2014 BOX OFFICE AWARDS: The Official Ceremony (BEST PICTURE: GRAVITY)

[MrPink]

On to BEST HORROR FILM...

 

And the nominees are:

 

You're Next

 

The Conjuring

 

Evil Dead

[MrPink]

And the Boffy for Best Horror Film goes to...

 

 

 

THE CONJURING

[Chewy]

Next category is BEST DOCUMENTARY

 

Nominees:

Stories We TellThe Act of KillingBlackfish

[Chewy]

The Boffy goes to...

 

 

TIE! BLACKFISH and THE ACT OF KILLING were both voted BEST DOCUMENTARY

Edited February 16, 2014 by Chewy

[Chewy]

Our sixth BEST PICTURE nominee is INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, the latest film by the Coen brothers

 

 

"Inside Llewyn Davis, being a Coen Bros film, was probably my most anticipated film of 2013, and I will say it definitely did not disappoint.  There is a distinct blend in the film between comedy and the heavy subject, and it balances out in a way a harmony would, there is some clash, and then resolution.  The Coen Bros have done a fine job in the past, and they continued to excellence with Davis.The most notable thing about the film is definitely the music, it's beautiful, sets the atmosphere, and strikes a deep, rich tone.  If this had been any other movie the amount of minutes set just to the music may have gotten tedious, but the Coen Bros pull it off extraordinarily well.  Each song plays its purpose in the film, and are sang very well, and while I'd say there's a lot of standouts, the most definite one is Please Mr. Kennedy.  That song got some of the loudest reactions in the film, and it did a great job at furthering the movie, adding that comedic overtone, and also being able to stand on its own as a song.When it comes to the direction it should pretty much be expected that the Coen Brothers would deliver, and as expected they do. They are able to steer the film along, absorb you into the world, balance this picture painted, and subtly provide themes that click overtime.  Nothing in this film is typical, especially the ending which does not end where you think it should end, it's abrupt, but later when I drove back home the entire point to it clicked and I absolutely loved what they did with it.  Joel and Ethan are able to take the character Llewyn, make an artistic statement about his life, while still making an enjoyable experience that is devoid of pretension. The performances also drive this movie forward, especially Isaac who is sole force that trudges along, carrying the film on his back.  There isn't a co-lead, it is completely Isaac's movie and he stops it from ever getting boring, yet also striking as the bear, almost sad, roots, while the supporting characters add most of the humor to make the harmonic, melancholy quality the film gives off.  The standout supporters were definitely John Goodman and Carey Mulligan in their main scenes with Isaac, who not only further develop the characters, but also keep the film ripe and fresh, in a sense.What ultimately makes the story of Llewyn Davis so powerful, is that it is so familiar, and the absurdity is at a minimum.  The Coen Brothers continue to show off their great sense of humor, while also making art at the same time.  With fantastic vocals, sharp humor, and humbling themes, Inside Llewyn Davis stands tall as one of 2013's best films to offer."

 

-Commentary by The Panda

[Jack Nevada]

... yeah, only four people voted for documentary, didn't they? 

[Chewy]

Ugh dead image links. I'll fix those later

[Chewy]

... yeah, only four people voted for documentary, didn't they? 

 

They were tied with nine votes each, for what it's worth

[MrPink]

Next up is for Best Animated Feature...the nominees are:

 

Frozen

 

Monsters University

 

Despicable Me 2

[MrPink]

And the Boffy for Best Animated Feature goes to:

 

Who else?

 

 

 

FROZEN

[iceroll]

And the Boffy for Best TV Comedy goes to...

 

 

Parks & Recreation!!!

Very deserved!  I'm so glad Lena Duncehammy and her "Girls" didn't win.

[Chewy]

The next award is BEST COMEDY

 

Nominees

This Is The EndThe World's EndThe Wolf of Wall StreetAnchorman 2The Heat

[iceroll]

And the Boffy for Best Animated Feature goes to:

 

Who else?

 

 

 

FROZEN

[Chewy]

And the Boffy goes to...

 

 

THIS IS THE END

[Chewy]

The seventh BEST PICTURE nominee is HER, which is about Joaquin Phoenix falling in love with his OS, voiced by Scarlett Johansson. Can't say I blame him

 

 

"I'm lying on the moon, / My dear, I'll be there soon.""HER is an immensely well crafted, well designed, well performed, and all around masterful film, but what really makes the film shine is what is says though the eyes of crafter Spike Jonze.At its center, HER is about a man who falls in love with an operating system, which despite the obviously strange idea this relationship gives off, is one of the most beautiful and realistic portrayals of true love in film. Theodore and Samantha have genuine and powerful feelings towards one another, and we become invested into their lives. It’s a portrait of an ideal relationship, one that gives Theodore the joy in life that he desperately needed. A goal in life for many of us, including Theodore, is to find love that, even if a bit strange, will make us feel like we’re worth something a little more. Love isn’t even the end all of what it means to have a socially healthy relationship, as evidenced by the deep bond of friendship between Theodore and Amy, portrayed in a quietly effective performance from Amy Adams. There’s a central theme about the fear of loneliness in this picture, heightened by Theodore’s inability to have a strong social life, yet the film rightfully creates relationships that, while few in number, are an important core of emotional support for our protagonist.Even more interestingly, the central relationship acts as an example (albeit a fictionalized one) about how we use technology to help us build such desirable social connections, a process that Jonze shows to be neither fully good nor bad. In fact, Spike Jonze’s interpretation of the future and our use of technology, rather than just celebrating it willy-nilly or making a phony statement about how technology is bad for us, explores the how and why of our love for smartphones, laptops, and more exists, and the effects it has on our lives. He never berates us for this, although he does show how technology can be an enabler for isolation, yet this process is also a bit paradoxical. We use technology nowadays to try and connect with other people in an easy manner, as we see in equal numbers people working with earpieces alone as well as couples and families happy together. Jonze’s rightful refusal to look at technology through one perspective is helped by the fact that his future is an imperfect, though fairly optimistic world. Having said all of this, I don’t think Jonze is trying as hard to make a point about technology rather than to explore the human psyche in this crazy world we live in.The film raises important questions about who we are as we approach the future, especially with artificial intelligences that can reciprocate the same emotions and thoughts that we have. Are humans just hardly more than machines? What does it mean to be happy? To feel true love? What even constitutes as a healthy relationship? HER asks us to think about these questions even after we leave the theater, and it’s one of the few times I left the theater spinning quickly into an existential crisis. However, I think about the simpler, yet meaningful moments in life, such as a carnival adventure that Samantha and Theodore take part in, and I realize that it’s the little moments like these that make us human. This idea is further driven by Samantha’s increased confusion in who she is, and her gradual desire to learn more about the world and everything there is to know about it than to just have a happy relationship, justifying the decision she makes at the film’s climax. This is Jonze’s way of helping to define our humanity, although we still are left filling in the blanks of what constitutes our way of being, especially as the future approaches.Yet above all, HER is a work of beauty. I’ve never seen a film with such meaningful expressions of joy, confusion, laughter, fear, life, heartbreak, and love in a film before. It’s a chronicle of not just the near future, but the essence of all life, that speaks volumes about us, and what we want to have about human beings. It shows that life, society, and love are not perfect, but we all try to reach out and find what makes us happy, be it true love, friendship, or even video games with profane alien children. With subtle and passionate performances from Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johanson (an especially impressive feat considering her sole reliance on vocal work), and a powerful and surprisingly funny script paired with a  masterful direction of visual and emotional depth from Spike Jonze, HER is straight up movie magic."

 

-Commentary by Spaghetti

[iceroll]

And the Boffy goes to...

 

 

THIS IS THE END

Also awesome!  The actually hilarious comedy won. 

[MrPink]

Next up is for BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE. The nominees are 

The Wolf of Wall Street

 

Short Term 12

 

This is the End

 

12 Years a Slave

 

American Hustle

[ladyevenstar22]

pfff

[ChD]

The Wolf of Wall Street should totally win this.

[CJohn]

And the Boffy goes to...

 

 

THIS IS THE END

Shit won a BOFFY. Over WOWS. How surprising. Now just say Gravity won for everyone to go home happy.

Edited February 16, 2014 by CJohn