The votes have been cast, the independent accounting firm of Fletch & Fletch has been consulted, and the time has come for the LIONs to be handed out.
This is the final post for this year’s LION Awards. I’d like to thank the 59 voters who took part – a sharp jump from the 16 or so that we had last year. I look forward to over 100 next year.
I think that this year’s choices are an excellent representation of the LAMB. Perhaps all of your favorites didn’t make the top ten, but there were 160 total films entered on your ballots, and the films listed below show that we have a diverse mix of popcorn flicks and indies, from the #2 all-time box office earner to a film that’s grossed less than two million in U.S. ticket sales to date. We even got a photo finish.
As it so happens, there was a tie for 10th place. I might have instituted a tie-breaker based on most first-place votes or total points, but they were tied using each of those parameters as well. As such, the Top 10 will be a Top 11, thus making the title of this post a typo already. So be it.
Here are the winners, from 10 11 to 1, with total points, and first-place votes in parenthesees:
Other films receiving first-place votes: Continental, a Film Without Guns, Don’t Touch the Axe (The Duchess of Langeais), The Fall, Fugitive Pieces, Man on Wire, My Winnipeg, Paranoid Park, Silent Light, Speed Racer, The Sky, The Earth, and the Rain, Under the Same Moon (La Misma Luna), The Visitor, and Wanted.
This concludes our broadcast of The 2nd Annual LION Awards, here on the LAMB. Coming later today (and for the next 23 days leading up to the Academy Awards)…The LAMB Devours the Oscars!
I can’t bring myself to want to watch “Milk.” I just can’t STAND Sean Penn.
I’m so glad that Let the Right One In made the list. It’s nice to know that I wasn’t the only one who liked it.
Really? WALL-E made #1. I’m glad a few of my choices made it to the Top 10. I am so excited that The Wrestler finally opened here! Now if I could get Milk down the street I’d be set.
I actually like this list.
But what I think is funny is that ‘Let The Right One In’ has been hailed by many (even outside the LAMB) as not only one of the best foreign films of the year, but one of the best overall films of the year… and it didn’t even get an Oscar Nom.
I actually liked the list of 10 movies.
But I agree with Nick that ‘Let The Right One In’ must make to this list.
Great list, it really shows what an interesting year it was for film. I’m a little surprized Wall-E made it over The Dark Knight, just from a pop. point of view.
Re: Let the Right One In at Oscars. It didn’t get nominated because it wasn’t submitted by Sweden as their foreign film.
Shannon: I figured as much, but I still think that’s ridiculous with all the amazing reviews it has gotten.
In Bruges – Really glad this one made the list. Very underrated, should have received more box office success.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Come on, guys. I thought we were better than this.
Iron Man – I’m surprised this made the list but not Tropic Thunder or Pineapple Express.
The Wrestler – This is my #1. By far.
Let the Right One In – Whoo-hoo!
Milk – Gonna see this soon. Hopefully this week. Hailing from San Francisco, this one will most likely make me one happy cinephile.
Slumdog Millionaire – Haven’t seen this one yet either. Soon.
The Dark Knight – Really? I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.
Wall*E – Really? I guess I still shouldn’t be surprised.
Where’s The Fall?
Where’s Frozen River?
Where the HELL is SHOTGUN STORIES?