Ebert & Roeper's Best of 2006

[dvdjunkie]

Here we go again with the annual "best of" from Richard Roeper and a guest critic masquerading as Roger Ebert. This week's show has a film critic that I usually agree with more times than not, but this time - I am definitely puzzled by his choices. A. O. Scott, New York Times Film Critic, joined Roeper on the evening's program to provide the Best Films of 2006. See how many you agree with, or for that matter, how many have you seen.

A.O. SCOTT

1. Letters From Iwo Jima
2. Pan's Labyrinth
3. L'Enfant
4. Days of Glory
5. Little Miss Sunshine
6. Three Times
7. 51 Birch Street
8. Volver
9. Little Children
10. A Prairie Home Companion

RICHARD ROEPER

1. The Departed
2. The Queen
3. Flags of our Fathers/Letters From Iwo Jima (tie)
4. United 93
5. The Lives of Others
6. Babel
7. Notes On a Scandal
8. The Good Shepherd
9. Little Miss Sunshine
10. Blood Diamond

There you are. I am in almost total disagreement with Scott on his picks this year. Last year he was almost spot on, this year, I think he is way off. Roeper's list is more tolerable of the two and I agree more with his listing than I ever have. Hope there isn't something wrong with me.

On Roeper's list, I have seen all the films in the theater except for The Lives of Others. On Scott's list I have only seen five of them. So, maybe that is why I disagree with his list so much.

Let's hear what you have to say.

[numba1lostboy]

I may be the only one in the world who thinks this, but I did NOT like Little Miss Sunshine. I went into it expecting a really funny, feel-good movie, and left with a crushed and depressed feeling. I don't see the comedy in Dot losing the contest, the grandfather dying, the grandfather being a pervert, the uncle trying to commit suicide, the parents fighting all the time, the father being selfish, the family leaving Dot at the gas station, and the emo brother going mental after realizing he was color-blind (how do you not know you're color-blind?).

The only thing I found funny was the van and the horn. Everything else was jus dee-pressing.
The acting was good, I'll give it that, but the movie was not a comedy, and certainly does not get a "Best of" nod from me.

[SpringHeelJack]

It was a dark comedy, though...I never got a "feel good" vibe from it.

Having said that, I was not a fan of the movie either. I found it enjoyable and laughed a few times, but everyone I knew told me how much I would love the movie and how great it was, and it could never live up to what I had heard.

Phillip Glass' score to "Notes on a Scandal" really made the movie much less enjoyable, IMO. It elevated the movie to camp level in some scenes.

And no love for "Dreamgirls"? Bah. It wasn't my favorite movie of the year, but it was overall one of the more enjoyable films I saw in theatres this year. Ditto for "For Your Consideration".

[Lazario]

You both have a good point. The company who made LMS definitely marketed it as a bright, happy, Family-friendly, feel-good, fun, and Purely Sun-shine-y movie. I know - I saw over 55 TV spots for the darn thing. That thing was plastered everywhere, on everything, and they wanted people to think it was the most fun you were likely to have all year.

But it sounds much more like a Wes Anderson-esque dark comedy / satire / Independent-spirited / not-exactly-happy Slice of Life film. A rude awakening much in Napoleon Dynamite mode.


Hey - on a much-related note... Did anyone see a preview or two for Art School Confidential, think it looked like THE "must-see" of the entire year... only to be completely eclipsed by the hype-machine extravaganza that became Little Miss Sunshine? A very unfortunate turn of events for Terry (Ghost World) Zwigoff. This never would have happened to Wes Anderson. Or Alexander Payne. Oh, the Outre-Edge-of Hollywood Humanity!

[Dottie]

Oh, wow "The lives of Others" is on Roeper's list. That makes me smile since the movie is a German movie. I haven't seen it yet, but everyone has told me it's a pretty good movie.
From all the other movies I've only seen "The Queen" which was really good IMO.

[JiminyCrick91]

I have no comment on the lists but I must say I MISS ROGER!

[Lazario]

I miss Roger's online reviews. The person filling in for him is I think still doing the reviews there. Just not the same.

[numba1lostboy]

What happened to Roger? Why is someone filling in for him?

And I did hear about Art School Confidential. It looked interesting. If it had been at a near theatre, I would've seen it. Any idea when it's coming to DVD?

[Lazario]

I don't know - he had surgery on his heart, I think. He was in critical condition at one point. I think he's still recovering right now. Not sure.


and Art School Confidential was released on my Birthday, last year - October 10th. It's available now.

[Finchx0rz]

I may be the only one in the world who thinks this, but I did NOT like Little Miss Sunshine. I went into it expecting a really funny, feel-good movie, and left with a crushed and depressed feeling. I don't see the comedy in Dot losing the contest, the grandfather dying, the grandfather being a pervert, the uncle trying to commit suicide, the parents fighting all the time, the father being selfish, the family leaving Dot at the gas station, and the emo brother going mental after realizing he was color-blind (how do you not know you're color-blind?).

Abigail Breslin's character was named Olive, not Dot.

Regarding Grandpa: Pervert? No. Drug addict? Yes.

Regarding the parents: They're having financial problems. Of course they're going to argue!

Regarding Frank: His suicide attempt <em>does</em> make sense because of all the bleak events in his life:
- he's gay (which has yet to be completely accepted by society)
- he is an expert on Marcel Proust, a somewhat obscure author the average person doesn't care about.
- was recently fired
- was recently rejected by someone he fell in love with


Regarding Dwayne: There are different kinds of color blindness and sometimes those who are affected by it slip through the cracks because of insufficient testing. Dwayne was upset because his impairment disqualifies him from the Air Force, which he believed to be his ticket out. (Hence the Nietzsche-inspired silence discipline.)

[numba1lostboy]

Whoops. I knew her name was Olive...why did I put Dot??

And I know why everything happens. But none of it was funny. The film was a "comedy" ?? I felt dejected after this film was over. Not lighthearted, sad-happy or thoughtful.
And Grandpa was a pervert. He was always talking about porn. His porn was even a plot point! Furthermore, he had a disgusting mouth. Every time he spoke, a profanity fell out. When movies try to rely too much on profanity to sell the comedy, I find it unoriginal and unappealing. If I were the parents, I definitely let my daughter sleep in the same room as that gross druggie.

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

And Grandpa was a pervert. He was always talking about porn. His porn was even a plot point! Furthermore, he had a disgusting mouth. Every time he spoke, a profanity fell out. When movies try to rely too much on profanity to sell the comedy, I find it unoriginal and unappealing. If I were the parents, I definitely let my daughter sleep in the same room as that gross druggie.

Well, he's basically the stereotypical grumpy grandpa as most grandfathers aren't exactly the nicest people and tend to cuss a lot and insult everybody and even flurt with younger women. He's no different than say, any grandpa you'd find in a sitcom, like Frank Barone from "Everybody Loves Raymond".

I don't see why people were expecting "light-hearted fun" from "Little Miss Sunshine". The trailer always showed them as "Seindfeld" or "Everybody Loves Raymond" like characters in which they were so flawed and annoying, they were relatable and loveable. And as for profanity and sex jokes, well it was rated R for a reason.

I guess if you just wanted "Friends" or "Full House" like characters going on an adventure and have a happy ending, I can see why you didn't like it, but the thing that made it worthwild was that you had so much fun knowing these quirky characters, and you were able to laugh at all the relatable situations they were in.

[castleinthesky]

To say the least I wasn't too happy with Roeper this year, after giving Thumb's Down to Marie Antoinette and The Fountain, while his counterparts didn't. Ebert has long been a critic I disagreed with but respected (see his super thumbs up to Crash and thumbs down to Howl's Moving Castle).

[Finchx0rz]

And I know why everything happens. But none of it was funny. The film was a "comedy" ?? I felt dejected after this film was over. Not lighthearted, sad-happy or thoughtful.

You're obviously not familliar with the term "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_comedy">black comedy</a>." Other examples in the genre include M*A*S*H (the movie and first few seasons of the TV show), Ghost World, and Dr. Strangelove.

And Grandpa was a pervert. He was always talking about porn. His porn was even a plot point!

In modern parlance, the word "pervert" connotates unorthodox behaviors that are criminal or lead to criminal acts. All of the porn Grandpa viewed can be considered immoral, but certainly not illegal. Grandpa was no saint, but it's obvious in his last scene that he had a genuine love for his granddaughter and wanted her to succeed.

Every time he spoke, a profanity fell out. When movies try to rely too much on profanity to sell the comedy, I find it unoriginal and unappealing.

Profanity <em>wasn't</em> used to "sell the comedy." Most of the humor in LMS is character or situation based. The television ads made that quite clear.

[Escapay]

Wow, even though half this thread is in white text meaning I shouldn't highlight it, I'm intrigued by this movie now simply based on what I'm allowed to read if I want to be spoiler-free!

Escapay

[numba1lostboy]

Hey, I'm familiar enough with black comedy, but I didn't see any comedy in that movie. I'm not trying to change your opinion, but I would appreciate it if you would stop trying to chnge mine.
I don't like the movie, and who knows, maybe I saw it under the wrong circumstances. But I didn't think it was funny.

[Lazario]

Hey, I'm familiar enough with black comedy

What are some of your favorites?

[numba1lostboy]

Well, I wouldn't call these my favorites, but I enjoy:

The Whole Nine Yards
Family Guy
Thank You For Smoking
Desperate Housewives
Nightmare Before Christmas

[Escapay]

Well, I wouldn't call these my favorites, but I enjoy:

The Whole Nine Yards
Family Guy
Thank You For Smoking
Desperate Housewives
Nightmare Before Christmas

How dare you leave The War of the Roses and Death Becomes Her off that list!

Escapay

[The Little Merman]

How dare you leave The War of the Roses and Death Becomes Her off that list!

Escapay and his humor.

My ever-chaning Top Ten goes as follows:

1. Pan's Labyrinth
2. The Departed
3. Children of Men
4. Dreamgirls
5. Volver
6. Little Children
7. Notes on a Scandal
8. The Queen
9. Marie Antoinette
10. Little Miss Sunshine

Overall, I agree with both Roeper and Scott's choices. Either way it's really up to one's opinions-- unless one of them placed, say, "Running With Scissors" on their list, then maybe we'd be up for a more thorough discussion.