Envy Award for those offbeat and offbeat scenes

The 96th Academy Awards, set for March 10 at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, promises to reward deserving recipients in nearly two dozen categories. But as we’ve seen at The Envelope over the years, not every award-worthy performance, notable trend or surprising sequence gets its due. That’s why we’re taking care to take a look at some of the greatest, grossest, and most viscerally amazing movies, scenes, and actors that totally deserve a very special statue of their own (even if it’s just be virtual). Here, we present the 2024 Envy Awards!

We have no words for the award
Kaitlin Dever, “Nobody Will Save You”

In two of last year’s excellent films, important – if not main – characters were given virtually no lines. And you never even get to show your face to anyone! In “Air,” Damien Delano Young plays budding basketball wizard Michael Jordan, but it’s his parents who speak for him. He’s never seen it all the way through and only finds a few words to say. But that’s nothing compared to the isolated lead of “No One Will Save You,” played by Kaitlyn Dever. Far away from her town and alone, she is the only one who can fight off the aliens’ attack and their mind probes. In another nearly wordless performance, Dever takes us through nights and days of horror on the strength of her body language alone.

The most hilarious use of a historical figure
“Napoleon”

As one commenter on Reddit put it, Ridley Scott’s historical epic “Napoleon” is actually “a romantic comedy that keeps getting interrupted by the rise of an empire.” Now, keep in mind how it was marketed No Suggest it at all – but it’s hard to imagine that it wasn’t intentionally hilarious from time to time. After all, we get some pretty classic lines from the future emperor: one, where he walks toward a British naval officer and yells, “You think you’re Great because you have boats, Later, at dinner with guests and his wife Josephine, he announced, “Destiny has brought me this lamb chop!” indeed it is.

You Think I’m Funny Special Award
“murderer”

In general, “comedy” is not the word that comes to mind when David Fincher makes a film. But embedded in “The Killer”, he pays homage to a handful of classic sitcom characters. Michael Fassbender’s hired killer character needs a lot of aliases as he travels around the world — and, apparently, there are a lot of service people who don’t even blink when he presents IDs with past TV show names. Does – Felix Unger, Oscar Madison, Archibald Bunker, Howard Cunningham, Reuben Kincaid, Lou Grant, Sam Malone, George Jefferson and Robert Hartley. As for that last one, someone should have at least said, “Hi, Bob!”

Best Ambulance Chasing
“Cocaine Bear”

Was there a greater vehicle chase in the movies in 2023 than a bear chasing and overtaking an ambulance? Apparently there’s no comparison to the tick-off flying high with blood on the brain from terrified paramedics putting pedal to the metal. Add in a Depeche Mode tune to provide the soundtrack and it was truly one of the coolest moments of the year.

Most memorable cleaning scene
“Saltburn”

So there are plenty of scenes in “Saltburn” that might irritate your skin, but it’s hard to top the moment when house guest Oliver takes it upon himself to clean a bathtub that was used by his obsessive Felix. I went. Look, Felix’s got one very good time In her bathtub, secretly observed by Oliver, and after Felix vacates the room Oliver goes in to give the tub a special cleaning. With your tongue.

excellent use of nudity
Jennifer Lawrence, “No Hard Feelings”

Nudity and sex scenes have also made a comeback in film, and Christopher Nolan’s use of both in “Oppenheimer” was given much attention. Sure, there was a traditional love scene in bed with Communist Party member Jean. But who can forget the moment when the titular scientist was being interrogated by the US Atomic Energy Commission about his affair – and suddenly he was naked and having sex on a chair in the same room? Imagination? Metaphor? No doubt for both. But definitely…unexpected. Still, it’s hard to beat the moment in “No Hard Feelings” when Jennifer Lawrence’s character emerges from a slimmer body after having her clothes stolen — and kicks the young thieves’ ass. while still naked, J. Law, you missed it.