Best of 2006

Guillermo Del Toro's subverted, gothic fairytale is perfect in almost every sense. In post-civil war Spain, the rule of fascism had begun, and at a deserted military outpost on the edge of the country a young girl, Ofelia, has moved into the old mill with her pregnant mother and new father, the general. This alone seems an adequate human story, but the director reaches much further than this, and as the beautifully poignant opening narration informs us there are levels of fantasy close at hand, one that Ofelia comfortingly discovers in these times of peril. 'Pan's Labyrinth' is a remarkable achievement in the sense that it creates a complex story from two of the most difficult genres, and the fantasy and war elements are dramatically conveyed, and perfectly balanced - one never becomes suffocating, or too thin on script or character. They are both handled with great sensitivity and seriousness, and so we fully suspend our disbelief; the war and drama is never diluted, and the fantasy aspects never silly or immature. The director doesn't mask the harsh realities either; the levels of gore and violence are more shocking than we could initially contemplate, but they are necessary so the audicence captures the real moments of happiness later on, and they become all the more wonderful in the delivery. The visuals and aesthetics of the film are, too, extraordinary - from the authentic costume and sets, to the stunning cinematography and eloquent music score, the film excels in every possible way. Del Toro delves right back to the roots of storytelling, creating a magnificently constructed picture that intertwines gritty war drama and original fantasy to create an original concept that is hauntingly brilliant and so desperately sad. It avoids convention and cliché with ease, and is riveting, compelling and yet delicate in its execution. This is a real masterpiece.

'United 93' is a vivid and desperate realisation of the worst terrorist atrocities in modern history. It's an extremely intense and involving film that keeps you gripped at almost every moment, holding onto our own seats as the sudden oncoming of violence and imminent death feel the most real, genuine and foereboding they have ever felt. The director opts to unfold the events in real time, and combined with the use of a hand-held camera this adds to the authentic style, and the lack of an A-List cast helps maintain the realism and gives us a sense of how normality is interrupted by these disastrous events, and how it evokes the bravery and courage in what appear to be the most normal, regular people you are likley to meet in the street. Still, the film is not soppy or sentimental, as that would only be insulting - instead it is deeply moving, at the same time terrifying, and ultimately shocking - the predicatable quality of the film never deterring us from these emotions. Greengrass deservedly won a Bafta, and an Oscar nomination - he could not have delivered such a story in a more powerful and thoughtful way as this.

Scorsese's latest flick is a perfectly set mirror of the gangster genre, an embodiement of the conventions but still taking a fresh and exciting new style on the familiar. The story follows an intriguing tale of lies and deceit and parallels two men's lives - one a undercover cop, the other a mafia boss' right hand man ifiltrating the special investigations unit that's out to catch him. The director holds the audience in perfect suspense, the often witty script highlighting the thin line between cop and criminal, and the masterful camerworkand editing never allowing our attention to waver. Scorsese manages to adapt the psychological complexities the characters suffer to complement the gritty drama perfectly, his direction flawless in every respect. He makes what seems a shallow and violent crime drama a classic of the genre, full of theme, depth and subtext. This is definitely one of the year's best, the fantastic cast, especially Leonardo DiCaprio in his best yet, the nostalgic music, and the precise directing - everything about this film oozes cool.

This is a brilliant, highly inventive comedy-drama that manages to evoke an array of emotions without ever diving into nausea. The Hoover family are forced to band together for a road trip to California so the youngest of the troupe, Olive, can enter the 'Little Miss Sunshine' pageant; and so begins a whirlwind of a road trip. Comedy is said to be a genre most directors struggle with, but husband and wife team Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris employ subtelty and realism to great effect. The film has a wonderfully crafted script that mixes black comedy, family drama and sadness all so well, leading up to an utterly hilarious and unpredictable finale. The great ensemble cast - especially a rather reserved Steve Carrell, a foul-mouthed Alan Arkin and Abigail Breslin in the leading role - make this film so comic and appealing. The chemistry between the family is perfect, they all feel as real as all the situations they find themselves in, no matter if we have never experienced them ourselves, let alone believing they can happen. We judge the characters throughout the first half, questioning their family ethics and standards, but all that seems strangely insiginificant once the credits begin to roll; they are a tight-knit, loyal family, and you admire them for it.

The year is 2027. Humans can no longer pro-create. Women are infertile. The youngest person alive has just died aged 18. The world is in chaos. Only Britain soldiers on.

These are the horrifying points that are made in the opening fifteen minutes of 'Children of Men', a startlingly realistic, genuinely disturbing film set in a post-apocalyptic future where there are no children. And it's shocking to witness what happens in a world without children. To witness the emotional turmoil of all those who suffer; to witness the lengths humans are pushed just for survival; to witness how a world without children can take away the good in people, and force them down a path of cruelty, and selfishness, because they have no idea what else to do.

Our story concerns Theo, a former activist who is asked by his ex-wife Julian, head of an infamous terrorist group, to transport an illegal immigrant across the dangerous south of the country to the safety of the coast. The story is a journey from devastation to refuge; despair to hope.

Director Alfonso Cauron avoids all the clichés of disaster films, the Government meetings, scientific advances, and instead focuses on the ordinary people who try to survive in this perilous future. The film is all the better for it. The action is thrilling, but understated. Even little anecdotes are strangely compelling. Characters you start to deeply care for are cruelly snatched away, and Cauron ensures that through all the horror and disaster experienced, we never lose sight of a ray of light, and hope, for everyone.

Clive Owen is superb as Theo, and supporting turns from Michael Caine, Julianne Moore, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Pam Ferris all impress, without diverting the quality from this amazing picture. As young Kee, Clare-Hope Ashitey is also a great find; despite her attempts at firmness and edge, she remains a young girl in an awful world. Through an extraordinarily authentic set design, dark, gloomy mise-en-scene, bleak cinematography and a hauntingly chilling atmosphere Cauron quite literally creates a future where for miles, all you can see is devastation. The audience see little other than a destroyed Britain, streets littered with bodies and buildings, and immigrants locked away in cages like animals. The impact is almost sickening.

There is little else I can write about 'Children of Men'. It is a film that you have to experience, not be informed of. Cauron successfully combines classical aesthetics with a raw, human story to thrust his provocative and powerful film to the forefront of recent cinema. Its originality and visual effect fail to diminish hours later, and the fate of the characters is permanently etched on the mind. Is this what our world could come too? Is this the future that awaits us?

A brilliant film of conspiracy and deception, presented through personal accounts and so creating an emotionally charged and suspense filled two hours. Forrest Whitaker is outstanding in a perfectly played role, and James McAvoy is also brilliant. The film is incredibly tense yet gently crafted together, so the revelations creep upon the audience as they do the characters. An intense, intelligent and disturbing film.

Comedies don't come more unusual than this - even for an Indie film 'Junebug' is a daring yet familiar, bold but quiet, and at the same time one of the most amusing and one of the saddest films you are likely to see. The premise seems to be run-of-the-mill - posh girl visit's the strange in-laws, faced with cultural differences etc - but the script and the handling of it are anything but conventional. The director suffuses the film with symbolism and philosophy, adding layers of meaning to the occurrences we are faced with, despite the religious ideology in danger of becoming suffocating. The slow pace is carefully juxtaposed with the extreme characters, the most impressive and easily the most charming of which is Amy Adams outstanding turn as Ashley, the brother in-laws wife, who reaches her third term of pregnancy in the film. Hilarity is perfectly captured in awkward situations or misunderstandings, with effective pauses to ease in the laughs - the script knows what it's doing, and while initially modest and pleasing it eventually reaches level of profundity we could never have expected; the director captures depth and reality within the situation and we walk away liking just about everybody - he never takes sides. As you come to appreciate the skill at handling such material, balancing such conflicting genres, you find something special at the core of 'Junebug' - a pleasing comedy with heart, and a witty, soulful script that is more thought-provoking than patronising as we might have suspected.

The tables are turned in this slick and intimate two-hander when a young girl arranges a sudden meeting with a middle-aged male photographer after conversing in chat rooms; the result an extremely intense and gripping shocker of a picture. She seems the naïve and innocent victim, him a charming predator ready to pounce, but 'Hard Candy' messes with your expectations just as much as your conscience.

Ellen Page and Patrick Wilson work brilliantly together, the on screen chemistry boiling away and keeping us glued to the edge of our seats a fascinating argument of right and wrong is skilfully uncovered. How many films are you sucked into simply by well-written and genuinely interesting conversation? Not too many, I reckon.

The film's ability to entrance is aided in large part by this talented pair who will easily go onto better things. Page in particular is a stand-out; she manages to keep hold of her audience despite the lengthy script, and as Hayley she tricks her captive just as well as the audience; her psychotic behaviour and dark, mocking humour make for an extremely satisfying character. I was going to say villain, but 'Hard Candy's ethics are hazy and unfocused, just like real life - you can't assign a label to anyone in this compelling thriller.

The tension really is non-stop. Slade's direction shows concentration, focus and utter dedication in unravelling these two personalities and forcing uncomfortable interaction. The film employs intense close-ups, a shaky camera style and distorted sound to amplify the ultimate mind-numbing experience. Those who find 'plot-holes' in Hayley's age and maturity over a grown-man should take note; we do see the girl struggling when attempting to drag and lift Jeff, and we are also informed - she is a liar. She is as much fourteen as her name is Haley, and it is projected to the audience how effective at deception this girl is.

The ending is perhaps disappointing in that for such a dialogue-strong film a chase-out felt too familiar, but the director handles it well, and the clever camera work manages to keep up the pace right to the end. 'Hard Candy' offers no clear-cut answers, and is unapologetic and uncompromising in its visceral style and ambiguous characters. "You should never accept a drink you haven't mixed yourself. That's good advice for everyone".Take note!