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. 3d ago

    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!)

  2. 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!)

  3. 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!)

  4. 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!)

  5. Jun 25

    BONUS EP: "Disclosure Day" (with Shaun Swayne!)

    Surprise! Another episode in which we deign to cover a brand new motion picture. Our War of the Worlds episode with the great Bilge Ebiri and the great Alex Watkins is one of our favorites of the 2005 season, so it felt right to catch up with Steven Spielberg as he once again goes Alien Mode with writer David Koepp in 2026. Brian was on the run from a shadow government organization during the record, so Rob provides some brief set-up and thoughts before jumping into a loose, rapid-fire chit-chat with BOG Associate Producer Shaun Swayne (apologies in advance for the audio hiccups). Rob and Shaun get into Spielberg remixing Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Emily Blunt's powerful central performance, opening up one's heart to Spielberg's boundless earnestness, parallels with influences as disparate as Escape to Witch Mountain and 2001: A Space Odyssey, and the anxieties of watching a movie you think is a banger with a bunch of people who think it's goofy and bad. We hope you have fun with it (and check out the movie if you haven't yet)! Brian's socials: Bluesky Twitter Rob's: Bluesky Linktree Shaun: n/a, also on the run from a shadow governmental organization Rob's letterboxd list "stuff I think about when I think of Disclosure Day": https://boxd.it/V6UNO Check out friend of the pod Bilge Ebiri's Steven Spielberg oral history and his Spielberg pod with The Film Stage the They Shoot Pictures Don't They list we discuss early in the episode Email us at BoxOfficeGROSS@gmail.com Rate, comment, review, etc. wherever you get your podcasts. We love you!!!! "LISTEN."

    BONUS EP: "Disclosure Day" (with Shaun Swayne!)

  6. Jun 22

    2006, Ep. 22: "THE FAST & THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT" (with Pete Volk!)

    The awesome Pete Volk (Sports Movies That Don't Suck) joins us for another runty-in-the-moment third film in an action series that eventually became one of the biggest franchises in the world, THE FAST & THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT. We discuss all the insane sliding-doors moments in this disparate series, from nearly being released direct-to-video, its highly-criticized lead casting, its Disney Channel Original Movie structure, its most grounded, human-level perspective, and the pivotal half-jokey casting decision that caused the entire series to distort itself into retroactive temporal f*****y to make its lore fit into place. Other topics include Better Luck Tomorrow, Lucas Black's rare leading-man accent, the problematic comments section of the Internet Movie Car Database, iPods, flip phones, AOL Instant Messenger, fake stand-in directors for arrests, and the magic of "Bawitdaba". This episode was one of the most fun episodes we've done so far, and I think we did brisk justice for an aerodynamic entry in a series defined by its bloat. Pete is such an excellent guest, and we had a blast, and we hope you do too!!! 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 Pete's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/petevolk.bsky.social Sports Movies That Don't Suck: https://open.spotify.com/show/2zjVQSqxwWjKJpbwy7omF8 Keiichi Tsuchiya: The Touge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NblB5jHTIoU The Dreamcast Files: "Tokyo Xtreme Racer" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdwPjDzeFE0

    2006, Ep. 22: "THE FAST & THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT" (with Pete Volk!)

  7. Jun 15

    2006, Ep. 21: "NACHO LIBRE" (with Alex Goldman!)

    The great Alex Goldman (Hyperfixed, Amityvilleville) returns, in much better health than our Narnia episode, as we discuss Jared Hess's post-Napoleon Dynamite blank check, the Mexican wrestling comedy NACHO LIBRE! This film is an absolutely perfect entry for the theme of our show, a movie with an easily summarized elevator-pitch premise and famous lead that a lot of people saw and everyone sorta remembers, that made money 20 years ago but basically no one feels passion for revisiting. We discuss its genial charms, its shapeless yet insistent narrative, its dicey racial insensitivity, its intermittently gorgeous photography, the small but pivotal ways Mormonism informs Hess's work, the potential respect and disrespect for the people of Mexico, the art of professional wrestling, and Jack Black's long, fruitful but complicated career as a Popular Culture Personality. Alex is one of the best in the business and we had an absolute blast having him back, this conversation is one of my favorites that we've done in a while, 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 Alex's Bluesky: ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/agoldman.bsky.social⁠⁠ Hyperfixed: ⁠⁠https://www.hyperfixedpod.com/⁠ Amityvilleville: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/amityvilleville/id1870701232 Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    2006, Ep. 21: "NACHO LIBRE" (with Alex Goldman!)

  8. Jun 8

    2006, Ep. 20: "CARS" (with Jeb Lund!)

    KACHOW! KACHIKA! The great Jeb Lund (@Mobute, It's Christmastime) returns again to cover the most merchandized film we've yet covered, the perfectly passable piece of Pixar product known as CARS! Rob takes us DEEP on the brief history of the most prominent animation studio currently running, as we go into their first official collaboration with Disney. We discuss its benign, b******t origin story ("a film about cars" "a film about Route 66"), the cultural overcorrection of the late W Bush years, the inexplicable drift-car trend among summer '06 films, the even more inexplicable rise of Larry the Cable Guy, the travesty of Rascal Flatts, the film's villains being arrogance and the interstate highway system, its appeals to Boomer nostalgia and childhood merchandizing, its structure making it both a secret Hallmark movie and a Doc Hollywood ripoff, and how little that matters when you see a small child's eyes light up as they hit the gas. Other topics include Ludwig von Drake v. Professor Owl, spilling cat foot in the garage, tramp stamps, fart jokes, Silicon Valley Masters of the Universe, old Jalopnik articles, and the true brilliance of "Disney Pixar Cars falling into deep pool, Lightning McQueen, Tow Mater, Mack, Sally, Francesco". We love Jeb and love that we've gotten to make him such a regular around these parts, he's brilliant and hilarious as always, please 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 Linktree: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/ROBDUNSON 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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ) "Disney Pixar Cars falling into deep pool, Lightning McQueen, Tow Mater, Mack, Sally, Francesco": https://youtu.be/QVm-rEdZSzA?si=AeGTV8PJp24vjGjx Rob’s list of anthropomorphic car animation and other car-related animation, including links to watch for free on various platforms: https://boxd.it/UHF4u "Why Am I Alive? Death, Obsolescence and Corporeality in Pixar" https://medium.com/@illiterates/why-am-i-alive-death-obsolescence-and-corporeality-in-pixar-e1554d29ee12 "Criterion’s 4K Wall-E is a Psy-Op" https://medium.com/@illiterates/criterions-4k-wall-e-is-a-psy-op-d99b0a636cfe "Metallica's discography but only when they say parts of a car" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nLMdhYUzLo

    2006, Ep. 20: "CARS" (with Jeb Lund!)
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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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