NoFace for Film

I hope everyone had a nice Christmas and got lots of cool presents. How many of you saw a movie after opening presents?

Now that the year is coming to a close, I naturally thought of all the movies I’d seen this year. Some were absolutely phenomenal and that just blew my mind; most were entertaining but nothing to write home about; and others were forgettable and stupid. With this in mind, I put together a list of what I consider to be the best films of 2006.

Now, mind you there are a few caveats. First of all, I can’t comment on all the releases since I didn’t see all of them. Second, my idea on what is “best” may not be someone else’s idea of “best”, so please keep that in mind when you read this Third, this list doesn’t quite reflect the scores they received when I first reviewed them. For example, while I originally gave Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest a 5/7, I didn’t include it here because the more I thought about it, it didn’t really deserve that high of a score. Fourth, this list only includes films that I had personally watched. Therefore, although one of my past contributors gave Hard Candy a 6, it’s not on the list since I haven’t seen it and can’t personally comment on it.

And now, in order of when I reviewed them…NoFace for Film’s Best Films of 2006.

	V for Vendetta Good God, this film was brilliant. Although a bit preachy at times, the tale of a masked vigilante railing against a fascist government through violent means was beautifully filmed, well-executed, and frankly, badass. Hugo Weaving was fantastic as the titular character, oozing with charm and grace, with just a hint of insanity. Natalie Portman’s portrayal of Evey had restored my faith in her acting abilities, leading me to conclude that her craptastic acting in all three Star Wars prequels can be blamed squarely on George Lucas’ sense of directing.
	X-Men: The Last Stand A hell of a fun movie to watch, especially for a geek like me. Although not as good as X-2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand is a worthy addition to the X-Men film series. Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen are terrific as always, you’ve got Beast and Dark Phoenix, the plot of a potential mutant cure that’s ripped straight from the comics, and Colossus and Wolverine’s Fastball Special! How awesome is that? Now, if they would only have real Sentinels in the next X-Men movie. After all, they did hint at it in this film.
	Superman Returns After years of waiting, we finally got to see a sequel to one of the most beloved comic book movie franchises. Director Bryan Singer wisely deletes the last two Superman sequels from the public’s mind by setting this film as a follow-up to the phenomenal Superman II. Brandon Routh did a great job as the new Man of Steel, despite being under tremendous pressue to fill some very heavy shoes. And while it definitely has its weaknesses (e.g., Kate Bosworth’s weak Lois Lane and Lex Luthor’s scheme recycled from the previous film), there are some pleasant surprises. Who knew that James Marsden would be infinitely more likeable as Richard White than as Cyclops?
	The Devil Wears Prada This hilarious comedy about a naive young woman (Anne Hathaway) who becomes the personal assistant to a powerful, hardnosed fashion magazine editor got lots of laughs during the summer. While the plot itself was often rather predictable and sentimentality sometimes forced, you’ll laugh a lot thanks to its great cast. While Stanley Tucci steals several scenes as the snarky photographer Nigel, you watch Prada for Meryl Streep. I swear, Meryl can do no wrong. She’s absolutely brilliant as the deliciously wicked Miranda Priestly.
	Clerks II I waited 12 years for this sequel to come out. I absolutely loved the first Clerks, and was pleased to see that director Kevin Smith had retained much of the magic from that student film of his. It was great to see Dante and Randall again, after all these years- a little older and fatter, but still the same two losers we’ve grown to love. Clerks II is just as funny, witty, and crude as the original Clerks- but just more streamlined. I will never be the same again after seeing Jay’s “tuck-in” scene.
	Talladega Nights: The Legend of Ricky Bobby While I laughed my head off in Clerks II, I was in tears in Talladega Nights! I’m not a NASCAR fan at all, but I had a great time watching this movie about an egotistical, dull-witted top NASCAR driver who’s forced to eat humble pie for the first time in his life. Will Farrell was great, but he wouldn’t have done it without his stellar supporting cast, which includes John C. Reilly, Sacha Baron Cohen, and especially Gary Cole. Shake and bake!
	The Departed Oh my word, this film was absolutely amazing. It was gritty, exciting, violent, and fantastic. The Departed had me on the edge of my seat the whole time, wringing my hands for Leonardo DiCaprio’s undercover cop in a den full of snakes that is the Irish Mafia. Martin Scorsese had better damn well finally get the Oscar he deserves for this, and so should DiCaprio for that matter. He played Billy Costigan with such raw emotion. You could see the despair in his eyes and feel sorry for him up until the very end. Like most Scorsese films, The Departed is hella long, but its story grips you so hard that you don’t notice the time.
	The Prestige, AKA Batman vs. Wolverine The tagline for The Prestige asks, “Are you watching closely?” You bet I was! The Prestige’s tragic tale of two competing magicians (Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale) was simply mesmerizing But then again, I expect nothing less from the brilliant Christopher Nolan, who directed Batman Begins and Memento. Both Bale and Jackman shine in their roles; rooting for them one minute, angry at them the next. And while the female roles were rather weak, the male supporting cast was terrific, especially Michael Caine. Like Meryl Streep, Caine can do no wrong.
	Casino Royale The James Bond franchise finally takes itself seriously in this latest film, after a long string of ridiculous prequels. Similar to Batman Begins, Casino Royale wisely goes back in time, back to the character’s roots. Here, Bond (Daniel Craig) is sloppy, rough, stubborn, and arrogant, often getting caught off guard. With Craig’s fine acting skills, the result is one of the most complex and human incarnations of James Bond ever. And while there aren’t any cool gadgets, at the same time it kept a few of the Bond film trademarks- namely, hot Bond girls and cool action sequences. Casino Royale gave the Bond franchise a well-deserved boost, back to being taken seriously. Now, let’s see if they can keep it up with the next film.
	Happy Feet A movie about a cute, dancing baby penguin. How can you go wrong with this? With a touching story about acceptance, an all-star voice cast (including about half of Australia’s finest Hollywood actors), catchy, upbeat music (Brittany Murphy’s version of “Somebody to Love” is to die for!), spectacular 3D animation, and a pro-environmental message, Happy Feet was a sure-fire pleaser near the end of the year for both children and adults. Then again, this movie’s excellence wasn’t surprising to me once I found out that it was directed by the same person (George Miller) who directed Babe.

Well, there’s my list. I’d like to know to what extent you all agree with me. What films do you consider as the best of this year, and why? If your list includes different films, I’d love to hear why you chose those movies.

Best Films of 2006, NoFace for Film, V for Vendetta, Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman, Superman Returns,The Devil Wears Prada, Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Lex Luthor, Bryan Singer, Dark Phoenix, Beast, Wolverine, Colossus, Fastball Special, Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci, Anne Hathaway, Will Farrell, John C. Reilly, Gary Cole, Sascha Baron Cohen, X-Men: The Last Stand, Clerks II, Talladega Nights: The Legend of Ricky Bobby, The Departed, The Prestige, Casino Royale, Happy Feet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese, James Bond, Daniel Craig, penguins