SUPER (2010)
James Gunn – Best Original Screenplay
Before he built on everything fans love about the superhero world with Guardians of the Galaxy, writer/director James Gunn took a long hard look into fandom’s dark twisted soul in Super. Rainn Wilson’s sad sack cook Frank Darbo is delusional in ways that would make Travis Bickle nervous, so when this dweeb dons a goofy red suit to “fight crime” as The Crimson Bolt he actually does way more harm than good. Even more violently psychotic is his sidekick Boltie (Ellen Page), whose aggressive sexuality brings comic book fetishism to scary life, culminating in a queasy reverse-rape scene. Gunn’s screenplay has a punk rock boldness to it that is both beautifully constructed and relentlessly discomforting, and deserves reevaluation in the wake of Guardians‘ success.
MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS (2012)
Kevin Feige – Best Picture
Populist films in the Best Picture category are few and far between, but if any deserved some love it was the #3 box office hit of all time. Joss Whedon synthesized everything we love about Marvel comics, from the bold colors and quippy dialogue to the epic scale battles between heroes and villains (and sometimes heroes and heroes). Sure, it’s not a delicate drama with literary pedigree, but The Avengers was the summation of a 6-film cycle that proved the idea of a multi-film crossover universe was not only viable but extremely satisfying for the public.
