Casino Royale

Yes, believe it or not, the best film of the year is a James Bond movie. It’s a phenomenal achievement that manages to distill the still-kicking 007 franchise to its barest bones and make it appeal to newcomers without making it feel alien to longtime fans like myself. If Casino Royale were just an action film, it would not be on the top of my list, though. The plot is involving and unpredictable from the first frame to the last, and the additions of actual actors like Daniel Craig and Eva Green have reinvigorated its validity and heart. With all these elements in place, the resulting film is a masterpiece that is quite possibly the best Bond film and the best movie of the year. Bravo, Mr. Bond, bravo.

—ÿRobert Taylor

Little Miss Sunshine

A suicidal gay uncle, a heroine-addicted grandpa and a seven-year-old who dreams of becoming a beauty queen are just three of the characters who make up the Hoover family in Little Miss Sunshine. ÿ

It isn’t your typical dysfunctional family movie. There isn’t a cute, happy ending to tie things up. The characters are so out there that they deserve their own reality TV show. Still, Little Miss Sunshine worked because it got audiences to cheer for the losers. The Hoovers face one problem after the other, whether it was dealing with their broken down VW van or figuring out what to do with a corpse. As badly as things went for them, they each stopped focusing on fixing their own lives, and this brought them closer together. The message might be subtle, but at its core, Little Miss Sunshine is a movie about families.

Though there have been many movies about dysfunctional families going on road trips, Little Miss Sunshine is the first to do it in such a bittersweet and satirical way.

— Brittany Moseley

Nacho Libre

Nacho Libre was written and directed by Jared and Jerusha Hess, the same people behind the cult phenomenon Napoleon Dynamite. The comedy, starring Jack Black, is the true story of a monk who dreams of becoming a professional wrestler. The movie is filled with hilarious one-liners, a quirky cast of characters and, of course, a message to follow your dreams no matter what. The plot is fairly simple and easy to follow, but don’t read too far into it. The movie is purposely shallow, and just like Napoleon, you either get it or you don’t.

—ÿAzka Khan

Thank You For Smoking

Since the unseen-yet-amazing-indie-film Thursday, I knew Aaron Eckhart was destined for some cinematic greatness. In many years, no role has been so awesome as that of Nick Naylor in Thank You for Smoking, a king-of-cool with a silver tongue speaking for the tobacco industry, and Eckhart nails it with all the required fun and panache. Mix in direction from the son of Ivan Reitman with a dryly humorous and sharply smart script, and you have a film that is wickedly enjoyable while reinforcing the serious idea of freedom of choice and individual thought over mandates.

—ÿAlly Melling

The Departed

The Departed

Martin Scorsese’s The Departed is easily the best movie of 2006. The fast-paced drama proves that at 64 years old, Scorsese hasn’t missed a beat.

Scorsese appeared as one of the major players in American cinema with 1973’s Mean Streets. Dozens of award winning films and documentaries followed within the next two decades. In the mid 1990s, with a handful of mediocre films, critics feared that Scorsese’s career had reached a plateau. With The Departed, Scorsese silenced all the critics.

The all-star cast delivers a flawless performance and Thelma Schoonmaker’s editing expertise appears once again. Scorsese will probably be nominated for an Oscar, only to probably lose again to a younger and less-deserving director. The Departed features the type of emotion and gritty realism that has not been seen since Taxi Driver.

—ÿDavid Bolger

Jamie Foxx — Unpredictable

In a 2004 remix of “Slow Jamz,” G-Unit’s Young Buck raps, “He ain’t supposed to sing, he’s a comedian.”

One platinum album later, Jamie Foxx has proven he’s no joke.

Foxx’s Unpredictable was the most impressive, complete hip-hop and R&B record of 2006.ÿ

Different from the typical Jay-Z, T.I. and Nas albums, Foxx listeners heard how a grown man brings hip-hop to the bedroom.ÿ Smooth tracks such as “Summertime” and “Storm” set the mood, while guest spots from Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Ludacris and Twista made the CD available for car rides without a female passenger. Foxx is already a comedian turned Oscar-winning actor. Look for Unpredictable to put Foxx in the running on Grammy night.ÿ

—ÿDavid Yochum

Neko Case — Fox Confessor Brings The Flood

In a 2004 remix of “Slow Jamz,” G-Unit’s Young Buck raps, “He ain’t supposed to sing, he’s a comedian.”

One platinum album later, Jamie Foxx has proven he’s no joke.

Foxx’s Unpredictable was the most impressive, complete hip-hop and R&B record of 2006.ÿ

Different from the typical Jay-Z, T.I. and Nas albums, Foxx listeners heard how a grown man brings hip-hop to the bedroom.ÿ Smooth tracks such as “Summertime” and “Storm” set the mood, while guest spots from Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Ludacris and Twista made the CD available for car rides without a female passenger. Foxx is already a comedian turned Oscar-winning actor. Look for Unpredictable to put Foxx in the running on Grammy night.ÿ

—ÿDavid Yochum

Justin Timberlake — Future Sex/Love Sounds

After years of failed attempts by various artists to bring sexy back, one man finally got it right.

Justin Timberlake brought sexy back with a vengeance in early September by releasing his second solo album, Future Sex/Love Sounds. The strong, raw club beats, courtesy of Timbaland, gave the album a bold edge that Timberlake is not usually known for. The record also provides mature lyrics in songs like “Love Stoned,” “Losing My Way” and “What Goes Around.” FS/LS held the number one spot on the Billboard chart consistently for seven weeks, which forever marked Timberlake’s credibility as an artist in the music industry and maybe his status as a pop culture icon.ÿ

—ÿAzka Khan

The Roots — Game Theory

With most of popular hip-hop being taken over by novelty songs such as “Laffy Taffy,” “Chain Hang Low” and “London Bridge,” it’s no surprise The Roots’ dark, brooding album, Game Theory, has listeners looking for the next big hit away from the radio.

Dealing with the politics of our society (“False Media,” “Don’t Feel Right”), mocking egotistical rappers (“Here I Come”) and deteriorating friendships (“Clock With No Hands”), The Roots production has never been more intricate and layered, successfully mixing the alternative feel of their previous albums with the hungry MC fervor of ’80s rap maestros Rakim and Public Enemy. The album proves that sometimes it’s best for hip-hop to step out of the club and take a look at itself and the rest of the world.

—ÿAndrew Gaug

Lily Allen — Alright, Still

Adorable badass seems like a bit of an oxymoron -ÿbut it’s the perfect way to describe Lily Allen and her music on her debut full-length, Alright, Still. When Allen isn’t busy scripting girl-power lyrics and busting your chops (“At first, when I see you cry/ yeah it makes me smile”), she’s putting together pop music so happy and uplifting that it’ll make even Donald Rumsfeld smile. On “Ldn,” Allen uses Spanish trumpets, and marvelous tension to work those facial muscles into a grin, building to a chorus that parts the heavens and drowns you in sunlight. Between unabashed lyrics and kitschy melodies, Lily Allen is improving your world, one song at a time.

—ÿBen Breier