Thursday 31 May 2018

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1991

And the Nominees Were Not:

Joe Pesci in JFK

Donald Sutherland in JFK

Robert Patrick in Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Alan Rickman in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

Patrick Swayze in Point Break

William Sadler in Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey 

For Prediction Purposes:

Pesci From JFK

112 comments:

Robert MacFarlane said...

1. Pesci
2. Rickman
3. Patrick
4. Sadler
5. Swayze

Can you also throw in Michael Rooker for JFK for review? He was my personal favorite of the cast.

Louis Morgan said...

Robert:

Sure, though I might throw in a few others from the cast as well.

Anonymous said...

1. Rickman
2. Pesci
3. Patrick
4. Swayze
5. Sadler
Louis: Your thoughts on the cinematography of In the Heat of the Night and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf.

Charles H said...

Big fan of this lineup

1. Pesci
2. Rickman
3. Patrick
4. Swayze
5. Sadler

Mitchell Murray said...

5) Swayze
4) Sadler
3) Patrick
2) Pesci
1) Rickman

Also, considering this line up covers Kevin Costner's best and worst film work of the year, what is your rating and thoughts for both Louis?

Charles H said...

Your thoughts on Issey Ogata in The Sun

GM said...

1. Patrick
2. Rickamn
3. Pesci
4. Swayze
5. Sadler

Emi Grant said...

1. Pesci
2. Rickman
3. Patrick
4. Swayze
5. Sadler

Louis: Well, I'll request Paul Dano in Swiss Army Man (2016, Lead) and Joaquín Coisín in The Perfect Dictatorship (2014, Supporting)

Bryan L. said...

Charles H: He gave them in the second page of comments in the results for Alternate Best Supporting 1965.

1. Pesci
2. Rickman
3. Patrick
4. Sadler
5. Swayze

Robert MacFarlane said...

Louis: Can you explain your thoughts on Knudsen in Westworld and why you ranked her 12th? Because I thought she was painfully wooden in basically every scene. Every line-reading, every expression, any chemistry with co-stars all felt perpetually stilted.

Matt Mustin said...

1. Pesci
2. Patrick
3. Rickman
4. Sadler
5. Swayze

Luke Higham said...

1. Rickman
2. Pesci
3. Patrick
4. Swayze
5. Sadler

Louis: Ratings and Thoughts on:
Kevin Kline and Sally Field in Soapdish
Jeremy Irons & Ian Holm in Kafka
Duvall in Rambling Rose
Reese Witherspoon in The Man In The Moon
Bates and Tandy in Fried Green Tomatoes
Dominique Pinon in Delicatessen
The Cast of The Commitments
The Cast Of Dead Again
Michel Piccoli in La Belle Noiseuse
Clive Owen and Alan Rickman in Close My Eyes
Harrison Ford in Regarding Henry
Jacques Dutronc in Van Gogh
Sylvester Stallone in Oscar
James Caan in For The Boys

Luke Higham said...

Louis: And Dreyfuss in Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Is their any possibility of Ted Levine going up for The Silence Of The Lambs.

Luke Higham said...

And could you also watch:
The Best Intentions
A Brighter Summer Day
Rhapsody In August (Kurosawa)
The Hard Way
Europa Europa
Mediterraneo
Edward II (Tilda Swinton)
Proof (Hugo Weaving/Russell Crowe)
Father Christmas (Raymond Briggs)
White Fang (Klaus Maria Brandauer/Ethan Hawke)
The Adjuster (Elias Koteas)
Hear My Song
Backdraft
Frankie And Johnny (Al Pacino)
Madame Bovary (Isabelle Huppert)
Malina (Isabelle Huppert)
Night On Earth (Jim Jarmusch)
Europa (Lars Von Trier)
Shadows And Fog
Cast A Deadly Spell (David Warner)
Prospero’s Books (John Gielgud)
The Ox

Maciej said...

1.Pesci
2.Patrick
3.Rickman
4.Swayze
5.Sadler

Giuseppe Fadda said...

Ratings/thoughts on Bette Midler in For the Boys and Mary Louise Parker and Mary Stuart Masterton in Fried Green Tomatoes?

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Could you please watch Only Yesterday (1991), it's directed by Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies)

1. Pesci
2. Rickman
3. Patrick
4. Swayze
5. Sadler

Bryan L. said...

Louis: How do you think Steve Mcqueen would've done in Roy Scheiders' role in Sorcerer? Friedkin met with him about the part.

Calvin Law said...

1. Pesci
2. Rickman
3. Patrick
4. Swayze
5. Sadler

Luke Higham said...

1. Pesci
2. Rickman
3. Patrick
4. Swayze
5. Sadler

Bryan L. said...

Louis: I'm assuming you already knew about Friedkin meeting with him though haha.

Emi: I'm glad you requested Cosio for The Perfect Dictatorship, since I had that one in mind for a potential request as well.

Omar Franini said...

Louis: your ratings and thoughs on Annabella Sciorra in Jungle Fever and Meg Ryan in The Doors? I can't find them anywhere.

Omar Franini said...

Can i have your rating and thoughts in Patricia Arquette in The Indian Runner too?

Anonymous said...

Louis: Your top 10 Ben Mendelsohn acting moments?

Calvin Law said...

Louis: just realized you put 'Quaaludes - The Last Temptation of Christ' as one of your Scorsese moments. Not going to lie, that makes me kind of interested in seeing that. Also, a 2010s The Last Temptation of Christ:

Luke Higham said...

Rating predictions
Sutherland - 5
Patrick - 5
Rickman - 5
Swayze - 4
Sadler - 4

Unknown said...

1. Patrick
2. Pesci
3. Rickman
4. Swayze
5. Sadler

Two Kevin Costner and two Keanu Reeves movies. Very nice

Anonymous said...

1. Pesci
2. Rickman
3. Patrick
4. Sadler
5. Swayze

RatedRStar said...

1. Pesci
2. Rickman
3. Patrick
4. Sadler
5. Swayze

Michael McCarthy said...

Louis: Do you keep track of how many winning requests we each have, or are we just supposed to do that ourselves? I know I have at least 3, I just wanted to double check on the exact number if possible.

Luke Higham said...

Michael: I've got 13 remaining thus far.

Michael McCarthy said...

Luke: Thanks, I just meant I wanted to figure out exactly how many I have.

Anonymous said...

Luke: 13!!

RatedRStar said...

Louis: Your thoughts on Branagh (and his um..accent) and Thompson for Dead Again?

Anonymous said...

Louis: your rating and thoughts on kathy bates, jennifer jason leigh and judy parfitt in dolores claiborne, i didnt find them anywhere

RatedRStar said...

Will Jurassic Park: Fallen World be any good? some people are trying to convince me to see it in the cinemas, anyones thoughts?

Mitchell Murray said...

RatedRStar: I haven't been paying that much attention, as Jurassic World has not aged that well for me - then again, I wasn't too crazy about it to begin with. I will say the sequel is fulfilling my wish for the first reboot by having Jeff Goldblum, but thats about it.

Luke Higham said...

Mitchell: He'll be in it for 3 minutes max.

Anonymous said...

Louis: Your top 10 episodes of Star Trek (The Original Series)

RatedRStar said...

Luke: I might be in the cinema for 3 minutes max.

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

In the Heat of the Night's cinematography is not Haskell Wexler's finest hour, in fact far from it. The work is largely just adequate. The most notable thing about the lighting, which is important given the title of the film, is rather simply that reflection of the sweat to help ensure that sense of heat and humidity within the film. It achieves that need, however not in a way that is anything too remarkable even so. Past that though the work more or less does its job but not anything more than that. It conveys a bit of atmosphere, and any given scene has decent enough composition and framing. Only just decent as the film really does look like any other average cinematography from the 60's no worse, but no better either.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf on the other hand is a great example of how to shoot a stage adaptation. Wexler's work is beautiful in itself very much that pristine black white of the 60's look though with a careful emphasis on grey that is slightly unpleasant in the right way similair to James Wong Howe's work in Sweet Smell of Success. The composition and framing though is essential for such a film as it needs to capture the performances, particularly essential for such adaptation of play, without seeming stagy. Wexler's work achieves that and even goes further as it manages to create a sense of claustrophobia, without ever seeming too insular, which is quite a trick. Most notably though as the little bursts of movements in the camera work that are particularly effective and dynamic in hitting essential moments in the drama. I don't love the film, but it is well shot.

Mitchell:

Ask again in the reviews of the supporting players from those films since I will have a fresher perspective then.

Robert:

It is not as though I adore her performance by any means, however I thought her work successfully represented essentially the passionless executive who is just exasperated by her position, and just carries a blasé attitude to everything that it entails. This making it fitting that she is pretty flat and unemotional, except for her last scene. Although re-watching some of her scenes just recently, my interpretation may be a bit generous.

Louis Morgan said...

Luke:

Kline - 4(Kline with his comedic timing on point is a VERY good thing. Although watching this makes me wish he has had more absurd characters, in good comedies, throughout the years as that is where he seems to most excel. That is certainly true for here in the performance scenes where Kline is quite hilarious in either portraying the over the top soap opera style of acting, or doing his ridiculous dinner theater. The rest of the time he is more typical charming Kline, which this a good example of particularly in terms of developing his chemistry with Elisabeth Shue, and creating a believable history in his chemistry with Field.)

Field - (Field is absolutely wonderful here and I think makes the most out of the material entirely. In that she certainly has the fun in the Soap Opera acting moments where she is appropriately melodramatic and over the top. She best though connects this with the soap opera of the soap opera so to speak. In that Field manages to still make the semi-dramatic moments entertaining as well by selling them as someone who has perhaps become a little too acquainted with her soap personality. She's particularly great in her scene where she reveals the truth about Shue's character, as she manages to actually both sort of moving and still being really funny in the way she sells the moment in both an over the top yet genuine to the character fashion.)

Irons - 3.5(He is good as he typically is in his leading work, however the underwhelming nature of the film, which I guess is a touch typical for Soderbergh for me. Irons's whole part is purposefully this observer who just accidentally becomes kind of a Hitchcock style hero. Irons does manage to find the right tone in creating an underlying sense of emotional connection, while still within the calmness of just a proper insurance worker. The film fails to lead him anywhere interesting, but Irons at least delivers in the setup.)

Louis Morgan said...

Holm - 3(No stranger to this sort of material and Holm is a naturally captivating actor that fits some overt style. Again though there isn't much to the role other than what Holm brings by just being Holm the naturally compelling actor.)

Duvall - 3.5(Duvall is good as per usual but this is far from his greatest achievement. He does well as the southern father typically speaking bringing that needed presence as to be expected. He also does at least find something within his strange relationship with Rose as he conveys both the lust and sort of repression of that lust. The film doesn't grant him enough of a perspective to explore this in truly fascinating detail, but Duvall does well with what he has.)

Witherspoon - (Kind of almost feels like doing her own take on sort of Scout in some ways. Witherspoon is good in her performance in bringing sort of that false maturity. In that she portrays it with the right sort of confidence, but also projects that well as false in terms of the emotional vulnerability she reveals at any immediate point. She handles those realizations well by reverting to a true child, and is rather affecting in portraying this juxtaposition.)

Bates - (Bates deserves all the credit for making anything out of this extremely clunky role in what altogether is rather clunky film within that genre I'm noticing was a staple of the nineties that is rather gone now. You know takes place in the south, someone has to die (perhaps to the detriment of the film watching this and Man on the Moon in short order led to an unintentional comical effect in the similair moments of accidental death), and there is a rather twee musical score behind it all. Any who Bates brings so much charm and life to her role as weakly written as it is. She makes something about the character's struggle and growth towards confidence. The fact that she makes anything out of it is notable, and just is testament to her talent as with even as lame of writing as she's working with she stays believable.)

Louis Morgan said...

Tandy - (Tandy as the sentimental, yet somewhat somber narrator she certainly delivers through her presence. It isn't really a great role either but she brings everything she can out of every word, and does make her impact upon the film by effectively alluding towards sort of the hidden meaning of the character even as that goes unstated.)

Pinon - 3.5(He's an enjoyable and likable enough little imp here. As impish Frenchmen he's not Denis Lavant, but I digress as he's still pretty good. Pinon just brings the right affable and comedic energy as someone who barely realizes he's the victim/romantic hero of his own story. Pinon plays everything that happens as this surprise, even the romantic moments, and makes it work by playing it all with such earnestness.)

Arkins - 3.5(His performance is pretty low key throughout the film but actually he manages to be pretty funny within his barely lead performance as the manager. He creates the right distance in the scene by realizing the right humor in his disbelief as the band continues to fall apart, and delivers that great exasperation at every member as they continually to behave as prima donnas.)

Strong - 3.5(He is actually pretty funny though purposefully very one note as this grotesque caricature of the good yet wholly unpleasant singer. I quite enjoy the way Strong even expresses this in the singing which he presents as rather over the top, yet it wholly works for the character as he delivers in song, but also delivers as being this rather unpleasant fool.)

Meaney - 3(The reason I highly doubt John Carney didn't even think about this film since his character is EXTREMELY similair to Aidan Gillen's in Sing Street. Meaney is pretty hilarious in his brief time in his tough demeanor that he undercuts at every turn through his wholly earnest portrayal of his character's love for Elvis.)

Murphy - 4(I'm actually a touch surprised he was not the one who got the BAFTA nom, but then again Strong is entertaining. Murphy is entertaining as well by successfully being both sides of his character. One side he delivers this starry eyed passion of the true lover and believer of music. On the other end he, really with the same exact tone, is this skivvy conman who just in it for the "skirt" so to speak.)

Louis Morgan said...

Ball & Doyle - 3.5(Both are quite good in portraying slight differences in terms of how the fame both gets to them in terms of a growing charisma in a way, but also in terms of growing ego as they naturally amplify their less positive qualities.)

The rest of the band - 3 or 3.5(It's a very good ensemble altogether as everyone fits their role just right, even the potential band members are entertaining if only for a few seconds.)

Branagh - 3(His American accent almost makes Benendict Cumberbatch look like Christian Bale. It's quite the oddity and to the point of distraction. There really isn't much that makes up for it either on the detective side of things though he does have good chemistry once again with Thompson. The role seemed like it needed someone with a bit more grit for the lack of a better word. I did enjoy his other performance though that is a classic Olivier allusion in a good way.)

Thompson - 3.5(Thompson does much better in terms of her two accents and is wholly charming when given with the chance with both. She though also does excel in her early scenes where she does not speak in terms of conveying the mental decay. The film, which I did rather enjoy, is rather light in that regard though as it is more interested in moving the plot forward. She's good though even if the parts only ask so much of her.)

Garcia - 3(He's fine as the curious man in the past scenes, then I did sort of enjoy his best Old Jedediah from Citizen Kane in his one "modern" scene.)

Jacobi - 4(Seems like he honestly only should work with Branagh. Any who Jacobi is pretty good in doing his best James Mason I would say. In first being the sort of curious psychic where he is effective in creating both the believable illusion of it in his certain charisma, while with subtly alluding to enough cracks through these small reactions that suggest a more worldly sort.)

Williams - 3.5(Williams is rather compelling here, as he honestly usually is when he doesn't at all wink in a performance. He doesn't wink even for a moment though giving a rather effective exposition deliverer in his few scenes. He brings the right sort of greater sense of concern within these moments, and I wouldn't have minded more of him.)

Piccoli - 3.5(I do feel I have to air my grievance against the film where there was no reason why the film needed to be as long as it was, and I don't mind a long film. This just had so many moments of just sitting on people sitting or standing, and I actually liked the painting scenes. Any who Piccoli delivers in his role though in at least creating that sense within his performance as the struggle to ever find the right path within his work. He creates the right complexity within a certain mystery as playing rather close to the chest without becoming vague.)

Owen - 3(I have to admit when watching the film I must have missed an important line early on since it took me far too long to realize the two lovers the film was depicting were brother and sister. I'll admit this concept, which seems perhaps too much of obsession of some creatives, never developed towards anything interesting here. It takes that incendiary material, and doesn't really do much with it. Owen is fine in the role, he certainly is not nearly as comfortable as he would become onscreen. He does have signs of that charisma though, but the overall idea of the conflicts in the film never really realizes itself in all that compelling of a fashion. Owen, nor the film, ever bridges that gap to cover that distance naturally created by the central choice.)

Louis Morgan said...

Rickman - 4(Reminded me a great deal of Max von Sydow in The Touch, where the boring old husband was by far the most compelling character. Rickman though brings such an honesty to the character even in his casual moments though that makes him likable even before he faces the conflict. When that occurs though Rickman brings such honesty within his subtle representation of the devastation of the betrayal that he wholly steals the film, in a way earning that top billing despite being clearly supporting.)

Ford - 3(The film is terrible, feels like a fake Oscar film parody, as it doesn't even set up its "Scrooge" up well enough before it reforms him through its contrivance. Ford to his credit isn't as embarrassing as he could have been given the role. He does well as the slick and smug lawyer, though we really needed more of that. He then isn't too terrible in portraying the timid man recovering both his voice and his self. He's not bad, but he never overcomes the weaknesses of the material.)

Dutronc - 2.5(I still didn't dislike the film because I am such an easy mark for Van Gogh, however its approach of focusing on essentially the mundane aspect of the story, rather than finding the meaning, which interestingly was the exact focus of Loving Vincent which would work as a companion piece for this film, never seemed wholly reasonable. Part of the reason for this is Dutronc's performance which always felt a little too calm and casual for Van Gogh. A man who clearly had demons and wasn't subtle as evidenced by the ear cutting. Dutronc's work is servicing for the film however it feels dishonest by being so low key for a man who just doesn't fit that bill. He doesn't make it work by truly giving a great turn in this other approach as you ever grant a real sense of his depression or much of anything. He just seems like any man, which Van Gogh was not.)

Stallone - 2(The strange thing about this Stallone when he wants to be funny is funny, however that is always when it is a natural part of his character, character's he usually writes. His humorous moments in Creed, Rocky, and The Lords of Flatbush show he definitely has great timing, and comic ability. When he is "trying" to be funny in an overtly goofy way though it comes off extremely poorly, which is the case here.)

Caan - 2(Okay this film is just awful and not just because of some of the worst makeup you'll see in a mainstream release. It is another film that with just a few tweaks would work as a parody of the worst kind of "prestige" picture. Caan is honestly quite miscast as the Bob Hope type. It just doesn't at all suite his strengths as he comes off as just a jerk in every way when trying to do the type of Hope style comedy, which is ill-fitting. He has some okayish moments in the more dramatic moments, but still he can't overcome being so wrong for the part.)

Louis Morgan said...

Dreyfuss - 4(I think I need to make it a running gag, of saving him for him just to come up short into making the lineup. Dreyfuss is very good here though in like Oldman capturing the right tone for the material. In that he knows how to deliver the more dramatic undertones of the material while also bringing the right levity to the material to naturally draw out its wit. Also to his credit he does a pretty good player king as well, though not quite on Heston's level, but certainly worthwhile.)

Giuseppe:

Midler - 1.5(Her performance is also so close to a parody that it is a shame that it is not. It's also a shame given that it was even with Mark Rydell where she so excelled in The Rose. That sadly is not the case here where every aspect of her performance is horribly overcooked. Whether it be the comedy, the performance scenes, or especially the dramatic scenes. Every bit of it she oversells here to such a ridiculous degree without a hint of subtly sadly. She isn't helped by that makeup, that needs to be seen to be believed, but she doesn't overcome it with her equally shoddy performance. Alright that's going too far, but she's not good here.)

Parker & Masterton - 3/3.5(The performances are both charming enough while also certainly hitting the more dramatic moments effectively. Their potential is honestly ruined by removing the lesbian element of the story since the film fails to explore their relationship really properly as friendship instead either. It just leaves it as this rather vague idea that sadly is not explored effectively. Both of their performances do what they can, and seemed primed for a lot more, yet seem static due to that choice by director Jon Avnet.)

Tahmeed:

Yes.

Bryan:

I think he probably would have been great. Although I do like Scheider's performance and the film, the role could have used even more of a star presence to create a real focal point, which McQueen likely would have delivered on.

Omar:

Sciorra - 3(She's fine in the role however a major problem in the film is how bland the central couple is. She delivers more in terms of portraying the anxiety over the affair then finding anything of note within her scenes with Snipes.)

Ryan - 2.5(She's actually perfectly fine while playing completely against type. The problem is the character always feels completely underdeveloped as written as she is almost just an image of this generalized groupie than an actual person.)

Arquette - 2.5(Another undeveloped role as written. She might have been just written with a moniker than a character name as, like all the women in the film, they serve no real person other than representation of something with the men. Arquette is okay as sort of the "lower class" sort, but she has little to do other than be simply "in" the scenes with Mortensen.)

Anonymous:

Mendelsohn:

1. The murder - Animal Kingdom
2. Gerry plays the piano - Mississippi Grind
3. Ending - Starred Up
4. Welcoming Uncle - Animal Kingdom
5. Second time meeting Curtis - Mississippi Grind
6. Making a plan - Animal Kingdom
7. Trying to connect with his son - Starred Up
8. Car ride - Mississippi Grind
9. Secret visit - Animal Kingdom
10. Going to see his wife - Mississippi Grind

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

Bates - 5(Her performance is outstanding and a testament to her range given if you compare it to her other portrayal of Stephen King character. This performance is fascinating as it essentially breakdown the initial false image of the horrible murderess to grant a intimate perspective on the truth. Her performance works with the dual scenes of where we discover who she was, and essentially understanding for the murder. A challenge that Bates more than meets to give such a genuine performance at every point. This is in the moments of purposefully playing the part of the "High Riding Bitch" to survive. There we get a bit more of the overt brassy personality which Bates excels at of course, but she naturally reveals that as this purposeful shield. This is against the flashback scenes where she is so effective in creating such a convincing and moving depiction of a more modest woman just severely suffering under the brunt of her vile husband. I love though that she doesn't even simplify this though granting a honesty to even certain warmer moments to how she even married him the first place, and finding Dolores to be more than just a victim. Her portrayal then of slowly finding her strength that she reveals so powerfully as this determination. What is so remarkable is how Bates never shows this as an easy feat and in every moment creates the sense of the struggle by very much still showing that quieter woman earning her strength. This also contrasts well against the present scenes where she reveals the woman so in command of herself now, but there then allowing herself to essentially show her more modest ways so poignantly as she tries to reach her daughter.)

Parfitt - 5(She is fantastic as well by portraying a most curious mentor for Dolores within the film yet does in such a convincing fashion. Her performance at first does appear to be more in her line of performances which is with this cold command. Parfitt of course excels in that with every icy line delivery that has such an incisive power that she also does reveal towards a strength as well. What I love though is how subtly she unravels this partially to reveal a more emotional, though never breaking, side in just this minor moments in the slightest expressions that are stunning piece of performance by Parfitt. She ends up creating this rather striking warmth within the character which is fascinating as she never fully breaks the style of the character, but so believably reveals the truth within the way she has made herself a survivor.)

Leigh - 4.5(Her performance is a terrific one that is largely reactive of Bates. Her turn though excels in terms of never is there a moment where you feel the daughter's thoughts are at all vague, despite Leigh needing to convey an essential arc within the film. Leigh executes this flawlessly through these reactions, and the few pivotal moments. She begins by creating this history with Bates which she finds so quietly through this sense of bitterness. She realizes as an unsaid truth so naturally through he blunt delivers, and every interaction that has this sense of tension. Leigh though also brilliantly breaks this down as Dolores reveals her truer self, by first bringing that first brings the hostility out all the more before naturally leading towards the internalized revelation. In the end Leigh earns her defense speech so to speak, while also delivery it so passionately and effectively.)

RatedRStar:

J.A. Bayona as the director gave me a glint of hope, then the trailers diminished that to nothing.

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

Star Trek TOS 10 Ten:

1. The Doomsday Machine
2. The Trouble With Tribbles
3. Balance of Terror
4. The City on the Edge of Forever
5. Space Seed
6. Mirror, Mirror
7. The Corbomite Maneuver
8. The Conscience of the King
9. A Taste of Armageddon
10. The Devil in the Dark

Calvin:

Wait you didn't see that drug fueled Last Supper scene?

Jesus: Adam Driver
Judas: Jeremy Renner
Mary: Noomi Rapace
Saul/Paul: Viggo Mortensen
Pontius Pilate: Michael Fassbender
Girl Angel: Millie Bobby Brown

Anonymous said...

Louis: Your thoughts on the voices of Irene Dunne, Claudette Colbert, Donna Reed, Teresa Wright and Myrna Loy.

Matt Mustin said...

Louis: I'm not gonna ask you to narrow it down or rank it , because that would be really hard, but if possible could you give an approximation of some of your favourite acting moments from TV?

Michael McCarthy said...

1. Alan Rickman
2. Joe Pesci
3. Robert Patrick
4. Patrick Swayze
5. William Sadler

Personally, I’d rank Swayze and Sadler above Patrick, but it doesn’t seem like this one’s gonna go down that way.

JackiBoyz said...

1. Pesci
2. Rickman
3. Patrick
4. Swayze
5. Sadler

John Smith said...

1.Rickman
2.Pesci
3.Swayze
4.Patrick
5.Sadler

John Smith said...

1.Rickman
2.Pesci
3.Sadler
4.Patrick
5.Swayze

Rewatched point break. I change my prediiction.

John Smith said...

I know just from watching clips that Matt Dilon will give a 5 star performance in 'THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT'

Anonymous said...

I hope Nic Cage gives a 4.5+ star performance for 'Mandy' :)

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: Can't wait for Mandy. Cage should get a 4.5 at the very least.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: What do you think are the ten worst cases of category fraud in the Academy's history.

Emi Grant said...

Tahmeed: Rooney Mara's nomination and Alicia Vikander's win should definetely be there.

Calvin Law said...

For me,

1. Al Pacino in The Godfather
2. Rooney Mara, Carol
3. Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
4. Timothy Hutton, Ordinary People
5. Jamie Foxx, Collateral
6. Casey Affleck, The Assasination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
7. Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit
8. Haing S. Ngor, The Killing Fields
9. Jake Gyllenhaal, Brokeback Mountain
10. Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master

Calvin Law said...

Although I like/love all these performances.

RatedRStar said...

Richard Burton for My Cousin Rachel would be on mine, he is 100% the main character.

Mitchell Murray said...

(Calvin) I second all of those choices even though Foxx's performance didn't stick with me much.

Matt Mustin said...

Calvin: I actually don't think Hoffman in The Master is that egregious an example. I mean, I consider him lead, but I wouldn't get too upset if someone put him in supporting.

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

All interesting to me as combined these are very much the epitome of the oh so pleasant natural voices of their period. Although variations in that. Colbert actually has a touch of a waspy quality but the most gentle version of it yet with an innate strength to it still. Loy and Dunne have honestly the prefect screwball comedienne voices as they have just the right refinement, warmth, earnestness, and also a bit of goofiness to their voices. Reed too is just an example of such a honest warmth in a way making it a shame she hid it in her Oscar winning role. Then Wright had the most absolutely genuine yet wholly charming voices to ever be heard coming from the silverscreen.

Matt:

Here's some favorites, but not all, in no particular order.

Smiley interrogating the mole - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Smiley interrogates Tarr - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
"His name is Hank" - Breaking Bad
Problem Dog - Breaking Bad
Crawl Space Laugh - Breaking Bad
Half Measures speech - Breaking Bad
This Chicanery - Better Call Saul
Into the light Leland - Twin Peaks
Maester Luwin tries to Advise Theon - Game of Thrones
Bathtub Confession - Game of Thrones
Catelyn's sin - Game of Thrones
The Hounds pleads for death - Game of Thrones
Sacrifice - Game of Thrones
Cromwell and Moore - Wolf Hall
Anne Boleyn's execution - Wolf Hall
The D.E.N.N.I.S. system breakdown - It's Always Sunny
"The Implication" - It's Always Sunny
Destroying the frat - It's Always Sunny
CCH Pounder impression - It's Always Sunny
Making a murderer with Dennis - It's Always Sunny
"They can't see the things that hurt them" - Westworld
Violent delights - Westworld
Died a thousand deaths - Westworld
ACTING - The Honeymooners
The Hucklebuck - The Honeymooners
Teaching Dodd to be nice - Fargo
Making choices - Fargo
Watching the tape - True Detective
Time is a flat circle - True Detective
Upstairs breakdown - Show Me A Hero

Tahmeed:

1. Richard Burton - My Cousin Rachel
2. Tatum O'Neal - Paper Moon
3. Gene Hackman - I Never Sang For My Father
4. Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit
5. River Phoenix - Running on Empty
6. Timothy Hutton - Ordinary People
7. Alicia Vikander - The Danish Girl
8. Jack Albertson - The Subject Was Roses
9. Frank Finlay - Othello
10. Rooney Mara - Carol

Anonymous said...

Louis: Your thoughts on the Chaos Theory scene in Jurassic Park.

Psifonian said...

Pesci
Patrick
Rickman
Sadler
Swayze

Anonymous said...

Louis: So are you looking forward to Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in America?

Anonymous said...

*Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

It is a perfect example of how to do exposition, ostensibly to buildup the case for the dinosaurs "finding their way", however made so natural and compelling in part by having it come from this genuine interaction between the characters, and due to the performance of one very idiosyncratic actor. Classic Goldblum. Honestly it feels almost impossible for any other actor to have pulled off the scene other than Goldblum, and for it to work as well as it does. His sort of always flirtatious style eliminates any potential creepiness from the moment, and makes it such a charming, yet strange in the right way, explanation. Even the end of the comical moment of Malcolm talking to himself, which is great, but could only make sense if it were Goldlbum delivering those lines as he seems to exists on that plane of existence we'd all like to be on.

Anonymous:

Well that title alone would earn it on any future anticipation list for me. Although I will admit I wasn't too excited when initially it was reported it would just be on the Helter Skelter murders, however that completely changed now that it seems it will be much more about the overarching portrait of Hollywood at that time, which could lead to some rich and powerful material, that could also lead to another step for Tarantino as a storyteller if he chooses to take, and I think he might. Also DiCaprio and Pitt as a star/stuntman duo sounds like something I want to see.

I also should note that am not worried about the depiction of the murders, which has been raised by a lot of people, since firstly I'm not sure they'll even been depicted, but secondly if you actually look back at Tarantino's work violence against pure victims has not been treated the same ways as his general approach to violence. That is true for even the same character given the situation. In Kill Bill when Bill shoots the Bride, when she is completely helpless, it is shown as stark, unpleasant, and with a sympathy for the victim. When Budd shoots here, and they're both combatants on nearly even footing, that's when there is a bit of an over the top comical edge to it.

Calvin Law said...

Seeing Leave No Trace in a few hours time.

Anonymous said...

Louis: I think you may have discussed this before, but Ledger was originally Miller’s choice to portray Mad Max in Fury Road and Mr. O’Brien in The Tree of Life. Do you think he’d be good fit for these roles and why?

Also, how do you feel Ledger would fit as Locke from Locke?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous: Any Ledger performance would have been interesting to watch if he hadn't passed away.
Louis: How would have you improved Tequilla Sunrise? Considering the film was written by Robert Towne, I think it could have been a lot better.

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

I think he potentially could have been great in either role as he had the right presence for each, and was willing to take risks as a performer. His work in Brokeback Mountain suggests he could have delivered that internalized intensity needed for both roles, and his work as The Joker suggests he could have brought the hits of madness needed for Max.

Anonymous:

Probably needed a second set of eyes, e.g. a different director than Towne himself.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: At the moment, what is Ledger's rating for A Knight's Tale.

Luke Higham said...

Tahmeed: Probably a 2.5 though he shouldn't really be on the ranking in the first place when he didn't pay proper attention to the film on initial viewing.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Luke: I'm pretty sure he'll go up to a 3.5 at the very least when Louis (hopefully) reviews Bettany. He's a 4 for me personally.

Luke Higham said...

Tahmeed: Don't worry about Bettany. I hardly think Louis will ignore his breakout role and easily his most entertaining performance to date.

Anonymous said...

Louis: Your cast and director for a 70's Boogie Nights.

Calvin Law said...

Leave No Trace was fantastic, easily my favourite of the year so far. Debra Granik captures tbe same sort of grit and the beauty of the backwoods she evoked in Winter's Bone through the sense of time, place and the organic, natural way in which she allows the narrative to play out. It goes a step further in that it has two phenomenal performances at the front, which take the Teardrop-Ree dynamic in that film and turns it into a low-key yet exceptionally captivating portrayal of a father and daughter whose relationship is never just one thing or the other. It's never didactic, and refreshingly unpreachy, carrying it's emotional potency under its sleeves and releasing it in incredibly effective bursts.

McKenzie: 5
Foster: 5

Luke Higham said...

Calvin: Is Foster Lead.

Luke Higham said...

Calvin: From what I've read about Galveston, I think Foster will only being reviewed for Leave No Trace.

Calvin Law said...

Luke: He's lead, but I could see a possible argument for him going supporting if this gains awards traction.

This is definitely worth a review for Foster (who knows, maybe a nomination), though don't count Galveston out, after all Foster did get a review for The Program.

Luke Higham said...

*be reviewed for Leave No Trace

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

Boogie Nights 1970's directed by Robert Altman:

Dirk Diggler: Jeff Bridges
Amber Waves: Karen Black
Jack Horner: Keenan Wynn
Buck Swope: Ben Vereen
Reed Rothchild: Sylvester Stallone
Little Bill: Robert Culp
Rollergirl: Margot Kidder
Scott J.: Bruno Kirby
Floyd Gondolli: Henry Jones
Todd: Keith Carradine
Rahad: Bruce Dern

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Speaking of Boogie Nights, your thoughts on this cast for a 2010s version?

Directed by still PTA

Dirk Diggler: Alden Ehrenreich
Amber Waves: Olivia Wilde
Jack Horner: Bruce Willis
Buck Swope: Jason Mitchell
Reed Rothchild: Garrett Hedlund
Little Bill: Martin Freeman
Rollergirl: Teresa Palmer
Scott J: Jesse Plemons
Floyd Gondolli: Chris Cooper
Todd: Jack Reynor
Rahad: Barry Pepper

Anonymous said...

Louis: Did you see My Neighbor Totoro in Japanese or English? If you saw it in Japanese, then what are your thoughts on Noriko Hidaka and Chika Sakamoto's performances.

Louis Morgan said...

Finally saw Solo, I thought it was okay, there were things I rather liked but also some things I really didn't like.

Ehrenreich - 4
Harrelson - 3
Clarke - 3.5
Glover - 3.5
Newton - 3
Waller-Bridge - 2.5
Bettany - 2.5
Kellyman - 2.5

Anonymous:

I watched it in English, going with Miyazaki's views on how to watch his films.

Louis Morgan said...

Bryan:

I like most of your choices particularly Ehrenreich, Freeman Mitchell, Reynor and Plemons.

I think you need someone with a bit more of a naturally comedic energy for Reed, I'd say maybe Adam Devine. Willis could work if he came awake, however for more of a guarantee put Billy Bob Thornton there.

Robert MacFarlane said...

What did you think of tonight's episode of Westworld? I'm finally caught up with the whole thing now.with

Anonymous said...

Louis: your top 10 ryan reynolds acting moments

Anonymous said...

Louis: Your thoughts on the cinematography of Blue Velvet and American Beauty.

Anonymous said...

Louis: Thoughts on Solo and the cast.

Calvin Law said...

That was a fantastic episode. Pretty much everyone was on point, and though in many ways it seems to be a build up episode I thought it stood well as its own beast. Dolores subplot is back on track. My MVPs would be any one of Newton, Wright, Collins Jr., or Wood.

Calvin Law said...

Thinking about it though, lots of suspension of disbelief.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Did you watch Grave of the Fireflies in English or Japanese? If the latter, I'd like to know your ratings and thoughts on Tsutomu Tatsumi and Ayano Shiraishi's performances.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Your thoughts on the Widows trailer.

Luke Higham said...

And what did you think of THAT cameo near the end of Solo.

Robert MacFarlane said...

I didn’t realize Daniel Kaluuya was playing the villain in Widows until the trailer, and he looks super promising in it.

Omar Franini said...

Louis: your thoughts on the Suspiria trailer?

Calvin Law said...

Widows looks great.

Anonymous said...

Any of you peeps seen the original Suspiria?

Louis Morgan said...

Robert:

I thought it was pretty strong episode in terms of its successful execution of some pivotal revelations and setting up towards the last three episodes as well as simply some well done action. There were a few things I think they stretched the believability a bit with, mainly the destruction of the cradle (do all the Delos soldiers have such powerful incendiary grenades? And are they all that stupid?) I liked the return of a certain someone, I like the turn the return is taking, and although I think most more or less guessed the revelation of the "McGuffin"(quotations because it isn't quite that), I think it certainly works. I especially loved the MIB/Maeve showdown though I do have some concerns going forward from that scene. The acting was on point all around from the usual suspects of the season, and finally Wood, who had been becoming a bit excessively one note this season.

Anonymous:

Reynolds:

1. Victory dinner - Mississippi Grind
2. "Wanna go with me" - Mississippi Grind
3. Opening - Buried
4. Destruction of the facility - Deadpool
5. One more roll - Mississippi Grind
6. Never Dying - Deadpool 2
7. Basketball beat down - Mississippi Grind
8. False face reveal - Deadpool
9. Meeting Gerry the second time - Mississippi Grind
10. Making the big time - Deadpool 2

Anonymous:

Blue Velvet's cinematography is notable as the first fully color, fully Lynch's palette that he would become known for. There's nothing wrong with Dune's cinematography however that seems more influenced by the standards of sci-fi epics of the time more than Lynch's personal style. In Blue Velvet, brilliantly realized by Fredrick Elmes's work, that does surpass being just a certain type of neo-noir look, and becomes Lynchian through how distinct it is. The color palette and lighting is wholly brilliant, particularly in the night in door scenes that create such a lurid yet somehow still beautiful. The colors like maroons, the pinks, the certain shade of blue all are extremely vibrant, yet not typical colors that evoke a typical beauty or at least typically used to do so. This creates a slightly off-putting, in the right way, effect that makes everything not seem quite right even though it is still so wonderful to look at. Of course the brilliance of that successful realization of a distinct style shouldn't mask just how pristine the film is shot anyways. Every shot whether it be terms of that lighting, the framing or the composition just seems masterful realizing any need of Lynch whether it be a moment of sheer beauty, horror, or both.

Now I hate American Beauty, but it is a well shot film which is to be expected by Conrad L. Hall. The film is sort of shot like an epic where it frequently uses typically grandiose wide shots however in service of the most mundane. Hall's work of composing and framing of these shots is immaculate in terms of emphasizing an isolation within essentially a grand nothing around the character. In addition it successfully makes use of the dull, though carefully not truly bland, palette that emphasizes the single vibrant color in red that is emblematic of any dream or escape element in the film. Now these choices as they add up within the film one could argue are rather on the nose, perhaps excessively so, however that I would say was far more likely director's choice, but nonetheless Hall's work realized that choice brilliantly even if it technically piles onto the film's hamfisted nature.

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

The one thing that Solo clearly said to me was there was a potential for a great Solo film, but sadly this film was not it, though that does not mean it is terrible. As with basically all the new Star Wars films it has severe pacing issues. It tries too hard to cram in everything about Solo, when choosing one of its several plotlines could have made a good film on its own, likely a better more focused one. The train heist could have been a film, the mine heist could have been a film, his "friendship" with Lando could have been a film, Solo's days in the pit could have been a film, him falling out with the Empire could have been a film. It is instead overstuffed and underdeveloped as it tries to run through all these plots at this very sloppy pace. They shouldn't have tried to make it connect so much, because honestly this phase of Solo's life could have been the Man in No Name in space, which I would have loved to see. The rebellion elements were not needed, or at least not to the extent they were used. They should have let it just truly be just one of Solo's adventures.

Now there were things I liked including the acting, the action was pretty good, the effects, the score there are fun individual moments sprinkled throughout, there is enough of weight to it all, but only to the point that I thought, this could have been so much more by trying to do less. There were also things I really did not care for, the stupid naming scene, that cameo at the end, the strange kill happy nature of the film, some of the attempts at humor and surprisingly, the biggest disappointment of the film, Bradford Young's cinematography. In part his aesthetic probably isn't right for Star Wars, but even with that in mind the film was under lit to the point it looked nearly blurry by how hazy it was made to look.

I do wish they had let Lord and Miller finish what they started.

Ehrenreich - (He makes for a good Han Solo, even if he is not THE Han Solo, he actually finds his way in the part to be an charming scoundrel on his own accord. He alludes enough to what Ford did without having to directly ape him at any point, much like River Phoenix in The Last Crusade actually. He finds that right sort of presence that manages to make his cockiness endearing and brings just the touches of a direct earnestness in the right moments. He finds the right emotion more of within the margins that which defines the character so well. I could easily follow this Solo on a few other adventures, as he also shows that this Solo has something to learn, and though he isn't THE Solo here, in a way he could eventually become him.

Louis Morgan said...


Harrelson - (He's good here but Harrelson as a space scoundrel sounds like it should be more memorable than what we get here. He is wholly fine in the role hitting the right emotional beats in two key moments, as brief as they are. He brings enough of that Harrelson swagger here that works for the character, but it never becomes more than just good enough which is disappointing given how good the casting sounds on paper.)

Clarke - (Now when thinking about Clarke one should always try to remember season one of Game of Thrones where she was genuinely good anyways, so I can't say this performance truly was unbelievable however it was a pleasant surprise to see her on point in a role again. She actually manages to find a certain charm mainly through her interactions with Ehrenreich in which they share a more than decent chemistry. She mostly though managed not to overplay her darker scenes, and was moderately impressive in terms of showing the potentially more manipulative side of the character.)

Newton - (She really is wasted however I thought she managed to make an impact in the role nevertheless. She makes the character of Val anything which is an accomplishment delivering that hard edge of the character so well, and manages to at least strike up at least something with Harrelson however so minor. Now it makes no sense what happens to her character, but I will say one can't fault Newton who does her absolute best to sell it at least on an emotional level.)

Bettany - (Horribly wasted, and it does feel rather obvious his performance seems constrained by both time and budget. Almost like Howard said "Hey Paul, in a bind, need you just to be a generic evil guy for a day." Bettany seems rushed really within his performance, as Gangster No. 1 in space could have been pretty cool, however Bettany just looks strained the whole time to make something out of nothing quickly. He can't pull a character out of thin air sadly, but at least he tried.)

Louis Morgan said...


Waller-Bridge - (Yeah, I'm not sure what they going for exactly with this character, in terms of tone, and her performance seems somewhat adrift within that as well.)

Kellyman - (She's fine in the more emotional moments but her tough "I need a drink" type moments felt a bit forced.)

Luke:

As mentioned above I didn't care for it, in fact I hated it. It seems especially pointless since they apparently already resolved the potential plot line for his character in the cartoons, which are supposedly cannon along with the films.

The Widows trailer I thought looked pretty great and it will be interesting to see how McQueen works with a plot driven film. I'll also echo Robert's sentiment regarding Kaluuya, who looks like he might be delivering something special. My only concern from it was perhaps Rodriguez who seems to be doing her typical shtick, hopefully that's not the case.

Tahmeed:

3.5 for Each. They both give very earnest and moving performances. They very much do well in terms of emphasizing both the innocence of the two that remains even desperation. That making the desperation particularly heartbreaking as the two kids never sounds as they are anything but even at their most difficult end.

Omar:

Suspiria looks how I expected it to, weird and purposefully off-putting, I'll best honest though I haven't been overly fond of Guadagnino's directorial style, I think it could potentially be a good fit for horror.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: At first I actually liked it in terms of fan service but on a second viewing I concur that it was wholly unnecessary since I've seen all of his scenes in Rebels and it's a show I would recommend to those that have seen and liked The Clone Wars.

Matt Mustin said...

Louis: Thoughts on Glover in Solo?

Calvin Law said...

Widows trailer has me thinking that I really want to see Kaluuya in a role which only makes use of his eyes and voice, somehow. I think he'd be up for the challenge.

Louis Morgan said...

Matt:

Glover - (It's funny that you have the two separate approaches to the "young version" where Glover very much tries to be strictly be a recreation of Billy Dee Williams. His imitation is good however it does occasionally fall into going too far into just a SNL style caricature rather than realizing the character on his own. Most of the time though he is on point in giving an entertaining realization of what Williams did particularly in bringing that extreme level of swagger, and appropriate smoothness for Lando.)