Thanks to tons of work in the office, very bad internet connection and mostly because of laziness, just now I managed to spill out my list of my favourite films and tv shows of 2006. Compared to last year's list, I try to be more simple and short. So here goes..
15 FAVOURITE FILMS OF 2006
15. Cinta
The only local movie on the list. A movie about the one thing that every human being in this world could relate; LOVE.. and how it turn our lives upside down. After second viewing I still find this movie very enjoyable. Maybe I'm just a hopeless romantic...
14. Black
Sanjay Leela Bhansali's masterpiece. Powered by Rani Mukerji and Amitabh Bachan's powerhouse performances.
13. Dorm
A very small but amazing movie from Thailand. An outstanding coming-of-age tale slash horror movie.
12. Little Miss Sunshine
You either hate it or love this movie. This marvellous satire of modern life and family values calls to mind the wit of The Simpsons and the chaos of Malcolm In The Middle. Sharp, very funny, surprisingly moving and rejoicing in great work from the entire cast, this sparkling little gem takes the family road movie to unhoped-for heights of hilarity and humanity. Over to you, Nazim Masnawi...
11. Thank You For Smoking
This razor-sharp satire from Jason Reitman is the wittiest dark comedy of the year. It has appeal to all sides of the political spectrum. A bust-out performance from Aaron Eckhart that's worth remembering.
10. The Prestige
It's no surprise that the man (Christopher Nolan) who brought us a modern noir about a man with short-term memory loss through a brain-straining reverse-chronological structure (Memento) should present a Victorian murder-mystery tale of such beautiful convolutions that the dizzying struggle to follow it provides half the entertainment. It's a small film that feels big, a period drama that looks modern, defying comparison to anything but Nolan himself.
9. The Departed
Back to the streets and with a stellar cast, Martin Scorsese proves that he's the master of urban storytelling.
8. Casino Royale
Contrary to pre-release nay-sayers (including myself), Daniel Craig has done more with James Bond in one film than some previous stars have in multiple reprises. This is terrific stuff, again positioning 007 as the action franchise to beat.
7. Inside Man
This slick, commercial film is barely recognisable as a Spike Lee joint, but that's not to say it doesn't measure up. A marvellous, pacy, vigorous and carefully honed thriller. A masterful take on a well-worn genre.
6. Volver
Pedro Almodóvar's lovely tribute to tough, tender, working-class women. Full of surprises, part noir-comedy, part ghost story; it's very difficult to mesh fantasy with reality, but Almodovar shows exactly how it should be done. Penélope Cruz, who's been so painful to watch in English-language roles, reminds us that she really can act.
5. Brick
With a superb lead turn by rising star Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rian Johnson’s debut is a smart, original neo-noir. Visionary film-making.
4. Hard Candy
An effective thriller, disturbing not only for its frank look at the subject of online predators, but also because of the riveting onscreen relationship between its two stars that keeps you glued to the screen from start to finish. A psychological thriller of the most disturbing kind.
3. Cache (Hidden)
One of the most vital and strangely gripping films in recent years, a thriller more opaque, involving and realistic than just about anything that Hollywood is capable of. Daniel Auteuil and Juliet Binoche are such marvelous actors, they can shift us in almost any emotional direction with a speech or a glance. It's less in your face, more in your head and under your skin. Brill-fuckin'-liant.
2. Wordplay
I never thought a movie about crossword puzzles could be so engaging, thrilling and exciting. As a guy who has never completed a crossword puzzle, I was surprised how engaged I was by this wonderful documentary by Patrick Creadon. By watching this film, you didn't just learn about the art of making and solving a crossword puzzles, but you also learn a thing or two about the little-known subculture. The finale, a 3-way crossword puzzle tournament showdown, is the most nail-biting scene in film last year. Superb.
1. Dave Chappelle's Block Party
Why does this film tops my list? For a simple reason that any film should be; fun and entertaining. I had the most fun watching this film last year, so by that, it should be no 1.
Enlisting visionary director Michel Gondry to direct, Chappelle starts out in his Ohio hometown, surprising locals with an offer of tickets (just like Willy Wonka) and transportation to Brooklyn so they can attend an impromptu concert of hip-hop and R&B stars. These scenes are among the movie’s funniest, as excited locals discuss their plans for the big trip. However, the film doesn’t follow events in what you’d call a very linear fashion, as we jump back and forth between performance footages and the artist's preparations for the show itself.
And what artists they are. Chappelle managed to gather Jill Scott, Kanye West, Erykah Badu, Common, John Legend, the Roots and Mos Def, to name a few, as the evening culminates with a reunion of the Fugees, who haven’t performed together since 1997. Marketed as a comedy with musical interludes, it is really a concert film with interviews and the occasional comedic break.
The musical performers are of sufficiently high caliber; the music not only sounded amazing, but carried a lot of political messages; the jokes are funny; the editing is superb; the director is a mutherfuckin' genius - what more do u need? "This is the concert I've always wanted to see," Chappelle says. Thanks Dave, now we all can.
FAVOURITE TV SHOWS OF 2006
24 - Edge of your seat drama at it's best.
Nip/Tuck - So good I had to own it on DVD.
One Tree Hill - My guilty pleasure, still.
Rockstar Supernova - Great live music.
Whose Line Is It Anyway? - Laugh out loud, knee-slappingly funny.
The Office - The US version has come into it's own
The L Word - Season 3 is the best so far. Currently watching Season 4, which just started.
Dunia Baru - The only local TV series that is worth watching for. Really.
Sleeper Cell - A US production about extreme Muslim terrorists (and why they hate Americans), that doesn't try to be another American propaganda. Gripping.
Heroes - Heroes is one of those shows that sounds just awful when you try to describe it to people. "There are these people and somehow they have these special powers and...." It all sounds like a crap-ass X-Men ripoff, but the thing is, Heroes is awesome. It just is. It's funny and clever and suspenseful. The multiracial cast grounds the show, giving the characters emotions so real and recognizable that you rarely, if ever, question the outlandishness of the show's setup. Save the cheerleader, save the world? If that cheerleader is Hayden Panettiere (..more on her on my next post), I'll be the first in line. Great fun.
15 FAVOURITE FILMS OF 2006
15. Cinta
The only local movie on the list. A movie about the one thing that every human being in this world could relate; LOVE.. and how it turn our lives upside down. After second viewing I still find this movie very enjoyable. Maybe I'm just a hopeless romantic...
14. Black
Sanjay Leela Bhansali's masterpiece. Powered by Rani Mukerji and Amitabh Bachan's powerhouse performances.
13. Dorm
A very small but amazing movie from Thailand. An outstanding coming-of-age tale slash horror movie.
12. Little Miss Sunshine
You either hate it or love this movie. This marvellous satire of modern life and family values calls to mind the wit of The Simpsons and the chaos of Malcolm In The Middle. Sharp, very funny, surprisingly moving and rejoicing in great work from the entire cast, this sparkling little gem takes the family road movie to unhoped-for heights of hilarity and humanity. Over to you, Nazim Masnawi...
11. Thank You For Smoking
This razor-sharp satire from Jason Reitman is the wittiest dark comedy of the year. It has appeal to all sides of the political spectrum. A bust-out performance from Aaron Eckhart that's worth remembering.
10. The Prestige
It's no surprise that the man (Christopher Nolan) who brought us a modern noir about a man with short-term memory loss through a brain-straining reverse-chronological structure (Memento) should present a Victorian murder-mystery tale of such beautiful convolutions that the dizzying struggle to follow it provides half the entertainment. It's a small film that feels big, a period drama that looks modern, defying comparison to anything but Nolan himself.
9. The Departed
Back to the streets and with a stellar cast, Martin Scorsese proves that he's the master of urban storytelling.
8. Casino Royale
Contrary to pre-release nay-sayers (including myself), Daniel Craig has done more with James Bond in one film than some previous stars have in multiple reprises. This is terrific stuff, again positioning 007 as the action franchise to beat.
7. Inside Man
This slick, commercial film is barely recognisable as a Spike Lee joint, but that's not to say it doesn't measure up. A marvellous, pacy, vigorous and carefully honed thriller. A masterful take on a well-worn genre.
6. Volver
Pedro Almodóvar's lovely tribute to tough, tender, working-class women. Full of surprises, part noir-comedy, part ghost story; it's very difficult to mesh fantasy with reality, but Almodovar shows exactly how it should be done. Penélope Cruz, who's been so painful to watch in English-language roles, reminds us that she really can act.
5. Brick
With a superb lead turn by rising star Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rian Johnson’s debut is a smart, original neo-noir. Visionary film-making.
4. Hard Candy
An effective thriller, disturbing not only for its frank look at the subject of online predators, but also because of the riveting onscreen relationship between its two stars that keeps you glued to the screen from start to finish. A psychological thriller of the most disturbing kind.
3. Cache (Hidden)
One of the most vital and strangely gripping films in recent years, a thriller more opaque, involving and realistic than just about anything that Hollywood is capable of. Daniel Auteuil and Juliet Binoche are such marvelous actors, they can shift us in almost any emotional direction with a speech or a glance. It's less in your face, more in your head and under your skin. Brill-fuckin'-liant.
2. Wordplay
I never thought a movie about crossword puzzles could be so engaging, thrilling and exciting. As a guy who has never completed a crossword puzzle, I was surprised how engaged I was by this wonderful documentary by Patrick Creadon. By watching this film, you didn't just learn about the art of making and solving a crossword puzzles, but you also learn a thing or two about the little-known subculture. The finale, a 3-way crossword puzzle tournament showdown, is the most nail-biting scene in film last year. Superb.
1. Dave Chappelle's Block Party
Why does this film tops my list? For a simple reason that any film should be; fun and entertaining. I had the most fun watching this film last year, so by that, it should be no 1.
Enlisting visionary director Michel Gondry to direct, Chappelle starts out in his Ohio hometown, surprising locals with an offer of tickets (just like Willy Wonka) and transportation to Brooklyn so they can attend an impromptu concert of hip-hop and R&B stars. These scenes are among the movie’s funniest, as excited locals discuss their plans for the big trip. However, the film doesn’t follow events in what you’d call a very linear fashion, as we jump back and forth between performance footages and the artist's preparations for the show itself.
And what artists they are. Chappelle managed to gather Jill Scott, Kanye West, Erykah Badu, Common, John Legend, the Roots and Mos Def, to name a few, as the evening culminates with a reunion of the Fugees, who haven’t performed together since 1997. Marketed as a comedy with musical interludes, it is really a concert film with interviews and the occasional comedic break.
The musical performers are of sufficiently high caliber; the music not only sounded amazing, but carried a lot of political messages; the jokes are funny; the editing is superb; the director is a mutherfuckin' genius - what more do u need? "This is the concert I've always wanted to see," Chappelle says. Thanks Dave, now we all can.
FAVOURITE TV SHOWS OF 2006
24 - Edge of your seat drama at it's best.
Nip/Tuck - So good I had to own it on DVD.
One Tree Hill - My guilty pleasure, still.
Rockstar Supernova - Great live music.
Whose Line Is It Anyway? - Laugh out loud, knee-slappingly funny.
The Office - The US version has come into it's own
The L Word - Season 3 is the best so far. Currently watching Season 4, which just started.
Dunia Baru - The only local TV series that is worth watching for. Really.
Sleeper Cell - A US production about extreme Muslim terrorists (and why they hate Americans), that doesn't try to be another American propaganda. Gripping.
Heroes - Heroes is one of those shows that sounds just awful when you try to describe it to people. "There are these people and somehow they have these special powers and...." It all sounds like a crap-ass X-Men ripoff, but the thing is, Heroes is awesome. It just is. It's funny and clever and suspenseful. The multiracial cast grounds the show, giving the characters emotions so real and recognizable that you rarely, if ever, question the outlandishness of the show's setup. Save the cheerleader, save the world? If that cheerleader is Hayden Panettiere (..more on her on my next post), I'll be the first in line. Great fun.
11 comments:
First of all, did u bought all those movies "cetak rompak " ke? or you just downloaded them in the net?
Somehow, i tried several times to find the cetak rompaks of Volver, Little Miss Sunshine etc, and nothing seems to be fruitful.
Secondly, (forgive me for being ignorance) berbaloi ke download dari internet? lama ke or damn too long? would you recommend it (the activities)to me?
Baru nonton Babel, and loved it. Hmm J_hud menang. Other than that, Golden Globe still not a closer prediction to Oscar's nomination this year.
Pan 's Labyrinth dah tengok ke?
er.. jimi. honestly, most of the movie either donwloaded from the net or mcm biasa la, beli DVD bootleg.
berbaloi atau tak dload? Hmmm.. bergantung jugak pd line internet masing2 dan availability org utk share movies. Sometimes boleh sampai 2-3 minggu utk download 1 movie, sbb tak ramai yg share. Tapi kalau line internet setakat biasa2, baik tak payah la.. mmg berjanggut nak download.
Tapi yg seronok tu, siri TV dekat US boleh dpt yg latest. Maknanya malam tu tayang dekat TV US, 3-4 jam lepas tu kita pun dh boleh tgk. Dan the quality selalunya mmg superb.
So, jimi.. up to you. At the moment, I enjoy it very much. Hhehe.
Pan's Labyrinth lum tgk lagi.. Nampak mcm gila menarik.
Babel ain't the worst movie of the year, but it's no doubt the epitome of manipulative and dishonest film – just like Crash and some other Spielberg films. Jimi must've been smokin' some serious shit while watching that movie.
Anyway, great list, bro. Much varied than mine. Still hope the overblown Cinta and the overhyped Little Miss Sunshine ain't there.
And Jimi, yes, line net kena ngam. Jangan macam office aku punya – download youtube macam download vid Quicktime!
Wor;d's Fastest Indian tak masuk dlm senarai kau ke...? Actually download movie ni mmg fun kalau internet connection ok. Streamyx skrg pun bukannya laju mcm dulu. Anyway, aku skrg susah nak download, tak tau mungkin problem 'earthquake' kat Korea tu kot.
World's Fastest Indian is okay. The beginning and the end is very strong, but the middle sags a little. There's a sense that much of the road trip material is kinda padding. Well, at least that's what I thought. Still a good film though.
IB..
I agree with what Nazim said. WFI is actually no 16 on my list.
Nazim, let's see some review on Babel and Little Miss Sunshine.. I would love to read what u think.
I'm working my ass off on 'em.
Edd, kau tengok nip/tuck season berapa?
PS: Darn these deadlines. Aku nak buat list dari hari tu tak siap2 lagi.
zack..
nip/tuck aku dh tgk sampai yg latest.. season 4. Aku ada box set season 1-3, so yg ke 4 nanti maybe aku akan beli box set jugak kot.
Somehow the twisted life of McNamara & Troy nampak tersangat la cool bagi aku..
^^Word, Edd. Sebab tu aku suka.
Aku baru sampai end of Season 2 jek, pastuh stop (tapi aku tau la apa jadi ngan Quentin Costa/ The Carver and whatnot, sebab aku baca spoiler, hehe...
Weh, Heroes episod 12 camne? Best tak?
Zack..
twist The Carver and his sister & the incest thing is a bit too much and sedikit tak masuk akal bagi aku. Tapi nampaknya makin twisted ceritanya, makin seronok plak aku tgk..hehe.
Heroes mcm biasa, mmg best gila. Tapi 7 weeks hiatus is a bit too harsh if u ask me..
Post a Comment