It’s the time of year when the best and worst lists are everywhere you look. Not to be outdone, ReelzChannel.com's upper management, John Halecky and Jeff Otto, have provided some of their own superlatives for this past movie-going season. Although their opinions clearly aren't as relevant as the superlative and more experienced John Halecky and Jeff Otto, you can also check out Heather and Thomas' picks in Part 1.
Jeff Otto's picks of '06
Most Bullets Through the Skull: The Departed
Scorsese comes back in a big way. All the language, all the bullets and all that great music. Scorsese has been the man for more than three decades and The Departed is another feather in his feather-filled cap. If the Academy picks Dreamgirls over this, it's only more proof how shockingly out of touch and pointless their opinions are. Without revealing any particular details, this movie has more brains splattering on the wall than Scanners 1-3. And the last 15 minutes has more bodies dropping than a Jack in the Box in 1993. This is a gritty, highly entertaining tale of Boston's seedy underworld and it is a bona fide masterpiece of crime cinema.
Best Movie For Insomniacs: The Good Shepherd
One of three Oscar-pandering latter 2006 titles with "Good" in the title (none of which were actually all that "Good"), insomniacs will find this story taking them to la la land quicker than a double dose of NyQuil. I take nothing away from Bob De Niro's desire to tell this theoretically fascinating story of the early Central Intelligence Agency, but something is lost in the translation. With this many talented people on board, the great performances are no surprise. As an acting seminar, it succeeds. In every other way, it does not. In order to follow the many complicated plot turns of this cat-and-mouse story, you'd have to pay rapt attention. That, my friend, is a nearly impossible task, considering how excruciatingly dull The Good Shepherd is. You will squirm in your seat, you will check your watch 97 times - only to find out there is still an hour left in this inexplicably long 160 minute movie.
Movie that Makes Your Screwed Up Family Seem Semi-Normal: Little Miss Sunshine
I won't take a lot of time to talk about this lovable little film that everyone under the sun has already given nearly constant praise. The praise comes with good reason though. Little Miss Sunshine really is that good. How can you not like a film with a heroine-snorting granddad teaching a little kid... Well, if you haven't experienced this wonderfully funny film yet, I can't tell you that part. If The Departed can't take home a golden naked guy, I hope the geriatric Oscar committee remembers this one.
Great Movies No One Saw: ATL and Idiocracy
Sometimes it's hard to understand how studios choose to promote a movie (or in the case of Idiocracy, not to promote it). Although trailers for ATL (released to little fanfare outside of urban areas in early 2006) made it look like little more than a throwaway teen flick, ATL is a fine piece of filmmaking that deserves to be seen. It's got a genuinely touching story, great performances (T.I. is a talent we will surely hear and see more impressive work from) and great music. Music video director Chris Robinson doesn't take the expected MTV approach, instead turning out a nicely paced coming of age story that teaches important lessons while crafting sympathetic characters and entertaining scenarios. By comparison, Warner Bros.' promotional campaign for ATL looks like a virtual marketing blitz compared to Fox's shameful dismissal of the highly amusing Idiocracy. After the double-dose of screwing Mike Judge has now taken from Fox (they similarly dismissed the now cult classic Office Space), let's hope he knows better than to trust the Murdoch gang. Even though the studio clearly meddled with the final cut in attempt to dumb down a movie that is actually making fun of that very thing, Idiocracy is still a great concept that satires the society of the stupid we all curse at on a daily basis. It's at least worth a rental.
Most Realistic Relationship Movie Ever: The Break-Up
This movie split critics down the middle, but I have a theory on that. Feel free to disagree. From the people I've spoken to that really enjoyed it, they've been in multiple serious relationships (By the way, that's six months or longer, Tom) or even lived with a "significant other." Those who haven't don't really get it. I don't mean this as a put-down, just that the enjoyment of some movies depends on identification with the story. Anyhow, I loved The Break-Up. It's funny, but more than that, it's extremely refreshing. Vince Vaughn has described this movie as a romantic comedy in reverse, and that's partially right. More than that, it's finally a movie that picks up where most of the schmaltzy Hugh Grant and Meg Ryan garbage leaves off. The history of Hollywood romance has always been about that initial honeymoon phase of a relationship, which leaves the rest of us real-world folks in the lurch wondering why even our happiest relationships don't measure up. But The Break-Up tells it like it is, and although Brooke (Jennifer Aniston) and Gary (Vaughn) may not be meant to be, at least their relationship feels like reality for once. Any couple will get some laughs over the dead-on fight scenes.
Most Shameless Unoriginal Rip-Off Piece of Junk: RV
Man, I hope that Chevy Chase and the National Lampoon crew got a check for this shamelessly unoriginal, sadly successful, piece of dreck. RV is a terrible movie. Yes, I know some people liked it, but some people liked the Paris Hilton album as well. That doesn't make it right. Robin Williams sinks pretty low in this one, dumbing down his comedy and phoning in this performance on his way to the bank. Cheryl Hines, I guess Curb alone doesn't pay the rent. I still love ya. But Barry Sonnenfeld? Come on! You surely made enough on MIB:II to not have to stoop to this lowly, oh so saaaaad level. I've said it once and I'll say it again. Everyone associated with this movie should be banned from the industry for one year to assure it doesn't happen again. I will gouge my eyes out with a spork before sitting through R V 2.
Most Thought Provoking: Stranger Than Fiction
I have two criteria for the movies I love: 1) I lose track of time and don't check my watch during the viewing. 2) I keep thinking about it afterwards and wanting to discuss it with others. Stranger Than Fiction, which sadly failed to find an audience in the way it deserved, was one of 2006's best works and Will Ferrell's finest film to date. Besides the clever concept, it's a touching story of a man's awakening that proves you are never too old to shake things up. The supporting performances are excellent (in particular Dustin Hoffman) and Ferrell's chemistry with Maggie Gyllenhaal (which I couldn't imagine beforehand) is excellent.
John Halecky’s picks of '06
Best (Non) Use of Cigarettes: Thank You for Smoking
The fact that the movie is called Thank You for Smoking and is about the top lobbyist for the tobacco industry who endorses and promotes smoking, it’s very ironic that he never is shown smoking or even holding a cigarette. In fact, none of the characters is ever shown smoking a cigarette throughout the entire movie. Many groups today are trying to get smoking banned in movies, including in India where the government has said that no new films or TV programs can portray smoking and old films must carry warnings if they do. So, kudos to the filmmakers for making a movie that seems like it would be endorsing smoking, while in reality it carries a very anti-smoking message in such a subtle way.
Most Misinterpreted Movie: Sleeping Dogs Lie
This hardly-seen indie movie directed by Bob Goldthwait had its big premiere at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival and then had a very tiny theatrical release after that. Goldthwait, best known for his raunchy comedy styling’s and directing the 1992 feature film, Shakes the Clown, delivers not a vulgar sex comedy but an interesting take on the romantic comedy genre. Sleeping Dogs Lie deals with the complexities of honesty in a relationship and how much you should reveal about your past to your partner. Although it starts with a very disturbing act between a woman and her dog, this only serves as the impetus for a very intriguing look at relationships and the secrets we all have, but may or may not be willing to share.
Movie that Made Me Want to Drown Myself: Poseidon
Why did Wolfgang Peterson, the director behind such boat movies as Das Boot and The Perfect Storm decide to tackle a re-make of the 1972 The Poseidon Adventure? Was it the great script? The compelling story? Or was it just an excuse to make a big budget action flick with lots of explosions and tense situations with no character development. Within the first 14 minutes of this disaster movie (and disaster of a movie), Poseidon tries to introduce 10 different characters and expects the audience to feel for them as they traverse their way throughout the submerged ship trying to escape. Do we really care if any of them make it out alive? No empathy is set up. There is no human involvement with any of the characters. I didn’t care if any of them lived or died. This movie made me long for Ernest Borgnine – And I mean that in totally non-sexual way.
Biggest Cast of Stars (and also Ashton Kutcher): Bobby
Not since the 1963 classic It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World have I seen so many big names in one movie. Demi Moore, Sharon Stone, Anthony Hopkins, Martin Sheen, Helen Hunt, William H. Macy – With so many star performances, I was surprised when Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise didn’t walk on screen. Emilio Estevez pulled in all of his favors for Bobby and it shows. A great cast and a tight script, all taking place over the last day of Robert Kennedy’s life in one location, The Ambassador Hotel, made for a compelling drama and character study of the many different lives the presidential hopeful touched before he died. From Men at Work (1990) to this, Estevez has grown in his filmmaking skills to show that he can handle such a delicate subject matter. Maybe he should be enlisted to direct the announced sequel to It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, MAD World, oddly enough, being produced by one of Bobby’s producers, Ed Bass.
Best Magician Movie: The Prestige, or was it The Illusionist ?
I really liked Christopher Nolan’s take on magic, The Illusionist. Oh wait, he directed the other one. The Prestige. The one with Christian Bale and Jessica Alba. No, not Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel. She was in The Illusionist with David Bowie. No, he was in The Prestige with Scarlett Johansson. She starred alongside Paul Giamatti. Actually, he was in The Illusionist, but the two did star together in The Nanny Diaries, which will be out later in 2007. Wasn’t Michael Caine in both?