Oscar Overdrive in Georgetown

24 Hours of the Best Pictures...with Sleeping Bags

Admit it: Colin Firth’s stuttering charm won you over, and you knew that "The King’s Speech" was destined to win the big one. You called that from the beginning.

But how qualified were you to make that call, really? Probably not as qualified as these diehards, who survived 24 hours in a dark, foreboding theatre to view all 10 Academy Award Best Picture nominees, back to back... to back... to back.... Oh, well, you get the point.

Film connoisseurs from all across D.C. poured into Georgetown's AMC (3111 K St. N.W.) at 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 26 for the annual Best Picture Showcase. This year, the event got even more grueling, featuring 10 movies instead of the usual five, to compensate for the expanded Oscar Best Picture category.

Most guests came prepared for the upped challenge, with Tupperware-packed pasta, PJs, and sleeping bags to boot. The event ended a little after 9 a.m. on Sunday.

“We said we would never do it again,” said Carrie, a returning participant of the event. “Which means we’ll probably be back next year.”

Several participants echoed the sentiment, saying that the event is the only way to fairly judge which movie deserves Best Picture.

They may be right, considering their Oscar thoughts upon leaving the theatre. Despite "The Fighter" and "Inception" collecting the most “favorite film” votes, the majority predicted "The King’s Speech" would take home the big prize.

“It’s a very tiring event, but at least it’s a bonding experience. [The audience] cheered, laughed and cried together,” said Dave, another participant who promised to return next year. “That said, I never want to see another movie with these people again!”

Luckily for Dave, he probably won't... at least until next year.


Check Out the Scene: Keep up with what's happening in the D.C. area anytime, anywhere. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Sign up for our e-mail newsletters. Don't forget our iPhone app!

Contact Us