Lists and awards, 12/15.

"Another year, another ton of DVDs to process: an impossible job, as always, and a job now further complicated by Blu-ray editions," writes Video Watchdog editor Tim Lucas. "I have asked our contributors to select only their Top 5 picks, with domestic and import titles fair game." Results vary delightfully, though there is one overall winner, the Icons of Horror Collection: Hammer Films.

Nathan Lee's posted his top ten at WNYC. His #1: Jean-Luc Godard's Une catastrophe.

Jerry Schatzberg's Puzzle of a Downfall Child tops the Tisch Film Review's "Top 10 Repertory Films of 2008."

Mike Everleth on his movie of the year: "Altamont Now is a major blast in every sense of the adjective. It's a totally fun, hilarious ride as well as a massive over-the-top assault. It's a film that punches you in the face and drags you deep into the center of the mosh pit where it keeps you until the final encore. It's all that and a new modern-day underground film classic.

The AFI picks its top ten movies and TV shows of 2008.

Kristopher Tapley posts the Boston Society of Film Critics list of winners and runners-up. Best Picture's a tie: WALL•E and Slumdog Millionaire.

Movie City News has, well, news of another round of critics' awards: the New York Film Critics Online (Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire), the Alliance of Women Journalists (ditto) and the Women Film Critics Circle (Best Movie About Women: Changeling; Best Movie By a Woman: Frozen River).

Peter Knegt's got the list of nominations for the Chicago Film Critics' Association Awards; leading with six apiece are Slumdog Millionaire and The Dark Knight. Also, the winners of the "always eccentric" Satellite Awards.

"So what does it all mean?!?" asks Karina Longworth at the SpoutBlog. "None of these groups have a particularly fool-proof track record when it comes to predicting Oscar glory, but the blanket of praise for Slumdog seems to have already lent the film an air of inevitability in a year otherwise lacking in films that everyone can get behind. Which is annoying for those of us who think Slumdog is a servicable crowd-pleaser which has been way over-praised."

The AV Club's latest list: "21 unnecessary film sequels that are great anyway."

Online browsing tip. The Guardian's critics lay out their "worst movies of 2008" in a photo gallery.

Online listening tip #1. Matt Singer and Alison Willmore at IFC: "From the year's greatest comeback and its most tragedy-tinged triumph to underappreciated turns in comedies and foreign films, we salute 2008's great moments in acting."

Online listening tip #2. Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot discuss the Sound Opinions "Best Albums of 2008."

Online viewing tips. "The best (and very worst) of AdFreak, 2008," via Coudal Partners.

Posted by dwhudson at December 15, 2008 9:54 AM