Films Of The Year: 2006 December 31, 2006
Posted by gproject in : Articles , add a commentI’m putting forward this list of ‘top films’ from 2006 only provisionally, since I find myself consistently about twelve months behind when it comes to watching new movies. I was worried that I might have only seen ten films from 2006 at this point, and while that turned out not to be the case, I’ll probably see many more during next year which will completely change this list.
Also, you might think that some of these films came out in 2005, and you’d be right, but I’m using the date of their UK theatrical release as a basis for what counts as ‘this year’.
So with that, I bring you my top films of 2006:
1) Casino Royale
Fantastically entertaining and a real revival for the franchise. Bond will never be the same again. [Review]
2) Brick
Rian Johnson’s wonderful detective noir set in high school plays it straight, and makes for one of the most original films of the year. [Review]
3) Borat
No substance, but undeniably funny. Sacha Baron Cohen’s character offends everyone and comes out smiling. [Review]
4) Hard Candy
Even if the premise doesn’t creep you out, the actual film still might. Original thriller from David Slade that dares to tread where others wouldn’t. [Review]
5) The Matador
A wonderful turn from Pierce Brosnan, coming off the bond franchise and into this comedy about a burnt-out hit man. Great fun from start to finish.
6) Superman Returns
An entertaining but flawed return for the man of steel doesn’t hit Batman Begins highs, but is solid enough for repeat viewings. [Review]
7) Inside Man
Spike Lee creates a stylish and enjoyable crime thriller, with a great cast and some interesting turns.
8) Cars
Pixar’s seventh feature release, proving that even a lesser outing from the CG maestros still blows all their competition out of the water. [Review]
9) Find Me Guilty
Vin Diesel puts in a great performance as the gagster gangster in this unusually funny courtroom drama based on real events. [Review]
10) Miami Vice
While it may not be Michael Mann’s greatest work, the unique visuals help pull this television update above the standard blockbuster fare. [Review]
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There are of course, other films that I enjoyed this year but which didn’t quite make the cut. These all fall in the 11-20 region, and are given in no particular order.
First off, Walk The Line which showcased excellent performances from Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon in this moving Johnny Cash biopic. World Trade Centre [Review] was a movie I didn’t want to even see, but turned out to be a heartfelt piece of filmmaking. On the action front there was Mission: Impossible 3, the J.J. Abrams instalment with a fantastic pre-credit sequence that showed M:I-2 up for the vapid nonsense it was. Alternatively there was the adaptation of Frank Miller’s novel V for Vendetta which while not perfect in execution, was a break from standard flash-bang comic book movies. Also, the surprisingly brutal Running Scared [Review] showed me something I didn’t think I’d ever see: an impressive Paul Walker movie.
And on the (slightly) lighter side of things there was the quick-fire exchanges of Lucky Number Slevin [Review], even if some of the plot points and characters were slightly stereotypical. Also worth a mention are two low-budget offerings: Shopgirl based on Steve Martin’s novella and starring himself alongside Jason Swartzman, as they fight for the innocent Clare Danes. And Waiting, a kind of Clerks for the restaurant trade, which introduces some realistic characters as well as playing off the horrors of the food service industry. Finally, the newly released Night At The Museum [Review] got my approval on Boxing Day, as an entertaining fantasy adventure for the whole family.
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Not Yet Seen
As mentioned earlier, I’ve barely scratched the surface of movies from 2006 at this point, so I’ve probably missed out your personal favourite of the year. Off the top of my head, I can think of these movies which I’m excited about in some way, but I’ve yet to see:
The Departed, This Film Is Not Yet Rated, Little Miss Sunshine, Children Of Men, Clerks 2, Thank You For Smoking, A Scanner Darkly and The Prestige.
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One Year On: 2005
And for the sake of completeness, here’s my full 2005 list:
1) Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
2) Batman Begins
3) Crash
4) 40 Year Old Virgin
5) In Good Company
6) Sin City
7) My Date With Drew
8) Wedding Crashers
9) Jarhead
10) Unleashed (Danny The Dog)
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11) Lord of War
12) Constantine
13) Elizabethtown
14) The Descent
15) Team America: World Police
16) Everything Is Illuminated
17) Thumbsucker
18) The Weather Man
19) The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
20) Green Street (Hooligans)With honourable mentions going to: The Constant Gardener, Corpse Bride, Serenity, A History of Violence, Ladder 49 and Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire.
Night At The Museum (2006) December 28, 2006
Posted by gproject in : Cinema, Recently Viewed , add a commentDirected by: Shaun Levy
A Boxing Day tradition in our household is to make a family trip to the cinema. This is usually the only movie we’ll see together all year, mainly because it’s rare that we actually want to see the same film. We’ve had some easy decisions over the past few years due to all the Harry Potter’s and Lord Of The Rings’ dominating the multiplexes over the holiday season. This year however, we were on our own.
Luckily for us, Night At The Museum opened just in time (on Boxing Day itself here in the UK), and steered us clear of an otherwise inevitable argument. It’s a movie aimed at families, which puts us, a family, squarely in its target audience. The story revolves around an out-of-luck divorced father named Larry (Ben Stiller) who, after numerous failed business schemes, takes the only job he can find so as not to lose the respect of his son. He expects that being a night watchman at the museum of natural history will be an easy ride, but there’s one aspect of the job he isn’t prepared for: every night, the power of an ancient Egyptian tablet brings everything in the museum to life. Now Larry has to deal with hundreds of live African animals, cowboys, roman centurions, Neanderthals, and a full-size T-rex skeleton. His mission: not to let anything in, or out.
Boasting a supreme cast of comedy big-hitters from both sides of the Atlantic, this movie was never going to have a problem delivering the laughs. Ben Stiller holds the film well, and has excellent support from the likes of Robin Williams, Ricky Gervais, Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan. There’s also some talent for the ‘older generation’ in the form of Dick Van Dyke and Mickey Rooney, who are great as two of the museums old night guards.
Now, the title ‘family film’ is not earned lightly these days. So I’m pleased to say that this movie does deserve the accolade, although it works hard to get it. 
There are no overt scences of violence or swearing, and the humour is pitched nicely without relying on that horrible method of doing ‘stupid’ for the kids, while dropping not-so-sly nods to the adults. Some flicks can pull off that kind of comedy, but many get it terribly wrong and end up either too adult (The Cat In The Hat), or too silly (most of the CG movies released this summer).
There is some excellent effects work on display too, and while that may be standard on Hollywood pictures these days, this particular stuff works because it doesn’t stand out as ‘special effects’ all the time. I found myself happily forgetting what was real and what wasn’t, and just enjoying the ride instead.
Problems are bound to crop up of course, the obvious one being that it may prove a little implausible for the ultra-cynical, it’s undeniably a fantasy movie of the highest order. I also noticed that the plotting gets a bit lazy towards the end, expecting you to go along with some strange turns in order to keep things moving. There has been some discussion that Ricky Gervais can only play himself, although I think this part may have been written (or re-written) around him, which doesn’t really give the guy much of a chance to branch out. I could say the same about Steve Coogan to be honest, but I enjoyed his and Owen Wilson’s characters the most.
So while it’s not going to be changing lives, this is definitely a well-made family movie, and a nice bit of Christmas escapism at a reasonable running time (108-minutes). Kids and adults alike should enjoy it, without feeling pandered to in order to grab easy laughs. It’s an entertaining way to rest off those mince pies at the very least.
Superman I-IV (1978-1987) December 21, 2006
Posted by gproject in : Recently Viewed , add a commentI’d never seen the original Superman movies before, not having been a big Superman fan in my youth. I actually think of Superman: The Movie as ‘old’, and while it may be approaching it’s 30th anniversary, it’s hardly harking back to the silent era. Either way, I’d always held these films in lower regard compared to, for example, the original Batman movies. With this summer’s release of Superman Returns [review] however, I felt it was time to give the heralded man of steel a chance. Would I believe a man could fly?
Superman: The Movie (1978)
Directed by: Richard Donner
The first outing is definitely the best, but you know, I still wasn’t overly thrilled. Maybe it’s because my childhood memories of Superman are from the Lois & Clark TV show or something? I watched the ‘2000 restoration’ re-release version which clocks in at 151-minutes, making it an epic for comic book movies. But the running time isn’t actually a huge problem. There’s plenty of story to tell, with Kal-El (that’s Superman, kids) making his way to earth before his home planet is destroyed, and being taken in by the kindly Kent’s who raise him as their own. Clark, as he is then named, grows up happily with his super powers until the death of his Earth father prompts him to leave Smallville for the bright lights of Metropolis.
Christopher Reeve does make a great man of steel, playing both a bumbling Clark Kent and an ultra-cool Superman so they feel like different people in the same body. The villainous Lex Luther (Gene Hackman) is slighty campy at times, but still enjoyable for the most part. In fact I don’t really know what it is that made me find this movie so average. I wish I’d been around on its original release because it might mean something more to me then.
Superman II (1980)
Directed by: Richard Lester
I think the controversy over Richard Donner’s ousting as director is more interesting than the movie itself. Filmed back-to-back with Superman, the late change does have a huge effect on the movie. Richard Lester adds more jokes and more camp than Donner ever had planned for this sequel, and although the film is lighter, it lacks the epic feel that was present in the original.
I also think it’s a shame that the two movies weren’t linked better, as was originally planned. This time Superman goes up against three criminals who were banished from his home planet of Krypton. On Earth they share all of his strengths, and so set about trying to take over the planet, naturally. Lex Luther is there also, but in a less threatening role this time.
So maybe this movie is more of a wasted opportunity than anything. I don’t think Superman benefits from the addition of gags, although some people like this instalment for that very reason. For those interested in glimpsing what this movie could have been, Richard Donner has just released his version of Superman II on DVD – with his original footage wherever possible, and even some newly created shots to fill in the gaps (see the summary section for details). Sounds interesting.
Superman III (1983)
Directed by: Richard Lester
What the hell happened? I don’t think I’ve seen a stupider movie in quite a while. And I just saw Date Movie. Yeah, that’s right.
Superman III really takes a turn for the worst right from the opening sequence, involving people in Metropolis getting into increasing amounts of trouble due to a string of unfortunate slapstick accidents. The Superman III logo is proudly overlaid on a shot of three people trapped in tipped over phone booths. Hilarious?
The plot has Richard Pryor turning from out-of-work nobody to the worlds best computer programmer in a couple of days. But in a movie which is so reliant on computers, you’d think that the writer might take the time to learn a little bit about them. Apparently not. It might be 1983 but just because you say a computer can do something in a voiceover doesn’t make it so. Well, Pryor gets involved with power-hungry Robert Vaughn (no Gene Hackman, who refused to take part after the whole Donner/Lester incident in part II), and from there they use computers to change the weather in Columbia, redirect oil tankers, stop petrol pumps working, control satellites, and discover the chemical makeup of Kryptonite (!). Then somehow Pryor (who is funny, but in the wrong movie) develops a computer that can do ANYTHING on seven scraps of paper.
And just when I didn’t think it could get any worse, someone turns into a robot.
So it was with reluctance that I sat down to watch…
Superman IV (1987)
Directed by: Sidney J. Furie
Luckily this instalment helps restore things slightly, and while not a great movie by any means, at least it bothers to try and make a bit more sense. Gene Hackman returns to the Lex Luthor role, and creates Nuclear Man – a villain based on Superman’s own powers, and so powerful he could destroy the man of steel. Meanwhile, Superman is charged with the task of removing all the nuclear weapons from Earth.
Production values were clearly not a priority on this flick, with the fight sequences especially coming off as almost a comic parody at times. Unbelievable to think that this was only a mere four years before the sublime SFX work in Terminator 2. Still, the film earns points for dealing with a real-world concern: the increasing use of nuclear weapons for war. And while it was the movie that essentially killed the Superman franchise, I don’t think it’s the worst outing. It’s still rubbish though.
Summary
So what did I really get out of this experience? One alright, but unimpressive film, two average outings, and one diabolical mess. Nothing that’s going to change my life that’s for sure.
For those interested, all the movies (including Richard Donner’s cut of Superman II) have recently received the Special Edition DVD treatment – a 4-disc set for the original movie, a 2-disc release for Superman II, and single-disc releases for parts III and IV. Depending where you live, the Richard Donner cut of Superman II will be available as a 3-disc set with the new SE, or as a stand-alone disc.
If that’s not enough, you’ll be able to pick up the ‘Christopher Reeve Superman Collection’: an 8-disc set comprising of Superman (4-discs), Superman II (2-discs), Superman III & Superman IV. And while they’re at it, there’s an ‘Ultimate Superman Collection’ too! This 14-disc mega-set collects all 8 discs above, plus Superman Returns (2-discs), Richard Donner’s Superman II (1 disc), Bryan Signer’s production diaries (1 disc), and two discs of documentaries on the Superman legacy.
Whew… it’s going to be a busy Christmas for Superman fans.
Confetti (2006) December 16, 2006
Posted by gproject in : Recently Viewed , add a commentDirected by: Debbie Isitt
People always talk about ‘the state of British comedy’, although its actual state is a hard thing to nail down. There is always plenty of new product to admire, most of it falling to the small screen or DVD. We’re admittedly very hit and miss when it comes to theatrical releases though, more often on the side of miss I’m sad to say. Having said that, when a British comedy does land, it usually lands big (see the oft mentioned Shaun of the Dead for example).
Maybe that’s what Debbie Isitt and BBC films were thinking when they came together to create Confetti, a mockumentary about weddings, specialist magazine publishers and relationships. The story follows three engaged couples as they fight it out to win Confetti magazine’s ‘most original wedding of the year’ award. With just three months, and the aide of two professional wedding planners, each pair must make their unique wedding a reality. And ‘unique’ is the right word; the themes are: Musicals, Tennis and Naturists.
With the knowledge that The Office went down so well in the states, surely a faux-documentary styled British feature would be one of those much strived for ‘big hitters’, right? Well unfortunately not, while in fact the documentary style helps and hinders this film in equal measure. At times it plays well, adding an element of reality to some otherwise absurd situations; other times it actually has the opposite effect, reminding the audience that it’s a total fake with exaggerated characters who don’t belong in a documentary (Sam’s sister Jen, and Matt’s best man Snoopy are good examples).
As for the talent, well this is definitely the case of a funny cast in a less-funny movie. For a film where the script is completely improvised (around a set story) there’s obvious potential for comic performers like Martin Freeman, Robert Webb, Jessica Stevenson & Stephen Mangan to extract some laughs. And they do, on occasion. I just don’t think that the premise gives them enough scope for real comic genius to occur.
On the plus side, the weddings at the end are actually quite sweet, as well as being much funnier than the very long set-ups would prepare you for. But ultimately, any of the moral stances or character redemption brought on during these scenes is quickly forgotten, one couple in particular falling right back into their old selves just when it looked like they might turn out for the better.
A mockumentary like this really needs a point, or at least a target, but I can’t find either here. Which is a notable problem because even Spinal Tap had something to say about old-school rockers and the music industry. Confetti definitely has potential, it just never fully realises it. Maybe it’s the style, maybe the choice of story, or maybe its got something to do with that ‘state of British comedy’ everyone’s talking about. Either way it’s probably one to stay away from, unless like me, your curiosity gets the better of you.
Hard Candy (2005) December 11, 2006
Posted by gproject in : Recently Viewed , add a commentDirected by: David Slade
You may have seen it as a ‘new release’ this year, but it’s actually taken Hard Candy about twelve months to get into theatres after playing at Cannes in 2005. Now unfortunately, it’s impossible to review this film without spoiling one major aspect of the story, as its entire premise is based on an early twist. Although if you’ve read anything about this film in advance then chances are you already know what that is. Just a warning.
The story focuses around two characters, 14-year-old Hayley (Ellen Page), and 32-year-old Jeff (Patrick Wilson), who meet at a coffee shop after chatting over the internet. Following some relaxed conversation the two go back to his place, which is where things start to go bad – for Jeff. You see, Hayley hasn’t been completely honest about her intentions, and is in fact, much more dangerous than she first appears. Now she’s in charge, and out to discover all of Jeff’s dark secrets.
Yes, the movie does deal with the rather taboo subject of paedophilia, although this is not the only squirm-inducing aspect of the story, especially if you’re a guy. I’ve kept the plot summary short on purpose because firstly, the movie does have a simple narrative, and secondly, it would be a shame to reveal too much in mere text. Ideally it’s a movie you’d see completely ‘cold’, but in the marketing-mad culture of today that’s unlikely to happen.
There may only be five people in the cast list (two of which are bit parts, and one is merely an elevated background role), but the performances from both central roles are fantastic. Ellen Page plays well on both sides of Hayley, the innocent teenage girl, and the dangerous (albeit unbalanced) force of justice. While Patrick Wilson works hard to bring out some feeling for a character that, by traditional standards, is none too likeable to say the least.
David Slade’s visual style is amazing, often pushing the audience very close to the action, too close even, while keeping otherwise static scenes alive with camera movement. And in a movie that tells a tale of evil against evil, I think it’s a compliment to Brian Nelson’s script, and Slade’s direction, that you can actually sympathise for either of these characters. Especially Jeff for obvious reasons, but there’s this great moral ambiguity to the character of Hayley too, which means that although she is technically acting on the side of right, she’s doing it in all the wrong ways.
So not an easy watch, but that’s also one of the things that should entice people to the film, because it’s way more uncomfortable and gripping than any of the so-called modern horrors. There’s no stupid slasher character chasing teens around the woods with nothing but a smash-cut and an orchestral cue at their disposal. This is real, and it’s all happening right in front of your eyes. And while it suffers from some slightly unrealistic turns and an over-emphasised ending (maybe slightly too black and white for a movie that deals in grey), it’s still one of the most unique, sinister, and uncompromising movies of the year.
