The Brians

We all need something to take our mind of Britney and Anna Nicole. Thank goodness the time has come for The Brians. This marks the fifth year I have given awards for the best new movies which I saw in the theater during the preceeding year. In 2006, I had to bend the rules and add in movies I rented or bought on pay-per-view because we hardly made it to the movies.

This year, we’re back to the old rules with lots of contenders. In no particular order (except the order I remember them), we saw “Casino Royale,” “Click,” “Stranger Than Fiction,” “Talladega Nights,” “The Break-Up,” and “Date Movie.” The field of six is the largest in Brians history, I think.

We also have a new category for animated films. Those can be called the Bridgets because I came along for the ride to see “Curious George,” “Over the Hedge” and “Ice Age: the Meltdown.”

So without further ado, come down the Rivers-free red carpet and find out the winners.

Do you know how some years, film experts talk about the lack of good candidates for The Oscars? Well, it’s that kind of year for The Brians, now celebrating their fourth year. Actually, the quality of the films eligible remains very high. The number of films, not so much.

In fact, I have had to expand the rules beyond the original concept, which was movies I saw in the theatre. This year, all movies released in 2005 that I saw in any form were eligible.

I only saw three movies released in 2005, however. Pretty sad, huh? “The Wedding Crashers” (we ordered that on the TV while on vacation), “Hitch” (cable) and “40-Year-Old Virgin” (we actually saw that in the theatre) will battle for honors.

I really like the fact that so much controversy surrounds Chris Rock hosting tonight’s Academy Awards ceremony. While people gossip over whether the comedian respects the Oscars, the Brians have had the opportunity to sail under the radar.

Yes, it’s that time of year again when I give away awards for the best in film … that I saw the previous year.

We have six films eligible, the same as the last two years. Voters – and there is a change there – had to choose from “Dodgeball,” “Starsky & Hutch,” “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy,” “The Aviator,” “Ocean’s Twelve,” and “Home on the Range,” the first animated film nominated for a Brian.

I changed the voting a little at the behest of a friend named, coincidentally, Brian. He didn’t see why he should be disqualified from voting since, in the spirit of Jeff Spicoli, these are our awards.

If you don’t get that joke, go rent “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.”

Anyway, without any further ado, the 2005 Brians.