Broadcast Film Critics to Honor Top Blu-Rays

The organization that hands out the Critics Choice Movie Awards will select the top Blu-rays — but not everything’s eligible

The Broadcast Film Critics Association (and its offshoots) just can't stop giving out awards.

First came the Critics Choice Movie Awards, which has a national television deal on VH1 and been a fairly reliable Oscar precursor for the past 17 years.

Then, earlier this year, the BFCA – which consists of television, radio and internet critics, and of which (full disclosure) I am a member – created a sister organization, the Broadcast Television Journalists Association, which handed out the first Critics Choice Television Awards in June, just before Emmy nominating ballots were due.

Lord of the Rings box setAnd now the group, which also awards the "Critics Choice" designation to films that are rated highly by members, has created a new, albeit more limited, kudo: the Top Five  Blu-Ray Discs list, which will be presented in coordination with the Blu-ray Disc Association.

The list, which will be compiled from members' votes on the BFCA website, will be announced in September.

The BFCA has asked members to select one film from each of the five years that Blu-ray discs have been in existence, and to consider a number of factors, including picture and sound quality, bonus features and the overall merit of the film.

Voters will not, however, be able to vote for just any Blu-ray release. Voting is limited to 35 specific titles, five each from Disney, Fox, Lionsgate, Paramount, Sony, Universal and Warner Bros.

All eligible titles are being shipped to the approximately 250 BFCA members.

Disney's titles are "Beauty and the Beast," "Sleeping Beauty," "Tron," Pixar's "Up" and a "Pirates of the Caribbean" box set.

Universal has submitted "Inglourious Basterds," "Despicable Me," "Hellboy II," "Wanted" and "Mamma Mia!," while the Warner Bros.' selection is made up of "Inception," "The Dark Knight," "The Wizard of Oz," "300" and the 15-disc "Lord of the Rings" box set (photo above). 

Lionsgate's picks: "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," "Crank," "3:10 to Yuma," "The Last Exorcism" and a three-disc "Apocalpyse Now" set.

Meanwhile, at least one BFCA voter (this one, to be exact) is left bemoaning the fact that the Criterion Collection has been left on the sidelines.

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