D.C. MOVIE GUYS

It’s awards season again, and between now and February 22nd when Oscars ® are handed out at the Academy Awards® we are going to be subjected to a multitude of film awards and best of 2008 lists. In addition to the Golden Globe® nominees already announced, The Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association and The Los Angeles Film Critics Association have released their best of 2008 awards. What is the best movie of 2008? The year is not over yet, but since that didn’t stop the LA and D.C. film critics from making a choice let’s stack up east coast versus west coast in a film critic battle royale and see which side got it right.

On December 8th, The Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association declared “Slumdog Millionaire” The best film of 2008. The latest film from director Danny Boyle (“Millions”, “28 Days Later”, “Trainspotting”) is a good choice and it is also Golden Globe® nominee for Best Motion Picture – Drama. However, is selecting “Slumdog Millionaire” the trendy choice? Certainly it is an excellent movie worthy of recognition, but it may not be the best 2008 has to offer. I worry sometimes that some viewers rave over movies like “Slumdog Millionaire” for the wrong reasons. They read a synopsis of such films and find phrases like life affirming or lessons in love and become all gushy over the movie sight unseen. When thinking up a “Best of…” list, not including such a film at the top of the list becomes the equivalent of kicking an orphan from the slums. No matter the reason, “Slumdog Millionaire” remains a worthy film to be at the top of the list for best movie of 2008.

The Los Angeles Film Critics Association waited one day longer than DC to release their choice for the top movie of 2008. Maybe The District critics were in such a hurry to be first that it affected their choice. LA took an extra day to let one more sleep help them reach a clear decision. On December 9th, LA critics woke up to the realization that “Wall-E” was the Best Film of 2008. On December 9th, LA critics woke up to the realization that “Wall-E” was the Best Film of 2008. That last sentence is not a typo; I repeated it to save you from the eye strain of looking back to re-read the first sentence. I have long believed that animated films are perfectly capable of holding their own against traditional live action films when considering awards. However, as entertaining as “Wall-E” is, it simply can’t stand up not only to “Slumdog Millionaire”, but several other 2008 releases. The short “Presto” that appears onscreen before “Wall-E” is superior by itself. A robot running around for around an hour and a half repeatedly uttering the name of the fembot he loves while she does the same for him is not a movie that makes the top of the heap. “Wall-E” is a good movie, just not the best.

While I may question their motives, The Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association still has a better eye for the Best Film of 2008 than The Los Angeles Film Critics Association. What does the Best Film mean? Is it just a measurement of technical expertise? A good story, good directing and good acting together can make a “Best Film”, but there is more to it. Movies have an impact on the collective consciousness of movie goers. Maybe the best film of 2008 can only be the best in 2008. When we look back from 2009 and beyond, we may see things differently. The story of a Mumbai orphan’s quest to win a TV game show may seem out of place and the antics of an artificially intelligent robot will be as dated as a musical from the 60′s. While D.C. critics made a better choice than LA critics, I am not convinced it was the best.

Box office results alone can’t make a case for a year’s best film. However, steady and massive box office results can be one indicator of not just the quality of a movie, but the overall lasting appeal. While I applaud the LA critics for believing an animated film can be the best a year’s worth of movies has to offer, the braver and better choice would have been to announce “The Dark Knight” as the Best Film of 2008. Even though the super hero genre flick has been steadily growing in popularity, it is still seen as a genre unworthy of greater accolades than can be offered for special effects. “The Dark Knight” is the Best Film of 2008 not only due to its superior direction, writing and acting but to its contribution to a new standard for the genre and its ability to speak for the year it is presented. When we talk about 2008 and two-faced politicians, engines of chaos destroying banks and heroes trying to bring change maybe we will just be talking about the Best Film of the year.