Borat, Brick, Babel: Joe's Haphazard Collection of 2006's Best Films

I used to spend the whole year mapping this baby out. The first official list I remember was in '98. My #1 film was Mamet's The Spanish Prisoner. Long explanations were written and the list was kept as the year went long. And then I didn't do it for years. I felt empty. So here it is, for 2006 in somewhat of an order...



1. Borat
The funniest movie of the millennium. I've never thought I'd say this but I can't wait to see what's on the DVD. There's problem an extra film's worth of footage on there.

2. Brick
A high school mystery like no other. Takes a while to get into but worth for the few who try.


3. Little Miss Sunshine

4. The Proposition
An Australian Western written by Nick Cave? Gritty and awesome.

5. Thank You For Smoking
If I hadn't read the book, I would have loved this one even more.

6. Half Nelson
Further proof that a decent script and Ryan Gosling can equal an excellent film.

7. Inside Man
Spike Lee goes mainstream and Clive Owens makes it excel.

8. Casino Royale
Grittier is better seems to be a common thread on this list.

9. The Prestige
The better of the magic movies.

10. Volver
Not Pedro's best but it will do.

11. Babel
A beautiful film that is mentally draining to watch.

12. Catch a Fire
Critic's love the movies about war torn Africa but seemed to have passed this one over. Tim Robbins and Derek Luke put in dead on performances.

13. Jackass: Number Two Not much different than number one just unbelievably funny. The ultimate documentary in tomfoolery.

14. The Devil and Daniel Johnston
An interesting film about an even more interesting individual. This year's Jandek on Corwood.

15. Crank / Running Scared - Awesome by virtue of utter ridiculousness, Both the epitome of the heart pounding non stop action film quote. Missed: A lot of films sadly including The Fountain, The Departed, Children of Men, Pan's Labyrinth, Flags of Our Fathers, Letters From Iwo Jima, A Scanner Darkly, History Boys, Fast Food Nation, The Queen, The Last King of Scotland, The Science of Sleep and more…

Sadly, this list seems longer than the movies I enjoyed this year.

And here's the Underwhelming Five:

V For Vendetta
Lots of hype and patience led to overbearing poppycock.

School For Scoundrels
Could have been funny but wasn't despite the attempts of Billy Bob

Miami Vice
The most ridiculously unwatchable film of the year and easily the worst 10 bucks I ever spent.

Unknown White Male / The Puffy Chair Indie drivel. The Puffy Chair is a road trip comedy about a puffy chair. Think an attempt at a Wes Anderson film with not many laughs and even less style. Unknown White Male is a documentary that appears fictional about an interesting memory loss phenomena. Too bad a half hour documentary turns into eighty minute blubbery.

Later this week Top TV and the long awaited Top Albums of the year...