BOFFY VIII - The Awards (Parasite wins 10 including Picture, Director, Ensemble)

[The Panda]

Here are the Best Picture Nominees again with write-ups from members

 

1917

 

“There are several ways you can use to decide which film should be the best. If I were going by which film did the most things very well, I would have voted for Parasite. But I prefer answering the question: Which film this year gave me the best viewing experience? And my answer to that is 1917.

 

No other film this year kept me enthralled with every moment of every scene the way 1917 did. It’s not a complex film but in this type of film it’s much more important to get the viewer to care about the characters by the time the action comes around. And personally, the film nailed that part, achieved through a combination of the great acting from the two main characters, the screenplay, and yes, the “one shot gimmick”.

 

Because for this film the style works, giving you the feeling that you are in the trenches alongside the main characters. Part of this effect is achieved because you are following along with them at all times, and part of it is achieved because of what is not shown, which is anything our protagonist doesn’t know, forcing you to think like them.” - @Tower

 

Booksmart

 

“Booksmart joins the likes of Lady Bird, The Edge of Seventeen, and Eighth Grade at the height of what feels like a recent renaissance in great teen films. As overseen with keen comedic and dramatic sensibilities from first-time director Olivia Wilde, it’s a hilarious film whose ribald humor pops, whose narrative feels fresh despite sounding like plenty of other teen films on a surface level, and whose characters feel real and relatable. Wilde gets tons of mileage from the terrific lead performances by Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein. Dever delivers upon the blistering promise she showed in the underrated Short Term 12 with a performance that hits just about every note right. Her comedic timing is on-point and her emotional investment in her character’s struggles to navigate a love life as an out lesbian (a most welcome change to the common formula in these films!) registers strongly enough that it’s tough not to root for her. Feldstein is also frequently hilarious as the more extroverted half of the duo, and she succeeds in bringing edge and confidence to the part. The chemistry between Dever and Feldstein is palpable enough to sell their characters’ extremely close friendship at every turn; in that sense, it feels very reminiscent of the chemistry that sold the bond between Jonah Hill (Feldstein’s brother) and Michael Cera in the similarly constructed Superbad. Their misadventures are frequently laugh-out-loud hilarious and get numerous uproarious assists from a supporting cast that is also on top of its game. Admittedly, the abundance of recent riches in this subgenre might make it a little tougher to appreciate just how good Booksmart really is – after all, not even a full year has passed since critics and audiences were excited about Eighth Grade – but this film hits just about every mark with precision and feels heartfelt and hysterically funny in about equal measure. It’s absolutely worth seeing and enjoying for the audiences that have embraced the aforementioned canon of new teen film gems.” - @Webslinger

 

The Farewell

 

“When I watched The Farewell, it was impossible for me to not draw parallels to my own life. I never knew my grandparents, all of them had passed away before I had the chance to visit them. But I do have many relatives who are in the twilight of their years, and it's that shared experience that made The Farewell a moving and thoughtful film for me. It also beautifully captures the tightrope that Asian Americans walk through every day, blending the balance of Asian Culture and Western culture. On one hand, Billi has her own self aspirations, but it clashes with her duty to act in the best interests of an entire family. How do we determine this balance? It's impossible to tell, but The Farewell carefully examines and processes through the struggle before coming to an answer. Whether it's right or wrong is up to the viewer, but it deftly humanizes the situation to make it understandable to everyone despite being a foreign concept to others.

 

I think about every time I see my relatives who live on the other side of the world and are in their 80s and wonder if it's my last time seeing them in person. I can only go back so often, every few years. It doesn't have to be a cancer diagnosis, but as current events reminds us every so often, life can be gone in an instant. As The Farewell concluded, I thought back to the last time I saw my relatives last year and couldn't help but notice how the emotions I felt during the film's ending mirrored what I felt back then. In a way, even though I don't have a diagnosis saying death is imminent, I visit my relatives with almost an expectation in the back of my head that the next time I return, one more person could be gone. And it's the same for Billi as she arrives in China, cherishing the time with her grandmother, without being able to say a true goodbye. It meant that director Lulu Wang had captured something honest and true to the immigrant experience.” - @MrPink

 

Knives Out

 

“I want Chris Evans to eat me out wearing that sweater.  Movie was a 10/10.  Rian Johnson is the best director.” - @Cap

 

The Irishman

 

“Part of what makes Scorsese such an invaluable filmmaker - more than ever in hindsight - is his fundamental understanding of, and honesty about, the world that humans make and the experiences they have in it; he's been able to dedicate an entire creative life to making films that explore various subjective POVs (of people flawed at best and varying degrees of reprehensible at worst) while maintaining their own awareness of the bigger picture, and as such are emotional without being sentimental and intelligent without being distant - a rarity in an increasingly hostile major-studio environment. (To quote Casino: "Today, it looks like Disneyland.") Crime is not remotely his main focus, but it is the subject he's returned to most often - being the clearest representation of sin and transgression - and crime has, across his films, been thrilling, cathartic, tense, funny, appealing. It is none of those things in The Irishman, which is not to say that now, after all those earlier provocative, red-blooded movies, Scorsese has finally gone simplistic on us. But, as befits a reflective old man, the longer view of history is more important than ever now. This is both a logical endpoint and a subversion of his expected style, a movie that derives its particular power from being packed with events all the more important for how unimportant they end up being in the grand scheme of things: the stuff human lives revolved around, pounded down by Time. Scorsese's previous gangster epics have covered the path of postwar American organized crime from the streets to skyscrapers; The Irishman, which opens and culminates earlier than those films, takes a more resigned look at history, deliberately choosing perhaps the least dynamic protagonist in any Scorsese movie - a man whose defining feature is his complete lack of moral spine - and revealing, through his waste of a life, the world as defined by the failures of (white, American) masculinity and then left with the wreckage. It's what it is.” - @Jake Gittes

 

Little Women

 

“So the only reason I was excited for this going in was because Timothee Chalamet, the most beautiful man in the world and the reason I get up every morning, was in the movie. The cast and director were great too, but let’s be real, we all know what attracted me to this.

 

And seeing this on Christmas Day, it enraptured me from day one. The film was like a fine Swiss watch. Every shot, every cut, every moment was perfect. Nothing needed to be changed, removed, or added. To say nothing about Timmy’s hair, Timmy’s eyes, Timmy’s clothes, etc.

 

But it really got to me on my second viewing. And this is where things get personal.

 

In 2012, my aunt, who was basically a second mother to me, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She fought it for 7 years, going through several rounds of chemo, several rounds of surgery. A couple years ago, she sold her house and moved in with me and the rest of my family. In hindsight, I should have realized what this shift meant. And last year, she was getting weaker and weaker, to the point where she barely got out of bed.

 

And, last month, my aunt passed away. I knew this was going to happen, and I was able to say goodbye one last time, but...it hurt. It really, really hurt. And the only thing I could think of that would make me feel better was watching a movie that was the epitome of warm and cozy.

 

And while watching, the one thing that makes, at least Greta Gerwig’s interpretation so beautiful is that it is, first and foremost, about family. Family molds you. Family creates your likes, dislikes, worldviews, and who you become really. Family will have your back, and will try and support you. And even though there may be issues, you’re still a family.

 

It’s through this viewing, I coped with the loss of my aunt, and realized just how important she is. She’s family. She molded me. She knew who I was before I knew myself. And yeah, things still aren’t happy-go-lucky for me. But without this movie, I doubt I would accept this loss as much as I have right now.

 

Thank you Greta Gerwig for making such a wonderful work of art, and for making my life just a little bit easier.” - @Eric the Hedgehog

Marriage Story

 

“You were artists; your works

followed close behind

each and every footstep.

You wanted different things.

You vied for control, for

place, for space, for love. You

fought for me, your punches

thrown, your tongues enforced.

You peeled me apart like the

string cheese in my lunchbox.

On Halloween, I hide

beneath the pale sheet, a

ghost of my former self.

But I know you love each other,

at least enough to love me.

But I see the chasm 'tween

your lives--I cross it daily.

But I say thank you, Sir--

thank you, ma'am--

for helping me to know

who I really am.“ - @SLAM!

 

Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood

 

“

It's official, old buddy: I'm a has-been." When Rick Dalton says these words to Cliff Booth at the beginning of Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino reveals a lot about himself in this line. Tarantino has long been hyping up his 10-film plan, and with Hollywood being his 9th film, there is only one theatrical Tarantino release remaining if he sticks with this fantasy. The director believes filmmaking is a young man's game, and at nearly 60 years old, Tarantino has evolved significantly. Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood is Tarantino's most personal film yet as he reminisces about the end of Old Hollywood into the beginning of New Hollywood. The locations Tarantino remembers from his childhood are brought to live so vividly with fantastic characters, ranging from the great duo of Rick and Cliff to a blind, horny old man at the Manson-filled Spahn Ranch. Some of the situations are absurd yet feel authentic, and as we follow these many characters around, Hollywood is a tribute to what was and wasn't, especially with Sharon Tate's story.

 

Furthermore, Rick Dalton is a caricature of Tarantino himself with all of the director's own insecurities on display. Rick Dalton is a self-absorbed perfectionist that seeks greatness in his work, and as he is relegated to guest spots on television series, he longs for his glory days on Bounty Law. By the end of the film, Rick Dalton has a very good future ahead. Tarantino obviously hasn't hit the lows that Rick Dalton has, but the character's fear of irrelevancy to younger actors translates significantly into the director's anxieties. Tarantino has witnessed several decades of filmmaking greats retire and pass away and new generations break onto the scene, and as he is exploring new avenues of storytelling, he must grapple with a changing industry that he is so passionate about. Quentin Tarantino will figure out his plan eventually, but in the meantime, he has made his penultimate film a love letter to Hollywood. Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood is one of the director's best  films and worthy of high praise.” - @WrathOfHan

 

Parasite

 

“When I went into the theaters to see Parasite last October, the cinematic landscape felt fairly barren.  Blockbusters for the year were mindless barrages of VFX trying to get a rise of your senses, Disney kept releasing the same product and slapping a ‘new’ label on it and there was very little mainstream cinema that felt like it could truly excite.  Needless to say, Parasite restored my excitement in potential for originality and the capability of a filmmaker to push boundaries while also provide something entirely crowdpleasing.

 

For a Korean film to catch the lightning in a bottle that Parasite did is nothing but spectacular, and that’s because of the striking vision of the man behind it all.  Bong Joon-Ho is one of the great modern voices of the cinematic landscape, and prior to Parasite had never failed to deliver something original and fresh.  Yet with Parasite he really managed to top all of his impressive filmography to come before.

 

Parasite took a topical issue in class differences specific to South Korea, yet managed to also be something universal for audiences across cultures.  I loved the phrase that called the film “a magic trick”, because it’s exactly that.  It sets the audiences up with specific expectations of what they’re about to watch, and then proceeds to lead them down an unexpected and wild ride.  It manages to evoke empathy for its large cast of characters, both poor and rich alike, and give each of them a dynamic range exploring how the conditions of your economic environment effect the human psyche.  It’s a film that manages to challeng, make you feel and entertain like nothing else I saw this year.

 

Parasite is masterclass innovative filmmaking that will be studied and enjoyed for years to come.” - @The Panda

 

Uncut Gems

 

“Developed over a decade, Uncut Gems is both the culmination and the purest example yet of Josh and Benny Safdie's particular brand of bustling street-level New York drama, built once again on complex intermingling of iconic cinematic forms and modern interests and possibilities: here, the raw energy and dangerous feel of '70s and '80s crime movies are harnessed for a story that revolves around the Jewish culture, the NBA, gambling addiction and Third World exploitation, the aggressively grainy 35mm cinematography is digitally manipulated to produce a look that would not have been possible in an older era, and Daniel Lopatin's score expresses Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler)'s state of mind via an overflowing soundscape that's a hybrid of Vangelis, Tangerine Dream, and Akira. Like the brothers' preceding, smaller-scale breakthrough, the extremely effective Good Time, this is one impulsive man's odyssey through a hell of his own making, but where that film largely operated in claustrophobic nocturnal spaces, Gems expands the scope and works as a raucous comedy without sacrificing either tension or gravitas. Its protagonist is at once a fuck-up and a fighter, a victim and a force of nature, a speck in the universe and a world unto himself, trapped by his short-sighted pursuits and always an active agent, too insecure to ever stop proving himself, too self-destructive to ever stop, period. The Safdies capture his journey with no condescension or judgment, fully understanding what drives his behavior at every given moment yet always conscious of the world and people outside his bubble - Sandler is surrounded here by easily the most colorful and fascinating supporting cast in recent memory, down to disembodied voices on the phone, - and adhering to the always reliable dramatic engine of action and consequence. The question of which ultimate consequence - transcendence or demise - is awaiting Howard for all the actions we see him take is answered by an exhilarating final act that provides the final link in the knowingly absurd spontaneous chain comprised of Ethiopian miners, ancient stones, educational TV, debts, basketball games, malfunctioning doors and ill-tempered goons. It reaches the peak, and then it's over.” - Jake Gittes

[Eric is Quiet]

Jake got to write two? What the h*ck?

[CoolioD1]

1 minute ago, Eric the Hedgehog said:

Jake got to write two? What the h*ck?

[The Panda]

And now for the best picture winner!

BEST PICTURE

 

 

9th Place: Marriage Story

Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood

 

 

5th: Booksmart

The Farewell

Little Women

Uncut Gems

 

 

4th: The Irishman

 

3rd: 1917

 

2nd Place: Knives Out

 

 

WINNER:

Edited March 2, 2020 by The Panda

[Jake Gittes]

3 minutes ago, Eric the Hedgehog said:

Jake got to write two? What the h*ck?

The Irishman write-up got repurposed from the top 25 countdown. Someone didn't do the homework for this one I guess

[CoolioD1]

another year where the awards corrected the mistake of the top 25 list. Parasite got 9 awards which i think is the most we've given one movie. i don't remember any of the other winners cleaning up like that.

[The Panda]

4 minutes ago, Eric the Hedgehog said:

Jake got to write two? What the h*ck?

Nobody wrote one for Irishman so I had to use the one he did for the Top 25 list

[Jake Gittes]

Spider-Verse won 7 IIRC. And that was very loved.

[The Panda]

FULL WINNERS LIST

 

Best Picture

1st: Parasite

2nd: Knives Out

3rd: 1917

4th: The Irishman

5th (tied): The Farewell

Booksmart

Little Women

Uncut Gems

9th (tied): Marriage Story

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

 

Director

Bong Joon Ho, Parasite

 

Ensemble

Parasite

 

Actor

Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems

 

Actress

Lupita N'yongo, Us

 

Supporting Actor

Song Kang Ho, Parasite

 

Supporting Actress

Park So-Dam, Parasite

 

Voice Performance

Shirley Henderson, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

 

Adapted Screenplay

The Irishman

 

Original Screenplay

Parasite

 

Cinematography

1917

 

Editing

Parasite

 

Visual Effects

Ad Astra

 

Costume Design

Dolemite is My Name

 

Production Design

Parasite

 

Hair and Makeup Design

Dolemite is My Name

 

Sound Design

Ford v Ferrari

 

Original Score

1917

 

Original Song

(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again, Rocketman

 

Soundtrack

Rocketman

 

Stunt Ensemble

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum

 

Comedy

Knives Out

 

Animated Feature

I Lost My Body

 

Foreign Film

Parasite

 

Documentary

Honeyland

 

Overlooked Picture

The Last Black Man in San Francisco

 

Worst Feature

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

 

Epic Box Office Run

Avengers: Endgame

 

Soul Crushing Box Office Run

Avengers: Endgame

 

Breakout Artist

Lulu Wang

 

Best Scene

The Montage, Parasite

 

Best Hero

Marta Cabrera, Knives Out

 

Best Villain

Walt Disney Studios, For Their Entire Slate

 

TV Show

Chernobyl

 

Funniest Poster

MrPink

 

Most Valuable Poster

Jedi Jat and RTH

 

Forum Moment of the Decade

The Ballad of John C-Nah

[CoolioD1]

wait i'm wrong then 10 awards for parasite. i forgot "best scene" was a thing. i didn't vote on that category.

Edited March 2, 2020 by CoolioD1

[The Panda]

2 minutes ago, CoolioD1 said:

another year where the awards corrected the mistake of the top 25 list. Parasite got 9 awards which i think is the most we've given one movie. i don't remember any of the other winners cleaning up like that.

It actually won 10, but yes I do believe it set the record for wins

[DAJK]

Jojo Rabbit and Little Women were far and away the best 2 adapted screenplays this year imo

[CoolioD1]

4 minutes ago, DAJK said:

Jojo Rabbit and Little Women were far and away the best 2 adapted screenplays this year imo

It was probably Transit because the nature of how it was adapted was a pretty clever concept but irishman ain't a bad runner up.

[SLAM!]

Thank you @The Panda and @Spaghettifor another great Boffy ceremony!

[The Panda]

Win Count

Parasite - 10

1917 - 2

Dolemite is My Name - 2

Knives Out - 2

Rocketman - 2

Avengers: Endgame - 2*

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - 2**
 

*These were box office awards
**One of these was Worst Picture

 

Everything else won 1 or none

[Dementeleus]

ngl, a PARASITE sweep feels kinda boring. The Oscars stole our thunder. 

[The Panda]

Remember, next year Dune will win every award and the Top 25

[Dementeleus]

3 minutes ago, The Panda said:

Remember, next year Dune will win every award and the Top 25

DUNE, your 2019 Dallas Cowboys. RIP  

[CoolioD1]

2 minutes ago, The Panda said:

Remember, next year Dune will win every award and the Top 25

tenet could be the worst movie of the year that's just a 2 hour Trump 2020 campaign ad that gives the coronavirus to everyone who watches it and win the top 25. 

[DAJK]

5 minutes ago, The Panda said:

Remember, next year Dune will win every award and the Top 25

in that case I'll call corruption and conspiracy against Nolan

Edited March 2, 2020 by DAJK