Top Ten Films Of 2006!

It was a pretty grim year for the movies. Film after film showed us a world in which danger lurks everywhere. The films of 2006 reminded me that cinema can be a reflection of society. Films can mirror our fears and desires. They play off of our emotions, no matter what the topic. The best films of the year showed us war, crime, racial/political/social injustice and the decline of a culture. Not what you might expect from the dream factory known as Hollywood.

But, here we are, my top ten favorite films of 2006!

1. UNITED 93 (U.S. Paul Greengrass) - One of the most talked about and controversial films of the year. We heard the question asked over and over again, "are people ready"? "Is it too soon"? I thought the questions were all non-sense. "United 93" proved to be one of the most emotional times I had at the movies. To sit and watch the film was a draining experience. The film captivates its audience as we sit and watch a film which deals with a subject we all remember a little too well. Still, the film was expertly made and done with a lot of care.

2. THE CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER (Hong Kong/China Zhang Yimou) - Here we have the downfall of a dynasty. Director Zhang Yimou, coming off the critical praise of "House of Flying Daggers" and "Hero" expands upon those films with a story fit for Shakespeare. This is more than just a pretty film to look at, though it is visually stunning, it is a work of lasting importance. In many ways I prefer this over many of Yimou more recent films.

3. BABEL (FRANCE/U.S./MEXICO Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu) - Inarritu is perhaps the only filmmaker since Ingmar Bergman who has been able to show the human condition in such poetic ways. With this, only his third film, Inarritu makes a film which may be relevant for years to come. While I didn't feel it had the emotional power of his previous film "21 Grams" it did however make a greater social commentary and because of that was able to connect to a larger group of people.

4. THE DEPARTED (U.S. Martin Scorsese) - After getting some uncalled for flack for "The Aviator" and "Gangs of New York" Scorsese returns to those gritty "mean streets" he seems to know oh so well. The film takes on one of Scorsese favorite themes; loyalty. Watch out for who you put your trust in because many times, people aren't what they seem.

5. FATELESS (Hungary Lajos Koltai) - With all the films made about the Holocaust sometimes people may forget children suffered during this time of unspeakable Hell. But Koltai's feature film debut doesn't back away. Based on a pultizer prize winning novel, which was also based on a true story, the film ranks among classics such as "Schindler's List" and "The Pianist". Sadly it never found much of an audience.

6. THE QUEEN (UK/FRANCE/ITALY Stephen Frears) - There were moments as I watched this film, I thought to myself, "this feels real". How did Frears and screenwriter Peter Morgan managed to obtain such personal information? The performance given by Helen Mirren undoubtedly deserved the Academy Award. She doesn't give merely an impersonation but fleshes out the queen and makes her a character. The audience comes to an understanding about what kind of person she is. And that's hard to do when playing a real life person who is still alive.

7. PAN'S LABYRINTH (Mexico/Spain Guillermo del Toro) - As we live in a world full of evil and hate here is a film which tells us the only way to escape it, is to lose ourselves in our dreams. But sadly, sometimes that is not enough. What do we do when our dreams become crushed by reality? That is what is at the heart of this masterpiece.

8. DON'T COME KNOCKING (U.S. Wim Wenders) - One of the more gentler films of the year follows in the tradition of Ingmar Bergman's "Wild Strawberries" and Anthony Asquith's "The Browning Version". This is a movie about second chances and the ever popular "what if". Too bad no one gave the film a first chance.

9. THE PROMISE (China Chen Kaige) - Following in the footsteps of his contemporary Zhang Yimou, Kaige makes a film which blends action, adventure, myth and romance all with great skill. While some may argue the film doesn't compare well to Yimou's films my only suggestion is, then don't compare it!

10. A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION (U.S. Robert Altman) - Unfortunately a sad farewell to one of the all time great American filmmakers, Altman. But at least he ended his career on a high note. And how many great directors can say that?