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Across the Universe
Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix
Simpson’s Movie
Beowolf
Live Free or Die Hard
Resident Evil: Extinction
The Brave One
300
Juno
Charlie Wilson’s War
Before my actual top 10 films this year, I would like to mention 3 Gems that are ineligible for inclusion here but are better than most of what I saw this year altogether. That says a lot as 2007 was a great year at the cinema with quite a few memorable films. Actually, I could have easily made a top 25 list of great selections had I had seen a few more of the releases in time
Epic Sc-fi and one of my all time faves finally got the final cut release. The superb DVD set is the best release of the year
2007 Oscar winner for Best foreign film, this German project is a powerhouse. Most people didn’t get a chance to experience this work well into 2007. This would have been my #1 last year had I seen it before the years end.
What a fabulous film. Like the previous title, I did not get a chance to see this one until 2007..It certainly would have been in my top 3 for 2006
As I mentioned earlier this was a great year of new releases. Below is a list of noteworthy titles that appear in many top 10 lists and could have also made mine had I seen them in time…
I anxiously look forward to seeing some of these interesting ‘07 titles ASAP>
Curious to see where some of your favs from ‘07 came up across other critics top 10 lists from around the globe.. Go Check out this chart>
I feel that one can learn a lot about a stranger by the type of films they like and observing an individual’s top 10 list is a great way to sum up this experience. This personal list reflects my taste in cinema and I look forward to getting a glance at some of your favs from 2006.
Before the actual list, I would like to mention 3 very special films that were inelegible for inclusion due to various reasons.
WATER I saw this at the 2005 TIFF but it received wide release in 2006. This Marvellous film is one of the best I have seen in a while and was first in my ‘05 list. I’ll even go as far as stating that this was the most moving cinematic experiences of my life!(SEE HERE for further thoughts..) If you did not see it on the big screen, you truly missed out. WATER is Canadas entry for the Oscars this year and I really hope that it makes it.
The New World Although The New World was released very late in 2005, I did not catch it on screen until mid ‘06 and most people saw this on DVD last summer. The New World is a brilliant film and althought it’s not for everybody, those who can appreciate it will be rewarded.
The Nightmare Before Christmas 3D This classic film came out in the early 90’s but was re-released in theaters this year under a digital 3D treatment! WOW.. what an amazing experience. I feel sorry for fans who missed out on it in 2006.
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1 The Departed: After a few weak outings, The great Martin Scorsese returns to the big leagues with this marvellous production. The finest film of 2006 and Scorsese’s fifth masterpiece as it has the grit of Raging Bull/Taxi Driver and the wit of Casino/Goodfellas. The all star cast does well to deliver the great script. Those who saw it and thought of this as just an average film will come to appreciate the depth of the characters and the brilliant storyline fully, once they catch the DVD. A remake of Infernal Affairs(2002), The Departed is superior to its predecessor in every way. IA was a good flick but this one is a magnificent film! All HOLLYWOOD politics aside(I’m willing to overlook the films exclusion from the AFI Top 10), if this doesn’t get the best director Oscar…there are going be a few riots out there.
2 Lady In The Water: The love it or hate it film of 2006…M. Night Shyamalan’s latest film struck a cord with me. Butchered by most Critics and film-goers alike as even the most loyal Shyamalan fans shunned this production. This film is not for everyone and I can see why this could fly right over most folks. It is not a horror film out to provide cheap thrills thus it disappointed so many film fans. I feel this is the directors best work yet! If you “got” SIGNS than you will like this one as well. Watch this fable of faith with an open mind and you may be surprised.
3 Apocalypto: Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto is a thrill ride from the first scene and is a visually stunning journey. The film truly transports the audience but its more than a mere adventure ride. This is a humanistic masterpiece where Mayan civilization is used as a metaphor for all of humanity. This memorable film is filled with breathtaking cinematography, defined characters and a story line is carried very well by the manny invloved in it. Gibson did a fabulous job directing this remarkable film.
4 The Proposition: Set in the Aussie outback, The Proposition is a grim, gory, gripping and gritty tale that is rough, raw, rugged and real. I loved the way this film was shot(no pun intended!) as there were some scenes with breathtaking landscape cinematography. If you thought A History of violence was brutal.. wait till you see some of the scenarios here. This Grand and poetic western is a savage and complex masterpiece.
5 Pan’s Labyrinth: Guillermo del Toro(Hellboy) wrote/directed this brilliant fantasy epic. This film was the most well received title of 2006 and for good reason as it’s great cinema. Intelligent and moving, this truly was a mesmerizing experience. Outstanding cinematography and impressive visual effects are capped by marvellously portrayed characters in this dark fable. It also featured one of the finest underscores of ‘06 as I will be picking up the soundtrack CD very soon. Look for Labyrinth come Oscar time.
6 Snow Cake: I knew nothing about it going in and was treated to a delightful gem. Wow, where did this come from? I adored every minute of this fabulous film. The two leads give outstanding performances here; Alan Rickman in the role of his life was brilliant. Loved the great script in a Canadian setting and bonus points for that scene with the comic heros reference. Snow Cake is a low key Drama that is truly moving. Go see it!
7 Stranger Than Fiction: Will Ferrell follows Jim Carrey’s(Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind/loved it!) and Adam Sandler’s(Punch-Drunk Love/hated it!) lead into a serious role and pulls it off brilliantly in Stranger Than Fiction. A superb script that is almost Charlie Kaufman-esque. Very touching cinematic experience with surprisingly subtle performances makes this “moral tale” a truly memorable experience.
8 49 Up: Michael Apted’s ongoing Sociology experiment represents the original “reality TV” project. Don’t let that deceive you though as unlike the “real” fluff that you see today, this is one of the most innovative films series ever created. It’s the seventh part of a landmark documentary that began 42 years ago where the subjects have been interviewed on film every seven years since their childhood. Get the entire series and enjoy the “show”.
9 The Lake House: Not just another Chick Flick.. I feel slightly guilty for including this film in my top 10 as it could be considered pretty Cheesy by many but there was something fairly charming about this film that moved me! I am not a fan of either of the leads but their onscreen chemistry was ‘magical’. Quite possibly the finest performance by both Bullock & Reeve to date. The Lake House is a delightful Love story. Do give this film a chance!
10 Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna: Bollywood melodrama galore! Another borderline inclusion in my list… Everyone I know hated this film but I happened to enjoy it very much. This is supposedly the most expensive Hindi film ever made so if you can look past the soap opera storyline and take in the visuals you will see the state of modern day bollywood cinematography. A mature tale that showcases human emotions and the reality of relationships in our lives. A few Must See Bollywood titles
Some Decent(I hope!) titles that I haven’t see yet…
The Painted Veil
Three Times
Curse Of The Golden Flower
The Science of Sleep
Days Of Glory
Akeelah And The Bee
Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles
The Last King Of Scotland
Letters From Iwo Jima
The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros
Children Of Men
Little Children
The Good Shepherd
The Good German
and The Two Good Little Children of German Shepherds(just kidding!)...
Lastly, here are some Personal Lists from the past few weeks…
Complete Summary of 2006 @ the Theaters (coming soon!)
Unforgiveably late, but here are my film lists for 2005:
Best Films, 2005
1) Capote: compelling character study; a worthy companion to Capote’s In Cold Blood
2) Corpse Bride: perhaps not the overall strongest animated film, but contained the most vivid scenes
3) Everything is Illuminated: family, history, memory, wit.
4) Good Night, and Good Luck: ideologically committed film, bonus points for black and white
5) Kung Fu Hustle: what a romp! It sends up, and celebrates, one of my favorite genres
6) Murderball: best documentary, lacking the excessive sentimentality I so despise
7) Saraband: yes, because it’s Bergman and because of its relationship to Scenes from a Marriage… that’s also why it’s so good.
8) Sin City: a love letter to noir
9) The Squid and the Whale: my type of family film
10) Wallace and Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit: for solid cross-generational appeal; I’ve never seen or heard such a happily united audience
Most Overrated/Overexposed Films, 2005
1) 40 Year-Old Virgin
2) The Aristocrats
3) Crash
4) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
5) A History of Violence
6) March of the Penguins
7) Match Point
8) Mr. and Mrs. Smith
9) Star Wars: Episode III
10) War of the Worlds
Suffering from High Expectations, 2005
1) Batman Begins
2) Brokeback Mountain
3) Broken Flowers
4) Charlie & the Chocolate Factory
5) Chicken Little
6) The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
7) Howl’s Moving Castle
8) King Kong
9) Munich
10) Rent
I don’t have the time to see many films or keep track of them
I don’t know, i think that i like to go to the movies just because i enjoy it, not because i want to write reviews after that…acutally, i don’t even remember what movies i’ve seen so far, this year…probably nothing that was worth enough to mention it :)
So far…
King Kong – wow wow wow, I was cringing and uncomfortable, my poor daughter’s hand was squeezed and tortured while I watched this film. **(four stars from me)
She’s the Man – I was really impressed regardless of the predictable, done before story line. Amanda Bines is an amazing and funny young lady who does not have to resort to using her sexual wiles to sell a great performance. I laughed hard in some spots in this film. *1/2 (3 1/2 stars)
getting it up to 10 was tough. in reverse order:
10) Jarhead
contrasting mindframes in a strange war.
9) Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit
geniuses, i say. these guys are geniuses.
8) Munich
subtract that one horrid sex scene, and it was really incredibly heart-rending.
7) Grizzly Man
sad. no matter what you think about the main character, it’s just so, so sad.
6) Sin City
ye gods, someone actually made a comic translate to film, and did it well.
5) Chronicles of Narnia
i think you have to have a certain relationship with the books to appreciate the depth of this visual representation.
4) Brokeback Mountain
every unimportant moment has great import in certain lives.
3) Mad Hot Ballroom
SO underrated. some of these kids were simply fantastic, and just jumped out of the screen at you.
2) Kingdom of Heaven
what can i say? i’m a sucker for a good film with reasonable historical accuracy.
1) Batman Begins
rekindled the joy in what Batman can be. Christopher Nolan is totally the s*it.
i would have put down “Good Night and Good Luck” at #10 but i thought the extra on the DVD was SO much better than the movie that it was kind of shocking in contrast.
and finally, i cannot express how much i despised the film “Me, You, and Everyone We Know.” ick. ick ick ick.
