While it might be alarming to look back on 2006 and realize it was now 17 years ago, at least many of the great films released that year have aged very gracefully. It was a year that saw many great films released on an international scale, with a surprising number of non-English-language movies crossing over to English-speaking countries and having appeal outside where they were made.
Some have even argued that the Best International Feature Film category for the Oscars that year housed better films than the ones that were up for Best Picture. As such, what follows is a ranking of all the best movies from 2006, highlighting both English-language titles and non-English-language titles.Given the strength of the year, some films have missed the cut, with the movies below truly being the best of the best of a great year.
Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu
Drama movies don’t get much heavier thanBabel, which skillfully balances several heavy-going storylines all featuring different characters connected to a single tragedy.It’s an example of a film that fits into a fairly niche genre known as hyperlink cinema, withRobert Altmanoften pulling off this kind of movie(interweaving characters and storylines with a wide scope), andAlejandro González Iñárrituhimself doing it pre-Babel, withAmores Perros(2000) and21 Grams(2003).
Babelsucceeds in being moving and honest while exploring some heavy thematic content, and featuring great performances from an understandably large cast that includesBrad Pitt,Cate Blanchett,Gael García Bernal, andRinko Kikuchi. Those after something feel-good might want to giveBabela pass (or wait until they feel up to it), but anyone looking for a compelling drama with plenty of ambition should find it to be a rewarding watch.
11’This Is England'
Directed by Shane Meadows
This Is Englandis acritically acclaimed British coming-of-age movie, but it also feels underrated in many ways, or at least deserving of more recognition than it tends to get nowadays. It follows a young boy living a difficult life in England during the 1980s, and what happens when he falls in with a gang of skinheads, which naturally takesThis Is Englandinto crime genre territory.
It’s brutally honest about the sort of lifestyle it depicts, showing what happens when a young and vulnerable person falls in with the wrong crowd and runs the risk of such people shaping the rest of their life. It can be a tough movie to watch at times, owing to how unflinching it gets,butThis Is Englandis undeniably powerful and superbly gripping as a crime/drama/coming-of-age film.Rent on Amazon
10’The Host'
Directed by Bong Joon-ho
ThoughBong Joon-ho’s profile was raised considerably whenParasite(2019) became the first non-English-language movie to win Best Picture at the Oscars, he’d been consistently building up a strong fanbase throughout the 2000s and 2010s. 2006’sThe Hostwas significant in this regard, being one of his first films to gain considerable attention outside just South Korea.
It’s easy to see why, becauseThe Hostis very entertaining and surprisingly accessible, even for those who might usually be turned off by subtitles. It follows a group of family members putting their lives in danger to rescue their daughter, who was captured by a horrifying monster that mysteriously appeared one day, attacked various people, then left with the young girl. It’s emotional, exciting, action-packed, and surprisingly funny in parts, too, being a rollercoaster of a movie that ranks as one of Bong Joon-ho’s best.
Watch on Hulu
9’Casino Royale'
Directed by Martin Campbell
Casino Royaleisn’t just one of the bestJames Bondmovies of all time; it’s arguably amongthe greatest action movies of all time, too. It re-energized the series, taking things in a decidedly less campy direction, with the film earning considerable praise for its intense action sequences and a storyline that felt more grounded than usual.
It was the first of fiveJames BondmoviesDaniel Craigstarred in, and served as an effective reboot/origin story for the series' protagonist. In many ways, it felt likeJames Bondfor a new generation,all the while keeping the core elements of the series intact, ensuring it was a surprise hitthat got people the most excited they’d been about 007 in years… just ensure you don’t get it confused with the 1967 comedy of the same name.
Casino Royale
8’Paprika'
Directed by Satoshi Kon
Ranking right up there withthe greatest anime movies of all time,Paprikais a wonderfully wild, visually creative, and endlessly inventive assault on the senses. Its plot revolves around a machine that lets therapists enter the minds of their patients to view their dreams, and what happens when this device is stolen by someone who may want it for nefarious means.
When a movie looks and sounds the wayPaprikadoes, mere words can only do so much when attempting to describe how it feels to watch.Those who are okay with a fairly intricate (and fast-paced) story should watch it, regardless of how much they usually enjoy anime. It’s honestly that good, and is far from the kind of anime movie that might be seen as “just” for anime fans.
Watch on Tubi
7’United 93'
Directed by Paul Greengrass
United 93isan intense historical drama/thriller filmthat aims to present what happened on the titular flight on the morning of July 05, 2025. It takes place in real-time and shows how the passengers of the flight managed to take control of the airplane after it was hijacked, ultimately ensuring that the plane didn’t hit its target (likely the U.S. Capitol) and instead crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.
It’s remarkable how authentic and harrowing United 93 feels, as a film, as for better or worse, it does succeed in making you feel like you’re on the plane, watching events unfold.Its challenging story and inevitable conclusion make it a difficult viewing experience, but it’s a very powerful film that pays tribute to a group of people who gave their lives to thwart a terrorist plot that could have ended up being far deadlier.
6’The Lives of Others'
Directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Winning the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film,The Lives of Othersis easily one of 2006’s best movies. Thefilm’s plot revolves around surveillanceand deals with voyeurism (AlfredHitchcockprobably would’ve loved it), centering on a member of the secret police in East Berlin before the Berlin Wall fell, and the way he gets wrapped up in the lives of a couple he’s tasked with listening in on.
Even though itmight be regarded as the second-best non-English-language film of 2006 nowadays(a certain soon-to-be-mentioned fantasy movie probably takes the top spot),The Lives of Othersis still fantastic, and proves to be an emotional and gripping watch. It’s a slow-burn thriller done right, keeping things quiet but always engrossing, all the while building up to a superb conclusion.
The Lives of Others
Rent on Apple TV
Directed by Larry Charles
Time will tell ifSacha Baron Cohenever stars in and/or writes a movie better than the amazingly titledBorat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. It’s unlikely, but when your best movie is a work of satire as good as this, maybe that’s easy to come to terms with.
He plays the titular Borat, a journalist from Kazakhstan who travels to the U.S.,uncovering both the wonders and the horrors of life there during the early 21st century. It can be shocking, low-brow, and fairly crude, but it’s also remarkably clever, with Sacha Baron Cohen’s commitment to the role (thereby convincing people he was a real journalist from Kazakhstan) allowing him to shed light on genuine problematic attitudes surrounding race and prejudice in the U.S.
4’The Departed'
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorseseis responsible for directing some of thegreatest crime movies of all time, withThe Departedbeing his most successful, at least as far as the Oscars are concerned. It’s the only Scorsese movie to have won Best Picture, and though most fans wouldn’t call it their personal favorite, it’s likely most can agree thatThe Departedis still pretty great.
It’s a remake of 2002’sInfernal Affairs, transporting its story about undercover criminals and undercover cops from Hong Kong to Boston, andadding a good deal of material in the process (it’s about 50 minutes longer than the fast-paced original). With a great cast filled with actors who don’t mind chewing the scenery,The Departedhas a high level of energy, plenty of shocking plot twists, and is overall an engaging watch from beginning to blood-drenched end.
The Departed
3’Little Miss Sunshine'
Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris
Little Miss Sunshinerepresents the road movie at its best, whilealso being a heartwarming and emotional comedy/family drama. It follows an eccentric family going on a long road trip to California so their youngest can perform in a beauty pageant. Along the way, things rarely seem to go to plan, resulting in various chaotic moments - some funny, yet some tragic.
It’s amazing how well the film balances its emotional material with its humor, and similarly impressive is the cast thatLittle Miss Sunshinemanaged to assemble.Greg Kinnear,Toni Collette,Steve Carell,Paul Dano, andAlan Arkinall give some of the best performances of their career, enablingLittle Miss Sunshineto be the kind of dramedy that really sticks with you long after watching.
