Tinsel town — the land of Nip ’n Tuck and Dr. 90210 — worships youth. But in 2006, producers made way for gray.

Some of my favorite films this year featured actors or directors with a few wrinkles. All five of my favorite films of the year featured some senior moments, and I mean that in a good way.

Robert Altman, rest in peace, gave us “Prairie Home” at 81. Eastwood’s pursuing a couple more Oscars at 76. The perpetual Oscar Best Man, Martin Scorsese, may finally land his Oscar at 64, if he can beat the young guy, Robert DeNiro, 61.

And Helen Mirren is just smiling at 61, content that you don’t need a pre-fab chest to land a great role.

Before other 60-somethings whine about my defining a 61-year-old as “old,” I would offer two rejoinders: in movieworld, old often means 40…or 30. And, more to the point, I know all about 60. I’ll take the discount, thanks.

My favorite senior achievement of the year, however, did not make my list of best films. I adored Eli Wallach’s portrayal of the lonely retired movie mogul who is befriended by a lonely young woman in “Holiday.” It’s conceivable that the 91-year-old Wallach will earn a Best Supporting Actor nomination. In fact, he could be the first winner with a walker. Bravo!

A final detour to cast a look other critics’ lists. Metacritic Web site tabulates the lists, and here are the films most often mentioned: “Letters from Iwo Jima,” “The Queen,” “Children of Men,” “Half Nelson,” “The Departed,” “Borat,” “Little Children,” “United 93,” “Little Miss Sunshine,” “Pan’s Labyrinth,” “Volver,” and “Prairie Home Companion.”

Your apostle of the obvious offers this truism: watching movies in Helena is a bit like being a eunuch in a Butte brothel — some pleasures are denied us here. For example, “Dreamgirls” and “Letters from Iwo Jima” have not yet arrived. I’m not even sure if “Sound of Music,” has arrived. OK, low blow. But film buffs know what I mean.

Onward to the list. I agree with Sinatra this season: It was a very good year. And the top five on the list include filmmakers or artists eligible for a discount on their chili at Wendy’s.

1. “Prairie Home Companion.”

The film felt like an ode to mortality, and it was: Director Robert Altman, 81, died a few months after his last film was released. Garrison Keillor was the star on stage, but Altman’s heart and spirit provided the true joy. Not everyone loved this as much as I did. Somehow, I sensed this was Altman’s final modest wave to moviegoers. I was touched deeply.

2. “The Good Shepherd.”

Robert DeNiro’s exquisitely crafted thriller about the birth of the C.I.A. has been called “The Godfather” of espionage films, an apt compliment since Frances Ford Coppola produced it. (See today’s review.)

3. “The Departed.”

Martin Scorsese will battle Clint Eastwood for Best Director, and I think Martin will win. This elegant and cynical thriller about moles burrowing inside dangerous places bears a master’s brush strokes. Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio are solid, but Scorsese is the auteur star.

4. “Flags of our Fathers.”

Everybody says the second Eastwood film, “Letters from Iwo Jima,” is even better. Until I see it, I’ll take “Flags,” a powerful portrait of the cost of war — both in battle and back home afterwards and during.

5. “The Queen.”

Helen Mirren becomes the queen in an Oscar-certain portrayal of Queen Elizabeth. The moral drama inside the palace following Diana’s death sets the stage for a satirical and touching portrait of the royal family.

6. “Babel.”

This year’s “Crash” tells parallel stories on many continents that eventually tie together. It’s tragic, it’s uplifting. And the writing is brilliant.

7. “Stranger Than Fiction.”

Will Ferrell is unexpectedly deep and thoughtful in this complex science-fiction tale about a man who is a character in a woman’s book. A stunning achievement, given that Will is at the top of the cast.

8. “Fearless.”

Jet Li’s moral drama about a champion fighter who loses his soul, finds it amidst peasants and returns to sacrifice his life for his country.

9. “United 93.”

This memorial to 9/11 is chillingly factual as it tries to recreate the drama in the passenger compartment of the doomed flight.

10. “Casino Royale”

This film brought Bond back to life with a vengeance; shaken and stirred.

Runners up:

“Blood Diamond.” A compelling portrait of the rape of Africa for resources; “Cars” was a honking hoot of a movie; “Last Kiss” was a cynical portrait of angst-ridden 20-something young men; “Lake House” was a haunting sci-fi movie about a magical mailbox; “Devil Wears Prada” proved Streep can carry a film alone; “Pursuit of Happyness” is a genuinely affecting Will Smith tale of rags to riches; “Friends with Money” shows how friends drift apart as they begin collecting toys; and “Scanner Darkly” gives us a very different look at drug addiction.