Freakpit's Faves of 2006 (25 to 21)

Today we continue the round-up of the Freakpit's favourite movies of 2006. See yesterday for what actually counts as a 2006 movie. By the way, in case you're wondering why I decided on a top 30, it's because I started off trying a top 20 but came up with closer to 30. That's the only reason. Anyway, on with the countdown...

25. THE GHOSTS OF DUFFY'S CUT

This short documentary (just under an hour if I remember correctly) is an Irish production, shot in luscious HD, telling the story of a bunch of Irish immigrants who flocked to America looking for work during the 19th century and found jobs on a stretch of railroad. Within weeks every one of them was dead, buried somewhere in an unmarked mass grave.

Part ghost story, part mystery, part historical investigation, the men behind the camera play detective in an attempt to find the bodies and work out what happened to the men who died. What they uncover is a horror story of hardship, disease, bigotry and superstition. It's fair to say that some of their findings are speculation rather than fact but they build a compelling case and the film turned out to be one of the highlights of the Stranger Than Fiction 2006 documentary festival in Dublin. I believe it was to be shown on RTE in Ireland in January too, but since January's almost over I guess there's a fair chance I've told you too late. Oh well.

24. LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE

A good old feelgood movie with a wonderful cast, both in terms of the actors involved and the oddball characters they play, from the loser of a father to the silent son to the drug-addict grandfather. Kinnear, Bresling, Collette, Dano, Farrell and Arkin are all superb in a movie that warms the heart and tickles the funny bone. Deservedly it is now picking up a few nods during awards season.

23. THE UNCERTAIN GUEST

This Spanish thriller was a highlight of the Edinburgh International Film Festival this year, a Hitchcock-style tale of obsession and madness that is darkly comic and nerve-janglingly tense in equal measure. It seems to be lurking beneath the radar at the moment but deserves better.

22. SUPERMAN RETURNS

Come on, you know the story. Big blue and red guy, wears a funny costume, flies around, catches planes and beats bad guys. The memory of the utter turds that followed SUPERMAN II have finally been erased. It might not have done the business that Warners were looking for but critically it was a worthy successor to the original movie and a faithful updating of the ultimate iconic hero. Roll on the sequel.

21. THE SQUID AND THE WHALE

Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney head up the cast in a tale that, like LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, looks at a potentially dark subject matter (in this case the effect a divorce has on the couple and their children) but wrings out all the humour it can by throwing together an insane group of quirky characters and seeing what happens.

It's directed by Noah Baumbach, the guy who previously co-wrote with Wes Anderson, so it's no surprise to see the film showing the same kind of odd humour we expect of Anderson's films. Thankfully, it makes just as good a job of it.

Continued tomorrow!