Here's my annual list of movies seen in theatres during the year (and occasionally DVD or hi-def video) and what strikes me most is the fact it's the shortest list in a decade. 44 movies released in 2006, and a dozen 2005 films I didn't get to until 2006 for a mere total of 56.
SO…. Why the shortened list? There's a few plausible explanations:
Perhaps life is good and fulfilling and I don't need the escape of the movies as much… but as far as I'm concerned, "if they build it, I will come". They just didn't build much this year that made me want to brave the chatty crowds and cell phones of the multiplexes. Here's what I did see:
Films released in 2006 but not seen till 2007 are marked in Gray and with an astericks and appended to the list.
1. The Prestige – A good yarn. I know this didn't wind up on anyone's top ten lists nationally, but I can't think of a movie that kept me more engaged while I was watching it. It had that rarity in today's films — a screenplay. And one that was constructed like a fine clockwork. Everything is laid out for you and it all pays off in the end. Good performances, an ingenious script, and a sense of "ahha" by the end. I doubt this is a film for the ages, but I certainly enjoyed it the night I saw it, and its stuck with me for its cleverness. I doubt much of my top ten this year is a classic that will wear well over the years, but its been a rather hohum movie year...... again!
2. The Departed —Scorsese continues to show he's one of the best craftmen out there. A surprisingly good adaption of a Hong Kong film, with Matt Damon's best performance, a mature Leo DiCaprio and Nicholson chewing scenery with relish. Like the above film, it engaged your brain as you tried to keep all the double dealing and its implications straight.
3. The Matador –Pierce Brosnon turns in the most surprising comic performance of this year in this amusing trifle of a spy gone to seed. A nice, small comedy from early in the year. Greg Kinnear is a great "everyman" and this neglected film would make a great dvd rental.
*3A.Chilren of Men (seen in 2007)
*3B.Little Children (seen in 2007)
*3C.Half Nelson (seen in 2007)
4. United 93 – Yes… we know the story, but this film does a great job of letting you peek inside what might have happened on the doomed plane. The documentary-like style, and the relative anonymity of the actors and the characters gives it real everyman feel. Gripping.
*4a Infamous (seen in 2007)
*4b Sweetland (seen in 2007)
5. The pursuit of Happyness – OK… it’s a hankey-picture and a bit melodramatic, but damn it, it does lift the heart to see this sort of triumph over adversity. Will Smith shows he has the acting chops, and the scene where he's called in at the end of his internship is one of the best little pieces of acting of the year.
6. Thank you for smoking – Satire is tough to pull off, but this film succeeds on its own modest terms. Aaron Eckhart does a great job making you care about a sleazy character.
7. Little Miss Sunshine – Wow! 2 decent satires in one year. This film has probably been overpraised for what it is, but it was fun to watch. Gotta give credit to one of these Indy films that manages to market its way into popular success.
8. Babel — I'm not sure the entire film comes together in a meaningful way, but at least two of the storylines were fascinating. The fate of Amelia and the kids in the dessert made you hold your breath and fret, and the performance of Rinko Kikuchi while disconcerting and even baffling, held one in thrall. Forget the stars that brought the picture in the mainstream — the supporting characters in this one gave us the images that lingered.
9. Borat — A rare feat to take a TV comedy concept, and extend it successfully to feature-length. Not for all tastes, but jaw-droppingly funny in spots. Cohen's commitment to his character is simply amazing. No small thing to find the connective glue to tie Cohen's guerilla documentary style to a storyline. And that nude wrestling scene? Yeow!
*9a Notes on a Scandal (seen in 2007)
10. Monster House – Best Animated Film of the Year. Surprisingly good screenplay and voice acting for this medium. I saw it in 3D and became convinced that 3D does have a place in film. Gave a great sense of depth and the glasses were so much better than they used to be! Would have made a good screenplay even if it hadn't been animated. And a rare case where the previews didn't give the real plot away. Thank you!
PASS THE POPCORN: (Not the year's best, but all films I enjoyed just the same.
11. Stranger Than Fiction
12.
Flags of our fathers
13.
Lucky Number Slevin
14.
Cars
15.
Pan’s Labyrinth
16.
The Notorious Betty Page
17.
Clerks 2
18.
X-Men: The Last Stand
19.
Inside Man
20.
Casino Royale
21. Happy Feet
22.
Dream Girls
23.
Superman Returns
OK... BUT I WOULD'T WANT TO SEE 'EM TWICE:
*23a A Guide to recognizing your saints (seen in 2007)
*23b Wordplay (seen in 2007)
*23c The Illusionist(seen in 2007)
24. The Good Shepherd
25.
Miami Vice
26.
World Trade Center
27.
The Descent
28.
Prairie Home Companion
29.
The Queen
30.
Rocky Balboa
31.
Invincible
32. An inconvenient Truth
*32a Slither (seen in 2007)
*32b This movie is not yet rated(seen in 2007)
YAWNERS AND DISSAPOINTMENTS :
33. A Scanner Darkly
34. Over the Hedge
35.
Poseidon
36.
V for vendetta
37.
Mission Impossible 3
*37a Letters from Iwo Jima(seen in 2007)
*37b Air Guitar Nation(seen in 2007)
*37c Beerfest (seen in 2007)
*37d Night at the Museum (seen in 2007)
38.
Flushed Away
39.
Snakes on a Plane
40.
Brick
WORST OF THE YEAR:
(3 I had high hopes for that bored me to tears. And 2 that were unnecessary in every way and reveal the worst impulses of Hollywood)
41. Marie Antoinette
*41a The O in Ohio(seen in 2007)
42.
Hollywoodland
43.
Black Dahlia
44.
Firewall
45.
The Pink Panther
2005 Films Seen in 2006 (star ratings from 4-1 indicate how good or bad these would have wound up in last year's list)
12 films from last year (they have been placed in the 2005 list in gray)
The two top films on the list would have made my "best of" list last year if I'd seen them in time.
**** Junebug
**** The Squid & the Whale
***Brokeback Mountain
***Match Point
***Tsotsi
**Transamerica
**Munich
**Mrs Henderson Presents
**Dreamer:Inspired by a True Story
**An Unfinished Life
**The New World
*Me and you and everyone we know
Films seen in 2008 and beyond are all now housed on TroutcoBlog.
The films I saw in 2007 Rated.
The films I saw in 2006 Rated.
The films I saw in 2005 Rated
The films I saw in 2004 Rated.
The films I saw in 2003 Rated.
The
films I saw in 2002 Rated.
The films I saw in 2001 Rated.