Very Best Movies of 2006
Honourable mentions
Hostel
Eli Roth does not have a great reputation these days, but re-watching Hostel more recently, it still seemed just as good as I remember. What begins with fun-loving tourists on a hedonistic eurotrip being led like lambs to a kebab shop, moves into a kind of action film as any survivors try to make their escape.
In the light of Inglourious Basterds (with which Eli Roth was connected) I think Hostel is also intended to explore the idea of taking revenge for the holocaust.
Hostel has thrills, gore, action and some interesting ideas too. It felt like Eli Roth had an exciting career ahead of him, but if this is his only great film then perhaps that’s enough?
Grizzly Man (Documentary)
I don’t generally include documentaries in my best of the year lists because I feel like there is a different standard by which we can judge documentaries. Some documentaries raise attention of a very important topic even if they aren’t presenting it in a way that is all that inventive. Other documentaries have a very specific focus on a smaller issue but explore it in a unique and engrossing way.
Werner Herzog’s “Grizzly Man” is more like Herzog editing together a feature length film from the footage of a somewhat deranged or delusional individual who was clearly filming his footage for an audience. Some of the footage Timothy Treadwell captured while living unsafely in the wild is amazing and watching him gain a closer affinity with the bears is fascinating and, in the light of his death, tragic. Grizzly Man is an incredible cinematic experience that, were it not a documentary, I would be placing on the number one spot in this list.
One of the few documentaries I would ever refer to as a must-see. This is an amazing cinematic experience, as well as providing fascinating and entertaining insight into the documentary topic.
10. Children of Men
This dark dystopian tale envisions a world without hope. A near-future sci-fi vision that is a little too close to real life for comfort. It doesn't quite fit and people gathered around a television for breaking news, instead of all looking down at their phones, has already dated it. Still, with stellar performances and amazing single-shot action set-pieces, this grim vision of the future doesn't lack in excitement. This is certainly not an action movie, but our protagonist is caught in the middle of realistic violence (if not a realistic situation), which is more harrowing than over-the-top action stunts. A must-watch for any serious sci-fi fan.
9. Capote
Possibly Philip Seymour Hoffman’s greatest role, though quite a departure from the cynical figures he was most often known for playing. Essentially a biopic about the writing of “In Cold Blood” by Truman Capote. In order to research the crime, Capote has to befriend one of the murderers and rather misleads the convict into thinking the book might have some positive bearing on his sentence. A very strong film that doesn’t fall into the biopic trap of being the title character’s entire life story.
8. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
On the back of watching all the Friday the 13th movies and all the Nightmare on Elm Street movies I was then introduced to this horror comedy which claims to exist in the same world as both of those. Not so much a faux documentary as a film about filmmakers trying to make a documentary. Their subject matter is Leslie Vernon, a slasher killer from the world of slasher movies revealing his own perspective. (For example, he needs to be very fit in order to keep up with fleeing victims while seeming to only be walking after them.) This exploration of what life is like for a slasher killer is a lot of fun and the film is wacky enough that his decision to let a camera crew document him is easily excused once you accept that it's part of the basic premise. Behind The Mask is a spoof that out-classes the genre at which it pokes fun, which has got to be pretty rare.
7. The Hills Have Eyes
Alexandre Aja's remake of Wes Craven's horror film about an inbred savage community of people mutated due to nuclear testing. In my opinion, it's more tense and conveys the horror better than the original. However, thanks to the action-packed third act it's also more fun. This is my favourite Alexandre Aja movie so far. Even as a remake, I think we can still call this very much an Alexandre Aja movie because he takes key parts of the original script and the original aesthetic and makes it very much his own.
6. Little Miss Sunshine
A super-sweet road trip comedy about the drive to succeed. The father writes books on how to be successful, the son is abstaining from speech in a struggle to be allowed to go to flight school, and the younger daughter is being coached by the grandfather to be in a talent show. Meanwhile the outsider is the uncle who feels like a massive failure having been kicked out of his role as a leading expert on, of all things, the author Proust. Little Miss Sunshine is a really sweet film, a genuinely hilarious comedy and I actually particularly enjoy Paul Dano's performance here.
5. Inside Man
Being put in charge of handling a hostage situation at the bank seems like it could be the big break that Denzel Washington needs. However, when it turns out to be a very unconventional bank robbery, with a mysterious Jodie Foster intervening, our protagonist realises he may have bitten off more than he can chew. The story ends a little unfinished, but that's part of the appeal. I wonder whether Spike Lee ever considered making a sequel? Still, even as a one-off the sense that there is a wider story that could be told gives this a greater level of depth. This is a full feature film: drama, mystery, comedy, and a star-studded cast.
4. London to Brighton
When I went to rewatch London to Brighton a while back, I really wasn't convinced it would hold up. But the central relationship between the woman and young girl on the run is very powerful. This could easily have been a film where everybody was utterly detestable and the film was unwatchable as a result. But in actual fact, this is a film where it's possible to engage even with clear villains. All the characters feel like actual people rather than types and the fact they are often stuck in their roles is openly explored. It seems quite natural for the pimp in this story to pine for a better life where he doesn't earn a living by exploiting women, even though the solution to this problem would seem to be obvious. Tense, dark, but also with a compassionate side; London to Brighton is surprisingly rewarding for such a grim story.
3. The Host
Joon-Ho Bong is now one of my favourite directors. I must admit that when I first saw The Host I wasn’t sure what to make of it. But now I seem to love it more and more every time I re-visit it.
A family team up to rescue their youngest daughter from a monster. Each family member has their own distinctive characteristics and the result is a wonderful combination of comedy with this monster movie.
This is the film that first really ensured that Joon-Ho Bong was noticed and it’s easy to see why. Fun, dramatic and a monster movie like none you’ve ever seen before. (Also with some clearly satirical elements that I don’t fully understand, but that doesn’t really matter.)
2. The Prestige
A Victorian-era sci-fi film involving competing magicians. (Or as some have put it, Wolverine isn't happy with Batman. Alfred doesn't want to get too involved in the quarrel, but Black Widow seems to be taking Batman's side.) After Christopher Nolan successfully rebooted Batman, he followed it up with this costume drama mystery. We all knew there would be something a little different about this film and Nolan more than delivered. This still remains my second favourite Nolan movie after Memento.
1. Pan’s Labyrinth
This Spanish-language fantasy movie set during the Spanish Civil War is a bit of a marvel. Films like Mimic and the theatrical cut of Hellboy gave us no idea that Del Toro had this up his sleeve. A very creative vision of a girl who discovers a fairy tale world as she deals with her mother's poor health and troubled pregnancy. Meanwhile she lives in the house of her fascist step-father who is actively hunting down nearby rebels. The blend of fantasy and reality is jarring, but also captivating. Somehow sad and sweet at the same time, Del Toro strongly encourages the audience to opt for the fantasy over the reality.
