Spike TV's SCREAM 2008: Voting Has Begun

Your video guide to this year's "other" election.

With awards doled out in categories such as “The Holy Shit! Scene of the Year” and the “Most Memorable Mutilation,” Spike TV’s third annual SCREAM celebration of all things comic book, horror, sci-fi, and fantasy isn’t for the faint of heart.

While the Oscars contain incessant jokes about the show’s endless running time, the Emmys are usually more fun to discuss than watch, the Grammys are growing more and more forgettable, and the inclusion of alcohol at the Golden Globes has made for some increasingly odd acceptance speeches, the mission of SCREAM 2008 seems to be to highlight exactly what entertains audiences. Whether it’s a guilty pleasure for a cheesy horror film, a deep devotion to a favorite comic book artist, or following each and every twist and turn from television shows such as Lost and Heroes, serving up a diverse selection of contenders in more than two dozen categories, Spike TV’s award show has you covered.

While it comes as no surprise that Christopher Nolan’s record-breaking box office titan The Dark Knight leads the pack with 21 nominations, Iron Man and Hellboy II: Golden Army came in second and third respectively. But there are some truly memorable inclusions throughout, including nods for Anna Friel in Pushing Daisies (for Breakout Performance), supporting performer Jason Bateman in Hancock, and nods for the critically divided films Southland Tales and I Am Legend.

Featuring an impressive advisory board including Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream helmer Wes Craven, Neil Gaiman, Stephen King, comic book writer Geoff Johns, Heroes creator Tim Kring, Frank Miller, Kevin Smith, Paula Wagner, Twilight author Stephenie Meyer, Eli Roth, and Guillermo Del Toro who, according to the press release, “were responsible for advising on categories and determining nominees in each category” of eligible works released between August 11, 2007 and August 8, 2008, in the end it’s the fans who decide the winners. With plenty of widgets, interactive opportunities and chances to vote in every category available on the event’s official website Scream.Spike.com, the show, which will air in more than 160 territories around the globe, will premier on October 21 on Spike TV.

And to facilitate the voting process, I’ve drawn from a wide variety of nominated films to put together a mini video guide featuring clips and/or trailers to refresh your memory.

(Feel free to click on the underlined titles

to explore my original reviews)

Cloverfield

The Dark Knight

Enchanted

Hancock

I Am Legend

The Incredible Hulk

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Iron Man

The Mist

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

WALL-E

Wanted

Dedicated to “bringing the fans exactly what they want to see this year with big world premieres, rare performances and the superstars that made this year a record breaker at the box office,” SCREAM 2008 not only demands your participation but also celebrates “the incredible talent behind these genres,” as Spike TV’s Casey Patterson noted in the press release. Remember, voting is currently taking place from now through Friday, October 17 so head on over to Spike TV’s site to make your selections for the works that made you scream your lungs out over the past year… or just simply call out “Holy Shit!” since — wouldn’t you know — there’s a category for that, too.