The 2nd Annual Asta Awards

Though it's difficult for me to claim a heavy heart given my recent good news (see preceding post), I must admit to a least an un-light love muscle when it comes to the business at hand. As you devotees of the form know, this is the time of year when LivingRomCom bestows the annual Asta Awards for the Best in Romantic Comedy, but there's a slight problem re: 2006.

There wasn't any.

Any "best," that is. Yes, there were a few rom-coms, but not many successful ones (i.e. enduring, lovable movies that really worked) and the ones that at least made money don't qualify as a best of anything in my book.

Take a look at the sad slim pickings for this past year next to 2005's crop and you'll see just how badly it compares. 2005 delivered Hitch, Wedding Crashers and The 40 Year-Old Virgin, among others: three solid male POV rom-coms, the third of which is poised to attain sleeper/classic status. For the female POV, 2005 provided us with a pretty good Pride and Prejudice remake, plus the world’s first Asian lesbian rom-com (Saving Face). And even the interesting failures were… well, interesting (e.g. Shopgirl).

This year gave us the big box office splash of... The Holiday? And the box office bottom tanking of... Jessica Simpson and Dane Cook in Employee of the Month?!

I weep for all of us. Nonetheless, a dirty job but someone’s gotta do it, etc. and so herewith, a motley little bunch of meager, squeak-up-to-the-podium Astas for an inarguably bad romantic comedy year.

(Note 1: The Astas are named after the classic screwball star terrier, Asta, and Note 2: to define our terms for latecomers, a romantic comedy is a film in which the central question to be answered is, will these two people become a couple? and the central conflict of the story is embodied within a romantic relationship. Thus, although Stranger Than Fiction does indeed contain a strong romantic comedy subplot – to be properly acknowledged below – it is not a romantic comedy, its central question being, will Harold survive his author’s homicidal intentions and live? Note 3: Due to the meager amount of genuine candidates, I’ve been forced to give some awards to Not Romantic Comedy Movies [NRCMs]).

Best Fantasy Couple in a Rom-Com: By this I mean characters who exist in a realm of fantasy, as opposed to “real life,” and the obvious winners are G-Girl (Uma Thurman) and Professor Bedlam (Eddie Izzard) in the year’s best (and only) high concept sci-fi/romantic comedy hybrid, My Super Ex-Girlfriend; clearly these two were made for each other.

Worst Fantasy Couple in a Rom-Com: By this I mean characters who are supposed to resemble “real people” and do not, so Amanda (Cameron Diaz) and Graham (Jude Law) totally take the cake (and eat it) in The Holiday, she simplistically neurotic and he just freakin’ PERFECT and both of them seeming to exist in some alternate only-in-the-movies universe.

Best Romantic Couple in a Non-Romantic Comedy Movie (NRCM): Harold (Will Ferrell) and Ana (Maggie Gyllenhaal) in Stranger Than Fiction. He’s a hapless IRS agent, she’s a tax-cheating bakery owner, and you wouldn’t think these opposites would ever attract… except they do, and their charming, offbeat romance lit the most genuine sparks outside our genre proper in 2006.

Best Male Buddy in a Rom-Com: Much as I didn’t love The Break-Up, the third act comedic duet that had Gary (Vince Vaughn) trying to convince his stubbornly clueless buddy Johnny O (Jon Favreau) not to do his ex’s new beau harm was one of the funniest scenes in 2006, so Favreau wins it easily in a depleted field.

Best Female Buddy in a Rom-Com: Much as I disliked Failure to Launch, I loved, loved, and could not get enough of Kit, the lead’s best friend, even though her role was badly written. So what do I want in 2007? More Zooey Deschanel.

Best Ensemble in a Rom-Com: A family movie that really divided viewers this year (you either loved Diane Keaton as a quietly noble cancer victim or thought the whole notion was manipulative claptrap), The Family Stone, for all its contrivances, presented a well-directed group of actors delivering an unusually convincing portrait of a family w/new additions.

Best Couples Ensemble in a NRCM: Maybe I'm too L.A.-ified, but I found the entire troubled quartet of couples in Friends With Money to be more intriguing (however damaged) than this year’s lackluster rom-com mates.

Best Comedic Set-Piece in a Rom-Com: Contrived? Totally. Over the top? Absolutely. But sorry, I am still laughing months later when I even think about the bizarre great white shark attack set-piece in My Super Ex-Girlfriend (a movie I hereby dub the Rom-Com Sleeper of 2006), with its delirious slapstick and classic line from wide-eyed Anna Faris, “Why did G-Girl throw a shark at us?!” (Super has just been released on DVD w/extras, so if you missed it... hie thee there).

Best Romantic Set-Piece in a Rom-Com: It’s not romantic in a “what a swoony kiss” sense, but in a “God, have we all been there!” way – that awful, never to be forgotten moment in a romantic relationship when you realize that despite all your best efforts, it’s just never gonna happen – an experience captured in all its searing poignancy as Brooke (Jennifer Aniston) attends a rock concert with an empty seat for what should’ve been a make-up date, in The Break-Up.

Best Rom-Com Musical Performance in a NRCM: The riff of revving up a failing rom-com’s energy by having everyone on screen join in to sing some goofy pop tune from the ‘80s together has been getting more and more tired since its last effective use in My Best Friend’s Wedding. Which is why Will Ferrell’s shaky, just-learned, movingly earnest live performance of Wreckless Eric’s “Whole Wide World” won over more than merely Maggie in Stranger Than Fiction.

Best Romantic Comedy Dialogue (in a NRCM): Again, no witty banter to write home about in a real romantic comedy, but Pirates of the Caribbean II delivered what was to my ears the most witty but-seriously-charged-with-emotion two syllables heard on screen this year, when Johnny Depp identified his would-be paramour Keira Knightley as the rogue-betrayer she’s just proven herself to be: “Pirate,” he called her, in rueful admiration… and millions of hearts went boom-boom-boom.

Best Romantic Comedy Documentary: Real-life romantic comedy doesn’t get much more pithy and peculiar than this – go rent Cowboy Del Amor.

Best Potential Rom-Com Star Debut in a Non-Romantic-Comedy Movie: Every now and then one comes out of a movie going, “who was that?” and this year everyone I know who saw The Devil Wore Prada was asking about Emily Blunt, playing Meryl Streep's marvelously sarcastic British assistant. Ms. Blunt has the delivery, looks and sensibility to do the Rom-Com proud, so the good news for ’07 is that she’s in one, called Dan in Real Life.

Biggest Romantic Comedy Missed Opportunity: We need only write the title, and the rest, blissfully, is silence: Date Movie.

Best Cautionary Romantic Tale: If there was ever a romantic dramedy to demonstrate the downside of falling truly, madly, deeply in love, Michel Gondry’s The Science of Sleep lays it out for us, as the laughs between Gael Garcia Bernal and Charlotte Gainsbourg turn to tears.

Most Thankless Role in a Romantic Comedy: Scoop is by no means the aging Woody Allen’s best, but what had me giggling afterwards was the notion of the actor who was cast as Death – a character who goes through the entire film featured prominently… but masked and absolutely silent. The poor guy doesn’t even get a credit on Imdb!

I imagine the phone call he got from his agent: “Dude, amazing news! You’re in a Woody Allen movie!” “Fantastic! Who do I play?” “You’re Death.” “That’s incredible! When do I see the script?” “Well, the thing is, you don’t have any lines.” “Oh. Oh, well, okay, but as long as I get some decent screen time, y'know, have my face in a Woody Allen film --!” Pause. “Well, dude, that’s the thing…”

Basic rule of comedy: one man’s misfortune is another man’s laugh. And all I can say in closing is that this was a romantic comedy lover’s year of misfortune, so let’s hope there are better big screen laughs and loving in store for us ahead. In the meantime of course feel free to make your own nominations, and second or correct our choices for the Asta Awards of 2006.

Comments

[E.C. Henry]

Billy, still have yet to seen "Stranger than Fiction" but given what I have seen, in keeping with the "spirit" of the Asta Awards here's my nominations.

Best rom/com of 2006: Click

Best Couple in rom/com in 2006: Adam Sandler and Kate Beckinsdale in "Click"

Worst Couple in a rom/com in 2006: Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn in "The Break-up"

Best Male Lead in a rom/com in 2006: Jude Law in "The Holiday"

Best Female Lead in rom/com in 2006: Sarah Jessica Parker in "The Family Stone"

Best Set-piece in a rom/com in 2006: Jennifer Aniston's singing brother who bugs Vince Vaughn in "The Break-up"

Best Male Buddy/Mentor in a rom/com in 2006: Christopher Walken in "Click"

Best Female Buddy/Mentor in a rom/com in 2006: Zooey Deschanel in "Failure to Launch"

Biggest suprice hit of 2006 in the rom/com field: "The Holiday"

Biggest disappointment of 2006 in the rom/com field: "Failure to Launch"

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

[christina]

Wow. Put that way, it was a terrible year.

I agree about Zooey Deschanel. Quick, someone give her a leading role. I've been sold on her since her great performance in Elf.

I just saw the Holiday. Sigh. Very sad. I like some of the scenes, but didn't believe the Cameron Diaz-Jude Law romance at all. It was so poorly conceived that it almost makes me want to do a short with Barbie dolls to show what would really happen when the drunk brother shows up at the house. And the Kate Winslet plot was way too easy and cute. The whole film was... way too cute. Made me want to go watch In the Company of Men.

Overall, the best rom com for me was Stranger Than Fiction, and I only mildly liked it.

For 2007, any insight into the pipeline? I read the script for Catch and Release, which comes out in January. (I think.) And then there's something interesting that will be shown at Sundance called Broken English by Zoe Cassavetes. It stars Parker Posey. Yeah! I smell a female Tao of Steve.

[Miriam Paschal]

Failure to Launch did fail to launch in many ways, but I love me some Zooey Deschanel. And she was so cute in Hitchhiker's Guide.

I also liked the guy she was paired with. He was the hapless sidekick in National Treasure. This guy's going to land a leading role in the next five years.

[jess]

first of all, you write really long posts. How do you do it? I get three paragraphs in and then someone turns on MTV and I walk away...

Also, one of MY favorite romantic comedies of all time is "Love Actually". does that count? I guess it's kind of a "Romantic Dramady" but it always makes me smile and feel good inside.

...and my heart is almost completely stone and ice. So that's a feat.

[mernitman]

EC: Interesting picks. At least we agree on Zooey!

Christina: I'm looking forward to BROKEN ENGLISH as well; hear CATCH is good. My friend Adam Brooks is completing a good rom-com called DEFINITELY MAYBE (with Isla Fisher, among others in a great cast)...

I want to see that Barbie short.

Miriam: Oh, right -- that guy...
I think you're right.

Jess: I've been trying to make them shorter lately, but this one got away from me. How do I do it? By posting only twice a week.

ACTUALLY is most certainly a rom-com, and a lot of it is really great, so I'm with you there. Richard Curtis can melt a heart of stone and ice! I'm sure he'd be pleased to hear...

[Ruth Yunker]

What about A Wonderful Year, with Russell Crowe? I haven't seen it, but a friend of mine who's savvy about movies loved it. The critics hated it.
It sat over at my neighborhood theatre for awhile, then quietly wandered away.

[Alan]

billy

first, congrats on the sale. Did you say it's a novel in the 'romantic-comedy' genre? I did not know there was such a thing -- however, i'm not the most literate person...when it comes to the divisions of novel genres...and all kinds of stuff like that.

best wishes. i look forward to reading it.

okay, re: these awards for best romcoms -- i haven't seen any of the movies you listed. not one. i just don't think comedy (especially romantic-comedy) is very funny and don't buy them on disc (i don't see movies in the theater anymore). romcoms are usually more squirmy-embarrassing. i just wonder if that was really the best the writer(s) could come up with. the situations don't feel real and the funny bits are usually tinged with sarcasm. it's not even 'feel-good' let alone heartwarming. these movies seem too much of a put-on, as if the producers know they're superficial at best.

not to derail the thread (perhaps this could be addressed in another post), but doesn't it seem that the romcom is dying a slow death? weren't the glory years for romance in film the 40s and 50s? isn't society just a bit too jaded for this genre anymore?

wait -- i did see 'the lake house', but i guess that's not really a romcom. that's a pretty good piece of work, though.

ag

[chris soth]

Wow...The Lake House, yes, that was this year...ok, gotta give it some props.

I think The Break Up sweeps as best Rom-Com...which does make it a pretty bleak year, all right.

Although Borat was a love story too...

[Dixon Steele]

THE BREAK-UP was, for me, the Best Rom-Com of the Year, although that might not be saying much. Original, funny and very charismatic leads who clearly fell in love while shooting the movie. A big B.O., winner, but underrated by the critics.

Just saw Emily Blunt, as a gorgeous gay seductress in the British drama MY SUMMER OF LOVE. A must see for Blunt watchers!

And as much as I like Zooey D., I've got a bigger jones for older sister Emily a.k.a. BONES. Just saw her in person at the Palisades Starbucks and can say, even more beautiful in person. Be still my heart...

And who thought putting Russell Crowe in a Rom-Com (directed by Ridley Scott, no less) was a good idea?

[helen metella]

So true. A couple of additions:
* Most Tragically Squandered Decent Premise: The Holiday
* Thinnest Motivation for a Character to Help the Heroine: Woody Allen's magician in Scoop - "because it's my movie, dammit."
* Clearest Indication this Coupling Is Psycho from the Get-go: Vince Vaughan dazzles Dental Floss-Thin Jen with his lust by thrusting free hot dogs upon her.
* Most Niggling Question to Emerge from a Bad Rom-Com: What ideas did screenwriter reject in favour of the hot-dog scenario?

[mernitman]

Ruth: Seems more like a rom-dramedy from what I've heard, and not a good one.

Hi Alan: There isn't a "romantic comedy" genre in contemporary lit/pop fiction, per se, but I identify my story as one.

Re: your thoughts on the rom-com (screen) as a "dying genre," that is fit for a longer post, but in brief, it's simply not true. Studios are making more romantic comedies than ever, and we've had decades full of successful and enduring rom-coms since the '30s-'40s heyday (the '80s were particularly rich in them, w/ARTHUR, TOOTSIE, ROMANCING THE STONE MOONSTRUCK, BROADCAST NEWS, SAY ANYTHING, WHEN HARRY... among others).

It may simply be that you don't respond to the more current crop, which actually -- if you look at last year's Astas -- are predominately male POV rom-coms.
At any rate, if you want more info on all this (doesn't sound like it's your thing, tho) there's a certain book I can recommend...

Chris! If you mean Borat and his fat companion (as opposed to Borat and Pamela), then I totally agree.

Hey Dixon: I loved Emily in SUMMER. Re: the Crowe-Scott imbroglio, it was purely a product of Scott wanting to shoot his buddy's book in his own vineyard turf, as a kind of film-o-holiday, and it's evidently our loss.

Welcome Helen: Very funny and so true. BREAK-UP is an oddball entry, in that while it's easy to understand why Jen and Vince hooked up, the "why" in why their on-screen characters were together remains the missing link enigma in that largely ill-conceived movie...

[jen]

Poor Asta -- this was not his year.

Like Alan, I haven't seen any of these movies in the theater (although I am a fan of comedy, particularly romantic comedy), but none of these seemed worth the trouble. Oh, wait! I did see Scoop, but that struck me more as a goofy mystery than a romantic comedy. I spent a good portion of my movie watching year with classic screwball comedies and romcoms, which was SO FUN, but did have a dampening effect on my desire to see any of the current offerings. (no cary grant? no, thank you. The Holiday sounds like the antithesis to the lovely Holiday.)

(...and while I was composing this you answered the question I was going to ask, so this comment seems rather pointless -- except maybe someone will think "Holiday! I should watch that again," so I'll leave it.)

(for what it's worth, I don't think your posts are too long!)

[mike]

I, too, want more Zooey Deschanel in 2007. And every other year of my life.

It's fun to dream.

To Billy, congrats on the sale, and on the sweetheart.

And good call on Science of Sleep. Brilliant, and heartbreaking.

[download movies]

The Science of Sleep is another Michael Gondry's excellent movie. I love very much his realistic point of view, there is so much hard but gentle work, excellent director.