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25.2.2007

Phil’s movie awards for 2006

Tags: Uncategorized — Author: @ 2:28 pm

I’ve seen 73 movies released in 2006, after I watch each one I rate it on imdb. Here are the winners…

Best Drama
2007_harsh.jpg Winner – Harsh Times – From the director of “Training Day”. Technically from 2005 but everyone agrees it’s a 2006 film. I can’t believe this hasn’t received any sort of recognition, just kept me glued to the screen in anticipation. Christian Bale is fantastic.
2. The Departed – Suprisingly not in my Top 5 from Martin Scorsese, I don’t really like Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Whalberg, or Matt Damon.
3. The Prestige – More greatness from Christian Bale, a movie full of twists and turns every five minutes.
4. The Last King of Scotland – Forrest Whitaker deserves Best Actor.
5. Babel – I’d rate this higher if it didn’t have so many political overtones, when I visit the cinema I like to leave the politics outside the door.

Best Comedy (non-indie)
2007_borat.jpg Winner – Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan – I laughed so hard I had milk coming out of my nose.

2. Beer League – Not really deservant of it’s #2 spot, I think comedies are nowadays more suited for cable television series than the cinema.
3. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby – I love Will Farrell and Sascha Cohen
4. Grandma’s Boy – More humor like in Beer League.
5. Cars – Best animation I’ve seen in a while.

Best Indie (or movie you may not have heard of)
2007_idi.jpg Winner – Idiocracy – My movie of the year. If you read this blog, you MUST go hunt down this film. From Mike Judge, the director of “Office Space”. It’s about how the U.S. would look like in 500 years, after the entire population gets progressively dumber.
2. Thank You for Smoking – You better have seen this already.
3. Mini’s First Time – A hidden gem of 2006, a dark comedy.
4. Half Nelson – Very happy (and surprised) to see it get the respect it deserves.
5. Little Miss Sunshine – Fresh and funny, but seriously, Best Picture of 2006?!

Best Documentary
2007_rock.jpg Winner – Rock the Bells – Saw this at a Helsinki film festival. A promoter puts together a hip-hop concert with Wu-Tang headlining, it’s fantastic.

2. Jesus Camp – The horror film of 2006.
3. Wordplay – Amazing how they make crossword puzzles so interesting.
4. Who Killed the Electric Car? – Quite shocking.

Other movies from 2006 I rate a ’8′ or higher that didn’t make it on the lists above: Blood Diamond, Candy, Children of Men, Crank, The Good Shepherd, The Illusionist, Inside Man, Pan’s Labyrinth, The Lives of Others, Little Children, The Queen, Sherrybaby, and Shortbus.

  • http://blog.starwreck.com Rigi

    Idiocracy was released last week on DVD with the finnish name “Idioluutio”.

    It indeed is one of the best comedies of recent years. It feels like hollywood has forgotten how to make funny movies – let alone funny movies that are not stupid.

    And it’s a crying injustice if Children of Men doesn’t win the oscar for best cinematography.

  • http://www.finlandforthought.net Phil

    And it’s a crying injustice if Children of Men doesn’t win the oscar for best cinematography.

    Tough competition against Pan’s Labyrinth.

  • kylmä totuus

    I’m gutted that The Wicker Man didn’t win a Razzie. The reviews on IMDB suggest it was a truly worthy candidate. The sooner they introduce a category for “Most Offensive Remake/Hollywood Remodelling Job of the Year” the better. Hell, there are enough of them about.

    Basic Instinct II seems to have scooped the pool. Shame that Sharon, everyone’s favourite MILF, keeps getting involved in such dross. An alarming number of her films from 2000 onwards have been down in the 4.00-5.00 or worse department. BI2 isn’t even rated worst. That honour goes to the execrable Catwoman, another Razzie quadruple champion. Ms. Stone needs a new agent.

    http://www.razzies.com/default.asp

  • Kristian (in Espoo)

    I was expecting Anzi to comment on this topic. Hmmmm, should we call the paramedics?

  • Kourtney N. Williams

    I have seen a majority of the film listed here and many I do think were good but not many with re watchable value in my opinion. Movie preference is such a personal thing and I basically judge movie on what I will watch again. All in all 2006 was not a great year for the movies even though money wise it did rebound the industry I think it was because the consumer was starving for content. If Departed was the best of 2006 then it was a bad year because it not even Scorsese’s best work.

    My picks:

    Drama- United 93, Tsotsi, Letters from Iwo Jima, Pursuit of Happyness

    Comedy- Stranger than Fiction, Clerks II, For Your Consideration

    Suspense- Inside Man, Hollywoodland, Deja Vu, Miami Vice

    Animation- Happy Feet

    Sport- Invincible

    Best Indie- Hard Candy

    Best Documentary- Inconvenient Truth, US vs. John Lennon, Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World

  • maissi

    After the treatment Idiocracy has gotten, I wonder if Mike Judge will make another movie ever again. I wish he would.

  • http://anzisblog.blogspot.com Anzi

    Haven’t been to the movies much of late. Borat was OK, nothing to write home about. Loved Pan’s Labyrinth and The Queen. Won’t be staying up to watch the Oscars, I have an early start tomorrow.

  • http://anzisblog.blogspot.com Anzi

    I forgot to say that I got a good laugh out of the Tenacious D -movie, and I surprised myself by actually liking the latest Bond-flick. I used to keep a list of all of the movies I have seen over the past year, but I don’t do that anymore. Anyway, I have seen very few of the movies that are nominated tonight so I don’t really care.

  • http://www.finlandforthought.net Phil

    test

  • Kai

    Have you viewed “An Inconvenient Truth” yet? Easily as interesting as who killed the electric car…

  • http://alankhenderson.blogspot.com/ Alan K. Henderson

    “Little Miss Sunshine” has one of the most unlikeable casts in movie history. Only sheer force of will and morbid curiosity got me to sit through that wretched film. It did have a thought provoking message on what is and isn’t a loser, but Olive’s family is fingernails across chalkboard.

  • http://www.finlandforthought.net Phil

    Have you viewed “An Inconvenient Truth” yet?

    The content inside the film was great but the delivery was dull.

  • Anonymous

    yay Finland got recognized by one of the red carpet interviewers. :)
    “This show is seen by millions of people all around the world, Japan and …”
    “Finland, don’t forget Finland. I love Finland”

  • http://www.finlandforthought.net Phil

    “This show is seen by millions of people all around the world, Japan and …”
    “Finland, don’t forget Finland. I love Finland”

    Yeah, I heard Richard Roeper say that too. Or was he saying something about Iceland, than Finland? I forget.

    But when they showed that montage of foreign films, they showed a couple Danish films, a few Swedish films, some Russian films…no Finnish films. :-( :-( :-(

  • Anonymous

    “Yeah, I heard Richard Roeper say that too. Or was he saying something about Iceland, than Finland? I forget.”

    It was definetly Finland.

    “But when they showed that montage of foreign films, they showed a couple Danish films, a few Swedish films, some Russian films…no Finnish films.”

    Yep but did Finland even have an contestant after Kaurismäki pulled off his movie as Finlands nominee

  • Gee

    I suggest that you go to watch the original version of “the Departed” made by Hong Kong-”Infernal affairs”.

    Much much better than the hollywood version in my opinion. The Hong Kong version had something about Zen in the movie, that “no one wants to be a bad guy, just forced by the environment.”

    The hollywood version is just too hollywood, tasteless.

  • Passer-by

    I suggest that you go to watch the original version of “the Departed” made by Hong Kong-”Infernal affairs”.

    Much much better than the hollywood version in my opinion. The Hong Kong version had something about Zen in the movie, that “no one wants to be a bad guy, just forced by the environment.”

    The hollywood version is just too hollywood, tasteless.

    Bwahaha, I knew someone was going to say this. You know what? The Infernal Affairs is a fine movie, but The Departed is even better. It’s not just hollywood, it’s bloody Martin Scorsese. This is not his best movie, but very strong overall.

  • http://www.finlandforthought.net Phil

    Scorsese is such a fucking genius. I just saw “After Hours” and “King of Comedy” for the first time over the weekend, two absolutely incredible movies.

  • nipsu

    Scorsese is a genius. I just re-watched “The Last Waltz” his documentary, or should I say rockumentary?, about the last show of “The Band”. This movie is from 1977 or so, and is the best documentary about a rock band, ever.

  • Jaakko

    Idiocracy is the best! I laughed my ass off for the joke that the most popular television channel in the future is “VIOLENCE CHANNEL” :D

    Corn is grown with gatorade, rehab is a battle in a monster truck arena etc.

    The movie had a good point in my opinion. Some people are ever so smart these days but some people should just stick in watching the VIOLENCE CHANNEL.

  • Tordah

    I agree that Idiocracy was really good, if only for the clever story. Man Of The Year was another great comedy that seems to have been overlooked.

    My top 3 from 2006:
    1. The Prestige
    2. Casino Royale
    3. Children Of Men

    I must point out that there are TONS of 2006 movies I’ve yet to see.

  • http://www.finlandforthought.net Phil

    I laughed my ass off for the joke that the most popular television channel in the future is “VIOLENCE CHANNEL”

    Or the “Masturbation Network. Keepin’ America Bait’n for over 200 years.” LOL!!

    Corn is grown with gatorade, rehab is a battle in a monster truck arena etc.

    And lattes are handjobs. Funny as fuck.

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