The Bob Awards

It’s that time again. Time for the film industry to be shaken up by the long and mighty arm of the Bob Awards. And time for me to reaffirm my nerdiness for yet another year. As you may remember, there are no trophies but winners will be receiving Red Robin gift certificates in the mail. Colin Firth squealed with delight upon receiving his last year. Squealed! Unfortunately they don’t have Red Robin in the UK and it expired. He was very sad. The winners are…

Art Direction: “The Artist” – Robert Gould and Laurence Bennett

Cinematography: “The Tree of Life” – Emmanuel Lubezki

Costume Design: “Hugo” – Sandy Powell

Film Editing: “Drive” – Mat Newman

Makeup: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” – Nick Dudman, Amanda Knight, Lisa Tomblin

Original Score: “The Artist” – Ludovic Bource

Original Song: “The Muppets” – “Man or Muppet” by Bret McKenzie

Sound: “Drive”

Visual Effects: “The Tree of Life”

Animated Film: “Winnie the Pooh” – In a time when animated studios are more and more concerned with appealing to adults, Disney and directors Stephen J. Anderson and Don Hall made something unabashedly intended for five year olds. In doing so they captured the true spirit of Milne’s characters and created a film for anyone who’s ever loved the Hundred Acre Wood. This is a wonderful little movie.

Supporting Actor: Albert Brooks – “Drive” – For decades Albert Einstein (his given name) has made us laugh and cringe in equal measure in the brilliant comedies he has written, directed, and starred in. This role is perfect for him because it is exactly what we’d never expect from him. I’d hate to say anything more to spoil it for those who’ve yet to see his work here. But what. A. Performance.

Supporting Actress: Elle Fanning – “Super 8” – In the movie within the movie, Fanning’s Alice Dainard is cast to give the film an emotional core. At just 13, Fanning provides this summer blockbuster with just that.

Actor: Jean Dujardin – “The Artist” – A few years ago Dujardin was a Bob Award nominee for “OSS 117.” At the time it was apparent he had more talent in his eyebrows than most actors do in their whole bodies. It’s incredible what a true talent can do without dialogue. With silence Dujardin makes us laugh, breaks our hearts, and then simply dazzles us. I don’t know how many other performers today could carry a silent film on their shoulders. Dujardin proves he can not only carry one, he can make it look easy.

Actress: Charlize Theron – “Young Adult” – Mavis Gary is delusional, incredibly unlikeable, and sadly unable to accept that she’s no longer 17. But there is so much more to this 37 year old ghost writer than that. Theron provides this character with a wealth of depth that keeps us from turning away in disgust, whether she’s trying to destroy a marriage or indulging in the Pile of Despair meal at the Kentacohut.

Monty Python Award for Best Ensemble Cast: “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” – Gary Oldman’s career best performance as cerebral British intelligence officer George Smiley isn’t the only exceptional work in this Cold War espionage tale. Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hardy, Colin Firth, Toby Jones, Mark Strong, Stephen Graham, and John Hurt are all in top form in this superb piece of filmmaking.

Adapted Screenplay: “Moneyball” – Steven Zaillian & Aaron Sorkin and Stan Chervin – The scribes behind “Schindler’s List” and “The Social Network” took a non-fiction book about the cold world of baseball statistics and turned it into an inspiring story about finding the value in every individual. The dialogue is artful yet completely realistic. Baseball fans (like me!) and non-baseball fans alike have united in their love of this film.

Original Screenplay: “Young Adult” – Diablo Cody – As critical as I was of some of the cringe-worthy dialogue in “Juno,” I never thought I’d ever truly be a Diablo Cody fan. But she has grown tremendously as a writer. She doesn’t just shove uncomfortable moments in front of us and “dare” us to laugh. This is a dark, cynical comedy, but one with empathy for its characters and an underlying sadness that gives it a sense of reality missing from “Juno.”

Director: (tie) Michel Hazanavicius – “The Artist,” Nicolas Winding Refn – “Drive” – The two most ambitious pieces of filmmaking last year were also the two most outstanding. Hazanavicius took a tremendous risk making a silent, black and white film in 2011. But his confidence shines through every beautiful frame of “The Artist.”
Refn meanwhile played with our expectations and displayed an understanding of the film buff’s mind that few directors show. Throughout “Drive” you told yourself that you knew what was going to happen next and he was counting on that, making it all the more exciting when he showed you how wrong you were.

Best Picture: “The Artist” – This is the first time in a long time that my favorite movie of the year is also (probably) Oscar’s. Most of its detractors haven’t seen it, believing that a silent black and white film will be too boring, staid, and self-important. The reality is that “The Artist” is a highly entertaining, vibrant, and joyous celebration of film and life. This is a wonderful movie that proves that a true work of art can be a joy to watch.

And now the fun stuff…

Funniest Movie: “Horrible Bosses”

Funniest Performance: Colin Farrell – “Horrible Bosses”

Most Entertaining Movie: “Super 8”

Favorite Quote: “How can you not be romantic about baseball?” – “Moneyball”

“Mind-bottling” Award for Best New Word: Kentacohut – “Young Adult”

Funniest Moment: Breaking into Pellitt’s house – “Horrible Bosses”

Best Dramatic Moment: Hatteberg pinch hits – “Moneyball”

Favorite Scene: (tie) Freeing Joey from No Man’s Land - “War Horse,” “Vladimir Claus” leads British intelligence in the singing of the Soviet anthem – “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”

Best Action Sequence: Scaling the Burj Khalifa – “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”

Best Fight Scene: Harry vs. Voldemort – “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2”

“Sky Captain” Award for the movie that makes you feel like you’re 10 years old again: “Super 8”

“Hoosiers” Award for Inspirational Movie that’s actually inspiring: (tie) “Moneyball,” “War Horse”

“Withnail and I” Award for Best Friendship: Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jason Sudeikis – “Horrible Bosses”

Nick and Nora Charles Award for Best Couple: Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo – “The Artist”

Asta Award for Best Supporting Dog: Uggie – “The Artist”

Best Family Film: “The Muppets”

Most Loveable Movie: “The Muppets”

Best Projectile Vomiting: (tie) Gabriel Basso – “Super 8,” Kate Winslet – “Carnage”

Best Cameo: Jon Hamm – “Bridesmaids” (I know he’s in a few scenes, but still…)

“Unforgiven” Award for Most Badass Movie: “Drive”

Clint Eastwood Award for Most Badass Performance: Ryan Gosling – “Drive”

“XXX” Award for Best Absurd Action Extravaganza: “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”

Best Trailer: “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”

Best Poster: “Winnie the Pooh”

Best Opening Credits Sequence: “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”

Best Movie You Probably Missed: “Carnage”

Best Car Chase: The opening of “Drive.”

Best Sequel: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2”

Worst Sequel: “Cars 2”

Best Remake: “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”

Best Title for a bad movie: “Hobo with a Shotgun”

Movie that everyone seemed to like but me: “Attack the Block”

Biggest Disappointment: “The Rum Diary”

Worst Trailer: “Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star.” Yes, even worse than “Zookeeper,” “Chipwrecked,” and “Jack and Jill.”

Best Soundtrack: “The Muppets”

Best Vocal Performance: Bill Nighy – “Arthur Christmas”

Performer of the Year: Ryan Gosling for his three excellent and vastly different performances in “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” “The Ides of March,” and “Drive.”

Best Ending: “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” (Not the resolution of the plot. The final few minutes to the sounds of “La Mer.”)