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JERRY BECK
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L.A. Critics say Wall•E Best Film of the Year
by jerry
December 9, 2008 4:21 pm


Variety is reporting that the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. has named Disney/Pixar’s “Wall-E” its best picture of the year, the first time in its history that it has given its top prize to an animated film. The L.A. group also named Waltz With Bashir Best Animated Film of the Year and Bashir was also named Runner-up in Documentary category.

12/9/08  4:42pm
Mr. Semaj says:

¡Viva el prestigio!

12/9/08  5:02pm

They should watch more films.

12/9/08  5:28pm

Floyd, you’ve summed it up in five words.

Get it down to two and you’ve got yourself a career in the newspapers.

12/9/08  5:42pm
Peter says:

I remember when a Pixar movie really was the best movie of the year; The Incredibles in 2004.

12/9/08  5:45pm
Chuck R. says:

Waitaminit,
If Wall-E is the best picture of the year, then how can it NOT be the best animated film of the year? Do these folks even know it’s animated?

12/9/08  5:59pm
Trystan says:

@ Richard O’Conner

XD

and I’m with Chuck on this one. it doesn’t make sense.
maybe to give the other films a chance? i guess…

12/9/08  6:47pm
Pedro Nakama says:

It is the BEST film of the year.

12/9/08  6:57pm

Really glad this has happened, easily the best film of the year for me, let’s hope it gets the oscar nomination in the same category…

12/9/08  7:48pm
T. Filibone says:

Good news– this year’s filmes were TERRIBLE, except for WALL-E and KUNG FU PANDA, that is.

12/9/08  8:30pm
Saturnome says:

Silly. (do I get the job?)

Though I guess It’s only a matter of opinions, it’s a very fine film, but, not that splendid IMO… and there’s a couple of films I have yet to see from this year.

(…Presto was better!)

12/9/08  9:10pm

I concur with the Association.

12/9/08  9:19pm

Although… on second thought: The best film of 2008 was Dark Knight.

But in retrospect, Wall*E is a more important film, because of its social commentary on environmental degradation and consumerism.

12/9/08  9:20pm

I’m surprised you didn’t notice that the film was also nominated for Best Picture by the Critics Choice Awards (based on a couple hundred professional film journalists). Right alongside Oscar favorites like Frost/Nixon and Slumdog Millionaire.

12/9/08  11:02pm
Dan says:

Well, it got the most reaction here as I recall. That’s got to mean something.

12/10/08  12:25am
Lucky Jim says:

I always found it interesting that film critics loved “Wall-e” more than animation folk did. I honestly don’t know why.

I with the critics on with this one though.

12/10/08  12:29am
Ivan says:

Dark Knight was pretty heavy social commentary as well, but I agree with the association’s decision.. Wall-E is a modern day Chaplin movie. I’m hoping the Academy will recognize it in the best picture category.

12/10/08  9:27am
PJ says:

I’m completely with Lucky Jim and Ivan on this one.

I absolutely loved WALL-E. I was completely enthralled and endlessly impressed with it, and thought that on any level of inspection it was a fantastic movie. I’m very happy that it got some recognition for the film that it was instead of just the “animated film” that it was.

Here’s hoping the Academy feels the same way.

12/10/08  10:25am
Brad Constantine says:

The film was good but not best picture.
The short before was better.
I felt the same about Happy Feet…well made, but not that good.
maybe the free watch swayed em…hehe

12/10/08  11:08am
Jason says:

I have a feeling that the Association is choosing the message over the medium, and politics over actual entertainment value. Wall*E wasn’t a bad film, but it was plenty boring and preachy in spots. For a film that combines a good message with real laughs and heart, Bolt wins over all. But choosing Bolt would require a sense of humor and an appreciation of family, and the LA crowd pretty much disdains both.

12/10/08  12:58pm
James says:

Wall-e and The Dark Knight are hands down the best films I’ve seen this year. TIME also put Wall-e as their #1 film, btw. There looks to be some great ones coming out now, so that may change, but I doubt it. Both deserve any accolades they get. Wall-e will have more staying power in film history I feel, though. For pure popcorn fun, though, I really enjoyed Bolt and Iron Man.

12/10/08  1:36pm
Someone says:

BORING

Cars was better.

12/11/08  11:35am
JM says:

I can’t believe people are still fawning over this film. Wall-e plainly wasn’t very good. If you think about it for mere moments, it has huge plot holes and its so-called commentary on consumerism is a joke, almost to the point of being an oxymoron. Much of the plot and style reeked of being stolen from Idiocracy. The live action integration didn’t work and was a terrible idea stylistically. People need to get over Pixar’s reign. It has been lost in the past few years (Incredibles are an exception.) Kung Fu Panda kicked Wall-e so hard in all the best ways this year.

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