2006

2006

10. After The Wedding (dir. Sussane Bier)
9. Children of Men (dir. Alfonso Cuaron)
8. The Departed (dir. Martin Scorsese)
7. Letters From Iwo Jima (dir. Clint Eastwood)
6. Blame It On Fidel! (dir. Julie Gavras)

5. The Namesake (dir. Mira Nair)
I never thought I would like a movie with Kal Penn this much. Sure, the Harold and Kumar movie was fun but outside of that I didn't think he had much. He's pretty good in this movie but he's outshined by his elders. Both Tabu and Irrfan Khan (a great year for him) deliver two of the best supporting performances of the year and the movie belongs just as much to them as it does to Kal Penn. It is the typical story of immigrants coming to America and dealing with the cultural rift between generations but it never feels old because the movie is so impeccably acted and the direction is always fair and compassionate. Films this touching should be treasured.
4. The Lives of Others (dir. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck)
A piercing film about hidden thoughts and desire and some other stuff. I am a moron so I cannot say much about the film other than it has a masterful performance from Ulrich Muehe.
3. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (dir. Mamoru Hosoda)
This is such a beautiful movie. It tells a beautiful love story using time travel. It reminded me of why I love animated movies.
2. Pan's Labyrinth (dir. Guillermo Del Toro)
No other movie in 2006 managed to entertain and dazzle while making you think quite like this one. They call it a fairy tale for adults, I call it a masterpiece.
1. Volver (dir. Pedro Almodovar)
I called the #2 movie a masterpiece but yet it is not #1. Why? Because while I love both movies I love this one just a slight bit more. I wish Penelope Cruz did just Almodovar movies. She should've won the Oscar.

I'm not sure if it was eligible since it played on TV but Spike Lee's "When The Levees Broke" was easily the best documentary of the year. Top 5.

Unseen Movies

Syndromes and a Century
I Don't Want To Sleep Alone
The Queen
Still Life
Flags Of Our Fathers
A Prairie Home Companion
Venus
Black Snake Moan
Tristam Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story
Bubble
Dead Man's Shoes
The Death of Mr. Lazarescu
Jesus Camp
hana yori no maho