Movies (Top 10) | Albums (Top 10) | Albums (11-20) | TV Shows (Top 10)
Previous Lists: 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
*Note: This was a weird year and I was traveling for a
good part of it. Thusly, I only got to
see 30 films when I normally see around 50 each year. I know I missed some that might have made my list including Apocalypto, Notes on a Scandal, and Casino
Royale. I’ll
be catching them as soon as I can but I’m just going to leave the list the way
it is to fairly represent what I did actually see in 2006.
|
10: |
Babel-
When the closing credits rolled at the end of Babel, I was pretty sure
that it wouldn’t make my Top 10 this year, but as I have pondered the film
for a few weeks, I feel that it deserves at least a spot on the list. All things considered, my biggest problem
with it is that is a good film when it should have been a great
film. All the requisite ingredients
were there: great actors, intense story, beautiful score, tension,
resolution, etc. but somehow it just missed the mark of true greatness. For
the most part, I really believed in the characters and felt for them. In this regard, the film succeeds. It made me care, but it didn’t make me care
enough. What I’m saying is that |
|
9: The Departed |
“Ensemble
Cast” films are tricky. All too often
you have egocentric brilliant-ness exploding in front of the camera in such a
chaotic way that the frame can hardly contain the blast. Although The Departed is far from
perfect, it does manage to avoid this problem. Martin Scorsese’s
deft directing allows the actors to stay out of each others’ way and create
fantastic, genuine performances.
Nicholson, Walburg, DiCaprio,
Damon, Sheen, and Baldwin all absolutely shine in the film and the (stunning)
Vera Farmiga rounds out a near-flawless production
from an directing/acting/script standpoint. The biggest issue I have with The
Departed is simply the pedestrian nature of the story. (And yes I know the film is a remake of Infernal
Affairs) It is just not all that creative. There are no significant plot twists or
surprises to speak of. The audience is
omniscient and omnipresent allowing no room for genuine shock or surprise
outside of the visceral impact of the violence. The ending tries to be dramatic but comes
across as a bit silly. This review
sounds like I didn’t like this movie, but I actually did. Like |
|
8: Fearless |
Oddly enough,
the biggest problem I have with The Departed is the thing that makes Fearless
so good: simplicity. Jet Li is a
decent actor but he is an incredible martial artist. When a director steps aside and lets Li do
what he does best, he shines like few others in the business. (Li is 43 by the way) Fearless is a fairly conventional
tale of pride, loss, and redemption, but the simplistic story is ancillary to
the action. Now I’m not saying the
story is shallow, it is rather moving actually, but the story functions as
the canvas with Li as the artist. Together
with the legendary choreography of Yuen Wo Ping, Li
paints broad and fine strokes made of punches, kicks, swords, and spears and
creates a martial arts classic. |
|
7: Little Miss Sunshine |
Little
Miss Sunshine
is a family film, not suitable for the whole family. If you are between the ages of 18 and 35, I
would not recommend that you have your parents see this one. The “Boomers” will not “get” this
movie. It does not fit the paradigm
that the 60+ crowd has grown accustomed to in the “American Family Road
Comedy/Drama” genre. From the trailers,
one might assume that this is the “feel-good hit of the season” and while it
is cute and funny, it is also dark, subversive and edgy. The story itself (again) takes a back seat
to the personalities of the characters.
Without exception, the characters are troubled, confused, conflicted,
and misguided, in other words, they are more typical than we would like to
admit. Coming from a somewhat
less-than-conventional family myself, I could relate. All that to say, Sunshine is, in the
end, a charming, yet troublesome affirmation of the strength and significance
of the American family. |
|
6: Jackass: Number 2 |
Jackass
is an odd beast. The common line of
thinking about Johnny Knoxville’s TV show and films is that they are, to be
generous, “low-brow.” They mostly
involve a handful of morons running around the world, in various states of
undress, doing bizarre and often disturbing things to themselves and each
other for a laugh. This is a fairly
accurate assessment and I think many learned individuals would scoff at the
idea of trying to “deconstruct” such nonsense. However, I will now attempt to do just that: Jackass is brilliant. It is brilliant in the same sense that “The
Three Stooges” was brilliant. The
stunts and jokes tap into one of the fundamental elements of the human
condition: People like to watch other people fall down. It is just something that is hard-wired
into our |
|
5: Rocky Balboa |
I am a
Rocky fan. The original Rocky
was a classic. Rocky II
featured one of the best endings of any sports movie ever. Rocky |
|
4: Hard Candy |
Hard Candy is brilliant for a number of reasons. First of all, it really only involves two characters: Hayley, a shy, precocious 15 year old and Geoff, a handsome-yet-semi-creepy 30 year old photographer who is (apparently) trying to seduce her. There are only two other minor characters in the story who appear onscreen for a few minutes. At the beginning of the film, Hayley and Geoff have been communicating online and have decided to meet. That’s the set-up and the premise for the story. The two actors (Ellen Page and Patrick Wilson) skillfully carry the entire movie themselves, a task most “seasoned” actors would shun. After the initial exposition, director David Slade slowly and methodically crafts a story that is absolutely frightening and thoroughly engaging. Initially, the film appears to be a “don’t talk to strangers” story but it quickly turns into a completely different genre of film altogether. I am not easily shocked, but this movie shocked me. I don’t tend to get physically uncomfortable watching movies, but this movie made me physically uncomfortable. I have grown used to a film “culture” in which most films cause more yawns than gasps but this amazingly vivid and provocative film pushed aside any awareness of anything besides what was happening on the screen and that, to me, is a job well-done. Watch at your own risk. |
|
3: Borat:
Cultural Learnings of |
Say what you will about my list of films this year, but you’d have a hard time faulting me for a lack of diversity in my selections. Case in point: Borat, definitely the funniest, possibly the most unique film of the year. Once again, if you write this movie off because of it’s crudeness or because you’ve heard that it is “offensive” then you’ve totally missed the point. Sacha Baron Cohen is a comedic genius in the style of Andy Kaufman and Lenny Bruce. Cohen’s schtick (via Borat and his other two characters Ali G. and Bruno) is to let people reveal their own stupidity, closed-mindedness, and complete lack of humor by the things THEY say, not him. He’s not a “joke” guy nor is he a “stunt” guy. His brand of humor is something completely different. I’ve been a Cohen fan for about five years now, but I have never laughed as much as I did watching this film. There were moments when I literally couldn’t see through the tears streaming down my face. The infamous “wrestling” scene is something that will be seared in my consciousness forever, for better or worse. The only downside to this film is that it has propelled Cohen into true stardom thus removing his ability to recreate the magic of Borat’s anonymity, but maybe that’s a good thing. |
|
2: Superman Returns |
I’ve always been more of a Batman guy than a Superman guy but I have to admit that when I heard that Bryan Singer (X-Men I and II) was bringing the Man of Steel back to the big screen I had a bit of a geek attack. After years of nonsense and drama regarding Warner Brothers and their continual rejection of great ideas for Superman (see An Evening With Kevin Smith for examples) I was stoked to hear that they had finally stumbled upon a good script and a cutting-edge director. Unlike most of the geeks I know (and the list is long but distinguished) I had faith. I believed. In fact, not only did I believe, but I never worried about the movie for a minute. I just knew it was going to be awesome. The casting was right on. The style was realistic and believable, well, you know, for a movie about a flying guy in tights. I’ve said this before about good super-hero films (including last year’s Batman Begins) but what makes them good is that the director respects the material. Not coincidentally, WB released the newly re-cut Richard Donner version of the original “Superman II” which, when held up against the theatrical release of the film, shows the difference between a director who respects the original material and one who doesn’t. “Superman Returns” is fun, well-paced, well-acted and features effects work that surpass anything ever done in the genre. |
|
1: Children of Men |
There
are nine good movies on my list this year, but only one great one. In fact, not only is Children of Men
great, it is important; MUCH more important than a film like |
|
10) 30 Seconds to Mars –
“A Beautiful Lie” |
Each year I have one or two “guilty pleasure” albums so
I guess this is mine for 2006. I know
I’m not supposed to like 30 Seconds because they are what “the kids”
are into and they are emo/screamo/whatever |
|
9) |
|
|
8) The
Secret Machines – “Ten Silver Drops” |
It took me several listens to this album to even begin
to like it. In fact, as of two days
ago, I had decided that I wasn’t going to include it in my Top 10. I’m glad I put on the headphones and gave
it one more chance. This time, it
stuck. I really loved |
|
7) Panic! At the Disco –
“A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out” |
I listened to this whole album last night just to make a
final decision as to where it should fit in on the list this year. I’m happy with its position as my #7
favorite record of the year. The first two singles “I Write Sins Not
Tragedies” and “But it’s Better if You Do” are what initially drew me to the
band, but honestly the song “Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without
Taking Her Clothes Off” is the best cut on the album. Singer Brendon Urie’s voice is not the most original voice in music but
his vocals are clear, distinct and passionate, with a touch or sarcasm. His clever, self-aware lyrics do a
wonderful job of setting the tone of each song and selling the story. The album in also cleverly divided into two
sections, the first of which includes lots of synth
and drum machine (ala The Killers) while the other half utilizes strings and orchestral
instrumentation. Very cool. |
|
6) Mew – “And the Glass
Handed Kites” |
This band and this album hit me out of nowhere. The first time I heard the song “Special”
it felt like finding a $20 bill in an old pair of jeans. I had grown a bit depressed about the state
of music in 2006, but these guys renewed my faith. The foundation for almost all of their
songs is a simple two guitar approach with one of the guitars playing a jangly, rhythmic, syncopated set of riffs while the other
guitar fills in with a “wall of sound” distorted crunch. Lots of bands do this, but Mew do it well. The drum and percussion work is amazing, often
incorporating unconventional structure and time changes. On top of all the instrumentation, the airy
vocals weave and flow in harmonic layers.
The lyrics are, for the most part, completely indecipherable, but the
sounds of the words function as an instrument in and of themselves. |
|
5)The Chemistry Set – “Blue Monsters” |
Listening to the Chemistry Set always makes me happy. Do
I like them because I they are some of the coolest, wittiest, most musically
interesting people I know? Is their
music really that good? Am I just a
silly home-town fan? The answer to all
three of those questions is probably yes, but it doesn’t matter. What matters is that Stephen, Cory,
Meredith, and Joshua have made a fantastic, beautiful, inspiring record…
again. Toby Pipes, a local |
|
4) Radiant – “We Hope
You Win” |
I don’t
think I’ve ever been a bigger Radiant fan than I am right now. After watching them
perform “That Girl” on “The Jimmy Kimmel Show” the other night I immediately
sent Robin a text saying “Awesome.
They looked and sounded like stars.”
I stand by that statement and cannot comprehend how they as yet remain
an unsigned band. Oh well, maybe their
performance on the show will help propel them to the level that they should
be at, but until then, I’ll just keep fawning over them and telling everyone
who will listen how great they are.
“We Hope You Win” includes some solid older tracks (“The Way You Make
Me Feel” and “If I Had Known”) as well as some new gems (“That Girl” and “Kid
With a Knife”) that expand the outer edges of the band’s musical niche. These guys are very young and they have the
potential to be huge, but if they never do, it won’t be for lack of quality
or character. |
|
3) The Hold Steady – “Boys
and Girls in |
When people describe something as “critically acclaimed,”
I tend to be wary. In fact, there are
a number of critically acclaimed records this year that didn’t crack my top
10 (Gnarls Barkley, TV on the Radio).
Sometimes I think it is because I am out of touch, but more often than
not I think it is because critics aren’t all that bright. Either way, The Hold Steady’s “Boys and
Girls in “I feel Jesus in the clumsiness of young and awkward
lovers” “She was a really good dancer but she wasn’t all that
great of a girlfriend” “I had my mouth on her nose when the chaperone said we
were dancing too close” “I’ve had kisses that make Judas seem sincere”
But what about the music? Oh yeah.
It’s awesome too. |
|
2) Red Hot Chili
Peppers – “Stadium Arcadium” |
Ok last year I felt like I had to justify putting a
“mainstream” album at the top of my list (Coldplay’s
“X&Y”). Well this year my top
album is very un-mainstream, but my #2 album is one of the biggest selling
albums of the year. I am not going to
apologize for liking The Red Hot Chili Peppers, in
fact I am going to say that if YOU don’t like them, you are wrong. I know that is a bold statement but
honestly, I’ll be happy to sit down with you and expound upon their greatness
any time, anywhere. I’ll tell you that
they are one of the ten best American rock bands ever and that they have
absolutely gotten better with age.
I’ll tell you that they have defined and redefined their sound
successfully since the early eighties.
I will tell you that they have succeeded and flourished in the
underground and in the mainstream simultaneously without a drop of
compromise. Some would say that
releasing a record with 35 songs on it is excessive, and I would normally agree
with that statement unless, of course, the songs were GOOD! “Stadium Arcadium”
is a glorious piece of rock and roll.
Anthony Kiedis’ voice is stronger than ever
as is the voice of guitarist John Frusciante. What most people don’t realize is that Frusciante is the musical genius of the band. (This
explains why the only album the Peppers recorded without Frusciante,
not including old Hillel Slovak material,
completely sucked) He writes most of
the songs, Flea and Chad Smith fill in the rhythm section, and Kiedis writes most of the lyrics. Yes I am a loyal fan and yes I admit this
probably taints my views, but I really do love this record. It was one of the first records I bought
this year and it is most definitely the one that has spent the most time in
my speakers. |
|
1) Midlake
– “The Trials of Van Occupanther” |
Several people have tried to convince me over the years
that I should like Midlake. I have their albums (in 2004 I ranked their
“Bamnan and Slivercork”
record as my #23) and have seen them in concert numerous times. I have always recognized that they were
very skilled and innovative musicians, but I never really connected with
their music. It was all a bit too
noisy and experimental for me and I liked it in a very casual sort of way. Throughout the year I had been hearing the
buzz about “The Trials of Van Occupanther” and I
admit I only paid casual attention. I
heard that the band had turned off their synthesizers and switched to pianos,
horns and strings and I admit I was a bit intrigued, but reluctant. The word on the street was that the album
sounded a lot like 70’s era Fleetwood Mac and Bread. My interest grew. It wasn’t until Chris told me that it was
one of his favorite records of the year that I decided to give in and give it
a listen. Wow. What can I say about this album? It is retro but not ironic. It is nostalgic
but not old. It is American but not
sappy. It is quirky but not
inaccessible. It is organic but not
sloppy. It is melancholy but not
depressing. It is (to use a Chuck Klosterman word) advanced. In order for an album to be my #1, the main
qualification is that I must like every song on the record. I can easily say that about “Trials”. In fact I like them all so much that it is
hard to pick favorites. “Roscoe” is
steady, fun, and poignant. “Van Occupanther”, a song which is little more than the inner
dialogue of a misunderstood genius, moves me deeply every time I hear it. “Young Bride” is urgent and emotionally
resonant, displaying songwriting skill and wisdom rarely seen in music
today. I am officially on board with Midlake and look forward to following them wherever they
might lead me. Here’s to Midlake and here’s to a year in which three |
|
11) Lady Sovereign – “Public
Warning” |
12) Band
of Horses – “Everything All the Time” |
|
13) The Streets – “The
Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living” |
14) Morrissey
– “Ringleader of the Tormenters” |
|
15) Jay-Z
– “Kingdom Come” |
16) Gnarls
Barkley – “St. Elsewhere” |
|
17) TV
on the Radio – “Return to |
18) Gomez
– “How We Operate” |
|
19) J Dilla – “Donuts” |
20) Mohair
– “Small Talk” |
|
1) The
Office |
2) Lost |
|
3) Battlestar Galactica |
4) The
Sopranos |
|
5) Entourage |
6) Heroes |
|
7) Studio 60 on the
Sunset Strip |
8) Big
Love |
|
9) Weeds |
10) My Name is
Earl |