Jan 11 2007

Favourite flicks of 2006

Published by Fence under Moving Pictures

Well, I did the books so now I’m turning my attention to the films. And in no particular order my top films of 2006 are:

  • The Departed[1]
    Violent and great. But must be call “The Depaaahrted” for proper effect. Both DiCaprio & Damon were great, but the whole supporting cast were fantastic.
  • Pan’s Labyrinth[2]
    I loved this film. Visually stunning, and with a great story as well. Brilliant.
  • Little Miss Sunshine[3]
    Just wonderful. Funny and touching and so watchable. And another film with a great child actor, Pan’s Labyrinth being the other.
  • United 93[4]
    This may be here because of subject matter rather then purely the film, but I still think it deserves a mention. Gripping both because of the drama/tension raised, but also because of what you know happened.
  • Severance[5]
    Because who doesn’t love a silly gore-filled comedy. Not quite in the same league as Shaun of the Dead but I loved it all the same.
  • Superman Returns[6]
    Not perfect, but pretty damn close. Let down by having Bosworth play Lois Lane, but I thought that Routh was perfection as Supes.
  • The Wind That Shakes The Barley[7]
    This is one that’ll feature in quite a few history classes over the coming years I’d guess. The Irish civil war in all its violence and brutality.
  • El Lobo[8]
    Another Spanish language film, this time set in the 1970’s, and involving terrorism. Didn’t know anything about it before going it, but thought it was a very good film.
  • Junebug[9]
    This was just lovely. Yes, it is a quirky independent film but don’t hold that against it.
  • The Proposition[10]
    Nick Cave writes a film, we’re all expecting darkness, and that is certainly present. Very violent and harsh, but a great film.
  • Mirrormask[11]
    It may be a little similar plotwise to films like Labyrinth but this is still a great film in its own right. Great visuals.
  • Merry Christmas aka Joyeux Noel[12]
    This came out in 2005, but I didn’t see it til Jan 2006, so it still makes my list. Set in the trenches of World War I this is a story based on the true-life unofficial truce between the opposing sides of that war, and it makes for a great film.

Linknotes:
  1. full review of The Departed ↩
  2. my review of Pans Labyrinth ↩
  3. full review of Little Miss Sunshine ↩
  4. review of United 93 ↩
  5. full review of Severance ↩
  6. review of Superman Returns ↩
  7. My review of TWTSTB ↩
  8. My review of El Lobo ↩
  9. review of Junebug ↩
  10. My review of The Proposition ↩
  11. review of Mirrormask ↩
  12. my review of Merry Christmas ↩
Tags: El Lobo, favfilms2006, Favourite films, Junebug, Little Miss Sunshine, Merry Christmas, Mirrormask, Pan's Labyrinth, Severance, Shaun of the Dead, Superman Returns, The Departed, The Proposition, The Wind That Shakes The Barley, United 93

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Apr 15 2006

Junebug

Published by Fence under Moving Pictures

Image Hosted by ImageShack.usDir: Phil Morrison
Writ: Angus MacLachlann

  • Embeth Davidtz - Madeleine
  • Alessandro Nivola - George
  • Scott Wilson - Eugene
  • Benjamin McKenzie - Johnny
  • Celia Weston - Peg
  • Amy Adams - Ashley

This is a film that perfectly fits that horrible description; a quirkie independent film. But never annoyingly quirky, so don’t worry about that.

For the majority of the time the film is told through Madeleine’s eyes. She is an art dealer, who meets George, falls in love and marries him. Six months later while in North Carolina trying to close a deal with a prime example of “outside” art they visit George’s family. Peg and Eugene, the parents. Johnny the brother and his very pregnant wife Ashley.

The film seems to be about Madeleine and George, but George isn’t actually in it all that much. And when he is, he says very little. One the one hand he seems to have rejected his family. It was Madeleine’s decision to see his family, he doesn’t really engage with them when there, and he is very thankful when leaving. But at the same time he obviously fits in so easily. This tight-knit, religous community is very much home to him. A home that Madeleine doesn’t really get. With her “Chicago” ways :)

Image Hosted by ImageShack.usBut I didn’t really like either of these characters. We never got to know George, and Madeleine while nice, always seemed a little false with her “darlings” and her kisses. But Johnny and Ashley are the heart of this film. Johnny who seems in constant anger at everything around him is shown to have a sweeter side, and Ashley is just adorable as the chatterbox with a good heart. She really steals the show.

Its quite a slow, quiet film for much of the time. We get flashes of total silence as we look at the countryside for example. And very little happens.

But it is also a very funny film. Touching, and, another horrible description, heart-warming. Very enjoyable.

IMDb | Slate | Reel Times | Lylee’s Blog | Confessions of a Movie Critic

Tags: 8 Stars, Alessandro Nivola, Amy Adams, Angus MacLachlann, Benjamin McKenzie, Celia Weston, comedy, Embeth Davidtz, heart-warming, humour, Junebug, outsider art, Phil Morrison, pregnancy, quirky, relationships, Scott Wilson

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