Published: January 10, 2007

The 10 Best, No the 100 Best Films of 2006

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Annual Accolades for the Cream of the Cinematic Crop

In case you haven't noticed, most of the flicks found on other critics' 10 Best Lists or currently being hyped by the studios as Oscar worthy only arrived in theaters late in 2006 or early in 2007. This is no coincidence, since movies are very big business and industry execs view the awards season more as an opportunity to hype their new releases rather than as a time to collect kudos for the best offerings of the entire year.

This is because there is far more money to be made from a picture still in theaters as compared to one that people may have already seen or can simply rent on DVD. However, since my job description doesn't include any obligation to generate Academy Award buzz for Hollywood blockbusters, I considered all of the hundreds of films that I watched before compiling my 10 Best List.

Furthermore, since I don't see myself as serving as a marketing arm of the entertainment conglomerates, I am actually acknowledging 100 films in total, including the independents, the documentaries, and the foreign language offerings, since these are no less deserving of kudos, despite the fact that they did not have the benefit of multi-million-dollar advertising and distribution budgets. So, although you probably haven't heard of many of the movies mentioned here, you will be handsomely rewarded if you take the time to check a few of those lesser-known winners out.

10 Best List of 2006

1. Thank You for Smoking
2. The Good Shepherd
3. Akeelah and the Bee
4. Crank
5. ATL
6. The Descent
7. Madea's Family Reunion
8. The Queen
9. Little Miss Sunshine
10. Dreamgirls

Honorable Mention

11. Kinky Boots
12. Hollywoodland
13. United 93
14. Block Party
15. Something New
16. Idiocracy
17. V for Vendetta
18. The Pursuit of Happyness
19. Notes on a Scandal
20. Snakes on a Plane
21. The Departed
22. The Break-Up
23. World Trade Center
24. Mission Impossible III
25. We Are Marshall

10 Best Foreign Language Films

1. District B-13 (France)
2. Pan's Labyrinth (Spain)
3. Heading South (Haiti)
4. Moonlight (Luxembourg)
5. Lower City (Brazil)
6. Princesas (Spain)
7. 13-Tzameti (France)
8. Lemming (France)
9. The Cave of the Yellow Dog (Mongolia)
10. Foregiveness (South Africa)

Foreign Language Film Honorable Mention

11. Days of Glory (Morocco)
12. Sophie Scholl (Germany)
13. The Bridesmaid (France)
14. Guys and Balls Germany)
15. Woman Is the Future of Man (Korea)
16. The Whore's Son (Germany)
17. Only Human (Spain)
18. Breaking News (China)
19. Changing Times (Morocco)
20. Family Law (Argentina)
21. Mongolian Ping Pong (Mongolia)
22. Requiem (Germany)
23. Le Petit Lieutenant (France)
24. The Aura (Argentina)
25. Take My Eyes (Spain)

10 Best Independent Films

1. Manderlay
2. Sherrybaby
3. Wondrous Oblivion
4. Confederate States of America
5. Shortbus
6. Conversations with Other Women
7. Adam and Steve
8. Mad Cowgirls
9. Film Geek
10. Clerks II

Independent Film Honorable Mention

11. Art School Confidential
12. A Prairie Home Companion
13. Death of a President
14. Four Eyed Monsters
15. Candy
16. Color of the Cross
17. The Motel
18. Zerophilia
19. The Architect
20. I Am a Sex Addict
21. Conventioneers
22. The OH in Ohio
23. On the Outs
24. Shem
25. Police Beat

10 Best Documentaries

1. Borat
2. Our Daily Bread
3. SoulMate
4. I Like Killing Flies
5. The Empire in Africa
6. The Bridge
7. Wordplay
8. The Ground Truth
9. The Devil's Miner
10. Who Killed the Electric Car?

Documentary Honorable Mention

11. Black Gold
12. Mardi Gras: Made in China
13. Black Hair
14. Sisters in Law
15. Andy Warhol
16. Been Rich All My Life
17. Jesus Camp
18. After Innocence
19. Saint of 9/11
20. Iraq in Fragments
21. Commune
22. How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company
23. The Heart of the Game
24. Home
25. America: From Freedom to Fascism

Websites for the Best 10 list

http://www2.foxsearchlight.com/thankyouforsmoking/
http://www.thegoodshepherdmovie.com/http://www.akeelahandthebee.com/main.html
http://www.crankfilm.com/
http://www2.warnerbros.com/atl/
http://www.lionsgatepublicity.com/epk/descent/
http://www.madeasfamilyreunionmovie.com/index_flash.php
http://www.thequeen-movie.com/
http://www2.foxsearchlight.com/littlemisssunshine/
http://www.dreamgirlsmovie.com/

alan@newsblaze.com

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