Box Office GROSS: The Top 50 Hit Films of 2006

Brian Schmid
  • 4.3 (7)
  • 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. 2D AGO

    2006, Ep. 9: "INSIDE MAN" (with David Roth!)

    The beloved guest from our VERY FIRST EPISODE on the horror film White Noise, the great David Roth (Defector Media) makes his triumphant return to talk about...a good movie???? A *great* movie in fact, Spike Lee's twisty heist thriller INSIDE MAN. We endeavor to record THE PERFECT PODCAST. We discuss the legendary director's 21st century work building up to this, his most financial successful film: its crackerjack pacing, beautiful location work, stunningly accomplished cast, and the joy of getting to see a team of Hall of Famers work on an incredible level, even for a trifle of a genre film that falls apart at the slightest scrutiny, held together by a roster of marvelous craftsmen. We also discuss the film's social commentary, both effective (its statement on racial and cultural myopia for anyone outside of their demographics, especially in law enforcement) and less so (the great efforts undertaken to situate 50 Cent and Grand Theft Auto as some of society's greatest ills!) . But when that Terrence Blanchard score swells as Clive Owen looks upon the open vault, all you can think is: this is the classic shit right here baby. It is always a joy and a privilege to have David swing by the show, and we had a blast getting to speak with enthusiasm about a movie that kicks ass instead of pick apart a nascent trash fire. BUT DON'T GET USED TO IT! 3 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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ David's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/davidjroth.bsky.social Defector Media: https://defector.com/ Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    1h 47m

  2. 6D AGO

    SICKOS ONLY(tm) BONUS EP: The 78th Annual Academy Awards

    We didn't intend to put out two episodes FOR SICKOS ONLY(tm) so close together, but we had a long gestating idea for an episode covering the 2006 Oscars telecast, honoring all the films of 2005, a whooping THIRTEEN we covered on our show. We discuss the infamous controversy between Crash v. Brokeback Mountain for Best Picture, the legendary performance and victory for Three 6 Mafia, Jon Stewart's hosting job, the "TCM Fortnite" intro, the aggressive musical stings, "mayor of Hollywood" George Clooney, our passionate frustration with Oscar telecasts, and our affinity for montages, montages of any kind! We had so much fun just sort of bullshitting offbrand that we couldn't help but have a good time here, for one of the most memorable ceremonies of the 2000s. Check it out! (Nominees we covered: Crash, Brokeback Mountain, Walk the Line, Cinderella Man, Wallace & Gromit, March of the Penguins, Memoirs of a Geisha, King Kong, War of the Worlds, Narnia, Batman Begins, Revenge of the Sith, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory)

    2h 37m

  3. MAR 9

    2006, Ep. 8: "V FOR VENDETTA" (with Jourdain Searles!)

    This week, the lovely and talented Jourdain Searles joins us to remember remember the 36th highest grossing film of 2006, the dystopian political thriller V FOR VENDETTA! We discuss the film's curiously dissonant relation to its graphic-novel source material, its resonance (or lack thereof) with its original Thatcherite origins vs. its War on Terror traipsings and its strange decision to closely adapted a lot of the novels' structure but hollow out its context, leaving an action-packed but oddly muddled narrative that makes perfect sense that people have, ironically, mostly forgotten forgotten as a piece of cinema. We discuss the disastrously mid work of director James McTeigue, Natalie Portman's catastrophically poor performance and the Wachowskis' decision to make the titular character a little f****n' dweeb, less like Jigsaw and more like Batman, as well as its enduring power as symbolism, my enduring hatred for the Ain't It Cool News Butt-Numb-a-Thon, the enduring out-of-time qualities of the IMDb top 250, and how in the hell I'm familiar with all these mid-2000s R&B songs. It was so awesome having Jourdain here, we had so much fun, and I hope you'll join us! 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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Jourdain's Twitter: https://x.com/judysquirrels Jourdain's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/judysquirrels.bsky.social Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    1h 57m

  4. MAR 5

    SICKOS ONLY(tm) BONUS EP: "Clerks II" & a Trip to the Smodcastle (with Kevin Gray!)

    Surprise! Rob made a 5-plus-hour drive to New Jersey to attend in person a "stop and start" 20th anniversary screening of Kevin Smith's 2006 release CLERKS II, a film that absolutely did not make the top 50 (or even the top 100!) of the 2006 box office, but it was a film and director so deeply near and dear to his heart, and an experience so worth hearing about, that we had to do an episode on it. We grabbed our Unofficial Third Host Kevin Gray, who has a similarly reverent love for the film, and Rob's running things on this one, so we go looooong. (For the record, Clerks was also deeply important to me as a teenager as well, but nothing like these boys feel) Check this one out only if you absolutely positively have to hear everything about Clerks II, and about Rob's trip to visit Kevin (Smith) and Brian (O'Halloran), recounted in loving and entertaining detail to Kevin (Gray) and Brian (Schmid). There's part of this I haven't even heard yet! This shit brings the house down and we had so much exhausting, exhaustive fun doing it. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!

    3h 25m

  5. MAR 3

    2006, Ep. 7: "THE SHAGGY DOG" (with Steve Carlson!)

    FOLKS! Our beloved fellow Cinemasochist Steve Carlson (guest of The Amityville Horror and The Dukes of Hazzard episodes) returns for what is, unexpectedly, perhaps Rob and I's most CONTENTIOUS DISAGREEMENT on a film yet: Tim Allen in THE SHAGGY DOG! We discuss this shambling, wooly franchise, from its unexpected origins in Weimar-Republic-era German literature, to its massive original late '50s hit that set the tone for decades of Disney live-action cinema, to its ultra-wacky and bizarrely canon-faithful(?!) belated follow-ups, to the career of one Tim Allen, starring with an insanely overqualified cast in in a completely forgotten resurrection of the IP that one of our hosts unexpectedly found a lot of philosophical animalistic value in, that had host and star feelin' like a big dog, woof, feelin' like a big dog, ayyy. Other topics of discussion include the sad legacy of original star Tommy Kirk, downloading films off of Morpheus, how Spencer Breslin taught us it was okay to be weird, the existential philosopher Emmanuel Levinas, me being a "badminton savant" and whatever the hell a "Wibberly" is. It's always a blast when Steve stops by and this episode is so fun because we're just so DAMN ROWDY, woof woof, feelin' like a big dog, ayyyyyyy. 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/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Steve's Bluesky: ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/lcosgrove.bsky.social⁠⁠ Theme Song: "Any Day Can Be Bicycle Day" by Ether Driver ( ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://etherdiver.bandcamp.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ )

    1h 46m

  6. FEB 23

    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

  7. 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

  8. 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
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4.3
out of 5
7 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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