2006, the results

First thanks to all those that took part in the survey, the findings make interesting reading and are not a million miles away from some of the UK press with a few exceptions. Thanks also to those other film bloggers who promoted the poll on their sites, very much appreciated.

I'm not going to go into the issues with polls, what constitutes best and all that jazz suffice to say I quite like a good list and reading over what others thought were good films. My personal choices are near the bottom of this post.

Happy New Year to all visitors.

Poll of film bloggers, visitors ot this site.
1. The Departed (Martin Scorsese)
2. Little Miss Sunshine (Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris)
3. Volver (Pedro Almodovar)
=4. The Proposition (John Hillcoat)
=4. A Prarie Home Companion (Robert Altman)
=4. Brick (Rian Johnson)
=4. Inside Man (Spike Lee)
=4. Little Children (Todd Field)
=9. The Queen (Stephen Frears)
=9. Casino Royale (Martin Campbell)
=9. Half Nelson (Ryan Fleck)
=9. United 93 (Paul Greengrass)
=9. Borat (Larry Charles)

Sight and Sound
In the January 2007 issue no less than 47 critics voted for the films that impressed them during 2006. They then distilled these lists into a top 10:

1. Hidden (Michael Haneke)
2. Volver (Pedro Almodovar)
=3. The Departed (Martin Scorsese)
=3. The Queen (Stephen Frears)
=3. Red Road (Andrea Arnold)
=3. The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (Tommy Lee Jones)
=7. Climates (Nuri Bilge Ceylan)
=7. The New World (Terrence Mallick)
=7. United 93 (Paul Greengrass)
=7. Pan's Labyrinth (Guillermo del Toro)

Time Out - Critics' choice 2006

In the December 20th issue of Time Out, their critics picked their favourite film of 2006. They each picked only one each.

The New World (Terrence Mallick) - Geoff Andrew
The Death of Mr Lazarescu (Christi Puiu) - Wally Hammond
Hidden (Michael Haneke) - Dave Calhoun
Volver (Pedro Almodovar) - Chris Tilly
Grizzly Man (Werner Herzog) - Ben Walters
Black Sun (Gary Tarn) - Gareth Evans
The Wind that Shakes the Barley (Ken Loach) - Cath Clarke
Happy Feet (George Miller) - Derek Adams
Pan's Labyrinth (Guillermo del Toro) - Nigel Floyd
Rang de Basanti (Rakesh Omprakash Mehra) - Anil Sininan
Keane (Lodge Kerrigan) - Trevor Johnston
Children of Men (Alfonso Cuaron) - Mark Salisbury
Requiem (Hans Christian Schmid) - David Jenkins
Borat (Larry Charles) - Anna Smith
You Tube (Various)- Edward Lawrenson

There are only two films that appear on all lists; The Departed and Volver, both certainly very good in my opinion. Perhaps, if there is a conclusion to this survey it is that both of these are films of the year 2006? Perhaps I should stick my neck out and 'crown' them such?

My personal choices
In the end I didn't vote in the poll. The films I have enjoyed most of all over the last 12 months were, in no particular order:

Volver (Pedro Almodovar)
Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait (Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno)
The New World (Terrence Mallick)
Grizzly Man (Werner Herzog)
Miami Vice (Michael Mann)
The Departed (Martin Scorsese)
Hidden (Michael Haneke)
Pan's Labyrinth (Guillermo del Toro)
The Notorious Bettie Page (Mary Harron)
The Prestige (Christopher Nolan)
Deep Water (Louise Osmand and and Gerry Rothwell)

Links
Earlier post, link.
Time Out's films of the year, with full commentary from each of the above critics, link.
Geoff Andrew's films of the year, link.
Sight and Sound. The Films of 2006: The Full List, link.
Girish's post, with plenty of 2006 links, link.
My earlier post on 'Zidane', link.