Christian Bale – Vice
Notable Roles: The
Dark Knight Trilogy, The New World,
Rescue Dawn, The Fighter
Best Role: In the past, I’ve highlighted Bale’s work in
Rescue Dawn as his best, but I have
to circle back to Patrick Bateman from American
Psycho. It’s perfect.
Bradley Cooper – A
Star is Born
Notable Roles: The
Hangover, The Place Beyond the Pines,
Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle
Best Role: Jackson Maine from A Star is Born. Please give us more of that.
Willem Dafoe – At
Eternity’s Gate
Notable Roles: Platoon,
Light Sleeper, Shadow of the Vampire, Antichrist,
The Florida Project
Best Role: It’s a toss-up between Platoon and The Last Temptation of Christ, but his complicated portrayal of
Jesus wins out for me.
Rami Malek – Bohemian
Rhapsody
Notable Roles: The
Pacific, The Master, Short Term 12, Papillon
Best Role: I try to give film roles credence in my selections, but I have to go with Malek’s frenzied turn in Mr. Robot as his best.
Viggo Mortensen –
Green Book
Notable Roles: The
Indian Runner, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy,
Eastern Promises, Captain Fantastic
Best Role: Tom Stall from A History of Violence. Love the film, love Mortensen in it.
BEST ACTRESS
Yalitza Aparicio –
Roma
Notable Roles: Aside from Roma, none.
Best Role: Easy choice, as Roma is Aparicio’s first and only role. I really hope she continues
to act.
Glenn Close – The
Wife
Notable Roles: The
Big Chill, The Natural, Dangerous Liaisons, The Shield, Damages
Best Role: It must be Alex from Fatal Attraction, one of the most terrifying portrayals of a
psychopath on film.
Olivia Colman – The
Favourite
Notable Roles: Hot
Fuzz, Tyrannosaur, The Iron Lady, The Lobster, The Night
Manager
Best Role: Queen Anne, The Favourite. Though I admittedly need to see more of Colman’s
British work.
Lady Gaga – A Star is
Born
Notable Roles: American
Horror Story
Best Role: Ally in A Star Is Born. I had no idea Gaga had that performance in her.
More, please.
Melissa McCarthy –
Can You Every Forgive Me?
Notable Roles: Gilmore
Girls, Mike & Molly, St. Vincent, Spy
Best Role: I’m really enjoying watching McCarthy dive
into more dramatic work, but the standout for me is still Megan from Bridesmaids.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Mahershala Ali –
Green Book
Notable Roles: The
Place Beyond the Pines, Treme, House of Cards, Luke Cage, True Detective
Best Role: I actually think Ali is killing it in Season
3 of True Detective, but, for now,
I’ll go with Juan from Moonlight.
Adam Driver –
BlacKkKlansman
Notable Roles: Frances
Ha, While We’re Young, Star Wars, Paterson, Logan Lucky
Best Role: For film: Garupe from Martin Scorsese’s Silence; for TV: Adam from Girls.
Sam Elliott – A Star
is Born
Notable Roles: Mask,
Rush, Tombstone, The Big Lebowski,
Off the Map, The Hero
Best Role: How to decide? I really wish more people
would see his work in Off the Map and
The Hero, but I have to go with his
turn as White House Chief of Staff, Kermit Newman, in The Contender.
Richard E. Grant –
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Notable Roles: The
Player, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Gosford Park, Logan
Best Role: Grant has had a fantastic and prolific
career, but I’m going with his film debut, as Withnail in Withnail & I. There’s no “acting” to be found in that
performance.
Sam Rockwell – Vice
Notable Roles: Matchstick
Men, The Assassination of Jesse James…,
Moon, Three Billboards...
Best Role: Today, it’s Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. But it could be any number of roles.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams – Vice
Notable Roles: Doubt,
The Fighter, American Hustle, Big Eyes,
Arrival, Sharp Objects
Best Role: Peggy Dodd, The Master. Every time.
Marina da Tavira –
Roma
Notable Roles: Efectos
secundarios, La zona, Ana y Bruno, Falco
Best Role: I’m ashamed to admit that Roma is the first and only performance
I’ve seen from Marina da Tavira, but I certainly hope to change that soon.
Regina King – If
Beale Street Could Talk
Notable Roles: Boyz
n the Hood, Friday, Ray, The
Leftovers, American Crime
Best Role: Right now, it’s an even split between
Marcee from Jerry Maguire and Sharon
from If Beale Street Could Talk.
Emma Stone – The
Favourite
Notable Roles: Superbad,
Easy A, Birdman, Battle of the Sexes,
Maniac
Best Role: I’m sticking with Mia from La La Land, but I loved her deceitfulness in The
Favourite.
Rachel Weisz – The
Favourite
Notable Roles: Confidence,
The Constant Gardner, The Fountain, The Lobster, Disobedience
Best Role: I’ve always been a huge admirer of Weisz’s
work, and I think her turn as Lady Sarah in The
Favourite is the best performance she’s delivered yet. She’d get my Oscar
vote this year.
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Great choices. I finally got around to watching The Favourite as well, and i'm glad i did because it quickly became one of my favorite movies from last year. A lot of great performances in it.
ReplyDeleteChristian Bale - American Psycho (I completely agree with you here. He was perfect for that role.)
Bradley Cooper - A Star is Born (It used to be The Place Beyond the Pines, but his performance here was fantastic.)
Willem Dafoe - Platoon
Rami Malek - Mr. Robot (I only watched season 1 back when it first started, but i really enjoyed it. I don't know why i never got around to watching the rest of it.)
Viggo Mortensen - A History of Violence
Yalitza Aparicio – Roma
Glenn Close - The Shield
Olivia Colman - The Favourite (But i could have also easily gone with either Broadchurch or Peep Show. I love her and i love that she is finally getting the attention she deserves.)
Lady Gaga – A Star is Born
Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids (I'm not a huge fan of most of her comedies, but in the right one like this or Spy, she nails it.)
Mahershala Ali - Moonlight (But i also think he is killing it in True Detective. It will probably be my favorite if the season continues like this.)
Adam Driver - Silence
Sam Elliott - Tombstone (But i also loved his guest spot on the final season of Justified.)
Richard E. Grant - Bram Stoker's Dracula
Sam Rockwell - Moon
Amy Adams - Sharp Objects (I was absolutely blown away by this show. It's still haunting me.)
Marina da Tavira – Roma
Regina King - Jerry Maguire (I still need to check out If Beale Street Could Talk.)
Emma Stone – The Favourite (I never thought Emma Stone would be able to make me go from loving a character to hating her so flawlessly.)
Rachel Weisz – The Favourite
But if i were to pick my favorites to win in each category it would go:
Best Actor: Bradley Cooper
Best Actress: Olivia Colman
Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali
Best Supporting Actress: Rachel Weisz (This was an almost impossible choice between her and Emma Stone.)
These are excellent picks. I really need to rewatch Tombstone, because I'm on a huge Elliott kick and haven't seen that movie in a long time. And I also thought Sharp Objects was haunting. That was just a damn good show. I really hope they don't bring it back. Leave it where it is.
DeleteAnd it is always great to find another fan of The Shield. That show isn't talked about enough. It broke so many barriers, and Close was excellent in her season.
Sam Elliott in The Hero!!!! It's a disgrace he didn't get more attention for that role
ReplyDeleteDamn right! He was So. Good. in it. Love that guy.
DeleteFor me so far...
ReplyDeleteBest Actor
Christian Bale-American Psycho
Bradley Cooper-Silver Linings Playbook
Willem Dafoe-Antichrist (he's my pick)
Rami Malek-Short Term 12 (haven't seen much from him)
Viggo Mortensen-A History of Violence/Captain Fantastic (tie)
Best Actress
Yalitza Aparcio-Roma
Glenn Close-Fatal Attraction
Olivia Colman-The Favourite (she's my choice to win)
Lady Gaga-I haven't seen her in a film other than that awful Sin City sequel and that brief appearance in The Sopranos so I can't say anything
Melissa McCarthy-Spy
Best Supporting Actor
Mahershala Ali-Moonlight
Adam Driver-Paterson (he's my pick)
Sam Elliott-The Big Lebowski
Richard E. Grant-Withnail & I (alternate pick)
Sam Rockwell-The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams-The Master
Marina de Taivira-Roma
Regina King-If Beale Street Could Talk (I pick her to win)
Emma Stone-The Favourite
Rachel Weisz-The Brothers Bloom
Excellent picks. And I appreciate you highlighting your Oscar picks as well. I really hope BlacKkKlansman wins something at the Oscars. Editing would be great, because it's Barry Alexander Brown first editing nomination (which is crazy). Shame they won't be airing that award live, but don't even get me started on that bullshit.
DeleteI'm with you on this news about not showing the editing/cinematography awards bullshit. If I was the filmmaker who is nominated along with my collaborators and to see they might get their moment to shine. I'd be like... "Fuck this shit! Come on everyone, let's just stay home and tell the Oscars to fuck off."
DeleteThen again, I wouldn't go to the Oscars if I was nominated and likely to win. It's just not my thing.
You should do the next In Character feature on Sam Elliot.
ReplyDeleteYES!
DeleteHell yeah I should! Been thinking about it since I first saw A Star Is Born. I love his work so much, so it should come together pretty quickly. Stay tuned!
DeleteI'm with you on a lot of these for your favorites. Emma Stone slightly edges out The Favourite with La La Land for me, she's good in both. Definitely agree with Mr. Robot for Rami by a long shot.
ReplyDeleteViggo's Best for me is always Eastern Promises. I love that movie. And for Amy Adams, it's probably Junebug but you make me want to watch The Master again. Especially after I just saw God's Pocket which was a horrible waste of Philip Seymour Hoffman.
You know, after writing this post, I rewatched Eastern Promises, and that is just a damn good movie. That's an A+ for me. I forgot how sparse the narrative is; how you really have to pay attention to what's said to fully understand everything that has happened (and is happening). And it contains such a huge plot twist, but that twist is given such little attention, which is incredible. In terms of Viggo's work, A History of Violence still wins out for me, but it's a nit-picky choice. Both performances are perfect.
DeleteBest Actor
ReplyDeleteBale - I'm with you. I love Easton Ellis as much as you do and loved the adaptation. But he's also one of my favorite actors because of Harsh Times. And liked him a lot, recently, in Out of the Furnace.
Cooper - Jackson was really cool and brave of him, but my favorite still is Pat in Silver Linings, I was sold on the story because of him.
Dafoe - Haven't seen him as Van Gogh yet and I've seen every Van Gogh reincarnation so it's a must... has to be The Last Temptation of Christ, followed closely by Antichrist.
Rami Malek – A few days ago Papillon was being broadcasted in a Spanish channel. Man, I missed Dustin Hoffman… Truth is I like Charlie Hunnam and he wasn't given much in that film either, but Malek was pretty bad. Need to see more of him.
Mortensen - A History of Violence if only for the initial shooting scene.
Best Actress
Haven't seen Roma yet... sorry for Yalitza Aparicio.
Glenn Close - Dangerous Liaisons.
Olivia Colman - Tyrannosaur (Peter Mullan and her? Best of the best)
Lady Gaga - I always thought she was really cool in her videos and I liked her as Ally. I love the fact that you've chosen that photo. That was my favorite moment, the whole bar interaction... I wished the rest of the film would have kept that atmosphere.
Melissa McCarthy - I haven't seen anything she's done.
Supporting Actor
Mahershala Ali – Only seen him in The Place Beyond the Pines, liked him, but hopefully I'll see him soon in True Detective after I finish The Punisher's S2
Adam Driver - Same as yours.
Sam Elliott - As cliché as it sounds... Road House haha. The Hero was great too, need to watch The Contender!
Richard E. Grant - Jack and Sarah.
Sam Rockwell - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Well-deserved Oscar.
Supporting Actress
Amy Adams - Arrival
Marina da Tavira - Can't talk about her either :(
Regina King - Same as yours.
Emma Stone - Gonna write the same I wrote the last time she was nominated: Birdman. Sam is one of my fave characters ever.
Rachel Weisz – Have to admit I was never a big fan, and with The Constant Gardener (having read the novel) I felt she was miscast... and she won the Oscar, guess it was just me after all, haha. But I liked her a lot in The Deep Blue Sea. If you haven't seen that one I think you'll enjoy it. Story is not extraordinary (the play is better, Rattigan was quite a genius) but the cinematography and the acting are really good.
Love these choices! Close is perfect in Dangerous Liaisons. It wasn't an easy choice between that and Fatal Attraction. I love '80s Glenn Close so much. And I need to see Jack and Sarah, because I'm always looking for more great Grant performances, and I haven't seen that one yet!
DeleteViggo was excellent in A History of Violence but I think his best turn is in Eastern Promises. I haven't seen Green Book, though.
ReplyDeleteOlivia Colman was great in The Favourite and so different to her brilliant supporting performance in Tyrannosaur (2011)
Viggo is perfect in both of those movies. I recently rewatched Eastern Promises and was in love with every second of it. Two damn fine movies. I wish they made more together.
Delete