The 10 Must Watch Best Movies of 2006 That Are Turning 20, Ranked

The year 2006 was a remarkable one for cinema. The year that gave us gritty crime dramas, mind-bending thrillers, fantasy masterpieces, and outrageous comedies. Now, two decades later, these best movies haven’t just aged. They’ve become modern classics that continue to shape how we think about storytelling on screen.

From Oscar-winning dramas to boundary-pushing international cinema, the class of 2006 holds up with a rewatchability that few other years can match. Here’s a look at the ten best films turning 20 this year, ranked by how well they’ve stood the test of time.

10 Borat

Sacha Baron Cohen‘s 2006 mockumentary-style black comedy movie was a controversial one for many reasons. The protagonist makes some very offensive actions and comments throughout the movie, which some viewers found indigestible. However, many recognized Cohen’s real intention behind the character. It was a satirical tool to expose the prejudices in American society. Those who saw this correct interpretation praised it as a genre-defining movie. It is considered to be one of the greatest comedy movies of the 21st century.

Cohen’s performance as the cringe-inducing protagonist he originated in Da Ali G Show was definitely the highlight of the movie. What made it funnier was that the real-life Americans featured in the movie did not see the actor behind the character and were just outraged by him. The outlandish movie surprisingly received a sequel, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, which went on to receive Oscar nominations.

Borat is now available for streaming on Netflix.

9 The Holiday

Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet‘s performances in The Holiday made it an all-time favorite holiday rom-com watch. When small-town girl Iris and city girl Amanda decide to switch their homes for the holidays, their lives totally change for the better. Amanda, played by Diaz, finds love with Iris’s widowed brother, Graham, played by Jude Law. Similarly, Winslet’s Iris finds new love with Jack Black’s Miles after being treated badly by a co-worker, whom she believed was in a relationship with her.

It is not just the premise that makes it the perfect watch. The beautiful locations and heartwarming subplots also play a major role in making it a memorable watch. While the predictability of the plot was off-putting for many viewers, the chemistry between the cast, especially between Diaz & Law and Winslet & Black, made the film worth watching again and again.

The Holiday is now available for rent on Prime Video and AppleTV.

8 The Wind That Shakes the Barley

Cillian Murphy’s indie Irish film is not widely popular among American audiences, but it is a film that the actor’s true fans shouldn’t miss. The film by Ken Loach is set during the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War. Murphy played Damien O’Donovan, while Pádraic Delaney played his brother Teddy. The duo joins the Irish Republican Army to fight for Irish independence, but finds themselves on opposite sides during the Civil War.

The film delivers on its promise as a war drama, capturing the struggles during the dark period in the country’s history. Besides Murphy’s exceptional performance, the movie also had great visuals and emotional storytelling that presented the Irish revolution as a social revolution. The film won the Palme d’Or at the 2006 Cannes and was the highest-grossing Irish-made film until 2011.

The Wind That Shakes the Barley is now available for streaming on AMC+.

7 Children of Men

Alfonso Cuarón‘s Children of Men stars Clive Owen as a civil servant in a dystopian society with human infertility. He tries to help a refugee, Kee, played by Clare-Hope Ashitey, who is the first woman in two decades to get pregnant. The film is based on P.D. James’ novel of the same name. However, Cuarón’s approach to the story made the film version superior to the novel.

Cuarón jumps right into the action, focusing only on one specific part of James’ narrative. He creates impressive action sequences while making sure the message of the novel remains relevant in the film. The movie’s innovative single-shot action sequences are particularly praiseworthy. The film is considered one of the seminal works in dystopian films, but it didn’t enjoy much financial success when released in theaters. The film received love and appreciation when it was released on video and went on to become a cult hit.

Children of Men is now available for rent on Prime Video and AppleTV.

6 Casino Royale

Casino Royale revived the old glory of James Bond films, especially at the box office. Besides the $616 million collection, it is also considered the best among Daniel Craig‘s outings in the role. It redefined the character, setting him apart from the earlier ‘cool’ iterations of the hero. It didn’t follow the typical James Bond formula, and Craig contributed to some of his character development by letting his imagination run a little wild. And many fans felt that ditching the silly gadgetry for 007 worked largely in the movie’s favor.

The characters in the franchise were not particularly known for having any real emotions. The focus on characters, especially that on the villains and the Bond girls, impressed many. The movie introduced Mads Mikkelsen to Hollywood, with his great performance as the genius villain, Le Chiffre. The movie was a start to the Craig era, which lasted a decade and a half until No Time to Die in 2021.

Casino Royale is now available for rent on Prime Video and AppleTV.

5 Little Miss Sunshine

This dysfunctional family’s trip to the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant on a yellow Volkswagen T2 Microbus was a wholesome experience for the audience. Abigail Breslin‘s breakout performance as little Olive was complemented by equally powerful performances from Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, and Alan Arkin. The movie’s dark comedy, with a problematic child beauty pageant at its center, worked well with the viewers.

Even as the family encounters numerous problems on their road trip, they eventually realize how much they need each other in their lives. While it’s not a light subject, the movie had a way of handling the difficult moments with grace. Many fans still remember the stunning soundtrack of the movie. Arkin won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, while Breslin received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Little Miss Sunshine is now available for rent on Prime Video and AppleTV.

4 The Prestige

The Prestige is arguably one of the best works of Christopher Nolan. It had Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman as the central characters who are competitors in the world of magic. The movie is written so well, including many themes that Nolan loves to explore in cinema. It deals with loss, sacrifice, and an obsessive quest for knowledge. The twists for both Bale and Jackman’s characters leave us shocked at the end of the movie. And the movie has some amazing quotable lines.

The two leads delivered equally brilliant performances, while the supporting star cast, featuring Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, and Rebecca Hall, also did a great job. Nathan Crowley’s production design and Wally Pfister’s cinematography elevated the period setting of the movie. David Bowie’s acting turn as Nikola Tesla was one of Nolan’s significant achievements in the movie.

The Prestige is now available for streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.

3 The Da Vinci Code

A film that was brutally bashed by the critics went on to collect more than $800 million at the box office. Due to its highly controversial content, The Da Vinci Code was banned in many countries at the time of its release. However, if we go by Tom Hanks‘ words about the movie, calling it a story loaded with “all sorts of hooey and fun kind of scavenger-hunt-type nonsense,” it is a well-made fantasy thriller (via Evening Standard). The reviews that called it dull unfairly compared it to Dan Brown’s source material.

When we set aside the blasphemy allegations and the wrath of the book lovers, what we see is a gripping movie that keeps giving us shocking revelations at every turn. While Hanks delivered a decent performance as Robert Langdon, Ian McKellen and Paul Bettany were the true showstealers. The fictitious quest for the legendary Holy Grail is an adventurous treasure hunt that you might not want to miss.

The Da Vinci Code is now available for streaming on Fubo and MGM+.

2 The Departed

The Departed remains one of the best works of Martin Scorsese. The movie had some explosive performances from Jack Nicholson as Irish mob boss Frank Costello, Leonardo DiCaprio as undercover cop Billy Costigan, and Matt Damon as corrupt cop Colin Sullivan. Both Damon and DiCaprio were given equal screen space, and they both delivered brilliant performances. The authentic portrayal of the world of crime and each character’s morality did the story justice.

The movie was a bit too much on the violence and slurs, with critics comparing Scorsese’s work to that of Tarantino’s. However, Scorsese’s work wasn’t just defined by the surplus of such adult-rated scenes and words. The movie won four Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director for Scorsese, Best Adapted Screenplay for William Monahan, and Best Film Editing for Thelma Schoonmaker.

The Departed is now available for streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.

1 Pan’s Labyrinth

Pan’s Labyrinth is easily Guillermo del Toro‘s best work and is considered his magnum opus. The Spanish-language movie fell under Del Toro’s strong suit genre: dark fantasy. The director tapped into his keen interest in monsters and created a set of weird magical creatures for the abandoned labyrinth, which made the story unforgettable. The direction and visual & makeup effects received praise from all over.

The movie weaves its fantastical world into a gripping war story in Francoist Spain. When Ivan Baquero’s Ofelia is completing her tasks to achieve immortality and return to the underworld as Princess Moanna, her stepfather, Vidal, hunts down the Maquis. While Ofelia’s journey is heartwarming, the climax will leave you with a major tragedy.

Pan’s Labyrinth is now available for rent on Prime Video and AppleTV.

Still have questions? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions.

Which movie will you pick up for a rewatch? Do you have any picks from here that you are excited to watch for the first time? Let us know in the comments below!