Looking Through Time: 2006 Movies

Story posted April 16, 2021 in CommRadio, Arts & Entertainment by CommRadio Arts & Entertainment Staff

The CommRadio arts & entertainment staff revisits some of the most memorable and influential films from 2006.

“The Departed”

“The Departed” is one of the biggest games of cat and mouse to ever display on the silver screen. As Leonardo DiCaprio’s character—Boston cop Billy Costigan—gains the trust of mobster Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson), criminal Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) poses as a cop on the other side.

Throughout the movie, both the police and mobsters realize that there is an imposter infiltrating and sharing secrets. It is up to both Frank and Billy to find out who each other are, as their lives depend on it.

The star-studded cast has more depth with Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin and even Brad Pitt making an appearance. All of the actors play off each other very exemplarily, leaving for some of the most intense and breathtaking moments in any thriller ever.

As Frank and Billy’s lives become more intertwined, it becomes apparent that there will be no easy way to solve the conflict. One could even argue rooting for the bad guys in this one, as Damon comes off as suave although belligerent.

The Martin Scorsese-directed film is deeply underrated in his filmography, but it is one of the best modern-day adaptations of a gangster film. Through all of the twists and turns and lies and deceptions, audiences will be on their toes until the film’s masterclass ending.

Let’s just say that the movie’s title plays a major role in wrapping it all up.  —Caelan Chevrier

“The Pursuit of Happyness”

“The Pursuit of Happyness” is one of the best films of 2006 and a story that people will not forget.

Based on a true story from the 1980s, “The Pursuit of Happyness” depicts Chris Gardner (played by Will Smith), his wife and his 5-year-old son trying to survive in San Francisco. Gardner has invested his time and money into selling portable bone-density scanners to doctors. This device was successful for a while, but it becomes less popular, and his wallet becomes lighter. 

One day, Gardner meets and impresses Jay Twistle, a manager at a financial firm, who offers Gardner an internship—a job with no pay. Gardner’s wife is upset by this and cannot handle it; she ends up leaving him and their son behind.

Viewers will watch teary-eyed as they see the struggles and motivations that Gardner and his son encounter. “The Pursuit of Happyness” is the perfect story about the American Dream. Find out what happens by watching the movie—it might be a good idea to keep a box of tissues nearby.  —Emily McGlynn

“The Devil Wears Prada”

How often does the audience see a film that stars Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci? The answer is once, and that film is “The Devil Wears Prada.”

The film follows Hathaway’s character, Andy, as she becomes the assistant to Miranda Priestly (Streep), the top editor-in-chief of Runway Magazine, with Stanley Tucci as the hilarious Nigel and Emily Blunt as Emily.

Not only does Streep deliver her lines with such cruelty as the titular “devil” character, she also makes the character of Miranda extremely human, and Hathaway holds her own very well against Streep. Add Tucci’s and Blunt’s savage insults towards Andy and you have one of the best movies of 2006. 

“The Devil Wears Prada” is not just a movie with a top-notch cast; the writing is surprisingly insightful, too. The film made $326 million worldwide compared to its $35 million budget. Streep’s performance as Miranda Priestly is simply iconic, and it earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

Although “The Devil Wears Prada” is not a perfect film by any means, it is a classic that has withstood the test of time and proves itself to be one of the most popular movies from the 2000s.  —Jimmy Lu

“Paprika”

With a bomb soundtrack and a vibrant, quirky art style, “Paprika” is one of the most iconic animated films to come out of the year 2006.

Directed by Satoshi Kon, “Paprika” tells the tale of Dr. Atsuko Chiba, a psychologist who works as a dream agent at night, going by the code name Paprika. Kon is also known for other amazing works such as “Tokyo Godfathers” and “Paranoia Agent.”

A device called the DC mini intended to help psychiatric patients is being used to manipulate and destroy the minds of people. This film is both convoluted and surreal yet remains a spectacle with its trippy and often beautiful, mesmerizing colors and animations.

Although the plot is hard to follow at times, the story is nonetheless an interesting one. Biewers will find themselves captivated, questioning the meanings of certain characters and themes presented along the way.

It remains an excellent movie for those who are into anything animated or those just looking for something new to watch.  —Jon Mead

 

Caelan Chevrier is a freshman majoring in journalism. To contact him, email cjc6789@psu.edu.

Emily McGlynn is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email esm5378@psu.edu.

Jimmy (Chien-Hsing) Lu is a senior majoring in telecommunications. To contact him, email jfl5603@psu.edu.

Jon Mead is a sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jkm6040@psu.edu.

About the Contributors

Jimmy (Chien-Hsing) Lu's photo

Jimmy (Chien-Hsing) Lu

Senior / Telecommunications

Jimmy (Chien-Hsing) Lu is a senior from Taiwan majoring in telecommunications at Penn State. He is a contributing writer for the CommRadio arts & entertainment department. If you’d like to contact him, please email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Emily McGlynn's photo

Emily McGlynn

Third-year / Broadcast Journalism

Emily McGlynn is a third-year from Birmingham, Michigan majoring in broadcast journalism at Penn State. She is the Co-General Manager alongside Alex Rocco and Dylan Price. She is involved in the news, arts and entertainment, sports and production department. In the news department, she is one of the news producers. She frequently writes reviews for the Arts Department as well. Listening to music, watching movies, and staying updated with news and pop culture are some of her favorite things to do. To contact her, email her at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Caelan Chevrier's photo

Caelan Chevrier

Third Year / Marketing & Journalism

Caelan Chevrier is a third-year student in the Smeal College of Business at Penn State University studying marketing and broadcast journalism with the goal of graduating with a bachelor’s degree in four years. His career goal is to spread informative, meaningful, and entertaining content across various platforms and to be a positive impact on the community. He has also spent time working at WWE in the communications department and writing for The Westport Local Press in his hometown of Westport, CT. If you’d like to contact him, email him at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Jon Mead's photo

Jon Mead

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