Saturday 27 December 2014

Alternate Best Actor 2006: Ben Affleck in Hollywoodland

Ben Affleck did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite being nominated for a Golden Globe, for portraying George Reeves in Hollywoodland.

Hollywoodland is an effective enough film about a private detective's (Adrien Brody) investigation into the apparent suicide of former Superman star George Reeves. Although I do like the film it's one of those films that never quite comes together even though greatness seems in reach.

After watching the film again I do have to move Ben Affleck over to leading actor for the film. Although there is another lead in the detective Louis Simo played by Brody his story of investigating Reeves's death is inter spliced with scenes of Reeves's life in Hollywood. Those scenes are almost all from Reeves's perspective and very few of the scenes even come from Brody's character hearing about Reeves, so I think it is fair enough to say Affleck leads the scenes set in the past. There certainly should have been no category confusion leaving Affleck as an oddly snubbed guy for having won two Oscars. Despite Argo winning best picture he was not nominated for director, and despite this film indicating his comeback, as it was just after having become the butt of many jokes for several years and only a year off his directorial debut, Affleck was ignored for this performance.

Ben Affleck plays George Reeves who we introduced to through his dead body. The film begins with George Reeves dying from being shot in the head, and the rest of the film examines whether or not he was the one who pulled the trigger. Part of the examination of this is going through his career and we first meet the living Reeves at a club in Hollywood. Affleck is great in the role of creating Reeves particularly style of performance which does extend right into his personal life as he purposefully tries to charm people to help make himself a star. Affleck has an interesting take on his manner in the role as he does kinda go for that old school type of movie star charm as Reeves. Affleck though does not make it pure so to speak, because after all Reeves was not exactly Clark Gable himself. There is that sort of posture though and very to the point delivery yet Affleck brings a decided weakness about the show as though Reeves is not quite as great as he thinks he is.

Reeves finds minor improvement in his career through relationship with a older well connected married woman Toni Mannix (Diane Lane). Both basically use each other in this relationship but it is interesting in the way both Affleck and Lane play these scenes. Although it is in the open that they both basically understand the nature of the relationship neither actor portrays their character as an innately cold individual. Even though they speak openly about it, Mannix in particular, Affleck and Lane still bring a certain warmth to the relationship. It is obviously not as pleasant as one would want to be as the basis seems to be something that underlines every scene they are together. Affleck and Lane are quite good though in creating the complexity in the chemistry between the two. Even with that being understood they still suggest the two forming an actual bond, and although they seem to say that both would deny loving the other, they do indicate that they do.

The biggest success that Reeves does find is in portraying Superman onscreen and Affleck absolutely shines in the scenes depicting Reeves as the character. In his portrayal of the recreation of the part Affleck is great as he really is that Superman of that era as he should be. He has that nobleness, that boy scout quality, and its all as bluntly heroic as possible. The smile, the stance, the whole demeanor Affleck makes the Superman Reeves was. One scene in particular that I love is when Reeves is spotted in a restaurant. Affleck begins the scene very much as the depressed Reeves as he basically looks upon his career as Superman as a waste of his talent. After being told of the watchers though he straightens himself in the rest room and Affleck brilliantly shows the transformation take place. He goes from the palatable sadness of Reeves's personal life to once again the great larger than life hero as he stands to meet his admirers.

Affleck is terrific in portraying the growing depression and despair throughout his performance. In the beginning Affleck plays Reeves as a fairly optimistic man but certainly with a sense of frustrations for not yet having had his break. As his personal story proceeds though Affleck portrays a slow descent into despair as his career never quite takes off and he is typecast in a role he hates. Affleck is tremendous in the way he reflects every set back as it slowly seems to wear him down. Slowly the attempt a charm starts to wear away and Affleck progressively portrays a sadder and sadder man. When Reeves has an outburst against at Toni Affleck wholly earns the scene and is outstanding as he realizes all the pent up anger in Reeves due to his fate. What is most heartbreaking though is the hints of optimism Affleck leaves in his performance such as his last performance before his death where he plays guitar to his friends and Affleck suggests last bit of hope in his song.

What is most remarkable about Affleck's work though is his juxtaposition of Reeves as the performer against Reeves as a man. Affleck is amazing as he puts on the act of Superman as he should be yet his expression subtly suggests a man who hates his life. One of the most memorable moments in his performance is when Simo watches footage of Reeves showing his martial arts skills to ensure a job to do a wrestling match. Affleck once again puts on that bright face as Reeves does his various moves bringing that great big smile and a sense of showmanship. Affleck makes it the second most haunting test footage of 2006, it happened to be a great year for that, though as he shows underneath the overwhelming heartbreak as Reeves indicates to cut showing his personal disdain at having fallen to this act. This a truly powerful performance by Ben Affleck and I wish he would again take a challenging role since, if this is any indication, he's more than up to the task.

99 comments:

Robert MacFarlane said...

I actually do think he's supporting, albeit a borderline case. His entire plot feels like a framing device.

Matt Mustin said...

Ratings and thoughts on the rest of the cast, including updated thoughts on Brody if possible?

Matt Mustin said...

Also, I feel like I should mention...I have a very flexible sense of what constitutes a leading performance. I do enjoy trying to decide, though.

GetDonaldSutherlandAnOscar said...

Don't know if you'd agree with me, Louis, but I find Ben Affleck to be a sort of modern-day Joseph Cotten. Serviceable as a leading man, bit bland if given poor material (although Affleck has much lower lows), but brilliant whenever given a complex role.

GetDonaldSutherlandAnOscar said...

@Matt: looks like he's updated Brody to a 4.5, which is a rather interesting bump up from his original 3.5, it's unfortunate how many bad roles Brody gets saddled with nowadays because when he's good he's really good.

Matt Mustin said...

Yeah, I saw that, which is why I was wondering what specifically improved this time around.

Matt Mustin said...

I just watched The Rover. I can't begin to describe how amazing Guy Pearce is. Absolutely flawless work, not a single wasted gesture.

GetDonaldSutherlandAnOscar said...

What else has anyone seen recently, and thoughts/ratings if you like :D

Into the Woods
Blunt-4.5 (her singing is pretty darn good but more importantly, she really hits the emotional notes and brings the right sort of complexity to what actually is a rather thinly written role)
Corden-3 (decent but overshadowed by Blunt throughout, I think he could've brought more to the dramatic beats but hell he's a moderately charming presence and sings well, and the film doesn't really hinge on his performance so why nitpick)
Streep-4.5 (close, very very close to a 5. She is the highlight and is just brilliant throughout, and I'm no Streep fan. Over the top for sure, but rather deliciously so)
Kendrick-3.5 (has quite a lot to and, while I do prefer Blunt as the emotional core, she's a suitably charming and sweet replacement for the third act)
Pine-4 (an absolute hoot, I loved every moment with him onscreen. It's a caricature brought to life beautifully)
Depp-2 (disappointing. I've defended Depp quite a lot recently but this really does make me question whether the same guy who gave such brilliantly nuanced performances in Edward Scissorhands, Finding Neverland, and What's Eating Gilbert Grape, and knew how to tread OTT and ham so beautifully in Sleepy Hollow, Fear and Loathing, Secret Window etc. still exists. Technically he wasn't THAT bad, but I know he can do so much better. He wasn't even phoning it in, he was just going with a completely...bizzare approach, frustrating especially when one knows he has the talent to do so much more)
Crawford-2.5 (outshines Depp in their scenes together, but that's not saying much)
Mauzy-3 (she was fine, and I like her scene with Streep, very nicely done)
Huttlestone-2.5 (like in Les Miserables, Huttlestone is actually quite an irritating little brat at times, but otherwise he fufils the needs of the role)

The Gambler:
Wahlberg-4 (My original 4.5 was perhaps a bit too lenient, but hey, he was a very engaging presence to follow throughout. He had me rooting for his character which, taking into consideration my moderate dislike for him as an actor, was pretty amazing)
Goodman-3.5 (he was good as always, but Goodman can do this sort of role in his sleep. Really not given much to do, at all.)
Larson-3.5 (really doesn't get much to do, but nevertheless she is, as always, an actress who keeps your attention even when the films' really not that interested in her character)
Williams-4 (verging on a 4.5. He is so effortlessly cool and menacing, and a great intense counterpoint to Marky Mark)
Lange-3 (film could care less about her character but she is surprisingly natural and actually quite lovable as, well, a loving mother)

John Smith said...

Louis and everyone else, Toughts on De Niro in Goodfellas, Jerry Lewis in King Of Comedy, Ben Afflec in Argo, Depp in Gilbert Grape, Meryl Streep in Adaptation, Cage in Match Stick Men and Rockwell in Match Stick Men, Haile Steinfeld in True Grit,Portman in Black Swan, Max Von Sydow in Hannah And He Sisters

Luke Higham said...

John Smith: De Niro will be reviewed for Goodfellas as well as maybe Lewis in King of Comedy.

Anonymous said...

I'll give just my ratings:
De Niro - 4
Affleck - 3
Streep - 4.5
Steinfeld - 2
Von Sydow - 3.5

Anonymous said...

Louis, what are your thoughts/ratings on Lane? Also, I'm assuming that the most haunting test footage of 2006 is Mia Kirshner's, right?

Luke Higham said...

De Niro - 5
Affleck - 3.5
Depp - 3
Streep - 4.5
Cage - 4
Rockwell - 3.5
Steinfeld - 3.5
Portman - 3
Von Sydow - 3.5

Anonymous said...

@GDSAO: I've only seen Gone Girl recently, and I've already given my ratings and thoughts on the cast (I'll repeat that, I love the movie and the cast is amazing with no weak links). I'm gonna see The Imitation Game, Big Eyes and American Sniper this week.

GetDonaldSutherlandAnOscar said...

De Niro: 4.5
Affleck: 3.5
Depp: 4.5
Streep: 4
Cage: 4
Rockwell: 3.5
Steinfeld: 4
Portman: 3.5
Von Sydow: 4

Robert MacFarlane said...

I've seen The Theory of Everything and The Imitation Game:

The Theory of Everything:

Redmayne - 4.5: He's effective enough as the young Hawking, and REALLY good as the disabled Hawking.

Jones - 4.5: Much colder performance than I was expecting. I mean that in a good way, because her best scenes are the ones where she looks like she flat-out hates Hawking. Was kind of shocked that the film went there.

Cox - 3: I've always liked him as an actor, and he does what he can with an underwritten role. Kind of wish there was a little more of him.

Thewlis - 3: Pleasant enough, though I'm not sure why he looks the exact same in the scenes near the end.


The Imitation Game:

Cumberbatch - 4.5: Technically a gimmicky, heavily mannered performance but not without merit. He hits all of the proper notes and seems perfectly natural at being eccentric.

Knightley - 2.5: She's fine, but didn't get to do much.

Goode - 4: Actually my favorite of the supporting cast. Brings the right amount of arrogance and charm.

Strong - 3.5: His portion of the movie is technically the most problematic, but he handles his role well.

Dance - 2.5: He's playing Tywin, simple as that.

Leech - 3: The film's playing fast and loose with the facts on his character was probably the most detrimental to the film of all of the liberties, but he handles it well.

Kinnear - 2.5: Eh, he's fine.

Beard - 3: Handles his breakdown fairly well.

Anonymous said...

@kook160: Wow, absolutely shocked by the 2.5 for Knightley. Her Oscar nomination is pretty much a sure thing.

Luke Higham said...

I've seen The Zero Theorem & Exodus
The Zero Theorem
Waltz - 4.5, although very close to a 5.
Thewlis - 4, although leaning towards a 4.5
Thierry - 4

Exodus: Gods & Kings
Bale - 3.5
Edgerton - 2
I found the supporting Cast pretty much wasted and the film itself was fairly boring.

Louis: If the opening Scene for Battle of the Five Armies had ended Desolation of Smaug, what ratings would you've given to Evans and Cumberbatch.

Also, Foxcatcher, Whiplash, Pride and The Drop are Online with good quality.


Robert MacFarlane said...

@Anonymous: Maybe I'd be more forgiving if she wasn't just coming off of her career best in Begin Again and how much that role just dwarfs this in comparison.

Anonymous said...

@luke: Can I have your thoughts on Bale and Edgerton in Exodus?

Robert MacFarlane said...

Edgerton needs to fire his agent... into space.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous:
Bale was solid the whole way through and did the best he can with the lackluster material he was given.

Edgerton was really miscast here as well as many of the Egyptian Characters, It's hard for me to go in depth for this performance but I'll say he's no Yul Brynner.

Ridley Scott, really has lost his touch after the Director's Cut for Kingdom of Heaven, which is one of my all time favourite historical epics (Which I hope Louis will see at some point in the future) and this was definitely the worst out of the four that he's made.

In Conclusion, All that I will say is just go and watch Noah, if you haven't seen it already.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: Actually, there was a pretty good performance by an unknown child actor who plays a messenger of god & could also be a talent in the not so distant future. Finally, I'll say that the Ten Plagues plus the Crossing of the Red Sea (No parting of the waves via staff by the way) were very good visually.

Michael McCarthy said...

Since Foxcatcher I've seen The Imitation Game and The Interview.

The Imitation Game

Cumberbatch-4.5 (I have to say that I'm very impressed with Cumberbatch for being able to play a completely different type of narcissistic genius than he did in Sherlock. This time he did a great job of showing that his arrogance was really a shield for his fears and insecurities, and he managed to be quite likable once he let his guard down a little bit. He's not a 5 because I thought there were some moments he overdid, but they were few and far between.)

Knightley-4 (For the most part I agree with Robert, she was solid with what she had even though it wasn't much. But I had to bump her up because I thought he absolutely nailed her last scene. When her character had to try to cheer up Turing, she showed an incredible amount of awkwardness and distance which was perfectly fitting for the characters' history together. But then she slowly eased it into real warmth to show that she really admired Turing no matter how much of an asshole he'd been in the past.)

Goode-3.5 (Not a whole lot to his character but he managed to have just the right combination of smugness and genuine charm)

Strong-4 (He had the perfect presence for the MI6 agent, just the right amount of coolness and mystery, and you couldn't help but think he was two steps ahead of everyone. He also had some very subtle comedic moments that were delivered well.)

Dance-3.5 (Pretty much what we've come to expect from ol' Tywin but he just does it so well, I wish we'd seen more of him, I'd love to have seen his reaction to being proved wrong.)

Leech-3 (He had some accent issues here and there but I have to give him credit for the look he have Turing after Turing reveals his secret, he did a great job of very subtly suggesting the ultimate reveal regarding his character.)

My ratings and thoughts for Kinnear and Beard are essentially the same as Roberts.

The Interview

Franco-2.5 (Pretty much as over the top as I've ever seen him. Sometimes this was funny but a lot of the time it was rather obnoxious, me and my friends were seriously wondering whether or not he was high during the entire film shoot. I will say he had some rather well-handled moments towards the end, particularly during the titular interview.)

Rogen-3.5 (I definitely preferred him out of the two leads, he was an effective straight man to Franco as always. He was quite funny in his reactions to Franco's antics, and the few times he went for really broad comedy it worked because it was well built-up.)

Park-3.5 (He had some really funny deliveries and reactions when he was bonding with Franco's character but when he had to be the evil dictator he was about as imposing as one could ever be with that kind of material. I just wish his character had been written a little better)

Caplan-2.5 (She did what she had to do, there just wasn't much there.)

Bang-3 (Again not much to her character, but she at least had some nice deadpan comedic moments and good chemistry with Rogen.)

RatedRStar said...

Foxcatcher will be my next film, I am gonna watch it in 2 hours time, we ll have to see what it is like.

Luke Higham said...

RatedRStar: Whenever you do, Can I have your ratings & thoughts on Carell, Tatum, Ruffalo and Redgrave, since I'm in the middle of watching it too.

moviefilm said...

luke: Can you please e-mail me where can I find Whiplash and Pride? (Already found Foxcatcher and The Drop) Thanks. (mf121@azet.sk is my adress)

Luke Higham said...

Foxcatcher Ratings
Carell - 4.5 (Although Louis could very well sway my opinion on this one).
Tatum - 4
Ruffalo - 4

moviefilm said...

Hey everyone! What is everyone's opinion on the cast of Get On Up? Especially Boseman, Ellis, Davis and Aykroyd. I've watched it recently and really liked perfoemnces in them, thought Boseman was very effective, though his performance was a bit screwed by the makeup. And Davis is a strong 4.5 for me, close to 5.
And I'm really looking forward Louis' review of Carell, as well as Carell in Foxcatcher.

Luke Higham said...

Moviefilm: At this point, Carell has lost a ton of momentum and if Louis were to do ten reviews for the alternate lineup, there is no guarantee whether Carell is going to make it, since it's really a love it or hate it performance.

Michael McCarthy said...

As far as Get on Up, I'd give Boseman a 3.5, because I thought there were several moments where he seemed to explore the character honestly and effectively, and he was entertaining when he performed, but the mannerisms he used were rather distracting. Davis I give a 4 because she managed to be sympathetic and almost make sense of a HORRIBLY written character. I don't remember enough about Aykroyd an Ellis to rate them but I thought they were both fine.

And am I the only one so far who's seen Foxcatcher and thinks that a nomination for Carell would be a horrible waste?

moviefilm said...

luke: I meant I am looking forward his review for Little Miss Sunshine, which is the following review.

Luke Higham said...

Michael McCarthy: As a matter of fact you're not, because my rating for Carell could go up or down considerably and I would much prefer if he wasn't nominated, just to give a spot to Waltz or Serkis for the alternate lineup, and I'd rather not see a nomination/review risked on him, unless Louis likes him or not.

Matt Mustin said...

I still think Carrell will be nominated, but at this point it's pretty clear that he won't win.

Luke Higham said...

Moviefilm: Apologies for that, In my moment of forgetfulness, I thought you meant a review for Foxcatcher.

Luke Higham said...

Matt: Yeah, Keaton pretty much has it in the bag already. Although I'm extremely looking forward to seeing Birdman, whenever it eventually comes online, I'll actually be a bit over the moon if Gyllenhaal snatched it from him, since it's my favourite performance of the year and possibly the decade as well.

RatedRStar said...

Ok, Foxcatcher. my thoughts, this will be kinda long:

I will be siding, with Michael McCarthy on this one, I am bitterly dissapointed with this film I am afraid to say. This film left me feeling cold and unmoved, and well nothing, I felt nothing from this film, I am supposed to feel sorry for these characters or be interested by them...nope.

The direction by Miller is the worst thing about this film because it is just so fucking bland and workmanlike it makes the film seem so lifeless at times. Many scenes just don't work at all because it feels so lifeless even thought it darn well trys to ignite an emotion and gets none, and that was a big mistake, this film should have had an emotional core and relied more on the story and less on pumping dramatic music in my face and having characters just stand around letting the music do the work for them, that it thinks it has, but it really doesn't, its just a cold film that makes you feel nothing.

Steve Carell (2.5) I will give Carell some credit for not overacting but unfortunately he is the opposite, he is consistently quite bland at times, he actually plays his character surprisingly low key, in fact everyone does adding to the lifeless feel, I dont think he is ever really bad but I wanted more from him, more emotion, more from Carell but he doesnt give it, a lot of the time he just stares blankly, also his final scene isnt great either, the final scene is supposed to be a big emotional finale but it doesnt work, and Carell did not give that final emotional power to that scene he just blankly shoots Ruffalo then gets arrested, and thats it, how I am supposed to react to this lol I felt nothing from this, the nose is also a huge distraction and adds nothing.

Mark Ruffalo (2) This is another mainly dull performance, even more than Carell, there is absolutely no emotional power at all, from his dull far too low key voice which nearly put me to sleep, to the fact that he has no chemistry with Tatum at all I never once believed they were brothers because Ruffalo like Carell just uses very dull low key reactions to everything, blank stare, blank stare, I mean let out an emotion just once, dull dull dull.

Channing Tatum (3) The best performance, which is saying little, Tatum is believable and certainly well cast, he has the right anger and physical presence as an out of control sad sack of sorts, he is good in the wrestling scenes although they are directed so boringly by Miller, Tatum does try hard and does put some emotion and power but its all for nothing because Carell, Ruffalo and Miller are so lifeless, so they is virtually nothing for him to do, his final scene is a joke, we dont get any reaction about his brothers death or Du Ponts arrest, its just a silent music video which there are too many of in this film showing him about to fight in well UFC from the looks of it and he shows no emotion what so ever and then it ends, again nothing, nothing nothing

Louis and I think Koook160 will not like this film I am calling it right now, this is a dull film with no life, no heart, no emotion and just directed like a secondary Ron Howard, this is the Descendents of 2014, the film that all the critics go " oh ye what a masterpiece ya ya ya " NO, this film is not and should have had emotion, and it doesn't.

RatedRStar said...

Also Vanessa Redgrave adds nothing to this film she is also dull.

RatedRStar said...

Michael McCarthy, Luke higham, please give me your thoughts on Foxcatcher cause I am not going insane, I really felt nothing from this film at all.

Luke Higham said...

RatedRStar: Thanks for your opinion and it has swayed mine alot, I'm going to dock a Jack and a half for Carell, a Jack for Tatum and a Brennan and a half for Ruffalo. I know I'm doing this on short notice, but I was completely undecided on my feelings for the film and on recollection, I thought it was fine, but not great.

Luke Higham said...

RatedRStar: You're not insane, I felt nothing but emptiness at the ending. I wasn't bored at all by the film but it was just adequate. Now I definitely don't want to see a review at all for Carell. Lastly, I'm even more pleased in Retrospect that Spall won at Cannes, although I'm just about to start watching the film.

RatedRStar said...

@Luke: Its like, what I am supposed to feel about this film, wha wha, NOTHING, I was desperate to feel an emotion I really really wanted to like this, cause I dont mind Wrestling at all, I have liked Miller, Carell, Ruffalo and Tatum in other films, its like I am at the funeral of someone I dont give a shit about, its like well I dont care lol, I can understand why you are undecided cause the film just is cold.

Luke Higham said...

Not Adequate but Average, as a matter of fact.

Michael McCarthy said...

Daniel: I completely agree with your thoughts on the film in general, I thought it was a mostly lifeless affair that didn't build up tension nearly as well as other thrillers of the year (Gone Girl). Also I agree that the ending was very much lacking the bite that it should've had.

It was interesting to see your thoughts on Carell because I'd give him the same rating but for different reasons. I thought he was quite overly mannered in a way that was distracting, and he was so obvious in his creepiness I found it impossible to believe people would trust and admire him like they did. He was also occasionally unintentionally funny, particularly in his drunk scene.

Tatum I'd give a 3.5 because he hit all the right notes, but I think he could've taken the character much further

Ruffalo is the one aspect of the film where I'd have to disagree with you, I give him a 4.5. He was the one character I actually really cared about it. Yes his emotions were quite low key, but I thought he brought so much poignancy in the slightest reactions. The scene where he's basically snapping Tatum out of his freak out was the most well-acted scene in the film in my opinion, and honestly his performance was the only thing that kept me from laughing hysterically during the murder scene, which had to have been the Carell's worst scene in the film.

RatedRStar said...

I think we can agree on one thing, Louis will not like this film, lol, I am looking forward to everyone else on the blog seeing it =D, this blog/site is the best ever for films I think, because I listen to everyones opinions here a lot more than Awardcircuit, or Roeper or Kermode or anyone else because I think " ye I can see why they think that" and that they are more honest and less, professional as they would call it which is more human.

I have always been very emotional and passionate when discussing films, I mean I get all giddy and excited at times, or actors, so I have been completed honest, or brutal depending on the circumstance.

This blog is always honest like, there are critcs who like The Descendents, and American Hustle, and believe like well because it was given 80 rating on RT that means its great, and it doesn't, this is the only blog that is completely honest.

Luke Higham said...

RatedRStar: Agreed

mcofra7 said...

I turned the movie off less than an hour into it. I found the whole thing rather bizarre, as I couldn't see what I should be getting out of it.

Robert MacFarlane said...

I want to point out that you said the same thing about The Master back in 2012, RatedRStar. You really don't know what Louis will like until he tells you.

Luke Higham said...

Well his hatred for Phoenix, which I know has thankfully gone away probably clouded his initial reaction to the film.

Louis Morgan said...

Robert: He's one I definitely don't have a problem with if you put him supporting. On re-watch though I did notice how his scenes basically go back and forth with Brody's and his scenes don't come directly from Brody's findings. Reeves does stay more at a distance than Simo, but I believe that is to keep it a mystery whether or not he killed himself.

Matt:

Lane - 4(I love her chemistry with Affleck and I do think she does a fine job of being glamorous yet flawed in her style. She's perhaps slightly overshadowed by Affleck but she always stands with him nicely. She's rather effective in her scenes depicting her mental decay and I would not have minded if the film gave her time for more of a transition)

Hoskins - 3.5(He's mostly does cold menace but Hoskins is great at that. I absolutely love his scene where he comforts Toni though as Hoskins so eloquently brings depth to a man we had only seen in harsh tones before that point)

Tunney - 3(She's appropriately one note of just kinda a general sleaze as she never seems genuine in her behavior towards Reeves)

DeMunn - 3.5(I really like his performance as he makes himself basically the heart of the film as the only person who seems to grieve Reeves without hesitation. He brings such a lovely warmth with his performance and I particularly like his last scene with Brody)

Brody - 4.5(On re-watch I found his performance to be really quite moving. Brody on the private eye side is great as he's just like Affleck's Reeves really. He puts on the right act yet there is such a weakness in it. Then in the personal side of things Brody does a great job of honestly showing the connection between Simo and Reeves even though they obviously never meet)

Anonymous:

You are correct in regards to Kirshner.

Louis Morgan said...

Luke: Cumberbatch would be the same, but Evans likely would have been a 4.5 for me.

RatedRStar said...

Yes unlike The Master my opinion will definitely not be changing for Foxcatcher, in fact even at the time in 2012, I was still mainly invested in The Master for the most part and it had energy and an interesting story, I wasnt invested for a second in Foxcatcher.

RatedRStar said...

In fact at the time it was virtually me vs the world, this time I dont think that will happen.

Anonymous said...

@RatedRStar: It seems like I'm the only person on this blog who thinks that American Hustle was great, incredibly entertaining and wonderfully acted. Oh well...

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Have there been any new film viewings in the past couple of days.

Anonymous said...

What are everybody's thoughts on The Age of Innocence? I love it, I think it's among Scorsese's best works. His direction is flawless, the screenplay is amazing, the score is beautiful and the cast is great (Winona Ryder probably deserved the Oscar)

Anonymous said...

What are everybody's ratings on the cast of Gone Girl? (except for Louis, kook160, GDSAO, Michael Patison and RatedRStar who already gave theirs)

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous:
Affleck: 4.5
Pike: 5 (Originally a 4.5, but in hindsight, I've decided to give her a 5, although Cotillard is still my favourite female performance of the year by a mile).
Coon: 4
Dickens: 3.5
Perry: 4
Harris: 2.5

I've Seen Mr Turner and was about to see Whiplash, until I found out it was dubbed in Russian, so instead I've decided to watch Pride next.

Ratings for the cast of Mr Turner
Spall: 5 (Terrific work from a very underrated actor.)
Bailey: 3.5
Atkinson: 3.5
Jesson: 3.5
Manville: 3

In my opinion, I thought the film was really good, as well as being exceptional from a technical level. It was slow for the first 50 minutes, but for me, it really got going whenever Turner ends up trying to make a masterful painting even more so.

moviefilm said...

Gone Girl:
Rosamund Pike: 4.5 (almost 5)
Ben Affleck: 3.5
Carrie Coon: 4
Kim Dickens: 4
Tyler Perry: 3.5
Neil Patrick Harris: 2.5

And in case anyone's intersted I have recently seen St. Vincent and The Judge, so here are my rankings for some of the cast members.
St. Vincent:
Bill Murray: 4.5
Jaeden Lieberher: 4
Melissa McCarthy: 3.5
Naomi Watts: 4

The Judge:
Robert Downey Jr.: 4
Robert Duvall: 4.5
Vera Farmiga: 2.5
Billy Bob Thornton: 2.5
Jeremy Strong: 1.5

Michael McCarthy said...

Gone Girl:

Affleck-5
Pike-5
Coon-4
Dickens-3.5
Harris-2
Perry-4
Wilson-2.5

And here are my ratings for the cast of Big Eyes, which I just saw:

Adams-4.5
Waltz-3.5
Huston-2.5
Schwartzman-3
Stamp-3
Ritter-2.5
Raye-1
Arthur-1.5

Anonymous said...

To everybody who gave a 2 or a 2.5 to Harris in GG... What exactly you didn't like about him? Is it because you thought he was too obvious (like Louis, kook, RatedRStar) or because he didn't have much to do? I'm kind of surprised many don't like him, the critics mostly liked him: personally, I thought he was great in being quite creepy while still finding some sincerity in his love for Amy (my friends, with whom I watched the movie, also liked him well enough). Still, I'm so glad that all of you liked the rest of the cast, the whole cast was brilliant: Pike was outstanding, but really everybody was great in it.
@Michael McCarthy: Glad you liked Adams! I'm going to see her in the next few days.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: I'm pretty much on the former opinion.

Robert MacFarlane said...

@Anonymous: Except he wasn't creepy. He just came off as sort of ridiculous.

Anonymous said...

@kook160: I personally didn't find him ridiculous. He wasn't actually even that creepy, but I thought he added a slight hint of creepiness that makes Amy's unease when she is with him quite understandable. I also thought he was strangely sympathetic, I felt sorry for him despite his brief screentime. But, to each his own, I enjoy very much reading/listening opinions that are different than mines.

moviefilm said...

My biggest problem with Harris' performance is that I simply had a hard time believing him. It might be my subjective point of view, but I never saw Desi Collings, I only saw Neil Patrick Harris trying to make me think he's Desi Collings. But this could have never worked in my opinion. He is the only one in the film, who is a huge miscast. I think Downey Jr., McConaughey, or Edgerton would fit the part much more.

Luke Higham said...

RatedRStar: I've just seen Pride and is one of my top five favourite films of the year.

Cast Ratings
Schnetzer: 4.5
Nighy: 4.5 (My favourite of the film).
Staunton: 4.5
Considine: 4 (leaning towards a 4.5).
Scott: 4
West: 4
Gunning: 4
Mackay: 4
Palfrey: 3.5

RatedRStar said...

@Luke: I am so happy you did like it it is so wonderful, Louis Morgan, Koook160, Michael McCarthy, Patison, Donald, all the anonymous, and everyone on the blog who I may have missed,

I urge you all to see Pride, at least see the trailer and tell me with a black heart that you didn't smile, even you don't care about gay rights or anything its still a wonderfully charming film, a british classic =D.

Michael McCarthy said...

Daniel: I'd like to see it, I saw the trailer months ago and thought it looked very charming, it's just not playing anywhere near me. I'll watch it online if it doesn't show up soon.

Matt Mustin said...

Louis, what's your ratings and thoughts on David O'Hara in Deathly Hallows?

Luke Higham said...

After seeing Nighy's performance and the fact, there is no other potentially great performance that I haven't seen for the Alternate Supporting lineup apart from Josh Brolin in Inherent Vice, then my predictions for the line-up are as follows:

Michael Fassbender in Frank
Toby Kebbell in Dawn of The Planet of The Apes
Richard Armitage in The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies
Josh Brolin in Inherent Vice
Bill Nighy in Pride

Plus the Bonus Review for Kiefer Sutherland in Pompeii.

Schnetzer's the most lead out of the Pride Ensemble, The only other possible candidate, may be Albert Brooks in A Most Violent Year, but I'm not sure if Louis will see the film in time before the lineup is posted.

Psifonian said...

Gary Poulter, Joe. If that doesn't make the final alternate lineup, bad things will happen.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Oh jeez. If Psifonian loves him, that means he wins. I've kind of just accepted that as anything not named Tom Hanks in Cloud Atlas.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Also, to Psifonian, can you name your current top 10 for Lead Actor this year?

Luke Higham said...

Louis: When is the review.

Matt Mustin said...

I can tell you that at the moment *my* pick for Lead Actor this year is far and away Guy Pearce in The Rover. That might change but...damn he blew me away.

Luke Higham said...

Does anyone think that Louis may give 10 or more 5s in Lead because I do.

Matt Mustin said...

Yes.

Luke Higham said...

You know what I might as well try to predict Ratings for all of the male Lead and supporting performances that are either going to be nominated or will be in the alternatives as well. I did it once before at the end of October, but I was way, way off on Carell in Foxcatcher, So I would like to renew them.

Official Supporting
Hawke - 4
Ruffalo - 3.5
Duvall - 4.5
Norton - 4.5
Simmons - 5

Alternate Supporting:
Armitage - 4.5
Kebbell - 4.5
Fassbender - 4.5
Brolin - 4.5
Nighy - 4.5
Brooks - 4.5
Poulter - 5

Official Lead
Carell - 3
Redmayne - 4.5
Cumberbatch - 4.5
Oyelowo - 5
Gyllenhaal - 5
Keaton - 5

Alternate Lead
Gyllenhaal in Enemy - 5
Hardy in Locke - 5
Gleeson - 5
Hoffman - 5
Pearce - 5
McConaughey - 5
Spall - 5
Phoenix - 5
Fiennes - 5
Isaac - 4.5
Serkis - 4.5
Cage - 5
Waltz in Zero Theorem - 4.5
Teller - 4.5
Hardy in The Drop - 4.5
Affleck - 4
O' Connell in Unbroken - 4
Waltz in Big Eyes - 3.5

Luke Higham said...

Sorry, Waltz in Big Eyes is a 4.

Robert MacFarlane said...

I actually think he'll give Hawke a 4.5 at the least. He said he didn't like the movie, but that's no reason to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Luke Higham said...

Koook160: I'd give Hawke a low 4.5, I really wish the film was just Fatherhood instead because Coltrane Bored the shit out of me and I think Hawke would've been a 5 for me, if it were the case. I probably took Louis's word a little bit for the prediction and I will revise it to a 4.5

Robert MacFarlane said...

Hawke is an easy 5 for me. On the surface, it's charming and sweet. What most people don't realize his how his character subtly changes over the course of the film. His arc is the most compelling element of the film that totally subverts our expectations of him as a "fun dad" archetype.

mcofra7 said...

Has anyone seen Starred Up? Ratings for the cast would be appreciated.

Luke Higham said...

Mcofra7: It's on my to watch list alongside 71 and if Louis were ever to see them, I think O'Connell would get at least a 4.5 for both of them, as well as a 4.5 for Mendolsohn.

Luke Higham said...

Lastly, I forgot about Schnetzer and Bradley Cooper in American Sniper.

Schnetzer - 4
Cooper - 4.5

Matt Mustin said...

Well I personally think Ethan Hawke is crazy underrated as an actor in general.

mcofra7 said...

I was thinking about requesting O'Connell or Mendolsohn if I ever got the chance, as there is a good chance they will be left out. I thought both were quite good (even if I couldn't understand them half of the time)

Psifonian said...

I still have yet to see Spall, Phoenix, Oyelowo, Cumberbatch, Isaac, O'Connell (for Unbroken) and Cooper.

BEST ACTOR:
Jake Gyllenhaal – Nightcrawler
Michael Keaton – Birdman, or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Matthew McConaughey – Interstellar
Tom Hardy – Locke
Channing Tatum – Foxcatcher
Guy Pearce – The Rover
Ralph Fiennes – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Steve Carell – Foxcatcher
Christoph Waltz – The Zero Theorem
Brendan Gleeson – Calvary
Philip Seymour Hoffman – A Most Wanted Man
Daniel Radcliffe – Horns

Luke Higham said...

Mcofra7: It's best requesting them for the bonus rounds instead because I very much doubt Louis is going to get round to both films for the initial overall rankings. Also, since you're not overly positive for their performances, that would be the best case scenario for now. Lastly, nothing against you, But I'll be utterly pissed if McConaughey, Fiennes or Spall didn't get reviewed because of it.

GetDonaldSutherlandAnOscar said...

@Mcfroaz: I wasn't a big fan of Mendhelson's performance actually, he's a low 3.5 for me. But O'Connell is pretty good, a high 4 for me. And Rupert Friend is surprisingly good, a high 4 for me too.

RatedRStar I'm seeing Pride soon and I can't wait :D After that I think all I need to see are A Most Violent Year, and Selma

RatedRStar said...

After hearing about Gary Poulter and what happened to him I am now very interested in seeing a supporting review of him , and since 2014 alternate supporting has very few contenders since Serkis and Kebell have already been given scores and thoughts, they would be no point having them reviewed.

Psifonian: You could use putlocker if you dont mind it lol for Spall, and get seeing Pride also =D Psifonian, also what were your thoughts on Foxcatcher =D.

Luke Higham said...

RatedRStar: Louis has not given Serkis or Kebbell ratings yet, he only ever gave ratings & thoughts for the human characters.

RatedRStar said...

ah fair enough =D
Ben Schnetzer ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ =D

Luke Higham said...

RatedRStar: Your Ratings & thoughts on the cast of Pride.

RatedRStar said...

@Luke: Ill do it on the next review since this has gotten quite crowded lol.

Luke Higham said...

RatedRStar: Sure, although I really hope, I don't have to wait much longer for Carell's review.

Anonymous said...

@Psifonian: Can you also share your top 10s in the other acting categories?

Scott Gingold said...

My ratings for Ben Affleck:
1993, Dazed and Confused, 4
1995, Mallrats, 3
1997, Chasing Amy, 5
1997, Good Will Hunting, 3.5
1998, Armageddon, 2.5
1998, Shakespeare in Love, 3.5
1999, 200 Cigarettes, 3
1999, Dogma, 4
1999, Forces of Nature, 2.5
2000, Boiler Room, 4
2001, Daddy and Them, 3
2001, Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, 3
2002, Changing Lanes, 5
2002, Sum of All Fears, 3
2003, Daredevil, 2
2003, Gigli, 2
2004, Jersey Girl, 5
2006, Hollywoodland, 5
2006, Smokin' Aces, 3
2009, Extract, 3.5
2009, He's Just Not That Into You, 2.5
2010, The Company Men, 4.5
2010, The Town, 4
2012, Argo, 4

Louis Morgan said...

Luke:

Fitting to the review that will be coming very soon Foxcatcher. Also I'll probably be seeing Pride very soon.