2006: A YEAR IN MOVIES
As 2006 comes to an end, let us reflect on what was good, what was bad, what made money and what the future is about to bring.
CLICK
HERE to read The-Usher's top 20 movies of 2006
CLICK HERE to discover the top 5 films of 2006
CLICK HERE to find out what were the worst movies
of 2006
CLICK HERE to view the top 5 grossing movies
of 2006 in the US and UK
CLICK HERE for a preview of 2007
2006 came with great anticipation. Captain Jack Sparrow was to grace our screens again, computer animation was abound, the X-Men where about to make a last stand, Catherine Trammel grabbed the ice pick again, Dante and Randel were still slacking off, dragons were about to take flight, Tokyo was fast and furious, M. Night Shyamalan was to provide some more twists, Will Farrell was going NASCAR racing, Tenacious D where heading to the big screen and there could have actually been a really good video game movie adaptation. The problem was that 2006 became a year of disappointment.
With most of the big budget movies failing to grab your and the box office's attention, it was left to the following 20 movies to light up our year...
Top Twenty Movies of 2006 (In Alphabetical Order)
Borat: Cultural
Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Sacha Baron Cohen provided the biggest surprise hit of 2006 making over
$120 million in the US alone. Bringing his second character from his TV
roots to the silver screen, after the disappointing Ali G movie, Baron Cohen
doesn't change what made Borat such a cult classic on the small screen.
With the biggest laughs of the year, some of which will have you cringing,
'Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of
Kazakhstan' is by far the best comedy movie of year.
Brokeback Mountain
Ang Lee's story of two cowboys finding love on the mountain was controversial
but beautifully shot and brilliantly acted. Essentially it was a story of
forbidden love, set in a less understanding time, when two people who found
each other couldn't be together for fear of what it would do to their families
and their standing within the community. With outstanding performances from
Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger, this is a film that is much more than
just a gay cowboy movie.
Capote
Phillip Seymour Hoffman's Oscar winning portrayal of writer Truman Capote
shows again that he is one of the best actors working in film today. Portraying
his relationship with convicted murder Perry Smith and how he researched
his novel 'In Cold Blood', this is a powerful movie about the human condition
and how even the most evil of people need friendship and understanding.
Casino Royale
James Bond returns all new and reinvented, as Daniel Craig steps into the
tuxedo and earns his licence to kill. Restarting the world's most famous
movie franchise was always going to be a risk but fans should never had
worried because this is one of the best Bond films since the Connery era.
Returning to real stunts and introducing character development into the
mix, this might be a reinvention of the character but it is one that also
reinvigorates the super spy and sets the standard for 007 and any other
spy movie.
Children of Men
Alfonso Cuarón's bleak look at future is one of the best science fiction
movies to come along in a very long time. Set in a future were women have
become infertile, the film follows Clive Owen's Theo as he tries to get
Kee out of the UK because she is the miracle the human race has been waiting
for. Kee is pregnant. This is quite simply stunning science fiction and
a classic of the genre.
The Departed
Hollywood loves to remake hit foreign movies and Hong Kong's 'Infernal Affairs'
trilogy is one of the best so it would take something special to make this
remake just as good. When Martin Scorsese is involved however, it is a different
matter. Gathering together an amazing ensemble cast including Leonardo DiCaprio,
Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, Alec Baldwin and
the brilliant Jack Nicholson, this story of deception within the police
department and the Irish mob is Scorsese back to his very best.
Good Night and
Good Luck
George Clooney's second stint behind the camera as director proves again
that he is one of the most accomplished filmmakers working in Hollywood
today. Depicting legendary CBS reporter Edward R. Murrow stand against Senator
Joseph McCarthy's policies on rooting out communism in the 1950s, this is
a powerful and insightful movie that mirrors some of the questions we have
to ask today.
Little Miss Sunshine
Every year a small, independent movie comes along that becomes firm favourite
not just of critics but of moviegoers alike. A road movie about a dysfunctional
family travelling across the country to get the youngest daughter to the
Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant, this is filled with outstanding performances
and genuine laugh-out-loud moments. Starring Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette,
Steve Carell, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin and the brilliant Alan Arkin, this
is a gem of a movie and one that should not be missed.
The Matador
Trying to move on from being the world's most famous secret agent, Pierce
Brosnan plays a hitman going through a personal crisis that attaches himself
to a family man, who is intrigued by this life style. This is a buddy movie
that sees Brosnan and Greg Kinnear light up the screen, brilliantly combining
drama and comedy to produce a great example of character driven filmmaking.
Mission: Impossible
III
Tom Cruise returns as Impossible Mission Force agent Ethan Hunt for his
third adventure and produces one of the best action films of the year. Directed
by Lost and Alias creator J.J. Abrams, the second sequel ups the action
quota but also increases the character development and storyline to produce
a brilliant spy movie that even manages to get past Tom Cruise's bad public
image.
Monster House
After a year of animated movies filled with talking, singing and dancing
animals it makes a change to have human characters for a change. Very much
in the same tone as hit family classic 'The Goonies', three friends investigate
the haunted house on their block and discover the house is actually alive.
This is brilliant animation and a family film that, while a little scary,
everyone can enjoy.
Munich
Steven Spielberg's look at Israel's revenge for the attack and murder of
their Olympic athletes at the 1972 Munich games shows again that he is the
most diverse and accomplished filmmakers working in Hollywood today. With
an outstanding ensemble cast headed by a leading performance from the brilliant
Eric Bana, this is a powerful and thought provoking movie that is Spielberg
at his very best.
Pan's Labyrinth
Guillermo del Toro's nightmarish fantasy film is the writer/director's tour-de-force.
Much like 'The Devil's Backbone', Del Toro brilliantly combines astounding
visuals and a story of hope in a time of civil war in Spain to produce a
movie that will move you as well as enthral you. This shows how good a filmmaker
Guillermo del Toro is and is a film that should not be missed.
The Prestige
After making his commercial mark with hit reimagining of the Dark Knight
with 'Batman Begins', Christopher Nolan's follow-up takes you to the 1890s
and introduces you to two rival magicians. Starring Hugh Jackman and Christian
Bale, the movie twists and turns as the two magicians try and out do each
other. Superb and intriguing, this is an outstanding movie.
The Proposition
Written by Australian rock star Nick Cave, this is character driven outback
western that has more bite and realism than anything the Old West has mustered
in many a year. With outstanding performances from Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone
and Danny Huston, this is a gritty, no-holds barred look at how the Australian
Outback was just as violent as anything in the US.
Stranger than
Fiction
Will Farrell is better known for his zany characters and humour but much
like Jim Carrey, he wants to be taken a little more seriously. Like 'The
Truman Show', Farrell takes a fantastical idea and makes it believeable.
As Harold Crick who hears a voice in his head, narrating his life and telling
him that he is going to die. This is an emotional, touching and funny movie
that shows that there is more to Will Farrell than you might think.
Superman Returns
Bryan Singer left his X-Men behind and headed for Metropolis to bring the
Man of Steel back to the silver screen. With Brandon Routh donning the cape
and Kevin Spacey stepping into the role of Lex Luther, Singer concentrated
on story and character to produce a Superman movie that defined the superhero
and made you believe again that a man could fly. The late, great Christopher
Reeves would be proud.
Thank You For
Smoking
A comedy film about the Cigarette industry might not sound like a movie
you might want to see in today's political climate but this is a satire
that is as poignant as it is funny. Aaron Eckhart's fast talking Nick Naylor,
the spokesman for Big Tobacco is the voice for freedom of speech and you
might not like that but you can't help but enjoy it.
United 93
Five years on from the events that changed the world, Hollywood and filmmakers
thought it was time to tell some of the stories from September 11th, 2001.
Oliver Stone brought us 'World Trade Center' but it was Paul Greengrass's
'United 93' that really grabbed our attention. Dramatising the fight back
by the passengers on the United Airlines fight that was heading to Washington,
this also shows how air traffic control and the military reacted to thus
events to produce a movie that asked as many questions as it gave answers.
Zathura: A Space
Adventure
Billed as a space version of 'Jumanji', 'Zathura' has all the classic hallmarks
of a family movie and it blasts them at you in spades. Director Jon Favreau
expertly combines live action and computer generated visual effects to bring
this story of adventure in outer space to life with great gusto.
Overall Top Five Movies for 2006
5. Thank You
For Smoking
4. United 93
3. Little Miss Sunshine
2. Children of Men
1. Casino Royal
Along with all of these gems came a barge of rubbish movies that, as a critic, I had to endure so you didn't have to...
Disappointments and complete Turkeys of the Year
Basic Instinct
2
A sex thriller without any sex, Sharon Stone is a little too old to be returning
to the role of Catherine Trammel
Big Momma's House
2
The first one was bad enough and the sequel is even worse. Martin Lawrence
should be banned from movies
Eragon
This Lord of the Rings/Narnia wannabe ends up just been a big screen pantomime
with some ropey special effects The Guardian Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher
deserve to be left to drown and definitely not rescued from this disaster
Hostel
Eli Roth is not the next big thing in horror movies, British director Neil
Marshall is (Dog Soldiers, The Descent). Give up now Eli, you are rubbish.
Little Man
Who told the Wayans brothers they were funny? Stop giving them money to
make movies please!
The Wicker Man
Remake a British horror classic, give it a 12A (PG-13) certificate, take
out all the horror and make it unintentionally funny and you have Nicholas
Cage's version of the 'Wicker Man'.
The Worst Movie of 2006
The Pink Panther
Why oh why did they have to do this! Steve Martin should be shot in the
dark, we need to get revenge, make sure he is cursed and campaign for this
never to return. Lets hope that Peter Sellers haunts him for the rest of
this life but that would probably be really cool.
Top Five Grossing films of 2006 (US and UK)
US
1. Pirates of the Caribbean:
Dead Man's Chest $423,315,812
2. Cars $244,082,982
3. X-Men: The Last Stand $234,362,462
4. The Da Vinci Code $217,536,138
5. Superman Returns $200,081,192
UK
1. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (£52m)
2. Casino Royale (£44.6m)
3. The Da Vinci Code (£30.4m)
4. Ice Age 2: The Meltdown (£29.5m)
5. Borat (£23.7m)
January
Apocalypto
Mel Gibson's blood soaked Mayan epic performs a human sacrifice at the box
office
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to visit the official site
Miss Potter
Renee Zellweger stars as beloved children's writer Beatrix Potter, in this
story of her life.
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to visit the official site
The Pursuit of
Happyness
Will Smith as a man who is trying to land his dream job and take care of
his son at the same time.
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HERE to visit the official site
Smokin' Aces
Ben Affleck, Andy Garcia, Alicia Keyes and Ray Liotta Joe Carnahan (Narc)
for an action comedy about a Vegas magician, played by Jeremy Piven, turned
FBI squealer who attracts a collection of assassins and bounty hunters.
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to visit the official site
Rocky Balboa
Sylvester Stallone returns to the boxing ring for one last fight in the
sixth movie in the franchise
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visit the official site
Babel
Alejandro González Iñárritu's (21 Grams) political and social drama starting
Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett and Gael García Bernal
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HERE to visit the official site
Blood Diamond
Edward Zwick (Glory, Legends of the Fall, The Last Samurai) collaborates
with Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou for a story
of greed and danger in Africa
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to visit the official site
February
Dreamgirls
Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé Knowles and Eddie Murphy star in the big screen adaptation
of the Broadway Musical
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to visit the official site
Charlotte's Web
A live action adaptation of the beloved children's classic with the vocal
talents of Julia Roberts, Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Oprah Winfrey, Cedric
the Entertainer, André Benjamin, Thomas Haden Church, Robert Redford and
Kathy Bates
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to visit the official site
Hannibal Rising
Prequel to Red Dragon, showing the events that drove Hannibal Lector to
become the cannibal we all know and love.
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HERE to visit the official website
Hot Fuzz
From the makers of 'Shaun of the Dead' comes a big Hollywood style action
movie but set in the West Country of England.
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to visit the official website
Letters from
Iwo Jima
Companion movie to 'Flags of our Fathers', Clint Eastwood returns to the
Pacific War to tell the story from the Japanese prospective.
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to visit the official website
The Rest of 2007
Ghost Rider
Nicholas Cage is comic book hero Johnny Blaze, a
bounty hunter of rogue demons cursed by the Devil himself
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to visit the official website
The Good German
Directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring George Clooney, Cate Blanchett
and Tobey Maguire, this is a story of intrigue and deception during the
Second World War
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to visit the official website
Zodiac
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Edwards
and Brian Cox, director David Fincher tells the story of San Francisco Bay
Area serial killer.
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to visit the official site
300
Adapted from the Frank Miller graphic novel, this is the story of the three
hundred Spartans that took on the might of the Persian army
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to visit the official website
Teenage Mutant
Ninja Turtles (TMNT)
Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael are back in computer animated
form to be heroes in a half-shell again
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visit the official website
Spider-Man 3
Your friendly neighbourhood wallcrawler is back to face three new foes
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to visit the official website
28 Weeks Later
The Rage virus takes hold of the UK again in the sequel to '28 Days Later'
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Continuing the many stories set up in 'Dead Man's Chest', will we discover
what happened to Captain Jack Sparrow?
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official website
Ocean's Thirteen
George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Don Cheadle, Bernie
Mac, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Eddie Jemison, Shaobo Qin, Carl Reiner,
Elliot GouldSteven return with Soderbergh directing and Ellen Barkin and
Al Pacino joining in the heist.
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to visit the official website
Fantastic Four:
The Rise of the Silver Surfer
With the Earth heading for distruction, it is up to Reed Richards, Sue Storm,
Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm to save the planet
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to visit the official website
Shrek the Third
Everyone's favourite green ogre returns and has to cope with been King of
Far, Far Away
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to visit the official website
Live Free Or
Die Hard
Bruce Willis is back John McClane in the forth film of the series
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to visit the official website
Harry Potter
and the Order of the Phoenix
The boy wizard returns for his fifth year at Hogwartsn and it could be his
most dangerous
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HERE to visit the official website
Ratatouille
The new animated movie from Pixar and 'Incredibles' director Brad Bird
CLICK HERE to visit the
official website
The Simpsons
Movie
Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and the rest of the Springfield residents head
for the big screen
CLICK HERE to visit the
official website
Transformers
Those robots in disguise get a live action make over thanks to Steven Spielberg
and director Michael Bay
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HERE to visit the officail website
The Bourne Ultimatum
Matt Damon return for a third outing as Jason Bourne, who is still looking
for answers about his past
2007 might be filled with sequels but they should be good ones.
Thank you for reading and here's to 2007.
Jamie Kelwick
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2006
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your feelings about the end of the Star Wars Saga
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A look back at the Star Wars Phenomenon
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Who should go home with a Golden Statue?
What was hot and what was not in 2001
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
A Muggles Guide to witchcraft and wizardry