Top Ten of 2006 and More

So, I'm going over my movie lists for oh, the past 8 years or so and realized that in 2006, I peaked in terms of number of new films watched. And who says I'm losing my edge? Just to add a little perspective, I usually feel good about making a "best-of-the-year" list if I see 80-90 new films from that year. In 2006, I saw over 100. Shout-out to Netflix, couldn't have done it without you, baby!! Adding to the excitement is the fact that I'm posting my 2006 list in July of 2007, which is a 2-3 month improvement over last year. While not ideal, progress is progress. Damn, I wish the days of having a job where I actually showed up for 15 hours of work per week, while making 40-hour a week money. Stupid adulthood. Regardless, the reality is it's difficult for me to post shortly after the year ends b/c A) I don't have the time to see everything I need to see by that point and B) Even if I did, I don't have the time to promptly write it out. Oh and C) No one reads this blog anyway, so it doesn't really matter, does it?

As for 2006, ho-hum, another year goes by. Plenty of disappointments (Cars, X-Men 3, Superman Returns...hmm, all big summer blockbusters, what are the odds?!), plenty of surprises (Rocky Balboa, Running Scared, The Proposition), and a handful of excellent films that help compose a solid top 10. In other words, just another year. Not exceptionally disappointing and not particularly spectacular either. The one feather in 2006's cap would be that the top 3 films of the year are all worthy of a best-of-the-decade list. None are guaranteed to make such a prestigious list, but all are certainly worthy of consideration. Anyway, these lists get long enough, so let's get to it.

10) Brick - Looks like Joseph Gordon-Levitt is getting an early start on his acting prodigy trajectory. A film noir set in high school seems very hard to swallow on paper, but the remarkable thing is that first-time writer-director Rian Johnson actually makes it palatable. Relentlessly compelling and completely without any sort of nudge-nudge sensibility that would normally pollute such a project. It probably works better if you are well-versed in film noir, but then again, Johnson does such a good job of keeping up momentum and thrusting you right into the damn thing that you're likely to dig it either way.

9) United 93 - The idea of making a film about 9/11 in any capacity is a touchy area, and rightfully so. It's inevitable, but nonetheless painful, to say the least. Making a film about the actual hijacking seems even more tricky b/c then you're wandering into visceral action thrills/revenge pic territory. Whether you think something like that is justified or not, it's hard to deny that it's toeing a very volatile line. Baggage in tow, I still found United 93 to be a very moving film. The thing to be careful about with any 9/11 film is that they're nearly impossible to honestly critique b/c everyone has such strong, emotional feelings about the event that overshadow any rational judgment. Hell, World Trade Center made me tear up and that was hamfisted, emotional claptrap filmmaking at its worst. Somehow, United 93 manages to truly honor the heroes of 9/11 without ever venturing too far into the land of the preposterous (aka, Hollywood). Credit director Paul Greengrass for using a cast of unknowns and an aesthetic that is never too action-film indulgent to foster a moving tribute to those who perished during 9/11.

8) The Prestige - To me, Christopher Nolan has always been a director with limitless potential, yet has never managed to foster a film worthy of his talents. I wasn't a big fan of Memento, Insomnia was solid, but nothing special, and even the much-loved Batman Begins wasn't as good as it could have been. With The Prestige, Nolan had an intriguing storyline with awesome talent (Bale, Jackman, Johansson, etc.), but I still approached it with much trepidation. Maybe lowering the bar is the key b/c The Prestige was as entertaining as any film I saw all year. Darker than I expected (in a good way) with Bale being his usual excellent self and Jackman surprisingly matching him blow for blow.

7) V For Vendetta - Man, I love the Wachowski brothers. Sure, their films are incredibly self-important and contain that certain cinematic bravado that is rarely seen in film today, but I love that they're so unabashedly into their own sense of epic-ness (don't worry, I know it's not a word). V For Vendetta is no different and in this age of irony and self-awareness, a more skeptical person would probably laugh at a lot of the liberties it takes, but if you get caught up in it, it is fun, ridiculous stuff.

6) The Fountain - Hugh Jackman should buy his agent a Porsche or maybe he owes the devil a little sumthin' sumthin' because his trifecta of 2006 included working with Woody Allen, Christopher Nolan, and Darren Aronofsky. Oh and he had love scenes with both Scarlett Johansson AND Rachel Weisz, life is good for Wolverine. I had a hard time with this one and in fact, I'd feel better about it if I saw it again. Aronofsky made us wait 6 years between films and many will have strong opinions on this film (most with opinions on it have expressed their appreciation or distaste rather loudly), but I will say this, he definitely swung for the fences. The film is incredibly ambitious and yes, flawed, but visually astounding and intensely moving. Even if you think he strikes out, I'd rather have a filmmaker swing for the fences than play it safe. So, it's a visually amazing film that wears its heart on its sleeve and maybe doesn't always make great narrative sense? Wong Kar-Wai would be proud, Darren.

5) Half Nelson - Man, I love it when great acting carries a film. There's nothing like watching a film with a slew of stellar performances. The funny thing is that great acting has often been misconstrued as big, loud histrionics when in fact, it's when an actor disappears into a character so wholly and completely that he/she becomes that character. You forget you're watching an actor and feel like you're having a discreet peak into someone's life. This is how all of Half Nelson feels. Ryan Gosling, Shareeka Epps, and Anthony Mackie all do incredible work and actually manage to make a "drug movie" anything, but cliche. It's a credit to screenwriters Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden as well, that they've resisted the temptation to become cloying or hamfisted in their delivery. This isn't anything groundbreaking, but goes to show that if you deliver a familiar story with solid storytelling and spot-on performances, it can tremendously elevate the quality of a film.

4) The Proposition - What would you say if I told you that in 2006, musician Nick Cave would write one of the grittiest, true-to-form neo-Westerns of the past decade? If you said that Sam Peckinpah would be proud to spit-shake ol' Nick's hand, then you are the big winner. Featuring some top notch performances (not the least of which is Danny Huston's bone-chilling turn), a refreshingly icy narrative, and the sweeping scope/desolation of the Australian outback, The Proposition is the kind of film that refuses to pander and the movie-going audience is better for it. If you're a fan of HBO's Deadwood like I am, The Proposition is right up your alley.

3) The Departed - It's almost like Scorsese decided to show all the Tarantino hangers-on (including Tarantino himself) how to really do the gangster-cop genre picture. It rightfully won the Best Picture award (The Academy actually got something right!) and it's endless "watchability" makes it an instant classic. Scorsese, aside from being our best living director and maybe the best director to ever live, is like that song you always loved while growing up and then when you revisit it, you are reminded of how awesome it is and how it's so much better than the "crap they put out nowadays and things won't ever be the same again". A little respect please for the master.

2) Children of Men - Where do we begin? How about the revolutionary one-take suspense sequences that have you chewing your fingers off? How about the terrifyingly apocalyptic world that director Alfonso Cuaron makes seem so real, relevant, and imminent? How about the way in which Clive Owen continues to establish himself as one of the most interesting and downright "ultra-cool/badass guy" actors around? How about that damn car chase? You heard it here first, this will easily be the most overlooked film of 2006 as well as the most "classic/legendary/influential/whatever else you wanna add" films of the early 21st century when we look back 50 years from now.

1) When the Levees Broke - Some (if anyone actually read this, but just go with me) may argue that this doesn't qualify as a 2006 film, but regardless, I was so moved by Spike Lee's Hurricane Katrina polemic that I have no choice, but to call it the best film product of 2006. It is a cultural touchstone in every sense of the phrase. It is a true reflection of modern day America and in that regard, it is very sad and disturbing, but it is also an amazing tale of hope and resilience. Spike Lee is one of the best filmmakers of this generation and he continues to challenge and stimulate the minds of anyone who witnesses his genius. His ability to provoke audiences by blatantly depicting the complexities and grays in our world is a refreshing departure from all of the black and white posturing and moralizing.

Runners-Up: Running Scared, Babel, Street Fight, Little Children, A Prairie Home Companion, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

Individual Awards:
Best Actor: Ryan Gosling - Half Nelson: He inhabits this character so completely that it's downright scary. Ah yes, reminds me of a young Edward Norton. Don't you get all surly and ego maniacal on me too, Ryan!
Runners-Up: Forest Whitaker - The Last King of Scotland, Gael Garcia Bernal - The Science of Sleep, Joseph Gordon-Levitt - Brick, Ray Winstone - The Proposition, Clive Owen - Children of Men

Best Actress: Shu Qi - Three Times: Inhabiting three different characters in the same film is difficult enough as it is, but having to not only do a convincing job of making the characters distinctive and believable while forming such an emotional bond with the audience for each one is especially incredible. While the film is worthy of Shu Qi's talents, it's a shame that it wasn't more affecting or as indelible as her performance(s).
Runners-Up: Ellen Page - Hard Candy, Helen Mirren - The Queen, Kate Winslet - Little Children, Penelope Cruz - Volver, Juliette Binoche - Breaking & Entering, Laura Dern - Inland Empire

Best Supporting Actor: Danny Huston - The Proposition: Damn, this was hard. Mark Wahlberg definitely maximized his screen time in The Departed and did everything he could to create a memorable character (and succeeded admirably), but the thing about Huston's character, Arthur Burns, is that he is built up and talked about for the first half of the film so much so that he MUST live up to the hype if the film is to completely work. And Huston was able to imbue his villainous Burns with such charisma and volatility that he is as unforgettable as he is terrifying/captivating.
Runners-Up: Mark Wahlberg - The Departed, Alan Arkin - Little Miss Sunshine, Michael Sheen - The Queen, Jackie Earle Haley - Little Children, John Hurt - The Proposition

Best Supporting Actress: Rinko Kikuchi - Babel: Such a brave undertaking. We all know that Inarritu is going to make his characters as miserable as possible. The key is finding the humanity in each character and making them something more than human punching bags. In the role of Chieko, Kikuchi manages to make all of her seemingly bizarre emotions as palpable as possible. By being one of the emotional anchors of the film, she is a big part of Babel's overall effectiveness.
Runners-Up: Adriana Barraza - Babel, Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls, Shareeka Epps - Half Nelson, Jacinda Barrett - The Last Kiss, Lola Duenas - Volver

Other Miscellaneous Awards (or lack thereof):
Worst Film of the Year: Wow, even though I saw a whopping 115 new films from 2006, I didn't downright hate or even strongly dislike any of them. Maybe I'm getting soft. I really hope not b/c it's a lot of fun to rip apart a piece of crap like Crash or The Devil's Rejects. Even so, someone has to take the prize, right? In this case, my vote goes to X-Men 3: The Last Stand. It's not like a red flag wasn't raised b/c of the fact that super self-delusional, ego-maniac Brett Ratner was set to direct, but I should know better. The trailer made it look somewhat enticing. I'm a big fan of the second X-Men, so maybe it's my own fault that I got caught up in the hype that blatantly states it's so freakin' easy to make a movie where a plethora of superheroes embody pretty much any superhuman ability imaginable, so it should be pretty easy to make an entertaining action movie, right?! Err...APPARENTLY it's a pretty tall order b/c this abomination was about as rote and mundane an "action" movie as possible. Note to Brett Ratner: You're an idiot. Your point of pride is the holy Rush Hour trilogy, so get over yourself, go back to film school, and learn how to not be retarded. Thanks.

Most Underrated/Underappreciated Film of the Year:
The Descent - A good year for underrated films and since horror films seem to be a dime a dozen, it's only appropriate that I single out a film that actually succeeded admirably in creeping the hell out of me. By combining an intense atmosphere of claustrophobia with a genuinely intense narrative, The Descent separates itself from the pack by keeping you on the edge of your seat and making you long for good clean oxygen. You best cancel that spelunking trip you've been planning! Runners-Up: The Lady in the Water, Running Scared, The Last Kiss, Rocky Balboa, The Good Shepherd, Breaking and Entering

Favorite Imperfect Film of the Year:
The Last Kiss - I don't know what it is about this film, but every time it comes on HBO, I fall into a hypnotic trance. Maybe I have some kind of subconscious love affair with Zach Braff (given that I really enjoy watching Garden State even though I have MAJOR problems with it). I mean, he is charismatic in a nerdy kind of way and as Homer Simpson likes to say, "Yes, he is handsome in a ugly sort of way" (haha, kidding). Even with all that in mind, I really enjoy the rapport between the 4 male leads and I like how it never cops out. A lot of the ideas resonate with me and it's good a pretty good soundtrack. Plus, Rachel Bilson is the opposite of the Holocaust, so that helps. It's just one of those films that may have plenty of imperfections, yet retains the timeless quality of limitless watchability. Lot to be said for that.

Another Excuse to Love J.J. Abrams Award:
Mission: Impossible III: As if Lost wasn't enough, he goes and makes the MI series actually entertaining. Does this guy do anything that isn't awesome? I mean, does he wipe his ass with silk pillow cases and eat Filet Mignon as a snack while Angelina Jolie gives him a massage? It wasn't the greatest film in the world, but as far as action films go, he generated some real intensity and made sure that shit got blowed up real good. God bless that man.

One of the Most Unexpectedly Hilarious Scenes from an Even More Unexpected Film Award:
The Break-Up: I'm sorry, but Vince Vaughn schooling all those dudes on Madden is hilarious and disgustingly relevant to my own life. I'm not a big video game guy, but I love me some Madden and watching ol' Trent tell guys that the reason he is beating them in Madden is b/c while their guys are out partying, his guys are out running routes and practicing is comedic gold to me. Not the funniest film in the world, but marginally entertaining for what it is and that's about the best I can hope for from a film that was probably sponsored by US Weekly.

More Evidence that Kate Winslet is an Amazingly Hot/Amazing Actress Award:
Little Children - If you don't agree, you're dumb, just go away.

The "You Need to Have a More Original Storyline" Award:
Blood Diamond - We've seen way too many films about a foreign outsider who initially has selfish intentions, only to have a conflict of conscience based on what he witnesses convert him to being an activist on behalf of the oppressed countrymen of his present location. Enough is enough. C'mon Leo, Jennifer, and Djimon, you're better than that! You have too much talent in your corner to be a party to such a generic, emotional claptrap storyline. You hear me talkin', Ridley Scott's A Good Year?! I'm lookin' at you too!

Another Very Compelling Film from an Underrated Director Award:
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer: This guy continues to come through with not only this film, but also films like The Princess and the Warrior and Run, Lola Run. His stuff may not be for everyone, but his versatility and ability to churn out engaging/moving material should be more recognized than hacks like Michael Bay or Brett Ratner.