Though the best films of the year tend to come at the end of
December, just in time for awards season, these are A&E’s
staff-voted top 10 films of 2006, based on what we’ve seen so
far:
1. “The Departed” Winning over film
critics and moviegoers alike, “The Departed” shines as
Scorsese returns to what he does best: the mob. Thanks to gritty
dialogue, a truly suspenseful script and one of the best casts in
recent memory (led by Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Jack
Nicholson), “The Departed” is an easy pick for the top
film of 2006.
““ Kate Stanhope
2. “Little Miss Sunshine” There is
something about the little movies made on a tight budget, with real
characters, that is so appealing. “Little Miss
Sunshine” is this year’s indie breakthrough, following
an Albuquerque, N.M., family’s journey to California. The
family, including a suicidal, homosexual uncle (Steve Carell,
playing it pretty straight, excuse the pun), is so oddball and
entertaining that it somehow still feels as though they could be
people you know.
““ Ana Heller
3. “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America For Make
Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” Very nice,
how much? Over $200 million in worldwide box-office grosses,
several lawsuits, barrels of laughter and one very famous Sacha
Baron Cohen. Aside from aiding tourism in the previously obscure
country of Kazakhstan (yes, it’s a real place),
“Borat” showed us that a blatantly offensive comedy
could actually be funny.
““ Devon Dickau
4. “Children of Men” Director
Alfonso Cuarón (“Y Tu Mamá También,”)
returns with what may be his best film yet. Starring Clive Owen,
“Children of Men” portrays a future where women are
infertile and no children have been born in 18 years. Dystopias
have been portrayed in stories such as “1984,” but the
world of “Children of Men” may be the most frightening
one ever filmed, a terrifying world lacking the cries of children
to restrain the most violent of urges.
““ Mark Humphrey
5. “V for Vendetta” As a product of
the Wachowski brothers (“The Matrix” trilogy), “V
for Vendetta” lives up to its promise. The film visualizes
the power of the collective effort of citizens rising up against an
oppressive government, resulting in a powerful story presented with
captivating cinematography and gifted actors. A memorable
performance from bald-headed Natalie Portman contributes to the
film’s overall appeal.
““ Karen Leano
6. “Volver” Penélope Cruz
leads the excellent cast of “Volver,” Spanish director
Pedro Almodóvar’s rumination on death and womanhood. The
film ““ whose title literally means “to return”
““ deftly jumps through a mélange of styles, going from
soap opera to comedy to melodrama to ghost story without ever
hitting a false note. The film’s vibrant colors and playful
spirit make “Volver” irresistible.
““ Teddy Phuong
7. “Casino Royale” This latest Bond
film takes us to the beginning. “Casino Royale” depicts
a more human, less robotic hero and so turns a story that everybody
knows (Bond kills the bad guy, then gets the really hot girl) into
something intriguingly different and refreshingly new.
““ Amy Crocker
8. “The Science of Sleep”
“The Science of Sleep” plays like a dream: disjointed,
weird and sometimes confusing. Director Michel Gondry’s story
of Stéphane, an illustrator who has trouble distinguishing
dreams from reality, is full of not only eye-popping stop-motion
animation, but also genuinely funny dialogue (“I like your
boobs; they are simple and unpretentious.”) and a series of
truly poignant moments.
““ Nick Rudman
9. “Thank You for Smoking” A witty
and satirical comedy about the chief spokesman for The Big Tobacco
Company (Aaron Eckhart) and his battle against a senator (William
H. Macy) hoping to poison labels on packs of cigarettes,
“Thank You For Smoking” is sure to inspire guilt for
cracking us up with the realization that the movie mirrors our
country’s real-life tobacco crisis so accurately.
““ Heather Laird
10. “Little Children” Todd
Field’s (“In the Bedroom”) sophomore directing
effort, “Little Children,” shows no signs of the
infamous second-film slump. Kate Winslet’s portrayal of
Sarah, a woman trapped in the clutches of suburban malaise, is one
of the best performances of the year.
““ Teddy Phuong
Honorable Mention: “Snakes on a
Plane” “Snakes on a Plane” is not a
specimen of quality filmmaking, nor a film for which we are proud
to have paid $9. But ask half of America if they can hear the word
“snakes” without thinking “on a plane,” and
you will understand the rationale. Now that’s the power of
movies.
– Devon Dickau