Lists, 1/1.

Wise Kwai lists his "top five Thai films of 2006" (#1: 13 Beloved) and points a collection of Thai and Thailand-based critics' personal favorites in the Bangkok Post. Thanks, Brian!

For the San Francisco Bay Guardian, Alexis Tioseco writes up an annotated list of the best of the year in "Southeast Asian cinema (lord knows it gets overlooked enough), and listing a feature, a short, and an older work for each major SEA filmmaking country: Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore (I cheat with Malaysia but that's ok)."

European-films.net editor Boyd van Hoeij puts Taxidermia at the top of his list of the "Best European Films of 2006."

Craig Phillips adds his "Baker's Dozen Best of 2006" to our growing collection at GreenCine. His #1: Army of Shadows, "filled with unforgettable moments and characters - including Lino Ventura's bedraggled engineer-turned-resistor and Simone Signoret, absolutely empathetic as the matron Mathilde."

Dana Stevens has had a great year, giving birth to her first child in February and officially becoming Slate's film critic in mid-June. And she'll be hosting her first "Movie Club" within a few days. Great news, all around. Oh, and she's got a top ten, too.

Also: "As 2006 wheezed to a close, Slate asked a number of prominent writers, thinkers, and other luminaries to answer the following question: What cultural event most amazed or disappointed you this year?"

To hold us over until the "Movie Club" convenes, a must-read in Variety: Jonathan Rosenbaum, Molly Haskell and Jos� Carlos Avelar discuss the year in film and film criticism.

Lumi�re Reader editors and contributors offer a fine collection of lists.

Richard Gibson unveils the results of the poll he's been taking for the past few weeks, reminds us of the choices a few dozen British critics have made and rounds out a robust entry with his own personal choices.

"[T]he real film story of 2006: the coming-of-age of online criticism," writes Darren Hughes. But he's not 100 percent comfortable with the crowded 'sphere. Then, the lists: a top 15, topped by Syndromes and a Century, five shorts and ten "favorite film discoveries" of the year.

Doug Cummings "spent innumerable hours immersed in fantastic cinema in 2006." His #1: The Death of Mr Lazarescu: "[Director Cristi] Puiu's achievement isn't that the film transcends its premise, but that in focusing so closely on Lazarescu, it generates endless layers of emotional and philosophical resonance." Also, "often I'm much more interested in lists of older films," so he's got one of those, too.

Zach Campbell favors pre-2006 cinema as well; he's also got a book recommendation and a few moments for those looking to start the year with a laugh.

For Filmbrain, "it was a year where mediocrity ruled and the critical response to nearly everything was a qualified 'meh'." Though it isn't actually listed, his #1 is Spike Lee's When the Levees Broke: "Easily the most important film I saw this year, and probably the most scathing and damning portrait of the Bush administration, this is a major document that will live on for ages."

This time, it's personal. ST VanAirsdale's "Top 10 of Top 10 Lists of 2006, Part II."

"In a movie year filled with dystopian visions - some real, some imagined - of the past, present, and the future, the film I'm most haunted by also happens to be the most uplifting work I saw all year," writes Bilge Ebiri at ScreenGrab, as he places Dave Chapelle's Block Party at the top of his top ten.

For Gabriel Shanks, "2006 was a terrible year for movies." But there's a ten nonetheless, a next ten, five more and a few more lists to boot (directors, screenwriters and so on). His #1: United 93.

Mike Russell: "43 movies I loved/liked, 17 I hated, and 27 I really should have seen before writing this," or: "A massive expansion of my list in today's Oregonian." His #1: United 93. Shawn Levy's #1: Pan's Labyrinth.

Same goes for Hollywood Bitchslap's Jason Whyte.

"Aside from starring in Kinky Boots, [Chiwetel] Ejiofor co-starred with Clive Owen in two of the best movies of the year, another reason to pay more attention," writes Peter Nellhaus. "Those two films were Children of Men and The Inside Man," the first of which is the best film he caught in a theater.

Ted Z's leaning towards that one as well.

"When I think about films not only as films or objects for analysis, but also as experiences, it comes as no surprise that many of my favorite films of the year are more than a year old," writes MS Smith. "I find unity in their humanity, despite their apparent differences in form, style, genre, and subject."

Doug Pratt spotlights his favorite DVDs at Movie City News. His #1: the four-disc "Director's Cut" version of Kingdom of Heaven: "The additional 50 minutes of character development (and logistical detail) deepens and enriches the film substantially, supplying psychological and historical understanding to the grand spectacle that the theatrical version conveyed."

At Cinematical, Richard von Busack recalls "10 Great Moments and 5 Bad Ones," James Rocchi writes up a list of ten worsts, Monika Bartyzel's favorite is The Proposition, Kevin Kelly rounds up the best and worst movie posters and - gotta love Scott Weinberg, whose enthusiasm is so damn contagious - he's got ten top tens.

The Austin American-Statesman's Chris Garcia lists his top ten; bonus: John DeFore's list as a sidebar.

David Walsh's got two lists at the WSWS, one stacking up films with theatrical runs in the US, however brief, and the other of films he caught at various festivals.

The Independent's arts critics pick their favorites; film critic Anthony Quinn is in there, choosing two British films, another directed by a Brit, an American indie and 13 (Tzameti): "France-based Georgian director Gela Babluani packs existential weariness and psychological dread into a no-budget monochrome thriller debut that leaves you winded with shock."

Jim Tudor presents "An American Film Geek's Top 5 Movies for 2006" at Twitch.

Brendon Connelly's #1 is no surprise: "Sophisticated, rich, bold and brilliantly built, Tideland is [Terry] Gilliam's best film since Brazil and one of the very few best films I have ever seen."

Latauro sends a top ten to AICN from Australia - and explains why there aren't any Australian movies on it.

Steve Rose previews the highlights of 2007 for the Guardian and the Observer runs a longish "Hot List 2007." Also, Mark Kermode and Philip French pick a few DVDs, "hidden gems of 2006."

"It was very nearly the most important movie of 2006, and then suddenly it wasn't." Deborah Netburn looks back to the "saga" of Snakes on a Plane: "It was a film that proved that unprecedented Internet hype does not translate to ticket sales - at least not yet. But it was the beginning of something, certainly." Also in the Los Angeles Times, Susan King's got three "Faces to Watch 2007."

Matt Prigge put The Prestige at the top of his list.

Slither gets an honorable mention in Tony Kay's list of "Favorite 2006 Things."

Apocalypto tops E Steven Fried's top 20 at the Siffblog.

Blush. Sujewa Ekanayake lists his six favorite film blogs of the year.

The Edge Annual Question for 2007. John Brockman asks dozens of sharp thinkers, "What are you optimistic about? Why?"

Meanwhile, more looks back: Harper's; k-punk on the year in music; Ed Champion's top ten books of the year; Cartoon Brew; the BBC: "100 things we didn't know last year."

Today's also a good day to check up again on the charts at Movie City News and the grand list of lists at Fimoculous.

And finally for now, Cahiers du cin�ma toasts the new year. Have a great 2007, all.

Posted by dwhudson at January 1, 2007 11:29 AM