And I totally agree that AFI likes to play it safe and go with “older” films and not neccesarily better films. Snow White and the 7 dwarves is not even close to being one of Disney’s best animated. They should have given the spot to Lion King, really who doesn’t like the Lion King? Or if not the Lion King at least Beauty and the Beast.

Toy Story? I’m not too crazy about it but its not as bad as picking Snow White. I understand why they chose it but Pixar has had better films: The Incredibles and Finding Nemo.

Its cool how 6th sense made it there, didn’t see that coming but WTF is up with E.T and Titanic making it? And Saving Private Ryan? Good films but I wouldn’t say AFI status.

But, I must defend the Fellowship of the Ring pick. That movie was absolutely sensational, a once-in-a-lifetime cinematic experience, the likes of which has never otherwise been seen and will probably not be seen again for a long time to come (unless this fall’s The Golden Compass is executed well, but there’s no way they’ll pull it off).

I know its sort of a love/hate kind of thing when it comes to big fantasy epics like Lord of the Rings, but the AFI list proves that us elf-lovers are the majority, so there

And why did they pick the Fellowship of the Ring?

But as for Toy Story being the most resonant film thematically, I’d have to disagree. Part of what makes Pixar films so special is that they all have so much heart. Whether its the nostalgia created by the toys in Toy Story, or the protection of love and family at all costs in Nemo, or how we struggle with leaving our glory days behind in The Incredibles, each film is very emotionally resonant in its own way.

I don’t think you could really argue that one is more emotionally resonant than the other once it comes to the really great films (obviously, A Bug’s Life is not on par with Toy Story, for example), but personally, I connected much more with Monster’s Inc. and The Incredibles more than with Toy Story. If the rest of the AFI list is our guide, I’d say its a safe bet that Toy Story is up there because it was revolutionary in the path of animated films and put Pixar on the map.

However, I believe that Toy Story does deserve accolades for more than its “1st CG Feature Film” status. From top to bottom, Toy Story is a conceptually fascinating film. If Transformers was a television show designed to sell toys, Toy Story was a film designed by the people who bought them.

And I think that this is why the film resonates: everyone has toys, or had toys, or is looking to purchase toys in the near future. The sense of nostalgia that the film roots itself in is, in my view, something that cannot be bested by anything else Pixar has created. While I personally enjoy other Pixar films more, conceptually I think Toy Story is the strongest they’ve made. Its themes would also be the ones most likely to resonate with old people at the AFI.

Now, as for Snow White, I’d rather seen them go with something from the modern era…but what? Beauty and the Beast is the best film from the era, in my books, but Little Mermaid started it all and Lion King arguably topped it off. I think that the AFI is too lazy to make a decision and went with something safe (Considering that Fantastia used to be on the list and got kicked off, it appears that non-token “1sts” or “Event” Animated films will get their due.

Maybe next decade.

Either way, comparing a movie like ‘Modern Times’ with ‘Toy Story’ is as useless as comparing a 1985 Bordeaux with a 2003 California Chardonnay. Or comparing Willie May’s center field catch to Kirk Gibson’s walk-off homer in game 1 of the 1988 world series, as many sports shows do in their ‘greatest sports play ever’.

Why? Because we can argue about it…and watch more movies….and drink more wine….and watch more sports.

Signing off from planet Melmac,
Alf