159 - Top 10 Films of 2006

I’ve been keeping track of every movie I see for over six years, and I can say without a doubt that 2006 was the best year for film since I started. Any one of my four favorites this year would be my favorite if released in 2002-2005, but since they were all released in 2006 I find myself hard pressed to rank any one as better than another. I’ve seen 90 total so far, and still have a few to go. I regret that geographic limitations have ensured that I still need to see a few such as David Lynch’s "Inland Empire" or "Volver," but the unusually high number of masterpieces in this list ensure that it’ll be tough to crack. The following are my ten favorite films of 2006, ranked in order of preference.

1. Babel – Despite all of our technological advances, the ability to communicate, not just verbally but to truly connect, is as much of a mystery as ever. Alejandro González Iñárritu’s phenomenal film follows four interlocking stories about incredibly different people each facing their own personal hell. It’s an amazing feat that Iñárritu breaks through each character’s cultural and personal walls to form a painfully empathetic portrait of despair and wanting. The performances are stunning all around, but Japanese actress Rinko Kikuchi gives the best performance of 2006, a deeply haunting and heartbreaking accomplishment in a film rife with them. It has been years since I left a film reconsidering my own outlook on life, but this one’s searing embrace left no alternative.

2. United 93 – If Paul Greengrass’ terrifying docudrama isn’t the best film of the year, but it’s doubtlessly the most important. "United 93" jarringly recreates what may be the most fascinating story of 9/11, where a group of strangers trapped on a flying missile banded together to do something about their fate. The result is a disturbingly real masterpiece that many viewers purposely avoided. But for anyone who remembers with clarity and deep sadness that fateful day, this is required viewing.

3. Children of Men – Alfonso Cuarón’s film follows a man as he escorts a pregnant woman through a dystopic England where no new humans have been born for nearly 20 years. It’s bleak, incredibly violent, depressing, yet ultimately uplifting, a visually dazzling testament to the highs and lows of humanity. The brilliant cinematography latches onto the most brutal scenes and refuses to let go, immersing the audience into a hellish universe that feels all too plausible.

4. The Prestige – Movie magic, literally, at its best. Christopher Nolan returns to great form with this battle of two late 19th century magicians. Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman are perfect as the warring illusionists who dedicate their lives to one-upmanship and mutual destruction. The plot is a delightful web of tricks and secrets but Nolan never hedges his bets, making sure that all becomes crystal clear by the dark, grand conclusion.

5. Casino Royale – Sure, it’s a mega-budget blockbuster full of explosions, gun battles, fistfights, and drop-dead gorgeous women. But Daniel Craig’s first outing as James Bond is both revelatory and predatory, the spy coming off as frustrated and vicious in addition to suave, capable, and intelligent. For a character whose mythology is heavily based on effortless detachment from humanity, Craig’s very personal and even touching performance is a gem that leaves the audience shaken and stirred.

6. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan – In a year of great movie moments, who would have guessed that one of the best would be a graphic nude wrestling match between two markedly unattractive men? It’s a testament to Sacha Baron Cohen’s skill and dedication to playing Borat, an openly racist Kazakhstani reporter who travels across America in a quest to take Pamela Anderson’s virginity, that such crass subject matter is elevated to a level of sublime performance art. Those who can stomach the joke are treated to the most hilarious film in years.

7. Flags of Our Fathers – Though Clint Eastwood’s other Iwo Jima film has received most of the critical praise, this bleak illustration of the futility of war rings truer, historically and thematically. It doesn’t stop at the battlefield, but continues well into the dirty business of propaganda and post-war spiritual destruction. The most affecting moments come as the veterans try to make sense out of the chaos that has shattered their lives forever.

8. Art School Confidential – Any artist or writer that ventures through college has that moment; the one where everyone in class viciously shreds your good work and brainlessly praises the worst. Terry Zwigoff’s bitter black comedy savagely explores this moment and more. Its topics range from the phoniness of the stuffy artistic elite to the absurdity of fame seeking, and the frustration of failure.

9. Marie Antoinette – Sofia Coppola’s portrait of the (in)famous monarch was largely ignored by moviegoers. Their loss. It’s an elegant, thoughtful and surprisingly fun biopic that portrays Marie as a reluctant prisoner to her lofty position who nonetheless fulfills her role with dignity and poise.

10. The Departed – One of the hallmarks of a great director is the ability to take B-grade material and elevate it to something sensational. Few will argue that Martin Scorsese doesn’t qualify as a masterful filmmaker, and this is his best film since, well, his last one. Equipped with a sharp adapted screenplay and the greatest cast of the year, Scorsese’s latest work is a bloody, profane, and thrilling exploration of themes such as loyalty and identity.

Honorable Mention: Brick, The Last King of Scotland, Little Children, Little Miss Sunshine, The Proposition, The Queen, Rocky Balboa, Underworld: Evolution, V for Vendetta, World Trade Center