Movies of 2006
One of the nice things about having good friends who share common interests is that movies have once again become a priority. For a while, it seemed like I rarely saw any movies, but the year 2006 proved to be a bit different. Listed below is a brief summary of some of the movies I saw during the year.
Comedy in a Muslim World: This was an Albert Brooks movie. I think that Brooks is an acquired taste, and I have always been entertained by his movies. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and got a kick out of his spin on trying to be a comedian in a not so friendly part of the world. I laughed throughout the movie; at times I felt like I was the only one laughing in the theatre, but that's Albert Brooks for you....his humor effects people in different ways.
The Queen: I was not sure what to expect of this movie. However, it turned out to be very intriguing and I enjoyed the movie. It dealt with the days after the death of Princess Diana, and Queen Elizabeth's struggles within the monarchy/interactions with Tony Blair/and the necessity of the Queen to change her perception of what the British public expected of her. Helen Mirren gave an incredible performance as Queen Elizabeth. I will not be surprised if she receives an oscar for her portrayal of the Queen.
The Invincible: A feel good sports movie. The true story of Philadelphia Eagle Vince Papale and his rise to become a pro football player. It was a bit cheesy, another movie about the "down and out" who make it. However, I think movies like this are occasionally a necessity, particularly when true, because we have so many negatives in the world that an occasional feel good story is nice.
Stranger than Fiction: This probably was my favorite movie if the year. It starred Will Farrell in a role that I'm not sure I was prepared to accept. He plays a IRS auditor who is able to hear narration about his life, including pending disasters. It was a clever, well-done movie. I cried at the end, which surprised even me. It tugged at my heart strings.
Casino Royale: I'm not a big James Bond fan, but enjoyed this movie. It had enough twists to keep it interesting, and Daniel Craig is the "new" James Bond. It's definitely worth the price of admission just to ogle him, lol. The beautiful cinema is evident throughout the movie, so you get an added bonus...Daniel Craig and beautiful scenery. I enjoyed the movie and will definitely see more of the James Bond flicks.
The Departed: I was a bit hesitant to see this movie. I know that when you're dealing with a Martin Scorcese movie, it can be a bit off the wall. This movie was no exception. It was violent, yet charming. It was dark, yet comical. Jack Nicholson, as always, is a great actor. It had enough twists to make it interesting.
Neil Young, Heart of Gold: I am a huge fan of Neil Young. This was a great documentary of his music. It included new releases, as well as old classics. It was filmed in Nashville and included a complete backup band and singers, including Neil's wife Pegi as well as Emmylou Harris. I loved the movie, and enjoyed every song. Neil has an interesting personality, which came through during the music in his songs.
The Prestige and The Illusionist: two movies which dealt with magic. I enjoyed both, as magic has always intrigued me. I felt The Prestige was a bit more realistic, but both were highly entertaining. Two magic movies with a lot of twists to keep you entertained.
The Devil Wears Prada: Meryl Streep plays the ultimate witch (with a "b") in this movie. It was a movie which showed the inside of the fashion world, supposedly loosely based on a true story. Streep played her ruthless role to the hilt. Another oscar nominee?
Inside Man: Denzel Washington and Clive Owen about an inside bank heist. It was entertaining and fun. Jodie Foster also starred. It was one of those that you didn't know the outcome until the very end. I particularly enjoyed the brief exchanges between Washington and Owen. I thought it was well-written.
DaVinci Code: Although this movie didn't get a lot of favorable reviews, I thought that Ron Howard did a decent job of a complex subject. The book was long and included so many twists and turns. The movie was no exception. I enjoyed Tom Hanks and his portrayal of Dr. Robert Langdon. I was especially intrigued by the movie and where it took place, and would love to visit Paris to see some of the sites for myself.
Brokeback Mountain: I think this movie was released in late 2005, but I saw it in early 2006. I enjoyed the movie, but would say that it was "much ado about nothing". The scenery was beautiful (filmed in the Canadian Rockies, not Wyoming where the story takes place). It was controversial because of the gay theme, yet I really was not uncomfortable with the story, and thought Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhal both did a commendable job of acting.
Worst movie of 2006: Talledega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. What a pathetic, disgusting movie. And it got good reviews, to boot! I find it ironic that of the movies listed above, one of my favorites was "Stranger than Fiction", yet this Will Farrell movie ranks as one of the worst movies I have ever had the pleasure of attending.
Overall: I enjoy movies, and probably missed a few that I should have mentioned. Overall, I think that movies have become too long. Almost without exception every movie listed above could have been edited to not be so long. I'm not sure for the purpose in longer movies, but I am one movie buff who votes for shorter movies.
One of the nice things about having good friends who share common interests is that movies have once again become a priority. For a while, it seemed like I rarely saw any movies, but the year 2006 proved to be a bit different. Listed below is a brief summary of some of the movies I saw during the year.
Comedy in a Muslim World: This was an Albert Brooks movie. I think that Brooks is an acquired taste, and I have always been entertained by his movies. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and got a kick out of his spin on trying to be a comedian in a not so friendly part of the world. I laughed throughout the movie; at times I felt like I was the only one laughing in the theatre, but that's Albert Brooks for you....his humor effects people in different ways.
The Queen: I was not sure what to expect of this movie. However, it turned out to be very intriguing and I enjoyed the movie. It dealt with the days after the death of Princess Diana, and Queen Elizabeth's struggles within the monarchy/interactions with Tony Blair/and the necessity of the Queen to change her perception of what the British public expected of her. Helen Mirren gave an incredible performance as Queen Elizabeth. I will not be surprised if she receives an oscar for her portrayal of the Queen.
The Invincible: A feel good sports movie. The true story of Philadelphia Eagle Vince Papale and his rise to become a pro football player. It was a bit cheesy, another movie about the "down and out" who make it. However, I think movies like this are occasionally a necessity, particularly when true, because we have so many negatives in the world that an occasional feel good story is nice.
Stranger than Fiction: This probably was my favorite movie if the year. It starred Will Farrell in a role that I'm not sure I was prepared to accept. He plays a IRS auditor who is able to hear narration about his life, including pending disasters. It was a clever, well-done movie. I cried at the end, which surprised even me. It tugged at my heart strings.
Casino Royale: I'm not a big James Bond fan, but enjoyed this movie. It had enough twists to keep it interesting, and Daniel Craig is the "new" James Bond. It's definitely worth the price of admission just to ogle him, lol. The beautiful cinema is evident throughout the movie, so you get an added bonus...Daniel Craig and beautiful scenery. I enjoyed the movie and will definitely see more of the James Bond flicks.
The Departed: I was a bit hesitant to see this movie. I know that when you're dealing with a Martin Scorcese movie, it can be a bit off the wall. This movie was no exception. It was violent, yet charming. It was dark, yet comical. Jack Nicholson, as always, is a great actor. It had enough twists to make it interesting.
Neil Young, Heart of Gold: I am a huge fan of Neil Young. This was a great documentary of his music. It included new releases, as well as old classics. It was filmed in Nashville and included a complete backup band and singers, including Neil's wife Pegi as well as Emmylou Harris. I loved the movie, and enjoyed every song. Neil has an interesting personality, which came through during the music in his songs.
The Prestige and The Illusionist: two movies which dealt with magic. I enjoyed both, as magic has always intrigued me. I felt The Prestige was a bit more realistic, but both were highly entertaining. Two magic movies with a lot of twists to keep you entertained.
The Devil Wears Prada: Meryl Streep plays the ultimate witch (with a "b") in this movie. It was a movie which showed the inside of the fashion world, supposedly loosely based on a true story. Streep played her ruthless role to the hilt. Another oscar nominee?
Inside Man: Denzel Washington and Clive Owen about an inside bank heist. It was entertaining and fun. Jodie Foster also starred. It was one of those that you didn't know the outcome until the very end. I particularly enjoyed the brief exchanges between Washington and Owen. I thought it was well-written.
DaVinci Code: Although this movie didn't get a lot of favorable reviews, I thought that Ron Howard did a decent job of a complex subject. The book was long and included so many twists and turns. The movie was no exception. I enjoyed Tom Hanks and his portrayal of Dr. Robert Langdon. I was especially intrigued by the movie and where it took place, and would love to visit Paris to see some of the sites for myself.
Brokeback Mountain: I think this movie was released in late 2005, but I saw it in early 2006. I enjoyed the movie, but would say that it was "much ado about nothing". The scenery was beautiful (filmed in the Canadian Rockies, not Wyoming where the story takes place). It was controversial because of the gay theme, yet I really was not uncomfortable with the story, and thought Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhal both did a commendable job of acting.
Worst movie of 2006: Talledega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. What a pathetic, disgusting movie. And it got good reviews, to boot! I find it ironic that of the movies listed above, one of my favorites was "Stranger than Fiction", yet this Will Farrell movie ranks as one of the worst movies I have ever had the pleasure of attending.
Overall: I enjoy movies, and probably missed a few that I should have mentioned. Overall, I think that movies have become too long. Almost without exception every movie listed above could have been edited to not be so long. I'm not sure for the purpose in longer movies, but I am one movie buff who votes for shorter movies.
posted by Susan | 9:01 AM
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