Thursday 16 May 2019

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2013: Bill Nighy in About Time

Bill Nighy did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying James Lake in About Time.

Bill Nighy is an actor I've yet to cover here, though I feel my affection, and really the general affection of the public for him is practically a given. Bill Nighy falls in the category of an irreplaceable character actor, by the virtue as there's no one quite like him. His voice, his manner has this wonderful idiosyncrasy that makes him stand out in the most minor of roles. That is certainly the case here with a meatier role as the father of Domhnall Gleeson's Tim Lake, who informs his son of their family's male members being able to travel through time. This scene, which is Nighy's introduction, very much reveals the Nighy appeal. In that as the mentor father, we get a very different approach in this speech than many approach. This is as Nighy way of broaching it brilliantly plays with the idea of its ridiculousness, by almost side stepping in his slightly hesitant yet still casual way of giving the information. This even with granting a bit of advice on how to use the power to improves one life, which again Nighy delivers with this almost sly sincerity that manages to be both impeccably humorous while offering this quality of a quietly earnest inspiration.

Nighy's role then is this perfect little bright spot of being Bill Nighy within the film. This as he serves most often as a knowing reactor to the events, and Tim's use of time travel. Nighy does so much with just the slightest glances, whether it be adding just a bit more humor, or heart to given situation. I especially love his filled with pride slight smirk when seeing his daughter takes action against a worthless boyfriend via Tim's time powers. Nighy's work is that of this consistency quite honestly as he manages to find just the right tone for the material in question. This is after being one of the few tolerable things in director Richard Curtis's first film, an abomination actually, by being some sardonic need to cut through that film's tsunami of molasses, but here he takes it further though in a different way. This is mind you that this is a better film as written and directed to begin with, however Nighy's work is essential in this. In that his approach manages to tamper the corn on that cob, while still making that corn delicious. In that pure Nighy style he manages to bring the right combination of comedy with genuine heart. This in having the casualness makes this so natural in bringing the humor with the sincere moments between Tim and his father. Yes many moments of Nighy are those knowing glances, and every one of those are worth so much. There are also his own moments of more direct comedy, such as his pondering on his wedding speech for Tim until figuring he best give it another go. A moment that is great as Nighy makes this self doubt double check so human, even if so funny given he rectifies through time travel. The real test of it though comes late in the film where James is diagnosed with terminal cancer, that despite his time travel ability can't prevent it without losing his life essentially. This is already a bit heartbreaking just hearing it since Nighy is such an endearing presence to begin with. Nighy beautifully handles these scenes of pondering the loss, then even after James has died, still doing so. Nighy does so though by again remaining consistent in his approach, but doing such subtle portrayal of grief that is truly something special. Again Nighy does so much with his eyes, and just a slight twitch of the mouth, that reveals James's own sense of loss even as he keeps always the optimistic disposition for his son. Now mind you even in this time he still brings some nice humor, especially his somewhat salacious delivery on why smoking was needed to win over Tim's mother. This is simply lovely work for every scene, and every second of screentime, that is sort of a proper distillation of what Bill Nighy one of a kind.

80 comments:

Mitchell Murray said...

I really liked him here, but then again, I usually like Nighy in general. As you said, its a performance that's as funny as it is heartfelt.

Also, on a more random note, I decided to watch "Working Girl" for the first time today. I didn't much care for the film - I understood its intentions, but just never felt it became all that engaging or well told overall. It certainly doesn't help that a few elements of its story and characters are really dated now, or in the case of one brief cameo, downright off putting.

Griffith - 3
Ford - 3
Cusack - 3
Weaver - 4

Emi Grant said...

This review is pretty much on line with my thoughts on him. He'd a solid 4 for me. Their last ping pong match is brilliant.

Michael McCarthy said...

1. Joaquin Phoenix
2. Lily Franky
3. Bill Nighy
4. Colm Meaney
5. Nawazuddin Siddiqui

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

I was really hoping for a 5, but I am glad you liked him a lot. He's a terrific actor who deserves more roles like this.

Luke Higham said...

1. Joaquin Phoenix
2. Lily Franky
3. Bill Nighy
4. Colm Meaney
5. Nawazuddin Siddiqui

Bryan L. said...

Luke: Thanks for the thoughts on Cumberbatch. If it's not too much to ask, your Top Ten Gary Oldman performances?

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Your thoughts on Robert Pattinson being cast as Batman? I personally think he's a terrific choice.

RatedRStar said...

Rocketman is getting very positive reviews, if it came out near the end of the year Egerton would be a major Oscar player, maybe he could be still.

Luke Higham said...

Bryan:
1. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
2. State Of Grace
3. Leon: The Prpfesdional
4. The Firm
5. JFK
6. Immortal Beloved
7. Sid And Nancy
8. The Dark Knight
9. Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
10. Prick Up Your Ears

Tahmeed: It's Pattison or Nicholas Hoult though I'm hoping it's the former.

And I'll be seeing Aladdin and Rocketman on consecutive nights.

Bryan L. said...

Luke: Thanks.


I think Pattinson could make for a good Batman, although I actually had him in mind for The Joker based on his work in Good Time.

I'm actually a bit annoyed that they're releasing Rocketman this month instead of later in the year, since by most accounts, it appears to be a better film than Bohemian Rhapsody.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Could you confirm what is Lancaster's updated rating for Atlantic City, I remember you said that you were going to edit that review.

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Your thoughts on Bill Dukes scene with Nicolas Cage in Mandy? I like how its probably the most straightforward scene directing-wise in the film, yet still manages to be intriguing.

And expanded thoughts on the "final boss" scene with Roache and Cage? Both dime switches that Roache does are perfection ("I DONT KNEEL BEFORE YOU!")

Bryan L. said...

RatedRStar: I think Egerton is a lock for a Golden Globe Comedy/Musical nomination. Past that however, not too sure.

Anonymous said...

Louis: Your thoughts on the scene where the Decepticons brutally kill those Autobots in the shuttle and the final fight between Optimus Prime and Megatron in the 1986 animated Transfomers film.

Anonymous said...

Louis: Also thoughts on the Dare to be Stupid scene from the film too.

Mitchell Murray said...

Bryan: Well like I said before, the movie better be at least decent, and if the academy does follow the same pattern as Jamie Foxx's win/Joaquin Phoenix's nomination...I'm hoping Edgerton will be more impressive than either.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Are you a fan of the original Tom and Jerry shorts by Hanna-Barbara? If so, could I have your brief overall thoughts on them, and five of your favourite shorts.

Mitchell Murray said...

Louis: If you've posted them at all, where would I your thoughts on Ben Kingsley, Stuart Wilson and Sigourney Weaver for "Death and the Maiden"? And your thoughts on Weaver in general.

Mitchell Murray said...

find*

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Have you been watching Deadwood lately.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Your thoughts on John Hillcoat and Nicolas Winding Refn remaking Witchfinder General. And who would you cast as Matthew Hopkins.

Calvin Law said...

I’m thinking Ralph Ineson would be perfect.

Omar Franini said...

1. Phoenix
2. Nighy
3. Frankie
4. Meaney
5. Siddiqui

Louis: what are your top 10s for 2013 best director and cinematography?

Luke Higham said...

The Lighthouse has been getting raves and A Hidden Life is getting great notices as well. Couldn't be happier. :)

Emi Grant said...

Luke: That sounds great. I'm beyond excited for seeing the first reviews of OUATIH this Tuesday.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Your thoughts on the GOT finale. I've already seen the spoilers and the season's been incredibly disappointing so I don't really care.

Your rating and thoughts on the season as a whole. I'm gonna predict a 2.5 or 3 for this season.

Your Episode MVP and Season MVP.

I'll be asking for top 25 overall performances and scenes lists for the entire show sometime tomorrow.

Bryan L. said...

Luke: I'm especially glad to hear that about A Hidden Life, and The Lighthouse as well.

And I don't watch GOT, but I think it does suck that they botched the final season, from most accounts at least.

Louis Morgan said...

Watched John Wick 3, good action, but I honestly was disappointed again. This one I thought was even worse about being less of a film on its own and being a setup for the last film. I really miss the finality of the first film.

Tahmeed:

Great choice on paper. Anyone who says otherwise hasn't seen his recent output.

And yes Lancaster is higher than that to be sure, but I'd like to watch that film again, as that's one I feel I need to do a bit more justice to.

I don't dislike them, but never were really a favorite of mine, so I don't exactly separate them in my mind too much.

Bryan:

I love how straight forward that scene is both in terms of Duke's performance, but also how it kind of suggests that the rest of everything else is just drug fueled fantasy, right down to the demonic bikers just being acid fried regular dudes. It also has once again my favorite single line delivery of 2018 with Cage's "Crazy, Evil".

The not so impressive final boss is an amazing scene as we really see Jeremiah trying anything he can to survive, and switch from detachment, to overtly pathetic, to attempting, and failing miserably to try the whole god thing with Cage. This is against Cage, whose great doing just the strict menacing silence, before going full Roy Batty on him (sorry Mountain Roy did it first).

Anonymous:

A bit much to be perfectly honest. This being that just seems like poor treatment of fan favorites than raising the stakes given this brutality is only really present in the opening scenes. I also hate the ease of the deaths for all the characters, aside from Iron Hide who at least had a proper sendoff.

Well the scene certainly "dares to be stupid", I mean it's fine thing I guess, of randomness that is fitting to the whole subplot of the junkotrons.

Mitchell:

Probably in the alternate 94 results either lead or supporting, not sure which, though I know I've covered them before.

Luke:

Watched the first season, which I thought had some great acting, particularly from (non-creepy) Brad Dourif, Powers Boothe, Robin Weigert and especially Ian McShane. It was definitely good, though it didn't quite grip me in the way I hoped it would. I will try to finish the series sooner than later.

Fascinating potential partnership and a prime film for remaking I feel, as I think the concept is greater than the execution. Calvin's choice of Ineson seems like a good choice.

Omar:

Director:

1. The Coens - Insidie Llewyn Davis
2. Alfonso Cuaron - Gravity
3. Pawel Pawlikowski - Ida
4. Martin Scorsese - The Wolf of Wall Street
5. Bong Joon-ho - Snowpiercer
6. Hirokazu Kore-eda - Like Father, Like Son
7. Jim Jarmusch - Only Lovers Left Alive
8. Hayao Miyazaki - The Wind Rises
9. Steve McQueen - 12 Years a Slave
10. James Gray - The Immigrant

Cinematography:

1. Inside Llewyn Davis
2. Ida
3. Only God Forgives
4. The Immigrant
5. Prisoners
6. The Grandmaster
7. Gravity
8. All is Lost
9. Ain't Them Bodies Saints
10. Only Lovers Left Alive

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Thoughts and ratings for the cast of John Wick 3? I feel like the series is just turning its wheels now.

Also, honorable mention: "They lit her on FIRE!"

Robert MacFarlane said...

*sigh*

I kind of liked the Game of Thrones finale, dumb as it was. I dunno. I was expecting worse.

Mitchell Murray said...

Louis: Couldn't find them. I only ask as I'm currently on a Sigourney Weaver binge, and am interesting in watching the film, although its proven weirdly elusive to track down.

Louis Morgan said...

Well that happened. I'll admit there was nothing the finale could've done to save the season as a whole. I don't think one needs to harp on the finale itself too much in itself, in fact the exact place of the characters and such could've worked if the showrunners had been in less of a mad rush to finish. The only things I probably outright hated were the declaration of who should be leader by Tyrion, just how it was written, the Tyrion and Jon scene (where Jon's IQ defaulted to barely being able to breathe if not reminded of its need) and the small council scene which was far too winky. Also the inconsistencies that seemed lazy, like how many unsullied and Dothraki there were, after supposedly having been slaughtered during the battle for Winterfell. And I won't even get started on dangling threads because there's no point. Still the Grey Havens scene worked for me to an extent, as did the final montage, the opening and the Jon and Daenerys scene. I mean I didn't hate them anyways, but in the end it's just one big "whatever" since the whole thing turned sadly into such a rush job.

Episode MVP: Uh I don't know, Tobias Menzies (Not completely joking but rather this is the weakest material the actors have been dealt. As they either very little to do, extremely repetitive material, or absurdly extreme shifts to deal with. Although they were never really at fault this season. No one stood out excessively). I will give credit to Clarke for stepping up her game despite some excessively unwieldy material.

Season MVP: Similar situation, probably my still series MVP, Alfie Allen (with Theon having one of the few truly satisfying season 1 to 8 arcs in my book).

Mitchell:

Well....Kingsley gives one of his best performances, it honestly has one of my least favorite from Weaver though.

Mitchell Murray said...

Louis: Really?.. I've read some decent praise about her work, although I will say, in one scene I have watched, she did have some moments that felt rather "performed", which is rare for her.

Robert MacFarlane said...

I would say Clarke was MVP of the season, and I’m not even second guessing myself. Series MVP for me is Liam Cunningham, with Conleth Hill coming up second. Neither made my flat-out top for any of the seasons, but they were always high on the list. If I had to go with an isolated performance from just one season, it’d actually be a tie for Turner and Harington in Season 6.

Michael McCarthy said...

I think my episode MVP was Dinklage, but Clarke had the single best line delivery of the episode. This also made me realize that if Daenerys's arc had been managed properly Clarke might have actually been one of the MVPs of the series, which is incredibly frustrating to me.

Louis Morgan said...

It's frustrating because it seems to me Benioff and Weiss just wanted out asap to move onto their offers, and probably should've given the reigns over to Bryan Cogman.

Mitchell:

Yes, though it's a divisive turn. I get what she's going for, this sort detachment from extreme trauma, but it indeed came off as "performed" for me.

Mitchell Murray said...

Would I be right in assuming you generally like Weaver? I mean, your inspired praise of her three portrayals of Ripley alone (That's right..three!), not to mention her turn as Dian Fossey, would seem to suggest so.

RatedRStar said...

What a disappointment Game of Thrones has been, all this build up for the final season, so many directions they could have gone and they go for the easy predictable route, only the first 2 episodes were good because they set up the potential routes. It makes me have so much respect for series like the Marvel series.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

My MVPs for each season would be-

Season 1: Mark Addy
Season 2: Alfie Allen
Season 3: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
Season 4: Peter Dinklage
Season 5: Lena Headey
Season 6: Kit Harington/Sophie Turner (gonna have to agree with Robert on this one)
Season 7: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
Season 8: Emilia Clarke

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

My top ten episodes of the series (unsure of the exact ranking)

The Winds of Winter
Baelor
Hardhome
The Rains of Castamere
Battle of the Bastards
And Now His Watch Is Ended
Blackwater
Kissed by Fire
The Watchers on the Wall
The Children

Bryan L. said...

The season finale for Barry on the other hand...speechless.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Can we talk about how Robin Arryn inexplicably looks like Timothée Chalamet now?

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

I know right, it completely caught me off guard.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Your top 25 performances, top 25 scenes and top 20 episodes of Game Of Thrones.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Your updated thoughts on Peter Dinklage's performance in Game of Thrones.

Matt Mustin said...

Louis: What are your thoughts on Matthew Libatique as a cinematographer?

Charles H said...

1. Joaquin Phoenix
2. Lily Franky
3. Bill Nighy
4. Colm Meaney
5. Nawazuddin Siddiqui

Bryan L. said...

Matt: I think Libatique has done well in trying to bring some vibrancy to a lot of the films he's lensed. Like the bank robbery scenes in Inside Man, for example.

Anonymous said...

Louis: Your thoughts on the cinematography of Anatomy of a Murder and Cape Fear 1962.

Louis Morgan said...

Tahmeed:

I wouldn't say I have a great deal to add to my original thoughts given they sent his character on a path lacking any real emotional transitions. He still did solid work throughout but we just had him repeating the same notes as he became too much a generalized idea of Tyrion than the specific imperfect man we knew from the first four seasons. Again not any of this is against Dinklage, but rather the writers in a way became too fond of him to the point they rid him of what made him such a truly compelling character in the first place.

Louis Morgan said...

Bryan:

Reeves - 3(He delivers his part in terms of bringing that emotion within the physicality. Sadly though do not do enough with that here, and his notes are repetitive.)

Berry - 2(Eh, didn't convince me really with all her hard teeth gritting she did. Also hated that her whole appearance felt like a setup for later.)

McShane and Reddick - 3(The best parts of the film in a certain way, beyond the action, as they both are enjoyable once again, but I hate what's done with them in the ending (even if that's a fake out).)

Fishburne - (Wasted, despite his buildup in 2)

Huston - (Fine but wasted here. Again so much freaking setup, how about just make what I'm watching enjoyable?)

Dillon - 2.5(I get the approach however it didn't quite add up to work the way I think was intended)

Dascascos - 2.5(The same goes for him as his sort of goofy, yet competent killer fanboy, as his comedic timing isn't quite there. He occasionally hits his marks but isn't quite there.)

Taghmaoui - 2(So bland and especially disappointing given the build up for his character.)

Mitchell:

Yes, like her a great deal.

Performances:

1. Alfie Allen
2. Charles Dance
3. Liam Cunningham
4. Conleth Hill
5. Rory McCann
6. Sophie Turner
7. Mark Addy
8. Stephen Dillane
9. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
10. Peter Dinklage
11. Diana Rigg
12. Gwendoline Christie
13. Michelle Fairley
14. Pedro Pascal
15. Donald Sumpter (Most underrated performance)
16. Michael McElhatton
17. Lena Headey
18. Maisie Williams
19. Sean Bean
20. Jonathan Pryce
21. Jerome Flynn
22. Peter Vaughan
23. Jason Momoa
24. Iain Glen
25. Carice van Houten

Episodes:

1. Hardhome
2. Rains of Castamere
3. The Winds of Winter
4. Baelor
5. Watchers on the Wall
6. The Mountain and the Viper
7. Kissed By Fire
8. Battle of the Bastards
9. Blackwater
10. Winter is Coming
11. The Laws of Gods and Men
12. And Now His Watch is Ended
13. The Children
14. Walk of Punishment
15. The Lion and the Rose
16. The Spoils of War
17. Valar Morghulis
18. The Bear and the Maiden Fair
19. The Climb
20. You Win or You Die

Though this might be different if I re-watched the whole series as it is harder to remember the specific scenes from episodes, as opposed to the "event" episodes.

Actually let me take a bit for the scenes.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Let me guess: The last two seasons caused you to drop Harington?

Robert MacFarlane said...

Personally I think you’re ranking Dillane too high. Outside of season 5, I could tell just how few shits he gave about the character, which he’s since admitted. Stannis was great in the books, but the show failed him.

Louis Morgan said...

Robert:

In part, also his shakiness at times in season 1 played into it, (although I'm still conflicted on whether or not there was something intentional in that, as it did work in creating the maturation of the character).

I know Dillane made his lack of affection for the show well known, but to me he might as well having been saying "Yet we must ... we must do our duty, no? Great or small, we must do our duty."

Robert MacFarlane said...

He’s kind of like Guinness in the original Star Wars for me where the psychological effects of knowing he hated working on it skewed my vision of technically fine work. All of the sudden I see the apathy and can’t focus on anything else.

Bryan L. said...

Louis: On a brighter HBO note, your thoughts on the season finale of Barry?

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Wow, didn't expect to see Carice Van Houten that low. Also, could we have your top 5 performers for Season 8 of GOT?

Luke Higham said...

Tahmeed: I expected Pryce to be quite abit higher as well.

And I personally won't be doing a top 5 because I'd feel so unenthused with it.

Emi Grant said...

A NEW TRAILER FOR OUATIH CAME OUT! What the hell?

Louis: Thoughts on it? I don't think I can be more sold on it at this point.

RatedRStar said...

Fantastic second trailer, did exactly what the first one did, got everyone excited. Loved the creepy little shot of the 3 Manson members walking down the road, likely to Tates mansion.

RatedRStar said...

Just realised that it is at Cannes, reviews should be out for it soon, please be good pleaseeee.

Mitchell Murray said...

RatedRStar: I hear you. Looks terrific from the new trailer, and my anticipation for DiCaprio's performance has only been bolstered.

Louis Morgan said...

Robert:

Fair enough.

Bryan:

Amazing episode and I have to give this credit for making me far more invested in Sally's story overall. Barry's though of course continued to be amazing with the going back to the pale once again, in such a powerful outburst of violence again. This with fantastic work from the main cast especially Root and Winkler.

Tahmeed:

I wouldn't say anyone is low per se, as I have great affection for every performance in that top 25.

Scenes:

1. Jaime's Confession
2. Hardhome's Ending
3. Mountain vs. The Red Viper
4. Tyrion's Second Trial
5. Ned's Execution
6. The Hound's trial by combat
7. The Red Wedding
8. Robert's War Stories
9. The Hound is sentenced to trial by combat
10. Catelyn's story on Jon Snow
11. Blowing up the Sept
12. Tywin's Introduction
13. Battle for Castle Black Long Take
14. Wild fire explosion
15. Hound vs Brienne
16. "I Will be your champion"
17. King killed by a Pig
18. Jaime loses his hand
19. Tyrion's first trial
20. "Chaos is a Ladder"
21. Theon and Maester Luwin's final scene
22. Tywin and Olenna negotiate
23. Hound describes his injury
24. Ned is Betrayed
25. The Hound and Chickens

Going over the scenes, it's a shame there isn't a great jumping off point, since there is so much greatness for it to end on such a whimper.

Tahmeed:

1. Alfie Allen
2. Emilia Clarke
3. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
4. John Bradley
5. Gwendoline Christie

Matt:

Libatique's work I wouldn't quite say passes the multiple filmmakers test of a great cinematographer. His films typically look decent enough on average. Although he typically takes the same lighting technique, that is this slightly gritty and just slightly more dynamic than mainstream standard. This isn't always though as his work in the Iron Man films, while not bad, isn't particularly memorable. His work in Cowboys & Aliens and Venom is a bit below that even. His work is connected very much with whoever the filmmaker he's working with, and if the filmmaker is more visually inclined then his works stands out more. I actually don't even love his efforts in sort of "best shot" films like Black Swan and Inside Man. As they typically share the same general work, that is above average though not extraordinary. He's a fine cinematographer, but not much more than that.

RatedRStar:

Well the reviews for OUATIH suggests "late" Tarantino still, though probably less divisive than The Hateful Eight. Which aspires my anticipation, but probably not so much for say Mark Kermode.

Emi Grant:

Pretty much the same thoughts as the last trailer. I'm sold.

Anonymous:

Anatomy of a Murder's cinematography is some more than decent work, though I wouldn't say overall the lighting is something that stands out in the film. It does its job however in very much the general pristine look for the early widescreen black and white. What is a bit more remarkable is the composition of shots in the courtroom which carefully capture the dynamics of any given speech, and the way it captures the characters of any given moment is especially well done. The work does its job, as the courtroom scenes never are visually dull even if the dialogue/acting carries those scenes.

One can grant that Sam Leavitt's work there was purposeful given the amazing look of Cape Fear, which just oozes mood. This is such powerful dynamic lighting throughout where it only grants the most careful bits of expression, that accentuates such powerful expressions. The work is fantastic in its use of really the close up, where the framing is so careful in creating such distinct/emotional moments from really just the positioning of one or two faces. It's a film that manages to evoke in particular such incredible sense of atmosphere, especially in the finale.

Luke Higham said...

Extremely happy to see Jaime's Bathtub Confession at #1.

Anonymous said...

Louis what do you think are the ten worst performances from GOT?

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

1. Jessica Henwick
2. Keisha Castle-Hughes
3. Laurenti Sellers
4. Ed Sheeran
5. Pilou Asbaek
6. Indira Varma
7. Sibel Kekilli
8. Finn Jones
9. Faye Marsay
10. Isaac Hempstead Wright

Robert MacFarlane said...

*coughAidenGillencough*

Matt Mustin said...

Saw Detective Pikachu. Lots of fun, actually.

Reynolds-4
Smith-3.5
Newton-3.5
Nighy-3.5
Watanabe-3(The man takes Pokemon *very* seriously)
Geere-2

Calvin Law said...

Ed Sheeran lol

Calvin Law said...

Also I’m not going to lie. While I’m happy about the very positive reviews for Hollywood my concerns still remain about how they’ll handle THAT aspect.

Matt Mustin said...

Calvin: Yup.

Anonymous said...

Louis: your thoughts on season 2 of Barry and its cast

Louis Morgan said...

Robert:

Most wasted potential in a performance, #1 without a doubt, but I do prefer him over those listed. (Euron had book potential, but outside of his first scene he was written horribly anyways) he wouldn't be much further "up" my list anyways though.

Calvin:

Manages to really pull off terrible featured extra acting so well, the stilted deliveries, the awkward stares, and the way of just making the most simple of behaviors somehow seem artificial is rather stunning. I even think the reaction to his cameo was a touch overblown by many, but I do have great "affection" for horrible minor performances like Zoe Bell in The Hateful Eight.

Bryan L. said...

Calvin: I see what you mean, since many of the early reviews for OUATIH say that the ending might be divisive.

Matt: Thoughts on Reynolds in Detective Pikachu? I was a bit concerned because he did sound out of place in the trailers, but it appears he's rather enjoyable here.

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Thoughts on Hanks' confession on the bus in Episode 7?

Also, your 90s cast for Barry?

Robert MacFarlane said...

The wasted potential is definitely a big factor in my dislike for Gillen’s work, but the other is just how many deliberate, baffling acting choices he makes that hurt not just Baelish’s potential, but the show overall. The changing accents (that he mercifully stopped by season 4), the sleazy mannerisms, the smug line delivery. It’s a villain pantomime that goes for an easy audience reaction instead of something more challenging. Forget not knowing how anyone trusts Littlefinger, how did he even make it to Season 7 when he’s that obviously evil? That said, I’ll give credit where credit’s due in the scenes that ask more of him beyond telegraphed mustache-twirling antics. Stuff like his scenes with Lysa (which reminds me, how did Kate Dickie not make your worst?), or his final scene definitely point to something better than the whole package.

Matt Mustin said...

Bryan L: Well, I'll just say that the film itself finds a way for his voice to not feel out of place. Anyway, Reynolds is just endlessly delightful here, bringing the right charm and sense of fun, but also absolutely delivering in his few dramatic moments.

Matt Mustin said...

Robert: I would have been a *little* more forgiving of Gillen before I realized he does the same thing for every character he plays, whether it's called for or not.

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

A fantastic season as it managed to carry the story onward in that rather remarkable combination of broad comedy with genuinely powerful dramatic beats that somehow never conflict. I thought this one might have actually topped the original season in terms of individual achievement, episode 5 is downright amazing work, pulling in each thread and advancing this plot. This is also as I, again, thought Sally's story I felt was more effortlessly prescient this season. Loved the advancements of the character and the turns here, looking forward to season 3.

Don't have too much to add to my original thoughts. Hader was again amazing, in really a wholly serious role. Root got to go a bit darker here and was fantastic in taking the manipulative Fuches a bit further. Carrigan was once more absolutely hilarious yet took it up a notch. Winkler had less of a focus this time around but was funny once again, then genuinely heartbreaking in the final episode. Goldberg is the one though who I felt really stepped up her game in finding a real depth within her character, while still leaving a certain sense of humor in parts of her work, while naturally mining those rather intense emotional depths within her character. Everyone really was on point here.

Bryan:

Absolutely hilarious bit so impeccably delivered by Carrigan.

Barry: Jim Carrey
Fuches: Rip Torn
Sally: Mira Sorvino
Gene Cousineau: Harvey Korman
Goran: Vincent Schiavelli
NoHo Hank: Matt Besser
Detective Moss: Phylicia Rashad

Robert:

Don't disagree with a word regarding Gillen, and his performance also helped to make Catelyn seem extra naive (as I'm pretty sure he's suppose to be like Shakespeare's Iago not Disney's Scar) I honestly think when he first got the part he probably went "Broad villain got it!" given he used the same accent as his turn in Shanghai Knights. I could easily have seen something from say maybe Hollander as more of the perpetual "best friend" to Catelyn.

As for Dickie, I'll admit I perhaps am slightly easier on hysterical portrayals, given one has to go on a limb no matter what...but she's bottom tier for me as well.