Box Office GROSS: The Top 50 Hit Films of 2006

Brian Schmid
  • 4.8 (6)
  • TV & FILM
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Revisiting the top 50 highest-grossing films of 2006 with the hindsight of twenty years, looking into the mostly-forgotten films that made the most money, why they were hits in their moment, and why they did or (more likely) did not endure in the popular culture.

  1. 6D AGO

    2006, Ep. 6: "FAILURE TO LAUNCH" (with Jeb Lund!)

    The great Jeb Lund (It's Christmastime, @Mobute) returns from our Longest Yard episode to cover another movie with an old football player in it, the demented high-concept rom-com Failure to Launch! Rob and I discuss our sharp digressions on the quality of the film: he passionately defines it as a thoughtful and clever film about a man fundamentally out of step with the confines of natural law, existing in a state of war with the natural world until his hubris is rectified by the love of a strong romantic partner. I, meanwhile, passionately define it as a dogshit movie where Matthew McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker swirl around a tedious idiot plot while occasionally suffering ludicrous slapstick animal attacks that get less and less funny the longer we go. Jeb was the perfect guest to have here thanks to his years of expertise in insipid Hallmark detritus, as we pick through the good and the bad of this wacky piece of work, from the high-point supporting cast (Kathy Bates, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper and even Terry Bradshaw doing charming work) to its demented B-Dub-3-ass climax, this movie is CERTAINLY never boring, and we definitely don't run out of things to discuss in this very VERY fun episode, including me making a righteous correction to the ACTUAL CREDITS OF THE FILM THEMSELVES. Check it out! We had a blast! Brian's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/SchmanthonyP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob's Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://artofilliterates.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jeb's Twitter: ⁠https://x.com/Mobute⁠ Jeb's Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/mobute.bsky.social⁠ It's Christmastown: ⁠https://daveandjebarentmean.libsyn.com/⁠⁠ Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    2h 10m

  2. FEB 16

    2006, Ep. 5: "EIGHT BELOW" (with Doug Tilley!)

    Our cherished pal Doug Tilley (Cinema Smorgasbord) makes his third appearance (Batman Begins, The Forty-Year-Old Virgin) on our show to cover an even more famous film: EIGHT BELOW, the forgotten Disney survival drama that takes a true story of tragedy and perseverance seminal to midcentury Japanese culture, removes most of the tragedy and all the Japanese people! We discuss this blandly professional but subtly disrespectful story of abandoned sled dogs and the people who purported to care about them. We get into Doug's experience caring for huskies, my completely disreputable dislike of animals broadly, and this film's extremely American sense of obsessive dog worship and sanitized half-measures, a film too intense for kids but too stupid for adults, that presents a sort of bastardization of a real feeling, a movie that wants you to care about dogs beyond the realms of all sense, and also unexpectedly wants you to care about if Jason Biggs is getting laid, beyond the realms of all sense. This episode was a complete blast, and we had way, way more fun than I anticipated we could with such a moribund film, a credit to Doug, a true pro who always enlivens any conversation he participates in. Check this puppy out! Brian's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/SchmanthonyP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob's Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://artofilliterates.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Doug's Bluesky: ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/dougtilley.bsky.social⁠⁠ Cinema Smorgasbord: ⁠⁠https://www.cinemasmorgasbord.com/⁠⁠ The Dreamcast Files, episode 85 - Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHTmdt2ZJVc Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    2h 17m

  3. FEB 9

    2006, Ep. 4: "MADEA'S FAMILY REUNION" (with Will Sloan!)

    The wonderful and talented writer WILL SLOAN (Important Cinema Club Podcast, Ed Wood: Made in Hollywood USA) joins us for an absolute doozy, as we dive deep into the flawed and fascinating three-ring-circus oeuvre of the playwright, filmmaker and mogul TYLER PERRY, and cover his 2006 directorial debut MADEA'S FAMILY REUNION. We dissect his offbeat, auteurism, his violent tonal shifts between grotesque melodrama and ludicrous slapstick, and his maniacal attempts at balancing every facet of his personality. We also get into the perennially underserved black thespian class, the curdled religious psychopathy and domestic violence gags of his Chitlin Circuit live shows, his gestures to and away from respectability politics, the Three Faces of Perry, unexpected Lynchian staging, Maya Angelou's dissonant appearance, accusations of colorism and misogyny, and so much more. This is one of the wildest, most jam-packed episodes we've ever done, and it was such a pleasure to have Will there to volley with us, please check this one out, it rules! LET'S TRY TO BE FRIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENDS! Brian's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/SchmanthonyP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob's Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://artofilliterates.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Will's Twitter: https://x.com/WillSloanEsq Will's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/willsloanesq.bsky.social Important Cinema Club: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-important-cinema-club/id1067435576 Ed Wood: Made in Hollywood USA: https://www.amazon.com/Ed-Wood-Made-Hollywood-USA/dp/1682196410 Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    1h 55m

  4. FEB 2

    2006, Ep. 3: "THE PINK PANTHER" (with TJ Dobbin!)

    Our brilliant pal and FOUR TIME B.O.G. Legend TJ Dobbin (Sin City, Batman Begins, Chicken Little) returns to help us inspect the Steve Martin entry in the PINK PANTHER series. We delve into the lengthy tail of the legendary original series (and one of our host's noted dislike for them!), and TJ schools us on the sprawling history of Depatie-Freleng studios and their prolific animated Panther output. Other topics include Shawn Levy's bizarre original choice for Clouseau, Martin's too-knowing eyes, Beyonce's bewilder anonymity, Emily Mortimer's hollow bones, an insane Bond cameo, Jean Reno's game commitment and secret nationality, the lackluster late seasons of BONES, leveling up in "street smarts", and Allen Iverson's role in making me love a monkey cartoon. At this point, you all know the greatness TJ always brings, and this was a BLAST; we packed SO MUCH good info into less than two hours, and I'm so excited for you to hear it to hear it. Brian's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/SchmanthonyP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob's Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://artofilliterates.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TJ's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/tjamesdobbin.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠ TJ's Website: ⁠https://strawberrypenguin.ca/⁠ Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    1h 48m

  5. JAN 26

    2006, Ep. 2: "BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE 2" (with Trevor Strunk!)

    We invited our brilliant and funny pal Trevor Strunk (@Hegelbon, No Cartridge) to talk about an equally brilliant and erudite work, Martin Lawrence in BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE 2! We delve into the war crime that is the first film, with its implicit endorsement of sexual assault, and the extremely proto-Blartian second film's official position that starting a family with Nia Long is one of the most emasculating things one can do. We also discuss the film's unconscious endorsement of trans ideology, its active endorsement of ten year olds grabbing their butts, Zachary Levi's excellent politics, the finer points of Carpool starring Tom Arnold, a literary analysis of Sorority Boys and the lonesome ballad of Dookie Muncher. We had so much fun digging through the wreckage of this one and we got way more out of it than I even anticipated, so check it out! We had a blast! Brian's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/SchmanthonyP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob's Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://artofilliterates.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Trevor's Twitter: https://x.com/Hegelbon Trevor's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/nocartridge.bsky.social No Cartridge: https://www.patreon.com/nocartridge Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    1h 57m
  6. 2006, Ep. 1: "UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION" (with Daniel Gorman!)

    JAN 19

    2006, Ep. 1: "UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION" (with Daniel Gorman!)

    SEASON 2 BEGINS! This week, after 50 weeks of 2005, we dive headfirst into the wild reeds of *2006*, and we pick up another returning BOG Legend, the great Daniel Gorman (from our Amityville Horror and Sky High episodes) to help us pick apart our first entry, the lugubrious vampires v. werewolves saga of UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION (#47 of 2006)! We delve into the series' ludicrously overcomplicated lore, its wildly overqualified supporting cast, and its delightfully stupid Badass 2006 qualities, dubbed "the most My Roommate Had This on DVD movie of all time". These all come together to make a movie that...one of our intrepid hosts kinda flat-out loved? We had a blast going into all the details of this wacky business, it was awesome to have Daniel back, and it's SO EXCITING to start 2006 in style! Check it out! Brian's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/SchmanthonyP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob's Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://artofilliterates.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Daniel's Twitter: ⁠⁠https://x.com/DanielGorman20⁠⁠ Daniel's Bluesky: ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/danielgorman20.bsky.social⁠⁠ Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    1h 49m

  7. JAN 15

    S1 E49: "King Kong" (#5) - with Kevin Gray!

    Our unofficial third host Kevin Gray (from our Pacifier and Forty-Year-Old Virgin episodes!) makes his triumphant return for our SEASON ONE FINALE!!!! We delve into Peter Jackson's grand epic KING KONG! We discuss Jackson's obsession with the material and its complicated rights issues, the film's gargantuan runtime, its beautifully rendered 1930s NYC setting, its incredible lead performances, especially the remarkable work by Andy Sirkis, its inexplicably rad video game, and its complicated critical and commercial response. We had a blast making this, despite the fact that I was CRAZY SICK during this recording and spent most of it with my head in my hands on the desk. Other than the intro, you can barely tell. THAT'S PROFESSIONALISM BAYBEE. Please check it out, we had so much fun! Brian's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/SchmanthonyP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob's Bluesky: ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠ Rob's Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://artofilliterates.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Kevin's Twitter: ⁠https://x.com/notoriouskpg⁠ Kevin's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/notorious-kpg.bsky.social Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    2h 2m

  8. JAN 12

    S1 E48: "The Family Stone" (#43) - with Katie Stebbins

    Our beloved pal Katie Stebbins (from our Herbie and Flightplan episodes) returns for the real main course here: the prickly, maniacal, fascinating Christmas family dramedy THE FAMILY STONE. We go way, WAY deep (tying our third-longest episode so far) on a movie that just needs it because there's just so much to untangle: this is a film packed with huge stars and WILD tonal swings, a film that lurches so wildly in different directions that it can so easily rub so many people the wrong way, a film that absolutely should not work in any way, and yet, somehow, does, thanks to its talented cast and fierce, committed spirit. This is a tremendous conversation, because we just kept finding more things worth unpacking, discussing, psychoanalyzing (I personally found this conversation extremely enlightening in regards to my own unconscious biases and how I process characters with anxiety, so this was unequivocally fascinating to me) Katie's always good to talk with, and after enlivening the chat on two dirtweed garbage movies, I'm excited to finally present her with a movie worthy of her time and conversation, because this one is one of the best episodes we've ever done, and I'd love for you to hear it! Preorder for Katie's amazing 1949 Film 'Zine (available 1/16): https://www.etsy.com/listing/4435144828/top-ten-by-year-1949-zine-9-pre-order Katie's 2025 Media Scrapbook: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dJfm9BSETQ79HA9277MpF6ub3TX6B6WP/view?usp=sharing Brian's Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/SchmanthonyP⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob's Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://artofilliterates.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Katie's Twitter: ⁠⁠https://x.com/_katiestebbins_⁠⁠ Katie's Bluesky: ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/feminaridens.bsky.social⁠⁠ Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    2h 37m
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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Revisiting the top 50 highest-grossing films of 2006 with the hindsight of twenty years, looking into the mostly-forgotten films that made the most money, why they were hits in their moment, and why they did or (more likely) did not endure in the popular culture.

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