Best and Worst - Movies 2006

I don't really see this as becoming a movie blog, honestly I don't, but because I work in a movie rental place, I have a tendency to see a lot of movies, especially recently, when before I was barely watching them at all.

Funny, I still haven't seen a ton of movies, so I'm going to leave it the top and bottom 5 movies I saw this year.

Top Five (in no particular order)

1) Little Miss Sunshine - I think what won me over in this film is the VW Bus, as I could totally picture my family in those circumstances. We had a car much like that, an '81 Dodge Ram Minivan we called the Blue Bomber. That aside, there is a disclaimer I meant to add to my previous review of this film is that the humor is kind of dark and its not for everybody. My parents rented this on reading my recommendation and were more then a little disturbed at the heroin snorting grandfather. This movie felt a lot like a snowball to me. I was snickering at the beginning and as the movie progressed, I found it funnier and funnier.

2) Thank You for Smoking - I don't know why, maybe its the dry humor or the Libertarian Subject Matter of 'stop letting politicians make all your decisions and learn about it yourself' mentality, this movie is excellent. And I hate smoking.

3) Fearless - I've discovered that the subtitled foreign film doesn't bother me. This was the product of a date with a guy that I think wants something more and I am more then content to remain just friends. That said, I think I enjoyed the movie more then he did. Mostly because being subtitled, you have to keep your attention on the film to understand what's going on. Which might be why I liked it so much.

4) World Trade Center - I kind of avoided the whole 9/11 themed movies when they came out, mostly because I sometimes find it all drilled into my head and I'm a bit weary of it. However, I finally did see this film despite my initial weariness of it being an Oliver Stone flick and I was impressed. He focused on two Port Authority Police Officers and you experience the towers fall from their standpoint, and the knowledge that this is a true story makes it especially poignant. I hear United 93 is excellent as well, which I haven't seen yet.

5) Hard Candy - Call me strange, demented, or disturbing, but I really liked this film. And its definitely one I wouldn't recommend to just anybody (so don't go rent it mom and dad), but then again, I really LIKE films like this. A 13 year old girl meets up with a photographer in his thirties that she met in an online chat and it is soon revealed that she's been stalking him, and goes out to teach him a lesson. Throughout the movie you're wondering who really is the bad guy in this movie, and there are more then a few twists and turns. I would call it a thriller to an extent, but I watched it after having it reviewed in my Critical Thinking class and it really does make you think.

Others worthy of consideration :
Click - the running gag with the humping dog really killed it for me, but otherwise I really liked this film. So sue me if you agree with all the people who landed it in their 'worst of 2006' list. And I like Adam Sandler flicks, they make me laugh.
V for Vendetta - I just liked it, ok?
Devil Wears Prada - I love Meryl Streep, so much that I really hate her in this movie.
Invincible - A feel good 'Rudy' flick, problem is it was over just when it was getting really good.
Cars - Pixar animated it. Enough said.
Art School Confidential - Definitely not for everybody, but as a former art student that used to have talent that was successfully killed by art school, I can say that I can understand the subtle humor in this comedy/drama/suspense type movie. And I laughed at a few scenes most non-former art students probably wouldn't get.
Over The Hedge - Best animated picture about talking animals this year (unless Ice Age 2 beat it, and for some reason I douht this. As a loyal listener of Glenn Beck, I refuse to watch Happy Feet)

Movies that may have made this list had I seen them (in other words, on my to see list): Casino Royale (not a Bond fan, but I keep hearing good things), The Departed (Lot's of buzz on this one, and the premise intrigues me), The Pursuit of Happyness (Have gotten a lot of good feedback from people on this), Stranger then Fiction (I don't know why, but I really want to see this film), Snakes on a Plane (so bad its good? Actually, from what I hear its not bad at all), For Your Consideration (Christopher Guest is God of the Mockumentary)

5 films to avoid at all costs

1) Date Movie - I was intrigued to see this film for one reason and one reason only. Alyson Hannigan. Can I say wasted talent? This was by far the worst movie I had seen all year. And further more, it's garage sale fodder because I bought the blasted thing! Fortunately, I got it on sale used so I'm not out more then I have to be. I vow to never see a "(enter word here) Movie" again. Which makes me ashamed to admit I actually laughed at the trailer for Epic Movie. Why, Willow, WHY????

2/3) Open Season & The Wild - Ok, so I lumped the two together, I've been in an Animation Bid Lately. Is it just me or was the talking animal fare out in force last year? I was unfortunate enough to actually pay to see Open Season in the theater, and it was so bad my four year old nephew begged his parents to take him home. Fresh from a summer in Yellowstone, I found the whole thing about a ranger taking in a grizzly bear a little more unbelievable then necessary, like what is a deer doing partnering up with a grizzly anyway? (oh, wait, that's right, this IS an Animated Feature) but the ending was corny and cheeky, "Even though under normal circumstances we have to eat each other to survive, can't we all join forces to stop the BIG BAD HUNTERS???" Also, anybody say the word 'stereotype?' In regards to The Wild, I found the animation to look awesome, but the story was blah and what's with the Wildebeast trying to ascend to a higher level in the food chain? I would hope for more from Disney, part of me felt like they were trying to make Lion King again. And the thing had way to many plotholes (how could those animals survive at sea without anything to eat?) For a more superior look at Animated Talking Animals, give Over the Hedge a shot instead.

4) My Super Ex-Girlfriend - We recently rented this. I cringed. It was bad. So horribly bad. And way to much sex. I don't see how that could even be enjoyable.

5) Underworld: Evolution - I would think that this movie would be the type I like, as I did like the first, but I found it to be grossly underwhelming, and confusing, and somewhat of a mess. The opening sequence was horrendously difficult to make out, it was like the cameraman was having a siezure while filming it. I guess the 'avoid it at all costs' title may be a bit misleading, but then again I have a tendency to not try to see movies I think will suck so filling this list is somewhat difficult.

Movies that would likely make this list which is why I haven't seen them: Barnyard (hermaphrodite cows creep me out), Big Momma's House 2 (the first one was bad enough), Little Man (White Chicks and made by part of the team responsible for the (adjective)- Movie franchise, 'nough said), Santa Clause 3 (honestly, I didn't like the first one when I saw it and found the second one to be retarded so why would I bother thinking they got it right the third time around? These things deplete in quality unless you're talking Lord of the Rings Trilogy)

List of All Movies that Came Out in 2006