The Best and Worst Films of 2006

 

By Chuck O'Leary

 

 

THE BEST:

 

1.) United 93 - A spellbinding, incredibly powerful docudrama about the fourth commercial airliner hijacked by al-Qaeda terrorists on September 11, 2001, and the brave passengers who fought back.  One of the most gripping, deeply unsettling films I've ever seen.

 

Click on the following link to read Chuck O'Leary's theatrical review of United 93: http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/3662/United+93+(Theatrical+Film+Review)

 

 

2.) Little Children - This fascinating study of unfulfilled lives in American suburbia follows an extramarital affair between two unhappily married people (Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson), and the paranoia generated in the neighborhood when a convicted sex offender (Jackie Earle Haley) moves in.  A perfect companion piece to American Beauty, and just as good.

 

 

3.) The Queen - Helen Mirren makes an amazing on-screen transformation into an out-of-touch Queen Elizabeth II, whose initial lack of reaction to the 1997 death of Princess Diana turns the British public and press against her.  Actor Michael Sheen also bears an uncanny resemblance to Prime Minister Tony Blair, who comes off as the hero of the piece for attempting to salvage the Royals' reputation in spite of themselves.

 

 

4.) Broken Trail - This excellent made-for-cable Western technically shouldn't be eligible for this list, but in a year in which there was little to rave about, I'm putting on here anyway.  Directed by an underrated veteran of many feature films (Walter Hill) and produced by and starring one of our finest living actors (Robert Duvall), it has received nothing but praise since its debut.  In 1897, two cowboys (Duvall and Thomas Haden Church) transporting a herd of horses from Oregon to Wyoming become the protectors of five young Chinese women who've been sold into prostitution.

 

Click on the following link to read Chuck O'Leary's DVD review of Broken Trail: http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4392/Broken+Trail+(Western)

 

 

5.) The Good Shepherd - Robert De Niro directed this intelligent, totally absorbing 167-minute epic about the early years of America's CIA, and how one man's loyalty to the spy agency destroyed his personal life.  The most underrated film of '06.

 

 

6.) Flags of Our Fathers - A cynical yet respectful World War II film from director Clint Eastwood about the circumstances behind the famous photo taken of the flag raising on Iwo Jima, and how three ordinary American soldiers were recruited to help the war effort, only to be quickly forgotten when they were no longer of use.

 

Click on the following link to read Chuck O'Leary's theatrical review of Flags of Our Fathers: http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4432/Flags+Of+Our+Fathers+(Theatrical+Film+Review)

 

 

7.) Little Miss Sunshine - A quirky gem about a dysfunctional family driving cross country to enter their 7-year-old little girl in a children's beauty pageant.  A wise movie made by people who seem to know a lot about life, and all the disappointments, uncomfortable moments and ridiculous little rules that come with it.

 

Click on the following link to read Chuck O'Leary's theatrical review of Little Miss Sunshine: http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4054/Little+Miss+Sunshine+(Theatrical+Film+Review)

Click on the following link to read Nicholas Sheffo's DVD review of Little Miss Sunshine: http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4679/Little+Miss+Sunshine+(Widescreen+DVD-Video)

 

 

8.) World Trade Center - Oliver Stone directed this straightforward, non-editorializing drama about the heroism of a handful of ordinary Americans in New York City on 9/11.

 

Click on the following link to read Chuck O'Leary's theatrical review of World Trade Center: http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4102/World+Trade+Center+(2006/Theatrical+Film+Review)

Click on the following link to read Nicholas Sheffo's HD-DVD review of World Trade Center: http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4772/World+Trade+Center+(HD-DVD+Set)

 

 

9.) Babel - A multi-storied drama about how a gun ties together and affects the lives of four sets of people from different parts of the globe.

 

 

10.) Brokeback Mountain - This year-end 2005 release didn't open in my market until January of '06, making it eligible for this year's best-10 list.  It's an ultimately moving story of two cowboys who have a homosexual relationship, but are forced to keep it a secret in less-accepting times. 

 

Click on the following link to read Nicholas Sheffo's DVD review of Brokeback Mountain: http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/3578/Brokeback+Mountain+(Widescreen)

 

 

THE WORST:

 

1.) (Worst) The Lake House - This piece of idiotic nonsense is so illogical that it becomes more infuriating by the minute.  Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves play two people corresponding in different years through a magic mailbox.

 

 

2.) Lady in the Water - The overrated M. Night Shyamalan finally shot himself in the foot with this pretentious drivel about a mermaid that comes out of an apartment-building pool.

 

 

3.) The Da Vinci Code - Ron Howard's film version of Dan Brown's blasphemous best-selling novel is bad enough to offend even an atheist.

 

Click on the following link to read Chuck O'Leary's theatrical review of The Da Vinci Code: http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/3756/The+Da+Vinci+Code+(Theatrical+Film+Review)

 

 

4.) Miami Vice - A grainy, ugly, incomprehensible HD-shot disaster.  You know a movie is awful when you start getting fond memories of Don Johnson, Philip Michael Thomas and '80s pastels.

 

Click on the following link to read Chuck O'Leary's theatrical review of Miami Vice: http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4049/Miami+Vice+(2006/Theatrical+Film+Review)

Click on the following link to read Nicholas Sheffo's HD-DVD/Blu-ray combo review of Miami Vice: http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4689/Miami+Vice+(2006+Feature+Film;+HD-DVD/DVD+Combo+Format)

 

 

5.) Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby - A stock-car comedy so mind-numbingly stupid that it makes 1983's Stroker Ace starring Burt Reynolds suddenly seem like a sophisticated masterwork of sublime wit.

 

Click on the following link to read Chuck O'Leary's theatrical review of Talladega Nights: http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4075/Talladega+Nights:+The+Ballad+of+Ricky+Bobby+(Theatrical+Film+Review)

Click on the following link to read Nicholas Sheffo's Blu-ray review of Talladega Nights: http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4650/Talladega+Nights:+The+Ballad+of+Ricky+Bobby+(Blu-ray+++Full+Screen+DVD)

 

 

6.) Nacho Libre - Another painfully unfunny comedy starring Jack Black as a Mexican monk who becomes a professional wrestler.  Gives you more reason than ever to love Black's death scene in 1997's The Jackal.

 

Click on the following link to read Nicholas Sheffo's HD-DVD review of Nacho Libre: http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4665/Nacho+Libre+(HD-DVD)

 

 

7.) Flyboys - An embarrassing cliché-fest full of digital effects about a squadron of World War I fighter pilots in France.  The result was one of the year’s biggest money-losers.

 

 

8.) Ask the Dust - Colin Farrell makes his second appearance on this year's worst-10 list in this comatose Depression-era drama written and directed by the once estimable Robert Towne.

 

Click on the following link to read Nicholas Sheffo's DVD review of Ask the Dust: http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/3995/Ask+The+Dust

 

 

9.) Failure to Launch - What more can be said about a movie where the highlight is Terry Bradshaw in his birthday suit.

 

Click on the following link to read Chuck O'Leary's theatrical review of Failure to Launch: http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/3474/Failure+To+Launch+(Theatrical+Film+Review)

 

 

10.) Basic Instinct 2 - A too-old Sharon Stone reprised the role that made her a star in this boring belated sequel nobody was asking for.

 

Click on the following link to read Chuck O'Leary's theatrical review of Basic Instinct 2: http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/3556/Basic+Instinct+2+(Theatrical+Film+Review)