Box Office GROSS: The Top 50 Hit Films of 2006

Brian Schmid
  • 4.5 (10)
  • 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. 5d ago

    2006, Ep. 29: "TALLADEGA NIGHTS: THE BALLAD OF RICKY BOBBY" (with Willow Catelyn Maclay!)

    BOOGITY BOOGITY BOOGITY folks, let's go podcasting! Our wonderful transportation maven Willow Catelyn Maclay returns to provide us her NASCAR expertise for the film that won the Academy Award for Best Movie Ever Made, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby! We discuss Will Ferrell's first true blank check post-superstardom, and the powerful shadows of Tony Scott and Dale Earnhardt hanging over the proceedings, as well as the comedic dominance of John C. Reilly and the interesting balance of gentle, goofball humor and the cataclysmic mortality of NASCAR as a television experience, as well as the wide imbalance of montage vs. riffing. We also get into the fascinating place this film occupies in an LGBTQ context, since it's a film with a lot of gay jokes but also a film with a provocational intimacy that drew boos from audiences in NASCAR country, pulling at traditional queer stereotypes in a way that, rare for the era, is not aggressively mean-spirited. Other topics include the nightmare of DVD-era extended cuts, Clickhole garbage sons, George W. Bush cardboard cutouts, invisible fire, putting that evil on me, the greatest of Gary Cole, Amy Adams' Oscar speech, the fundamental ridiculousness of America, NASCAR Thunder 2004 and the BEST NAMES IN NASCAR HISTORY. There's some DOOZIES. We love Willow, and it was a thrill to have her back again, check it out! The 2001 Pepsi 400 -Freakazoid: "Bounjour Lobey": Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON⁠⁠⁠⁠ Willow's Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/willowcatelyn.bsky.social⁠ Willow's Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/willowcatelynmaclay⁠ ⁠⁠Corpses, Fools and Monsters: The History and Future of Transness in Cinema by ⁠⁠Willow Maclay⁠⁠ (Author), ⁠⁠Caden Gardner⁠⁠ (Author) - ⁠⁠https://www.amazon.com/Corpses-Fools-Monsters-Examination-Images/dp/1914420586⁠ Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    2006, Ep. 29: "TALLADEGA NIGHTS: THE BALLAD OF RICKY BOBBY" (with Willow Catelyn Maclay!)

  2. Aug 10

    2006, Ep. 28: "MIAMI VICE" (with Daniel Gorman & Peter Labuza!)

    For one last time I need y'all to ROAR! CINEPHILES GATHER ROUND, we've retained the services of beloved BOG legends Daniel Gorman (Underworld: Evolution, Sky High, Amityville Horror) and Peter Labuza (Poseidon) to dive into the deep cloudy seas of Michael Mann's MIAMI VICE., a film described on this very episode as "the best film we've ever covered" and "the best film of the 21st century", an experimental cinematic explosion released into three thousand theaters. We discuss the church of Michael Mann, a film ahead of its time that has only grown in stature, a film so potent it's near-impossible to avoid bodies-in-space lyricism, a film that synergizes avant-garde and USA Up All Night into a mesmerizing digital jumble, a film that eschews both ends of its title to envelop the viewer in existential abstraction and extreme specifics in logistics and procedure to make an overwhelming whole. A film with such a vivid look and backstory that it feels like you're experiencing the film and the making of film simultaneously, Symbiopsychotaxiplasm style. This is one of those Movies Of The Life, and Daniel and Peter are both passionate, experienced and erudite in exactly the ways we needed. This was an absolute blast, and it was a privilege to be able to cover something that doesn't take any cajoling to make interesting or worthwhile. CHECK IT OUT Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON⁠⁠⁠⁠ Peter's Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/labuzamovies.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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    2006, Ep. 28: "MIAMI VICE" (with Daniel Gorman & Peter Labuza!)

  3. Aug 3

    2006, Ep. 27: "YOU, ME & DUPREE" (with Chris Bell!)

    Our great filmmaker and great pal Chris Bell wheels the TV cart in to show us a film he says is better than The Breadwinner but not better than almost anything: YOU, ME, & DUPREE. Inexplicably hailing from the directors of the upcoming Avengers; Doomsday and odious MCU architect Russo Brothers, Dupree brings back a litany of actors we've already covered (Matt Dillon, Kate Hudson, Owen Wilson, even Seth Rogen) for an intolerable bro-rom-com with characters so maddeningly inconsistent that it feels like a spinning wheel of improv scenes staged among people with little comedic background, "a movie about an annoying guy", except the annoying guy changes every 20 minutes. THRILL to a film called "utterly despairing", "uncompromisingly mediocre", "rigorously inoffensive" and "absolute nothing save for a bad aftertaste". We discuss the film's synergy with other lazy and lackluster comedies of the period, dwelling on cultural fears of emasculation and being disrespected at corporate jobs, and I propose Michael Douglas's CEO as the secret hero of the film for doing everything he can to discourage and insult this loser from marrying his daughter. Other topics include inexplicably exotic location-shooting plane stunts, the baffling "Austin Powers' penis" level obfuscation of multiple female characters, if Nate Bargatze measures up to Vin Diesel, lightning patches, Asian fetish porn, high-level home repair, Boysweat Dave, Pills and Coke, the Zen of ClitSlayer420 and an incredible, possibly as-yet-unpublished discovery of distinctive stock footage. Chris was a blast to have on and we had such a fun time with this awful, awful film. CHECK IT OUT! Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON⁠⁠⁠⁠ Chris's Bluesky: ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/christopherbell.bsky.social Chris's Twitter: https://x.com/UpdateTheGrids Chris Bell at MeansTV - https://means.tv/authors/chrisbell Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    2006, Ep. 27: "YOU, ME & DUPREE" (with Chris Bell!)

  4. Jul 27

    "The Prestige" / "The Odyssey" (with Cameron Kunzelman!) // a BONUS Christopher Nolan Double Feature Spectacular

    Are you [listening] closely? Abracadabra! We perform the remarkable magic trick...of getting three men on a microphone to discuss the films of Christopher Nolan! A two-for-one special this week! Joined by the great, super smart Cameron Kunzelman of the Ranged Touch network of podcasts, we take a break from the financial bonanzas of 2006 to touch on a film with middling box office receipts but a significant cultural tail: Christopher Nolan's The Prestige, the last time (at least as of this episode's release) that a Christopher Nolan film wouldn't break into the top 20 of its given year, let alone the top 50. True to the dualism central to Nolan's project, we pair The Prestige with Nolan's latest work of adaptation, The Odyssey. That's right! Two movies in one episode! We get into our incredibly disparate opinions on the Nolan project, love and hate for Movies about Movies, The Prestige's effectiveness on rewatch, if Christian Bale is A Good Actor or just Doing a Lot of Acting, Andy Serkis's cool and normal career, if The Odyssey needs to be seen on the biggest screen possible (and, given the controversies surrounding its production, if it SHOULD be seen on the big screen at all), if Memento is indeed "a movie told in reverse," how Nolan's literalism and materialism inform his interpretations of myth and fantasy, the alleged "messiness" of The Odyssey's opening stretch, how The Odyssey inverts and reconfigures the interests and themes of Oppenheimer, and so so much more... Will Rob love the freedom and sophistication of discussing two big, dense, culturally significant movies in one two hour span, or will it drive him to want to become the Joker? Guess you'll just have to listen and find out! Note: Cameron touches on how The Odyssey's production violated the cultural boycott of Morocco-occupied Western Sahara; you can find a lot more about this at some of the links shared below. Democracy Now report on the boycott of The Odyssey for filming in Morroco-occupied Western Sahara "Odyssey to Africa's last colony" by Eoghan Gilmartin (Africa is a Country blog) 3 Stolen Cameras, a short documentary about the occupation Nolan's CGI is really just INVISIBLE CGI video by The Movie Rabbit Hole Find Cameron: RangedTouch Realis and Path Apparatus on Backerkit Cameron's website on Twitter on Bluesky Find Brian: on Twitter on Bluesky on YouTube Find Rob: Linktree talking Kevin Smith on Dead Formats

    "The Prestige" / "The Odyssey" (with Cameron Kunzelman!) // a BONUS Christopher Nolan Double Feature Spectacular

  5. Jul 20

    2006, Ep. 26: "MONSTER HOUSE" (with Chris Plante!)

    Our marvelous pal CHRIS PLANTE (Post Games, The Besties) has healed from laryngitis and is about to join us to discuss the spooky little horror vibes of MONSTER HOUSE! We discuss the film's gorgeous proto-Laika digital animation, the echoes of Dante and Zemeckis in director Gil Kenan's otherwise stubby filmography, and the histrionic behind the scenes drama coming from the film's inexplicable screenwriter, a pre-Community DAN HARMON. We dig into the film's delightfully potent set-up, its bizarrely desolate setting, its quality voiceover work and its bewildering, lackluster second-act narrative turn that seems at odds with basically everything that came before it. Other topics include diluting antagonists with therapy speak, the really dicey state of animated film in 2006, personal grudges against My Super Ex-Girlfriend and Wikipedia plot synopsizers, Travis Bickle's favorite cartoons, disrespecting Game Boy Advance games, writing angry letters to children in the newspaper, making 260 movie references in a single scene, and most important of all, our annual preseason preview of the teams of the AFC West! We had an absolute blast with Chris, one of my favorite people working in all of media, and we hope you check it out! Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON⁠⁠⁠ Chris's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/plante.bsky.social Post Games: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/post-games/id1815131711 The Besties: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-besties/id505516789 Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    2006, Ep. 26: "MONSTER HOUSE" (with Chris Plante!)

  6. Jul 13

    2006, Ep. 25: "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST" (with Kev Koeser & Scott Nye!)

    Folks! We HIT THE HIGH SEAS with two beloved return guests, Scott Nye (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Jarhead) and Kev Koeser (Madagascar, Memoirs of a Geisha) to cover the absolute *juggernaut* of the 2006 box office, the #1 overall film of the year, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST. We discuss the series' overwhelming cultural ubiquity in the wake of the first Pirates film, director Gore Verbinski's brilliant, maniacal excess (being likened critically to gluttony and excess and surfeit and force-feeding), the film's problematic, labyrinthine quad-maguffin plotline, its game cast of the phenomenally attractive and the captivatingly ugly, and its incredible merging of CGI and practical effects in a way that has long been abandoned, as well as its absolute financial obliteration of anything and everything in its path, commercial rolling over every other movie in 2006 LIKE A BIG F****N' WHEEL. Other topics include Taskmaster, The Hole, disrespecting the Lonely Island, letting grandmothers rent porno flicks, Quibi reality shows, triple cannons, weird love triangles and the Kraken as a pop cultural object. Scott and Kev are two of our favorite return pals and we had an absolute blast as expected talking about just the biggest f****n' noise of the whole damn year. Check it out! The Lonely Island - "Jack Sparrow" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI6CfKcMhjY Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON⁠⁠ Scott's Bluesky: ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/railoftomorrow.bsky.social⁠ Kev's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/maxrebosroadie.bsky.social⁠ Tasting Menu: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tasting-menu/id1773585423⁠ Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    2006, Ep. 25: "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST" (with Kev Koeser & Scott Nye!)

  7. Jul 6

    2006, Ep. 24: "SUPERMAN RETURNS" (with Keith Phipps!)

    This week, Box Office GROSS WINS THE PULITZER!!!! We are blessed to welcome the great Keith Phipps (The Reveal) on the show to help us encapsulate an absolutely perfect entry for the themes of our show: SUPERMAN RETURNS, a 200-plus-million-dollar hit featuring one of the most famous and enduring characters in the history of media, and yet a film that was considered a disappointment in the moment AND completely vanished in the culture, a vestigial limb in a long-running legacy tree. It doesn't help that this one sports major pacing and tone issues aiming to be "the Titanic of superhero movies", so desperate to gesture towards the past that it frequently fails to establish a personality for itself itself; featuring a green newcomer star, a love interest playing way out of her depth, Kal Penn as the silent villainous muscle, and a director and co-star who have been grievously and enduringly culturally #cancelled, it's just a recipe for a tough, tough sell. Other topics include playing Superman 64 in Alaska, falling asleep in front of Kevin Spacey, Lex's adorable little model town, fax machine SOSes, terrible passwords, DoctaJim and his YooStar expertise, the Soul Patrol, Scott Tobias's video game reviews and another run at the fabled Spencer Breslin Award. This episode is BEYOND super, it's SUPERB!!! Check it out!!! Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON⁠ Keith's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kphipps3000.bsky.social The Reveal: https://thereveal.film/ The Next Picture Show podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-picture-show/id1057714949 "Acting out a Superman Scene From YOOSTAR 2, HILARIOUUUUSSSS!!!" by DoctaJIM - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPBMfkA_lrw

    2006, Ep. 24: "SUPERMAN RETURNS" (with Keith Phipps!)

  8. Jun 29

    2006, Ep. 23: "CLICK" (with Eric Freeman!)

    Long-long-longtime pal Eric Freeman joins us to pick apart the demented Happy Madison morality play CLICK.. We discuss its curious place in Adam Sandler's filmography, and its fascinating, muddled emotional lessons, which can come off as unconsciously poignant as they are actively offensive. This is a film that seemingly accidentally comes to some meaningful existential points about being finding value and being present in your life, rather than living life on "autopilot" and "just getting through it", but it's buried under metric tons of dipshit humor, toxic masculinity and fatphobia, and the film barely even seems to realize most of the points its making. This, in turn, makes for an amazing conversation, and Eric brings so much excellent "harried overworked father of a young child" energy to speak truth to reality. Check it out! Brian's Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/schmanthonyp.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/wormsgreenrealm.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Rob’s Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON⁠ Eric's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/freemaneric.bsky.social "Sidney Lumet - Honorary Oscar (Oscars 2005)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyrgI0OVCFY Mick LaSalle - "Click" review https://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/REVIEW-Fast-forwarding-through-life-is-fun-But-2494241.php

    2006, Ep. 23: "CLICK" (with Eric Freeman!)
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4.5
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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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