1. AURORA BOREALIS. This is one of those rare films where all the elements come together so well it’s like a cinematic miracle. Directing, writing, cinematography, acting, background music, editing, etc. are first-rate. But it’s the emotional impact of "Aurora Borealis" that impressed me the most in this memorable -- almost spiritual -- coming-of-age drama starring Joshua Jackson, Donald Sutherland, Louise Fletcher and Juliette Lewis.

2. A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION. Director Robert Altman’s last movie before he passed away is one of his best. "A Prairie Home Companion" may be corny, but it’s delicious corn indeed! Based on Garrison Keillor’s popular long-running radio show of the same name, this unique film overflows with wonderful performances, old-fashioned songs and homespun philosophy.

3. THE ILLUSIONIST. Here’s a perfect example of what I call “a movie movie.” Everything about "The Illusionist" transported me back in time to 19th century Vienna for a fascinating adventure about magic, love and mystery. I loved the way Edward Norton simply transformed himself into Eisenheim, an enigmatic magician who performs amazing tricks that seem much more than sleight-of-hand.

4. LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE. Six members of a quirky family travel in a beat-up van to take the youngest one, played by darling 11-year-old Abigail Breslin, to the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant in the funniest movie of 2006. Although all these people appear absorbed in their own issues, they learn to work together during their hilarious road trip. Stand-outs are Abigail Breslin, especially in her surprising talent number, comic Steve Carell as the uncle and Greg Kinnear as the father, a man who can’t seem to sell his motivational program to anyone no matter how hard he tries.

5. THE DEPARTED. Exploring issues of loyalty and betrayal, this gritty film draws us into its violent world of Boston’s gangsters and cops, many who aren’t what they seem. Apparently reveling in their character assignments, all the actors perform superbly. Although they play very flawed individuals, I couldn’t help being drawn into their intrigues and dilemmas. Director Martin Scorsese’s depiction of Irish gangsters here makes his earlier goombahs in "Goodfellas" look like a bunch of pansies.

6. AKEELAH AND THE BEE. It’s easy to see why writer/director Doug Atchison won the Nicholls Fellowship from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his "Akeelah and the Bee" script. This moving story highlights such important values as motivation, friendship, community and living up to one’s potential. Filled with believable characters and realistic dialogue, the film is enhanced by the kind of suspenseful competition I found so compelling in the documentary "Spellbound." Casting Keke Palmer, Laurence Fishburne, and Angela Bassett in key roles also helped make this movie something special.

7. HAPPY FEET. Although I was wowed by the dazzling look of all those penguins in "Happy Feet" and the way the movie explores important issues relating to tolerance, diversity and ecology, what I enjoyed most about this film was its spectacular singing and dancing sequences. As the world’s most avid fan of movie musicals, I became enchanted with the variety of songs echoing throughout the movie as well as with those cute tapping feet, of course. When I got home, I even put on my old tap shoes and did a few lively time steps myself.

8. THE FOUNTAIN. Darren Aronofsky’s "The Fountain" is an artistic masterpiece. This stunning, elegant movie co-stars Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz as characters representing eternal love and the struggle between death and immortality. Highlighting such esoteric elements as mysticism, spirituality and symbolism, this unique film failed to resonate with many viewers. But I found it hypnotic and almost painfully beautiful.

9. DISTRICT B13. Two former stunt men take center stage in this lightning-fast French action movie set in the year 2010. Cyril Raffaelli and David Belle are amazing to watch in the roles of a supercop and a jailed resident of District B13, respectively, who join forces to retrieve a nuclear bomb in a walled-off neighborhood of Paris. "District B13" kept my heart pounding from beginning to end!

10. LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN. Strong performances, artsy cinematography, a surprise-filled script and creative editing combine to earn "Lucky Number Slevin" a spot number 10 on my best-of-year list. With Slevin, Josh Hartnett finally shows what he can do with good screen material. As a viewer who enjoys being surprised at the movies, I savored this crime thriller, especially when all the seemingly unrelated flashbacks, the blended-together scenes and the diverse characters were pulled together at the end in a surprising twist that made my head spin.

HONORABLE MENTION: "Thank You for Smoking," "Take the Lead," "The Proposition," "Dreamgirls," "The Devil Wears Prada," "Idlewild," "Stranger than Fiction," "United 93," "The Descent," "Sweet Land," "Catch a Fire," "Casino Royale," "Letters from Iwo Jima," "Nacho Libre," "For Your Consideration," "The Holiday."

DISHONORABLE MENTION: It’s no surprise that some stinkers were released during the past twelve months, is it? Listed below are my picks for the ten worst movies of 2006 (in no particular order).

ALL THE KING'S MEN. It’s true -– neither all the king’s horses nor all the king’s men could put this film together again.

AN AMERICAN HAUNTING. What haunts me about this horror bomb is why Donald Sutherland and Sissy Spacek agreed to be in it.

BORAT. Ambush comedy at its worst.

A GUIDE TO RECOGNIZING YOUR SAINTS. Holy smoke! An almost unwatchable film.

CARS. It auto be funny -– but where were the laughs?

LADY IN THE WATER. Sorry, M. Night. “I see dead box office,” my husband said as we left the theater. And he was right.

FLUSHED AWAY. That’s just what I wanted to do with this silly animated film.

MATERIAL GIRLS. An immaterial movie.

THE LAKE HOUSE. Have you heard the one about the schizophrenic house that wouldn’t stay in one time zone?

HOLLYWOODLAND. There must be a good story to be told about what really happened to the actor who played Superman on television, but "Hollywoodland" is not it.

If your favorite best and worst films are not mentioned above -– or if I maligned a movie you love -– please don’t think ill of me, dear reader. It’s all a matter of personal taste. And taste, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

(Article originally posted on ReelTalk Movie Reviews.)