The AFI kind of devalued itself today. They named their 10 best films, which are supposed to be American. And then they added Korea’s “Parasite” because it’s popular and makes them look hip. The AFI is for American films, not foreign films, no matter how much we love them.
Nine of their ten choices are good. I would not have included “Jojo Rabbit.” The AFI could have included “Bombshell,” “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” or “Two Popes,” without thinking twice. “Dolemite” would have been inspired. But this way every studio has been included except for Paramount, which had a good candidate in “Rocketman.”
On the television side, the AFI made a special prize for British entry, “Fleabag.”
This is a relatively new thing, these AFI Special Awards. Last year, it was “Roma,” also a foreign film that they knew would be nominated for Best Picture. So they bent the rules. You wonder what the producers of foreign films think who don’t have the political clout to pull this off. As for the AFI, they’ve fallen away to the issues that have haunted other awards groups to appear popular and relevant.
AFI Motion Pictures of the Year
1917
Universal
THE FAREWELL
A24
THE IRISHMAN
Netflix
JOJO RABBIT
Fox Searchlight
JOKER
Warner Bros
KNIVES OUT
Lionsgate
LITTLE WOMEN
Sony
MARRIAGE STORY
Netflix
ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
Sony
RICHARD JEWELL
Warner Bros
Special Award
PARASITE
Neon
AFI Television Programs of the Year
“Chernobyl”
“The Crown”
“Fosse/Verdon”
“Game of Thrones”
“Pose”
“Succession”
“Unbelievable”
“Veep”
“Watchmen”
“When They See Us”
Special Award: “Fleabag”
