Oscar Presenters or Buddy Comedy?
Monday, March 5, 2018 at 2:35PM by Chris Feil
Last night Oscar did an outstanding job of pairing its presenters, delivering us stellar moments like Jodie Foster on crutches, Tiffany Haddish in Uggs, and Jane Fonda owning 51% of this damn company. At best, Oscar can take such pairings and inspire audiences to demand the two presenters appear in a film together. Especially with tradition being broken on the lead acting categories, this was a smorgasbord rife for a genre we hold dear: the buddy comedy. Here are the five buddy comedies from last night's presenter duos that we desperately need to see in 2018...
Jodie Foster and Jennifer Lawrence
Whatever this movie is, the crutches stay. How quickly we forget that Foster is actually really friggin' funny and this I, Tonya gag slayed. Imagine Foster as a hot-tempered introvert and Lawrence as her gabby neighbor with no respect for boundaries that gets them both in trouble with an organized crime ring. BONUS POINTS: Meryl gets to play the kingpin villain.
Tiffany Haddish and Maya Rudolph
Whatever this movie is, the Alexander McQueen dress stays. We were so distracted at the idea of Haddish working with Paul Thomas Anderson that we failed to realize we'd rather have her work with his genius wife. Or better yet, maybe he can direct this anyway. But maybe their real buddy comedy should be next year's hosting duties, as many have cried for. Regardless, whatever they want to do, we're there.
Lupita Nyong'o and Kumail Nanjiani
Lupita and Kumail play the CIAs sexiest agents who have to go undercover as nerdy librarians - anything for more of Lupita's badass spy prowess from Black Panther and Kumail's dry wit. Somehow we end up in Ibiza and other exotic locales. Chris Pine cameos.
Greta Gerwig and Laura Dern
A million hearts stopped when Dern actually called Gerwig "buddy" on live television. Imagine an Enlightened reunion with Dern and Mike White but add in the powers of Gerwig. You're welcome, HBO, this pitch is free.
Armie Hammer and Gal Gadot
They'll play rediculously attractive but embittered tall siblings who have to rescue their parents aided only with the help of a hot dog cannon. They both commiserate over separate Justice League folly while bingeing some Haribo gummy bears and nachos on the steps of the Chinese Theatre.
Who were your favorite presenters of the night?
Reader Comments (31)
Was there anything in the pairing of Foster and Lawrence,Why those 2 together.One seemed happy the other seemed uncomfy.
Both were best actress winners and Jodie Foster directed Jennifer Lawrence in "The Beaver."
I see.
OMG, yes to all of these EXCEPT if you're going to have Hammer and Gadot in a movie together, do NOT cast them as siblings. They are just too ridiculously attractive to not make out.
I always thought Nanjiani was perfectly nice looking but somehow, up there next to the Lupita's superhuman radiance, he looked quite dashing.
Jennifer Lawrence drunk, again. What a surprise.
These pitches just got me laughing out loud on public transport! I'm in!
The Armie Hammer-Gal Gadot pairing is just too much pretty for one screen to contain. Lupita and Kumail were probably my favorite presenters, but the buddy comedy I'm most dying to see is Maya and Tiffany, HANDS DOWN.
they might not share scenes but Dern and Gerwig are in the new Baumbach.
My favorites were easily Tiffany Haddish and Maya Rudolph.
Jennifer Lawrence should never have been included with the likes of Jodie Foster. She is not in the same breath of acting royalty. She, like Sandra Bullock, managed a win in a weak year. She's annoying. The youth are finished with Jennifer Lawrence.
I knew it would take a split second for the hate for Lawrence to show up on this and other blogs. It did. Gawd, please stop.
Eva Marie Saint made the night, for me. She was wonderful (almost as wonderful - Armie in that suit). But out of these pairings - I'd rush to the theater to see Lawrence as the gabby neighbor to Foster's hot-tempered introvert. Sounds like a blast.
Tiffany Haddish and Maya Rudolph stole the show. Get them to host next year!!!
Have we heard yet what really DID happen to put Jodie on crutches?
They should have let Timmy and Saoirse present together!
Pam - right? And now people are mythologizing that she won "in a weak year," when in reality it was anything but, given she beat Chastain's best performance and Riva in Amour.
Do you all realize how catty you sound?
Tiffany Haddish is determined to get Streep to play her mom in Girls Night 2. She even came up to Strep in the red carpet asking her. And she also called Streep “Mom” while presenting.
Lupita Nyong'o and Kumail Nanjiani
Tiffany and Maya were great, but what were they doing presenting the shorts films? Was it because all the clips were super dramatic?
How do you know that Jodie is a good comedian?
I think Jodie Foster had bunion surgery or something not very glamorous. I am not sure why Jennifer Lawrence looked over a foot taller than her, but I did appreciate the Meryl jokes which were funny.
Suzanne, I think remembering who she was up against just reminds people of how undeserved and unfair Lawrence's win was.
Not that it was her fault though.
Tiffany Hadish and Maya Rudolph. Have them host the Oscars next year because goddamn.... they were a fucking riot. And I would like to see Meryl Streep play Tiffany Hadish's mom. It could work. Just pair Streep with Morgan Freeman and they could play Hadish's parents.
2012 was *not* a weak year for Best Actress (Emmanuelle Riva, Jessica Chastain, Marion Cotillard, etc.). That said, although I'm no Jennifer Lawrence hater – she's a fun celeb – her performance in Silver Linings Playbook was not especially Oscar-worthy, never mind the (oft) miscasting.
What *did* happen to Jodie Foster?
My favorite pair was Octavia Spencer and Sally Hawkins sitting together, as comfortable as if they were in their living room, smiling, happy, appreciative best buds.
How about another movie with them together? This time Octavia has the lead, and Sally is the best friend ever.
I love that Foster/Lawrence pitch! With "Red Sparrow" having tepid box office return and "mother!" being a debacle, I think J-Law needs to remind us how great she is at comedy.
I would watch Haddish and Rudolph read the phonebook.
Amanda - About 95% of Oscar wins are "undeserved and unfair," including the vast majority of the wins last night. Lawrence's win has generated far more than its fair share of conversation, because she's young, pretty, successful and female.
These bitches hating on Jennifer Lawrence need to get fucking laid
Adri. I LOVED them too.
Tiffany and Maya should host all awards shows forever.
Hammer and Gadot is classic Hollywood glamor for the 21st century
i live in LA, but was in Santa Barbara for a wedding at my paren's house this past weekend. They are rich wasps who love film and oscars (many of them members) but also live in their own world .. for better or worse. But nice people. That said, when Tiffany H came on they all said, 'who is that and why is she trying so hard?' I have to agree. I get why she tries so hard (career and all) - but why can't she speak proper English? She just reiterates why black people are constantly put into stereotypes. Note to Tiffany - 50% of the country would respond to you if you spoke proper English.
BB-8 and Oscar Isaac is the only buddy comedy I want.
Graham - most people are not rich, old money, douchebag WASPs who live in Santa Barbara. Especially not 50% thank god. I bet your parents speak "proper English" but are devoid of any personality or sense of spark, like other WASP-y people I've had the misfortune of coming into contact with. Tiffany Haddish is fierce as hell.