Right in step with everyone else who handed out awards this last weekend, the American Film Institute announced their official 2006 movie of the year-official selections. Unlike most major awards or critics groups, the AFI doesn’t give specific awards or pick one best of the year movie. Instead, they simply list ten 2006 movies which they think were really good. Making lists is what the AFI is all about.

Unlike a lot of the stuffy stuff already being pushed by early critic’s awards, they’ve got an eclectic mix picked out. I don’t agree with all of them, but at least they did something interesting with their list instead of defaulting to an overhyped critical darling like The Queen as some have done. Here’s their list:

AFI MOVIES OF THE YEAR-OFFICIAL SELECTIONS (in alphabetical order)
BABEL
BORAT: CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
DREAMGIRLS
HALF NELSON
HAPPY FEET
INSIDE MAN
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
UNITED 93

In addition to listing the year’s best movies, the AFI also selects what they think to be the year’s ten best television shows. For that, visit our TV section here.