I say this as a fan of both Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally: they should never ever host an awards show again. Their work at the Spirit Awards today was not only not funny but it was humorless and sort of offensive. I think at one point Offerman actually insulted presenter Colman Domingo. Offerman did the show as a boor, for some reason. Was it a character choice?
Many of the female presenters and some winners were dressed for a night at Hyde or Studio 54. Then they complained about it being so cold in the tent on Santa Monica beach. To stay with that theme, Offerman wore no shirt under his suit. Neither did Taika Waititi, who presented an award to a TV show he produces, “Reservation Dogs.”
“Mass” is a very good movie, well directed and acted, but it’s a four-hander with two couples sitting at a table. It’s also a straight on drama. I’m not sure why it won the Robert Altman Award since it has no relationship to an Altman film whatsoever. The two Altman-esque movies this year were “Licorice Pizza” and “Don’t Look Up.” They were not nominated.
The acting awards didn’t go to Best Actor or Actress. It was Best Male or Female lead or supporting. Why? Who the f knows?
How many people watched this excruciating exercise on IFC? Six? Seven? We’ll find out on Tuesday. What I learned about IFC is that they don’t know how to switch between national and local commercials without messing up. Um, we learned to do this at Emerson College even if we weren’t interested. And that was a few decades ago.
BEST FEATURE
The Lost Daughter directed by Maggie Gylenhaal
BEST ACTOR
Simon Rex, “Red Rocket”
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Edu Grau, Passing
BEST DIRECTOR
Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Lost Daughter
BEST FEMALE LEAD
Taylour Paige, Zola
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
Drive My Car (Japan)
Director: Ryusuke Hamaguchi
BEST FIRST FEATURE
7 Days
Director: Roshan Sethi
Producers: Liz Cardenas, Mel Eslyn
BEST EDITING
Joi McMillon, Zola
BEST SCREENPLAY
The Lost Daughter, Maggie Gyllenhaal.
BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Troy Kotsur, Coda
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Ruth Negga, Passing,
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Edu Grau, Passing
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Summer of Soul, directed by Questlove
