There must be something about the end of the year that makes people — grown-up people — get into a list-making mode. Perhaps it's a behavior left over from childhood, when lists were made for Santa Claus. But people who write, whether for newspapers, the electronic media or the internet, are busy making lists. Political writers, sports writers, satirists, op-ed columnists, entertainment writers all do it.
As a general rule, I don't. When I was writing about film and theater for the Post-Dispatch, I resisted doing so. Most of the time, I didn't compile a 10-best list. When my boss won a battle of wills, I did. I'm not going to do it this year, but as a member of the St. Louis Film Critics, a group of 37 people who define themselves as such, I'm going to share our winners with a vast group of readers.
With one caveat. . . .
Our group voted "Up in the Air" as Best Picture. I didn't agree, voting for "Hurt Locker." But I wonder how many of our membership would have made the same choice if the George Clooney film had shot no scenes in St. Louis but had filmed them in Phoenix or Denver or Kansas City or Little Rock.
The other winners. I agreed with some selections, disagreed with some. But here they are:
Best Actor–George Clooney, "Up in the Air"
Best Actress–Carey Mulligan, "An Education"
Best Supporting Actor–Christoph Waltz, "Inglorious Basterds"
Best Supporting Actress–Mo'Nique, "Precious"
Best Director–Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker"
Best Screenplay–Scott Neustadter anjd Michael H. Weber, "(500) Days of Summer"
Best Cinematography–Dion Beebe, "Nine"
Best Music–"Nine"
Best Visual Effects–"Avatar"
Best Foreign Language Film–"Red Cliff"
Best Documentary–"Capitalism: A Love Story"
Best Comedy–"The Hangover"
Best Animated Film–"Up"
Most Original, Innovative or Creative Film–"Avatar"
Favorite Scene–"Up," for its opening marriage montage.
And one more thing (or two, since I decided two were equally awful)–My nomination and vote for Worst Movie of the Year, "Avatar" and "2012"
And on to another year in darkened rooms.
–Joe