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2006: YEAR IN REVIEW
Film Critic John C. Lyons wraps up another year in pictures.
BEST MOVIES OF 2006:
Miami
Vice (full
review)
Feels like a hardcore COPS show: the shoot-outs, the style, and the grit.
I prefer the theatrical release, which drops you right into the action, over
the Director’s Cut, but both are required viewing for those interested
in the future potential of the action movie.
The
Descent (full
review)
The experience I had at Sundance 2006 was one I won’t soon forget. Haven’t
jumped that often. Ever. Great sound design, amazing cinematography that makes
the viewer feel claustrophobic, and a cast of unknown badass ladies.
Brick
Rian Johnson makes his feature film directing debut and takes noir to new
heights! Cool dialogue and interesting characters are spewed at every moment
from this shockingly good cast of little knowns.
The
Prestige (full
review)
Superb cast and very entertaining. While I felt there was perhaps one twist
too many, this movie will have you guessing until the end. Great production
all around, highly recommended.
The
Departed
I loved Infernal Affairs, but this remake takes the cake. Was there
a single actor in this movie that didn’t do a stand-out job?!
V
for Vendetta (full
review)
Very timely and features Hugo Weaving as "V" a terrorist you'll
find yourself rooting for. The performances make the film, as it is not the
effects-heavy vehicle that some may be expecting.
Half
Nelson (full
review)
Best (raw) dramatic performances of the year. Ryan Gosling continues to turn
in great work and if it were up to me, he would get the Best Actor award here.
A different twist on the teacher in an inner city movie formula that actually
feels realistic.
Pan’s
Labyrinth
Part fairy tale, part horror, part social commentary. Guillermo del Toro takes
the best parts from all of the above and creates a world that will make you
stare in awe one second and be to tears the next. Easily the best foreign
film of the year.
The
Fountain (full
review)
Mind-blowing and beautiful. An immensely ambitious film about life and love.
Hugh Jackman really steps up and delivers here and Rachel Weisz shows us why
she’s one of the best actresses working today.
Children
of Men
Technically and thematically amazing. The film speaks on so many levels and
serves as a cautionary tale of where things may be heading in the not-so-distant-future.
Clive Owen is brilliant here, but director Alfonso Cuaron and cinematographer
Emmanuel Lubezki are the real stars for pulling it all off. Best movie of
the year!
HONORABLE MENTIONS (the 2nd Ten):
United
93
Wristcutters: A Love Story
An Inconvenient Truth
Solo Dios Sabe
The Devil Wears Prada
The Science of Sleep
Mission: Impossible - III
Silent Hill
Babel
Casino Royale
GUILTY PLEASURE OF 2006:
Rocky
Balboa
Sure it’s kind of cliché and plays strongly to the nostalginous
zone, but man did Stallone push all the right buttons! The final Rocky chapter
should have been a biggest disappointment of 2006, but Sly goes against the
odds and comes out a winner. Loved this movie and the audience I saw it with
(applauding and cheering for Rocky in the last third of the film, I’m
happily surprised, Erie!) made the experience that much better.
MOST OVERRATED:
Little
Miss Sunshine
Sure it was cute and there were some great moments, but this year showcased
some real ambitious, groundbreaking films that deserve more credit than this
decent “indie”.
WORST and MOST DISAPPOINTING OF 2006:
X-Men:
The Last Stand
Superman Returns
My Super Ex-Girlfriend
Somebodies
Failure to Launch
Ultraviolet
Underworld: Evolution
Whether they were taken out of their director’s hands in the editing room (Ultraviolet), dead in the water from the synopsis (Failure to Launch), or just a horrid indie that got more love than it ever deserved (Somebodies), there’s not much left to say about these films. Although I hope there’s a Director’s Cut down the road for one (Underworld: Evolution) so I can give it a 2nd chance.
NOTABLE MOVIES I HAVEN'T SEEN YET:
The
Queen
Little Children
The Last King of Scotland
This Film is Not Yet Rated
Volver
Blood Diamond
Shortbus
Inland Empire
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
…I could go on and on, I won’t
I’d like
to thank Cinemark’s Tinseltown 17 and their management as I saw most
of the films on the list at their comfy and clean theaters. I can’t
wait to start on the new year’s most promising films! If 2006 is any
indication, there is a lot to be excited about in the cinema from some great
new filmmakers. Don’t miss out.
By
John C.
Lyons
Film Critic
(07-0128)
