The DVD Critics Awards (guess they haven't gotten around to changing their name for the high-def era) have shaken things up for 2009, opening their proceedings to welcome the choices of home video consumers.
For the past four years, winning discs have been selected by a panel of judges--noted DVD/Blu-ray experts--and so they shall again, but new this year will be the addition of eight categories voted on by the folks who make it all worthwhile, the buying public. Most of these categories are genre-oriented: Funniest DVD/Blu-ray, Best Action Title, Best Period Piece, Best Sci-Fi Title, Best Western (surprisingly not sponsored by any hotel chain), Best Superhero Title, Best Single Extra, plus a write-in for that most subjective of choices, "Favorite DVD/Blu-ray of 2008." Both standard- and high-definition releases are represented.
The nominees in each group were selected from eligible titles submitted to the DVD Critics Awards by the various studios/home video labels. The winners will be chosen by opinionated DVD/Blu-ray enthusiasts like you, between August 10 and August 28, so get (virtually) crackin'.
Some of my picks for the Best of 2008 from the list of nominated titles (in no particular order), all currently available on Amazon.com:
