16 Thoughts on the MTV Movie Awards

I wasn't actually planning on watching the MTV Movie Awards this year, but I was waiting for Megan to finish reading a chapter in her nutrition textbook and figured Andy Samberg's opening bit would probably be funny, so I tuned in. Said bit was funny, so I kept watching until Megan finished so she could see and then she was like, "Let's just keep watching, there's nothing else on."

And so we did.

1. Andy Samberg was a hilarious, excellent host. Why? Many reasons, but interestingly enough, I'd say he and Hugh Jackman have something in common: They enjoy their gigs. Jackman had a good time at the Oscars and Samberg seemed to have a good time doing this; it didn't seem like it was a job for him. Also, this show was so much about young Hollywood, most of whom take themselves a bit too seriously sometimes, and he seemed to have a good knack for giving them shit for that without coming off as a total dick. It made the awkward moments seem a little more funny-awkward as opposed to uncomfortable-awkward.

2. I almost called this "1a." since it feeds pretty directly off the end of my last thought, but then I remembered "2." comes after "1." Maybe it's because I'm getting older, but I could really see the divide between the older and younger segments of Hollywood on this show, and it made for some weirdness. It really felt like a bunch of funny adults trying to put on a good show with neat skits and whatnot and then kinda getting embarassed when these kids were coming up on stage every two seconds and acting like, y'know, kids. When Miley Cyrus won her award and ended her acceptance speech by giving a shout-out to Samberg's "I'm on a Boat" and they cut back to him looking really uncomfortable, I felt like I was watching nine-year-old me trying to convince my teenage cousins I was cool (I was very much like Miley Cyrus at nine). I alternated between feeling bad for Anna Faris for having to give the girl from High School Musical an award to feeling bad for Zac Efron because everybody made fun of him. There's probably a longer rant here, but I don't really feel like going any further with it right now.

3. Yeah, Twilight kinda ruined the show a bit. I'm not saying this from the perspective of somebody who hated the movie, because I never saw it, but it kinda kills the fun of an awards show when you know the same movie is gonna keep moving, particularly when the stars of said movie seem to hate accepting awards. Say what you will about the High School Musical kids (and I'm not sure what you would say), but they at least seem happy to be acknowledged; I hate to say shit like this, because I always come down on other people for juding celebrities only by viewing them through the public eye, but the Twilight kids always seem so miserable to be promoting their multi-million dollar movie that has made them stars. Megan did note that while Robert Pattinson just seems kinda endlessly smug and trying to seem too cool for school, she couldn't tell if Kristen Stewart is the same or just really shy; as I said when I reviewed it, I liked her in Adventureland, so I hope it's the latter (and speaking of that movie, it was kinda neat to see her get her Best Kiss award from Ryan Reynolds, though they seemed strangely uncomfortable with one another...or maybe they're just really method).

4. Back to Samberg, he seriously stole a half dozen lines/jokes/facial expressions from Rickey. My boy doesn't have cable, so he couldn't see, but he's gonna watch it on YouTube this week and be either flattered or litigious.

5. Man, I don't wanna be that guy...but Megan Fox looked really rough. I didn't know that was possible. Maybe she was trying to prove a point?

6. I don't even know what to say about the Bruno/Eminem thing. I think it was legit. Sacha Baron Cohen is lucky he didn't get his ass seriously beat. There is some strange irony in that a decade ago Eminem was the one making celebrities uncomfortable and now he was on the receiving end, but I hope this doesn't sour him on promoting his comeback.

7. The Samberg/Will Ferrell/J.J. Abrams (what?) short about tough guys walking away from explosions was classic. I think Will Ferrell has turned a new corner on his career after that early phase where he was really funny and then middle phase where he was overexposed and playing the same part over and over to being funny again; this pleases me.

8. Leann Rhimes, Chris Isaak and Forest Whitaker doing Lonely Island songs was funny, but I was hoping it would just be a build to LI actually performing...which it was not.

9. Amy Poehler and Hayden Panitierre (I'm not spellchecking that shit) essentially did the same bit about profanity, but despite Poehler going second and having half the time, I'm sure you can guess who was funnier.

10. Leighton Meester: young Hollywood's best hope.

11. I have no idea why, but the werewolf kid from Twilight, him I like; I'd shoot hoops with him.

12. Oh man, that Ben Stiller thing was hysterical. Efron gave a big f-you to being shit on all night by being funny, Triumph was great, and Kiefer Sutherland totally earned kudos from me by not taking himself seriously at all. Ripping off the Oscar presentation model was a stroke of genius.

13. Not only did Kate Winslet lose in an acting category, Anne Hathaway was nominated in the same category...for Bride Wars. The MTV Movie Awards, gang.

14. I'm pretty sure Jim Carrey did not deserve to win anything for Yes Man, but it was worth it to set up the voiceover gag. Also, I could totally see in Carrey's demeanor that he was thinking, "I was winning these things 15 years ago, then I tried to be a serious actor, and here I am again...fuck it."

15. So why couldn't they give an award to Heath Ledger during the show?

16. I would say it was an atrocity for Denzel Washington have to present a Best Movie award to Twilight, but I won't. You know why? Because Denzel Washington is incapable of doing anything without instantly bringing dignity and credibility to it. (And also it was sweet that he seemed to be there for his daughter)


That is all.