Best Scene: Outlining the truth.
Best Scene: Cyrano date
Best Scene: Song number
Best Scene: Bully takedown.
6. Jeremy Renner in Kill the Messenger - Renner gives a powerful portrayal of a man whose convictions slowly destroy him.
Best Scene: Final speech.
5. Tom Cruise in Edge of Tomorrow - Cruise plays with his star persona by brilliantly subverting it in a multitude of ways, but also by living up to it as a natural progression of his character.
Best Scene: You don't make it any further
Best Scene: Confronting the thief.
3. Channing Tatum in Foxcatcher - Tatum shatters any expectations on him through his powerful and intense portrayal of a man who has great potential but only can follow.
Best Scene: Breakdown.
2. Tom Hardy in The Drop - Tom Hardy gives one of his best performances in a brilliant high wire act that pays off as you're watching, but even more so with the revelation that gives you a greater sense for the overall accomplishment of his performance.
Best Scene: "You embarrass me"
1. David Gulpilil in Charlie's Country - Good predictions Luke, RatedRStar, Michael McCarthy, Anonymous, Aidan Pittman, Omar, and Mitchell. Gulpilil gives a portrait of just sheer honesty that reflects such a purely genuine person yet endearing in the unique qualities and life within this naturalism.
Best Scene: Seeing his dead friend.
Next: 2014 Supporting
56 comments:
I think this is the first time in over a year that I have won a predictions lol haha.
(Checks Twitter)
2020 is one those years that 5 or 6 years from now we will look back on and go "what on earth happened here"
For Supporting, um...
Abraham in Grand Budapest Hotel? That performance stuck with me.
Sam Shepard or Don Johnson in Cold in July perhaps?
Also watched the King of Staten Island, which I found to be easily the best of the 3 Apatow films I've seen, then again I found the other two intolerable at times. Perhaps this is in part as this is less overtly comedy focused, and in general found the character study engaging particularly through sort of the sense of place within it. It's still bloated, you could almost entirely cut Bel Powley's story-line out of the film (the relationship with Burr better hits home the idea of personal maturity), but thankfully he doesn't do that "endless "funny" conversation bits" too much here...at least not too much. Enjoyed it mostly though, which is more than I can say for his previous efforts.
Davidson - 3.5
Tomei - 3.5
Burr - 3.5
Powley - 3
Apatow - 3
Buscemi - 3
Adlon - 3
The buddies - 2.5
RatedRStar:
No...though they're better than the dumpster fire they're in.
Another correct prediction pour moi!
So far, I believe I have 3 requests saved up (This one, 2019 supporting actor and 2017 supporting actor). I'll give two of them right now and keep the last in reserve.
1) The one I mentioned for 2019 - William Hurt in "The Village"
2) Marcel Lures in "Harts War"
For me, Lures just gave a surprisingly interesting performance, in the kind of role that's so often pushed to the side, or played very one dimensional. Although I consider "Hart's War" to be nothing special as a film, he most certainly held his own against the work done by Farrell and Willis. Also, since I can't seem to find Lure in the 2002 supporting ranking, I imagine Louis hasn't cemented his thoughts on him.
Louis: Can I just say...I'm sorry you sat through Cold in July, but I'm glad I'm not the only one who hated it.
Mitchell: Your request for William Hurt in The Village is already up in "Winning Requests" so you don't have to do so again.
My first win!
My official request is John Goodman in True Stories for 1986 supporting.
Bryan: My bad then.
Also, Louis, what would be your updated thoughts on Margot Robbie as an actress? I think she's certainly done enough at this point to be called a good performer, particularly when it comes to portraying emotional grief, I find. I wouldn't call her a infallible actress, though, as she's definitely someone who can be steered/steer herself in the wrong direction, and perhaps functions best under specific guidance.
Louis, thoughts on the cast for King of Staten Island?
Rating and thoughts for Tabu in Haider?
Louis: Ratings and thoughts on the Haider cast.
Ratings and thoughts on the rest of the lead performances.
Your Female top tens with ratings and other 4+ honourable mentions.
And your 2014 wins.
I'm glad I switched Mortensen in Jauja to Stevens.
Louis: My request is Hugh Laurie in David Copperfield.
And for Supporting:
The requests
Matthias Schoenaerts in The Drop
Irrfan Khan in Haider
Shia LaBeouf in Fury
Rhys Darby in What We Do In The Shadows
Maybe Chris Pine in Stretch?
Luke: Your Top Ten Ian Holm performances? With ratings
Louis: I'm relieved that Kapoor got a 4.5.
Your thoughts on the rant scene and the song number in Haider, and your thoughts on the direction and cinematography of the film?
Oh yeah, and for my winning request I choose my own fraternity brother, Burl Ives, in Day of the Outlaw. 1959 supporting.
For supporting:
Khan/Menon- Haider
Schoenaertes- The Drop
LaBeouf- Fury
Darby/Waititi- What We Do in the Shadows
Cusack- Maps to the Stars
Alvodar- The Perfect Dictator
And the rest of the requests.
For supporting:
Rhys Darby / Taika Waititi - What We Do in the Shadows
John Cusack - Maps to the Stars
Ricardo Darin - Wild Tales
Shia LaBeouf - Fury
Zach Galifianakis - Birdman
Louis: thoughts on Phoenix and Petzold’s direction? Glad you dug it.
Bryan:
5
1. Alien
2. Dreamchild
3. The Sweet Hereafter
4. Chariots Of Fire
4.5
5. The Homecoming
6. The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring
4
7. The Bofors Gun
8. The Madness Of King George (Really hope for an upgrade)
9. Henry V
10. Juggernaut
Emi: I feel really bad for you, Pilon at 90th in the ranking.
Louis, seeing that there are no lead requests for 1970 thus far, my request is one that Luke seemed to like a great deal and that's Richard Harris in The Molly Maguires.
I imagine Louis must’ve not quite taken to Mommy. I’d probably settle with a 4 for Pilon.
Luke: Well...I'm kind of glad we got the Eisenberg review instead now.
Louis: If you're gonna do 10, I'd like to see Dave Bautista in Guardians Of The Galaxy, F. Murray Abraham in TGBH or Chris Pine in Stretch.
Louis: I haven't seen it, what are your thoughts and um problems with Cold in July?
David Koechner, Cheap Thrills
Sam Rockwell, Laggies
John Cusack, Adult World
Thomas Haden Church, Lucky Them
My request: Errol Flynn in Objective, Burma!
Also, Louis, your thoughts on this 2010s Chariots of Fire cast:
Harold Abrahams: Andrew Garfield
Eric Liddell: George MacKay
Aubrey Montague: Matthew Beard
Lord Andrew Lindsay: Douglas Booth
Sam Mussabini: Eddie Marsan
Master of Trinity College: Hugh Laurie
Mitchell:
Looking at her work overall she has already suggested quite the emotional range and ability with extreme characters. I, Tonya seemingly being the perfect mix of her talents in one performance. Having said that it seems she can have the tendency to go broader than she needs to sometimes, though this seems dependent on the filmmakers she is working with, which makes sense. Her ability at this point is evident now it is really just up to her find roles that suite her well.
Anonymous:
Davidson - (I won't say this seems to be a star in the making by any measure, he very much is working on the variation of himself, which again isn't anything to hand-wave, but doesn't create a limitation. The small bits of emotional moments, particularly the suicidal opening that never really gets much focus after that point, he does deliver on. It isn't an amazing stretch by any imagine, and I won't say I see any untapped potential overall yet, but this is a good performance.)
Tomei - (Basically a variation on her aunt May, but she does certainly deliver as expected on the more emotional moments.)
Burr - (His biggest stretch so far, though I think he's already done well in bringing his sort of abrasive personality in a way that works onscreen. That is the case here again though with a bit more depth than usual. Burr delivers on this depth, though this is relatively limited, in creating sort of slowly revealing what there might be more to the random angry guy he typically does well.)
Powley - (I mean slightly questionable in her choice to do an extremely thick accent again, after White Boy Rick, where maybe I'd like her to return to the less intense American accent of "Diary" once again. Also the more naturalistic approach in general to that earlier performance as well is probably what I'd prefer to see more of. Having said that she does deliver a consistent, very thick, Staten Island accent and beyond that doesn't let it control her performance here. Although I do think for the sake of the film's flow they should've just cut her out of the film, given how limited her interactions with the other characters are, I'll say though Powley delivers well enough on her small bit.)
Apatow - (Decent enough in sort of striking enough of a sense of the relationship between her and Davidson even though it never goes too deep in that regard. I'll give her that she's better than most director's daughters' performances not given by someone named Angelica.)
Adlon - (Does a decent note of exasperated abrasiveness.)
Buscemi - (In a certain sense very much wasted overall to have him just be playing some guy, having said that, Buscemi brings the sort quiet weight needed for his moments with the right natural humor intertwined.)
The Buddies - (All pretty broad, not abysmal, but not exactly hilarious either.)
Louis: your ratings and thoughts on Nina Hoss and Ronald Zehrfeld in Phoenix, Elena Lyadova in Leviathan, Kwai Lun-mei in Black Coal, Thin Ice and its direction as well.
Could you also give your thoughts on Under the Skin?
Michael:
Tabu - 5(I would put her in lead as the film as often is built around her actions/reactions as it is Kapoor's. She's is the greatest Gertrude though that I have seen. This in that she hits each element of the part with a real honesty that creates a sense of the complexity of the character's situation without making an easy femme fatale nor just a naive fool. This in her moments with "Cladius" she creates just a genuine loving chemistry even within that when questioned creates a sense of the real guilt, though does so well in presenting it as an honest comfort in their moments of affection. Throughout though she presents that within the idea of sort of a guilt by silence, which she de-silences through her performance. This finding such an emotional power within her moments of her character attempting to try to really appease all parties in a sense and negotiate with each. This slow failure though of this is beautifully performed by her as this slow descent towards her final moments where she is effectively heartbreaking in sort a recognition of defeat.)
Luke:
Jha - 3.5(Brief part however I felt his scenes where actually quite moving in portraying just the honest goodness of his character, reminded randomly enough of Samuel S. Hinds in It's A Wonderful Life. In this completely believable but good father.)
Menon - 4(Although somewhat more forgettable in the first half in almost being a blank he is quite good in the turn. This in particularly his reaction at the end of the song number where he captures both sort of a vile accusation of a proper villain while also creating the sense of the overwhelming guilt of the men. Like any good approach to Cladius Menon captures that he really does love Gertrude and the failings of the man's ambition in fact come to a cost where there is genuine love.)
Mortensen - 4(I mean the film, besides testing one's patience, just is one long take after another. It is interesting to see Mortensen perform in Danish, and he thrives in it. Mortensen at least managing to create a real emotional connection within the material on the virtues of his performance alone. This is even while I found the film itself to be quite ponderous overall. Mortensen though as usual offered a strong consistent presence.)
Daoming - 4(The film itself would've almost made my top ten if it had a 3rd act. Sadly it hits a point then just becomes a repetition. Nonetheless Daoming gives a moving portrayal of a consistent tenderness of a husband's love that never goes away despite much adversity. Damoming's work resonates as he just quietly reflects the traumatic situation and grants a sense of each step of dealing with it.)
Crowe - 4(Although the film itself I really didn't care that much for, mainly for its writing (Particularly the baffling approach to the depiction of the Turkish army) I found Crowe's directing decent enough, Crowe's performance offers the strong reliable presence you'd expect. This with a consistent sort of strength but also quiet emotional turmoil within his work.)
O'Connell - 4(A strong sort of leading man turn from him here as well, even though the film I don't think lived up to the potential of its concept opting for what I felt was a lame Odd Man Out ripoff overall. O'Connell though delivers in terms of internalizing the emotional need of the man to try to get home while also portraying the physical decay of the man.)
Serebryakov - 3.5(Misery misery misery would be a good subtitle for every film made by Andrey Zvyagintsev I think. This same downtrodden approach to all his films does make me question a few things but I digress. Serebryakov gives a more than decent portrayal of a man who really doesn't have that much personal depth but rather just determination. His work capturing the weight of every emotional betrayal against him, and portrays well that failing conviction.)
Fan - 3(The film itself I found to be tiresome, beautifully shot though, and Fan's performance can really overcome it glacial approach to its pseudo mystery. I thought he was overall fine, but not particularly notable.)
Bilginer - 3(His whole performance is basically as a man who is kind of out of it and purposefully that is a film's approach. A film I think would've gotten its point across in half of the runtime but I digress. Anyway though his work is limited on purpose, though decent enough within it.)
Pino - 3(Another film where the performances are very much in service to the tale but with only limited exploration of character. Pino's performance though at least does convey sort of the wear of the situation, even if it does not let him explore that much more than that.)
Bale - 2.5(The thing is about this film, is I don't think it would've been wholly terrible if it had just been more appropriately cast, rather than casting it like a 50's epic in every way. Bale I'll say probably fairs the best just through the sheer intensity and devotion he brings to every moment of the film. This even though it is not in service to any great end.)
Luis, Weinstein, Tevez - 2.5(I have to say I'm surprised that the distributor didn't try to make a Oscar run for Trash, as clearly there is clearly a fanatic wing of the academy devoted to Stephen Daldry, this film isn't any major step down for him, in fact I'd say it is better than Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, I'm sure if they tried, given the love for Billy Elliott, The Reader and that film, I think they could've got in. Anyway, the three are all decent enough though make no major impression.)
Pilon - 2.5(I hated Mommy, I'm sure glad we had that flip phone ratio the whole time, really made it so I felt intimate with the characters so intimate with the characters, any film in wide screen those characters are just too far away let me tell you...anyway, Pilon's performance is a "Look at me" in every way, which is the point however were we suppose to just be aggravated with him the whole time? Not sure, but I certainly didn't care for whatever it was he was doing, as it very much felt like a performance in that regard therefore losing any potential sympathy I think the role needed.)
Boseman - 2.5(I'll grant James Brown is quite a challenge, it's a big role, and there a lot of extravagance to it. Boseman has the charisma down, but his attempts to get the mannerisms down, felt like well...a mannered performance. Perhaps a better director could've helped him narrow down to something that worked, but here Boseman just is ridiculous at times, particularly as the older Brown.)
Hall - 2(Bland lifeless performance in a terrible film.)
Pegg - 2(I really should always check on the RT score for feel good films about travel with a decent imdb score (they always are inflated for whatever reason). I hated every ounce of this cloying piece of garbage, and Pegg, who I typically am a big fan of, did not convince me otherwise.)
Thwaites - 1(I'll grant that part of this comes down to the film-making choices. The part would work better with a younger person, as seeing him riding a sled for the first time comes off as beyond silly. Having said that, Thwaites's performance is just terribly bland and inadequate otherwise. You could almost just call him blank YA slate in terms of his performance in just how hollow it is.)
Davis was indeed excellent in "The Babadook", and its weirdly satisfying to see Blunt make both top 10s.
Also, I see that Louis has watched “Exodus: Gods and Kings”, and he certainly has my respect for such an endeavour. That is one of those films that I won’t touch with a ten foot pole - not only because of it’s ridiculous casting, but also because late career Ridley Scott can be very hit or miss for me. I mean, if I wanted to see the story of Moses in film, I’d simply rewatch “The Prince of Egypt”.
Luke:
Actress:
1. Marion Cotillard - Two Days, One Night
2. Nina Hoss - Phoenix
3. Essie Davis - The Babadook
4. Tabu - Haider
5. Juliette Binoche - Clouds of Sils Maria - 4.5
6. Anne Dorval - Mommy - 4.5
7. Gong Li - Coming Home - 4.5
8. Julianne Moore - Still Alice
9. Felicity Jones - The Theory of Everything
10. Emily Blunt - Edge of Tomorrow
And:
Sarah Snook - Predestination
Kangana Ranaut - Queen
Jessica Chastain - The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Her
Elena Lyadova - Leviathan - 4
Lisa Loven Kongsli - Force Majeure - 4
Mia Wasikowska - Tracks - 4
Elisabeth Moss - The One I Love
Rosamund Pike - Gone Girl
Jenny Slate - Obvious Child - 4
Reese Witherspoon - Wild
Supporting Actress:
1. Lindsay Duncan - Birdman
2. Rene Russo - Nightcrawler
3. Emma Stone - Birdman
4. Naomi Watts - Birdman
5. Amy Ryan - Birdman
6. Andrea Riseborough - Birdman
7. Imelda Staunton - Pride
8. Emily Blunt - Into the Woods
9. Jessica Chastain - A Most Violent Year
10. Zhang Huiwen - Coming Home - 4
And:
Tessa Thompson - Dear White People - 4
Nina Kunzendorf - Phoenix - 4
Hong Chau - Inherent Vice
Eva Green - Sin City: A Dame To Kill For
Suzanne Clement - Mommy
Carrie Coon - Gone Girl
Nicole Kidman - Paddington
Dorothy Atkinson - Mr. Turner
Kim Dickens - Gone Girl
Laura Dern - Wild
Marion Bailey - Mr. Turner
Carmen Ejogo - Selma
Tahmeed:
I'd say my thoughts in the actual review cover the first two points. The direction of the film was largely inspired, except for maybe a camera movement choice here and there, in sort of granting the film both a realism and fantasy in tandem. This granting sort of a grander more interpretation based Shakespeare with sort of the vibrancy in the way he presents the story, but the story moments within itself granting more of a realism. I found it to be a rather artful combination between the two that granted both sort that political context it seemed to be seeking while also still maintaining the general "thrust" of the play.
Again beyond a couple of awkward movement choices, I found the cinematography quite captivating here. Really only goes wrong when it takes too much of a docudrama approach. This as the general sort of "cold" yet still often pristine aesthetic I found granted the film a rather eye catching quality that made both a sense of place with style and grace about it. I found it largely sort of avoided the Bollywood shortcomings sometimes found in cinematography, and often brought something quite remarkable.
I guess I gotta watch Phoenix, then.
Matt: I watched it last month on recommendation of Omar and was blown away. One of the best endings of the 2010s.
Glad you took to Kuzendorf as well and Dorval to an extent even though we’ll disagree on the use of aspect ratio.
Calvin:
I loved Phoenix's overall approach, which I'm glad avoided flashbacks actually to what Hoss's Nelly had gone through, and rather just left it to the opening and what we see within her performance that is more than enough. I found the film itself just to be incredibly powerfully told, so much within silences again reflected in the performance, in its unusual yet so haunting of tale in its telling of really what cannot be regained after such a tumultuous experience. I loved Petzold's direction that amplified this approach that gave me Vertigo vibes, even beyond the crux of plot. This though worked in the films favor again in that gave it this sort of dreamlike, if technically nightmarish though never that overt, vibe in its approach. This in Petzold granting a real atmosphere within the post-war place, but also such a sense of the state of Nelly's mind that is very much still in this shadow. Also I simply cannot praise the final scene enough that is just outstanding, in how the film builds to the moment, without having to explain it, and just lets the power of Hoss's performance combined with Petzold's careful direction take hold.
RatedRStar:
It's extremely dumb, but thinks it's terribly clever. Every plot development is nonsensical, the whole thing is as this complete mess of an attempted noir, that
just get more and more over the top, funneled through some really lifeless direction, that creates just a wholly insipid affair.
Calvin:
Love the MacKay and Laurie choices. Obviously like Garfield, though I might put him as Lindsay instead as I think you need someone with just a bit harder of an edge, in typical presence, for Abrahams.
Louis: Thoughts on the production design, costume design and cinematography of Nicholas and Alexandra?
Seeing your thoughts on Jack O’Connell make me think that yep, that’s probably the choice for Abrahams. And yep that ending is just outstanding, daring choice which paid off completely.
Huh, it really never occurred to me to place Tabu in Lead for Haider.
Michael: same. I see the argument but I consider her supporting. Same with Blunt.
Omar:
Hoss - (I mean her whole performance is something quite incredible in it's this flawless combination between luminous and broken. In this you get the idea in Hoss's performance of this person who was once so full of life, life that had been painfully ripped from her through her experiences in the holocaust. I love that you never have her have a breakdown, but within Hoss's work you wholly are granted the sense of the terrible traumas she endured within it. This in her whole manner is haunting her as she plays it as this almost a ghost of a person just sort of following these minor motions for much of the early scenes. This only changing when giving the bizarre proposition that is the center plot piece. Hoss uses these scenes brilliantly in that you see in her eyes always the sense of the woman looking for basically the love she lost. This while also putting on this display of trying to be the woman she was, but incapable of being that anymore. It being this heartbreaking display in Hoss's performance that isn't a failure in her own way, but in these moments of attempted life you can feel still her terrible pain she went through. This though being a build though she does so well in that the timidness of the character slightly wears away that Hoss realizes so naturally in presenting her character pretending to be herself, though it is never quite perfect until the final scene. This where she sings Hoss is simply outstanding in you sense the fully luminous qualities of the woman that once was in her singing, though her performance doesn't simplify this still granting now the sense of betrayal in glances that shows a woman reclaiming her life by finally moving on from the old that had still been holding onto her.)
Lun-mei - 3(I suppose I can speak on her the same time I can the film's direction which certainly breaks past for me the point between atmosphere building and just becoming ponderous. This as the film certainly creates a sense of place and environment, helped by some glorious cinematography, but I think it wholly loses any emotional connection to the story through this choice to be...well glacial in the most strictest of terms. Lun-mei's performance I think is fine, when she actually allowed to emote, she's good, but the film keeps us at such a distance, even in terms of a mystery, that it limits what she can do. For me she becomes more of generalized idea than a real character.)
Under the Skin I thought was absolutely captivating...for about 30 minutes. The early scenes of the pickups I thought were brilliantly done...then I kind of thought the film had nothing left to really say, and had no further developments that were interesting. Rather it just became repetitive scenes hitting the same points we basically already saw, but doing them again...and again. A film you can categorize for me, as "would have made a great short film".
Calvin:
You're enabler for Dolan Calvin...though this might be a Jean-Luc Godard situation where I just have fundamental distaste for his directorial voice.
Thoughts on Johansson in "Under the Skin"?
I, for one, absolutely agree with you on the film. It has an intriguing enough premise and is shot rather well, but is simply too slow, repetitious and vague for me to call it a worthwhile viewing experience.
Michael & Calvin: In regards to Tabu in Haider...double same haha.
I understand why Louis placed Tabu in lead, several flashback scenes do give her more precedence when it comes to perspective. That was sort of the reason why I had difficulties deciding on her placement myself.
Louis: Could I have your top 5 for Original song for this year? Kinda curious as to where "Bismil" from Haider is going to end up.
Hoss is an easy win for me despite my love for so many other performances from this year. And you verbalised so wonderfully why. Such a strange yet wonderful progression of character arc.
And super glad to see Petzold made your top 5 for director. Another fruit basket awaits!
Note forgot Mbatha-Raw who'd be in the And section 4.5 for Belle, 4 Beyond the Lights.
Tahmeed:
1. "I love You All" - Frank
2. "Not Gonna Miss You" - Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me
3. "Bismil" - Haider
4. "The Big House" - Muppets Most Wanted
5. "I'm number one" - Muppets Most Wanted
Mitchell:
Johansson - (I think she gives an engaging performance here that is purposefully detached though engaged in a curious way that conveys this sort of curious alien. In that she is interested in humans, but lacks a connection to them. I wish the film kind of broke its "Silence" so to speak to let Johansson explore more with her work, rather than basically looking at herself in the mirror for the entire second half, but still one of her better pre-2019 turns.)
Calvin:
Actually switched my win over to Hoss, so that better be two fruit baskets!!!
Seriously though, writing about why I loved her performance convinced me that she gave my favorite of the year in actress, despite also loving Cotillard...who'll have to just live with her measly 3 other wins I give her.
Thoughts on:
Iko Uwais in The Raid 2
Nate Parker in Beyond the Lights
Johannes Bah Kuhnke in Force Majeure
Louis: Thoughts on Wasikowska and Driver in Tracks? I was going to recommend it, but I thought it was 2013 this whole time lol.
Also, I know Aronofsky isn't your bag (to say the least), but do you plan on watching Noah? If not, I'll completely understand.
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