Newsarama 2008 Showdown - Movie of the Year

'Tis the season to break out year-end Top 10 lists, and while Newsarama will be doing their share of 'Best of the Year's' no doubt, we also thought we'd add a democratic tip to the mix and ask you our readers to choose what you think was the Top comic book and genre-related media events of the past year. And we're going to start with 'Movie of the Year'.

Now, this is slightly different than asking what was your personal favorite or what you thought was the best movie of the year out of all the movies released. No doubt some of you responded more favorably to Wanted, Hellboy 2, or heck, even Sex in the City than the two choices offered.

But under any objective criteria – box office success, critical reception, pop culture buzz, impact on the genre – two films stood [way] out from the pack, and taking all of these elements into account, along with your personal preference, we want to know which the most hardcore and knowledgeable fans of the genre (you that is) think is the 'Movie of the Year'.

After a few words about the two choices, you can participate by voting for your selection below, and you don't even have to be a registered Newsarama member...

1. The Dark Knight

The holder of now numerous box office records and the second highest grossing film of all time was the pop culture phenomenon of the summer and a critical darling to boot. The film's final chapter might not yet have been written with Academy Award nominations and a theatrical re-release still to come, and in any other year it might be a blow-away-the-field, no-brainer choice for 'Movie of the Year' if not for...

2. Iron Man

On a relative scale, the film's $318 million box office take (good for second place for the year) might be as big as a surprise as the Dark Knight's $530 million, and its critical reception was arguably as positive, even if it fails to garner award nominations. If pure fun and escapism is high on your list, the Robert Downey Jr.-starrer stands toe-to-toe with any film released this past year. Dark Knight might have had the broader reach, but inside fan communities like this one Iron Man could potentially compete for most satisfying film of the year.

So there you have your showdown choices for 'Movie of the Year'. You can vote for you choice right below and stick around to discuss the choices with your fellow fans...