My Top Ten Movies of 2006

1. Extras, series 2
Because this show is at the top of all my top ten lists.

2. The Lives of Others
The best of the triumverate of films this year (the others being The Queen and Notes on a Scandal) that practically had me drooling in ecstasy. They are, to me, what movies should ideally be. They don’t make movies like this in America. Y’all NEED to see this movie—first because it’s amazing, but also to support movies that are actually good!!!

3. The Queen
See above. Michael Sheen is BRILLIANT, and I feel so lucky to have seen him live on the London stage, where he delivered an equally brilliant performance. I think it’s a damn shame and a travesty—and just plain confusing—that he was not nominated for Best Supporting Actor.
4. American Dreamz
Just my little personal pet fave of the year. Narcissism and politics: I’m a sucker for that combination.

5. Borat
You know all about this one already. Freakin’ hilarious.

6. The Departed
Heavy-handed, but still deftly crafted with great dialogue and cinematography.

7. Little Miss Sunshine
A bit too cutesy for my taste (in spite of its attempt at exactly anti-cutesiness), but still very well written, shot, and acted. Steve Carrell delivers an incredible—and incredibly serious—performance, which so few comedians can do.

8. Notes on a Scandal
The third of the brilliant triumverate. The only reason I didn’t rate it up there with the other two is because it’s a bit too freaky even for me.

9. An Inconvenient Truth
I feel weird even putting this on this list. It is so powerful and life-changing that it feels weird to put it a notch below even Notes on a Scandal. But I refuse to give it extra points for that as a movie. But it was incredible.

10. Dreamgirls
Fun, gorgeous, great singing. Jennifer Hudson was good, but I don’t think she deserves half of the inordinate praise she’s been getting, particularly that from Will Link.

11. (Okay, Extras didn't count as a part of the 10, ok?) Thank You For Smoking
Disappointing on the whole, but some scenes are fantastic—both for being witty and satirical and for being beautifully shot. I’m totally biased though; the subject matter (again, narcissism and politics) is right up my alley.

Honorable Mentions
United 93
I feel weird putting this one up on this list, as well, since it feels so much like a documentary. But I couldn’t put it on my top ten because it felt exactly that: like a documentary, so, I dunno, just didn’t grab me. Plus, I’m a cold-hearted bitch.

Letters of Iwo Jima
Lots of explosions. Gave me a good case of PTSD, which I think I would’ve rather done without. But well done. Good cinematography. God, I keep harping on cinematography. I think I notice it more and more in my old age.

Casino Royale
Even I, crotchety as I am, thought this was fun. Sorta derails at the end, but whatever; Eva Green is freakin’ GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!

Snakes on a Plane
So sad that this movie didn’t do as well as Sam Jackson thought it would. I thought this was smart, fun, and satirical, although I coulda done without the snake killing. :(

Mediocre
Talladega Nights
I saw this shortly after seeing Borat, so this just paled like hell in comparison. Speaking of which, however, Sasha Baron Cohen happened to be the best thing in this. Hm......

The Omen
Silly, but I was legitimately scared by this movie. I think part of that was just the loud, scary sounds, but still.

World Trade Center
I dunno. Do I really have to love all 9/11 movies not to be considered a cold-hearted bitch? I just thought it was boring, but it wasn’t horrible or anything. The title of this section says it all.

Inside Man
Clive Owen is freakin hot; wish he didn’t have to be in that mask the whole time. Other than that, again, see title of this section. Just missing something. Just not interesting.

The Da Vinci Code
Everyone thinks the same thing about this movie; I don’t need to remind you. I put it under “mediocre” rather than “dishonorable mention”, though, because I wasn’t, like, painfully bored or insulted; it just coulda been SOOO much better, though I’m not entirely sure how. Maybe it’s just one of those things that can never be well adapted from the book.

Marie Antoinette
Only a director coming off a huge hit could EVER have the power to greenlight a script with no fucking plot. What was she thinking?!?! Trying to pretend she’s in film school? WTF? Beautiful, though.

The Devil Wears Prada
Just a typical girl-makes-good story with the makeover transformation Anne Hathaway has banked a career on.

Dishonorable Mentions!!!!!!!
Night at the Museum
Actually entertaining at times, but a serious wag-of-the-finger for being so damn cliché. I know it’s a kid’s movie, so you CAN get away with reusing the same old crap, but why would you want to??

Children of Men
I’m seriously totally confused why I’m the only person in the world who hated this thing. It was totally boring, had a stupid concept, GOD-AWFUL dialogue.... (See my review at www.contramagazine.com/download.html--although you'll have to download the whole magazine to see it.) I really wish Clive Owen coulda been in a good movie this year. :(

A Scanner Darkly
Boring as hell, dizzying and distracting animation.

I know there are plenty of movies I neglected to see that really should be on this list—perhaps even pretty high up there, but hey, you can’t do everything. But I don’t know if I remembered everything I saw, so if I've forgotten anything, please let me know and I’ll throw it up here. I know I still have to see Little Children and Babel.

Btw, I LOOOOOOOVE Oscar season!!! I just saw my top two in the last WEEK. Woo hoo!