...Volver (2006)

Volver is a warped three-hanky movie which harkens back to the dark, earthy Italian film dramas of the 1950s. It takes a while to get into gear but when it does it is riveting. Penelope Cruz is just one of a marvelous cast that brings Almodovar's tale of mothers and daughters to life.

...Pan's Labrynth (2006)

Pan's Labrynth is an excellent film with a complex script and outstanding performances - especially those by Maribel Verdú, Ivana Baquero, and Sergi López. Guillermo del Toro wrote and directed this fantastical thriller set physically in wartime Spain (around 1944) and thoughtfully in...um...Pan's labrynth. It's a multi-award winner (including three Oscars for art direction, makeup and cinematography) about a young girl and fascism and one of the best films I've seen in years.