The Best and Worst Movies of 2006: #1

The Best Movie of 2006

Babel



Story
When a woman is shot while travelling through the Middle East, it affects several different groups of people across the globe, changing their lives forever. The film follows the use and misuse of language in society and how it hinders our communication.

Merit
First of all, the story is very hard to explain without giving away parts of the story. It is this year's Heights or Crash, an interwoven story of multiple characters, focusing on a main issue - in this case, language. It is a moving, powerful story that alone proves to be one of the best of the year.

The acting in this film is on par with Brokeback Mountain. The entire cast is remarkable, allowing for numerous Oscar nominations come February. Unknowns like Adrianna Barraza and Rinko Kikuchi give outstanding performances, sure to propel them into further blockbusters. Cate Blanchett gives her all as usual, and Brad Pitt may finally win the Oscar that has eluded him for so long.

The artistic appeal of this film, including the cinematography and the score, give the film an "indie" feel, while continuing to be a first-class movie. There has not been a film this well done in years, and I would dare call it one of the best ever made.

Possible Oscar Nominations
Best Art Direction
Best Cinematography
Best Film Editing
Best Original Score
Best Supporting Actor: Brad Pitt
Best Supporting Actress: Rinko Kikuchi
Best Supporting Actress: Adrianna Barraza
Best Original Screenplay: Guillermo Arriaga
Best Director: Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu
Best Picture


The Worst Movie of 2006

She's The Man



Story
When Viola's soccer team is cancelled to focus on the men's team, she takes the opportunity of her twin brother being out of the country, disguises herself as him, and goes to his boarding school to prove that she is as good a player as any guy. While there, she falls for her roommate, who thinks she's a guy, and becomes entangled in many different relationships.

Fault
*deep breaths* Okay. First of all, the story alone is ridiculous. It makes absolutely no sense. How can she just skip her own school to go to a different school? Wouldn't her school call home and her dumb divorced parents would figure it out? She becomes extremely popular through instances of male showmanship in-front of her peers - but guys are not pursuaded that easily. If they thought you were an effeminate man, they wouldn't just get over that because some women said you were hot. It belittles the intelligence and sensibility of all men, thus further removing an entire gender from the viewing audience!

The acting was elementary. Amanda Bynes is the worst actress I have ever seen have such an amazing career. Hilary Duff has nothing on your suckiness, Amanda. Nothing. Channing Tatum, though disgustingly hot, can't act. Every movie he's been in, he gets the same reviews, and the movies all stink. The rest of the actors are not worth mentioning because their careers are over now, so I don't have to think of them ever again.

There was even a scene (or more than one, I can't really recall) that has fun, upbeat motivational music playing while Bynes and her wacky friends tried to make her into a wacky man and were having such a wacky time. Oh, so wacky! The more wacky, the better! The wackiness went on for the entire film - I was about to whacky myself in the skull to put myself out of my misery.

The most outstanding flaw this movie has to offer is the fact that Amanda Bynes is not a man! She doesn't look like a man when she's in her little wig, when she has voice "slip-ups", she sounds like a girl - it's all so unbelievable! It's like dressing up Lassie with whiskers and calling him a cat! It doesn't work that way! Didn't anyone notice this during filming? Didn't someone say "Ya know, she really doesn't look like a guy. This isn't going to make sense." ANYONE? Maybe the director was insane and fired anyone who said it. Everyone was thinking it, crazy director man. Everyone.

Anyway, I think this is definitely one of the worst films, if not the worst film, ever made. I have a new respect for every other movie ever made after seeing this crap. Congratulations, Amanda - you managed to create and star in a film that will be forgotten, but your ridiculous excuse for an acting career will not be. Wacky!