Film editor Damian Tully-Pointon takes a look back at this year's big screen wonders and blunders.
The best..
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Little Miss Sunshine
Evermore proof that good things come in small packages, or in this case, small budgets. Michael Arndt's endearing tale about a dysfunctional family, a road trip in a VW bus (minus the first gear), and a child beauty pageant, delivered one of the most touching finales of the year - not to mention a nice moral message about the importance of being yourself.
Expect some Oscar nods next year, especially for Toni Collette.
Brokeback Mountain
Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal's outing (no pun intended) as a pair of gay cowboys struggling to live a 'normal' life while maintaining a secret, forbidden love was arguably one of the most powerful stories to hit the big screen in years. Emotive performances from Ledger and Gyllenhall, as well as Michelle William (as Ledger's devastated token wife), stunning cinematography and Ang Lee's brilliant direction produced a quality film that must be seen.
Transamerica
Desperate Housewives star Felicty Huffman earned further stripes for the indie film brigade, with a wonderful turn as a pre-operative male-to-female transsexual, who just days before he has her operation, learns she has a teenage son. This paved the way for a road trip like no other. Funny, touching and with plenty of heart.
Walk The Line
Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon superbly rose to the challenge of not only playing legendary country music stars Johnny Cash and June Carter but singing their tunes as well. As proven by the swag of awards (including best actress for Witherspoon) it has collected, the film was nothing short of brilliant, chronicling the remarkable career of Johnny Cash and one of the most enduring real life love stories you'll see.
The soundtrack is a winner too!
Capote
Philip Seymour Hoffman's award-winning turn as Truman Capote was as chilling as it was mesmerising. Focusing on the relationship Capote formed with killer Perry Smith, while researching his book In Cold Blood, the film's riveting and eery tale left me speechless for hours.
The Queen
Helen Mirren put in a right royal performance as Her Royal Highness, struggling to maintain the public support in the aftermath of Diana's untimely death.
If Mirren wasn't already a dame, this would surely have earnt her the title. Stephen Frear's brilliant script provided an amusing intimate insight behind the palace walls, both mocking the monarchy and empathising with it at the same time.
United 93
This stunning true drama served up a harrowing, unforgettable real time account of the events that played out aboard doomed United Flight 93 on September 11 2001.
The jarring, fact-based telling of how the passengers fought back against the terrorists will be hard to surpass for many years to come.
Thank-you for Smoking
Director Jason Reitman a surprisingly charming and funny film following the machinations of tobacco industry spin doctor Nick Naylor (a highly amusing Aaron Eckhart) desperately trying to remain a role model to his 12-year-old son. Equally as entertaining were his co-Merchants of Death - Maria Bello and David Koechner as the spokespeople for the alcohol and firearms industries.
Casino Royale
Pierce who? That's what we were left asking Daniel Craig won us over in a superb debut as the enigmatic M16 agent with a licence to kill. With Casino Royale, the 21st Bond adventure, director Martin Campbell reset the clock and took fans back to beginning of Bond's career - and a rawer, darker and reckless Bond.
Craig more than passed the unenviable 'Bond' test, meeting all the essential criteria for the quintessential super spy - he was cool as ice, tough as nails, and, of course, charming enough to melt the coldest of ice maidens. See it.
And the rest.
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Date Movie
Quite simply, the worst-excuted spoof film in decades.
An utter absence of plot, humour and lack of talent.
Basic Instinct 2
Gut instinct told me that Sharon Stone's comeback as the ice-picking wielding, bisexual novelist after more than a decade would stink - and it did.
Adrift
In a nutshell, a bunch of stupid people, do a stupid thing and are left floating in the ocean unable to get back on board their boat, like stupid bits of shark bait.
Script (and talent) overboard!
Mission Impossible III
Yes, it seems Tom's Cruise dreams of box-office success on the big screen in 2006 was a mission impossible. The stunts and action was tops but Mr Cruise was just awful.
Poseidon
Simultaneously one of most anticipated and one of the biggest let downs of the year. Despite a proven script to work with (ie the original 1972 film The Poseidon Adventure), this big budget remake sunk like a lead balloon to a watery death.
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