Taking a look at the year 2006, picking my 10 favorite movies from that
year in random order.
Casino Royale
James Bond takes on the evil underworld banker Le Chiffre at Casino Royale. Not in a firefight, but at the poker table. The producers of the film series have seized the opportunity of the 21st Bond film to re-model and knead their unyielding hero. And with success, because I believe it’s the best Bond film to date. It’s less ironic, more serious, with more emotions and nuances. Daniel Craig was also a very good choice for the role, which he came to reprise four times.
Babel
A rich American couple is on vacation in North Africa when a couple of shepherd boys playing around with a gun do something unfortunate. The nanny of the Americans wants to got to her son’s wedding in Mexico, but cannot leave the children on their own. And the daughter of a Japanese tourist gets tangled up with herself. Clever mosaic film by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, that links the fate of people all over the world, with fascinating results. The film got seven Oscar nominations and I think this is a movie that a lot of people forget about. Which is a shame.
The Departed
With “The Departed” Martin Scorsese returns to his best, grim film from the seventies, such as “Mean Streets” and “Taxi Driver”. In modern-day Boston, agent Billy Costigan infiltrates the criminal Irish-American world. Mafia boss Frank Costello has an informant with the police. So, two moles, but who makes the first mistake? “The Departed” is a remake of the Hong Kong film hit “Infernal Affairs” and at the same time a rough portrait of contemporary America.
The Last King of Scotland
After graduating in the seventies, the Scottish doctor Nicholas Garrigan leaves for Uganda to work in a small clinic. Then he is approached by the charismatic and charming brand new president Idi Amin, who persuades him to become his personal physician, also because he seems to love Scotland enormously. A bond develops between the two, but gradually Nicholas gets to know the true nature of President Idi Amin. Powerful tour de force of Forest Whitaker, who makes a brilliant transformation. He quite rightly won an Oscar for it.
The Painted Veil
The marriage between the spoiled Kitty and the workaholic doctor Walter is not exactly happy. When Walter catches Kitty in the arms of someone else he makes a drastic decision. They go to a remote Cihnese village, to fight cholera, but also to teach Kitty a lesson. A beautiful adaptation of the novel written by M. Somerset Maugham. With great performances by Naomi Watts and Edward Norton.
V for Vendetta
In the future Great-Britain will be a dictatorship, the restriction of freedoms will be justified by the government by pointing out the danger of terrorism. The young woman Evey stumbles upon the masked V, the only one who seems to resist oppression. Evey is captured, tortured, bald and has to choose whether to take sides with the rebel. The Wachowskis, previously responsible for “The Matrix”, adapted Alan Moore’s graphic novel into a scenario. Moore’s political message was severely watered down, yet this is an intriguing film that still captured the message.
Little Miss Sunshine
A dysfunctional American family goes on a road trip in an old, yellow Volkswagen van. They are on their way to California. The sweet, seven-year-old daughter Olive has made it into the finals of the “Little Miss Sunshine” competition. It’s a sweet story, that will guarantee to put a smile on your face. A great ensemble cast in a heartwarming movie.
The Descent
A group of six young women go, to help one of them deal with a trauma, on an expedition in a cave system in a gloomy, dark, remote forest. Caving is a dangerous activity, but the dark, narrow spaces are the least of the girl’s worries. Because hidden within the caves are some unknown creepy crawlers that have adapted to the darkness. This is one of the scariest movies, not only because of the critters, but also because of the constant claustrophobic atmosphere this film caries.
The Prestige
One evening in late nineteenth-century London a performance by illusionists Robert Angier and Alfred Borden goes horribly wrong. This is followed by a quarrel, bitterness and rivalry. From now on, the two are rivals a complex film by director Christopher Nolan in which the viewer, just like the magician’s audience, is constantly misled. Great performances by Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale as the two rivaling illusionists, and also a good supporting role by Michael Caine.
Pan’s Labyrinth
The eleven-year-old girl Ofelia moves to the house of her new stepfather, a high fascist army officer, with her very pregnant, sick mother in 1944. While he ruthlessly hunts down resistance fighters, she discovers a hidden, magical world, where she meets, among other things, a dragonfly with a human head, an enigmatic Faun n a labyrinth and a gigantic, evil path. It’s a gruesome and dark fairy tale for adults. It won Oscars for make-up, art direction and camera work, which is all obviously well-done.
James Bond takes on the evil underworld banker Le Chiffre at Casino Royale. Not in a firefight, but at the poker table. The producers of the film series have seized the opportunity of the 21st Bond film to re-model and knead their unyielding hero. And with success, because I believe it’s the best Bond film to date. It’s less ironic, more serious, with more emotions and nuances. Daniel Craig was also a very good choice for the role, which he came to reprise four times.
A rich American couple is on vacation in North Africa when a couple of shepherd boys playing around with a gun do something unfortunate. The nanny of the Americans wants to got to her son’s wedding in Mexico, but cannot leave the children on their own. And the daughter of a Japanese tourist gets tangled up with herself. Clever mosaic film by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, that links the fate of people all over the world, with fascinating results. The film got seven Oscar nominations and I think this is a movie that a lot of people forget about. Which is a shame.
With “The Departed” Martin Scorsese returns to his best, grim film from the seventies, such as “Mean Streets” and “Taxi Driver”. In modern-day Boston, agent Billy Costigan infiltrates the criminal Irish-American world. Mafia boss Frank Costello has an informant with the police. So, two moles, but who makes the first mistake? “The Departed” is a remake of the Hong Kong film hit “Infernal Affairs” and at the same time a rough portrait of contemporary America.
After graduating in the seventies, the Scottish doctor Nicholas Garrigan leaves for Uganda to work in a small clinic. Then he is approached by the charismatic and charming brand new president Idi Amin, who persuades him to become his personal physician, also because he seems to love Scotland enormously. A bond develops between the two, but gradually Nicholas gets to know the true nature of President Idi Amin. Powerful tour de force of Forest Whitaker, who makes a brilliant transformation. He quite rightly won an Oscar for it.
The marriage between the spoiled Kitty and the workaholic doctor Walter is not exactly happy. When Walter catches Kitty in the arms of someone else he makes a drastic decision. They go to a remote Cihnese village, to fight cholera, but also to teach Kitty a lesson. A beautiful adaptation of the novel written by M. Somerset Maugham. With great performances by Naomi Watts and Edward Norton.
In the future Great-Britain will be a dictatorship, the restriction of freedoms will be justified by the government by pointing out the danger of terrorism. The young woman Evey stumbles upon the masked V, the only one who seems to resist oppression. Evey is captured, tortured, bald and has to choose whether to take sides with the rebel. The Wachowskis, previously responsible for “The Matrix”, adapted Alan Moore’s graphic novel into a scenario. Moore’s political message was severely watered down, yet this is an intriguing film that still captured the message.
A dysfunctional American family goes on a road trip in an old, yellow Volkswagen van. They are on their way to California. The sweet, seven-year-old daughter Olive has made it into the finals of the “Little Miss Sunshine” competition. It’s a sweet story, that will guarantee to put a smile on your face. A great ensemble cast in a heartwarming movie.
A group of six young women go, to help one of them deal with a trauma, on an expedition in a cave system in a gloomy, dark, remote forest. Caving is a dangerous activity, but the dark, narrow spaces are the least of the girl’s worries. Because hidden within the caves are some unknown creepy crawlers that have adapted to the darkness. This is one of the scariest movies, not only because of the critters, but also because of the constant claustrophobic atmosphere this film caries.
One evening in late nineteenth-century London a performance by illusionists Robert Angier and Alfred Borden goes horribly wrong. This is followed by a quarrel, bitterness and rivalry. From now on, the two are rivals a complex film by director Christopher Nolan in which the viewer, just like the magician’s audience, is constantly misled. Great performances by Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale as the two rivaling illusionists, and also a good supporting role by Michael Caine.
The eleven-year-old girl Ofelia moves to the house of her new stepfather, a high fascist army officer, with her very pregnant, sick mother in 1944. While he ruthlessly hunts down resistance fighters, she discovers a hidden, magical world, where she meets, among other things, a dragonfly with a human head, an enigmatic Faun n a labyrinth and a gigantic, evil path. It’s a gruesome and dark fairy tale for adults. It won Oscars for make-up, art direction and camera work, which is all obviously well-done.
