Lupe's Top 20 of 2006

20. Accepted (comedy)
What is this, Animal House redux?  For me, college was studying and too many computer games and late night doughnut runs and occasional forays into the steam tunnels like the Morlock that I was.  But strippers are good, too.

19. Stranger Than Fiction (drama)
If there was really an author whose every story came true, they'd write nothing but Mary Sue characters.  "Once upon a time, I was awesome."

18. The Illusionist (drama)
This movie is a hair's breadth away from turning into an Encyclopedia Brown mystery at the end.  You know who's lying because pigs can't look up!

17. Superman Returns (action)
I don't know who thought it would be a good idea to make Superman a deadbeat dad.  How's he going to pay child support?

16. Apocalypto (foreign-ish, suspense)
Cultural relativity aside, there's nothing like a solar eclipse as an excuse for a mountain of human heads.

15. Idiocracy (comedy)
Maybe if I hadn't gone to college I could be elbow deep in my own progeny right now.

14. The Queen (drama)
Diana may have been the people's princess, but I bet she wasn't killed in a Morris Marina.

13. The Prestige (drama)
Movies about volcanos, movies about asteroids, now movies about ye olde stage magicians.  What is Hollywood's obsession with redundancy?  At least this one has Nikola Tesla giving that added extra spark.  Ow, I just punched myself for that.

12. Children of Men (sci-fi, drama)
Set in a future dystopian Britain where no one has any babies, except for immigrants.  How, again, is that any different from Britain now?

11. Blood Diamond (drama)
Why isn't American border security as tight as Liberia's?  Although, I guess no coyote ever smuggled people into the country sewn into the skin of a sheep.

10. United 93 (drama)
Kids should be forced to watch this movie in school rather than The Power of One.

9. Talladega Nights (comedy)
Redneck America, this is your new Smokey and the Bandit.  Promotes all-American values like Jesus, NASCAR, and flouting the authority of your local Applebees.

8. The Departed (crime)
Not since Quentin Tarantino came along have swear words been so casual or humorous.  The violence is just as casual, but less funny.

7. The Last King of Scotland (drama)
Although I can't remember the last performance that was this good, now I hope I never meet Forest Whitaker, because I'm afraid he would eat my face.

6. Art School Confidential (comedy)
If I got the world's most worthless college degree, I'd probably be inclined to murder people too.  Thankfully, I only have the second or third most worthless degree.

5. The Lives of Others (foreign, drama)
I swear that state security absolutely isn't forcing me at gunpoint to write about how awesome this movie is.  Kann ich jetzt gehen?

4. A Scanner Darkly (animated, drama)
Ted "Theodore" Logan, all grown up, working as an undercover cop, more stoned than ever.  Despite the animation and hallucinations, there are no anthropomorphic singing animals in this one.

3. Casino Royale (action)
The travesty here is not a blonde James Bond, it's when he rolls his Aston Martin.  Maybe he was still reeling from the high stakes poker game in Crna Gora, of all places.

2. The Fountain (sci-fi, drama)
Wolverine's wife dies, so he goes to the Mayan underworld via Arthur C. Clarke to look for her.  There's only one explosion, but it's a supernova.

1. Pan's Labyrinth (foreign, horror fantasy)
Fantasy worlds are usually supposed to be an escape, but in this case, I think I'd rather deal with the Spanish Civil War, which is at least a little less H.P. Lovecraft crossed with H.R. Giger.

Strat's 20 of 2006

What a relief! After the biggest dip of the decade on '05, '06 provided relief. The year provided more than its share of big laughs. It's important to me that the movies leave a strong impression on me long after I see it. So if you're wondering where Children of Men or The Good Shepherd, Hollywoodland, Little Children, This Film is Not Yet Rated, A Prairie Home Companion or even Letters from Iwo Jima, that's why they're not here. Dare I say 2006 is the best year since 2000?

20. Goya's Ghosts (drama)
Natalie Portman plays both a prostitute and crazy woman in the same movie. And they're not the same character. It's a Spanish Inquisition tale as well, so you know it's brutal.

19. The Queen (drama)
Until she writes an autobiography, we will never really know what really goes on with the Queen of England. It's got to be pretty accurate. I understand she was a big fan of Helen Mirren's performance.

18. Mini's First Time (comedy/crime)

One part "The Graduate", 2 parts murder cover up. Somewhat predictable, but overall very interesting. Pretty good cast too.

17. God Grew Tired of Us (documentary)
There's been plenty of fiction comedies that use the "fish out of water" theme for a setup. It's different to see grown men in the modern world struggle with the 20th century technology, let alone 21st.

16. Friends With Money (drama)
It reminds me of all the lost/confused wealthy people I see in Santa Monica/Brentwood and their inability to relate to people who don't have.

15. An Inconvenient Truth (documentary)
I never thought I'd see a Keynote/PowerPoint presentation made interesting or relevant. Maybe I should try making my next movie this way.

14. Cars (animation)
Pixar just keeps rolling along - literally. Paul Newman's last performance and it's a goodie.

13. The Last King of Scotland (drama)
How do you humanize a man known as being a murderous and crazy dictator in Africa? You get Forrest Whittaker and a great adapted screenplay.

12. Thank You for Smoking (comedy)
It's almost a running gag that you would imagine in a stand up routine. Only it manages to stay funny for two hours.

11. Little Miss Sunshine (comedy)
Your prototypical indie comedy film with a heart. Nothing wrong with it when you've got a great cast and you throw the beauty pageant world upside down.

10. Idiocracy (comedy)
Should have been seen as the next great cult movie after Office Space. Unfortunately it's so hard hitting in it's thesis, it scared the studio into burying this classic. A must watch.

9. Borat (comedy)
To me, this movie came out of nowhere kind of how Sacha Cohen's character ambushes his real-world subjects that he blends into his marvelously absurd fictional story.

8. Stranger Than Fiction (comedy)
What happens when you cross Adaptation with The Neverending Story? I'm not sure, but this seems pretty close to it.

7. Priceless (foreign comedy)
What can I say? I love Audrey Tautou ever since Amelie. This just reminded me of why.

6. Flags Of Our Fathers (war/drama)
The story that made one of the most iconic images in American history. And how it's all fake. Clint Eastwood has a knack of making his point with seemingly no effort.

5. Casino Royale (action/suspense)
Best Bond film ever. I'm not a Bond fan whatsoever and I was on the edge of my seat for most of the movie.

4. Talladega Nights (sports comedy)
I liked Will Ferrell before this. I loved Will Farrell because of this. Possibly the best sports comedy of all time.

3. The Prestige (suspense drama)
What do you do with the principle cast and crew from the Batman franchise between movies? Only make a most excellent tale of jealousy and revenge.

2. Jesus Camp (documentary)
One of the most frighteningly disturbing and scary movies of the year. Or possibly the most honest look at the passion some wonderful people have for their love of God. It all depends which side you want to take.

1. The Departed (crime drama)
No surprise here. This is a great bookend to Goodfellas without being a rehash. Not to mention the cast is loaded with great actors giving great performances. No way you're disappointed.