It's coming 6 months late, but the GEeK Awards are here! The following is an alphabetical list of every movie I watched in 2008. I thought my field of contenders was light last year, but this year is even lighter!
During 2008 I only watched 48 films but I was a busy guy. Moving into a new house, getting married and having surgery take a lot of free time away.
About Schmidt (2003)
Across the Universe (2007)
Babes in Toyland (1986)
Bambi (1942)
The Blob (1958)
The Blob (1988)
The Cars That Ate Paris (1974)
Cloverfield (2008)
Dances with Wolves** (1990)
The Dark Knight (2008)
Dirty Dancing (1987)
Dumbo (1941)
Enchanted (2007)
The Fast and the Furious (1955)
Home Alone (1990)
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
Iron Man (2008)
Juno* (2007)
Labyrinth (1986)
The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
Mean Streets (1973)
Meet the Parents (2000)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Oklahoma! (1955)
The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)
Patch Adams (1998)
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
Poltergeist (1982)
Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)
Poltergeist III (1988)
The Princess Bride (1987)
RoboCop (1987)
RoboCop 2 (1990)
RoboCop 3 (1993)
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)
Sex and the City (2008)
The Sixth Sense* (1999)
Superman Returns (2006)
Transformers (2007)
Uncle Buck (1989)
Varsity Blues (1999)
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Wings** (1927)
AND THE NOMINEES ARE...
All the reviews have been written and the duds have been weeded out of the pack. The nomination process is quite simple- First I mark down the genres listed for each film on their Internet Movie Database main page. Then I go through and look at each film's rating. Films earning a 3 out of 5 or higher on my rating scale (meaning I found the film to be good or great) then it earns a nomination for whatever genres it falls into. If a film has a 2.75 rating or less, then it does not qualify for the genre awards. There are also what I call "overall awards" which I simply hand pick. No nominations are listed for these awards.
On Friday, September 11, 2009, I will unveil the winners. One film will earn each genre award and there will be two honorable mentions listed as well. Please come back on Friday and check out the winners!
Nominees for Best Action/Adventure Film
Cloverfield (2008)
Dances with Wolves** (1990)
The Dark Knight (2008)
Enchanted (2007)
The Fast and the Furious (1955)
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
Iron Man (2008)
Labyrinth (1986)
The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
The Princess Bride (1987)
Superman Returns (2006)
Transformers (2007)
Wings** (1927)
Nominees for Best Animated Film
Bambi (1942)
Dumbo (1941)
Enchanted (2007)
Nominees for Best Children’s or Family Film
Bambi (1942)
Dumbo (1941)
Enchanted (2007)
Home Alone (1990)
Labyrinth (1986)
The Princess Bride (1987)
Nominees for Best Comedy Film
About Schmidt (2002)- 3
Enchanted (2007)
Home Alone (1990)
Juno* (2007)
Meet the Parents (2000)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Patch Adams (1998)
The Princess Bride (1987)
Uncle Buck (1989)
Varsity Blues (1999)
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Nominees for Best Drama Film
About Schmidt (2002)
Bambi (1942)
Dances with Wolves** (1990)
Dirty Dancing (1987)
The Fast and the Furious (1955)
Iron Man (2008)
Juno* (2007)
Mean Streets (1973)
Patch Adams (1998)
The Sixth Sense* (1999)
Uncle Buck (1989)
Varsity Blues (1999)
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Wings** (1927)
Nominees for Best Horror Film
Poltergeist (1982)
Nominees for Best Musical Film
Dumbo (1941)
Enchanted (2007)
Labyrinth (1986)
Oklahoma! (1955)
Nominees for Best Romance Film
Dirty Dancing (1987)
Enchanted (2007)
Meet the Parents (2000)
Oklahoma! (1955)
The Princess Bride (1987)
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Wings** (1927)
Nominees for Best Sci-Fi or Fantasy Film
Cloverfield (2008)
Enchanted (2007)
Iron Man (2008)
Labyrinth (1986)
The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
The Princess Bride (1987)
Superman Returns (2006)
Transformers (2007)
Nominees for Best Thriller Film
Cloverfield (2008)
The Dark Knight
Iron Man (2008)
The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
Poltergeist (1982)
The Princess Bride (1987)
The Sixth Sense* (1999)
Transformers (2007)
Films with the Most Nominations:
7 Noms- Enchanted (2007)
6 Noms- The Princess Bride (1987)
4 Noms- Dumbo (1941)
4 Noms- Iron Man (2008)
4 Noms- Labyrinth (1986)
In all, 15 films failed to qualify for a nomination:
Across the Universe (2007)
Babes in Toyland (1986)
The Blob (1958)
The Blob (1988)
The Cars That Ate Paris (1974)
The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)
Poltergeist III (1988)
RoboCop (1987)
RoboCop 2 (1990)
Robo-Cop 3 (1993)
Santa Clause Conquers the Martians (1964)
Sex and the City (2008)
AND THE GEeK AWARD GOES TO...
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the 2nd Annual GEeK Awards! The winners have been decided and two honorable mentions have been selected for each of the genre awards. The overall awards were a lot trickier to determine this year but the genre award came together pretty easily.
BEST ACTION/ADVENTURE FILM:The Dark Knight (2008)
Offering more than just your stereotypical comic book violence and action, The Dark Knight could almost be excluded from the action category altogether. It delivers dramatic action and in just the right doses to keep you on the edge of your seat. In this way, it sets itself apart from a lot of typical action movies. Less spectacle and more of a vehicle for character development, it easy to see why The Dark Knight was so popular. Heath Ledger creates the perfect psychopath and seems completely capable of dishing out everything in The Joker's arsenal. It does more than just blow stuff up, which goes a long way in my book.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:Cloverfield (2008) and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
These films help round out what action is. Cloverfield presents the disaster side of action flicks, where you're almost always literally in motion. Last Crusade is the popcorn spectacle kind of adventure film. Between these two films, you can pretty much sum up what action/adventure is supposed to be. This year the more serious action film won out.
BEST ANIMATED FILM:Bambi (1942)
My choices were noticeably limited this year but Bambi probably still would have won no matter what else I saw in this genre. The anatomy of the animated fauna is spot on and Bambi's forest is full of lush, multi-layer detail. It really is a treat for the eyes to behold. This is one of the few truly great animated films produced by Disney. One look tells you why.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:Dumbo (1941) and Enchanted (2007)
Go figure that Disney would sweep the category! Then again, I only watched three films in the animated genre last year. Dumbo was Bambi's only real competition and it wasn't a tough choice. Dumbo is nice and colorful but it lacked the detail. Still good stuff though. Enchanted gets an honorable mention solely because the film opens with an animated segment.
BEST CHILDREN'S OR FAMILY FILM:Bambi (1941)
It's got a number of great characters, beautiful animation and several good lessons along the way. The death of Bambi's mother and the fire at the end might be a little intense for the really young viewers but it's a timeless classic. Good for the kids on their own and good for the whole family to sit down to. These colorful and quick movies made Disney a staple of family movie nights everywhere.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Dumbo (1941) and Enchanted (2007)
Déjà vu? Both of these films have some very good lessons to offer, which make them worth viewing on said family movie nights. Dumbo is more geared for the younger kids, while Enchanted is perfect for those youngsters who have 'outgrown' Disney films. Both got the honorable mentions because they're not too creepy, weird or inappropriate for most children.
BEST COMEDY:Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
This movie is right up there with Blazing Saddles and Caddyshack in terms of pure comedy perfection. You even get a history lesson to boot! Sure, it's a zany spoof of a history lesson but a lesson no doubt. I can't watch this film without cracking up. Every scene has something amusing about it. From the opening credits to the abrupt ending, you will have a hard time finding a movie as consistently funny as Holy Grail. Intellectual humor, wit and low brow stuff- it's all here!
HONORABLE MENTIONS:Enchanted (2007) and When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Enchanted is similar to Holy Grail in that it lovingly mocks time-honored material. I love how Disney was able and willing to skewer themselves. The Princess Bride got a higher rating but Enchanted is more consistently funny. When Harry Met Sally is a mature comedy and strictly for adults. I liked the balance between drama and humor. It really showed how real life can be funny and serious at the same time.
BEST DRAMA:Wings** (1927)
This film is simply amazing. It's no wonder it won the first ever Oscar for Best Picture. There was studio and location filming, cameras mounted on planes being flown by the real actors and all kinds of camera trickery. It's got an epic run time for a silent film and it really doesn't watch like you'd expect a silent film to. This is gripping cinema from beginning to end. Every self-respecting 'movie nut' needs to track down a copy of this film and watch it.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:The Sixth Sense* (1999) and When Harry Met Sally (1989)
The Sixth Sense is a dramatic tour de force, especially due to Haley Joel Osment's amazing performance. Bruce Willis is exceptional as well. When Harry Met Sally gets a mention here because there was enough real life drama in it and it was all solid stuff. Sure, some of the situations may be hard to swallow, but it's a great balance of drama and comedy. It wasn't heavy handed or indulgent like some other nominees where, which is why it's here.
BEST HORROR FILM:Poltergeist (1982)
Interesting how history repeats itself. Last year only one film managed a high enough rating for a Best Horror Film nomination. This year is the same. You would think that this potential trend would sway me away from handing this award out but Poltergeist truly does deserve it. Some may try and say it isn't a horror film because no one dies, but Poltergeist is a genuinely terrifying film that has stood the test of time.
BEST MUSICAL FILM:Enchanted (2007)
The songs and music in Enchanted are a lot of fun. The way some of them come about is amusing to boot. When the leads burst out into song amidst their real world co-stars it's usually hilarious. Disney cultivates a good sense of humor that helps to skewer the fantasy-musical genre while also embracing it. The competition in this category was rather slim this year and Dumbo got a higher rating, but Enchanted made the most of its musical numbers, so it gets the win.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:Dumbo (1941) and Labyrinth (1986)
The only other musical nominee was Oklahoma!, which was good but I didn't enjoy it as much as these two, so they sort of won by default. Dumbo does have two very memorable songs in it and Labyrinth has a few that are kind of catchy. That's the thing with the GEeK awards- sometimes all you have to do is show up to win something.
BEST ROMANCE FILM:When Harry Met Sally (1989)
I have never seen a more emotionally honest romance film than this. I think it makes the most out of its R rating without being crude or crass. Most romance films fall into the PG-13 category and these are your predictable cookie cutter chick flicks. When Harry Met Sally veers into R-rated territory while still staying funny. This could have been either a too-light romantic comedy or a not-funny-enough drama. The marriage of the two is special, which is why this film stands the test of time and is still loved by many.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:Enchanted (2007) and Meet the Parents (2000)
You might be thinking that these are odd choices and they are. I could have picked Wings because it was one of the highest rated films I watched in 2008. But there wasn't a whole lot of romance in it, so I went with the next best things. Enchanted's love story is a tad predictable and corny but it was a Disney film after all. Meet the Parents has its predictable moments too but it was wildly funny at the same time. Humor goes a long way with me.
BEST SCIENCE-FICTION OR FANTASY FILM:Cloverfield (2008)
The biggest reason that this film wins the GEeK Award is because of its audacity. It's an adventure into the complete unknown. Most other sci-fi and fantasy films provide a back story or enough setup to get us comfortable with the situation. Cloverfield eschews all that in favor of keeping you wondering what the heck is going to happen next. It may have a few faults but this film has guts. The way it was made, the way it was marketed and the way it is presented screams gutsy. Cloverfield was a gamble of a film to make and it paid off big time.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:The Princess Bride (1987) and Transformers (2007)
The Princess Bride represents the fantasy side of this category. It shows that you don't always need a bunch of weird looking creatures to create a successful fantasy film. Most of the cast a flesh-and-blood human beings. It's the story and the setting that matter most. Transformers represents the sci-fi side of this category. Michael Bay did an amazing job bringing the story of alien robots to life and the visual effects are phenomenal. It's a non-stop thrill ride and definitely worth seeing. I'm more of a sci-fi fan than a fantasy fan, so had I not seen Cloverfield, I think Transformers would have easily won.
BEST THRILLER:The Sixth Sense* (1999)
Sure, once you've seen it, The Sixth Sense loses some of its punch but every time you watch it after that first viewing is a learning experience. In fact, this is the kind of movie that you can't watch just once. After the amazing twist ending, you can't help but go back and see how they pulled it off. It keeps you guessing and gives you the willies, which is exactly what a thriller is supposed to do.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:The Dark Knight (2008) and Poltergeist (1982)
Both of these films keep you on the edge of your seat and scare you like nothing else. The violent escalation between Batman and The Joker ratchets up the tension and causes The Joker to get even more psychotic, which is freaky. Poltergeist uses the fear of the unknown to maximum effectiveness and I can't speak enough about how frightening it is to see children in danger. Both were worthy but The Sixth Sense edges them out because it's an absolute masterpiece.
BEST PICTURE (OVERALL):Wings** (1927)
All you Dark Knight fanboys can just hate me. I don't care. Wings is an amazing film in every sense of the word. The scope, the sets, the locations, the action, the drama- Wings has it all. It is one of the most complete films I have ever seen and probably only got held back from my highest possible rating because I am unable to grasp the full magnificence of it. This was what cinema used to be. I understand that very few people have the patience to sit through a silent film anymore but this one is worth it. It's an outright shame that this film has been all but forgotten about because it is impressive. After seeing this film, there was never any doubt in my mind that it would win. The first ever Oscar winner for Best Picture rightfully takes the top GEeK Award honor.
WORST PICTURE (OVERALL):Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)
This is just a very bad film. End of story. It has a notorious reputation for being one of the worst films ever made but if you look at it in context that's not really a fair appraisal of Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. Yes, it truly does stink on every level as a film but it was a made-for-TV movie. This means you have to cut it some slack. The story idea itself is actually pretty good but the end result is an uninspired mess. While it is pretty bad, there are some redeeming qualities to it, which is more than some bad films can say.
BEST FILM FROM 2008 THAT I SAW IN 2008:The Dark Knight (2008)
Fanboys can relax now. I don't see very many movies in the theaters every year. I am extremely selective about what I am willing to pay theater prices for. This was one of those films and it was worth every penny. After the smash hit that Batman Begins was, there were high expectations for this film. The Dark Knight is pretty much dead even in terms of awesomeness compared to its predacessor. In some ways it's better and in some ways it's not. The end result is an adrenaline-pumping balance. Heath Ledger steals the show with what is probably the most mind-blowing performance of the decade. His performance alone is worth the price of admission. Everything else is just icing on the cake.
BEST GUILTY PLEASURE FILM:Labyrinth (1986)
This was a tough cateory to award. There's always a film that you enjoy more than you probably ought to. I was going to give this one to Dirty Dancing because it is the essence of a guilty pleasure. But the GEeK Awards are my chance to be subjective for a change, so I gave it to one of my personal favorites instead. Labyrinth is a wonderfully weird tale brought to life by Jim Henson's mind. I love it even though it has its problems and it's a film that very few people have heard of let alone would they expect it to be one of my favorites. If that doesn't make it a guilty pleasure, then I don't know what does.
BEST REVIEW OF THE YEAR:Poltergeist (1982)
While working on this year's awards posts I realized that this seem like a very arrogant award to give out. In a way, this looks like I'm patting myself on the back but this is really not the case. I give out this award because it forces me to read back through all of the reviews I wrote for this year's crop of films. While reading back through I was surprised to find a lot of spelling and grammar mistakes. This award gives me a chance to evaluate myself as a film critic. I'm not a professionally trained critic but I am a fan of the cinema and I understand that my writing should reflect my respect for the medium.
This year I felt that my best review was for Poltergeist. The review itself was free of mistakes and I didn't waste time by writing too much about what happened in the film itself. I feel that these are critical aspects to a review. I also felt that I did my best job of pointing out the film's merits. I didn't sugar coat it but I also didn't hold back in praising the film's most successful qualities. I am still growing as an unprofessional critic and I'd like to think that Poltergeist is a good foundation for me.
Just like last year, 11 films took home GEeK Awards. I watched 48 films in 2008 and only 33 qualified for nominations. This means that one third of all nominees won something. I guess that's not too bad. Hopefully next year's awards will involve more films though.
GEeK AWARDS BREAKDOWN
Films Winning 2 Awards:
Bambi (1942)
The Dark Knight (2008)
Poltergeist (1982)
Wings** (1927)
Films Winning 1 Award:
Cloverfield (2008)
Enchanted (2007)
Labyrinth (1987)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)
The Sixth Sense* (1999)
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
