So, as promised, I have FINALLY gotten around to writing up my yearly favorite movies post… finally. Now, as with the CDs, my taste in movies tends to be all over the place and I am a sucker for a good comedy, blockbuster, or romantic comedy. These definitely shouldn’t be considered THE best movies of 2006, they are just the ones that I really loved, and was most excited about in 2006… and even through today (obviously, if I am writing about them again…). Also, as with the CD list, there is no real particular order; with the exception of the top movies… those were definitely my favorites out of the bunch. So, without too much more heeing and hawing, here’s the list:
Little Miss Sunshine
The whole family piles into the VW van to travel to California so awkward little Olive can compete in the Little Miss Sunshine pageant contest. Hilarity ensues. That’s pretty much what you need to know, oh yeah, and the fact that this movie is fucking hilarious. This is one of the best movies that came out in 2006 (in my opinion, it was probably THE best), so you have to see it, and you will enjoy it, because it is great. And funny. And really super great. Seriously. You will laugh at this movie, that is, unless you are completely soulless, and have no sense of humor. I know that is strong, but it is true, but if you are soulless, you probably don’t care anyway, because you are soulless.
V for Vendetta
Wow, wow, wow. This movie is so fantastic, it is hard to believe. Definitely the 1984 of 2006. It looks at what happens when a government takes control over its people under the guise of “protecting” them. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Fed up with the treatment he and others have received, V dresses as the famous Guy Fawkes, and promises to succeed where Guy had failed (in blowing up Parliament). This movie is not to be missed, especially because it is so scary that this is one possible outcome of the current political events that are currently occurring today. I for one hope not, but if it is, then I hope we have the courage to stand up and fight, just like V. Viva la revolution!
Superman Returns
I don’t care what anyone says; this is one of the best sequels I have seen, ever. I am a huge comic fan, and even more of a fan of well made comic movies. The action is top notch, the acting is great, and the story is awesome. They totally captured the vibe of the old Superman movies, while updating it at the same time. Brandon Routh is the perfect Superman. This is one of those movies that you can sit through the entire film, and maintain the sense of “wow” and captivation that a good movie should offer. I was greatly surprised, and definitely satisfied. I am very excited to see what comes with the next Superman movie; if it is anything like this one, it will be fantastic. I seriously loved this movie!
Dreamgirls
Shockingly, I really didn’t have really high hopes for Dreamgirls, other than the infamous performance of “And I Am Telling You…”. But, with that being said, each trailer made me a little more excited about the movie, and I was all hyped to go when I missed out on the chance Christmas day. I thought it would be okay to wait for rental, but everyone was gushing, and thankfully, a friend who had seen it agreed to go again. OH MY GOD. I was such an idiot for thinking anything other than, “this movie is going to be off the chain”; because it was. Jennifer Hudson is magical, and deserves every award they can throw at her. And, I left NOT hating Beyonce!! A twofer! Seriously, if you love musicals, this one is great!
X-men: X3 the Last Stand
Hands down, the best X-men movie of the franchise. Now, with that being said, I know that there are a ton of people that will completely disagree with me, but I don’t care. This was one of the first times I actually felt like they were the X-men, rather than Storm, Wolverine, Cyclops, etc. Also, making the Phoenix be the main storyline was the ultimate wet dream of anyone that is a fan of the X-men, so just having that in there (and doing it extremely well), was worth it for me. I certainly hope that this isn’t the last one, as the name suggests, because it is almost like they were just honing their craft. It definitely has a different feel than it did with Singer at the helm, but I didn’t feel enough of a difference (good or bad) to effect my thoughts on the movie. I know for one that I am keeping my fingers crossed for X4 and so on. There is so much more they could do with the X-men, and they were just getting started; and if any future ones are as good as this one, I am already on board.
Shortbus
While the movie was extremely controversial because of the use of actual sex acts, as opposed to simulated ones, this movie was extremely good. What you end up seeing is a bunch of people dealing with their sexual identities and needs in a way that may seem unconventional to many, which ends up causing them some problems when they try to fit the mold. What I took away from this, was a look at how sex and sexuality can define us and our relationships, and how different perspectives work for different people. It is also extremely funny, and well, there are lots of naked boys with big dicks in it. Come on now, you weren’t thinking that I was going to say, “you don’t notice the nudity that much”, did you? Silly kids… Just watch the movie already, it’s good, okay!
Tristan + Isolde
Passion, love, feeling, and of course, damn duty had to go and get in the way. The classic love story of Tristan, and Englishman, and Isolde, an Irish woman, torn between love, battle, duty, and tragedy. This is a fantastic love story that is not to be missed. If you are a fan of the story of Romeo and Juliet, you really have to check out this one, because you will definitely fall in love with this story. The movie is beautifully shot, and has lots of action for those that like that angle, while giving you lots of tender, wonderful love right there on the same screen. I absolutely fell in love with this movie, and was completely surprised with how much I liked it. This is a story of love, and as you will learn (or may already know), a life without love, truly is no life at all.
Imagine Me and You
Finally a cute and believable romantic comedy about two girls falling in love! Seriously, this is such a cute movie, and both girls are extremely, well, cute! It may not be the BEST film, but it is certainly light-hearted, and Rom-Com greatness. It is also nice to finally see gay movies come out that aren’t complete trash, and can actually portray a semblance of love. There is one thing that is kind of interesting; one of them is married, and chooses the girl over her man, but it is definitely sweet to see people follow their hearts, even if that means that it is too bad for the guy! Definitely to become a lesbian classic (at least for my friend Deb it will!)!
Underworld Evolution
This is a kick ass sequel to the first, and it can’t be denied that this movie kicks vampire and Lycan ass. If you liked the first, you will probably dig this one, but if not, steer clear; as I know a lot of you will see this on my list and think, “WTF?”. But, keep in mind, this is one of the types of movies I can really get into; mostly because they are just fun to watch, and deal with that vampire/occult/dark stuff that somehow seems to interest me like little else. It also doesn’t help that I LOVED the first one, and that the action and special effects are just great. Now, I can’t wait to see the third and final one! If this one is any indication of how it will be, then I am sure that it will be action packed and fun!
MI:III
Now, before you even go there, I know that Tom Cruise is in it, but, for me, that surprisingly doesn’t ruin this movie. It is very well made, with a great story, and it only gets stronger because it totally has JJ Abrams’ signature all over it; which is a really good thing. I love the story, the action, everything… it was exactly what I was looking for in a spy thriller. Probably one of the best things EVER, is that it has Felicity (Keri Russell) as a spy! Holy cow! That is where Abrams claims he came up with the idea for Alias (Felicity joins the CIA)! Totally full circle! What’s not to love there? Seriously though, this is definitely a great action film.
Honorable mentions (good movies, but not in the top of my list, you know?): The Devil Wears Prada (I haven’t seen it enough times, I think), My Super Ex-Girlfriend (Rom-Com + Action/Comic book movie = duane happy), Another Gay Movie (total spoofiness, but definitely funny) Inside Man (just not one I could watch over and over), American Dreamz (parts of it are laugh out loud hilarious) and Lucky Number Slevin (which is GREAT, but again not one I would watch over and over).
So there you have it! My movie list of 2006! Whew!! Now, tell me what you were digging in 2006!!! Here’s hoping there are a lot more movies that are lovable from 2007! Oh yeah, and as most always, these aren’t my pictures, and I don’t claim them to be, you know!
So, we went to see the new Christopher Guest movie, 
Valiant. Vigilant. Vivacious. Vigorous. Vengeful. V for Vendetta is all of these things and more. I honestly had no expectations going in to this movie, and for one reason or another, I missed it at the theater; but nevertheless, I was excited to receive my rental from netflix last night, probably more than any movie I have received in a while. And even though I had no expectations going in, I was pleasantly surprised; it was fantastic. Many people raved about this movie, and rightfully so; I am joining their cause. 
I saw Brokeback Mountain today, and when I sat down to write the review, I really felt. No seriously, reflecting on this film really does make you feel. The story is touching, the love is palpable, and the acting is moving. Many people in the theater were crying, and I honestly can’t say I didn’t shed at least a tear. With that being said, my review may be a little different than previous reviews I have done; mainly because I felt more from this movie that I have felt from almost any movie I have ever seen. I totally felt immersed in this film, and being who I am, and given what it was about, it is hard not to personalize much of the emotion and what happens. I do want to warn those that haven’t seen it, because I do talk about aspects of the story in my review. With that being said, I don’t give away anything like the ending (even though I really wanted to talk about how that made me feel), and I don’t go into specific detail about the story; but I know there are those out there that would rather be warned about the potential of spoilers, rather than just happen upon them. All in all, Brokeback Mountain is a breathtakingly beautiful and moving film. It is definitely a must see. Now, my review… (I know it is probably the 100239847239847298374928347th review, but if you don’t like it, don’t read it! It was one of the best movies I have seen in a long time, so I feel compelled to give my two cents, so there.)