Techtite Feature Article!

Techtite's 2nd Annual Golden Ottos are awarded in these categories:

Movies

DVDs

Multimedia

Television

Video Games

-------------

Sidebar :

-------------

What? No Video Game Awards?... ...sadly, Techtite's Video Game department is practically brand new, with the exception of a paltry number of reviews in past years. Although a revival of the page is now underway, it was not deemed appropriate to offer awards in a genre with so many consoles (PS2, XBOX, Gamecube), many of which were only recently purchased. See awards for these systems in the 2002 awards...

-----------------

Feel free to contribute. As always, review submissions are accepted!

------------------

Movies:

We here at Techtite.com like to give honor to the "lucky 7" of the best films of the year. That said, here they are:

Best Animated Film: Finding Nemo. This is an easy win; every other animated film in 2003 (yes, even from Disney) was crap. Sure, there was France's "The Triplets of Belleville," but we were unable to see it, so we have no idea how that compares one way or another (and it isn't our fault if we can't see a movie; that's their problem). As for Disney, I still have a major grievance with how they've steered clear of any decent soundtracks in their movies (not only musical numbers; even the background theme music is garbage!). Still, Finding Nemo rose above these modern Disney obstacles with style. It's that simple.

Honorable Mentions:

Lost in Translation, a great film by Sofia Coppola, and the best performance of Bill Murray's career (which is saying a lot!),

Seabiscuit, because, admit it; everyone loves a "dark horse wins the race" story now and then,

Pirates of the Caribbean, because like it or not Johnny Depp as a pirate was the most memorable performance all year (and come on; the movie was so much fun!),

Monster; if just because there is no "Golden Otto" for best acting and we all love Charlize Theron,

and The Last Samuirai; because to look at this film and then see Cold Mountain called "award caliber" is to confess how Tom Cruise lost critics' common sense in the divorce settlement with Nicole.

 

Worst Movie of the Year: The Life of David Gale. I know what you're thinking; this was a slam dunk for Gigli as Worst Movie, right? Wrong. Not to sound positive, because my review of that film was just as harsh, but when a film purports to be for some purpose other than just "entertainment," claiming to provoke some sort of "deeper" message, only to be, well, The Life of David Gale...? That's what makes this worst of the year.

Most Disappointing Movie of the Year: Matrix Revolutions. While not the "worst" film of the year, I would be lacking in my awards duties if I did not hand one out to Matrix Revolutions, as the film most disappointing. Spoilers notwithstanding (the film was out half a year ago; where were you?); one hero's life or death is up to anyone's interpretation, another hero is shish-ka-bobbed by scrap metal (i.e., dead), and worst of all, the whole trilogy concludes with a saccharine "why can't humans and robots just get along?" message. I'd just as soon expect Mr. Smith morphing into Barney the Dinosaur singing, "I love youuu...you love meee...."

DIShonorable Mentions:

Basic because the antagonists are quasi-heroic while the protagonist are gutless wimps,

Gigli, before you think I'm not going to award is some sort of "worst of" honors!

Terminator 3, because its ending sucked so bad I had to even write an editorial about it!

and Texas Chainsaw Massacre, because we got only one guest review this year, he told us it sucked and that's good enough for us.

That said: on to DVDs! >>>