The Golden Globes are tonight at the Beverly Hilton, which makes me think it must be time for a "my favorites" of 2006. You know the small print: I've obviously not seen everything. I feel an obligation to talk about movies people might actually see, not those in Mongolian or that never make it out of downtown Manhattan (really, some things never even get to LA - I mean you, Army of Shadows). So, without further ado, here are my faves for 2006 (click on links to see WTF reviews).
Casino Royale because this new Bond effort breathes life back into the story of the proto-spy of all spies.
Children of Men because it is dark and risky and gorgeously imagined and, if you let it, will give you a lot to think about.
The Departed because despite being too long and very violent, it is full of stunning performances (by Leonardo diCaprio, Matt Damon, and Mark Wahlberg in particular), surprising twists, and an almost mellow Jack.
The Devil Wears Prada because it was funny, stylish, silly, and gave Meryl Streep a chance to act the hell out of a thinly written bitch and turn her into a full-blown queen of fashion.
The Illusionist because it was mysterious and beautiful and magical and had a sweet romance.
Little Miss Sunshine because even though I've seen it now 5 times (4 on airplanes crossing the US), its crazy ass family is still lovable and laugh-out-loud funny.
Miami Vice because, like all movies by director Michael Mann, it was gorgeous to look at on a big, big screen and because Colin Farrell sold me on sexy, sultry Sonny Crockett, even though I never made sense of the plot.
The Queen because Helen Mirren rules the world and should rule every Award ceremony this year. And because it made QE2 human.
On TV, I've been a fan of Battlestar Galactica's dark, dark 3rd season, though I hope there's a little levity introduced in the second half of the season that starts on Sunday, Jan 21 (10 pm Sci Fi Channel).
And I've been won over by the story of Heroes, with its crazy plotline about regular Joes who discover they have unusual powers. The cheerleader's been saved, but now they have to work together to head off the exploding man. I'll be watching (9 pm Mondays, NBC).
24 returned on Sunday for a 2-hour premiere, but what with the torture and completely implausible plot twists of the first hour, I'm not sure I'll be around for the next 23. Jack might be back, but it's getting awfully hard to go along with his approach to making suspects (and random passers-by) talk; I also think I can no longer believe that our government, architect of Iraqi Freedom, is anywhere near techno-wizardy or organized enough to pull off half the crap that the 20-somethings of CTU (lightly supervised by their distracted elders) manage to do.