Thursday, 30 August 2018

Alternate Best Actor 1975

And the Nominees Were Not:

Maxim Munzuk in Dersu Uzala

Richard Dreyfuss in Inserts

Charles Bronson in Hard Times

Robert Mitchum in Farewell, My Lovely 

Ugo Tognazzi in My Friends

181 comments:

BRAZINTERMA said...

5 - Tognazzi
4 - Dreyfuss
3 - Bronson
2 - Mitchum
1 - Munzuk

BRAZINTERMA said...

Next years I wanted to see: 1936, 1942, 1946, 1952, 1958, 1963, 1966, 1972, 1976, 1987, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2009, 2014 and 2016.

Talk about the worst issues right now and leave the best editions of the Oscars for later!

Robert MacFarlane said...

1. Mitchum
2. Munzuk
3. Bronson
4. Dreyfuss
5. Tognazzi

GM said...

1. Munzuk
2. Mitchum
3. Bronson
4. Dreyfuss
5. Tognazzi

Charles H said...

Might change, but here we go.

1. Munzuk
2. Mitchum
3. Bronson
4. Dreyfuss
5. Tognazzi

Calvin Law said...

I’ve only seen Mitchum, who I liked but didn’t love, but I liked the film itself too as an adaptation of my favourite Chandler novel.

1. Munzuk
2. Dreyfuss
3. Bronson
4. Tognazzi
5. Mitchum

Michael McCarthy said...

Louis: Did you ever give your rating and thoughts for Mitchum in Blood on the Moon? If not, could you?

Bryan L. said...

1. Munzuk
2. Mitchum
3. Bronson
4. Tognassi
5. Dreyfuss

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Your thoughts on Paul Bettany as an actor, his voice and past film roles for him?

Anonymous said...

Louis: Your rating and thoughts on Mitchum in Blood on the Moon. You forgot to give them previously.

Luke Higham said...

1. Munzuk
2. Mitchum
3. Bronson
4. Tognazzi
5. Dreyfuss

Your Rating and thoughts on Marais in Les Parents Terrible, Joan Fontaine in Letter From An Unknown Woman, Yvonne De Bray in Les Parents Terrible and The Ladies from Portrait Of Jennie.

And With 1975 Lead, If you think Dern, Bates, Cox, Curtis or Pszoniak are deserving of a five, please review him.

Luke Higham said...

I've been looking forward to this year for a very long time and I Can't wait to get Louis' opinion on Mirror and Picnic At Hanging Rock. I also wonder how many technical wins Barry Lyndon will get.

RatedRStar said...

Louis: I reckon you would love Deep Red, I've mentioned it a few times but for me I think it is better than Suspiria, just a great murder mystery (aside from the dubbing).

Luke Higham said...

RatedRStar: Is David Hemmings any good in that.

RatedRStar said...

Calvin: I quite liked Mitchum actually, felt like classic noir Mitchum, like watching him cosplay almost, I dont know why Sylvia Miles was Oscar nominated though, I thought she was pretty forgettable just like her first Oscar nomination.

1. Munzuk
2. Bronson
3. Mitchum
4. Tognazzi
5. Dreyfuss

RatedRStar said...

Luke: Its an odd performance he is the only actor who isn't dubbed so its odd to hear him confiding with other italian actors in English when they are dubbed, he actually has two brilliant moments like when he stalked by the killer when playing the piano, his reaction on the phone when he yells that "definitely trying to kill me" and I did like his scene at the end when he figures out the killer, aside from those he is quite bland, its Argentos direction that makes the film as memorable as it is.

RatedRStar said...

Louis: What did you reckon to the interview of Richard Dreyfuss in which he discussed Robert Shaw and his granddaughter who was in the audience?

Anonymous said...

Mitchum was a good Marlowe, but I think he would have been better when he was younger.

Luke Higham said...

RatedRStar: It nearly brought a tear to my eye tbh.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Have you seen any 2018 films in the past couple of weeks.

Omar Franini said...

1. Muznuk
2. Bronson
3. Mitchum
4. Dreyfuss
5. Tognazzi

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

1. Munzuk
2. Mitchum
3. Bronson
4. Tognazzi
5. Dreyfuss

Maciej said...

1.Munzuk
2.Mitchum
3.Bronson
4.Tognazzi
5.Dreyfuss

Emi Grant said...

1. Mitchum
2. Munzuk
3. Bronson
4. Dreyfuss
5. Tognazzi

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Films To Watch:
The Naked Civil Servant (A Must-Watch and is one of John Hurt's most acclaimed performances)
The Man In The Glass Booth (Re-Watch)
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (Re-Watch for Fletcher and Dourif)
Mirror (Andrei Tarkovsky)
Picnic At Hanging Rock (Peter Weir)
The Story Of Adele H. (Isabelle Adjani)
Salò, Or The 120 Days of Sodom
Deep Red
The Magic Flute (Ingmar Bergman)
The Promised Land
Smile (Bruce Dern)
In Celebration
The Wind And The Lion (Sean Connery)
Lepke (Tony Curtis)
Sholay
Hedda
Hester Street
Once Is Not Enough
Love And Death (Woody Allen)
The Messiah (Roberto Rossellini)
Shivers (Cronenberg)
The Stepford Wives
Lies My Father Told Me
Tommy (Oliver Reed/Ken Russell)
The Return Of The Pink Panther
Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai Du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (I'm not sure if you'll have the patience to sit through it and it also inspired Gerry And Elephant)
Manila In The Claws Of Light
Moses And Aaron
Hedgehog In The Fog (Animated Short)
The Travelling Players (Theo Angepoulos)
Fox And His Friends (Fassbinder)
The Pinchcliffe Grand Prix
Benilde Or The Virgin Mother
Milestones
Bite The Bullet
Race With The Devil
Black Moon (Malle)
Mother Küsters Goes To Heaven (Fassbinder/Mira)
Fear Of Fear (Fassbinder)
Under The Blossoming Cherry Trees
That Most Important Thing: Love
India Song
Overlord
The Romantic Englishwoman
The Valiant Ones
Graveyard Of Honor
Letters From Marusia
Adoption
The Old Gun
Cooley High
Love Among The Ruins (Hepburn/Olivier)
The Maids
The Prisoner Of Second Avenue
Dialogues Of The Exiles
The Story Of Sin
Aloha, Bobby And Rose
Special Section
Death Race 2000
Switchblade Sisters
The Beast
Wrong Move (Wim Wenders)
Mandingo (James Mason)
Funny Lady
The Killer Elite (Sam Peckinpah)
Breakheart Pass (Charles Bronson)
The Man From Hong Kong
The Drowning Pool (Paul Newman)
The Hindenburg
The Great Waldo Pepper (Robert Redford)
The Killer Must Kill Again
Brannigan (Wayne/Attenborough)
Capone (Ben Gazzara)
Zorro (Alain Delon)
Posse (Kirk Douglas)
The Ghoul (Peter Cushing)
The Count Of Monte-Cristo (Richard Chamberlain)
Personnel
Playing With Fire
Deadly Hero
The Hiding Place
Lucky Lady (Hackman/Reynolds)
Paper Tiger

Anonymous said...

Luke: It'll get Cinematography, Art Direction and Costume Design.

Louis: Your thoughts on the screenplays of Dirty Harry and The Friends of Eddie Coyle.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: And Makeup & Hairstyling.

Calvin Law said...

Went to see Cold War. I really liked it, though it wouldn’t have hurt to be a bit longer than its 85 minute runtime.

Luke Higham said...

Calvin: Your Ratings for the cast.

Calvin Law said...

3.5's for both Kulig and Kot. It really is more of Pawlikowski's showcase.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Really hoping Pacino takes the overall, or that it's a tie with Nicholson.

Luke Higham said...

Tahmeed: Well, If I remember correctly, Pacino won the overall initially then switched to Nicholson so either Nicholson keeps the win or shares it with Pacino.

Calvin Law said...

I'm happy with either taking it. Both are in my all-time top 20, and among the best performances ever given.

Calvin Law said...

Also, retro castings for some 1975 films:

The Man Who Would Be King 1990s directed by Jim Sheridan
Dravot: Charles Dance
Carnehan: Anthony Hopkins

Three Days of the Condor 2000s directed by Michael Mann
Turner: Matt Damon
Kathy: Charlize Theron
Higgins: Val Kilmer
Joubert: Viggo Mortensen

Jaws 2010s directed by Kim Jee-woon
Brody: Gong Yoo
Quint: Choi Min-sik
Hooper: Steven Yeun

Omar Franini said...

Calvin: your thoughts on Kulig in Cold War?

Calvin Law said...

Omar: the film is in a way as advertised, a pretty cold affair in terms of execution, a somewhat odd way of telling a story with a strong emotional bent at its core but which effectively creates this 'cold war' of sorts. The performances of both leads thus are presented as spurts of emotion intercut with a clinical edge by the direction, and it's a fine balancing act for Pawlikowski but which in turn somewhat limits the performances. Kulig to her credit is rather effective in developing her character's arc from peasent girl to starlet in a somewhat episodic fashion, and should be particularly commended on creating something of a journey through her character's 'stage presence'. Neither lead gives necessarily the most cohesive work you'd expect from a doomed romance film, but their performances do serve the purpose of the film very adequately.

Omar Franini said...

Calvin: Oh i see, i read some reviews of Cold War and all of them pointed out Kulig’s performance as one of the strongest aspect of the movie.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Your top ten Saoirse Ronan acting moments.

Calvin Law said...

Reviews for First Man and A Star is Born have been great.

Charles H said...

I don't mind Pacino or Nicholson winning, although i think it'll be a tie considering they're both all time great.

Michael McCarthy said...

Pacino is absolutely brilliant in Dog Day. Having said that, I’ll still be existentially bothered if Jack loses the win.

Michael McCarthy said...

Also I just saw The Wife. Very predictable movie, but the way it tells the story isn’t entirely uninteresting. Close deserves the praise she’s getting.

Omar Franini said...

Just saw A Star is Born, there are some flaws overall, mainly the central section of the movie. Both Cooper and Gaga are terrific though. I could see Cooper winning the academy award this year.

RatedRStar said...

I have heard Jonathan Pryces role is pretty thankless, shame if it is true, I am fairly happy about A Star is Born, is it as good as the 1954 version though?

RatedRStar said...

I will be happy if it is not quite as good, I mean that 54 version was almost perfect.

RatedRStar said...

The Other Side of the Wind, is it actually possible (having seen Robert McFarlanes message on social media) that it could get Academy consideration, is there no actual rule on this issue, because although it would be completely insane to see Orson Welles/John Huston recognised, its surely not gonna happen...is it???

Luke Higham said...

RatedRStar: Didn't Chaplin win for Limelight in 1973.

RatedRStar said...

Luke: It is a fair point, I just, it sounds just insane lol I know it wont happen but my god imagine this as a sample lineup =D.

Bradley Cooper - A Star is Born
Willem Dafoe - At Eternity's Gate
....
John Huston - The Other Side of The World

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Your thoughts on 'Camelot' and the reprise.

Calvin Law said...

Omar: would you give both 5’s? I have to admit I loved that trailer for A Star is Born.

Mitchell Murray said...

Omar: If I may ask, how did you see "A Star is Born"? Its not coming out until the fall where I live.

Also, if your sure about Cooper, then allow me to update my list of predictions.

Actor:

Steve Carell
Bradley Cooper
Ryan Gosling
Willem Dafoe
Hugh Jackman (Its a stretch, but entire plausible at this rate)

Actress:

Toni Collette
Viola Davis
Carey Mulligan
Glenn Close
Olivia Colman

Less sure about this one since there are several veterans in the race, and no clear front runner at the moment.

Matt Mustin said...

Mitchell: Sadly, I don't know how likely Toni Collette is to get in, despite her giving my favourite performance of the year.

Luke Higham said...

Mitchell: I think Colman's going to be placed in Supporting.

Calvin Law said...

I have a lot of confidence in Collette getting in, and possibly even winning. Though for the sake of not jinxing it...I retract that, it’s unlikely.

My predictions for the lead categories:

Cooper
Gosling
Washington
Dafoe
Hawke/Redford

Collette
Mulligan
Davis
Gaga
McKenzie/Ronan

Matt Mustin said...

Calvin: Collette might get in, but I think Lady Gaga's gonna win.

Robert MacFarlane said...

I'm thinking for Actor:

Cooper
Gosling
Hawke
Dafoe
Redford

and Actress:

Close
Mulligan
Gaga
Layne
Collette/Theron

Omar Franini said...

Calvin: no, i would give 5 only to Cooper, Gaga is a 4,5 at the moment.

Mitchell: I consider Colman supporting for The Favourite, while Stone and Weisz leading.

Michael McCarthy said...

I’ll go with:

Gosling
Cooper
Malek
Redford
Hawke

Close
Gaga
Ronan
Davis
Colman

Bryan L. said...

I'll throw my preliminary predictions in.

Carrell
Cooper
Dafoe
Gosling
Jackman (Though I might change to Mortensen if Green Book is good.)

Blunt (I feel like she's been heading towards that first nomination)
Close
Gaga
Mulligan
Ronan

Charles H said...

I'd say this is Gosling's year.

Gosling
Cooper
Washington
Redford
Hawke

Close
Gaga
Ronan
Mulligan
Colman

Anonymous said...

Does anyone have a good link to watch Dersu Uzala? Can't seem to find it anywhere.

Calvin Law said...

If Green Book ends up being good I could see them splitting Mortensen and Ali into Lead/Supporting to maximise win potential. Also put me on board the Malek train depending on how the film’s received.

My predictions for supporting:

Foster (category fraud)
Edgerton
Driver
Chalamet
McConaughey

Robbie
Kidman
Colman
King
Foy





Charles H said...

I would love to see a Foster nomination, but i don't think it's his time yet.

Robert MacFarlane said...

I'm thinking with Supporting:

Chalamet (the Timothy Hutton win of our generation)
Henry (for either Widows or Beale Street)/Kaluuya
Crowe
Hamilton (probably wishful thinking)
Elliot

Colman
King
Kidman
McAdams (total category fraud)
Yeoh (I feel like we're underestimating Crazy Rich Asians' chances at our own risk)

Robert MacFarlane said...

Actually, switch out Redford on my Actor predictions with Hedges. I'm not feeling it in my gut for the veteran's this year, swan song or not.

Also, unrelated, I saw Support the Girls recently and was surprised how much I liked it. Regina Hall is a definite 5 for me.

Mitchell Murray said...

Robert: I'm not to sure about McAdams, honestly. Her first nomination wasn't the most celebrated, despite her Spotlight performance actually being one of the film's best assets. But as for "Disobedience", the movie has seemed to been left in the dust, and based on who they're up against, I can't see any of the cast making an impact currently.

Robert MacFarlane said...

I feel like there's going to be a bigger surge for her in it than you'd think, if only because it was the first movie to get its screeners out. It helped Bichir back in 2011.

Robert MacFarlane said...

If not McAdams, then one of the Widows women. Yes, even possibly Michelle Rodriguez, who honestly looked promising in the trailer.

Matt Mustin said...

I just hope the Academy doesn't forget about Leave No Trace. But it's probably too quiet for them.

Omar Franini said...

My predictions:

Actor: Cooper (winner), Gosling, Bale, Jackman and Dafoe

Actress: Kidman (winner), McCarthy, Gaga, Davis and Stone

Sup. Actor: James (winner), Grant, Chalamet, Rockwell and Elliott

Sup Actress: Colman (winner), Weisz (the weakest link of The Favourite in my opinion), Adams, King and Foy

Matt Mustin said...

Omar: Who is James?

Robert MacFarlane said...

Louis: What's your rating and thoughts on Antonio Banderas in Evita?

Robert MacFarlane said...

Matt: I assume Stephan James in If Beale Street Could Talk. I avoided putting him in my predictions because I don't know which category they'll put him in.

Matt Mustin said...

Robert: Ohhh, OK.

Robert MacFarlane said...

I am, however, almost positive KiKi Layne will be this year's underdog newcomer nominee for Best Actress for it.

Michael McCarthy said...

Robert: I think Cynthia Erivo May have that factor for supporting actress as well.

Bryan L. said...

And my Supporting Actor/Actress Predictions as well (so far)

Ali
Chalamet
Crowe (It's time they welcome him back)
Elliott (Veteran-status and seems like he's due)
Isaac (He's also been nearing his first nomination I think and could pick him if they like Dafoe well enough)

Colman
Foy (Category fraud probably)
Farmiga (The Front Runner)
Kidman (Boy Erased)
Robbie

Matt Mustin said...

I finally saw I, Tonya and LOVED it.

RatedRStar said...

Social media will blow up if Chalamet wins =D lol.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: I've just discovered that Brighton Rock is 1948 by your rules.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: So Fresnay's your new winner for 1947 Lead and it's gonna be tough to decide between Attenborough and Bogart.

Luke Higham said...

I personally hope Bogart keeps it as it is his best performance.

Luke Higham said...

I've checked a 1940s Lead top ten list and it's Bogart in 3rd, Attenborough in 5th, so it's a shame Attenborough has lost a win.

Luke Higham said...

And as for doing nominee predictions, I'd rather wait until November, when we have a clearer picture on who's in the running.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Lastly, Brighton Rock had it's premiere in January 1948.

Anonymous said...

Luke, what are your predictions for Louis's 2018 acting wins then instead?

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

I finally saw Mission Impossible: Fallout. I loved every minute of it.

Paoloduncan said...

Tognazzi <3
I have him in my Top5, but as Supporting Actor

Luke Higham said...

Actor: Steve Carell - Beautiful Boy (Alt. Bradley Cooper - A Star Is Born)
Actress: Lady Gaga - A Star Is Born (Alt. Glenn Close - The Wife)
S. Actor - Timothée Chalamet - Beautiful Boy (Alt. Sam Elliott - A Star Is Born)
S. Actress - Olivia Colman - The Favourite (Alt. Regina King - If Beale Street Could Talk)

Luke Higham said...

Louis: After viewing My Friends, if you decide to review Tognazzi in the Supporting Lineup instead, Pszoniak would probably be the best option as a replacement review. He's great in Danton despite the dubbing.

Dern and Curtis I expect to get a 4.5 at best and I keep feeling that Bates will remain fiveless.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

For all the Dragon Ball Z Abridged fans on here, Team Four Star just released the best episode they've ever made. It was worth the year long wait.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: And I would recommend watching the 3 hour version of The Promised Land.

RatedRStar said...

I think Bradley Cooper is possibly slightly more favoured than Steve Carell to win, simply because I see A Star is Born being a box office hit, and Cooper directing himself as well and being a 3 time nominee.

Bryan L. said...

RatedRStar: I agree. It also feels like forever since Cooper is in a leading role in a high-profile film, since Burnt & Aloha came and went, only had a supporting role in War Dogs and has voiced Rocket otherwise since American Sniper.

It'd also be nice to see if Ryan Gosling and Cooper get nominated. A mini-Place Beyond the Pines reunion, if you will.

Anonymous said...

Wonder if in a few years from now, we'll get another A Star is Born remake.

Louis Morgan said...

Will get the requested comments soon, I sadly lost half of them due to computer error so slightly disgruntled, but I'll get to them.

Luke:

Just wanted to quickly address the Brighton Rock situation. I have seen some sources list it as December 47. So I would kindly ask if anyone has access to an English newspaper archive, to see if there is any showtimes, or some other indicator of release in December of that year to solve the mystery.

Oh, and I finally say Thoroughbreds, which I quite liked.

GM said...

https://onthefringescinema.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/daily-mirror-review.jpg

Louis Morgan said...

GM:

Thank you.

Calvin Law said...

Glad you liked Thoroughbreds, Louis.

RatedRStar: I don’t feel Carell is likely to win at all, I’m guessing their campaign will focus mostly on Chalamet.

Calvin Law said...

Sad to see Attenborough and ol’ Pinkie lose his win. It’s one of my favourite performances of all-time.

Charles H said...

Yep, sad to see Attenborough lose his win for his amazing performance. But still glad that another great performance took his spot. Love Fresnay's work too.

Michael McCarthy said...

1. Maxim Munzuk
2. Richard Dreyfuss
3. Robert Mitchum
4. Charles Bronson
5. Ugo Tognazzi

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Thoughts on Thoroughbreads and the cast.

Luke Higham said...

And your ratings for the cast as well.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Your choices out of the Emmy nominees you've seen in the Drama categories. Mine are:

Lead Actor- Jeffrey Wright, Westworld
Lead Actress- Elizabeth Moss, The Handmaid's Tale
Supporting Actor- David Harbour, Stranger Things (although I'd love for Joseph Fiennes to take it)
Supporting Actress- Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Things

Giuseppe Fadda said...

@Tahmeed: I thought Brown was great in Stranger Things, but for me she would be definitely below The Handmaid’s Tale’s ladies. Yvonne Strahovski should win in my opinion.

Rooting for Habour in supporting, though my runner-up would be Coster-Waldau and not Fiennes (who’s still excellent).

Luke Higham said...

Michael: Your ratings for Munzuk, Dreyfuss, Mitchum, Bronson and Tognazzi.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Bergman's The Magic Flute was first shown on Swedish Television. I still want to get your opinion on it though.

Anonymous said...

Louis: Interestingly enough, before Scorsese and De Niro were given the chance to do Taxi Driver, Robert Mulligan was in talks to direct the film with Jeff Bridges as Travis, but Schrader refused the idea because he thought that if Mulligan had directed the film, Travis would have been a very simple person. What do you think? Would you have liked this version of the film more than the final product (kinda like how Lumet/Lemmon's Death Wish never happened) or do you think that whatever problems you have with the film, they could have been solved?

Calvin Law said...

Just had a thought:

2000s Taxi Driver directed by Paul Schrader
Travis Bickle: Ethan Hawke
Iris: Elizabeth Olsen
Betsy: Mädchen Amick
Sport: Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Tom: Patrick Wilson
Wizard: Michael Richards

JackiBoyz said...

1. Munzuk
2. Bronson
3. Mitchum
4. Dreyfuss
5. Tognazzi

Anonymous said...

1. Munzuk
2. Mitchum
3. Bronson
4. Dreyfuss
5. Tognazzi

Robert MacFarlane said...

Changing mine:

1. Munzuk
2. Bronson
3. Mitchum
4. Dreyfuss
5. Tognazzi

Luke Higham said...

1. Munzuk
2. Dreyfuss
3. Bronson
4. Mitchum
5. Tognazzi

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

1. Munzuk
2. Dreyfuss
3. Bronson
4. Mitchum
5. Tognazzi

Omar Franini said...

Yesterday i saw Suspiria and i had high expectations on this since i think the original movie could have covered more details of the story, but in the end i was very disappointed. I won’t say much about it because i don’t want to spoil anything.

My ratings would be:
Johnson: 3,5
Swinton: 4/4,5
Goth: 3,5
Harper: 2,5
Moretz: 2
Winkler: 3

Luke Higham said...

Omar: I was expecting this after the comparisons to Mother! from last year.

Omar Franini said...

Luke: i read a first draft of Guadagnino’s screenplay and it was great, it had very good promises, but the final product was very different.
I would compare it to Mother! only for the reactions it received.

Calvin Law said...

I wonder if I should see the original version first. I did like CMBYN and I'm a bigsupporter of Dakota Johnson - who I find pretty overhated as an actress - but the reviews have me a lot less excited for it.

Calvin Law said...

Also, I watched both Hard Times and Inserts and I thought both Bronson and Dreyfuss were great. I'm pretty sure Bronson will get a 4.5, and Dreyfuss could get anything between a 2.5 to a 5 from Louis.

Anonymous said...

1. Munzuk
2. Dreyfuss
3. Mitchum
4. Bronson
5. Tognazzi

Luke Higham said...

Calvin: I hope Dreyfuss is reviewed first.

Luke Higham said...

Anyway, I'm glad we'll probably get at least one five (Munzuk).

Michael McCarthy said...

Just for the record, the only reason I put Tognazzi last was because I haven’t been able to find a version of My Friends with English subs.

About the Emmys, I’ll probably post my ranking of the nominees once I’m finished with Orphan Black. I will say I LOVE how much love Strahovsky’d getting, I thought she was the MVP of season 1 even though her role was kind of thankless, so seeing her absolutely nail it with a stronger arc this season was incredibly satisfying.

I gotta say though...I think Joseph Fiennes is one of the weak links in The Handmaid’s Tale.

Michael McCarthy said...

Luke: I give 4.5s to all of the four I've seen. The last time I watched Dersu Uzala was about 5 years ago, so that could definitely use a rewatch.

Calvin Law said...

From what I've seen I'm rooting for the following:

Comedy Series: only seen Atlanta and Silicon Valley and both were great, maybe slight edge to Atlanta.

Drama Series: probably Stranger Things, though Westworld had the higher heights and The Crown was good too, still need to see the others, especially Handmaid's Tale.

Comedy Acting: Only seen the Atlanta cast and all three would be deserving.

Lead Actor (Drama): Jeffrey Wright over Jason Bateman (who was very good) and Ed Harris (good but problematic writing)

Lead Actress (Drama): Claire Foy

Calvin Law said...

Also, my ranking for the main cast of the crown through the two seasons would be:

1. Claire Foy
2. Alex Jennings
3. Vanessa Kirby
4. Jared Harris
5. John Lithgow
6. Matt Smith
7. Greg Wise
8. Jeremy Northam
9. Ben Miles
10. Eileen Atkins
11. Anton Lesser
12. Matthew Goode
13. Lia Williams

And as for the one episode wonders, I thought Stephen Dillane was great and Michael C. Hall was awful.

Luke Higham said...

Calvin: Could I have quick thoughts on the cast and the one episode wonders with more detailed thoughts on your top 4.

Really looking forward to Colman and Menzies taking over from Foy and Smith.

Calvin Law said...

Luke:

Foy - (great performance across both seasons, and even helps lift some of the weaker and more melodramatic sections of the series. I love how she plays Elizabeth as such a strong figure whose weaknesses also form part of this strength, and makes the cracks when they do occur to her propriety particularly striking. Have to say I'm kind of sad to say goodbye to her portrayal, though I'm sure Colman will be great)

Jennings - (I really like that he plays the role with the unabashed shame the character warrants and makes him equal parts despicable yet kind of charismatic in his own way. Even better are the scenes where he shows the genuine regret and sympathy beneath the rather unlikable man, and like Foy I will miss him a great deal)

Kirby - (I liked her in the first season, particularly in her scenes with Foy, as quite a nice sort of contrast as this problematic 'free spirit' of sorts, coupled with the attitude of the haughty snob, and thought she brought this to another level in the second season. She's a knockout in every one of her 'big' scenes, while also managing to convey something of a transformation)

Harris - (as I've mentioned before I think, a great few episodes wonder that creates quite the poignant edge, both of his ailing health and crumbling dignity, to King George's deterioration, and I'd say his scenes are indeed the emotional pinnacle of the series)

Lithgow - (not as in love with this portrayal as some, and I will say that I do prefer the likes of Gleeson, Finney, and Oldman over him, but he's certainly very entertaining and convincing in the role of essentially a man looking to will his way back into position of power, carrying both a charismatic and cunning edge to his antics)

Smith - (I'm actually very looking forward to Tobias Menzies, Smith is definitely someone I needed some time getting used to in the role, wasn't a huge fan of him in Season 1, but I did feel like he won me over in season 2 as he felt a lot more comfortable in striking the balance between the callous, somewhat insensitive bloke and the dutiful royal, and his chemistry with Foy is consistently great)

Everyone else is a mix of pretty good to okay, Lesser and Goode are alright but distracting, and Williams is fine but not too remarkable. As for the one episode wonders, I thought Dillane was a pleasant delight as he brought a lot of life into his interactions with Lithgow and I could honestly see a whole episode centered around him, and Hall was just a particularly awkward JFK impression, worse than Jeffrey Donovan level.

Charles H said...

1. Munzuk
2. Dreyfuss
3. Mitchum
4. Bronson
5. Tognazzi

Louis Morgan said...

Michael:

Mitchum - 4.5(The most striking element of the film as he most effectively captures the film's attempt to create sort of this noir western, which is an interesting idea even if the story is wholly there. Mitchum though naturally makes for a great lead to fulfill this need being so effective in being a stoic western type, but with a little more there. In typical nuanced Mitchum way he is able to brilliantly internalize the moral struggle of the character while still just giving a captivating and confident leading turn. Mitchum is able to be the hero but with the right shades of grey within in by conveying so well in his reactions the twists and turns in regards to the alliances required or not.)

Luke:

Marais - 4(A good performance from him as essential this man child among more duplicitous sorts at almost every front. Marais though is effective in creating this nearly painful innocence of the character. In that he creates the struggle of the man essentially to try to bare life in his way of constant emotional anguish, with this constant obvious desire he conveys for some sort of comfort. A comfort that he shows could come easily yet the dashing of this hope is made all the crueler by actually how simple Marais makes the idea.)

Fontaine - (Nearly bested her sister for me, as this is absolutely brilliant work from Fontaine. This I suppose should be expected as Fontaine is working with a character who must often speak the unspoken emotions, which she is perhaps one the greatest actresses in that regard in particular. This is of course within her already impressive work in creating the stages of the character's life from a young girl with a crush to a regretful old woman. Fontaine physically is able to embody every part of the life in particularly impressive detail, with not even much help in terms of makeup. Of course that is only a facet of the greater work which is creating the stages of life through this never ending though ever changing love affair with the man of her dreams. Fontaine is incredible in creating such detailed expression of every moment of this relationship, that is at times one sided yet never simplified through the life Fontaine breaths in every moment of it. This is in the early scenes of a more direct infatuation, that quietly matures as she does to achieve a more direct romance at times. She finds the rush of pleasure in the moments of truly finding the love, but is of course heartbreaking in creating the destruction of that but also how it attaches to the destruction of her whole life as she cannot let go. Fontaine face brings to life this loss never simple terms rather conveys the history of it all, even in regard to her own indiscretions in a sense as she ignores essentially her fall back husband. It is outstanding work with a particularly poignant use of narration reading the titular letter that is merely a tip off for this amazing performance.)

Louis Morgan said...

De Bray - (De Bray finds the right combination of warmth, quirk, and pathos in her performance. As she manages to create a certain consistency of her character as a source of any hope of sorts in her loving relationship with her son she portrays so honestly, yet even within this creates an idea of the problems within the home. As De Bray finds the invalid state well even within the more emotional manner of the character as this struggle to wholly be part of the family, not a struggle that she shows as a failure, but rather simply a struggle to try to maintain an order of sanity. It is a moving performance as she doesn't make her this wholly good force for the family, but rather this human representation of the idea of family that strictly connects them all through that.)

Barrymore - (One of the best I've seen from her as she really works well with her usual dominant force of style in performance, but doing something a little differently here through that. She's rather wonderful in bringing a subtle, but oh so powerful warmth that slowly she exudes more as she becomes more invested within Cotten's character's atypical romance. My favorite moment though of hers is really the impetus for the character, where she gives such a simple yet lovely reaction to the moment with Cotten's character compliments her.)

Jones - (This is working with her strengths as she does best with innocents. She excels as to be expected actually even though she is actually pretty sparingly used. She makes the right impact in each creating a wonderful chemistry with Cotten that creates that powerful investment in their impossible and in the end tragic romance.)

RatedRStar:

Best avoided if one wants to avoid tear shedding. Seriously though just moving to hear his reaction especially as closure with their relationship, which if one knows about Jaws wasn't exactly the smoothest sailing.

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

Dirty Harry's screenplay on the surface must be commended for simply being a well structured thriller. It creates a compelling central premise of the search for the killer, segues into an even more tense hostage thriller, before rounding out to the grand climax between the hero and villain. Each with memorable set pieces and moments, with only the occasional diversion that misses its mark e.g. peeping Harry, though most enrich the narrative e.g. Harry with the jumper. This is all within the taut overarching structure realized through a specific idea that is more known now, but was less evident previously. This being the hero against a more active nemesis which commonplace in the modern thriller/action films. I'd argue this is a key development in that regard as Scorpio isn't part of the plot, but rather instrumental in every moment of its development. This also delivers a movement within the idea of the modern action hero with Harry, though in some ways an off-shoot of the western hero, though realized effective in the modern perspective of the time. It is also notable just to remember the great deal of unforgettable lines that make the badass hero of Harry whether it be the most famous "Do you feel lucky punk" or the grand if somewhat less remembered "I shoot the bastard that's my policy" and "He looks too damn good". This lines though help to craft that iconic protagonist, but is also terrific devices within the film specifically with the most famous line. That is great seed in the opening scene for Harry as he handles the bank robber, which pays off perfectly with the finale. Of course with all that Dirty Harry is a well written thriller, but it became controversial for the time in the outspoken nature of the protagonist particularly in regards to civil rights of the criminal. This where you see it as written by Walter from the Big Lebowski, at least in part. Although one can debate this content, to the point you could argue Magnum Force is almost an explanation of Harry's values by John Milius, what matters in terms of the quality of the screenplay is that elements is made natural within the character of Harry to the point you'd be believe that he would say every line.

The Friends of Eddie Coyle is a film the more I think about the more I believe to be one of the greatest films about organized crime. This begins within its screenplay, which carefully crafts its narrative which makes this clear statement that the story is, and never shall be a celebration of criminality. This is a risky approach as it can easily lead to an excessive negative tone, or overt moralizing. Although certainly amplified by Peter Yates's intelligent direction, this idea is found within the script which while it doesn't romanticize the criminals it doesn't remove all sympathy. In fact one of the great elements from the work is how vivid every character is written, as even the most side thug, such as the hitman near the end, is given a bit of dialogue that creates more humanity in the character even as they go about rather inhumane behavior. It is fascinating as it manages to grant that real humanity in each individual that keeps the film from become burdensome, even though at the same time it makes the deceits that define the story all the crueler in a certain sense. No one is honest as written realized through the structure which is this branching stories in and around the likable, yet delusion and pathetic Eddie. In each "friend" and Eddie, the screenplay grants a detailed examination of this world, that is truly dog eat dog, but again it leaves a truly lasting impression by allowing one to care for the dogs, even though it doesn't hide their viciousness.

Louis Morgan said...

Tahmeed:

1. After meeting the family - Brooklyn
2. Breakdown - Brooklyn
3. Going "home" - Brooklyn
4. Apologetic phone call - Ladybird
5. Flashback with Robbie - Atonement
6. Marriage - Brooklyn
7. Fight over college - Ladybird
8. Late Tony - Brooklyn
9. Creating the lie - Atonement
10. Confronting the shopkeeper - Brooklyn

Robert:

Banderas - 3(It has been a long time since I've seen the film however I recall him delivering musically well at the very least. Che though is a little tricky as a "lead" given her is more of a commentator than an active role, really more fitting to a theatrical invention. I will say though in my memory Banderas though managed to still maneuver this fairly effectively in playing the part very much emotionally in tune to a given scene than trying to make fluctuating character that wouldn't quite make sense for the role. )

Calvin:

I will say the case isn't closed on Attenborough v Bogart for me, as both were easy wins in their respective years originally that didn't require a second thought. This shakeup though will require a bit more deliberation on my part.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Thoughts on Thoroughbreds and ratings/thoughts on the cast.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: I don't mind if you decide to do a tie with Attenborough and Bogart if you're willing to do 1 tie per decade if necessary.

Charles H said...

Louis: Your top 10 Takashi Shimura acting moments.

Charles H said...

In regards to Attenborough/Bogart i'm not as open to so many ties as i prefer to break them eventually.

Luke Higham said...

Charles: That's if he wants to use a tie and I don't expect him to use it for any other year except 1975.

Charles H said...

Luke: If he does tie Bogart & Attenborough it would probably be a Phoenix/Mikkelson deal to eventually break it in the future.

Calvin Law said...

It is pretty cool to have Drunken Angel and Brighton Rock in the same year, though. Speaking of which:

1950s Drunken Angel directed by Carol Reed
Trevor Howard in Shimura's role
Richard Attenborough in Mifune's role

1960s Brighton Rock directed by Akira Kurosawa
Pinkie: Tsutomu Yamazaki
Ida: Isuzu Yamada
Dallow: Takeshi Kato
Rose: Reiko Dan
Spicer: Takashi Shimura

Calvin Law said...

And personally, I don't mind ties, especially since Louis' permanent ones thus far have been completely understandable ones (Hurt and Julia are essential to one another in KOTSW, as are Palin and Kline in Wanda).

Calvin Law said...

Also, Louis: your thoughts on the 'pretty unfriendly actually' scene from Fargo Season 2?

Mitchell Murray said...

It's a small thing, but I'd never seen the aforementioned Dreyfus interview until it was mentioned here.. and I should've heeded Louis's warning.

Louis Morgan said...

Luke:

I will admit I entered into Thoroughbreds with some trepidation given the subject matter can easily lead towards unrelenting misanthropy, I'd hate to see another Heathers. Thankfully is not the case in the beautifully shot film that reveals the dirt under the pristine, but not in a way that feels forced or overt in its approach. In that it bothers to develop the characters as well as it develops the general thematic representations that they inhabit. It creates a compelling narrative in interestingly revealing the darkness as it also develops what one should see as a friendship, though that might be a bit of stretch in some respects. It stays with the characters though to create their natural end of their journey as the film plays a game of "would the real psychopath please stand up?".

Saving Yelchin.

Taylor-Joy/Cooke - 5/4(I guess I'll be in a minority of sorts when it comes to Cooke who I thought occasionally veered into self-conscious posturing in her performance. These are typically rather slight moments mind you, but some of her actions such as when she eats just feel a touch on the over the top side as she comes off as a more of a robot than a detached schizophrenic. Although I'll grant though that her overarching approach still is effective in creating this sense of detachment and creating the idea of the individual nearly incapable of empathy though in almost a clinical sense. It works particularly well in contrast to her co-star which she shares a strange yet compelling chemistry with. Now on that point I thought Taylor-Joy was outstanding in every frame of the film, in giving such a magnetic yet also rather disturbing portrayal of a more overly sympathetic sort in manner, yet perhaps more callous in the end. Taylor-Joy's performance though reveals this directly emotional portrayal of tendencies that are also defined by a lack of empathy, in this especially fascinating unraveling. What I really liked about her performance is that she doesn't portray as this game the character is playing, but rather depicts it as though the character is actually coming to realize her tendencies after some careful self-examination.)

Sparks - 3(His role is purposefully not too detailed however I thought he was effective in being a properly hate able sort without overplaying it. In fact I like how straight he plays the one confrontation scene with Taylor-Joy where his delivery reinforces the idea that the character is making some legitimate points.)

Charles:

Shimura:

1. "Gondola no Uta" first time - Ikiru
2. "Gondola no Uta" Second time - Ikiru
3. Crying out in the streets - Ikiru
4. Confronting the gangster - Ikiru
5. Drinking in the bar - Ikiru
6. Receiving the "news" - Ikiru
7. His "birthday" - Ikiru
8. Reflecting on the Yakuza - Drunken Angel
9. Stray Dog - Baseball Game
10. Woodcutter's indiscretion - Rashomon

Calvin:

A great little tense scene with some great acting from Woodbine and Wilson in the moment. Love the little joke of Mike Milligan and the Kitchen brothers, along with the whoopses. Before that moment which is fantastic as Woodbine echoes the way of being so polite about it himself, as he goes from a moment of showing the real thug to such a charming snake.

Anonymous said...

Louis what are your top five most anticipated movies for the fall?

Louis Morgan said...

Tahmeed:

Really haven't seen enough of the competition to have a properly informed opinion, but since you asked here's my preferences from what I've seen.

Series: Stranger Things (though Westworld and Game of Thrones had much higher heights.)
Actor: Wright (but have only seen Harris otherwise, though Wright would be deserving based on his work alone.)
Actress: Wouldn't vote for Wood, and haven't seen the others.
Supporting Actor: Harbour (Coster-Waldau would be my second choice)
Supporting Actress: Brown (With Newton as a close second)

Anonymous:

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
First Man
The Old Man & the Gun
The Other Side of the Wind (I'll admit I've become a little obsessed with the trailer)
Roma

Anonymous said...

Louis: What are your top twenty movie scripts of all time?

Michael McCarthy said...

I think Mandy is my most anticipated fall release. I really hope it comes to a theater near me on the 14th, there really aren’t any films I’m interested coming out between now and then.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Who are your top ten most promising actors and actresses under the age of 35 and your reasons why.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: I'd leave out Emma Stone and Carey Mulligan since I feel they're already proven to be great actresses.

Calvin Law said...

So happy you’re saving Yelchin for now, though a bit disappointed Cooke only has a 4.

Anonymous said...

Louis: Your thoughts on the sound editing, sound mixing and editing in The Conversation.

Calvin Law said...

What are people's recommendations for the (if Louis chooses to do them) the more recent years for the bonus rounds? Off the top of my head,

2015
Géza Röhrig - Son of Saul (Lead)
Jason Mitchell, Corey Hawkins, O'Shea Jackson Jr. - Straight Outta Compton (Lead or Supporting for all three)

2016
Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe - Swiss Army Man (someone requested Dano)
Don Cheadle - Miles Ahead

2017
I'm stumped.

Anonymous said...

Louis: Also, you forgot to post your thoughts on that Mulligan/Bridges version of Taxi Driver that never happened.

Luke Higham said...

2015
Géza Röhrig - Son Of Saul
Jan Bijvoet & Antonio Bolívar - Embrace Of The Serpent
Viggo Mortensen - Far From Men
Adam Driver - Hungry Hearts
Christopher Abbott - James White

Bonus: Tom Courtenay - 45 Years

Straight Outta Compton Guys
Ralph Fiennes - A Bigger Splash
Peter Mullan - Sunset Song

Luke Higham said...

2016
Shahab Hosseini - The Salesman
Don Cheadle - Miles Ahead
Nate Parker - The Birth Of A Nation
Jarkko Lahti - The Happiest Day In The Life Of Olli Mäki
Daniel Radcliffe - Imperium

Shia LaBeouf - American Honey

2017
Joaquin Phoenix - You Were Never Really Here
Ethan Hawke - Maudie
Jamie Bell - Film Stars Don't Die In Liverpool
Bryan Cranston - Wakefield
Johnny Harris - Jawbone

Tommy Flanagan - The Ballad Of Lefty Brown
Guy Pearce - Brimstone

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Ten historical figures you want to see biopics about, and your choice of actor and director for each film.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Are they any roles during Christopher Lee and John Huston's lifetimes that they would've been great/perfect for.

Anonymous said...

Luke: Daniel Plainview for Huston.

Emi Grant said...

2017: Shia LaBeouf/Sverrir Gudnason/Stellan Skarsgard (Borg/McEnroe)

Miles Teller (Thank You For Your Service)

2016:
Jonah Hill (War Dogs) Hoping for an upgrade.

2015: Andrew Garfield (99 Homes)






Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: There Will Be Blood came out 20 years after Huston's death. It's a perfect retroactive casting as he was the primary inspiration for Day-Lewis's performance but as I said during their lifetime.

Louis: If you're planning on re-watching both Attenborough and Bogart back to back at some point, could you let us know if Bogart keeps the win.

Charles H said...

I'm probably forgetting some, but

2015:
Géza Röhrig - Son of Saul,
Viggo Mortensen - Far From Men
Adam Driver - Hungry Hearts
Tom Courtenay - 45 Years
Ralph Fiennes - A Bigger Splash

2016
Shahab Hosseini - The Salesman
Don Cheadle - Miles Ahead
Daniel Radcliffe - Imperium
Shia LaBeouf - American Honey

2017
Joaquin Phoenix - You Were Never Really Here
Ethan Hawke - Maudie
Jamie Bell - Film Stars Don't Die In Liverpool
Bryan Cranston - Wakefield
Guy Pearce - Brimstone

Matt Mustin said...

I'd like to see Christopher Plummer get a review for Remember(2015).

Matt Mustin said...

Louis: What are your thoughts on this Game of Thrones scene? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2t86Yg24ns&feature=share

Calvin Law said...

Louis: thoughts on the Better Call Saul episode

Luke Higham said...

Matt: I'll switch the Embrace Of The Serpent guys with Plummer as I do get the feeling it's a directors film.

Luke Higham said...

Matt: Have you caught up on Game Of Thrones. If so, your thoughts on Bean, Addy, Harington, Coster-Waldau, Headey, Dinklage, Dance, Allen, Cunningham, McCann, Dillane and Clarke.

I'll ask for the others in separate posts.

RatedRStar said...

The Old Man & the Gun, Peterloo, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, At Eternitys Gate all getting good reviews so far, The Front Runner getting mixed reviews, still waiting for that big flop movie to appear lol.

RatedRStar said...

Spider-Man getting great reviews as well =D I am buying it on day one lol I cant wait.

RatedRStar said...

Welcome to Marwen...I mean Women of Marwen lol I reckon will flop hard, either that or The Predator (the trailers were so meh).

Luke Higham said...

RatedRStar: At Eternity's Gate has had mixed to positive from what I've seen though Dafoe's been praised across the board, Peterloo's been more mixed amongst American reviewers, Buster Scruggs has two great (Nelson & Waits), two mixed and two bad segments and The Front Runner is more or less a showcase for Jackman.

And honestly, I don't care if Welcome To Marwen flops since it wouldn't clash with Beautiful Boy which I firmly believe is the better turn from Carell anyways, even if I haven't seen both films yet.

Luke Higham said...

RatedRStar: Happy about Spider-Man though it won't beat God Of War or maybe Red Dead Redemption 2 for GOTY honours.

Anonymous said...

Pretty much every Oscar contender so far has 80% or higher on RT so far except The Front Runner.

Mitchell Murray said...

I've learned to veer away from RT at this point; It's a useful tool, but if I took its ratings literally then Manchester By The Sea would've been my favourite film of 2016's best actor field, when its actually my least favourite.

Matt Mustin said...

Luke: I'm on season 6, but I can give my thoughts so far:

Bean-(You know, the more I think about this performance the more I like it. He brings the right passion to the part, making him the noble warrior Ned Stark should be seen as. More than that, Bean brings such a genuine warmth to the part, which is very much needed, and he just makes Ned a guy you really like, making his exit have the appropriate impact. Ned is meant to kind of haunt the rest of the show, and Bean makes that work)

Addy-(Really very strong work. He's entertaining as the drunken brute, but he also goes beyond that in showing a certain gravitas fitting to a king. Even more than that, he manages to be heartbreaking when revealing how the losses in his life have affected him.)

Harington-(Gets better and better each season, and the Jon Snow storyline I find to be the most consistently engaging part of the show. In the first season, he's basically a more charismatic version or Orlando Bloom. In the second season, we get his relationship with Ygritte, and his chemistry with Rose Leslie is absolutely amazing, to the point that it's not at all surprising that they ended up together in real life. In season 5 he really starts to come into his own, giving a moving and passionate depiction of a man who's determined to prove himself. He's great again so far in season 6, but I'm only a few episodes in there.)

Coster-Waldau-(He doesn't get very much to do at first, but he does make an impression every time we see him. Obviously, season 3 is where he really takes center stage, and in doing so, he becomes amazing. That bathtub confession scene is one of the best acted scenes in the entire series. Up until this point we've seen Jamie as a despicable character with little to know redeeming values, so it's pretty amazing that Coster-Waldau manages to be absolutely heartbreaking in revealing his side of the story. It's an amazing scene, and deserving of all the praise. He's been consistently good since then, but that bathtub scene is the highlight of this great performance.)

Matt Mustin said...

Luke: I'll give you the rest later.

Bryan L. said...

Mitchell: Then I'm guessing your thoughts on the movie may be more in line with the Audience Score, since it's 18% lower than the Critics rating haha.

Calvin Law said...

Weird thing about Manchester by the Sea is that I completely understand and can even relate to the flaws everyone finds with it, yet I still flat out love the film.

Mitchell Murray said...

Calvin: To each their own, right? As I've mentioned before, I'm not sure everything in Lonergan's direction or screenplay works, but what does absolutely carry the film is the principle performances.

Louis Morgan said...

Will get to the thoughts that require a bit more time, but I wanted to get this next post out.

Anonymous:

I don't love nor hate Taxi Driver, but I don't think Mulligan would've made a memorable film with the material. It likely would've been more disposable, as Scorsese's work carries the weight of ambition even if one does not agree with all the choices within the material.

Bridges also would've rather miscast at that time, and though I don't hold De Niro as Travis as a goat, I don't think Bridges would've been as good.

Matt:

Horribly disturbing, in an effective way though by not shying away from a very real medieval torture method that frankly one would wish was made up.

Calvin:

I liked it though mostly as an acting showcase for Odenkirk who was fantastic, particularly in the "Breaking Bad deleted scene". Though I'll give credit to the Mike scenes for being still compelling enough despite being essentially "contractor meetings".