Best Movies of 2006

by terrence-gale | created - 16 Jan 2014 | updated - 16 Feb 2014 | Public

Here are my selections for the best movies of 2006.

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1. The Queen (2006)

PG-13 | 103 min | Biography, Drama

90 Metascore

After the death of Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth II struggles with her reaction to a sequence of events nobody could have predicted.

Director: Stephen Frears | Stars: Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell, Alex Jennings

Votes: 115,974 | Gross: $56.44M

2. The Prestige (2006)

PG-13 | 130 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi

66 Metascore

After a tragic accident, two stage magicians in 1890s London engage in a battle to create the ultimate illusion while sacrificing everything they have to outwit each other.

Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson, Michael Caine

Votes: 1,440,782 | Gross: $53.09M

3. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

R | 101 min | Comedy, Drama

80 Metascore

A family determined to get their young daughter into the finals of a beauty pageant take a cross-country trip in their VW bus.

Directors: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris | Stars: Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear, Abigail Breslin

Votes: 517,941 | Gross: $59.89M

4. Little Children (2006)

R | 137 min | Drama, Romance

75 Metascore

The lives of two lovelorn spouses from separate marriages, a registered sex offender, and a disgraced ex-police officer intersect as they struggle to resist their vulnerabilities and temptations in suburban Massachusetts.

Director: Todd Field | Stars: Kate Winslet, Jennifer Connelly, Patrick Wilson, Jackie Earle Haley

Votes: 116,733 | Gross: $5.46M

5. Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

R | 118 min | Drama, Fantasy, War

98 Metascore

In the Falangist Spain of 1944, the bookish young stepdaughter of a sadistic army officer escapes into an eerie but captivating fantasy world.

Director: Guillermo del Toro | Stars: Ivana Baquero, Ariadna Gil, Sergi López, Maribel Verdú

Votes: 702,871 | Gross: $37.63M

6. Notes on a Scandal (2006)

R | 92 min | Crime, Drama, Romance

73 Metascore

A veteran high school teacher befriends a younger art teacher, who is having an affair with one of her fifteen-year-old students. However, her intentions with this new "friend" also go well beyond a platonic friendship.

Director: Richard Eyre | Stars: Cate Blanchett, Judi Dench, Andrew Simpson, Tom Georgeson

Votes: 84,556 | Gross: $17.51M

7. Children of Men (2006)

R | 109 min | Action, Drama, Sci-Fi

84 Metascore

In 2027, in a chaotic world in which women have somehow become infertile, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea.

Director: Alfonso Cuarón | Stars: Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Caine

Votes: 529,304 | Gross: $35.55M

8. Venus (I) (2006)

R | 95 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance

82 Metascore

Life for a pair of veteran actors gets turned upside down after they meet a brash teenager.

Director: Roger Michell | Stars: Peter O'Toole, Jodie Whittaker, Leslie Phillips, Beatrice Savoretti

Votes: 13,410 | Gross: $3.34M

9. United 93 (2006)

R | 111 min | Action, Drama, History

90 Metascore

A real-time account of the events on United Flight 93, one of the planes hijacked on September 11th, 2001 that crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania when passengers foiled the terrorist plot.

Director: Paul Greengrass | Stars: David Alan Basche, Olivia Thirlby, Liza Colón-Zayas, J.J. Johnson

Votes: 110,935 | Gross: $31.57M

10. Running with Scissors (2006)

R | 116 min | Comedy, Drama

52 Metascore

A teenage boy comes of age in the 1970's, sent by his neurotic, pretentious mother to live with a jolly, vulgar psychiatrist and his eccentric extended family.

Director: Ryan Murphy | Stars: Joseph Cross, Annette Bening, Brian Cox, Gwyneth Paltrow

Votes: 23,163 | Gross: $6.75M

11. Dreamgirls (2006)

PG-13 | 130 min | Drama, Music, Musical

76 Metascore

A trio of black female soul singers cross over to the pop charts in the early 1960s, facing their own personal struggles along the way.

Director: Bill Condon | Stars: Beyoncé, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, Danny Glover

Votes: 77,278 | Gross: $103.37M

12. The Science of Sleep (2006)

R | 105 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy

70 Metascore

A man entranced by his dreams and imagination is love-struck with a French woman and feels he can show her his world.

Director: Michel Gondry | Stars: Gael García Bernal, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Miou-Miou, Alain Chabat

Votes: 70,887 | Gross: $4.66M

13. Casino Royale (2006)

PG-13 | 144 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller

80 Metascore

After earning 00 status and a licence to kill, secret agent James Bond sets out on his first mission as 007. Bond must defeat a private banker funding terrorists in a high-stakes game of poker at Casino Royale, Montenegro.

Director: Martin Campbell | Stars: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright

Votes: 694,441 | Gross: $167.45M

14. Thank You for Smoking (2005)

R | 92 min | Comedy, Drama

71 Metascore

Satirical comedy follows the machinations of Big Tobacco's chief spokesman, Nick Naylor, who spins on behalf of cigarettes while trying to remain a role model for his 12-year old son.

Director: Jason Reitman | Stars: Aaron Eckhart, Cameron Bright, Maria Bello, Joan Lunden

Votes: 228,916 | Gross: $24.79M

15. The Illusionist (2006)

PG-13 | 110 min | Drama, Fantasy, Mystery

68 Metascore

In turn-of-the-century Vienna, a magician uses his abilities to secure the love of a woman far above his social standing.

Director: Neil Burger | Stars: Edward Norton, Jessica Biel, Paul Giamatti, Rufus Sewell

Votes: 389,606 | Gross: $39.87M

16. The Departed (2006)

R | 151 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller

85 Metascore

An undercover cop and a mole in the police attempt to identify each other while infiltrating an Irish gang in South Boston.

Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg

Votes: 1,421,881 | Gross: $132.38M

17. Infamous (2006)

R | 110 min | Biography, Crime, Drama

68 Metascore

While researching his novel "In Cold Blood", Truman Capote develops a close relationship with convicted murderers Dick Hickock and Perry Smith.

Director: Douglas McGrath | Stars: Toby Jones, Daniel Craig, Sandra Bullock, Sigourney Weaver

Votes: 18,219 | Gross: $1.15M

18. Happy Feet (2006)

PG | 108 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy

77 Metascore

Into the world of the Emperor Penguins, who find their soul mates through song, a penguin is born who cannot sing. But he can tap dance something fierce!

Directors: George Miller, Warren Coleman, Judy Morris | Stars: Elijah Wood, Brittany Murphy, Hugh Jackman, Robin Williams

Votes: 199,957 | Gross: $198.00M

19. The Da Vinci Code (2006)

PG-13 | 149 min | Mystery, Thriller

46 Metascore

A murder inside the Louvre, and clues in Da Vinci paintings, lead to the discovery of a religious mystery protected by a secret society for two thousand years, which could shake the foundations of Christianity.

Director: Ron Howard | Stars: Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Jean Reno, Ian McKellen

Votes: 458,737 | Gross: $217.54M

20. The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

PG-13 | 109 min | Comedy, Drama

62 Metascore

A smart but sensible new graduate lands a job as an assistant to Miranda Priestly, the demanding editor-in-chief of a high fashion magazine.

Director: David Frankel | Stars: Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Adrian Grenier, Emily Blunt

Votes: 466,834 | Gross: $124.74M

21. Monster House (2006)

PG | 91 min | Animation, Comedy, Family

68 Metascore

Three teens discover that their neighbor's house is really a living, breathing, scary monster.

Director: Gil Kenan | Stars: Mitchel Musso, Sam Lerner, Spencer Locke, Ryan Whitney

Votes: 138,150 | Gross: $73.66M

22. Kinky Boots (2005)

PG-13 | 107 min | Comedy, Drama, Music

57 Metascore

A drag queen comes to the rescue of a man who, after inheriting his father's shoe factory, needs to diversify his product if he wants to keep the business afloat.

Director: Julian Jarrold | Stars: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Joel Edgerton, Sarah-Jane Potts, Jemima Rooper

Votes: 21,477 | Gross: $1.82M

23. Miss Potter (2006)

PG | 88 min | Biography, Drama, Romance

57 Metascore

The story of Beatrix Potter, the author of the beloved and best-selling children's book, "The Tale of Peter Rabbit", and her struggle for love, happiness, and success.

Director: Chris Noonan | Stars: Renée Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, Emily Watson, Barbara Flynn

Votes: 32,016 | Gross: $2.98M

24. Over the Hedge (2006)

PG | 83 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy

67 Metascore

A scheming raccoon fools a mismatched family of forest creatures into helping him repay a debt of food, by invading the new suburban sprawl that popped up while they were hibernating...and learns a lesson about family himself.

Directors: Tim Johnson, Karey Kirkpatrick | Stars: Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling, Steve Carell, Wanda Sykes

Votes: 189,426 | Gross: $155.02M

25. The Descent (2005)

R | 99 min | Adventure, Horror, Thriller

71 Metascore

A caving expedition goes horribly wrong, as the explorers become trapped and ultimately pursued by a strange breed of predators.

Director: Neil Marshall | Stars: Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder

Votes: 246,859 | Gross: $26.02M

26. For Your Consideration (2006)

PG-13 | 86 min | Comedy

68 Metascore

Three actors learn that their respective performances in the film "Home for Purim," a drama set in the mid-1940s American South, are generating award-season buzz.

Director: Christopher Guest | Stars: Catherine O'Hara, Harry Shearer, Parker Posey, Christopher Guest

Votes: 15,885 | Gross: $5.54M

27. Cars (2006)

G | 116 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy

73 Metascore

On the way to the biggest race of his life, a hotshot rookie race car gets stranded in a rundown town and learns that winning isn't everything in life.

Directors: John Lasseter, Joe Ranft | Stars: Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Paul Newman, Larry the Cable Guy

Votes: 469,758 | Gross: $244.08M

28. The Lake House (2006)

PG | 99 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance

52 Metascore

A lonely doctor who once occupied an unusual lakeside house begins to exchange love letters with its former resident, a frustrated architect. They must try to unravel the mystery behind their extraordinary romance before it's too late.

Director: Alejandro Agresti | Stars: Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Christopher Plummer, Ebon Moss-Bachrach

Votes: 157,630 | Gross: $52.33M

29. Stranger Than Fiction (2006)

PG-13 | 113 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy

67 Metascore

I.R.S. auditor Harold Crick suddenly finds his mundane Chicago life to be the subject of narration only he can hear: narration that begins to affect his entire existence, from his work to his love life to his death.

Director: Marc Forster | Stars: Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah

Votes: 236,440 | Gross: $40.14M

30. The Return (2005)

PG-13 | 85 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller

38 Metascore

Joanna Mills, a traveling business woman, begins having nightmares of a murder that occurred 15 years ago. Soon she is drawn to an old farmhouse, where the murder took place.

Director: Asif Kapadia | Stars: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Sam Shepard, Peter O'Brien, Adam Scott

Votes: 12,357 | Gross: $7.75M

31. The Notorious Bettie Page (2005)

R | 91 min | Biography, Drama

64 Metascore

The life of Bettie Page, a 1950s pin-up model and one of the first sex icons in America, who became the target of a Senate investigation because of her risqué bondage photos.

Director: Mary Harron | Stars: Gretchen Mol, Lili Taylor, Chris Bauer, Jared Harris

Votes: 11,650 | Gross: $1.41M

32. Boy Culture (2006)

Unrated | 88 min | Drama, Romance

56 Metascore

A successful male escort describes in a series of confessions his tangled romantic relationships with his two roommates and an older, enigmatic male client.

Director: Q. Allan Brocka | Stars: Derek Magyar, George Jonson, Patrick Bauchau, Darryl Stephens

Votes: 5,947 | Gross: $0.22M

33. Flushed Away (2006)

PG | 85 min | Animation, Action, Adventure

74 Metascore

The story of an uptown rat that gets flushed down the toilet from his penthouse apartment, ending in the sewers of London, where he has to learn a whole new and different way of life.

Directors: David Bowers, Sam Fell | Stars: Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, Ian McKellen, Jean Reno

Votes: 138,653 | Gross: $64.67M

34. One to Another (2006)

Unrated | 95 min | Drama

41 Metascore

Chacun Sa Nuit ("To Each His Night") is a modern study of French teens which turns into a murder mystery. Narrated by the lone female in a quintet of very close friends, her narcissistic, ... See full synopsis »

Directors: Pascal Arnold, Jean-Marc Barr | Stars: Lizzie Brocheré, Arthur Dupont, Guillaume Baché, Pierre Perrier

Votes: 1,400 | Gross: $0.02M

35. The Host (2006)

R | 120 min | Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi

85 Metascore

A monster emerges from Seoul's Han River and begins attacking people. One victim's loving family does what it can to rescue her from its clutches.

Director: Bong Joon Ho | Stars: Song Kang-ho, Byun Hee-Bong, Park Hae-il, Bae Doona

Votes: 132,684 | Gross: $2.20M

36. Superman Returns (2006)

PG-13 | 154 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

72 Metascore

Superman returns to Earth after spending five years in space examining his homeworld Krypton. But he finds things have changed while he was gone, and he must once again prove himself important to the world.

Director: Bryan Singer | Stars: Brandon Routh, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, James Marsden

Votes: 291,319 | Gross: $200.08M

37. Hollywoodland (2006)

R | 126 min | Biography, Crime, Drama

62 Metascore

A detective examines the mysterious death of George Reeves, the star of the television series Adventures of Superman (1952).

Director: Allen Coulter | Stars: Adrien Brody, Ben Affleck, Diane Lane, Bob Hoskins

Votes: 35,950 | Gross: $14.42M



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