THE BEST OF 2018; WHERE SETTING IS THE REAL STAR

Now that it's the end of the year, media critics are submitting their favorite films and TV shows of 2018. Which then soon starts  an avalanche of international  awards, like The Golden Globes and Academy Awards. It's interesting to see if our own personal " bests" win any of those awards. They should. After all,  we select special works that people may neglect, not recognizing that they are extraordinary?  We  critics, in other words, have better aesthetic taste than the so- called  media "judges" who are considered primarily representatives of popular culture, not "art."  What's more, we critics don't, hopefully, single out winning media for political reasons ( ie. It's Joe Smith's turn to garner a  best actor award because he's getting old ).

    While describing what media critics are and are not, I have often wondered what characteristics we do consider when picking the "Best." The obvious criteria  include acting, story/plot, directing, setting, theme. Most experts say the story is prime, but acting probably plays an equal part. Then again, maybe several components are responsible. Art is complicated.

     My particular "BESTS" of 2018  are a little quirky. First, since I didn't see many new TV and movies this year (  as I  usually do ), I picked works that  were often released in 2017 although I saw them in  2018. More importantly, this selection process forced me to determine what I really liked about these works. I was surprised by the results. What grabbed me most is the one trait that is probably not considered in a salient way: setting/environment.

     

BEST IN TV:

     DOC MARTIN ( Fiction ): The BBC programs all  seemingly have something in common, using mostly England's landscape for a backdrop. "Doc Martin" is the best in my opinion because I have visited the environs where it's been shot for several years. I feel comfortable there, I want to live there some day ( Port Isaac in Southwest England ), I love the quaintness of the villages and sea. Of course, the characters are delightfully idiosyncratic, just like the setting.

     SHERLOCK HOLMES ( Fiction ): This English program is equally kooky and challenging, London's environment becoming surreal  ( with Magic Realism thrown in ) at times; the characters and plot are similarly surreal, combined with Magic Realism as well.

     NATURE- BIG CATS ( Non-Fiction ): Part of PBS' "Nature" Series, a particular episode features three programs on big cats throughout the world. Seeing diverse landscapes is mesmerizing, but portrayals of the animals are exceptional; they are as human as I have ever seen, each with a distinct personality. The photography is equally authentic, thus placing the viewers  themselves among the big cats on the planet.

 BEST IN MOVIES:

     CALL ME BY YOUR NAME ( Fiction): While the  sensitive plot about the relationship between two gay students  gets viewers' attention, the Northern Italian location is the film's star. This is quite a feat considering that the older protagonist is a simply gorgeous man. The characters and environs blend, becoming metaphors that explain each other.

     THE SHAPE OF WATER ( Fiction ): Another mixture of Surrealism and Magic Realism, this fantasy film ( combined with bits of horror ) has salient themes taken from many cultural resources. Yet it's the presence of water that pervades, especially the ending scene near the Baltimore Harbor. It's a setting I know well. After all, I am from Baltimore.