Twenty Years Later: The Best Movies of 2006

2006 feels like a lifetime ago in the film world, as the industry has changed radically in the last two decades. The streaming wars did not exist, 3D was not quite a novelty, and the only superhero movies were the disappointing Superman Returns and X-Men: The Last Stand.

Jerry Bruckheimer asserted his dominance when Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest grossed more than $1 billion worldwide, and Ron Howard created major controversy with the release of The Da Vinci Code. Many of the best filmmakers were working at the peak of their powers, and the ten best movies of 2006 on this list reflect that.

Little Children was a provocative drama that featured one of Kate Winslet’s best performances and a breakout turn from Jackie Earl Haley. The Wind That Shakes The Barley took home the Palme d’Or and served as a breakthrough film for Cillian Murphy. Rescue Dawn offered a Werner Herzog–style war story with Christian Bale and a remarkable turn from Steve Zahn.

2006 films, superman returns, x-men, pirates, jerry bruckheimer, ron howard, little children, kate winslet, cillian murphy, rescue dawn