Award Central News

Org's top 10 movies of the year, in alphabetical order, are "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "The Dark Knight," "Frost/Nixon," "Frozen River," "Gran Torino," "Iron Man," "Milk," 'Wall-E," "Wendy and Lucy," and "The Wrestler."

"Slumdog Millionaire," which has been racking up honors this awards season, was not on the list. One of AFI's criteria is that a film has "significant creative and/or production elements from the United States."

Awards contenders "Revolutionary Road," "Reader" and "Doubt," which meet that criterion, were also left off the list.

The AFI top 10 TV programs of the year, including series, telepics and minis, are "Breaking Bad," "In Treatment," "John Adams," "Life," "Lost," 'Mad Men," "The Office," "Recount," "The Shield," and "The Wire."

Several series that garnered multiple nominations from the Golden Globes and guilds in the past week were left off the list, including: "30 Rock," "Entourage," "Weeds," "Dexter," "House" and "True Blood." This is the first awards attention NBC's "Life" has ever received.

AFI kudos are selected with a 13-person jury process where members discuss and debate the merits of titles and provide detailed rationale for each selection. The jury's composed of "scholars, film artists, critics and AFI trustees."

"Entertainment Tonight" film critic Leonard Maltin chaired the film jury, while AFI Trustee Emeritus Richard Frank chaired the television jury. For a full list of jurors, visit Variety.com

Creative teams for the selections will be honored at a luncheon Jan. 9 at the Four Seasons Hotel in BevHills.