thing to do upon its release, and I think most people unfairly focused too much on Coppola’s unique music choices. I didn’t think they worked all the time either, but a lot of the time they did. The trying on shoes montage set to “I Want Candy” should have been cut – the most blunt bit of satire in an otherwise subtle film. I happen to love the fact that this was wildly different from other period-piece films. It could be argued that the film spends too much time capturing the decadence, but that is the point. In the end, it’s a surprisingly humanistic coming of age story dealing with the trouble of facing responsibility. It can also work as a look at the ignorance of those in power that don’t deserve (or in this case, want) to be and how easily things can backfire – which I think is quite resonant in modern times.
13. The Proposition (John Hillcoat)
I’ve never been huge on Westerns, but Hillcoat’s Aussie outback tale, from a surprisingly good script by musician Nick Cave, is a riveting piece of cinema. The pacing is unusual, but effective. The violence is raw and bloody, but strangely poetic at times. And the performances by the likes of Ray Winstone, Guy Pearce, Danny Huston, and others are all top notch. Also, the exquisite cinematography captures the setting superbly, making the outback itself an important character in the story.
12. Inside Man (Spike Lee)
After a few stinkers this decade (25th Hour is a notable exception), Spike Lee surprised me earlier this year with a solid effort that seems like a typical genre pic on the surface, but turns out to be something entirely different. What makes it interesting (aside from all of the social commentary) is that those orchestrating the bank heist always seem to be in complete control, while the police on the outside seem to get further away from what is really happening as the story progresses. Excellent use is made of flash forward interrogation scenes that help effectively build towards the resolution. This one may have flown under the radar a bit earlier this year, but it’s definitely another worthy effort from Spike Lee.
11. Babel (Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu)
Definitely overrated by critics and Oscar forecasters, Babel is still a worthy addition to Inarritu’s oeuvre nonetheless. He and screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga deserve credit for pulling off their story on such an ambitious and global scale. As usual, everything is conveniently connected by coincidence, which is starting to get a bit annoying in films these days, but these guys seem to pull it off in a way that feels like it could actually happen anyway, even if it seems implausible when you think about it later on. Inarritu continues to prove that he is fantastic at getting excellent, emotionally rich performances out of actors regardless of whether or not they are big names (Pitt, Blanchett, Bernal) or complete unknowns (Rinko Kikuchi, those two Morrocan boys). Strong filmmaking puts Babel up there with some of the year’s best, but a surprisingly lacking script (considering their previous efforts) keeps it from being as amazing as everyone says it is.
10. Shortbus (John Cameron Mitchell)
Easily one of the most daring films of the year, Mitchell’s sophomore effort has caught a lot of flack for its use of actual sex. However, the sex scenes don’t come off as pornographic (not to me at least), but actually feel awkward and unusual, thus adding to the difficulty that these characters have in making a meaningful connection with each other. Despite the over the top sex scenes, this film really is about the difficulty of making deep, human connections. The story and characters were developed by Mitchell along with the actors in the film, most of whom were not professionals. This gives the film a loose, realistic feel and as a viewer, one becomes more caught up in the interactions between these characters instead of worrying about where the story is headed. The soundtrack is close to flawless and aids the film well, particularly a musical number finale (not as ridiculous as it might sound) that wraps the film up nicely. One of the most surprisingly poignant films of the year.
9. Little Miss Sunshine (Jonathon Dayton & Valerie Faris)
Count me among the side that loves this film. Ironically, the script (which frequently screams “first time screenwriter”) will probably be what garners all the end of the year awards. In my opinion, it’s the acting and directing that make up for the script’s deficiencies. I couldn’t help but find myself caught up in the dilemmas of the characters, especially the refreshingly dry Steve Carell and the always amazing Alan Arkin. Very funny throughout (especially the pageant at the end), yet able to balance in drama and a valid message (life is not a contest, just enjoy the experience) without being preachy or sappy.
8. A Scanner Darkly (Richard Linklater)
Linklater’s brilliant Philip K. Dick adaptation effectively blends intelligent, futuristic science fiction with the director’s trademark portraits of slackers hanging out and having funny conversations about nothing. The interpolated rotoscoping animation looks fantastic and suits the story extremely well without feeling like an experiment. The ideas in this film regarding surveillance resonate well because they aren’t too far off from actually happening. In a way, it’s already beginning to happen. All we need are the scramble suits. Another important film from a prolific modern director.
7. The Science of Sleep (Michel Gondry)
It was just a few months ago that this was my favorite of the year. Gondry’s imagination is on full display here, and that’s always good news to me. Some viewers may have been puzzled, but I found the occasional ambiguities of the film to be among its strong points. Since I already feel like I’m being long-winded with this list, let’s just link to my review if you feel like reading any other thoughts I had on this film.
6. Borat (Larry Charles)
Though it seems destined to become too popular for its own good (if it hasn’t already), Sacha Baron Cohen and Larry Charles have created one of the funniest, smartest, and most relevant satirical works in recent memory. Every lawsuit that gets aimed at Cohen only seems to further clarify the point of his character. It helps that Borat is funny even when it’s not trying to make some sort of social comment, but the idea would have fallen completely flat if Cohen didn’t have plenty to say about the prejudices of our society. He does, and it’s worth paying attention to.
5. Volver (Pedro Almodovar)
Volver (meaning “to return”) may not be a masterpiece like Talk to Her was, but it’s another moving film from Almodovar, who seems to be on a roll so far this decade. He has a lot to say here about the difficulty of dealing with the past and moving on in life. His tremendous cast (I guess Penelope Cruz can act) works wonders together and it’s refreshing to see a smart film about real women as opposed to the corny girl power romantic comedies we get over here in America. The scene where Cruz’s character pours her heart out via song as her mother, who has just come back from the dead, listens while hiding in a nearby car is one of the best and most heartbreaking cinematic moments of the year.
4. Half Nelson (Ryan Fleck)
It seems like an all too familiar set up at first. A young, idealistic white teacher (Ryan Gosling) working in an inner city school forms a bond with one of his students (Shareeka Epps). But this film doesn’t veer into cheesy inspirational territory. In fact, from the beginning it becomes clear that this is different when it’s learned that Gosling’s character is a recovering crack addict. When he realizes that one of his students (Epps) is spending too much time hanging around the guy he gets his fix from, he reaches out to her and tries to keep her away, all while dealing with putting his own messed up life back together. The film becomes a deep, yet simplistically executed character study. Also, it finds the time to show the poor state of the current educational system, which would rather follow useless curriculums than allow the teachers to find their own ways to challenge their students. Gosling gives one of the best performances of the year. His work is revelatory as a flawed, believable human being dealing with real issues and conflicts. My pick for best debut film of the year.
3. Stranger Than Fiction (Marc Forster)
I’m surprised that this one didn’t catch on quite as well as it should have. I enjoyed it from beginning to end. Will Ferrell’s performance is a much needed step forward in his career. If more “mainstream” Hollywood films were made like this, then people (i.e. – me) wouldn’t whine and complain about Hollywood so much. Most “professional” critics seem to refer to this as “Charlie Kaufman lite” (are they really that incapable of coming up with differing opinions?), but it’s really not very similar to Kaufman’s work at all, except that it has a “quirky premise.” Funny, witty, and well directed, with a tremendously satisfying ending, Stranger Than Fiction is a delightful film that deserves more credit.
2. The Departed (Martin Scorsese)
Scorsese returns to the crime genre that made him famous as if to say “this is how it’s done.” It may be a remake (or reimagining if you prefer) of Infernal Affairs, but when something is remade this well, I’m sure as hell not going to complain. I’d even argue that Scorsese outdoes Infernal Affairs, mostly because of his directing expertise and a great script by William Monahan that takes the time to flesh out the characters without bogging down the story. I had seen Infernal Affairs first, but while watching The Departed I got so caught up in it that I forgot about the twists that were coming and was still surprised by the way they were handled. Another great addition to Scorsese’s body of work and one of the few potential masterpieces of the year.
1. Children of Men (Alfonso Cuaron)
This is the one that completely blew me away. Now I know I’m prone to overstatement from time to time when I discuss films, but this is a flat out masterpiece – one of the best and most important films of the decade so far. Cuaron creates a terrifying and unrelenting view of a bleak future that is shockingly plausible. The characters are always shown in relation to the dystopian London setting, which becomes a character just as much as anyone else in the film. Clive Owen turns in a brilliantly nuanced performance, as does the rest of the cast, including newcomer Clare-Hope Ashitey as the girl holding the possible key to salvation.
I’ve always been a fan of Cuaron’s previous work, but he reaches a completely new level here. He takes a simple story and infuses it with great depth, emotion, and humanity. In addition to all of this, Cuaron and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki have achieved some of the most stunning camera work ever, pulling off mind blowing long takes that would make Andre Bazin and Orson Welles proud. In an interview on the Charlie Rose show, Cuaron stated that Lubezki made him promise never to reveal how they pulled off some of these takes, because it would take away too much from the experience. This is unfortunate, but the fact that we’ll never know for sure how they did it makes it even more impressive. Most importantly, their approach to these extended takes is always motivated and completely within reason. Form and content become inseparable, the sign of truly great directing. Children of Men is an uncompromising and unforgettable work of art that I will never forget.
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