These Are The "Best" Movies Of 2006?
a review of the 5 Best Picture nominations by Keith on January, 31, 2007

Babel C+
Some interesting stories with a great performance from Gael Garcia Bernal and some good crying from Brad Pitt. I usually love these ensemble movies with the overlapping plots (e.g. Magnolia, Amores Perros, Crash, 11:14, etc.), however here I thought the movie was just trying to be too clever... "Isn't it neat how this kid shot that mother of these children being watched by this nanny with a gun from that father of this teenager who likes to get naked?" Umm, no. If the stories were individual, I'd enjoy them more, but when you deliberately try to connect these separate lives, there should be a connecting theme or arc... I think. I just didn't see one here, and it hurt the movie.

The Departed B
I originally rated this one A- but after watching the Japanese original it was based on Infernal Affairs also rated I feel I must deduct points. Infernal Affairs clocks in 50 minutes shorter than The Departed and yet, somehow, tells the same story. We all know Scorsese has a flair for long-ass movies, but this really should have been shortened by about 30 minutes (at least). DiCaprio should have been nominated for his work here and not in Blood Diamond. In fact the entire cast did amazing jobs (Damon, Nicholson, Wahlberg, Sheen, and Baldwin). Sadly, after watching IA, I can no longer remember how this film's ending differed from that one--and honestly, what does it say when you can't remember exactly how a movie ended you saw less than 3 months ago?

Letters from Iwo Jima B+
I enjoyed this film more than Clint's mixed-up Flags of Our Fathers ( B-) which suffered from its flashbacks (the U.S. story told as a series of interviews which really stalled the overall plot--probably a remnant of the novel it was adapted from). Here, we get the same battle but told from the other side of the beach trenches. Eastwood used some of the same shots (yay for saving money!) and even showed some of the exact same events through different eyes. The story line here (mostly following a young, newly-married, drafted baker) is much more coherent making the film all the better.

Little Miss Sunshine B
Expectations were high when I saw this and I was worried it'd disappoint, but it did pretty well. I loved the entire cast except Collette felt very weak. The plot, like the problematic family van, takes a while to get moving, but once the family gets on their road trip, the movie picks up speed keeping the laughs (and tender moments) coming. Dano shone in his (mostly) silent role and the payoff of Olive's pageant routine is well worth the wait. A friend has written an excellent review in his Annual "Year in Film" that I must share here:

You can skate through this film for 80 minutes thinking "that was nice", "that was kind-of funny" and still ask "sorry, but what's with the hype?" I can't give it away, but this film has the best denouement of any movie in this brief century. In fifteen unbelievable funny closing minutes, we wrap the story of this pageant obsessed tot and her psychologically damaged family and attack a whole lot of twisted values in one fell swoop. I left Sunshine feeling the same way I did upon leaving The Sixth Sense, which is not to say it was thrilling or mystifiying but "Wow. That was a nice film that turned into a great film." I have a feeling many other people felt this way.

The Queen B
I don't know much about British politics, nor do I think I've ever heard the real Tony Blair/Queen Elizabeth speak, and yet this film was an interesting look at the months following Princess Diana's death. However, I've heard several British people complain about the lack of reality in actions/dialogue as portrayed in this film--and I tend to believe them. Whereas I can't say how well the actors mimic the real people they're supposed to be, their performances (as they relate to the story) are amazing. And for a film that is full of phone conversations between two Brits who don't have much to say to each other, it holds your attention pretty well.

Predictions:
Babel 2/1

Has some buzz and the Gloden Globe win behind it

The Departed 5/2

While this isn't the Best Director category, maybe Scorsese will get some proximity love

Flags of our Fathers 4/1

Great film, but I'll be shocked if Eastwood wins his 5th Oscar® before Scorsese wins one.

Little Miss Sunshine 9/2

Fun film, but doesn't feel like Best Picture material outside of the SAGs

The Queen 10/1

This ain't the BAFTAs. We're Americans.

Some great films of 2006 I wish had been nominated:
Bobby B+
Catch a Fire A-
A Prairie Home Companion A-
The Pursuit of Happyness A-

And seriously, why the hell wasn't Hoodwinked B+ nominated for Best Animated Feature?!
Or Wordplay A- for Best Documentary?!