The American Film Institute has been issuing a variety of year’s best lists and over the weekend, a new one came to our attention:

AFI Moments of Significance may include accomplishments of considerable merit; influences with either a positive or negative impression; trends, either new or re-emerging; anniversaries or memorials of special note; and/or movements in new technologies, education, preservation, government or other areas that impact the art film, television and digital media.

The AFI Moments of Significance selections are listed below:

Slumdog Millionaire — A Celebration of the Global Film

Slumdog Millionaire stands as a monument to the possibilities of cross-cultural storytelling. Danny Boyle’s masterwork is rooted in the worlds of Dickens and Dumas but captures their spirit with a visual and narrative splendor that serves as a cinematic passport to a vibrant, modern India. A love story at its core, the film is also a powerful reminder that our global obsession with money leaves many of the world’s children in need.

Also of significance, Slumdog Millionaire is a signpost in America’s search for greater authenticity in its stories. Subtitles — once an inconvenience to American audiences — are now expected and, in fact, demanded to confirm the universality of our daily, global experience.

Other films that reflect this cultural shift include Gran Torino, The Visitor, Australia and television’s Heroes.

Television and New Technologies Provide a Global Oracle for America’s Presidential Race

America’s historic presidential race between Barack Obama and John McCain mesmerized a global audience like a long-running television series. Television and Web coverage played to each other’s strengths, as every nuance of the long, arduous campaigns was accessible for public celebration and scrutiny.

During this process, Obama not only won the election, but also took his place among those statesmen—from FDR’s "Fireside Chats" on radio to JFK’s telegenic performances in debates and news conferences—whose mastery of a new medium captured the public imagination.

Obama harnessed the power of the Internet for both messaging and fundraising, communicating with e-mails, online videos and social networking. His campaign crescendoed with a 30-minute infomercial that was transmitted simultaneously over several broadcast networks and cable channels in the closing days of the campaign.

New technology also helped to engage American citizens at unprecedented levels, most notably with CNN’s "Magic Map," which brought a greater understanding of the electoral process to a new generation.

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I somehow missed the advent of Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim but recognize its contributions to pop culture.  As a result, as the DVD sets have been arriving for review, I’ve managed to play a bit of catch-up.  The random humor of [[[Aqua Teen Hunger Force]]] was lost upon me and I was excoriated for being too old to appreciate it.

Well, I certainly enjoyed the second season of [[[Metalocaplypse]]] a lot more. Largely, this had to do with the level of wit and creativity that is brought to each episode of the series, which aired from September 2007 through September 2008, with a six month break in between.  The cartoon is derived from the [[[This is Spinal Tap’s rock mockumentary]]] roots but works because there’s so much that can be parodied.

Deathlok is an unnaturally popular metal band and the performers are great when on stage and totally dysfunctional away from the crowds.  Each of the 19 episodes comprising [[[Metalocalypse Season II: Black Fire Upon Us]]], currently in stores,  has fun with some aspect of stardom and rock’n’roll.

The writing is sharper and the animation better, although still rather limited. Brendan Small and Tommy Blacha are to be commended for sustaining what could have been a one-note concept.  Having said that, the introduction of the Tribunal, the shadowy governmental force that works to tamp down their rising popularity feels like an ill fit, especially since the band triumphs over “The Man” each time so becomes flat and predictable.

Favorite episodes out of the bunch include “Dethfashion”, “Dethgov”, and “Dethweedding”.

While some shows work through a single sitting, this does not.  You find some of the gags and character bits repetitious atop the boring Tribunal crap. And if you’re not a metal head, the music can switch from entertaining to pounding real fast.  

There aren’t a lot of extras but they’re all hidden including five deleted scenes, music videos, and Klokateers: In Memoriam, and Nathan reading [[[Titus Andronicus]]].