Wednesday 21 December 2016

Alternate Best Actor 1993: Anthony Wong in The Untold Story

Anthony Wong did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Wong Chi-hang in The Untold Story.

The Untold story tells the true story of a serial killer cook, although this version of the story is the type you might find within a dirty copy of a sleazy gossip rag in the trash of a smelly bus station bathroom.

The film though is acutely aware of this as it goes for pure exploitation here. The film would be like if in Zodiac you spent half the film watching Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Edwards ogle their boss’s girlfriend and mock their female coworker for her lack of ample breasts. That's half the film as the investigators are portrayed to be utter buffoons in sequences of rather broad comedy. In rest of the time, we are with Anthony Wong, which are even more ridiculous if you can believe it, despite winning the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor that would be like if Terry O'Quinn won the Academy Award for The Stepfather. Here's the thing though as proven by his work in Hardboiled, Infernal Affairs, and especially Beast Cops Anthony Wong is a higher caliber of actor. He's not a simple exploitation actor in terms of talent, which means he offers a little more than you might expect. That's not to say Wong gives this serious performance, quite the contrary, Wong knows the type of film he's in and he embraces it to its fullest.

It needs to be said that this performance is technically just as insane as the rest of the film, yet Wong's approach elevates it beyond through his understanding of the material. Unlike the majority of the rest of the cast, who are pretty bad in their goofy performances, Wong knows how to play into his material while not being wholly consumed by it. Wong knows the intentions of the part and decides to be as entertaining as he can be with that in mind. After all, past his prologue, Wong's first appearance is as he is chopping meat at his restaurant while watching his waitress. Wong's does not hold back in the sweaty sleaze he brings to his manner. He blares his eyes wide open watching her, and makes his mouth tight as he really emphasizes just how disgusting his character is. Wong though is careful in his performance to just chomp around on the scenery in the right ways. It's a curiously mesmerizing performance to watch at times, as Wong brings certain unpredictability to the madness he inflicts not only the character but his whole performance with. 

Wong is at times downright hilarious as he goes about amplifying the film any way in which he can through his unrepentant depiction of the killer. Whether this is the murder scene which Wong relishes in as his namesake goes about killing people in a variety of ways, which Wong depicts with the utmost glee. Whether this is setting fire to a man or beating a man to death with a ladle. Or his portrayal of the other side of Wong as he brings such haphazard awkwardness to the man as he sloppily attempts to cover  his tracks. Wong's delivery is so enjoyably inept, intentionally inept that is, of a man whose arrest is simply an inevitable. I have to admit I have an especial affection for Wong's dramatic turn he employs after the waitress begins to tell the cops about how suspicious her employer is. Now technically speaking nothing within these scenes stops being exploitative, in fact I am going to say most would find these scenes are downright distasteful especially given that they are based on real events. However Wong does his best to alleviate this best he can by playing up this silliness in an effective fashion. 

Now again much of this is dependent on Wong's talent, which actually does suggest that he could have played a more realistic depiction of the character. Technically in the murder scenes, which get pretty brutal, Wong has the needed intensity for such scenes though apparently knowing the film's direction he takes this up just another notch to derive some actual levity among the grotesque. Again Wong shows the potential for something else, if the film had required it, particularly in the scenes where Wong attempts to commit suicide. Wong does bring the gravity of the situation within his eyes as he begins the act, but again playing into the film's tone he just takes a step further. Making the distress seems less that of a lost soul on the last lengths but rather a pathetic act of a vicious monster. Now because of that Wong's best scene is probably his confession where he gets the unabashedly embrace the character’s wretchedness.  Wong brings such psychotic joy into his devious smile as he boasts about his accomplishments, spending an extra bit of time to note that he made his victims into food which he then fed to the very cops investigating him. This is not a great performance by any means.  It is a lot of dark fun from a good actor really slumming it though. 

248 comments:

1 – 200 of 248   Newer›   Newest»
Charles H said...

Changing my predictions, -

1. Cheung
2. Day-Lewis
3. Hopkins
4. Bradford
5. Wong

Calvin Law said...

1. Hopkins
2. Day-Lewis
3. Bradford
4. Cheung
5. Wong

Could you do a top 10 scenes for John Hurt too please, Louis? Also I'm not sure if I want to watch this now.

Anonymous said...

Haven't seen this yet.

Charles H said...

And Wong's praise slowly dies out from the others on this blog.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Question for everyone: Do you think stop motion films should be considered for Best Production Design? They are built sets after all.

Luke Higham said...

Robert: Yes.

Charles H said...

Robert, I agree.

Michael Patison said...

1. Anthony Hopkins
2. Daniel Day-Lewis
3. Jesse Bradford
4. Leslie Cheung
5. Anthony Wong

Anonymous said...

Robert: I agree about that.

Anonymous said...

Changing predictions:

1.Lewis
2.Hopkins
3.Cheung
4.Wong
5.Bradford

Anonymous said...

Louis, your top 10 Dustin Hoffman acting moments?

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Your 10 favourite F. Murray Abraham moments or your 10 favourite moments of the best leading performance of all-time.

Bryan L. said...

Wouldn't be surprised if "I don't see a lot of money here" from Inside Llewyn Davis appears on his Top 10 Favorite.

Michael McCarthy said...

I don't think this review is any cause for Wong's praise to die out. Hell, the fact that he was able to maneuver this ridiculous film at all gives me even more respect for him.

Deiner said...

Louis: thoughts and ratings on the rest of the cast.

Charles H said...

@Michael, Damn right.

Bryan L. said...

Watching Passengers tonight. Will give give ratings and thoughts after.

Calvin Law said...

94dfk1: That'd be very much appreciated. I still don't know whether I'll bother going to see it.

Robert MacFarlane said...

After finding out the premise that the trailers obfuscated, I'm probably going to avoid it like the plague.

Bryan L. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
RatedRStar said...

I love your summary of the film Louis lol it is pretty accurate.

I am glad we are in agreement that Anthony Wong is a high caliber actor, especially if you were to rank every Hong Kong actor, there are so many stars rather than actors that clog up the acting talent.

Anthony Wong winning the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor is amazing lol I imagine the HK awards committee were really taking a gamble, it was either him or the safe choice Lau Ching Wan for the prestige picture C'est La Vie Mon Cheri so well done to them for that.

Another thing so fascinating about Wong, he did these films purely to support this family, he did films very similar to this in the 80s that were even worse since they were basically violence porn so to hear that he just wanted to support his family is just great.

RatedRStar said...

1. Hopkins
2. Day-Lewis
3. Bradford
4. Cheung
5. Wong

Louis: Did you see Siskel & Ebert review The Stepfather? I like that they hated the film but praised O'Quinn =D.

Luke Higham said...

1. Hopkins
2. Day-Lewis
3. Bradford
4. Cheung
5. Wong

Álex Marqués said...

1.Hopkins
2.Day-Lewis
3.Bradford
4.Cheung
5.Wong

Álex Marqués said...

Saw Brick yesterday, I think it will benefit from rewatches but I really dug it. Gordon-Levitt was very good.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Louis: Rating and thoughts on Sonja Smits in Videodrome?

Calvin Law said...

Louis: cast for a 1970s and 1980s Rogue One? I'm thinking Bruce Lee and Toshiro Mifune as Corrupt and Baze for the former, Gordon Warnecke as Bodhi for the 1980s and maybe John Lone as Chirrut.

Calvin Law said...

*Chirrut

Giuseppe Fadda said...

I've just seen Lion. It's a good movie, nothing extraordinary and it has some flaws but it's good. I would say the cinematography, especially in the first half, is remarkable and the child actor Sunny Pawar really deserves some recognition.

Calvin Law said...

Giuseppe: thoughts/ratings for the cast? Good to hear that it's decent.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Although you don't give ratings to TV Performances, is it something you may change your mind on in the future. I'm sure you would have to come up with a different criteria entirely.

Charles H said...

A lot of people here seem to be underestimating Cheung, Believe me, He'll take the win.

RatedRStar said...

I will actually change and take a gamble simply because I am a Leslie Cheung fan, I dont think he will win though. I am not confident on Bradford doing that great.

1. Anthony Hopkins
2. Leslie Cheung
3. Daniel Day Lewis
4. Jesse Bradford
5. Anthony Wong


Omar Franini said...

Giuseppe: I saw Lion tonight too, well I thought it was good with a fantastic performance by Sunny Pawar; the second half was very problematic and I think it has some problematic holes in the plot and some bad performances.
Pawar: 4,5
Patel: 2,5/3 (3 might be only for the last scene of the movie)
Kidman: 3,5 (she brought the right warmness, but her character was rather limited by some problems, but the performance is still good)
Wenham and Mara: very limited roles

Charles H said...

Who's on the 'Give Patel an Oscar' bandwagon?

Matt Mustin said...

Louis: What's your rating and thoughts on Geoffrey Rush in Pirates of the Carribbean?

Anonymous said...

Louis: I noticed that you gave a Bogart a 2 for his performance in Sirocco, yet March is ranked lower despite his 2,5 for Death of a Salesman.

Louis Morgan said...

Calvin:

Don't bother, it's not worth it.

Hurt:

1. Timothy finds his wife - 10 Rillington Place
2. 23rd Psalm - The Elephant Man
3. Timothy learns about his daughter - 10 Rillington Place
4. Richard Rich's testimony - A Man For All Seasons
5. "I love you" - 1984
6. Timothy's testimony - 10 Rillington Place
7. Chestburster - Alien (Hm to "Not Again!" from Spaceballs)
8. Merrick is shown his face - The Elephant Man
9. Winston is broken - 1984
10. "My Friends" - The Elephant Man

Rogue One 70's:

Jyn Erso: Helen Mirren
Cassian Andor: Raul Julia
Krennic: Edward Woodward
Chirrut: Bruce Lee
Baze: Toshiro Mifune (Perfect choices)
Bodhi: Roshan Seth
Galen: Max von Sydow
Saw Gerrera: Roscoe Lee Browne
K-2SO: Richard Dawson

Rogue One 80's:

Jyn Erso: Alice Krige
Cassian Andor: Edward James Olmos
Krennic: John Hurt
Chirrut: Tatsuya Nakadai
Baze: Tsutomu Yamazaki
Bodhi: Gordon Warnecke
Galen: Tom Courtenay
Saw Gerrera: Yaphet Kotto
K-2SO: Michael Palin

Robert:

I'd say they should count, after all so many of the Lord of the Rings sets were that size in reality as well.

Smits - 3.5(I like her performance as she offers one of the few emphatic presences in the film even though even she isn't technically so straight forward. I like that she doesn't go for the grotesque instead as an effective balancing factor for the film, as her heartfelt, to a degree, performance keeps in mind the lost human factor behind the Videodrome conspiracy.)

Varun:

Hoffman:

1. "I'm scared" - Midnight Cowboy
2. Dreams - Midnight Cowboy
3. "Is it safe" - Marathon Man
4. The Reveal - Tootsie
5. "I'm Walking Here" - Midnight Cowboy
6. Mrs. Robinson's house - The Graduate
7. Max confronts the driver - Straight Time
8. Rizzo falls - Midnight Cowboy
9. The first rendezvous with Mrs. Robinson - The Graduate
10. "Don't stop me Smee, Stop me Smee" - Hook

Luke:

Abraham:

1. Salieri's plan - Amadeus
2. Learning who Mozart is - Amadeus
3. Writing the Requiem - Amadeus
4. "Such Music" - Amadeus
5. "Play Salieri" - Amadeus
6. Watching Don Giovanni - Amadeus
7. "How about this one?" - Amadeus
8. "A Miracle" - Amadeus
9. Mozart's Death - Amadeus
10. March of Welcome - Amadeus

Honorable mention though to the "tears in his eyes" scene from Grand Budapest and his scene in Inside Llewyn Davis

Again we shall see in the future to answer your question.

Deiner:

Lee - 2.5(He's just kind of there for the most part, acting as the only non moronic inspector. He could've been worse I suppose.)

The rest of the Inspectors - 1.5(They're collective tom foolery got old very very quickly. By that I mean as soon as it began. They play up the goof factor to the nth degree and it is some tired shtick.)

Some of the victims are decent though extremely limited.

RatedRStar:

Yes although I've also seen parts of the film, and I will say this, there will be a future review.

Matt:

Rush - (I think I've given my thoughts before, but Rush is a hoot in the role. He's showboating of course but it's a part that absolutely deserves it. A role that I imagine George Sanders would've played in the 40's. He goes for just the right sort of pirate grandeur of sorts and is rather entertaining while doing so. Yet I do think he brings a genuine menace to Barbossa as well. Although I would say like with Depp, the filmmakers really knew how to give you too much of a good thing with the sequels.)

Anonymous:

I must say I'm shocked I gave March a 2.5, that performance is terrible, and consider it downgraded to a 2.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Would you consider upping Depp's score for the first Pirates?

Louis Morgan said...

Robert:

I wouldn't mind re-watching the film and I'll say it wouldn't be out of the question.

Robert MacFarlane said...

It held up surprisingly well when I watched it this summer. I appreciated how Depp had brief moments of menace he'd sprinkle throughout the performance that helped balance the antics. Plus Bloom was a better straight man than I remembered. His baffled reactions in the background were actually pretty funny.

Michael McCarthy said...

I just got back from La La Land...I can't get over it.

Robert MacFarlane said...

@Michael: Given my dislike for Whiplash, will I like this one?

Michael McCarthy said...

If I'm remembering correctly what your complaints with Whiplash were, then I see no reason that you wouldn't like it.

Anonymous said...

Louis: What are your thoughts on Keanu Reeves as an actor?

Giuseppe Fadda said...

@Calvin: I would agree with omar that the first half of "Lion" is stronger than the second. The former is particularly compelling with the direction being at its best and as I said Sunny Pawar's performance is excellent. The cinematography is also fantastic and it adds considerably to the raw and realistic approach to the story. The second half is definitely weaker with the love story between Patel and Mara being particularly distracting and useless but I still thought it was good and the relationship between Saroo and his adoptive parents and brother is well handled. I admire the fact that the film avoids being overly sentimental despite the nature of the story.

I can't say much about Patel and Kidman now as they'll probably be nominated, as for the others:

Pawar - 4.5 (He was an extremely endearing presence and I found his performance to be completely natural and rid of the distracting tendencies of some child performances. He has a very expressive face and carries his half of the movie extremely well)

Mara - 2.5 (She was not bad but her character was extremely underwritten. She has a decent enough chemistry with Patel but she doesn't have anything yo work with and she's part of the movie's weakest storyline)

Wenham - 3 (Limited role but I thought he brought the warmth and kindness needed for the role. Certainly a welcome presence whenever he appeared)

Calvin Law said...

Giuseppe: Interesting to hear your thoughts considering I've only really been hearing about the second half.

Saw Train to Busan, pretty good zombie flick.

Anonymous said...

Louis, your top 10 robert duvall acting moments?

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Your top ten directed scenes by Nolan, Thomas Anderson, Kubrick, Spielberg and Scorsese.

Charles H said...

Louis, Your top 10 Alec Guinness acting moments, and Top 3 David Lean films.

Anonymous said...

Louis: Rating and thoughts on Kevin Spacey and Haley Joel Osment in Pay It Forward.

Luke Higham said...

Carrie Fisher's had a heart attack. Get well soon. :(

Anonymous said...

Louis: My God. Hope she gets better.

Anonymous said...

*Luke: My God. Hope she gets better.

Charles H said...

Luke, 2016 has been a brutal year already, but now this is too much.

Anonymous said...

Nocturnal Animals:

Adams: 3

Gyllenhall: 4

Aaron Taylor-Johnson: 5 (MVP)

Shannon: 5

Anonymous said...

Louis: Rating and thoughts on Power in The Mark of Zorro.

Michael McCarthy said...

Luke: Finally finished Farewell My Concubine, here are those thoughts you wanted:

Hopkins: 5 (I’ve decided definitively that he’s my win for the year. First off, this is probably the warmest performance I’ve seen from him. He exudes a genuine goodness and humility in every scene, from the early scenes where he’s giving lectures and discussing his work with his colleagues to later on when he comes to care for Joy and her son. In addition to that, Hopkins brings an understated cleverness to Lewis fitting to a man who approaches his devout faith from a such a logical perspective. Hopkins never lets this become a simple performance of a clever, logical man as whenever Lewis must rememberer something painful about his past he allows some true sadness just barely peek through his stoic demeanor, suggesting that these events still haunt them even though he knows there’s no use in dwelling on them. The true brilliance of this performance though comes in his relationship with Debra Winger’s Joy. The two have a nice chemistry, but at the start of their relationship Hopkins does well to establish that Lewis thinks of her merely as a good friend who he enjoys getting to know. There is no lust in his performance, just a genuine altruism and concern for her well-being when she falls ill. When it first seems that Joy will not make it, Hopkins is outstanding in the scene where Lewis reveals his true feelings for Joy to his friend. It is clear that he is trying to keep it together, but just can’t quite do it due to his revelation that he truly is in love with joy and is horrified of losing her. When things take a fortunate turn, Hopkins adjusts his performance with Winger ever so slightly, as there is still the same honest goodness but with a newfound passion of a man in love. This carries on until the end of the film when Lewis must accept what happens, and Hopkins is brilliant in portraying Lewis’s brief lapse of faith. His bitter retorts towards those trying to comfort him are very clearly the words of a man not thinking rationally, and Hopkins is exceptional in bringing Lewis to that point. Then finally there is the scene where Lewis tries to console Joy’s son, and after keeping his composure as long as he can Hopkins is absolutely devastating in portraying Lewis’s breakdown. He completely earns the moment as he portrays it as a purge of emotions powerful enough to restore his own faith. It’s beautifully rendered work from Hopkins that the more I think about it might be his best.)

Cheung: 5 (First I’d like to say that I thought the film was excellent. Cheung’s performance is a large part of this through his risky but fascinating characterization. Even though Cheung does not portray Douzi during his formative years, he does an excellent job of internalizing all of the trauma that he endured during his training to become a dan. He does very well to show that because of his childhood experiences, Douzi is practically numb to any sort of physical threat. The key to Cheung’s performance though is how well he realizes Douzi’s emotional instability and how susceptible he is to being hurt in that way. Douzi’s mannerisms are decidedly more feminine then masculine, although not entirely as it seems Douzi isn’t entirely sure who he is. The exception to this is when he is onstage, and Cheung is exceptional in showing that this area of his life is where Douzi is the most confident and graceful. His performance as the concubine is always captivating and strangely haunting. Then of course there is his relationship with Shitou, which drives most of his actions throughout the film. Cheung is terrific in portraying the way Douzi knows no healthy way to deal with his unrequited love for his stage partner, which makes his deterioration throughout the film rather hard to watch. It’s very unique work that pays off in creating a fascinating character to lead this great film.)

Michael McCarthy said...

Day-Lewis: 4.5 (Somewhere down the road I might upgrade him. Newland Archer is technically a very straightforward character but Day-Lewis makes him so compelling with his close to the chest work here. In the beginning he is good in portraying Archer’s simple comfort in his betrothal to May, which is not hugely passionate but rather just a sort of contentment. This changes when he is introduced to the Countess and Day-Lewis is great in portraying Archer’s quiet admiration for his resilience. This causes Archer to become disillusioned with his fiancé and her society, and Day-Lewi is very good in portraying a growing lack of satisfaction with her as his passion for the Countess only grows. Day-Lewis is so honest in this that it is quite sad when Day-Lewis makes his choice, which Archer makes out of a particular sense of honor. Day-Lewis is excellent then in his scenes as an older man, as he wonderfully shows a catharsis in Archer when he realizes May knew of his love for the Countess and appreciated him for taking care of her instead.)

Bradford: 4.5 (Obviously points for giving such a naturalistic child performance, but Bradford also manages to stylize his work as Aaron in just the right way. Bradford portrays a cleverness in Aaron unusual for a boy his age but seems completely natural for his character, which makes for an entertaining and endearing young lead. Bradford doesn’t compromise the more dramatic points of his performance though, and does well to show that essentially having to take care of himself most of the time does wear on him, and is quite moving in expressing such a deep disappointment in both of his parents whenever they fail him in some way. It’s a strong performance of a boy who feels the need to grow up too fast.)

Wong: 4 (Louis hit most of the points I would have made, it’s a very over the top performance that was made absolutely necessary by the ridiculous direction. I appreciate that Wong knows how to go broad, it was impossible to give a truly great performance but his sheer intensity in the scenes where he is brutalizing people make for an effective villain. Then there are his “comedic” scenes which I sort of agree are entertaining, but also rather unsettling due to the unpredictability Wong brings to his character. Towards the end Wong is quite good in the despair he portrays after he is caught, but beyond that he’s actually very good in portraying Wong’s psychopathic refusal to change no matter what happens to him.)

Michael McCarthy said...

Also just for the hell of it, my top 5 for 1993 lead are:

1. Anthony Hopkins
2. Leslie Cheung
3. David Thewlis
4. Jeff Daniels
5. Liam Neeson

Robert MacFarlane said...

Out of curiosity, am I the only one on the blog who loves Bridges in Fearless? It's probably one of the biggest disagreements I've had with Louis.

Michael McCarthy said...

Still haven't seen Fearless myself.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

1. Hopkins
2. Cheung
3. Day-Lewis
4. Bradford
5. Wong
Finally saw Farewell My Concubine, and I was so damn wrong for underestimating Cheung.

Calvin Law said...

Michael: Thanks for those thoughts, I read that Cheung's voice was dubbed so was unsure about how to place him but based on your mini-review it seems the most crucial aspect of the role is the physical/internalized sides of it. I'll change to

1. Hopkins
2. Cheung
3. Bradford
4. Day-Lewis
5. Wong

Also glad you loved Hopkins, he's my win for the year in Shadowlands and runner-up for Remains of the Day

Calvin Law said...

I should also note I've seen Memories of Murder now, easily my favourite Bong Joon-ho film (and I liked/loved the other three) and I greatly look forward to comparing it with Zodiac in a future Head-to-Head. So thanks Louis, Alex, for the recommendation.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Your top 10 Game of Thrones episodes, and your top 10 Breaking Bad episodes.

Álex Marqués said...

Calvin: your welcome :)

Luke Higham said...

1. Hopkins
2. Cheung
3. Day-Lewis
4. Bradford
5. Wong

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

I'm halfway through Rebecca. I love it, and damn, are Judith Anderson's eyes nightmare fuel incarnate.

Calvin Law said...

Tahmeed: Anderson is brilliant in that.

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas!

1.Hopkins
2.Lewis
3.Cheung
4.Bradford
5.Wong

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Seen anything new lately.

RatedRStar said...

I hope everyone has a nice christmas =D

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Calvin: You're right, I just finished it :) It's the second film I've seen that would have deserved all the four acting Oscars (after A Streetcar Named Desire), even though I do love Charlie Chaplin's and Jane Darwell's performances in their respective films dearly.

Charles H said...

Finally, Everyone is putting Cheung higher, Murry Christmas! :O

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

Reeves - (Reeves is one of a kind, with a particularly unique screen presence. A limited actor to be sure, and when it is desired that he stretch him in the wrong way, particularly in his early career, he could be pretty bad. Though again even a terrible Reeves's performance isn't a standard terrible performance. However when he is properly utilized he is quite the striking performer actually, and within the right role actually has far more dramatic and comedic ability than he is often given credit for. He has to be in the right role, and when in the right role he brings something only he could bring to the part.)

Varun:

Robert Duvall:

1. "Smell of Napalm" - Apocalypse Now
2. "A ladder" - Tender Mercies
3. Confession - Get Low
4. Ride of the Valkyries - Apocalypse Now
5. Remembering his daughter - Tender Mercies
6. The Conversion - The Apostle
7. His scene - The Road
8. "Hey Boo" - To Kill a Mockingbird
9. Killgore arrives - Apocalypse Now
10. Firing Max - Network

Luke:

Give you two at the moment.

Nolan:

1. Bank Robbery - The Dark Knight
2. Final revelations - Memento
3. The transported man revealed - The Prestige
4. Hallway fight - Inception
5. Messages from Home - Interstellar
6. Game of Chicken - The Dark Knight
7. Failed water tank trick - The Prestige
8. Batman's first appearance - Batman Begins
9. Don't answer the phone - Memento
10. Escape from the pit - The Dark Knight Rises

Anderson:

1. Three Stories - Magnolia
2. Derrick Fire - There Will Be Blood
3. First Processing Scene - The Master
4. Jessie's Girl - Boogie Nights
5. Baptism - There Will Be Blood
6. Sydney instructs John how to play - Hard Eight
7. Dr. Blatnoyd - Inherent Vice
8. New Years - Boogie Nights
9. "Pig Fuck" - The Master
10. Stanley Refuses to Answer - Magnolia

Charles:

Guinness:

1. "What have I done" - Bridge on the River Kwai
2. Final interrogation of Bill - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
3. Victory March - Bridge on the River Kwai
4. Meeting Karla - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
5. The Robbery - The Lavender Hill Mob
6. Nicholson refuses to work - Bridge on the River Kwai
7. The Priest - Kind Hearts and Coronets
8. Mr. Dorrit's final scene - Little Dorrit
9. Jimison and Coker on the Boat - The Horse's Mouth
10. Charles gives farewell to his family - Cromwell


1. Bridge on the River Kwai
2. Lawrence of Arabia
3. Brief Encounter

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

Spacey and Osment - (Both try far harder than the mawkish material deserves. They do offer it least a tinge of credibility. They do not overcome it entirely though. Both are able to maneuver around it enough to be decent most of the time yet there are few times they fall to its weaknesses. Like for Spacey the scene where he reveals how he got his burns.)

Anonymous:

Power is bland as per usual. Nothing different from his usual leading turns.

Tahmeed:

Game of Thrones:

Hardhome
Rains of Castamere
The Winds of Winter
Baelor
Watchers on the Wall
The Mountain and the Viper
Kissed By Fire
Battle of the Bastards
Blackwater
Winter is Coming

Breaking Bad:

Ozymandias
Crawl Space
Dead Freight
Salud
Felina
One Minute
Better Call Saul
Granite State
Half Measures
Hermanos

Anonymous said...

Louis: I'm shocked you ranked Power's performance in The Mark of Zorro way higher than Stewart's in The Philadelphia Story, since you thought he was his usual bland self. And you forgot to remove the half Nicholson in March's performance in Death of a Salesman.

Luke Higham said...

Merry Christmas Everyone. :)

Michael McCarthy said...

I just gave Scarecrow a rewatch and I've come to the conclusion that not only do I prefer Pacino to Hackman in the film, I think Pacino gives my favorite lead performance of that year.

Louis Morgan said...

Merry Christmas

Anonymous:

Sorry I answered in haste, was thinking of his turn in The Black Swan.

Also I haven't forgotten about it, I just haven't done it yet.

Anonymous said...

Louis: Your top 10 Batman villains.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: I see you've switched over to Eastwood for your overall win for 1992. Which other winners do you think you might change?

Matt Mustin said...

Louis: What are your top 10 acting moments for Philip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix?

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Is it possible for Neeson to go back up to a 5 again for Schindler's List.

Bryan L. said...

Louis: I recently watched Bone Tomahawk and thought that Patrick Wilson was excellent. Do you think he would've been a better choice for Chris Pratt's part in The Magnificent Seven, since you weren't a big fan of him there?

Oh and who would you have gone with instead of Sarsgaard? I'm guessing the studio would've gone with a big name to balance out Pratt's departure in this hypothetical scenario lmao.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

I really hope that Neeson gets re-upgraded. His final scene, about "saving one more" is one of the most heartbreaking scenes ever in my opinion, and has stayed with me a lot.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: With Film Thoughts, My requests for the Highlander films came between Blade Runner/Prometheus and Come Fill The Cup.

http://actoroscar.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/alternate-best-actor-1971-paul-scofield.html

Calvin Law said...

Yeah, Neeson is brilliant in Schindler's List.

Anonymous said...

Louis, your top 10 Ryan Gosling acting moments.

Anonymous said...

Rematching Collateral... the scene where they see the coyote is one of the most beautiful scenes i have ever seen.

ruthiehenshallfan99 said...

Merry Christmas, everyone! Stay safe!

Álex Marqués said...

Merry Christmas guys

Robert MacFarlane said...

Merry Christmas! Enjoy it, because it may very well be our last.

Anonymous said...

Dennis Hooper is amazing In Blue Velvet.

Giuseppe Fadda said...

Merry Christmas everyone!

RatedRStar said...

Merry Christmas =D

Anonymous said...

@Louis: ratings and thoughts on Kidman and Hawkins in Paddington?

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: He hasn't seen it yet.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Your thoughts on the Alien: Covenant trailer.

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas everyone! :)

Michael McCarthy said...

I'm watching The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe right now, and its occurring to me that James McAvoy seems like he might have been channeling Jonathan Pryce a bit in the movie. Am I the only one who sees that?

Anonymous said...

Louis: Rating and thoughts on Maurice Evans as Dr. Zaius (Edward G. Robinson was the original choice for the role) in Planet of the Apes.

Luke Higham said...

R.I.P. George Michael

What an utterly terrible year it's been.

moviefilm said...

Merry Christmas everyone! :)

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

RIP George Michael.

RatedRStar said...

RIP George Michael

I honestly wasnt a huge fan of that new Alien trailer, I thought it spoiled way too much, should have been more mysterious and creepy instead of in your face. It doesnt help that it potentially spoiled at least 3 death scenes as well.

Calvin Law said...

RIP George Michael.

Just started on 11.22.63, have to say I kind of love it now even though I'm not sure what direction it's going in two episodes in. Bonus points for that clever Manchurian Candidate joke. Also George MacKay is someone to look out for.

Robert MacFarlane said...

I hated the Alien: Covenant trailer. Looks exactly like Prometheus. Fool me once, Ridley.

Bryan L. said...

Honestly not too excited about the Alien: Covenant trailer over here. Just 'meh.'

Charles H said...

R.I.P George Michael,

Not impressed by that Alien trailer.

Louis Morgan said...

Tahmeed:

A few that could change, though that does not mean they will.

Supporting 40
Supporting 50
Supporting 54
Supporting 59
Supporting 62
Supporting 73
Supporting 12
Lead 77
Lead 83
Lead 97
Lead 03

Matt:

Hoffman:

1. "Pig Fuck" - The Master
2. Andy's Solution - Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
3. First Processing Scene - The Master
4. Insurance Speech - Along Came Polly
5. Andy in the Car - Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
6. Bachmann and the informant - A Most Wanted Man
7. Hard Eight - Hard Eight
8. Final Talk with Perry - Capote
9. Jesus Christ Superstar - Along Came Polly
10. The Ending - A Most Wanted Man

Phoenix:

1. First Processing Scene - The Master
2. Photographic breakdown - The Master
3. Prison Breakdown - The Master
4. Put it back in - The Master
5. Slow Boat to China - The Master
6. Book opening breakdown - The Master
7. Freddie meets Dodd - The Master
8. Doc and Bigfoot at the Chinese Restaurant - Inherent Vice
9. Things turn Romantic - Her
10. Bobby Hears about his father - We Own the Night

Luke:

Maybe.

I had decided to do Prometheus since I had just finished the Aliens, then decided to do Blade Runner since that was Scott as well. Accidentally went to Come Fill the Cup, but I'll make sure to do the Highlanders next.

I did not really care for the trailer, especially since it probably spoiled a few deaths. I kind of hate red band trailers for the most part anyways since they'll sometimes focus too hard on the normal trailer taboo elements, that was certainly the case here.

Varun:

Gosling:

1. The Elevator - Drive
2. Taking the Bullet - Drive
3. Real Human Being - Drive
4. Showdown with Bernie - Drive
5. Hotel Room - Drive
6. Calling Nino - Drive
7. Dean leaves - Blue Valentine
8. Lashing out at the Survivors - The Believer
9. Final Phone Call - The Place Beyond the Pines
10. Dean tries to make Cindy feel good - Blue Valentine

94dk1:

Yes I believe Wilson would have been better suited especially since he's proven already that he can fit the period. One of my biggest problems with Pratt there was he felt far too modern.

As for Sarsgaard it's a difficult choice as weasel villains are pretty hard to pull off well to begin with, Chris Sarandon's performance in The Princess Bride would be an example of one done right.

It technically would have been better to replace him with a different villain, or have him be a secondary villain to a villain well say played by Russell Crowe. You needed someone with equal screen presence to Washington, Crowe could obviously have brought that.

Anonymous:

Evans - (Considering he's working within such constrictive makeup I'd say he manages to give a rather effective villainous turn. I like that he doesn't really play him like a villain exactly rather portrays this pompous assertiveness of an intellectual who firmly believes himself to be into the right, and it would be convincing that others would view him as such as well.)

Luke Higham said...

Louis: I hope you've had a good Christmas. :)

Your top ten directed scenes by Spielberg, Kubrick and Scorsese.

Robert MacFarlane said...

See any new movies, Louis?

Calvin Law said...

Everyone: would highly recommend The Night Of to anyone who hasn't seen it yet. Best work of Turturro since Barton Fink, and Riz Ahmed gives a career-best turn so far.

Mitchell Murray said...

I'm curious Louis if you have seen this year's "Midnight Special" yet, and about your thoughts on the performances in the movie. Personally, its one of my favourite films of the year. Nichols is typically understated in his direction, the story is standard but gripping, and most everyone is good in it.

Shannon (3.5) - A solid performance overall, but perhaps a little too one note at times. Nowhere near as effective as his role in "Take Shelter"
Edgerton (4) - Another solid performance, only more consistent and engaging than Shannon
Dunst (4) - Really liked her here - I would even say she's the heart and soul of the movie. Ever since Melencholia and Fargo my opinion of her has done a complete 180.
Lieberher (3.5) - Similar to Shannon: Almost one note, but definetly one of the better child performances of the sci-fi genre
Driver (4) - Not given much to work with, but he adds a certain charm and humour.

Everyone else was like I said good - no real weak links.

Louis Morgan said...

Luke:

Spielberg:

1. The first daytime attack - Jaws
2. T-Rex's intro - Jurassic Park
3. The Opening - Raiders of the Lost Ark
4. D-Day - Saving Private Ryan
5. Ghetto Liquidation - Schindler's List
6. The Opening Scene - Jaws
7. Three Tests - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
8. Piano Massacre - Schindler's List
9. Pantry scene - Jurassic Park
10. Explosive finale - Jaws

Hate to leave off so many.

Kubrick:

1. "The Faithful Hussar" - Paths of Glory
2. The Jumpcut - 2001: A Space Odyssey
3. A Call to Russia - Dr. Strangelove
4. Disabling Hal - 2001: A Space Odyssey
5. The Executions - Paths of Glory
6. Pictures - A Clockwork Orange
7. Bathroom - Full Metal Jacket
8. Riding the Bomb - Dr. Strangelove
9. The Attack - Paths of Glory
10. The Robbery - The Killing

Hate to Leave off so many.

Scorsese:

1. "Layla" - Goodfellas
2. Back Entrance - Goodfellas
3. Gangs of New York - Opening(until the fight)
4. One day - Goodfellas
5. Mrs. Robinson - The Wolf of Wall Street
6. Jake's beat down - Raging Bull
7. Tommy gets whacked - Goodfellas
8. The Ending - The Age of Innocence (Yes I'm working on the review, and don't ask me about the ladies until I publish the review, please.)
9. The Opening - Goodfellas
10. Quaaludes - The Wolf of Wall Street

Hate to leave off so many.

Robert:

Not yet but I might be seeing La La Land and Fences tomorrow.

Calvin Law said...

I've always found the jumpcut in 2001: A Space Odyssey a bit overrated. Your number 1 Kubrick scene, however, Louis...I have to agree. Such an incredible scene, and the more I think about it 'Paths of Glory' might be my favourite Kubrick film.

Anonymous said...

Louis: Your top 10 Gary Cooper scenes. By the way, I'm shocked you didn't include the stargate scene in your top 10 Kubrick scenes.

Michael McCarthy said...

I hope you love La La Land and Fences Louis, the former has done nothing but grow on me and I get more excited for the latter every time I think about it.

Charles H said...

Louis, Your top 5 Richard Jordan acting moments.

RatedRStar said...

I want Fences and Washington to be good simply because Best Actor 2016 will be the best ever if he is, even if Mortensen and Garfield are replaced by Hanks and Edgerton it will still be the highest amount of ratings ever in the official lineup.

Álex Marqués said...

I think 2013 is pretty hard to beat in that field.

RatedRStar said...

It makes sense though.

2013 Best Actor overall score was 23.5

2016 Best Actor if the sag lineup is the same ends up most likely at 24.5, 24 or tied with 23.5 depending on how Washington does.

Anonymous said...

Louis, top 10 Bradley Cooper and Jonah Hill acting moments.

Álex Marqués said...

Woah are you all going to request every actor's top scenes? Give Louis a break.

Bryan L. said...

Me: *Wants to request top scenes but doesn't want Louis to get annoyed by all of us* Haha

I don't think Hanks gets a nomination, since Scully is losing steam and has not been getting a lot of love. The overall score for 2016 I think will depend on how much Louis likes (or dislikes for that matter) Denzel in Fences, since I think Affleck, Gosling, Garfield, and Mortensen will all get 4.5's at the minimum

Calvin Law said...

Fuck.

RIP Carrie Fisher.

Anonymous said...

OMFG RIP CARRIE FISHER!

Anonymous said...

Louis, your thoughts on Twin Peaks and it's main cast. It is one of my favorite shows.

Giuseppe Fadda said...

This is so sad :( RIP Carrie Fisher

RatedRStar said...

RIP Carrie Fisher xxx =(

Charles H said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Robert MacFarlane said...

Fucking 2016 had to take one more on its way out. RIP Carrie Fisher.

ruthiehenshallfan99 said...

RIP Carrie Fisher

Luke Higham said...

R.I.P. Carrie Fisher

Charles H said...

It's been a devastating year.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: If you're seeing either La La Land or Fences tonight, can I have your thoughts & ratings/thoughts on the cast.

Giuseppe Fadda said...

The thing is that Carrie Fisher, outside of being a deservingly iconic actress, was also a brave, funny, wonderful person who wasn't afraid to talk about topics like drug addiction and mental health. She was just a splendid human being and I already miss her so much.

RatedRStar said...

She was lovely, and certainly a great person, I just feel very nervous about the future, doesnt look great really, even in 2017.

Anonymous said...


Charles Heston: I'm not the biggest fan of hers, liked her work in Star Wars though. My reaction where more a reaction of shock since i wrote my comment directly after looking it up on google directly after reading Calvin's post.

I'm not the kind of person who gets really sad about the death of an artist. It's sad that she died and she seemed like a good person, but i did not know her personally so i can't really get emotional about.

I have the best wishes for her family and friends and I hope she is in a better place, but I'm not gonna act like i'm emotionally crushed.

I'm sorry if my words are harsh.

Anonymous said...

R.I.P. Carrie Fisher :( We'll miss you.

Charles H said...

@Varun That clears a lot up, No harsh feelings, Mate.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Just saw Jackie. I kind of l loved it. Portman finally proved herself.

Luke Higham said...

Robert: Your thoughts on her and is it a 5 star performance for you. I've really wanted someone's opinion on her work there.

If we're getting 5s from any female performances this year, it'll be Portman in Jackie, Stone in La La Land and Rebecca Hall in Christine.

Luke Higham said...

And Huppert in Elle.

Anonymous said...

@Louis: what are your thoughts and rating on Gail Patrick in My Favorite Wife and that movie as a whole?

Luke Higham said...

I re-watched Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I FEEL OLD.

Anonymous said...

Luke: I can relate.

Michael McCarthy said...

I'm also looking forward to Jackie a lot.

Louis, is MASH really not in your Top 10 films of 1970, or did you forget it when you made that list?

Matt Mustin said...

Michael: He's not a fan of MASH.

Louis Morgan said...

Hold onto those lists until next post, if you all don't mind.

Varun:

Haven't seen it. I really should given my affection for Lynch's films.

Anonymous:

As I recall, I don't recall her performance all that clearly. I do recall the film being an enjoyable, though somewhat unmemorable as screwball comedies go.

Michael:

Mash and I don't get along.















RIP Carrie Fisher

Louis Morgan said...

Luke:

Fences - I have to admit for about 10 minutes I thought I was in for a LONG viewing. The film in those ten minutes goes rapid fire with the delivery every bit of dialogue, which became quite thick at times, to the point it almost seemed like the actors have barely any time to breathe. Then a pause finally came, and the film started for me.

I will say the screenplay adaption itself doesn't rise beyond its stage beginnings, in say the way Amadeus did for example. The fact that it is an adapted play is still apparent. Thankfully it is a pretty good play, and Washington actually brings some very nice touches to the material when he can as a director. He does his best to bring a real atmosphere within the somewhat intense limitations of its setting.

The film you can see is directed by an actor, as the acting ends up being paramount in delivery the power of the play for the most part. Again there are some effective exceptions in there. The film works though in this approach and in the end I found it a rather moving film. Again, I suppose like Washington's previous directorial efforts, it doesn't quite achieve greatness, but goodness certainly.

Davis - 3.5(Davis's performance almost feels like a partial struggle from her stage work, in that there seems something missing in giving a cinematic performance. In that the early scenes, where she's very quiet, her performance felt vague more than anything. I did not feel she defined her character in the smaller moments, and allowed herself to be overshadowed more than she needed be. When the film finally turns towards her more directly, it seems to become into Davis's wheelhouse, snot and all. She leans towards perhaps going too far but I do think she stops in time. Most importantly she calms down a bit internalizing the intensity, and finally bringing something in the margins. A bit of a missed opportunity I feel, but I'd still classify it as a good performance.)

Henderson - 3.5(Though I do hesitate a little to give thoughts on the three men, but I'll have to imagine none of them get nominated since all three make a strong enough case in both importance and impact. Henderson is the most traditionally supporting of them all I suppose. He gives a nicely humorous performance bringing the right undercurrent of warmth with his banter with Washington. He though manages to pull this into something more later on, being fairly effective in his somewhat more dramatic moment.)

Adepo - 3.5(His role seemed a little limited early on, due to the writing, despite the apparent importance of the character in the narrative. Adepo's good though in bringing the right discontent in his character while carefully avoiding the cliche of going overboard as the angry son. He always shows well the certain desperation for acceptance within the anger which is rather affecting particularly in his final scenes in the film. A good performance, but I just felt he could brought just a bit more to his showdowns with Washington. Not too much more though.)

Williamson - 4(Lucky perhaps slightly in that he reminds me of someone I know, nevertheless to me I thought he wholly pulled off the mentally handicapped role without becoming cloying or overly cute, which was certainly a possibility with some of what his character must do. I found though that Williamson not only was natural in terms of his portrayal of the character's mental struggle, but also made his emotional attempts to connect with the other characters particularly poignant.)

Louis Morgan said...

La La Land - I was ready to dance through the sky myself after watching this film. I loved it, loved it, loved it, loved it, loved it. Did I tell you that I loved it. I can't express how much joy I got out it, I basically had smile on my face and it only left it when it was suppose to. For me the film was simple cinematic magic in the best way. The visually sumptuous, the music wondrous, and all of it adds up to maybe my favorite movie musical of all time(though I'll admit that means less coming from me). The more I think about this film the more I just adore it. #1 all the way.

Stone - 5(Stone gives a star turn and I mean that in the best of ways. She's absolutely luminous her to be sure with an overwhelming charm that goes on for miles. That is not all though as this is only amplified through her chemistry with Gosling, which is just about perfect. Stone brings it all in her passionate portrayal of whether it is singing and dancing through the streets, or even the distress in every one of her failed audition scenes. That brings me to the "Audition" which she delivers in an absolutely stunning fashion, as she manages to be heartbreaking in her revelation of essentially the importance of her character's dream. The power of the scene is incredible and so much of the reason belongs to Stone's performance. This is an excellent performance as she is delightful with impeccable comedic timing as expected I suppose, but it is so much more than that still. I loved this performance, every second of it.)

Supporting Cast (Everyone else is good more or less, but this is a two person film with a lot of cameos/featured extras. John Legend probably is the closest to being a full supporting player but even he's only in it for say 5 minutes rather than 2 minutes.)

Luke Higham said...

Our first 5 of 2016.

Matt Mustin said...

Louis: Are you fan of Emma Stone in general? Because I have to admit I tend to like her even when the movie is less than great, although I'll admit I do have a huge crush on her.

Which brings me to the fact that if you like her, you should definitely watch Easy A.

Calvin Law said...

I have no idea if La La Land will too Hacksaw Ridge for me, but if it does, well it'd have to be something truly amazing, which based on Louis and Michael's reactions seems an apt enough coverage for their feelings. We shall see.

Calvin Law said...

Matt: I essentially feel the same about her, she tends to be good even if the film isn't. Case in point, her work in the Spider-Man films.

Matt Mustin said...

Calvin: Yep, although I maintain they really missed an opportunity by not casting her as Mary Jane.

Louis Morgan said...

Matt:

Yes, since she always tries, and sometimes shines even in rotten roles.

Anonymous said...

Louis: As someone who's not a fan of musicals, I hope I love this musical as much as you did.

Mitchell Murray said...

Stone has a natural charm and grounded nature I find, which works particularly well in comedic roles like Easy A, Zombieland or Crazy Stupid Love. She often plays a similar type of character, but when push comes to shove she can nevertheless be a very capable actor in a dramatic scene.

Her work in Birdman is still the best I've seen of her - easily my vote for 2014 supporting actress. I've yet to watch La La Land, though.

Thoughts on her Birdman performance, Louis?

Anonymous said...

Mitchell: Stone - 4.5(I thought half of her was so perfectly luminous as her face could not be more expressive here which worked wonders in portraying the very emotionally volatile state of her character. I thought her breakdown scene was well handled, and unlike Robert and RatedRStar, I thought her scenes with Norton were really quite sweet. I also absolutely love her final reaction)

Bryan L. said...

Now I really can't wait to see La La Land! Oh and Louis' reviews for Washington and Gosling in their respective films.

Bryan L. said...

Just watched Scarface. Pacino is a 4.5 for me. The movie itself is a little muddled at times but still rather entertaining. I thought Pfeiffer was going to be a standout of the film, but I feel like she was hardly in the movie haha.

Charles H said...

I will be seeing La La Land on it's next viewing in my area.

Giuseppe Fadda said...

Actually, I think Pfeiffer was the standout of the movie. I thought she gave a powerful depiction of her chafacter's decay over the course of the movie and her final scene was outstanding. Pacino was good too but Pfeiffer's performance stayed with me more. As for the movie itself, I really don't care for it.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

RIP Carrie Fisher, it's been a devastating year :'(
I couldn't post this earlier, as I was at an MUN conference for the past three days, where my sister and I both won Best Delegate at our respective committees :)

Álex Marqués said...

Congratulations to both Tahmeed :)

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Alex: Thank you so much :)

Charles H said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Louis: So before James Mason got his role in A Star is Born, the actors that were considered for the role were Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant, Marlon Brando, Gary Cooper and Montgomery Clift.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Are you gonna watch Star Trek: Nemesis during the '02 Bonus Round. I'm really curious about your thoughts on Hardy.

Anonymous said...

Luke: You can just ask him to watch it during the reviews.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: That's Fine.

Michael McCarthy said...

I just saw Lion. It was touching at points but I don't think it amounted to all that much more than a good PSA.

Luke Higham said...

Michael McCarthy: Your ratings for the cast.

Giuseppe Fadda said...

@Michael: what did you think of Pawar, Patel and Kidman?

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Your thoughts on the scores of each Star Wars film.

Anonymous said...

Luke: I think it's better to give Louis a break. I'd recommend you to save that answer for the next review.

Anonymous said...

*question

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: My apologies, I forgot.

RatedRStar said...

Michael McCarthy: PSA? Prostate-Specific Antigen lol?

Luke Higham said...

RatedRStar: My predictions for Lead.
Affleck - 5
Mortensen - 5
Garfield - 5
Gosling - 4.5/5
Washington - 4/4.5

23.5 or higher is extremely likely now.

Michael McCarthy said...

Patel: 4 (Patel seems much more comfortable as a strong, stoic leading man than he does in the quirky Jimmy Stewart types he usually plays. Saroo is a fairly simple role, but Patel does well in making him just a normal, charismatic guy. When more is asked of him, such as when his obsession with finding home starts to develop or any moment Saroo finds an answer he's looking for, Patel delivers in bringing truthful emotions. If more time was given to some of the relationships in his life this could have been a far more interesting performance, but I have no complaints about Patel's work.)

Pawar: 3.5 (A solid, endearing performance that kept me invested in the first half of the film. Didn't leave a huge impression, but he was always naturalistic and at least seemed to have a grip on his character's circumstances.)

Kidman: 4 (I actually wanted more of her. She does a great job with the warmth she brings to her character in the first half, along with a bit of caution as she knows how sensitive her new children must be. Later on she is quite good in the contentment she brings in her relationship with Saroo, as well as the necessary strain in her relationship with her other son, which I wish had been given more time to develop. Her last big scene is pretty terrific as she balances the emotional deterioration caused by her children as well as the hope and love for them very well.)

Mara: 2.5

Wenham: 3

Ladwa: 3

Luke Higham said...

Michael McCarthy: Your fives in each acting category for 2016.

Michael McCarthy said...

Lead Actor:

Casey Affleck
Jeff Bridges
Ben Foster (Still see him as lead for now.)
Chris Pine
Viggo Mortensen
Ryan Gosling (La La Land)
Andrew Garfield

Lead Actress:

Emma Stone
Hailee Steinfeld
Amy Adams
Elle Fanning

Supporting Actor:

Damian Lewis
Sam Neill
Stellan Skarsgård
Aaron Taylor-Johnson

(There are a few others on the border though)

I still need to see Silence, Jackie, Fences, Hidden Figures, Elle, and 20th Century Women

Calvin Law said...

Pour moi:

Garfield
Radcliffe
Mortensen
Cheadle

Bridges, Dano, and Dennison are on the border now.

Adams
Beckinsale

Neill
Foster
Ali
Lewis
Skarsgard

Robert MacFarlane said...

Goddammit, RIP Debbie Reynolds.

Luke Higham said...

R.I.P. Debbie Reynolds

Robert MacFarlane said...

For the record, my 5's are:

Lead Actor:

Hanks
Mortensen
Affleck
Edgerton

Lead Actress:

Portman
Adams
Steinfeld
Winstead
Cotillard
Beckinsale

Supporting Actor:

Ali
Skarsgård
Jerome
Rhodes
Taylor-Johnson
Holland

Supporting Actress:

Nyong'o
Deutch

Calvin Law said...

Rhodes and Holland from Moonlight and Hugo Weaving are right on the border for me as well.

Robert MacFarlane said...

@Calvin: Weaving's up there for me.

Michael McCarthy said...

Ali and especially Holland could both go up to 5s with a rewatch.

Anonymous said...

RIP Debbie Reynolds

Charles H said...

Lead Actor -

Affleck
Mortensen
Garfield
Gosling
Washington


Lead Actress -

Stone
Amy Adams
Elle Fanning
Huppert
Steinfield

Charles H said...

R.I.P Debbie Reynolds, This is too much now.

Anonymous said...

R.I.P. Debbie Reynolds

ruthiehenshallfan99 said...

I was very young when I first heard Debbie Reynold's voice in Charlotte's Web. I've adored her ever since then. May she rest in peace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVqA9cBdYbs

Charles H said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
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