As 2006 comes to a close, it appears that audiences have spoken and have chosen their top ten films of the year. The list, in order of success, include Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Night at the Museum, Cars, X-Men: The Last Stand, The Da Vinci Code, Superman Returns, Happy Feet, Ice-Age: The Meltdown, Casino Royal and The Pursuit of Happyness are determined to be the top ten most popular films of 2006.
Although the critics may have admired some above the others (Da Vinci was only 24% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes as opposed to Royal's 94%), critical analysis doesn't matter when it comes to popularity and ticket sales (The Da Vinci Code was just 57% fresh as opposed to Casino Royal's 80%). The box office reigns supreme over professional opinion. Personally, I'm hoping Little Miss Sunshine gets an Oscar nomination for Best Picture, if not a win. But ranking only 51st in popularity that may be hoping for too much.
And it seems there was something for everyone. The top ten films certainly run the gamete of audience appeal. After all, you've got comedy, a comic book (aka Graphic Novel) adaptation, Disney adventure, as well as Disney animation (one among three animated films) a superhero movie, a biblical mystery, a feel-good film, and sexy espionage. For the average movie-goer, what's not to like about at least one of these films? The box office returns certainly supports this analysis. Even if there wasn't something that specifically suited your particular taste? There's always 2007 in which to look forward.