Allright, so it's not really a "Best of 2006" list, but here is my list of favourite films of the past year. 2006 saw my decreasing ability to get to films in the theatre continue. With the demands of full-time work and family, it's very, very difficult to get out to movies in the theatre (where they should be seen, of course), but the initiation of a 'movie club' based on the book club or reading group model has had some success in increasing theatrical film visits. The idea was for a group of friends to once a month go to a movie and go out after to discuss the film. The planets have aligned only once for all of us to be there, and we've missed a couple of months, but it has worked fairly well so far.
Last year also continued my renting DVDs online with Zip.ca, which has given me access to an amazingly large DVD rental library and ensures that Blockbuster never sucks any money out of my wallet again. I recommend it for all film buffs who have similar frustrations with the lousy, esurient video stores that stock 200 copies of Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and bugger all else.
Anyway, enough of my preamble blather; these are the films I saw theatrically that I liked the best in 2006, in alphabetical order (drum roll):
Casino Royale--Within mere moments of screen time, Daniel Craig owns the role of Ian Fleming's James Bond, and the 21st 007 film recaptures the literary spirit of the Bond novels to a degree unprecedented since 1969. Bold, dramatic, well-acted, and intensely exciting, Casino Royale is easily the most engaging, entertaining action thriller of the year.
The Departed--Martin Scorcese's return to Mean Streets territory crackles with energy and creativity, is low on bombast, and boasts a compelling plot and superb acting.
The Fountain--An intensely moving fantasy/fable of the search for eternal life and an intimate, time-spanning intertwining of three stories, Darren Aronofsky's film is so beautiful it feels like it was forged in the heart of a star.
Miami Vice--Michael Mann reworks the 80s cheesefest into a lean, edgy, ceruleun adult thriller that shows the dangerous world of undercover police work in convincing detail.
The Prestige--Director Christopher Nolan makes the wait for his second Batman film less painful with this glorious, literary period revenge drama and gothic meditation on the meaning of real magic.
United 93--An astonishing blend of fact/fiction filmmaking, the final moments of this film are among the tensest ever committed to film. Paul Greengrass' docudrama leaves you shaken to the core.
V for Vendetta--In an era of bland CGI action films, it is refreshing to see an overtly political action thriller that captures the zeitgeist and challenges the viewer to ponder the meaning of terrorism and political thought control.
This is the list, lacking a couple of films I thought would make it but have yet to open in this neck of the theatrical releasing backwoods (which, in Canada, means anywhere outside Toronto or Montreal). Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men and Guillermo Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth look amazing; hopefully 2007 brings those and many other worthy films.
Let me know your thoughts. What did you like best in 2006?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
I didn't see everything on your list (United 93 is one that I really want to see), but I certainly agree with Casion Royale and The Departed. Probably the best time I had at the movies was watching Borat: it was a brilliantly funny and damning expose of latent racism and bigotry. I laughed more at that movie than any I've probably seen, but it was actually pretty disturbing and edgy if you went back and thought about it.
Post a Comment