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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Sep 10 2006

Little Miss Sunshine

Published by Fence under Moving Pictures

Dir: Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris
Writ: Michael Arndt

  • Abigail Breslin - Olive
  • Greg Kinnear - Richard
  • Paul Dano - Dwayne
  • Alan Arkin - Grandpa
  • Toni Collette - Sheryl
  • Steve Carell - Frank

Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.usFamilies are a source of much amusement and not a little tragedy. Especially when your father is a motivational speaker, whose “9 steps to winning� doesn’t seem to be working, your uncle is an attempted suicide, and your brother is a wannabe fighter pilot who has taken a vow of silence and so hasn’t spoken in months. Not to mention a heroin snorting grandfather. Not exactly the most functional of families. But when Olive, a little girl who dreams of winning beauty pageants, gets a chance to compete for the Little Miss Sunshine title, the entire family is forced into helping her achieve her dream.

I don’t want to give away too much about this film. In a way the plot isn’t really important. Instead it is the characters that are important. Their relationships with one another, and their quirks and faults.

I really enjoyed this film, it is funny and moving at the same time. Yes every now and then things get a little too “kooky�, but at the same time it all works. The humour is great, one-liners and visual gags. The situations are somewhat forced, but it doesn’t really matter. It all works.

There is also a satirical aspect to the film, but it isn’t particularly cutting satire, it is all good humoured and just plain nice. On the surface it seems as though it going to be a dark comedy, but although there is death, and suicide, and even a hint of paedophilia, but it isn’t dark. Not really. It is too good natured and feel good to be dark in the strictest sense. It takes the middle ground, but it isn’t a middle of the road film.

I enjoyed every moment of Little Miss Sunshine; from the out and out funny moments to the touching, moving moments. Highly recommended.

IMDb | Inside Pulse | jane dark’s sugarhigh

Tags: 8 Stars, Abigail Breslin, Alan Arkin, beauty pagent, comedy, Family, fun, Greg Kinnear, humour, Jonathan Dayton, Little Miss Sunshine, Michael Arndt, moving, Paul Dano, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, touching, Valerie Faris

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