2006 was just a few years ago and I’ll hear no argument to the contrary.
Alas, in reality, it was a full two decades ago, and that means no shortage this season of anniversary screenings and nostalgia trips to the theater.
The cinema of 2006 was already groundbreaking and boundary-pushing in its own time, firmly solidifying some of the most important filmmaking forces of the past 20 years.
But in the intervening couple of decades, it’s also become deeply influential, with loads of recent fare reaching back to ’06 for inspiration about how to demolish the walls between genres, apply the energies of now to the stories of the past, and how to subvert an audience’s expectations or even understanding.
We’ve already revisited one of the most worryingly prescient and relevant-as-ever films of 2006, but with the recent trend of insistent anniversary screenings and re-releases in full force, let’s take a look at trio of other timeless 2006 favorites, each set for a theatrical return in coming months.
‘Marie Antoinette’ – AMC Quail Springs Mall – Wednesday, October 28th
When writer/director Sofia Coppola dropped this vibrant, electric take on the true life story of the young, controversial queen of pre-Revolution France, it caused a stir.
Some took issue with the fast-paced, MTV-style editing and energy in a period film, and others took issue with the willfully sympathetic take on a figure so often held to epitomize the delusion and apathy of wealth and power.
But mostly, all anyone could talk about was the soundtrack.
With The Cure, The Strokes, New Order, and more, Coppola sought to frame the tale of the teenage queen within the sound of modern youth and defiance through new wave and post-punk, a decision that left traditionalists bristling, but that played perfectly for her target demographic.
But while the soundtrack has remained one of the most indelible elements of “Marie Antoinette,” the years have been kind also to the wider understanding of the film and what Coppola seemed to be aiming for.
It’s a story of a lost, starry-eyed young woman growing up inside a gilded cage and navigating all of her messy – and frequently public – attempts at figuring out who she wanted to be. Which is all to say that it’s likely Coppola’s most autobiographical film reckoning with her own upbringing, her own privilege, her own family’s often problematic and myopic output, and the backlash she’d experienced herself in her youth.
For times, tickets, and more information, visit amctheatres.com.
‘The Host’ – Oklahoma City Museum of Art – Saturday, November 21st
More than a decade before his “Parasite” would crash the Academy Awards and arguably change the whole game for what a serious Oscar contender could be, writer/director Bong Joon Ho would first make some major international waves with this monster horror/family drama mashup for the ages.
“The Host” – about a terrifying, sewer-dwelling tentacle monster stalking Seoul and the frazzled working-class family trying to rescue their daughter from its clutches – helped to elevate the already popping Korean cinema scene to global acclaim, and pretty directly paved the way for 2026 standout monster epic “Hope.”
But the broader implications of Bong’s city-scale creature feature have come to be appreciated far more deeply in recent years, thanks to the continuing and concerning parallels to the world in the two decades sense.
Nearly every turn in the story has become more relevant, from the government-enforced quarantine for Seoul residents following the first major monster attack to the shortsighted apathy and environmental damage of the American lab manager whose orders inadvertently cause the destruction.
In 2006, it was a startling and chaotic vision of what could happen to our societies if carelessness and chest-beating continued to drive progress, but in 2026, it’s now just a reminder of how easily things can fall apart.
Oh, and it’s also a riot, of course, because it’s Bong Joon Ho.
OKCMOA is presenting the modern monster masterpiece in a new 4K transfer for one night only, featuring a new conversation with the Oscar-winning director himself.
For times, tickets, and more information, visit okcmoma.com.
‘The Prestige’ – returning to theaters January 2027
2006 was the year that Christopher Nolan fully established himself as the modern master magician of filmmaking with “The Prestige,” a film that I’m confidently declaring to be a contender for the blockbuster director’s single best work.
After the barnstorming reverse-folded narrative of “Memento,” the psychological slow-burn of “Insomnia,” and the genre-redefining, era-spurring “Batman Begins,” Nolan finally planted his flag firmly in auteur territory and showed the world the true extent of his obsession with structural complexity and twisted narrative form.
But where some of his later experiments with structure, timing, and narrative origami may have wobbled under their weight or careened past some audiences’ understanding, “The Prestige” rolls out its revelations with shocking grace and genuine emotional heft, carried by some possible career-best performances by dual leads Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale.
Every moment unfolds with arguably more nuance and subtlety than in any of Nolan’s other works, and while all of the puzzles, twists, and trickery are all still rampant throughout, the core mystery at play doesn’t concern time dilation or superheroes, just the unfathomable depths of the male ego and the unthinkable sacrifices that some men can justify.
It also features some of Nolan’s very best composition, cinematography, and sound design, all things that are set to pop more powerfully than ever when the film reappears in theaters in 70mm IMAX for the first time ever, alongside new 35mm and digital transfers (which, let’s face it, are going to be easier to catch in OKC.)
But “The Prestige” also remains a rare offering among Nolan’s films as one that loses none of its power on a smaller scale or smaller screen. It’s most awe-inspiring elements are the towering questions that it asks of the human soul and the monumentally challenging performances turned in by its two star leads.
“The Prestige” is set to return to theaters in a newly restored and updated transfer on January 29th, 2027.
Catch Brett Fieldcamp’s film column weekly for information and insights into the world of film in the Oklahoma City metro and Oklahoma. | Brought to you by the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.
Brett Fieldcamp is the owner and Editor in Chief of Oklahoma City Free Press. He has been covering arts, entertainment, news, housing, and culture in Oklahoma for nearly two decades and served as Arts & Entertainment Editor before purchasing the company from founder Brett Dickerson in 2026.
He is also a musician and songwriter and holds a certification as Specialist of Spirits from The Society of Wine Educators.
