My Top Ten Films of 2006 (in no order)

1) Superman Returns - okay so it won't be on any other critics list, but I loved the movie. I saw it three times and felt a lot of emotion towards it every time. It was a big homage to the seventies films which appealed to me greatly from the first credits and notes of John William's score. Just for the beautiful flying sequence with Lois and the loving treatment of music by John Ottman and I was there every second.

2) Marie Antoinette - a film that did make lists, but not many people saw it. This film gave me hope that Sofia Coppola is here to stay as a filmmaker, a generous mixture of luxurious sets and costumes and subtle "less is more" sensibility in filmmaking and script. A new interpretation on the French queen made me see something completely different; a monarch less not understanding of her kingdom and more unknowing of her true responsibility.

3) Bobby - Not liked by many, I had a completely different experience. I felt for the characters caught in world with so much hope only to be snuffed out so quickly by a few bullets. The acting was great with no grandstanding and Estevez found a way to connect our present battles to the no so distant past that needs to be known.

4) Deliver Us From Evil - One of two documentaries on the list, this film upset me so much that I could not be caught by its true power. The story of a priest and church ensnared in its naivete was compelling, sickening and the battle of faith was never brought closer to home.

5) Shut Up And Sing - The second documentary, this film was already destinied to be liked by a Dixie Chick's fan like me, but the sheer honesty of everyone involved made this familiar trip intoxicating. The music may highlight the story of the Dixie Chicks fall from grace and struggle to come back, but it was the filmmaker's heart to capture every angle of their story, their good moments and bad, that made this something to sing about.

6) A Scanner Darkly - A compelling story without the animation, Linklater goes where few filmmakers go easily and gives us the unsettling story of an agent being used by everyone around him. It is a challenging film, but when you reach the ending twist, you can't help but be glad you made the viewing. I am rarely disappointed by this filmmaker and I wasn't here either.

7) Thank You For Smoking - Biting and satirical, this film remained with me all year. Besides preaching on the horrible effects of cigarettes, I applauded a film that knew how to tell the story with humour and thought provoking ideas. The meetings between the cigarette lobbyist and the gun industry and alcohol industry were great, but the whole film was a hoot.

8) Little Miss Sunshine - Wow a funny film with a heart that wasn't soaked in sugar sweetness. From the very beginning, this film made me laugh and cry and the growth the characters made was genuine and true. It's doesn't hurt to end with a dance number either.

9) V For Vendetta - Here was another early film that resonated with me long after it was viewed. Someone has to be applauded for a film about terrorism that almost has no violence in it. It made me think like rarely a comic book film can and the relationship between V and Natalie Portman was strangely satisfying.

10) Brick - A good suggestion from a friend, this film noir high school movie made me laugh hysterically, but I was blown away at how well written it was. Extra points go to the cheap bird head cane the villain uses synonimous with film noir. Joseph Gordon Levitt is someone to keep an eye out for and this film brilliantly walks a line between funny and suspenseful.

An Afterthought 11) Dreamgirls - powerhouse musical seen two days before the year ended, this film made me want to sing and cry. Jennifer Hudson is every bit as good as you've heard and Beyonce finally gets to belt a song. Big marks go to Bill Condon for amazing direction and script; without him this could have been a headache of ego and a real mess, he pulls it altogther with charisma and soul.

How About Canada #1 - 12) Water - Deepa Mehta has taught me so much about India, its embarrassing. Just like she moved me many years ago with Fire, this film got underneath my skin with style and substance and a story that would move the heaviest heart. The women forced into soolitude after being widowed was heartbreaking. Mehta makes me believe that Canadians can be at the forefront of filmmaking and that women need to be recognized more.

How About Canada #2 - 13) 3 Needles (Director's Cut) - I had the pleasure of seeing this film when Thom Fitgerald was in town speaking about its making. Powerful in the director's cut where confusing orginally, it felt like a breath of fresh air and fantastic reason to explore why directors should have a little more say in how their films are viewed. The AIDS crisis explored through three stories (China, Africa, Canada), this film grips you with its tension and moments of hopelessness and brutal honesty. See this cut and explore the film again for the first time.