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| 2006: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Home Back |
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| YEAR IN | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 10. The Proposition- “The Proposition” feels like John Ford took a hit of acid and decided to make a movie. It’s the type of film that conveys influence of past movies and directors, but somehow transcends cliché and becomes all its own. It’s beautifully photographed, well-acted, and despite graphic, graphic violence, tastefully directed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 9. The Prestige- Chris Nolan’s decadent study of betrayal and rivalry paints a grid of parallels and illusions – both magic and cinematic – against a background of tightly woven visuals. If you let it, “The Prestige” will not only surprise you, it’ll stir up liberating debates as to how you got so fooled. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8. A Prairie Home Companion- What a fitting end to one of the world’s finest filmmakers. Robert Altman’s final project before his death mixes every Altman hallmark with the whimsy and wit of Garrison Keillor’s radio show, both of whom seem to have been destined to work with each other. Featuring a stunning lineup and multi- (and hidden) talented actors weaving to and fro with the fluidity of the camera and speaking in that signature overlapping dialog, Altman’s film shows a benevolent end to a great show, and thus becomes the requiem for a truly great artist. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 7. The Good Shepherd- An impressive ensemble cast, led by Matt Damon, accentuates the cruel world of post-war espionage during the infant years of the CIA. Robert DeNiro directs with a meticulous, pristine eye as the story flawlessly bounces from decade to decade, revealing ever so little with each passing moment. It’s a purposefully slow-paced, large-minded, and ultimately rewarding film for the moviegoer that watches closely. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 6. Pan’s Labyrinth- Guillermo Del Toro’s film is a haunting, unforgettable mesh of frightening fantasy and frightening reality. It feels like a children’s fable in that its imagination is larger-than-life, and an adult drama in that war and abuse are contributing themes. This is a violent, upsetting, and stunning piece of transcendent filmmaking. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 5. United 93- If I was forced to recommend only one movie from 2006, it would be “United 93.” Here’s a film that knows exactly what it is, a director that knows exactly why he’s making it, and a cast that totally sells the whole thing. It’s an honorable, important, harrowing portrayal of one of the bravest American events in history. For a topic that could’ve gone so wrong, “United 93” is so right. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 4. Apocalypto- Mel Gibson’s primal travel back to the Mayan civilization marks a new high for Gibson for sheer ambition as a director. Showing us sites we’ve never seen, Gibson leads an unknown cast to the brink of extinction and to the crossroads of a new beginning. Although it sometimes hurts to watch, “Apocalypto” boggles the mind. In a good way. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 3. The Fountain- Youthful talent Darren Aronofsky delivers yet another movie to be pondered and re-pondered. This is a very personal, very emotional historical epic, dramatic romance, and space opera. It’s like the best of “2001” in that segments of it take place in space, “Donnie Darko” in that time is traveled, and “Fitzcarraldo” in that it’s main character takes a trip to insanity for the thing he loves the most. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2. Flags of Our Fathers/ Letters From Iwo Jima- To say Clint Eastwood is at the top of his game is an understatement. He’s at the top of everyone’s game. Here’s a director who made two movies this year about the same battle, from two different points of view. Both are a complex study of familiar topics and both took me to the brink of my emotions. This pair of war films complement each other so well as to make each other better. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1. The Departed- The worst thing about seeing a great movie is that you’ll never be able to see it for the first time ever again. I left “The Departed” so surprised and shaken and excited as to make me dwell on the story for days. Surprised by the ferocity of the content. Shaken from the trek its characters traveled. Excited about the movies again; it made me confident the cinema is still kicking. It stands as proof that old pros like Martin Scorsese haven’t lost their touch (as if we needed any more proof). “The Departed” stacks layer upon layer of multifaceted themes and visual motifs. It delivers the year’s most eclectic cast saying the sharpest dialog, under the direction of a master. And it’s 2006’s best film. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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