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Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2010 2:49 pm
by Sabin
He does a Better Than list, where he makes mind-melding comparisons between two movies (one an adorned critical fave, the other a forgotten genre film) with on paper nothing in common. This is from his 2009 Better Than list where he starts by saying "Don’t talk about 2009 movies unless you’ve seen Jan Troell’s comeback film."
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Next Day Air > Up in the Air
Benny Boom disinfects The Wire’s pathology into an August Wilson-rich comedy about what greed does to the working class; it has truth and beauty where Jason Reitman told white-collar lies about labor, vocation and lack of community.
Crank 2: High Voltage and Gamer > Avatar
Neveldine/Taylor, avant-garde filmmakers consigned to B-movie obscurity, are sharp stylists who satirize the responsibilities of the digital era that James Cameron turns into insipid escapism.
Gentlemen Broncos >Inglourious Basterds
Jared Hess goes to the roots of the sci-fi genre for its pathos. Removed from exhibition, its day will come. It is the 2001 of 2009. But Q.T. traipses through the war movie genre without touching on anything remotely personal or amusing.
Where the Wild Things Are > District 9
Spike Jonze realizes the liberating, introspective possibilities in pop while Neil Blomkamp reclaims apartheid for geeks who don’t know what that was, yet enjoy the comforts of pop idiocy.
Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2010 2:37 pm
by Greg
anonymous wrote:Someone from a Facebook group said something about Peter Travers that rings very true: He is, in some ways, the exact opposite of Armond White.
Does Armond White have an annual top ten list? If so, guessing that would probably be easier than guessing for Peter Travers.
Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2010 7:45 am
by Sonic Youth
That's another 9 point submission, correctly guessing Social Network for the top spot and six others besides. It's looking like Shutter Island would've been the most common misstep.
Edited By Sonic Youth on 1291898741
Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2010 1:46 am
by rudeboy
Sonic Youth wrote:Rudeboy, the contest is over but could you post your list anyway? I'd like to see it.
As you wish!
1. The Social Network
2. The King’s Speech
3. 127 Hours
4. Black Swan
5. Inception
6. Shutter Island
7. Toy Story 3
8. The Kids are All Right
9. Another Year
10. Let Me In
Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2010 12:00 am
by Big Magilla
Congratulations, Eric.
I forgot that I won last year. I also thought I came in behind both Eric and Sabin this year. To tell the truth I didn't put much more thought into this than Tripp's (Film Fan) daughter.
But, thanks, Sonic, for the tabulations.
Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 11:24 pm
by Eric
A win is a win is a win.
Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 10:15 pm
by Sabin
(anonymous @ Dec. 08 2010,9:12)
Someone from a Facebook group said something about Peter Travers that rings very true: He is, in some ways, the exact opposite of Armond White.
I don't know. They're both incredibly predictable. But in terms of taste, oh yeah. They're as different as black and white.
Congrats, Eric!
Edited By Sabin on 1291871733
Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 10:12 pm
by anonymous1980
Damn it. I was gonna post an entry but he shot his wad early this year.
Someone from a Facebook group said something about Peter Travers that rings very true: He is, in some ways, the exact opposite of Armond White.
Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 10:03 pm
by Sabin
(Sonic Youth @ Dec. 08 2010)
Sabin's score received a one point deduction for incorrectly guessing a tie. Otherwise, he would have been the sole runner-up.
Remember when Peter Travers somehow picked both Almost Famous and Crouching Tiger for the best film of the year, linking them in some archaic manner I don't recall? I miss the days when Peter Travers made good bad Peter Travers lists. I miss the days of him putting three star Miramax movies over the four star films he would cite in the spring and forget about.
Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 9:49 pm
by Sonic Youth
After, er... many, many hours of tallying the scores, the winner is Eric with 11 points. Sabin and Big Magilla tie for second with 9 points, and Filmfan720's 7 month old daughter has disgraced her wonderful family with a paltry 6 points. But that's better than her father did last year.
One thing I love doing is going over the statistics, but with only four contestants this year, there's not much point. Magilla won the contest last year with the same score of 9 points. This suggests if we had more participants it would have been an average year of accurate guesses, higher than last year. I'm pretty sure nearly everyone would have picked "The Social Network" for the No. 1 slot. I know I would have, and it earned Eric, Magilla and Sabin three points. Eric guessed the correct placement for one other film... as did Filmfan's baby girl. 
Sabin's score received a one point deduction for incorrectly guessing a tie. Otherwise, he would have been the sole runner-up.
I'm really sorry for not having started the contest earlier and not reminding people to play. Last year, Travers released his list on Dec. 14th. I truly thought we'd have a little more time.
Rudeboy, the contest is over but could you post your list anyway? I'd like to see it.
Edited By Sonic Youth on 1291863152
Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 4:13 pm
by rudeboy
Dammit, I had my list ready to post! A quick glance suggests I was in with a shout of doing OK... although this guy's lists really are sensationally easy to guess.
Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 3:19 pm
by Sonic Youth
Shoot. He was earlier this year.
Sorry, guys. My heart wasn't entirely into it this time. I'll tally later tonight.
Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 3:07 pm
by Mister Tee
Here's the list fresh out of Rolling Stone. Read it and weep.
1. The Social Network
2. Inception
3. The King’s Speech
4. True Grit
5. The Kids Are All Right
6. 127 Hours
7. Black Swan
8. The Fighter
9. Winter’s Bone
10. Toy Story 3
Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 10:30 pm
by Big Magilla
That's the only possible explanation for leaving Inception off your list! :O
Posted: Sun Dec 05, 2010 9:25 pm
by FilmFan720
So, if you look back at last years thread (where I embarrassingly scored the lowest score in the history of the contest), I begrudgingly said that next year I was just going to have my 7-month old daughter chose the list. After all, she is probably closest to the mental state of Mr. Travers.
So this year, that is exactly what I did. I made 30-some sheets of paper with names of possible films on them, spread them out in front of her, and the first 10 she picked up (in order) are my ballot for here. If I do well, we may actually be on to something...anyone got a pet monkey at home to put to the test?
1. Black Swan
2. Restrepo
3. Fish Tank
4. Waiting for "Superman"
5. Blue Valentine
6. 127 Hours
7. The Social Network
8. The King's Speech
9. The Kids Are All Right
10. Shutter Island