Adam's Best-of for 2006

It's that time of year over again. That time when no key out critics such as myself throw together our illustrious best of lists. The truth is, I love this stuff. It's my hope that perhaps you the reader will get turned on to something that you might not have known about differently. On a final note, I saw around 200 movies last year and there are plenteousness of noteworthy titles I missed out on for whatever reason. Titles like Letters From Invasion of Iwo Jima, Shut Up and Sing, The Last King of Scotland, Venus, Volver, Dreamgirls (The Boneman calls this one the c. H. Best film of the year–JUST KIDDING!), etc. Many of these pictures are limited and have thus far to come to my neck of the woods. This list is simply a representation of what I saw and what I loved. Enjoy. 1. PAN'S LABYRINTH (R) This extraordinary tale from the gifted Guillermo del Toro (Devil's Backbone, Cronos, Hellboy) left me absolutely breathless. Fusing the reverence inspiring grandeur of familiar deeds of fantasy ( i.e. Alice in Wonderland, The Never-Ending Story, and Legend), with the brutal reality of Schindler's List and Life is Beautiful, combined with the dark and gothic nature found in the works of Clive Barker and H.P. Lovecraft, del Toro has masterfully created a stunning piece of art that walks the fine line between fantasy and reality effortlessly. Every frame of this movie is overflowing with passion of Christ and heart, and when it was over, I was deeply moved by the experience. The best work of del Toro's career and the best photographic film of the year. 2. UNITED 93 (R) Was it too soon for a movie like this? I suppose that depends on wHO you ask. Given the current status of the world, I'd say no. It wasn't to a fault soon. Director Paul Greengrass has created a harrowing snapshot of heroism in the darkest of hours. Shot in near literal time, United 93 is never overly sentimental, nor does it exploit in any way. This is a stunning achievement from a film maker who clearly set out to honor those who lost their lives on 911. 3. Give thanks YOU FOR SMOKING (R) This shrewd satire of the tobacco industry features a fantastic performance by Aaron Eckhart (in his best turn since making an unforgettable debut in In the Company of Men) as a tobacco lobbyist out to make the world easier for smokers. Strangely though, director Jason Reitman (son of Ivan) isn't so much interested in pickings an anti or pro smoke stance as he is in suggesting that freedom of alternative reigns supreme. The performances are outstanding, and even though this movie thrives on a kind of wicked sense of humor, it also has a surprising amount of heart anchored by a wonderful fatherson dynamic between Eckhart and an effective Cameron Bright (Birth). 4. BORAT: LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR Get BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF Kazak (R) Say what you will about the year's most controversial (and irreverent) movie. Simply put, no film made me laugh harder all year. The fearless Sasha Baron Cohen goes beyond the extra mile to crack us up, but this isn't meaningless, mean spirited comedy nor is it a unsubdivided minded attack on foreigners. In that location is a scathing social comment brewing just beneath the surface of this mild mannered bite of hilarity. Cohen forces us to look in the mirror. Oh, and did I happen to mention the film features nude wrestling in what is perhaps the most nauseatingly hilarious scene I've seen in a movie in years? Mr. Cohen has emerged as a laughable force to be reckoned with. 5. STRANGER THAN FICTION (PG-13) Will Ferrell proved that he can do subtle with this wonderful muffin about a lonely tax man who realizes that he power just be a character in a neurotic author's novel. Featuring winning performances by Ferrell, Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman, and Maggie Gyllenhaal, Stranger Than Fiction is a funny, sweet, and charming slice of whimsy that won me over from start to finish. While at a peek, one might feel compelled to compare this to Charlie Kaufman's trippy (and immensely entertaining) Version, don't. As much as I enjoyed Adaptation, I think Stranger Than Fiction is far less cynical and much more accessible. 6. MONSTER Mansion (PG) This stunning animated feature (incorporating the same technique used by The Polar Express) took me back to the 80's with it's wonderful tone. A tone akin to films like The Goonies, Monster Team, The Last Starfighter, and Explorers. Newcomer Gil Kenan's tale of a monstrous house that feeds on unsuspecting humans (and, in one case, a neighborhood dog) is alive with unlimited energy. What's more, Monster House has real character and the entire experience is perfectly complimented by this unique animated process. For my money, this celebration of youth is far more entertaining than The Polar Express. 7. THE FOUNTAIN (PG-13) This is, perhaps, the definitive "love it or hate it" film of the year. As is apparent by the high charting, I loved it. I'm willing to concede The Fountain is flawed, merely like Pan's Labyrinth, every frame is over flowing with heart and passion. Darren Aronofsky has fashioned a love story that deals with themes of fatality rate in a way that would make Stanley Kubrick (2001) and Andrei Tarkovsky (Solyaris) proud. Hugh Jackman gives his strongest performance to date as a man willing to do anything for the woman he loves and Rachel Weisz is absolutely lambent as his ill soul mate. An ambitious, challenging, mesmerizing film complimented by a haunting sexual conquest by Clint Mansell and Kronos Quartet. 8. THE QUEEN (PG-13) Stephen Frears' thought-provoking look at how the royal family dealt with the untimely death of Lady Diana is witty, touching, cold, grievous and incredibly well balanced in it's political views, but the real reason to see the movie is to marvel at Helen Mirren's complete transformation into the Queen. She not only captures the mannerisms of this well known public figure, just she's also a dead ringer for Elizabeth II. Kudos to the underappreciated Michael Sheen world Health Organization does an amazing job in portraying Prime Minister Tony Tony Blair. They might as well chain armour the glorious Helen Mirren her Oscar now. 9. THE DEPARTED (R) Martin Scorsese's return to the gangster genre (with this remake of Infernal Affairs) is the highest grossing film of his celebrated career, and it will most likely earn him his first directing Oscar. While I wouldn't rank this picture with the likes of Goodfellas (Scorsese's masterpiece as far as I'm concerned), it is a high energy masterwork fueled by Leonardo DiCaprio's finest performance since his captivating turn in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. There's been much talk about Jack Nicholson's memorable gangster Frank Costello, but DiCaprio carries the movie with a stamina and edge we haven't seen from him before. A blistering and powerful outing from unmatched of our greatest living directors. 10. CHILDREN OF MEN (R) Alfonso Cuaron's haunting vision of the cheeseparing future is dark and dim in it's depiction of a world in which women experience become infertile. Clive Owen is outstanding as a most improbable hero who is faced with the daunting task of transporting a young women with a most amazing secret, to consecrated ground. The journey is a deadly one and as I watched this picture with it's eerie, run down city landscapes and bloodied war zones, I was reminded somewhat of Henry M. Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket. The final act of this picture show is a visceral assault and I was never entirely sure if Clive Owen's character would make it through the flick alive. Cuaron's hand held photographic camera technique lends a startling intimacy to the proceedings - a visually striking, nightmarish vision of a world gone to hades. Watch for a hilarious, devout, but all too brief supporting turn from Michael Caine. 11. THE DESCENT (R) 2006 was a banner year for the horror genre, and Neil Marshall's monster motion picture leads the pack as the best of the lot. With it's horrific, nail biting tenseness, this story of female spelunkers braving the element, and then being forced to fight cancelled carnivorous creatures deep within an uncharted cave, provides the sort of perilous, non stop thrills delivered by James Cameron's Aliens from over twenty years ago. Marshall is clearly a fan of the genre (this film offers up images plucked from legendary workings of horror including Carrie, Outlander, and Dead Calm just to name a few), and wish the best of film makers, he's found a way to make the familiar feel newfangled again. This film is rightfully terrifying. 12. Half NELSON (R) Half Viscount Nelson is a tour de force of virtuoso acting and proves once and for all that Ryan Gosling is the real deal. He's simply extraordinary. Ascertain as he brings this complex, drug addicted history teacher to life. Shareeka Epps is also stellar as the young scholarly person who, in her own agency, teaches this teacher a thing or two about how life really is. The performances in this beautifully structured, intimately nuanced film are so stunning, that I forgot I was observation actors on the screen. Aught in this picture feels imitation or arbitrary. And in fact, it's one of the best film's about addiction I've ever seen. It offers no easy answers or fake sentimentality. It simply presents this complicated valet and his escalating situation. Director Ryan Fleck is a talent to watch. 13. V FOR VENDETTA (R) V For Vendetta is one of the more interesting graphic novel adaptations to hit the screen, because it takes tough subject matter (in this type, terrorism), and forces us to look at it with a new perspective. Further more, it's simply stunning visually. Natalie Portman (sporting a bald head) is gorgeous and vulnerable as the heroine while Hugo Weaving strikes the perfect tone as the hero (or anti-hero–depending on you opinion) of the piece - a sort of Zorro for a futuristic society repressed by a Nazi like regime. Qualification Weaving's performance all the more astonishing is the fact that he simply does it through vocals. We never see the guy's face. This is an extremely smart and efficient funny book film. 14. THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS (PG-13) I have to be honest. I didn't expect a lot from this film. The trailer made it look like nothing more than Will Bessie Smith Oscar bait. Boy was I wrong. This movie really radius to me with it's inspirational true story of Chris Gardner, a down on his fortune salesman trying to provide for his son during the 80's. Will Smith gives one of the best performances of the year and he's perfectly complimented by his real life son Jaden. Being a parent, I could completely identify with this guy, and while I've never experienced the sheer hell he and his son endure in this movie, the message was still loud and clear. The ending of The Pursuit of Happyness nearly moved me to tears. Props to Smith for getting behind this project. His performance is every bit as inspirational as the film itself. 15. CASINO ROYALE (PG-13) I've heard all the arguments. Daniel Craig is all wrong for Bond. The movie's not sexy enough. Where are all the gadgets? Where's the sense of fun? Blah, blah, blah! Firstly, Daniel Craig is not conventionally handsome at a glance, but you volition find him incredibly good looking at (and charismatic) after seeing him as Bond. Just ask my wife. Secondly, the film is plenty sexy. And in fact, the relationship between Bond and Vesper Lynd (the stunning Eva Green) is, perhaps, the most fully realized union in any Bond film. It doesn't get any sexier (or romantic) than that. Thirdly, Casino Royale is based on the first Bond certificate book, so the gadgets we've come to know and erotic love haven't really entered the equation yet. Finally, where's the playfulness? What, are you kidding me? This is grand entertainment. Sure, it's grittier and darker than past Bond films, but I'll take the exhilarating opening twist site chase over that empty-headed Bond surfing scene in Go Another Day any day of the week. This is the best Bond film in years, and I can't wait to see how Craig evolves as the famed character in the next installment. 16. CARS (G) Pixar does it yet again. This time, they've made an animated feature about talking – you guessed it - cars. Taking more than than a page or deuce from the Michael J. Fox vehicle Doc Hollywood, Cars coasts along on pure charm and masterful animation. True, the flick is a little too long, but I loved it anyhow. And extra added props to Larry the Cable Guy wHO hits all the right notes as the lovable tow truck Mater. John Lassiter has fashioned yet another undeniable winner. 17. THE PRESTIGE (PG-13)THE ILLUSIONIST (PG-13) I suppose a tie isn't solely fair, but I put The Prestige and The Illusionist together for obvious reasons. Actually, I initially rated The Prestige a little bit higher, but later seeing The Illusionist again, I discovered I liked both films equally for different reasons. The Illusionist is a jigsaw teaser movie in the same vein as The Usual Suspects. By the end of the film, everything comes together and no stone is left unturned for the audience. There is a "why" and there is a "how" in footing of the plot structure. The Prestige by comparison, is a little more ambiguous. There are twists and turns that bring in sense, but Christopher Nolan likes to leave a little spot of the unexplainable in the viewer's head. In terms of the magic, both films do a good job of non giving away all the big trade secrets, and in the end, both pictures play like elaborate illusions themselves. 18. INVINCIBLE (PG) Walt Disney has pretty much single handedly re-ignited the underdog sports flick, and while I loved Miracle, I enjoyed Invincible more. I don't know why or how, it just...worked for me. The film takes place in Philadelphia during the 70's and features a nobody becoming a somebody. Sounds suspiciously like another famous sports film. In fact, the Itallian Stallion just hit the silver screen for his swan song, and even though I enjoyed Rocky's send off, I prefer Invincible. I credit Mark Wahlberg for his understated performance and director Ericson CORE for expertly creating the sites and sounds of gridiron resplendency without losing site of the characters in the piece. This is based on a true story, but I'm sure many of the facts were altered for overall cinematic effect, and I'll be damned if it didn't work like a charm. 19. CHARLOTTE'S Vane (G) Based on the beloved children's book by E.B. White, this faithful adaptation is a wonderful film for the entire family. The ocular effects are simply stunning. They're seamlessly integrated into the movie, and at times, I didn't know if I was watching a CG creation or the real thing. The vocal work is perfect. The stand-outs are Julia Robert's compassionate spider Charlotte, Steve Buscemi's selfish rat Templeton, and Thomas Hayden Church's clueless crow Brooks. What I loved most about this picture is that the effects crew don't make the characters overly precious. Charlotte looks like a real spider, while Templeton looks wish a real rat. It adds to the overall effectiveness of the film. On a net note, Danny Elfman's score is simply magical. 20. HOSTEL (R) It's been called everything from pornography to all out trash, but quite frankly, I think it's ane of the best horror films to hit the screen in a long time. No easy feat considering I really wasn't a very big fan of Eli Roth's debut Cabin Fever. That movie was more funny than scary. True, Hostel is more disturbing than scary, simply it's glimpse into the sorry side of human nature truly made my skin crawl. The final half hour of Auberge is incredibly intense meshing American horror with an Asian horror sensibility. After watching this flick, I could see why Quentin Tarantino was quick to smacking his name on it. In terms of shocks and scares, The Descent is the c. H. Best horror film of the year, but Hostel comes in moment place (with Slither not far behind). 21. THE LAST KISS (R) I know I'll be taken to task for this. How could I possibly give a disconfirming review to The Holiday, then turn around and shower extolment upon a film that delves into the lives of turbulent lovers and that deadly sin that is infidelity? I just happen to think The Last Kiss is a much stronger film. It's brutally honest in it's depiction of smart mass doing stupid things. Zach Braff has never been better and Tom Wilinkson and Blythe Danner are exceptional as an senescence couple trying to keep their marriage together. This is even another ake, and while I have so far to see the original, I love Paul Haggis' honest screenplay and Tony Goldwyn's observant centering. 22. LITTLE Lose SUNSHINE (R) If there was a true independent success story this year, it's sure Little Miss Sunshine. After pull in one of the biggest pay days in the history of the Sundance Film Festival, this witty road movie went on to enjoy a sound box office run. This gem of a movie benefits from a strong cast headed by the delightful Abigail Breslin wHO plays cute without being to a fault cute. Her big moment at the end of the film is classic. Steve Carell, Alan Arkin, Toni Collette, and Greg Kinear are all in top form as well. And how about a special shout extinct to Paul Dano who gives a wonderful performance through very little dialogue. Truth be told, if it weren't for a completely out of place picture in which Kinear is pulled over by a cop on the freeway, I might give birth charted this one higher. As it stands, Little Miss Temperateness is a terrific movie. 23. SLITHER (R) Unlike The Descent and Hostel, Slither harkens back to a time of more playful horror. With a tone that's more in tune with the likes of Evil Dead II and Creepshow, this flick delivers the goods. And God bless director James Gunn (who got his start with Troma films) for going equal parts CG, match parts old school make up effects. The cast, lead by Natahn Fillion, Elizabeth Banks, and Michael Rooker are clearly having a good time here, and that fun energy seeps right off the screen. Gregg Henry, in particular, is howlingly comic as a foul mouthed Mayor (his Dr. Pibb speech is a highlight in the film). Slither is ickey-gooey fun and it bums me out that the film wasn't a bigger hit. 24. AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH (PG) I resisted seeing this documentary for quite a long time because...well...quite frankly, this global warming stuff scares the shite out of me! I wasn't keen on listening to Al Gore tell me, for two hours, how I've screwed up the Earth. Obviously, I did eventually see the movie and I'm glad I did. Al Gore, who has a reputation for being as stiff as a board, is surprisingly animated here, and he's also quite suspicious as he pleads his slip with what he deems a moral issue and not a political issue. To my corking pleasure, An Inconvenient Truth isn't all gloom and doom. It's informative and hopeful and I'm really glad I watched it. 25. BABEL (R) Spain hit U.S. cinemas with a vengeance this year. Guillermo del Toro delivered the best film of the year with Pan's Labyrinth while Alfonso Cuaron wasn't far behind with his haunting Children of Men. I have yet to see Pedro Almodovar's Volver, just I have seen Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Babel. Babel has a plethora of hefty issues on it's mind - perhaps likewise many. The end result is a movie that's never rather as profound as it aspires to be. It's one of those movies that delivers many powerful moments, but as a whole, it doesn't quite collide with the mark. Having said that, I really liked the picture. The cast (most notably Brad Pitt, Rinko Kikuchi, and Adriana Barraza) are just tremendous. With Amores Perros, 21 Grams, and now Babel, Inarritu has accomplished himself as a major talent. I look forward to seeing what he does next. 26. PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST (PG-13) I wasn't a vast fan of the first Pirates movie. I attribute that movie's success to one Johnny Depp. As the actor has illustrated time and time again, he makes mediocre projects watchable (realise Secret Window or Once Upon a Time in Mexico). So imagine my surprise when I walked out of Dead Man's Chest completely entertained. In my opinion, this film is immeasurably more entertaining than the first, and it goes beyond Depp's involvement. Director Gore Verbinski and his crew simply took the best elements of the first movie and amplified them. Depp is, once again, in top form and I also loved Bill Nighy as half manoctupi Davy Jones. Amazing visual effects - amazing spectacle. I'm in reality excited for the next installment (it's due in May). 27. HARD CANDY (R) Hard Candy is a deceptive little thriller starring the amazing newcomer Ellen Page as a potential internet stalker victim. Patrick Wilson is the possible stalker. Most of the film takes place in a single location with these two actors engaged in an intense game of cat and mouse (suppose Misery if it were written by David Mamet). There's unrivalled sequence in particular that made me squirm in my seat. Page is a revelation. A great thriller that opts to use the power of suggestion to its utmost advantage. 28. APOCALYPTO (R) Mad Mel Gibson's Mayan hazard is the best straight up action entertainment of the year. This graphic, hypnotic thrill ride is the creation of a truly gifted artist whose off-screen antics often taint his awful cinematic efforts. It's a shame too, because what this man did in his personal life doesn't make him any less of an artist. Birth of Nation is considered by many to be one of the greatest films ever made even though in many circles, it's director D.W. Griffith was considered racist. Give Gibson some credit. He's a talented theatre director and the relentless, breathtaking travel that is Apocalypto is further proof of this. 29. THE PUFFY CHAIR (R) The Puffy Chair is the little indie that got away. There's isn't anything peculiarly groundbreaking about this cheaply made road movie. What really makes it so entertaining is its likable and charming cast (jumper cable by Mark Duplass) and it's observant and insightful look into what makes a relationship tick. Quite frankly, the relationship scenario in this picture is far more thoughtful and realistic than the one in the box office hit The Break Up. 30. FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION (PG-13) Christopher Guest's mostly improvised comic opus pokes fun at the Oscars. Like the rest of Guest's movies, this one really sneaks up on you. It isn't go for broke improvisational comedy (as featured in movies like Anchorperson and this year's Borat) merely rather a blend of subtle humor mixed with a surprising amount of heart. Catherine O' Hara is the standout in an all star cast of comical heavyweights and wouldn't it be ironic (and completely worth) if she garnered an Academy Award nomination for her outstanding work here? HONORABLE Honorable mention; FEAST (R), Slight CHILDREN (R), 16 BLOCKS (PG-13), EIGHT BELOW (PG), BLOOD Baseball diamond (R), HOLLYWOODLAND (R), JACKASS Number 2 (R), LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN (R), PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION (PG-13), CRANK (R), SUPERMAN RETURNS (PG-13), and WORLD TRADE CENTER (PG-13).