I've not seen all the films that will be given the 2006 label, so one film missing that might be an obvious pick is Clint Eastwood's second IWO Jima film, Letters from Iwo Jima. But as long as distributors continue to schedule some of their top Oscar hopefuls for exclusive New York City and Los Angeles release at the end of the year, such will be the case for those of us stuck in the "hinterlands."

I'm also leaving off a number of films that I liked to a degree, but just didn't find them quite as compelling as others. These include: Curse of the Golden Flower (gorgeous to look at), Family Law, Shortbus, Little Children, Children of Men, The Devil Wears Prada (Streep is magnificent), Borat, and Babel.

Following are the top ten movies that I have seen, but if this is like most every other year I've tried to pick a top ten, I'll likely have other preferences a year from now--certain other films that I may be popping into the DVD player for repeated showings. But on this first day of January of 2007, this is my list:

Top Ten
	The Departed (2006) Scorsese returns to crime noir in this reworking of the Hong Kong drama, Infernal Affairs. Well acted and scripted, this ranks among his best work, but that inevitably means that you can expect no gold statuette for Marty. Released too early and far too bloody for Academy voters, this latest work signals a welcome return to what our premiere filmmaker does best!
	Little Miss Sunshine (2006) A lovable dysfunctional family of losers that provides a two-hour laugh fest while reaching into your heart. Walking a delicate line between tragedy and farce, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris have crafted the most perfect dark comedy since Fargo, giving us a film that Charlie Chaplin would have admired.
	Pan's Labyrinth (2006) Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro draws upon Bunuel-like surrealism to help a brave young girl cope with a malevolent fascist step-father immediately after the Spanish Civil War. Although the fantasy is most talked about, this understandably masks a far more brutal reality that the heroine must face in the year's most creatively constructed film.
	Half Nelson (2006) A dedicated teacher with a coke problem develops an unlikely friendship with one of his students in one of the year's most memorable and well acted dramas. Both Ryan Gosling and Shareeka Epps should take a number of acting awards.
	The Queen (2006) An inside look of the Royal Family, Helen Mirren grants intimate access to Elizabeth II (and is the early favorite for Best Actress for her flawless likeness). Supporting characters fulfill their roles admirably as well, and provide great insight into the complexities of England's royal house—their conflicts between tradition and change, public image and private feeling—all brought to climax by Diana's tragic death.
	Casino Royale (2006) The year's most entertaining film achieves the incomprehensible by finding a suitable successor to Sean Connery. Vastly improved technology doesn't overpower the characters while Daniel Craig maintains Bond's charisma and allows the viewer inside his mind to see how he works through the complicated maze of intrigue and counter intelligence. It's a character that we can care about once again, making us yearn for additional episodes.
	The History Boys (2006) Highly intelligent drama drawn from the stage play refuses to dumb down its witty dialogue for movie audiences. The ensemble cast offers a provocative and entertaining glimpse into the darker regions of the British education system. While some will criticize this for being "too theatrical," it works best as a filmed play.
	Notes on a Scandal (2006) Fire up the Oscar nomination ballot for Judi Dench for her performance as a repressed lesbian "battle axe" who attempts to blackmail her way into a relationship with a young art teacher (Cate Blanchett) after witnessing a forbidden affair. A riveting drama that grants access inside dark regions that audiences tend to avoid.
	When the Levees Broke (2006) Spike Lee deftly uses digital technology with far more efficiency to gather reactions from Katrina victims and craft a behind the scenes documentary (beyond CNN's scope) than anyone in the city, state, and federal governments did during the disaster that destroyed New Orleans. A most compelling and timely film that hopefully will wake up slumbering politicos and help rid us of the incompetent figureheads.
	Deliver Us From Evil (2006) Surprisingly frank and intimate look behind the Catholic Church and its widespread sexual scandals and cover-ups. This goes beyond the usual smokescreen and general treatment when a priest confesses his longtime pedophilia and the filmmaker juxtaposes other interviews with a number of his victims.
Honorable Mention
	An Inconvenient Truth (2006) Although a PowerPoint presentation translated for the big screen hardly sounds like the right stuff for compelling cinema, but this is the year's most important film. Furthermore, had Al Gore shown as much energy and true passion during the 2000 election, we wouldn't have been left hanging by all those chads in Florida to see him rightfully named as President. (But then again, we might not have heard so much about global warming six years later either—not that that wouldn't have been a bad thing either)
	Sweet Land (2006) Poetically drawn portrait of 1920's rural life in Scandinavian Minnesota that draws familiar themes of achieving the American dream and establishing family roots in a new world. A gentle visual poem that unforgettably takes us back to grandma's home.
	The Descent (2006) Neil Marshall constructs a haunting thriller that is difficult to purge from memory (as if you'd want to). A group of adventurous and athletic women bond together during a spelunking expedition and find much more than they bargain for. Reminiscent of Alien, and just as scary.
	Cars (2006) Pixar scores again with a winning formula—worthy values incorporated into character driven script with its world class CGI artists. Irresistable charmer, and you don't have to be a NASCAR aficionado to enjoy this.
	Apocalypto (2006) After his great critical and commercial success in Braveheart, Mel Gibson calls his own shots--to make other projects dear to his heart—this time about the mysterious sudden end of the Mayan civilization. He insists on indigenous non-actors speaking the ancient tongue and strives for realism. A compelling yarn-maker, no one depicts human sacrifice more earnestly than Mel.
	Rocky Balboa (2006) Who'd a thunk that Sylvester Stallone still had another worthy fight movie left in the tank a decade after joining the AARP? Especially coming after so many chunks of coal in four other sequels. Adrian inspires him from the grave to give Rocky fans another movie to cheer for just like they did in the original. Debatably the most "surprising" film of the year (mostly because it really doesn't suck)

Post Mortem Add On's*:

* 2006 movies seen after 1/1/07 deemed worthy of mention

The Death of Mr. Lazarescu

Jesus Camp

Letters from Iwo Jima

Venus