Welcome to the the second annual Fun Oscars. We take movies very seriously here at Pajiba, but personally, I find the Oscars to be… tiresome. I’m always interested in the outcomes, but have little interest in the ceremony itself, and since the Academy so rarely gets it right, I’m still left wanting at the end of awards season.
Yet there’s more to movies than who had the best dramatic role, what film moved us the most. Many people, like myself, go to the movies not just to be enlightened, but to be entertained. Amused. Excited. And sometimes, the Oscars don’t really reflect those films. Going to the movies should be fun, and god damn it, sometimes I just want to sit back and enjoy the ride, be it comical or action-packed. The choices below are not from great movies, but they are are great fun. The nominees are the ones who showed us a good time, the ones that took us for a ride that left us a little disheveled, a little breathless, and regardless of how silly, we had no regrets.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you: The 2011 Fun Oscars.
Note: Nominees and winners are derived from via a complicated formula that you are most likely entirely too stupid to understand. Suffice it to say that involves eight bottles of Sam Adams, an order of whole-belly fried clams, the pancreas of the son of a motherless goat, and a blood sacrifice to the great Vigo the Carpathian (also known as Vigo the Cruel, Vigo the Torturer, Vigo the Despised, Vigo the Unholy, and Vigo the Butch).
Best Supporting Actor Nominees:
William Fichtner, Drive Angry — Because when you play a hellspawn who destroys everything in his path while listening to KC and the Sunshine Band, you’ve earned it
Charlie Day, Horrible Bosses — For being the very definition of “hilariously hapless.”
Woody Harrelson, Friends With Benefits — For the rare non-stereotypical depiction of a gay man, and for … “I live in Jersey! And I ain’t takin’ no ferry! Unless it’s out to dinner and a show … Bam!”
Ryan Gosling, Crazy Stupid Love — Because everything about this role is ridiculous and hilarious, up to and including his accent. I loved every minute.
Clark Gregg, Thor — Goddamnit, the man deserves some sort of recognition for his tireless efforts in the Marvel films, and this was his time to shine. And he did.
WINNER: Clark Gregg
Best Supporting Actress Nominees:
Patricia Clarkson, Friends With Benefits — Between this and 2010’s Easy A, Clarkson is slowly cornering the market on clever, awesome moms.
Marisa Tomei, Crazy Stupid Love — Oh, honey, you were a special, hilarious, gorgeously sexy, kind of bugfuck crazy.
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids — Honestly, I could’ve nominated the whole cast, but McCarthy won the lion’s share of the film’s hilarity.
Jennifer Aniston, Horrible Bosses — Dear Jennifer: Do more like this. Sincerely, TK.
Milla Jovovich, The Three Musketeers — This movie was gawdawful, but oh, the Milla was just so, so good.
WINNER: Melissa McCarthy
Best Actor Nominees:
Jason Segel, The Muppets — Charming, funny and adorable will always win you points.
Robert Downey, Jr., Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows — The Downey’s Sherlock Holmes will always be near and dear to me.
Craig Roberts, Submarine — One of the most underrated, underseen movies of 2011, and Roberts was absolutely wonderful.
Johnny Depp, Rango — Almost didn’t pick him, since Rango was nominated for an Oscar, but Depp was too much fun in this to resist.
Taylor Lautner, Abduction — I firmly believe that Lautner is just fucking with us. No one can actually be so hilariously bad.
John Boyega, Attack The Block — The strongest character in a great film, Boyega was a teenage badass the likes of which you seldom see.
WINNER: Craig Roberts
Best Actress Nominees:
Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids — I want to spend every afternoon watching Wiig be drily, awkwardly hilarious.
Mila Kunis, Friends With Benefits — “If you tell anyone about this, I will rip your ears off and staple them to your neck.” ‘Nuff said.
Emma Stone, Crazy, Stupid, Love — I want Emma Stone in all the things.
Anna Kendrick, 50/50 — I also want Anna Kendrick in all the things, particularly as the smart, clever, cute-as-a-button therapist.
Gwyneth Paltrow, Country Strong — This was a comedy, right? RIGHT?
Chloe Grace Moretz, Hugo — Isabelle is everything I want in a daughter — slightly nerdy, very brave, and totally awesome.
WINNER: Mila Kunis
Best Picture Nominees:
Bridesmaids — It’s only one of the funniest movies of the past five years.
Attack The Block — Much like Sam Raimi’s Drag Me To Hell, Joe Cornish’s film is a wonderful little throwback film that’s a genuinely fun, scary flick.
Thor — In an increasingly crowded market of superhero films, Thor wasn’t the best, but it’s one of the most fun.
Horrible Bosses — I loved this movie. Everything about it. It’s an exercise in uncomfortable hilarity and goofball hijinks.
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol — I spent so much time holding my breath during MI: GP that I almost fainted.
The Muppets — Because, I mean, come on. It’s the fuckin’ Muppets.
WINNER: Bridesmaids
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I love this post. Also? It makes for a great reminder of the many movies I missed this year and still want to see.
Posted by: tamatha at March 1, 2012 4:13 PM
Days since last [REDACTED]: 226
Posted by: Blake Shrapnel at March 1, 2012 4:19 PM
I LOVED Attack the Block! I can't believe anyone else has ever heard of it! I agree-that kid was awesome!
Posted by: Eileen at March 1, 2012 4:26 PM
Believe, bruv. Attack the Block was definitely my favorite movie of 2011.
Posted by: =DocDoom= at March 1, 2012 4:38 PM
I bought the DVD of Attack the Block (on sale, no less) because it was the only way I could see it. Best eleven bucks I spent all last year.
Posted by: PDamian at March 1, 2012 4:43 PM
I hope this doesn't qualify as trolling, but I have to say it because I truly feel as though I am alone in the universe:
I did not like Bridesmaids. Not a bit.
I won't get too deep into my reasons, but I'll mention also that I'm positive I was SUPPOSED to like it. I am under 30, college educated, urban, professional, white, and with a weakness for nerdy awkwardness and comedy of the deeply weird.
But no. Shouting into the abyss: I thought this movie, albeit with a few funny scenes, was saddled with a main character so intensely unlikable and undeserving of redemption that it made it difficult to enjoy or appreciate the well pitched and excellently cast supporting characters. I don't blame Kristin Wiig- but I do blame SOMEbody for assuming I would ROOT for this petty, bitter, selfish woman. I wanted- and was half assuming- that something horrible would happen to her. Alas, no. Lessons were (kind of) learned and fences were mended. Hogwash.
I also, frankly, think the "sisters doin' it for themselves" aspect blew it's valuation way out of proportion. I'm all for funny, talented women making funny movies that don't revolve around man-chasing, but let's not act like it's some sort of watershed historical barrier-breaking. The excitement surrounding this barely mediocre comedy has always baffled me.
But, then again, I am the only person on earth who feels this way. So there's that.
Posted by: Martin at March 1, 2012 4:46 PM
Finally saw Attack the Block last weekend. Excellent movie! What surprised me was the creatures were a guy on set in costume and then some digital manipulation was added in post to remove all the light from them. Made me like the movie a whole lot more when I found out it was primarily practical effects on set.
Bridesmaids was my favorite movie of the year so I agree with your pick. I still think Wiig should have been nominated. That was a truly great performance.
Martin - No. You are most certainly NOT the only person on earth who feels that way. I do love me some Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy, but I was wildly underwhelmed by Bridesmaids.
Posted by: randomlurker at March 1, 2012 5:03 PM
Martin, you are not alone.
After seeing Bridesmaids, I thought, "Really? THAT's what all the fuss was about?" It had some very funny moments - Melissa McCarthy and collecting the puppies comes to mind - but I found it to be very predictable in parts and Kristin Wiig's character's lack of self-realization about ruining her best friend's engagement was disturbing. When does selfishness = empowerment & feminism?
I have a theory on the popularity of this movie. Studies reveal that men truly, in their hearts, don't think women are naturally funny. But this movie, where the women behave like men for the jokes is heralded as brilliant and the most masculine character is deemed the funniest, most worthy.
Posted by: SLM at March 1, 2012 5:40 PM
So Beginners, one of the sweetest comedy films of the year with an even cuter dog than the one in The Artist, was ineligible because Christopher Plummer won an Oscar? Even though he was the film's only nominee and by most accounts the picture got shafted in awards season? Ok then.
Martin, I hated Bridemaids. I'm a woman who also hates weddings, so I suppose I was supposed to like it, or sympathize with the main characters or something, but I didn't think any of the funny bits were funny.
Posted by: BWeaves at March 1, 2012 6:05 PM
Martin, SLM, and randomlurker - Oh man, you guys are going to LOVE Bachelorette...
I wasn't aware the movie was about feminism at all, nor self-empowerment. The movie wasn't intended to have a feminist slant in any way - it wasn't about that. Before being a female, the character was first and foremost a human being, a human being who was deeply flawed and in a state of arrested development. She was a total asshole exactly as Megan says, and she had to hit absolute bottom and lose everything in order to move on. Maybe it wasn't funny to you, but man, that's a great story to me.
Posted by: Laurie at March 1, 2012 6:09 PM
Color me old, but Friends with Benefits was not terribly fun, didn't execute well on the cute moments, just sorta was there. It wasn't bad, but nor was it better than fine. That extends to acting, writing , directing...Mila is a nice looking package, has a good screen presence, but that is all.
Posted by: Tao at March 1, 2012 6:23 PM
Dear Martin & co.,
I also did not love Bridesmaids. My sister thinks it's the best thing to happen to women "IN LIKE, EVER," and sure, it was funny, but the hype really baffles me. I feel like I'm also in the target audience, and I even went and saw it with my best girl friend, and I ADORE Melissa McCarthy, but I still don't love it.
Is it because they all pooped? Why do the girls have to do boy jokes to be funny?
Posted by: chanohack at March 1, 2012 6:26 PM
Nominees and winners are derived from via a complicated formula that you are most likely entirely too stupid to understand.
It's always a good idea to do a quick proofread on any sentence that is calling other people stupid.
Posted by: John G. at March 1, 2012 6:29 PM
I think Bridesmaids was kind of a fun movie, but certainly not a great one. I can't cope with characters like Wiig's who are so obliviously stupid, and I had to fast forward during the diarrhea sequence, because that was just vomit-inducing (not to mention unnecessary and dumb).
Melissa McCarthy and Rose Byrne were great, though.
Posted by: FabMax at March 1, 2012 6:31 PM
If you think this column is a sufficient tribute to the Scourge of Carpathia and the Sorrow of Moldavia, well...you're correct. New Year's Eve end of the world averted...for now. Always keep your good mood slime and your SNES joystick ready at the Statue Of Liberty just in case.
Posted by: DarthCorleone at March 1, 2012 6:35 PM
Bridesmaids was hilarious, but I didn't have high expectations. If you went in thinking it was gonna be great, then you probably were disappointed.
Posted by: John G. at March 1, 2012 6:35 PM
Always see comedies on the opening weekend with a large crowd.
Posted by: John G. at March 1, 2012 6:36 PM
Ah, now that the "Martin" post we used as bait has made the Bridesmaids haters out themselves, the Great Purge can begin. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeexcellent.
Posted by: Craig at March 1, 2012 6:38 PM
I still can't believe that twerp Dr. Janosz took that unmitigated shot at me. I could destroy Vigo with merely a slight tip of my feathered hat.
Posted by: Gainsborough's Blue Boy at March 1, 2012 6:39 PM
Oh consider me onboard the rickety Bridesmaids disdain bandwagon, waving to the unwelcoming crowd. I too was well within the target demographic and fully prepared to like, if not love it...and was seriously underwhelmed, then bored, then close to loathing by the end of it's seemingly long running time. I couldn't quite put my finger on why it totally missed the mark for me- especially as I liked all the actresses outside of this film, and the premise had definite potential- except that it felt like it was trying too damn hard...and reminded me in that sense of The Sweetest Thing...unfortunately.
Posted by: Scratch McGee at March 1, 2012 7:16 PM
MOSES WAS ROBBED.
Posted by: gp at March 1, 2012 7:52 PM
THANK YOU. Attack the Block was my favorite of the year. So fun, and amazing.
Posted by: repo at March 1, 2012 8:09 PM
John C. Reilly in Cedar Rapids. He deserves all the awards in the world for that role.
Posted by: THRILLHO at March 1, 2012 8:11 PM
Fellow "Horrible Bosses" super-fan.
That is all.
Posted by: Palaelogos at March 1, 2012 8:46 PM
I thought submarine and 50/50 had more hilarious moments than the entire Bridesmaids movie.
Bridesmaids wasn't a bad movie, but I guess my expectations of Bridesmaids were far too high (possibly due to comments like "It’s only one of the funniest movies of the past five years").
Posted by: Ash at March 1, 2012 9:06 PM
Martin, I like Bridesmaids but it was just like The Hangover. It's funny but not THAT funny. No, it's not the high expectations thing you get from being hyped. Superbad and 40 year old Virgin were all grossly overhyped but I still enjoyed them every bit. In Bridesmaids (and Hangover), I was like, "Mmm...good movie, funny...that was it...ok?"
Posted by: Adrien at March 1, 2012 9:44 PM
I adored Bridesmaids but I thought Attack the Block was boring. Hell, at first I was thinking everyone was going to be toast and I was looking forward to that.
Posted by: twop_fan at March 1, 2012 10:26 PM
I don't get the Bridesmaids love either. Maybe if there wasn't so much hype I would have enjoyed it more. But even without any hype I think it was mediocre. And it was not a good feminist movie in any way I can think of.
Put me in the Bridesmaids Ain't Shit camp. It was funny, especially that part where Kristen Wiig had food on her teeth, but it was an average comedy.
Maybe I can't state this as succinctly as others - I'm not a media psychologist - but it seems that a lot of things get undue support for whatever reason. Like people get inordinately behind Bridesmaids or Drive or Game Of Thrones because of what it represents to them, not its innate quality. I mean Drive was cool & all, but it was just a cool movie. But muhfuckahs want something for their rally, & that thing could be anything. IDK, I'm working from home tomorrow which means that I'm not working at all so I can drink rye tonight.
Posted by: the new transported man at March 2, 2012 12:08 AM
I haven't seen "Bridesmaids", because I hate Kristen Wiig. I'm sure she's a nice person, but I cannot stand her on SNL. Her overracting, her "look at me" facial expressions and her over the top characters are too much. She ruins every skit she's in. More Abby Elliot, less Wiig, I say.
That being said, I saw "Hugo" the other night and it was absolutely amazing. I don't know how "The Artist" can top it, but I can't wait to find out.
Posted by: Chrispeare at March 2, 2012 12:43 AM
I'm gonna join the newly formed bandwagon for not loving Bridesmaids. McCarthy was mostly fabulous, though I wish they'd focus more on her scene with Wiig near the end rather than the sink pooping and airplane advances, but that's just me.
Honestly, Wiig's selfishness bothered me WAY less than Rudolph's. This is your BEST FRIEND, who just went through losing her dream business and is broke and miserable - you can't pause for 30 seconds to realize she can't afford the things you are making her do? That's not friendship. And if they had taken the jokes back a degree (that box with the GODDAMN BUTTERFLY made me irrationally angry) and made them relatable, I would have liked it more. Though the bit with the puppies was awesome.
I don't know if it's because I'm about to get married myself, this movie just pissed me off. And I actually threw things at the super bitch who takes everything over. Literally hurled things across my living room because I was filled with so much hate for her, and so much hate for Rudolph's character for not getting it.
Posted by: KatSings at March 2, 2012 8:22 AM
@Martin&co... I also wasn't a fan of Bridesmaids. I laughed in some parts, but I don't find over the top ridiculousness to be amusing (pooping in sinks and in wedding dresses? That doesn't happen in life). I found Wiigs love interest to be adorable, but her character was so unlikable...actually a lot of the cast wasn't worth pulling for in that movie. So bah on Bridesmaids. Love the cast, dislike the movie.
Posted by: JAJenks at March 2, 2012 8:26 AM
I saw Attack the Block on Wednesday and was blown away. Completely different than what I expected and definitely far more scary than my wife wanted it to be. It's got a permanent home on my hard drive now. In HD no less.
Posted by: admin at March 2, 2012 8:57 AM
Also didn't love Bridesmaids. I didn't have any strong feelings about it either way. My sister actively disliked it. Martin, seems like you're in the majority, at least for this post!
Posted by: PerpetualIntern at March 2, 2012 9:53 AM
Thank you Thank you Thank you!!
Mila was so goddamn adorable and funny in Friends With Benefits that I watched it 3 times. It's still on ON Demand so that means I had to pay to watch it 3 times. That's how adorable and funny she was.
The poop scene in Bridesmaids is funny because the world of men don't think or don't want to think women poop.
Wiig's character is acting asshatty because her best friend basically pushed her aside for the rich pretty one when she was at her lowest. I guess you kind of have to be a female to realize how much your friends can mean to you and how childishly jealous you can get.
She also doesn't let the cute cop in because she is so accustomed to being used by Hamm that she is closed off on relationships. Wiig managed to make a funny movie without sacrificing character for stupid sight gags.
Wiig and Hamm having sex was funny. Wiig's driveby stunts with the cop was funny. The puppies were funny. Melissa McCarthy was funny.
The British roommates were funny. The Baby Cock shop was funny. Having food poisoning in a formal gown is funny, though I'm sure the hype killed it. I know The Hangover was a bit of a letdown after all of the hype.
Posted by: kirbyjay at March 2, 2012 9:59 AM
take on mila kunis is great but bridesmaids ??? i can't
understand the critical acclaim for this movie. it was ok
but but if a mass diarhhea scene is the highlight it says
more about the audience than the film.
Posted by: snake at March 2, 2012 10:12 AM
I am very pleased to find out that other people didn't care too much for "Bridesmaids." I thought it definitely lost to all the hype. They didn't focus on each bridesmaid enough when they really had a lot of under-utilized comedy power. It made me not really care what happened to any of the characters. Except Melissa McCarthy. She killed it! They should've used her like Paula Dean uses butter.
Posted by: joker792 at March 2, 2012 11:07 AM
Sexually? No, I don't think so.
Posted by: admin at March 2, 2012 11:43 AM
Thank God. Martin! SLW! Everybody else on this board! I'm so glad there are so many other people admitting to this because I feel like I'm in a bizarro universe when every website and magazine keeps pushing that this movie was the funniest of the year. Bridesmaids was a boring, unfunny, waste of an ensemble and I'm frankly grossed out that this is what's being heralded as the coming of great comedy from women. We can do better and we already have, so quit making this our emblem.
Posted by: valerie at March 2, 2012 12:55 PM
There were some funny bits in Bridesmaids, like the puppy thing, or the line about the towel breaking in half, but also long stretches where nothing funny happened. The toast scene, or the sex scene or anything with the roommates all felt like the movie was grinding to a halt so they could drag one joke out for a few minutes and were such a chore to sit through. Social awkwardness, I get it, lets move it along.
I love this post. Also? It makes for a great reminder of the many movies I missed this year and still want to see.