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Best Films of 2006

Who cares what the corporate owned magazines and studio-manipulated websites say? This is the only "Best Of" list you need to read . . . you can fling pooh at the rest!

Although 10 is the standard count for year-end lists, 2006 was an unusually strong year for film so here I present Beaux's Top 15 films of the year (Top 30 if you count the Honorable Mentions):












A film not likely to appear on many Top 10 lists due to the genre to which it belongs (my own reservations have probably prevented it from a Top 5 appearance), The Descent is still one of the best made movies of the year and more likely than any of the films on this list to attain a status of classic in its respective genre. In a few years, it won't be unheard of to see The Descent appear alongside Alien and The Howling as one of the greatest creature features of all time.

With The Fountain, Darren Aronofsky takes another step closer to becoming heir to the throne of Stanley Kubrick. Like Kubrick, Aronofsky cares more for his visuals than for his characters (both directors are notoriously cold and detached from their characters) but when the visuals are strong enough to instill an emotional reaction within the viewer then it's impossible to fault them. The Fountain is a beautiful film that that plays out as the unholy mix of Terms Of Endearment and 2001 but its one of the most emotionally overwhelming experiences I've had at the films all year.

This film is the perfect combination of Alfred Hitchcock and Michael Haneke (Funny Games). It's a film that seems to follow all of the conventions of the thriller while employing elements completely alien to the genre resulting in a disturbing and unpredictable experience for the viewer. With this film, Dominick Moll realizes the promise of his previous last film, With A Friend Like Harry.

This is probably the film that I expected the least from on this list yet it pulled me in with its dreamlike segments and its heartbreaking performances (Gael Garcia Bernal is spectacular). It's a perfect companion piece to Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind but also possesses its own identity and heart.

This might be one of those situations where expectation worked to the detriment of a film. Because of my appreciation for Guillermo Del Toro's work (The Devil's Backbone is a masterpiece), I had been anticipating the release of this film ever since it was first announced. Even if it didn't live up to my expectations, it's still brilliant filmmaking and certainly deserves its place on this list.

This was one of the biggest surprises of the year. What could have easily been a gimmicky failure (film noir in high school) turned out to be an entertaining reinvention of the genre by utilizing its brilliant dialogue to create a world that is reminiscent of our own while being something completely different.

Anyone that knows me, knows that my love of Martin Scoreses run deep. In my opinion, he is the finest filmmaker that has ever walked the face of this earth and after a handful of respectable but unexciting films, The Departed proves to be as important for what it has done for him as what it has done for cinema this year. It has reinvigorated him and, while it may not be his best film, it's certainly his best film in years.

This film was my favorite of 2006 from when I first saw it in January. Unfortunately for it, the number 1 and 2 films on this list came along later in the year. For a film to maintain a position this high after an entire year has passed, though, says that it is something special. The Proposition is not just one of the best movies of 2006 but one of the best Westerns ever made. If Sergio Leone were alive today, this is the films he would have made.

Placing this film at number two was one of my toughest decisions in creating this list as I have not had a more affecting experience at the films all year long. Beautifully written and shot, the film touches upon themes that are timeless and undeniably human. It's bravura filmmaking that will stick with you long after you leave the theater.

When devising this list, I found myself torn between art and entertainment and, for my money; there hasn't been a better marriage of the two all year long. Its dystopian view of a future where women can no longer have children is both prescient and timely placing it in the company of such classic films as Blade Runner. In addition, there has not been as impressive an effort by a director this year (please except my apologies, Mr. Scorsese) as what Alfonso Cuaron has accomplished here. His tracking shots will become the thing of cinematic legend as this raw, nightmarish vision takes its place alongside the best films of the genre.






Casino Royale, Flags Of Our Fathers, Hard Candy, The Hills Have Eyes, Little Miss Sunshine, Running Scared, Thank You For Smoking, Talladega Nights, Borat, V For Vendetta, Volver, Dreamgirls, Notes On A Scandal.