Top 10 2006 Movies
Despite some disappointing films, 2006 was a great year for movies. It was a period in which young filmmakers re-imagined a variety of genres, from the Western to the detective movie and even the gangster flick.
But it was also a time in which some of the most powerfully scathing attacks on religion were penned. The Da Vinci Code set a new threshold for sheer anti-Catholic chutzpah and outrageous offensiveness, and V for Vendetta worked one of the most egregiously anti-clerical depictions of a corrupt and perverted church prelate into an action film that made affirmation of homosexuality a criterion of moral decency.
The Departed
A remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs, The Departed is a classic crime drama, starring a powerhouse cast and written by Martin Scorsese. Based on Boston’s notorious Irish mob, it tells a thrilling story that won five Oscars.
Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) is recruited by Irish-American mob boss Francis Costello to work as an informant in the Massachusetts State Police. He quickly rises through the ranks to be a part of an investigation unit working to take Costello down.
The Fountain
Darren Aronofsky’s long-delayed film The Fountain tells three interlocking stories about love and mortality. The first focuses on a research scientist and his wife (Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz) racing to find a cure for their terminal illness.
The second features a 16th-century conquistador on a quest for the Tree of Life to help his queen. And the third traces a traveller in a space journeying alongside aspects of his lost love.
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Babel
Babel focuses on four families in four countries on three continents in a multidimensional story that engages the senses, startles the mind, and engenders within our consciousness an appreciation for small acts of kindness and compassion in a world filled with hatred, violence, confusion, dread, suffering and loss.
Devout to Kaia and Cascade, Babel finds her closest connection to the earth beneath her hooves and the water that sustains life. She carries small and detailed little carvings of these two gods with her wherever she goes.
Cars
Cars are one of the most popular Disney Pixar films, a movie that’s perfect for both kids and adults. It features a hotshot racecar and a rusty tow truck that become the best of friends.
Lightning McQueen starts as a self-centred race car but learns to appreciate the true meaning of friendship in Radiator Springs. He ends up changing his attitude to a more humble one, and this helps him win the Piston Cup.
The New World
Terrence Malick reimagines the legendary love story between Pocahontas and Captain John Smith, in this slam-bang historical drama. Though not a box-office success, it received critical acclaim.
Set against the backdrop of the first English settlement in America, it’s a fascinating story that takes a closer look at the history of this epic romance. It’s also a beautifully shot film.
The Illusionist
A love story with a hint of magic and intrigue, 2006’s The Illusionist is based on Steven Millhauser’s short story “Eisenheim the Illusionist.”
Edward Norton is superb as the mysterious stage magician Eisenheim. He’s magnetic, both in the romantic scenes and when he’s directing his audience.
Inside Man
Steven Moffat’s new series Inside Man is an intriguing drama about a prisoner on death row (Stanley Tucci) in the US and a vicar in a quaint English town (David Tennant). It’s also about the dangers of crossing paths with the wrong people.
It’s a thought experiment that gets a little too over-the-top for its good, but the plot is still exciting and incredibly clever. The cast is a standout, too.
The Squid and the Whale
Noah Baumbach’s third feature traces the lives of two teenage boys growing up in 1980s Park Slope, Brooklyn, as they cope with their parent’s divorce. Their father, Bernard (Jeff Daniels), is a creative writing professor who’s been through some tough times; his wife, Joan (Laura Linney), is more successful but has her insecurities.
The brothers take sides as their parents divide up the household, with Bernard moving into a nearby apartment and Joan staying in the family home. Walt and Frank find the transition difficult.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
The Pirates of the Caribbean series is a popular and profitable media franchise, bringing thrills and spills to audiences worldwide. It is an epic swashbuckler film franchise that began in 2003 with the release of the first movie.
When a ghostly pirate named Davy Jones threatens to collect a blood debt, Captain Jack Sparrow must find a way to escape his fate. To do so, he enlists the help of his old friends Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann. They encounter sea monsters, unfriendly islanders and a flamboyant soothsayer along the way.
Superman Returns
After a five-year absence, Superman returns to Earth, where he faces the heartbreaking realization that the woman he loves has moved on with her life. But he’s determined to make a new start and find his place in a world that seems to have adapted without him.
Director Bryan Singer has reinvigorated the Superman franchise, delivering a more thoughtful and mature re-introduction to a superhero icon. Though the film isn’t perfect, it still holds up as a must-see for DC Comics fans.
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