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| ‹ ‹ ‹ past FEATURE articles |
:: FEATURE :: |
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Selected by So MucH Critics Team The three film critics selected their top 10 films of the year.
They were each given 30 points to divide between the #2-#10 films on their list in any
way that they chose as long as each film received at least one point. As you will see below, there are
three #1 films. The #1 films on each submitted list were free entries into this year-end Best Film list. |
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#10 Forest Whitaker finally won an academy award! He definitely deserved it for his portrayal of the infamous
Idi Amin in the film, Last King of Scotland.
The film takes the audience on a wild ride of success, guilt, deception, and fear
as we watch Nick Garrigan (James McAvoy), Idi Amin's personal physician, come to the slow, horrible realization of the way
Idi Amin has been ruling his own people.
The viewer is kept in the dark as Garrigan was unaware of the outside world. Forest Whitaker's
performance strikes fear in the the viewer as he, at times, slips from a kind and understanding
president to a ruthless, intolerant dictator in a matter of seconds. It is a fascinating
portrayal of true deception and how the lust for success and money can blind a person from
the realities around them.
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#9 This is easily one of the most original films of the
year. Christopher Nolan's adaptation of Christopher
Priest's novel hits every mark perfectly.
The Prestige
gives us a stellar, intriguing story of
Victorian Era Magicians written by Christopher Nolan and his
brother Jonathan, top performances from the cast and
superb directing from Nolan. Christian Bale and Hugh
Jackman eat up the scenery and really show viewers how
magicians in the 1800's were the rock stars of their
day. And to top it all off, you get a killer ending
that will have you yelling "NO WAY!"
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#8 This movie brought the basics back to Bond. Daniel
Craig steps into 007's tux with ease in the 21st James
Bond film, which is actually the first. Are you
confused yet? "Casino Royale" takes the "Batman
Begins" approach and brings viewers back to the
beginning of Bond's career as a 00-agent. It has
everything: action, suspense, Bond-babes and vodka
martinis. But the heart of "Casino Royale" is its
realism; the filmmakers truely grounded the Bond in
real-life. If "Casino Royale" is a sign of things
to come in the Bond franchise, then this review is on
board all the way.
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#7 Another great film from Terry Gilliam. It's funny, after all of the movies I've seen of his, "Tideland" was
the most "out there." Keeping with his crooked filming and dreamy LSD trip stories, Terry Gilliam did what he
does best; create a new world that engulfs you from your comfortable seat in your TV room. "Tideland"
reminded me of an Alice In Wonderland story with a little mix of hard alcohol and heroin. Unbelievably unique
and amazing, "Tideland" takes an open mind but in return gives you a full mind.
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#6 Babel was one of those films where you're drawn in right from the beginning. All the
tension between the characters throughout the movie keeps you addicted to the screen until the credits.
Inarritu is rapidly maturing in his work and
Babel is evidence of that. Brad Pitt was another plus for
the movie, showing every emotion within his great acting. "Babel" was no "Amorres Perros" but it was a really
good film and with all the mediocre movies of 2006, it's an obvious choice.
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#5 You really can't have one of these films without the
other, so I'm happy they have been combined for our
Top 10 list this year. When you combine
Flags of Our Fathers and
Letters From Iwo Jima,
you get one great epic film.
Clint Eastwood shows why he has become one
of the great American filmmakers in the last two
decades. "Flags" and "Letters" are two emotionally
gripping World War II films that left their mark in
2006.
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#4 "Water," the third installment in a trilogy (Fire, Earth and Water), is a gorgeously filmed
story of the treatment of widows in the Hindu culture during the rise of Gandhi.
Sent away to a women's shelter, a little girl who has already been widowed, must
learn to accept her fate that she must never marry again, let alone be accepted into
regular society or have any meaningful contact with the ouside world.
Her innocent questions about her fate are received in different ways by her fellow widows.
Some answer with harsh discipline while others try to provide comfort and understanding.
The very sad, yet moving, story opens the audience's eyes to the terrible conditions that women have had to live in,
and, in some cultures, are still forced to live in today.
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#3 A modern western in the tradition of the the classics. A story of family honor and the difficult
choice of betraying one brother to save another brother. The film shows the brutal reality of the
violence resulting from too much freedom in the Australian Outback.
The wonderful script, by first time writer,
musician, Nick Cave, creates a complex and moving story of justice vs. forgiveness.
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#2 The best acting I saw this past year, Ryan Gosling took a simple story and turned it into one of
the best movies of the year. I thought it was going to be another one of those "teacher" movies but
that was the last thing that it was. A great soundtrack and fabulous cinematography carved this film
in to one of my indie favorites. A great flick with outstanding acting and storyline,
Half Nelson
should not be missed.
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#1 (Tim's) This film ended up in most "Best of 2006" movie lists and it deserves it! I am usually one for something more original
and artistic, but The Departed has everything else and is
one of the most perfect films of, not only the past year, but the last few years.
The script was incredibly creative and witty, the acting by the entire cast was fantastic, and the cinemetography
was perfectly executed to the Scorcese standard. I have no real complaints about anything within the film, and
Scorsese definitely deserved his Oscar for best director. It may not be a groundbreaking film, by any means, but
it's really, really, really well done.
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#1 (Joel's) Clive Owen justs gets sweeter after every movie doesn't he? At least that's my opinion.
"Children of Men" is the "Blade Runner" of the 21st Century and I know that comparison has been repeated by many
critics but it's true. A Sci-fi thriller unlike any other, "Children of Men" is the story of
our generation and makes us think while leaving us with hope to believe in. Alfonso Cuaron's directing is astonishing, along with
the cinemotagraphy by Lubezki, reminding me of the good old Stanley Kubrick days. The ending
alone makes this movie number one on my list and I suggest everyone see this masterpiece.
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#1 (Kaare's) Since seeing this film I have thought a lot about it.
I have thought about the story of
Pan's Labyrinth, I
have thought about the imagery and the acting. I have
thought about this film more than any other film I saw in
2006. It's because I could not get "Pan's Labyrinth"
out of my head that it's my #1 film of 2006.
Guillermo del Toro's film is the reason we go to
movies. We go to movies to be taken away to another
place, a place where fauns, ferries and larger than life villains
exist, and where a little girl can
actually be a princess from an underground kingdom.
That is the place "Pan's Labyrinth" takes us, the
viewers; to an enchanted place full of magic and
possibilities.
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TIM's PICK The beautiful thing about "Notes on a Scandal" is the subtle insanity of Judi Dench's character, Barbara Covett.
Barbara's quiet, selfish quest to gain a "friend" is seen, but not fully realized by Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett), the
young innocent new art teacher, until it's too late. Based on the novel by Zoe Heller, it is a
wonderful screenplay, and the story is in the fashion of a modern Hitchcock film, while the feeling of a novel is not
lost due to the beautifully written narraration, spoken by Judi Dench. Again, the subtleness of her insanity sends chills down your
spine as her words, on the surface seem innocent, but there is something about her choice of words that
cannot be trusted. Her obsession and desire to have Sheba Hart to her self, rather than share her with
anyone else is something to fear more than Jack the Ripper. Rather than kill her victims, she destroys every
relationship around them through blackmail and betrayal, in order to leave them with no other choice
than to surrender their life to her.... and she'll take care of them, she promises.
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JOEL's PICK I don't know why so many people didn't enjoy this film. From beginning to end, Edward Norton and
the creative director David Jacobson, kept me glued to the screen. Edward Norton plays a "cowboy" who,
for some reason, is convinced that life in the big city is what he wants. The development of
Edward Norton's character throughout the movie is mind boggling. We, the audience, are given front row
seats into the troubled psychological problems of this "cowboy." Any "Taxi Driver" fan should watch
this film. The most underrated movie of the year and I respect any critic who actually did enjoy this movie
for what it was. Edward Norton did not disappoint, reminding me, yet again, why I am such a fan.
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KAARE's PICK Most critics said that "Little Miss Sunshine" was
the funniest movie of the year. They can have it,
I'll stick with Jason Reitman's (yes, Ivan's son)
feature-length debut about a tobacco lobbyist (played
wonderfully by Aaron Eckhart) whose job is to influence
people to smoke by making Big-tobacco seem like the good
guys. This movie is funny throughout with not just
great one-liners, but extremely funny dialogue. The
performances are also fantastic, especially the always
wonderful J.K. Simmons as Eckhart's boss. A bit of
trivia; you never once in the entire movie see any
person smoking. I really enjoyed this movie like a
cool Laramie Cigarette.
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