The Dark Knight Rises did more than bring Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy to a rousing finish. It highlighted the folly of Occupy Wall Street shenanigans and the power of for-profit enterprise.
That combination may have hurt the movie’s Oscar chances, but it earned kudos from the freedom-loving Moving Picture Institute. MPI’s just-announced Liberty in Film awards honored Rises as well as several other films which flew under the conventional awards circuit.
The group’s cleverly phrased awards pay tribute to traditional themes found in last year’s films. Here are some highlights from the Liberty in Film awards final report:
Best explanation of what makes charity possible: The Dark Knight Rises: When Bruce Wayne asks Alfred why the Wayne Family Foundation is no longer contributing to the boys’ home, Alfred explains that contributions are made possible by the profits of their company. “No profits, no charity.”
Best adaptation of an impossible-to-adapt book: Atlas Shrugged: Part II: The rare sequel that improves upon its predecessor, Atlas Shrugged: Part II does an incredible job of showing both the terrible destruction of big government and the incredible power of the individual.
The DVD you need to rent TODAY: Won’t Back Down: Overlooked by some filmgoers, this powerful school choice story angered unions almost as much as it motivated audiences.
Best performance as a publicist for Arab Oil: Matt Damon in Promised Land: Damon’s anti-fracking film was funded by the government of Abu Dhabi.
Best propaganda piece for toddlers: The Lorax: The writers of this film turned Dr. Seuss’s story about conservation into blatant anti-capitalist propaganda aimed at children.
Fan Favorite: The Hunger Games: MPI supporters demanded an award for this dystopian tale of an evil centralized government that forces its teenaged citizens to kill each other for sport.