Anonymous: It's very much a 'I may as well' because I highly doubt he would've done otherwise even if he did mention considering it when he posted the 96 Lead results. Plus there's also the sheer curiosity about it as well.
Well looks like it could be better than Uncle Frank, but much worse than The Father, given it looks like the two films combined. I'm guessing, by the reviews that the song underlying the trailer is false towards the actual tone of the film. The film itself looks quite messy from the trailer itself, but I'm still intrigued by the potential of Henriksen in a substantial role.
I watched The Man Standing Next and while they might not necessarily be due for reviews, I do think it's worth checking out and I'll bet on Lee getting a very solid 4.5 from Louis at the very least.
So, I finished "FullMetal Alchemist" this afternoon...and it's a really good show. I did end up admiring it fondly, so I'll just get my one nitpick out of the way, which is the runtime. Maybe it's just my personal tastes, but I would've probably enjoyed the series even more if it didn't take me so long to watch. That was the same sentiment I had for "Stardust Crusaders", but I do think FMA handled it slightly better in terms of pacing, and not making the episodes feel especially repetitive. Now putting that complaint aside, it's still a really well done Anime. I was particularly taken in by the world building, to be honest; It's use of Pre-WW1 Europe and the imperialist powers of the time as backdrops, while also granting it's supernatural and religous elements the proper depth. All of this, while never forgetting the Elric brothers as it's grounding narrative force, and delivering out some genuinely touching and comedic moments throughout.
Also, as a byproduct of the last four months, I can now offer my top 10 favourite Anime. These are the shows that I've seen at least 1 season of, so the ranking could obviously change with time/future exposure.
1) Mob Psycho 100 (2 Seasons) 2) FullMetal Alchemist (1 Season) 3) Jojo's Bizarre Adventures (2 Seasons) 4) One Punch Man (1 Season) 5) Hunter X Hunter (4 Seasons) 6) My Hero Academia (1 Season) 7) The Seven Deadly Sins (3 Seasons) 8) Akame ga Kill (1 Season) 9) Naruto (3 "Netflix" Seasons) 10) Bleach (1 Season)
Mitchell: If pacing was your issue, you are going to have a rough time with Brotherhood. The first 13 episodes are just a rushed version of the first 30 or so from 2003 so that they don’t have to cover too much of the same ground twice. After that, it alternates between dragging its feet and rushing major developments at random intervals.
Tahmeed: I would certainly say that "The Seven Deadly Sins" and "Akame ga Kill" - while flawed - have good qualities about them that warrant a watch. I mostly sought out "Naruto" and "Bleach" out of curiosity, and found the former to be a touch more interesting.
Anonymous: Noted, and I was intriguing by the series already, so I'll likely give it a shot.
Robert: Also noted, and I suppose that was disappointing for people since it's apparently closer to the manga. That's also why I'm hesistant to continue "Hunter X Hunter" since the next season has 60+ episodes, which just sounds ridiculous.
And while we're on this topic, I'll briefly mention the next viewings that I'll probably watch soon.
The Seven Deadly Sins - Season 4 Attack on Titan - Season 1 Naruto - Season 4 (Perhaps at the expense of my judgment, admittedly) Fist of the North Star - Season 1 (Though that won't be happening for a while) My Hero Academia - Seasons 2/3 (See "Fist of the North Star" comments)
I'm also still trying to find "Yu Yu Hakusho", but its proving more elusive than expected.
Mitchell: It’s faithful to a T, it’s just... very awkwardly directed. I know we don’t think about animation the same way we do live-action in terms of concepts like mise-en-scène, but I recommend watching the Shou Tucker revelation in Brotherhood and compare it to 2003. There’s so much more atmosphere, eeriness, and sense of foreboding just by the way the candlelight was animated. In Brotherhood, the candlelight is drawn almost flatly, and the atmosphere is killed by an overbearing score.
I will say you’ll get a more conclusive happy ending with Brotherhood and more elaborate fight scenes, but you lose so much characterization in the process. There’s no room to breathe. There’s virtually no moral ambiguity, unlike 2003’s latter half. It’s a work that’s afraid to challenge the audience in any way. For me, the happy ending rang false. I’ll take the ambiguous, sort-of rushed ending from 2003. The journey is more important than the destination.
Like, here’s an example: In FMA03, Edward’s failed attempt to bring back his mother creates a being that represents his own failures and resents him for it. He has to answer to it. It’s a major part of his growth. In some ways you could argue he succeeded in the worst possible way. In Brotherhood, the explanation for the Homunculi’s creation is different, so they instead take up an episode around 1/3 of the series that bends over backwards to absolve him. There is no Sloth that’s essentially the dead Mrs. Elric. Sloth in Brotherhood is some burly side-villain meant to literally personify the sin without any characterization beyond a fight scene that goes on for two episodes.
I’m sorry, I just don’t get many opportunities to gripe about Brotherhood. This is cathartic for me.
1. Atkinson (absolutely brilliant portrayal of wit and impulsive buffoonery, easily his best work) 2. Richardson (just an enjoyably vapid and childish portrayal of Elizabeth that I really dug) 3. Robinson (one of the best sources of comic relief around, great as a hapless sort) 4. Fry (I thought he was quite good as a sycophant, but then pretty terrific in the last episode) 5. McInnery (not as good as Robinson, but incredibly enjoyable nevertheless) 6. Byrne (have to admit, not the biggest fan of this portrayal, but Richardson more than makes up for it. She does have a few funny moments though)
Really dug Laurie's and Mayall's guest appearances as well, but granted, I loved everything about it. I'll definitely check out the rest of it some time next week, and let you know when I do.
Well speaking of Falling, I managed to see it, and it is pretty awful. Mortensen's direction is often awkward and stilted. The real problem though is his script that is one of those scripts that saw other films about father/son relationships, cherry picked elements of those films, but without a single bit of insight or depth found in those. Take a little Affliction and I Never Sang For My Father, and turn them into absolutely nothing of worth and you have Falling. Scenes just without depth, that are repetitious and end up adding up to sum nothing. The whole film is just a series of unexplored, or extremely poorly observed ideas. It's one film where you go "What was the point of any of that", however not because there's something to be pondered, but rather because there's nothing to be pondered.
Henriksen - 4 (Let down big time by the script) Mortensen - 3 Cronenberg - 3
Everyone else - 2 (if not lower)
Anonymous:
Any of Liam Neeson's action roles. Any Bruce Willis role, phoned in or otherwise. Either Joe Gage or John Ruth in The Hateful Eight.
Tahmeed:
Well both scenes are scenes of Howerton greatness, in both instances the unbridled rage of hilarity. Though both are different in the ways his rage is hilarious. The car being that of as deranged almost Richard IIIesque kingly declaration. As for the other one of my all time favorite scenes, from the intensity of Howerton in every inch as a pure psychosis capped by his demonic scream. I think what makes it is the pay off of Wally's attempted neighborly friendship, and his reaction to Dennis is priceless.
Luke:
After Devil All the Time, looks like Holland could give another good performance in a bad film. As he looks potentially good, but the film looks kind of all over the place and tonally off from the trailer.
Tahmeed, as well as anyone who's seen the show: What would be your thoughts on the "Important things" and "I've always Known" scenes from "Mob Psycho", Season 2?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM3SVVSpghI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWR_hTC4A98
For me, those are the sequences that helped cement the series as my favourite; The former is such a beautifully rendered moment and reflection of Shigeo's growth, while the other is just so well earned in regards to Reagan's arc.
Henriksen - (Basically the entirety of his performance is spouting angry bigotry inter-spliced with dementia related ramblings, that often are just as hateful as the rest. Henriksen does it well to be sure, as he manages to show just how loathing of everything, including himself he is in these moments. Unfortunately that is basically 95% of his performance. It is just a terribly written part, but I have to give credit to Henriksen for almost finding something in it. The other 5% are completely phony scenes of him not being horrible, phony because the script doesn't earn them at all. Henriksen though tries his hardest to show the vaguest sense of a loving father there, and again I appreciate the effort, however he is handicapped the whole time by just how bad the script is.)
Mortensen - (Mortensen does the same to himself, as his the only trait of the son is that he's gay. To Mortensen's credit he tries to make something still out of his own terrible material, and I appreciate a return to subtle Mortensen, sadly that subtly isn't going to mine anything here. His final scene with Henriksen is well acted by both, but by that point it is a whole lot of "so what?".)
Cronenberg - (Eh he's having some fun here and really is the only part of the film that isn't extremely dour, or remarkably poorly acted.)
Everyone else - (Everyone else is just bad, and it seems Mortensen can't direct actors by this in the least. This as everyone just seems off, as their reactions seem like some strange alien like reaction to things.)
Mitchell: The 'important things' scene was probably the moment I realized that Season 2 was going to be every bit as good as the first, if not better. It nails such an important part of Mob's arc, as his journey towards confidence and breaking down every emotional barrier he had previously reinforced starts coming down, in such a poignantly rendered moment. It's beautifully animated, and the music there ALWAYS gives me chills.
As for 'I've always known'.... it's one of my favourite scenes ever. Such a brilliant culmination of the show's central relationship, and a natural realization of its core theme- that special abilities don't make you better than anyone, and that Reigen being a good person mattered more to Mob than his lack of powers. I did cry the first time I saw it, simply one of the best moments from one of the best anime I've ever seen.
Tahmeed: I think the brilliance of the first scene especially is how Mob finds it in himself to express emotion to others, along with a truly selfless, positive way to use his physic abilities. Both sequences are absolute tear jerkers for sure.
Louis: Welp, just goes to show that great actors aren't necessarily cut out to direct.Although I think anyone who wants to direct should get a chance to try,it doesn't always work out.
Louis: what're your thoughts on the editing in Another Round? The more I think about it, it's my win for 2020 by quite some margin still (The Father unseen).
Absolutely loved One Night in Miami. I could see some taking issue with a few of the creative choices and the way it's laid out but I found it consistently endearing, entertaining and energetic in the 'fun' scenes wile packing an incredible punch. Ben-Adir is definitely the most unambiguously 'lead' followed by Odom Jr., though I'm considering putting all four in the leading category. Loved all their performances and I'll admit I will not be in the least bit mad if Ben-Adir ends up being the guy sliding into that fifth spot.
Anonymous: 1972: Susan Tyrrell - Fat City (Someone from Cries and Whispers)
1976: None
1977: Keaton (She could get a 5 for Looking For Mr. Goodbar but it'll either be Duvall/Spacek in 3 Women or Gena Rowlands in Opening Night) and Carney (Has been mentioned that a switch is possible and I think it might go to Keitel)
1979: Dourif (He has the toughest challenge to his win as Sellers, Kinski and Roy Scheider are all potentially upgradeable not to mention Scott, Ogata and Dewaere)
I mean we’ll see what Louis makes of the film overall, but Ben-Adir is a fairly strong 5 for me. I have to say though, while I really liked Odom Jr. I’m not that sold on him being a frontrunner for a win just by the nature of the role.
Also glad to see David Copperfield at seventh place, bodes well for Laurie's review. I was worried it might diminish for Louis but it seems like it's kept its strength for him.
Okay, I noticed a lot of black names that have never been on the blog before, is there anyway to verify these aren’t just all the same person using aliases to make a ton of predictions?
Hi Robert, I've been on this blog before about two years ago when I recommended The Hollow Crown: Wars Of The Roses yet Louis didn't have enough time to see it. Came back to it because I didn't have much else to do during Lockdown. I'm 28 and come from Bristol.
And I changed my prediction because Hoskins isn't getting much support from the majority.
Anonymous: I was talking more about the generic names seemingly picked out of hat than you, who I'm aware has been here (along with a few other less agreeable Anonymouses).
Everyone: Of the 2000s decade, what would be some of your favourite "underdog" acting nominations IE the leading/supporting performances that likely weren't a sure thing, or we're in films not generally recognized by the academy.
For myself, Ryan Gosling in "Half Nelson" comes to mind. It's arguably the least "oscar friendly" film/performance of the 2006 best actor group, but is also just a very good turn that effectively foreshadowed his future work.
Robert, is Carey Mulligan your Lead Actress winner of 2020. I saw it today and she was incredible. I'd give the film a 4.5, I'm not quite sure how I feel about the ending.
I'll stand by my love of Chicago 7, ending and all, if only because of how well Redmayne sells that moment. I'm still hoping for reviews for him, Cohen, Rylance and Mateen.
One Night in Miami I liked but I didn't love, which was slightly frustrating. I think it is just the material that, which touches upon the issues well enough but it never quite kind of hit that extra something you'd want out of a piece like this. This as I love the story to the point I was hoping it was a masterpiece but it is not. I do like a lot of the interactions, but the stageness does hold it back. That is despite King's best efforts, who makes a good debut here, though I am firmly in the Zeller camp if one of the stage adaptation directors gets in. She has a good sense just for the scenes to play naturally, even if it occasionally drags and there is an unintended claustrophobia at times. She has a decent enough visual sense though not incredible, for example a sorta Barry Jenkins attempted Jim Brown moment doesn't really work. Again though my main objection is within the screenplay I don't think it is truly flawed exactly, even if it more meanders than fully builds, and perhaps spends too much time on creating Cooke and Malcolm X as the conflicting center leaving Ali and Brown sidelined more than they should've been. This as I think would've liked a bit more of a natural mix between their personalities, and sort of political state. Don't get me wrong though, this is a good film, I just was hoping for a great one.
I think actually just Ben-Adir and Odom are leads, because their conflict is the crux of the piece. Ali and Brown's stories are always pushed to the side.
Hodge - 4(Liked his performance a great deal actually as the sort of balance of a stoic yet passionate man. This as Hodge manages to create a sense of the man's own positions really even if he's far less emotional about them overtly. This as he has some strong moments in just the reaction to the others, in creating the man's sort of own calculation, and in a way granting the sense of a man who relies on a certain consistency of action.)
Goree - 3.5(Well I liked him more than Smith, but still waiting on that definitive Ali, which I'll grant is a tall order. Still waiting though, in part because Ali is mostly here for comic relief through his boastful ways, and just some minor moments of presenting hesitation related to following Malcolm X. Goree does a fine impression, though he's always a little teetering between embodiment and just a mimic. Again though is part he's used within the story just to say an Ali line here and there more often than not. He does these well with the right braggadocios qualities, but his charisma doesn't quite overwhelm, which kind of should for Ali. The emotional moments, while limited, are well performed, but in the end, his performance was one I liked but didn't love.)
She's a 4.5, though Much Ado still is my favorite of hers from that year, as I think I like effortlessly "light" Thompson the most.
Lucas:
3.5.
Calvin:
Obviously a big fan of it, and so many of the moments I think work off the building of the editing within the scenes. Great work just in terms of logical scene building of course, but so many of the moments grant it sort of the drunk or sober experience really of different kinds even. Whether it is the faster of creating sort of the rush of fun experience or the slower editing when they are in the doldrums of alcoholism. Beautifully balanced work, and I think knows exactly when to pace itself, ironically, in creating the experience of the men both in terms of the positive and negative.
Luke:
Boys State is one of the best political election movies I've seen, I'll have to imagine if there was some manipulation to some extent, only because it plays SO well. You'd think it was a dramatic piece given how much character there is to each person we follow, and how comic, but also tragic it is in revealing sort of the ways the boys resort to the same questionable tactics of career politicians so quickly.
Michael:
Actually just got bumped out of my top 10, still a big fan, though with the same reservation I had before about the ending, which was essentially enough for it to stay below the rest of my top ten.
Stephen Patterson:
A funny bit in terms of in contrast of Charlie's rather appealing theme song, to resort to abrasive nonsense about spiders and such.
Aidan:
11. Trial of the Chicago Seven 12. Soul 13. Palm Springs 14. True History of the Kelly Gang 15. I'm Thinking of Ending Things 16. Wolfwalkers 17. Mank 18. Belushi 19. Bad Education 20. The Truffle Hunters
For the Alternate Supporting lineup (I'm going with a lineup of 10 as well since there's potentially 2 or 3 category frauds getting in to the official lineup) Laurie/Whishaw Hoult Dennehy Mendelsohn Rylance Strathairn (If he's a 4.5) Larsen (If he's going up) Diggs/Groff
If either Stratharn or Larsen isn't a 4.5 then replace them with either Mateen or Redmayne.
I still kinda enjoy Chicago 7 but there’s things about it that simply haven’t stuck with me and things I developed huge reservations about. A lot of them having to do with Sorkins’ politics (especially with JGL’s character).
Still, that scene between Redmayne and Rylance is one of the year’s best.
Oliver: Dean-Charles Chapman Artful Dodge: George MacKay Fagin: Jonathan Pryce (A lazy choice, Jerome Flynn for alternate) Nancy: Emily Blunt The Bumble: Simon Russell Beale The Magistrate: Jim Broadbent Bill Sikes: Tom Hardy (Yeah he already played it, but if the shoe fits...)
I’m praying Capone or Hillbilly Elegy is his worst just because I hope he hasn’t had this misfortune of seeing some of the even more dire films of the year.
Palm Springs - (Thoroughly enjoyed the film, just a lot of fun, though I'll admit I'm an easy mark for a time loop story. Still even with that thought it had a lot fun with the concept, with basically the turn being the duo in the situation being the turn on it, but that honestly was more than enough. Just enjoyed the low key humor, and felt it hit its emotional beats, even if in a fairly lightweight fashion. Honestly I'm glad that was its approach however as it played into just the endearing relaxed experience of the film.)
Wolfwalkers - (Wolfwalkers has a fairly predictable story, well other than I don't recall Oliver Cromwell's fate involving a giant wolf...but what do I know? Still predictable in a largely effective and rather charming way. This in particularly the friendship between the two girls really quite works in its sweetness, but what I loved about it was the animation. Again if that was taken into account for the best animated film, I think it should win based on that quality even if I preferred Soul as an overall film. This as the film is just absolutely gorgeous to look at and is kind of the fulfillment of the promise of the less impressive Song of the Sea.)
Belushi - (A history of type film however manages to dive deep through the perspective of Belushi's wife granting a particularly intimate view of the man. This expressed all the more through the personal letters and some well utilized animated scenes to fill in the visual gaps. Although I wouldn't say it told me anything new, it told his story with both poignancy and appropriate tragedy.)
The Truffle Hunters - (A particularly well shot documentary, and just immensely charming in focusing on these little moments in the lives of all these different off-beat men. It isn't anything *substantial* but just a joyful examination of a unusual bunch.)
Anonymous:
1. Capone 2. Hillbilly Elegy 3. Uncle Frank 4. Falling 5. Sonic The Hedgehog 6. Irresistible 7. The Gentlemen 8. Rebecca 9. Tesla 10. The Devil All the Time
I mean if Frank Darabont couldn't pull off Frank Capra despite his best efforts, Jon Stewart was flying far too close to the sun on his second feature. Irresistible is anything but. Generic in some ways, poorly devised risks in others, dull, boring, un-engaging, unfunny, just kind of forgettable. Can't decide if it wants to be broad or subtle, earnest or sarcastic. Not good, is the point I'm making. Boys State honestly makes this film look all the worse for it.
Carell - 2.5(He tries but it just kind of becomes a pretty forgettable performance from him. He doesn't fall into his overacting he sometimes does. He's trying to make the tone work, but it doesn't so he doesn't.)
Byrne - 2.5(She's doing her abrasive bit, and less impressively here.)
Davis - 2.5(Not that she's been bad really, but still waiting for the "why they're trying so hard to make her a thing" performance. She's okay here but doesn't really make much of an impact.)
Cooper - 3(The best part of the film in doing the stoic dogooder. He does do it as well as he can and comes the closest to the sort of Capra spirit, if still that isn't much.)
Hey, trying to do your own biopic riff is much appreciated, but this isn't it. This was terrible, and every attempt to be unique fell flat on its face for me. It just becomes one colossal ill-conceived idea after another, which kind of are there to distract you from the really bland outline realization of Tesla's story behind all that. The man deserves a great and unique biopic, this isn't it.
Hawke - 3.5(A shame that the film is so bad as Hawke offers a fine audition for a proper biopic here. This creating the right sort of ethereal quality within his performance. Sadly the film doesn't mine an actual depth, rather just has him stand in front of some purposefully fake back drops and sing for some reason. Odd things for him to do, all that really don't inform his character beyond just a generalized troubled genius. I did like Hawke still, but it is a waste of a chance.)
MacLachlan - 3(Pretty much copy my thoughts on Hawke, as I like the idea of this casting, I even like his general performance, but the writing isn't even slightly there.)
Gaffigan - 3(I liked his performance as well and bought him in the part, if again, there's just nothing really to propel him to anything interesting.)
Hewson - 3(I have to give her some kudos for selling the film's worst lines with a strict conviction. Sadly she also has the film's worst lines, and her part too is also this super generalized concept of a kind of muse of sorts or unrequited love. Both are poorly developed, she does what she can, but not enough.)
"...still waiting for the "why they're trying so hard to make her a thing" performance..."
I see where your coming from, Louis, but I would say Davis is an actress I'm still rooting for, somewhat. At the very least, she's someone that I've been picturing in certain roles; Case in point, she may have made a decent Captain Marvel just based on her action scenes from "Dark Fate".
Ethan Hawke needs to stay away from Michael Almareyda apparently. The Hamlet they did together sucked (sorry Robert), I hear nothing but terrible things about Cymbeline, and now I guess Tesla's pretty bad too.
Anonymous: Aside from the requests and Courtenay & Hardy: Viggo Mortensen in Far From Men (I've read very strong things about him and his on screen chemistry with Reda Kateb) Adam Driver in Hungry Hearts (His Volpi Cup win helps him a great deal)
Samberg and Milioti - 4(Samberg is working kind of in his comic type but doing it well. That is while he's largely comic in his overall manner he doesn't go to broad to diminish the character's curious state of constant ambivalence due to his experience. He finds the right balance within the comedy. Milioti's performance is slightly more dramatically inclined and she delivers well within this slightly more skewed balance. She's wonderful and really a delight while naturally finding the self-loathing aspects of the character without overplaying them. This though with the real selling point being their chemistry where the two excel. The two finding just a sweet honesty in their interactions that manage to hid the familiar rom com beats, though in atypical ways, but hit them earnestly and effectively that amplify both the comedy and drama aspects of the film.)
Simmons - 3.5(As to be expected does another riff on hateful and vicious well with the right comic overtones. When needed though he effectively switches towards the philosophical and delivers his more tender speech with the right degree of heart.)
Tim:
Rick Blaine - (Casablanca itself is the great version of a film that was made seemingly endless times in that period. The reason being just all the right elements coming together, but also a far better script than most. This is partly in Blaine's character who has a bit more depth than most through his arc of finding purpose and self-sacrifice. This though could've been lost with a more sort of "optimistic" actor, but having Bogart is really what really brings it home.)
Snape - (The most interesting of all the Harry Potter characters, basically though in short he's a jerk who is a good person where it counts. This as a bitter man, which is developed with depth over his experience, but within it still the heart of someone who loved. This juxtaposition being one of the most powerful elements in revelation.)
Phil Connors - (A character that really works because of Bill Murray, as he's an extreme jerk and it is because we like Murray as a jerk, that we like the character. As written most would have failed because he's just an egomaniac jerk, his redemption arc well revealed throughout the film, but as written he needed a certain type of charisma to get over the hump. This as there are no immediately known hidden depths, just a "Big city weatherman" with a bad attitude.)
Mrs Carmody - (Broadly written sketch of a fanatic, though properly insidious as such, that works due to performance and the film's heightened tone.)
Annie Wilkes - (The worst nightmare fan realized within one character. This in adoration that is scary to anger over perceived "betrayals" that are just as disturbing. The character is one of brilliantly realized contradictions of a nurse who kills, a chaste woman obsessed, a prude who curses a storm. All realized as a elegant madness that is deranged fan culture personified to an extreme.)
Hud Bannon - (Just a brilliantly written character that is one of the very realizations of the "rebel" son, here realized in the most toxic and caustic way. The emphasis of the character being his careless attitude towards all things, from work, to women, to family to anything at all. What is so great about the character is this is never simplified. He's not pure evil, he's careless and selfless. He does have charisma, but he does have the hints of caring both about what his father thinks about him, and about others. Its hidden though in ego, bluster, lusts and hates. It's just incredibly well written realization of a "bad son" that never makes the concept a simple thing.)
Nick Naylor - (The character doesn't really have a core, and perhaps that's the idea that he's a hollow pitchmen. Well that's fair enough actually in a certain sense. This as it does work in showing what type of man would go to bat for such a company and do it with such enthusiasm.)
Not sure I'm familiar with Lester Burbank.
Bryan:
To be honest, I forgot it came out last year. I started logging what I've been watching in a given year, took me far too long to do this I must admit, but overlooked that one as I started that around June so might've missed a few of those before then when recounting.
5 - Nomadland (Note: The Father could go up, I just want to really watch it a second time, and not because I have any doubts about it either. If it is as devastating the second time, then that's an easy 5, although I'll admit it won't be the easiest thing go through again, as it is an emotionally exhausting experience, and I mean that in a Silence sort of way(aka that's a good thing). Promising Young Woman could also go up, again just a re-watch is needed to see how the ending plays a second time.) 4.5 - Soul Truffle Hunters is still a 4.
149 comments:
1. Mason
2. Anderson
3. Newman
4. Hoskins
5. Woods
5º Paul Newman
4º Carl Anderson
3º Bob Hoskins
2º James Woods
1º James Mason
1. Mason
2. Anderson
3. Hoskins
4. Newman
5. Woods
R.I.P. Jessica Campbell
1. Hoskins
2. Anderson
3. Mason
4. Newman
5. Woods
Hope you do Sim and Sutherland afterwards.
1. Mason
2. Anderson
3. Newman
4. Hoskins
5. Woods
R.I.P. Jessica Campbell
Luke: You looking forward for Woods' review?
1. Mason
2. Hoskins
3. Anderson
4. Newman
5. Woods
Emi: Well, he's either going up or down and shall be fun. I didn't expect him to be reviewed so soon.
And didn't see Hoskins coming at all though I did have an inkling with his initial thoughts.
1.Mason
2.Anderson
3.Newman
4.Hoskins
5.Woods
Oh yeah!!! Have been waiting on that Anderson review FOREVER thank you Louis.
1. Anderson
2. Mason
3. Hoskins
4. Newman
5. Woods
1. Hoskins
2. Anderson
3. Mason
4. Newman
5. Woods
Anonymous2:
1. Anderson
2. Hoskins
3. Mason
4. Newman
5. Woods
1. Hoskins
2. Anderson
3. Mason
4. Newman
5. Woods
1. Anderson
2. Hoskins
3. Mason
4. Newman
5. Woods
1. Hoskins
2. Anderson
3. Mason
4. Newman
5. Woods
I predict a 5 for Hoskins and Woods will remain the same I think.
Luke, what made you request Woods exactly, considering Louis detests the film.
Louis: Thoughts on this trailer for Batman and Robin?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKNSstnq4sg
Anonymous: It's very much a 'I may as well' because I highly doubt he would've done otherwise even if he did mention considering it when he posted the 96 Lead results. Plus there's also the sheer curiosity about it as well.
The Above comment is mine.
Louis: Your thoughts on the trailer for Falling.
1) Mason
2) Woods
3) Anderson
4) Hoskins
5) Newman
1. Mason
2. Anderson
3. Hoskins
4. Newman
5. Woods
Also, if I may ask a random question - why did so many Anime from the early 2000s have punk rock openings?
And yes...that's where I am at with FMA right now.
Mitchell: I don't watch animes but my uneducated guess is late 90s/early 2000s nu/alt metal craze maybe?
Anonymous:
Still looks as terrible as it is.
Luke:
Well looks like it could be better than Uncle Frank, but much worse than The Father, given it looks like the two films combined. I'm guessing, by the reviews that the song underlying the trailer is false towards the actual tone of the film. The film itself looks quite messy from the trailer itself, but I'm still intrigued by the potential of Henriksen in a substantial role.
Luke, aside from the requests, who do you think are locks for 2006 lead.
Anonymous:
Sacha Baron Cohen in Borat
Timothy Spall in Pierrepoint
Ben Whishaw in Perfume
With Spall and Whishaw, it's the nature of their roles that Louis would easily go for and each have great potential.
1. James Mason
2. Carl Anderson
3. Bob Hoskins
4. Paul Newman
5. James Woods
1. James Mason
2. Carl Anderson
3. Bob Hoskins
4. Paul Newman
5. James Woods
1. James Mason
2. Carl Anderson
3. Bob Hoskins
4. Paul Newman
5. James Woods
I watched The Man Standing Next and while they might not necessarily be due for reviews, I do think it's worth checking out and I'll bet on Lee getting a very solid 4.5 from Louis at the very least.
1. Mason
2. Hoskins
3. Anderson
4. Newman
5. Woods
Louis: Any particular roles you think Michael Biehn would have been great in if he had been offered better roles in these last 20 years?
1. James Mason
2. Carl Anderson
3. Bob Hoskins
4. Paul Newman
5. James Woods
Louis: Your thoughts on these following It's Always Sunny scenes?
"Ever been in a storm Wally?"
A Starter Car
Luke, where do you think these performances will rank in their respective years
Anonymous:
Mason - 3rd
Newman - 15th
Woods - 6th
Anderson - Top 10
Hoskins - 2nd/3rd
And I hope Hopkins makes the 93 top ten as well.
Louis: Your thoughts on the Cherry trailer.
Louis, if Hopkins's re-examination is coming tonight then has Thompson been upgraded or does she remain a 4.
I'm formally rooting for Woods to be downgraded.
Michael: I'm looking forward to an entertaining write-up. :)
I just watched Promising Young Woman, and... Jesus Christ. Um, I think I loved it, but it was A LOT to take in.
So, I finished "FullMetal Alchemist" this afternoon...and it's a really good show. I did end up admiring it fondly, so I'll just get my one nitpick out of the way, which is the runtime. Maybe it's just my personal tastes, but I would've probably enjoyed the series even more if it didn't take me so long to watch. That was the same sentiment I had for "Stardust Crusaders", but I do think FMA handled it slightly better in terms of pacing, and not making the episodes feel especially repetitive. Now putting that complaint aside, it's still a really well done Anime. I was particularly taken in by the world building, to be honest; It's use of Pre-WW1 Europe and the imperialist powers of the time as backdrops, while also granting it's supernatural and religous elements the proper depth. All of this, while never forgetting the Elric brothers as it's grounding narrative force, and delivering out some genuinely touching and comedic moments throughout.
So yah...you could say I enjoyed the series.
Also, as a byproduct of the last four months, I can now offer my top 10 favourite Anime. These are the shows that I've seen at least 1 season of, so the ranking could obviously change with time/future exposure.
1) Mob Psycho 100 (2 Seasons)
2) FullMetal Alchemist (1 Season)
3) Jojo's Bizarre Adventures (2 Seasons)
4) One Punch Man (1 Season)
5) Hunter X Hunter (4 Seasons)
6) My Hero Academia (1 Season)
7) The Seven Deadly Sins (3 Seasons)
8) Akame ga Kill (1 Season)
9) Naruto (3 "Netflix" Seasons)
10) Bleach (1 Season)
Mitchell: Love that top 6 man, great stuff. I can't quite comment on the rest, because I haven't completed watching them.
Mitchell: Fist of the North Star can be silly, but it can also get pretty emotional.
Mitchell: If pacing was your issue, you are going to have a rough time with Brotherhood. The first 13 episodes are just a rushed version of the first 30 or so from 2003 so that they don’t have to cover too much of the same ground twice. After that, it alternates between dragging its feet and rushing major developments at random intervals.
Tahmeed: I would certainly say that "The Seven Deadly Sins" and "Akame ga Kill" - while flawed - have good qualities about them that warrant a watch. I mostly sought out "Naruto" and "Bleach" out of curiosity, and found the former to be a touch more interesting.
Anonymous: Noted, and I was intriguing by the series already, so I'll likely give it a shot.
Robert: Also noted, and I suppose that was disappointing for people since it's apparently closer to the manga. That's also why I'm hesistant to continue "Hunter X Hunter" since the next season has 60+ episodes, which just sounds ridiculous.
And while we're on this topic, I'll briefly mention the next viewings that I'll probably watch soon.
The Seven Deadly Sins - Season 4
Attack on Titan - Season 1
Naruto - Season 4 (Perhaps at the expense of my judgment, admittedly)
Fist of the North Star - Season 1 (Though that won't be happening for a while)
My Hero Academia - Seasons 2/3 (See "Fist of the North Star" comments)
I'm also still trying to find "Yu Yu Hakusho", but its proving more elusive than expected.
R.I.P. Joanne Rogers
Mitchell: It’s faithful to a T, it’s just... very awkwardly directed. I know we don’t think about animation the same way we do live-action in terms of concepts like mise-en-scène, but I recommend watching the Shou Tucker revelation in Brotherhood and compare it to 2003. There’s so much more atmosphere, eeriness, and sense of foreboding just by the way the candlelight was animated. In Brotherhood, the candlelight is drawn almost flatly, and the atmosphere is killed by an overbearing score.
I will say you’ll get a more conclusive happy ending with Brotherhood and more elaborate fight scenes, but you lose so much characterization in the process. There’s no room to breathe. There’s virtually no moral ambiguity, unlike 2003’s latter half. It’s a work that’s afraid to challenge the audience in any way. For me, the happy ending rang false. I’ll take the ambiguous, sort-of rushed ending from 2003. The journey is more important than the destination.
Like, here’s an example: In FMA03, Edward’s failed attempt to bring back his mother creates a being that represents his own failures and resents him for it. He has to answer to it. It’s a major part of his growth. In some ways you could argue he succeeded in the worst possible way. In Brotherhood, the explanation for the Homunculi’s creation is different, so they instead take up an episode around 1/3 of the series that bends over backwards to absolve him. There is no Sloth that’s essentially the dead Mrs. Elric. Sloth in Brotherhood is some burly side-villain meant to literally personify the sin without any characterization beyond a fight scene that goes on for two episodes.
I’m sorry, I just don’t get many opportunities to gripe about Brotherhood. This is cathartic for me.
Luke: I started (and finished) Blackadder season 2 today. Absolutely loved it.
Tahmeed: Happy to hear it. :)
How would you rank the cast (Any thoughts) and are you going to watch 3 and 4 soon afterwards.
Luke, with the remaining 2000s years, which acting winners are at risk of losing.
Anonymous:
2000: McDowell (even if he goes up) and Yeoh (I'll be shocked if Bjork doesn't take it)
2004: Cruise (Murray or Considine), Thurman (Staunton while Kidman is a dark horse) and Hoffman (I'm putting all my money on O'Toole)
2006: Watts (Dern)
2007: Cotillard (I'm expecting at least 4 performances getting 5s)
2009: Mulligan (Kim Hye-Ja)
Luke:
1. Atkinson (absolutely brilliant portrayal of wit and impulsive buffoonery, easily his best work)
2. Richardson (just an enjoyably vapid and childish portrayal of Elizabeth that I really dug)
3. Robinson (one of the best sources of comic relief around, great as a hapless sort)
4. Fry (I thought he was quite good as a sycophant, but then pretty terrific in the last episode)
5. McInnery (not as good as Robinson, but incredibly enjoyable nevertheless)
6. Byrne (have to admit, not the biggest fan of this portrayal, but Richardson more than makes up for it. She does have a few funny moments though)
Really dug Laurie's and Mayall's guest appearances as well, but granted, I loved everything about it. I'll definitely check out the rest of it some time next week, and let you know when I do.
Luke: You mean O'Toole in Troy? You're gonna lose that money.
I'll keep that in mind Matt when we get there.
Well speaking of Falling, I managed to see it, and it is pretty awful. Mortensen's direction is often awkward and stilted. The real problem though is his script that is one of those scripts that saw other films about father/son relationships, cherry picked elements of those films, but without a single bit of insight or depth found in those. Take a little Affliction and I Never Sang For My Father, and turn them into absolutely nothing of worth and you have Falling. Scenes just without depth, that are repetitious and end up adding up to sum nothing. The whole film is just a series of unexplored, or extremely poorly observed ideas. It's one film where you go "What was the point of any of that", however not because there's something to be pondered, but rather because there's nothing to be pondered.
Henriksen - 4 (Let down big time by the script)
Mortensen - 3
Cronenberg - 3
Everyone else - 2 (if not lower)
Anonymous:
Any of Liam Neeson's action roles. Any Bruce Willis role, phoned in or otherwise. Either Joe Gage or John Ruth in The Hateful Eight.
Tahmeed:
Well both scenes are scenes of Howerton greatness, in both instances the unbridled rage of hilarity. Though both are different in the ways his rage is hilarious. The car being that of as deranged almost Richard IIIesque kingly declaration. As for the other one of my all time favorite scenes, from the intensity of Howerton in every inch as a pure psychosis capped by his demonic scream. I think what makes it is the pay off of Wally's attempted neighborly friendship, and his reaction to Dennis is priceless.
Luke:
After Devil All the Time, looks like Holland could give another good performance in a bad film. As he looks potentially good, but the film looks kind of all over the place and tonally off from the trailer.
Tahmeed, as well as anyone who's seen the show: What would be your thoughts on the "Important things" and "I've always Known" scenes from "Mob Psycho", Season 2?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kM3SVVSpghI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWR_hTC4A98
For me, those are the sequences that helped cement the series as my favourite; The former is such a beautifully rendered moment and reflection of Shigeo's growth, while the other is just so well earned in regards to Reagan's arc.
Louis: Thoughts on the cast.
Can't wait for your thoughts on One Night In Miami tomorrow.
Luke:
Henriksen - (Basically the entirety of his performance is spouting angry bigotry inter-spliced with dementia related ramblings, that often are just as hateful as the rest. Henriksen does it well to be sure, as he manages to show just how loathing of everything, including himself he is in these moments. Unfortunately that is basically 95% of his performance. It is just a terribly written part, but I have to give credit to Henriksen for almost finding something in it. The other 5% are completely phony scenes of him not being horrible, phony because the script doesn't earn them at all. Henriksen though tries his hardest to show the vaguest sense of a loving father there, and again I appreciate the effort, however he is handicapped the whole time by just how bad the script is.)
Mortensen - (Mortensen does the same to himself, as his the only trait of the son is that he's gay. To Mortensen's credit he tries to make something still out of his own terrible material, and I appreciate a return to subtle Mortensen, sadly that subtly isn't going to mine anything here. His final scene with Henriksen is well acted by both, but by that point it is a whole lot of "so what?".)
Cronenberg - (Eh he's having some fun here and really is the only part of the film that isn't extremely dour, or remarkably poorly acted.)
Everyone else - (Everyone else is just bad, and it seems Mortensen can't direct actors by this in the least. This as everyone just seems off, as their reactions seem like some strange alien like reaction to things.)
Mitchell: The 'important things' scene was probably the moment I realized that Season 2 was going to be every bit as good as the first, if not better. It nails such an important part of Mob's arc, as his journey towards confidence and breaking down every emotional barrier he had previously reinforced starts coming down, in such a poignantly rendered moment. It's beautifully animated, and the music there ALWAYS gives me chills.
As for 'I've always known'.... it's one of my favourite scenes ever. Such a brilliant culmination of the show's central relationship, and a natural realization of its core theme- that special abilities don't make you better than anyone, and that Reigen being a good person mattered more to Mob than his lack of powers. I did cry the first time I saw it, simply one of the best moments from one of the best anime I've ever seen.
Tahmeed: I think the brilliance of the first scene especially is how Mob finds it in himself to express emotion to others, along with a truly selfless, positive way to use his physic abilities. Both sequences are absolute tear jerkers for sure.
Louis: Welp, just goes to show that great actors aren't necessarily cut out to direct.Although I think anyone who wants to direct should get a chance to try,it doesn't always work out.
Matt: I mean, from the sounds of Louis' thoughts the film did do at least one thing - bring the spotlight back on Henrikson for a bit.
If he isn't already, then may he be put of in the same league as Scott Glenn and Stephen Lang, as just a very reliable and storied character actor.
Hopkins got a 5. YESSSSSSS!.
Louis: Any other upgrades. If Thompson went up, did you prefer her there or in Much Ado About Nothing.
I'm so delighted with his huge upgrade.
And he's going up to 7 fives in two months. :)
Oh damn, outstanding.
Nice, re-evaluations are honestly my favourite reviews to read. I'm glad Louis gave him the 5.
1. Mason
2. Anderson
3. Hoskins
4. Newman
5. Woods
Louis: what is your rating for Catherine Zeta-Jones in The Mask of Zorro?
I watched Felicia's Journey, which I liked, but there's things that hold it back from being as great as I think it potentially could have been.
Cassidy-2.5
Hoskins-5
Khanjian-3(She gets a lot of help, but in terms of her performance she hits all the beats well)
McDonald-2
McSorley-2.5
Louis: what're your thoughts on the editing in Another Round? The more I think about it, it's my win for 2020 by quite some margin still (The Father unseen).
1. Anderson
2. Mason
3. Hoskins
4. Newman
5. Woods
1. Anderson
2. Mason
3. Hoskins
4. Newman
5. Woods
Luke, what remaining 70’s winners are a most risk of losing their win?
Absolutely loved One Night in Miami. I could see some taking issue with a few of the creative choices and the way it's laid out but I found it consistently endearing, entertaining and energetic in the 'fun' scenes wile packing an incredible punch. Ben-Adir is definitely the most unambiguously 'lead' followed by Odom Jr., though I'm considering putting all four in the leading category. Loved all their performances and I'll admit I will not be in the least bit mad if Ben-Adir ends up being the guy sliding into that fifth spot.
Anonymous:
1972: Susan Tyrrell - Fat City (Someone from Cries and Whispers)
1976: None
1977: Keaton (She could get a 5 for Looking For Mr. Goodbar but it'll either be Duvall/Spacek in 3 Women or Gena Rowlands in Opening Night) and Carney (Has been mentioned that a switch is possible and I think it might go to Keitel)
1979:
Dourif (He has the toughest challenge to his win as Sellers, Kinski and Roy Scheider are all potentially upgradeable not to mention Scott, Ogata and Dewaere)
Calvin: Happy to hear it. :)
I guess a 10 lineup for Lead is quite possible now.
I mean we’ll see what Louis makes of the film overall, but Ben-Adir is a fairly strong 5 for me. I have to say though, while I really liked Odom Jr. I’m not that sold on him being a frontrunner for a win just by the nature of the role.
Calvin: I'm going with Kaluuya.
You can always rely on Leading Actor being strong every year.
The top ten is up and I'm so glad David Copperfield came in at #7.
Louis: Your thoughts on Boys State.
I am absolutely delighted to see my top 3 is the same as Louis', albeit in a different order. Will definitely need to check out Boys State now.
Also glad to see David Copperfield at seventh place, bodes well for Laurie's review. I was worried it might diminish for Louis but it seems like it's kept its strength for him.
Anonymous2:
1. Anderson
2. Mason
3. Hoskins
4. Newman
5. Woods
Hamilton at #6, magnificent.
Louis: Your Top 11-20 of 2020 so far?
Also glad to see you liked Boys State.
1. Anderson
2. Mason
3. Hoskins
4. Newman
5. Woods
1. Mason
2. Anderson
3. Hoskins
4. Newman
5. Woods
1. Mason
2. Anderson
3. Hoskins
4. Newman
5. Woods
Another Round being at #1, and The Father being at #4 does give me quite a bit of confidence for a Mikkelsen win.
Okay, I noticed a lot of black names that have never been on the blog before, is there anyway to verify these aren’t just all the same person using aliases to make a ton of predictions?
Robert: I'm 22 and from Swansea, Wales. I'll ask questions whenever I feel like asking.
Hi Robert, I've been on this blog before about two years ago when I recommended The Hollow Crown: Wars Of The Roses yet Louis didn't have enough time to see it. Came back to it because I didn't have much else to do during Lockdown. I'm 28 and come from Bristol.
And I changed my prediction because Hoskins isn't getting much support from the majority.
Anonymous: I was talking more about the generic names seemingly picked out of hat than you, who I'm aware has been here (along with a few other less agreeable Anonymouses).
Robert, I'm a newbie here and came across it just recently. I'm from Canberra, Australia.
Robert, I'm 25 and hail from Scottsdale, Arizona.
A question I have to ask, if I just put down Anonymous, how is Louis going to recognize if my prediction is correct or not.
I hope no one's copy and pasting my prediction just for the sake of it, because I've noticed a pattern lately.
Please try and get Blogger accounts if you can.
Louis: Your thoughts on One Night In Miami and the cast (Those you're not saving).
Luke: I'll get around to it eventually.
Louis: Can I have your thoughts on this piece from The Fellowship Of The Ring.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XXRitieTc4Q
Louis, your thoughts on Go Fuck Yourself from It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia.
Everyone: Of the 2000s decade, what would be some of your favourite "underdog" acting nominations IE the leading/supporting performances that likely weren't a sure thing, or we're in films not generally recognized by the academy.
For myself, Ryan Gosling in "Half Nelson" comes to mind. It's arguably the least "oscar friendly" film/performance of the 2006 best actor group, but is also just a very good turn that effectively foreshadowed his future work.
I'll also say, in reference to the current line up..."you owe me fifteen grand, pal" is one of my favourite Paul Newman lines.
1. Mason
2. Anderson.
3. Hoskins.
4. Newman.
5. Woods.
I went with Michael's predictions but did not copy and paste them.
So am I the only one here who still totally loves The Trial of the Chicago 7?
Robert, is Carey Mulligan your Lead Actress winner of 2020. I saw it today and she was incredible. I'd give the film a 4.5, I'm not quite sure how I feel about the ending.
Michael: Nah, I still dig it too.
Michael and Matt: I hope Rylance gets double-reviewed this year.
Luke: His big scene with Langella - and just his delivery of "NO HE DOESN'T!" - is worthy of MVP status.
That being said, Cohen's not far off in my books.
Michael: It’s actually my #3 of the year, and worst-case, it’ll still be in my Top 15 when I wrap up my 2020 viewings.
I'll also say when I first watched the film, it was fun hearing John Dorman and going "Holy crap...that's Caesar from 'Fallout New Vegas'".
Rylance for me was only the third best in Chicago 7. My MVP believe it or not is Eddie Redmayne, followed by Cohen.
Louis, your 2000s cast for Oliver!
I'll stand by my love of Chicago 7, ending and all, if only because of how well Redmayne sells that moment. I'm still hoping for reviews for him, Cohen, Rylance and Mateen.
Michael: I'm right there with you, even if the ending makes me groan louder each time.
Also, Rylance MVP gang.
One Night in Miami I liked but I didn't love, which was slightly frustrating. I think it is just the material that, which touches upon the issues well enough but it never quite kind of hit that extra something you'd want out of a piece like this. This as I love the story to the point I was hoping it was a masterpiece but it is not. I do like a lot of the interactions, but the stageness does hold it back. That is despite King's best efforts, who makes a good debut here, though I am firmly in the Zeller camp if one of the stage adaptation directors gets in. She has a good sense just for the scenes to play naturally, even if it occasionally drags and there is an unintended claustrophobia at times. She has a decent enough visual sense though not incredible, for example a sorta Barry Jenkins attempted Jim Brown moment doesn't really work. Again though my main objection is within the screenplay I don't think it is truly flawed exactly, even if it more meanders than fully builds, and perhaps spends too much time on creating Cooke and Malcolm X as the conflicting center leaving Ali and Brown sidelined more than they should've been. This as I think would've liked a bit more of a natural mix between their personalities, and sort of political state. Don't get me wrong though, this is a good film, I just was hoping for a great one.
I think actually just Ben-Adir and Odom are leads, because their conflict is the crux of the piece. Ali and Brown's stories are always pushed to the side.
Hodge - 4(Liked his performance a great deal actually as the sort of balance of a stoic yet passionate man. This as Hodge manages to create a sense of the man's own positions really even if he's far less emotional about them overtly. This as he has some strong moments in just the reaction to the others, in creating the man's sort of own calculation, and in a way granting the sense of a man who relies on a certain consistency of action.)
Goree - 3.5(Well I liked him more than Smith, but still waiting on that definitive Ali, which I'll grant is a tall order. Still waiting though, in part because Ali is mostly here for comic relief through his boastful ways, and just some minor moments of presenting hesitation related to following Malcolm X. Goree does a fine impression, though he's always a little teetering between embodiment and just a mimic. Again though is part he's used within the story just to say an Ali line here and there more often than not. He does these well with the right braggadocios qualities, but his charisma doesn't quite overwhelm, which kind of should for Ali. The emotional moments, while limited, are well performed, but in the end, his performance was one I liked but didn't love.)
All the quick parts are just fine.
Luke:
She's a 4.5, though Much Ado still is my favorite of hers from that year, as I think I like effortlessly "light" Thompson the most.
Lucas:
3.5.
Calvin:
Obviously a big fan of it, and so many of the moments I think work off the building of the editing within the scenes. Great work just in terms of logical scene building of course, but so many of the moments grant it sort of the drunk or sober experience really of different kinds even. Whether it is the faster of creating sort of the rush of fun experience or the slower editing when they are in the doldrums of alcoholism. Beautifully balanced work, and I think knows exactly when to pace itself, ironically, in creating the experience of the men both in terms of the positive and negative.
Luke:
Boys State is one of the best political election movies I've seen, I'll have to imagine if there was some manipulation to some extent, only because it plays SO well. You'd think it was a dramatic piece given how much character there is to each person we follow, and how comic, but also tragic it is in revealing sort of the ways the boys resort to the same questionable tactics of career politicians so quickly.
Michael:
Actually just got bumped out of my top 10, still a big fan, though with the same reservation I had before about the ending, which was essentially enough for it to stay below the rest of my top ten.
Stephen Patterson:
A funny bit in terms of in contrast of Charlie's rather appealing theme song, to resort to abrasive nonsense about spiders and such.
Aidan:
11. Trial of the Chicago Seven
12. Soul
13. Palm Springs
14. True History of the Kelly Gang
15. I'm Thinking of Ending Things
16. Wolfwalkers
17. Mank
18. Belushi
19. Bad Education
20. The Truffle Hunters
For the Alternate Supporting lineup (I'm going with a lineup of 10 as well since there's potentially 2 or 3 category frauds getting in to the official lineup)
Laurie/Whishaw
Hoult
Dennehy
Mendelsohn
Rylance
Strathairn (If he's a 4.5)
Larsen (If he's going up)
Diggs/Groff
If either Stratharn or Larsen isn't a 4.5 then replace them with either Mateen or Redmayne.
I still kinda enjoy Chicago 7 but there’s things about it that simply haven’t stuck with me and things I developed huge reservations about. A lot of them having to do with Sorkins’ politics (especially with JGL’s character).
Still, that scene between Redmayne and Rylance is one of the year’s best.
Stephen:
Oliver! 2000's:
Oliver: Dean-Charles Chapman
Artful Dodge: George MacKay
Fagin: Jonathan Pryce (A lazy choice, Jerome Flynn for alternate)
Nancy: Emily Blunt
The Bumble: Simon Russell Beale
The Magistrate: Jim Broadbent
Bill Sikes: Tom Hardy (Yeah he already played it, but if the shoe fits...)
Louis: thoughts on Palm Springs, Wolfwalkers, Belushi, and The Truffle Hunters?
Louis what would be your ten worst films of 2020 of what you've seen?
Louis: what are your top 20 original scores of all-time.
I'll laugh if Tenet actually makes the list.
I’m praying Capone or Hillbilly Elegy is his worst just because I hope he hasn’t had this misfortune of seeing some of the even more dire films of the year.
Calvin:
Palm Springs - (Thoroughly enjoyed the film, just a lot of fun, though I'll admit I'm an easy mark for a time loop story. Still even with that thought it had a lot fun with the concept, with basically the turn being the duo in the situation being the turn on it, but that honestly was more than enough. Just enjoyed the low key humor, and felt it hit its emotional beats, even if in a fairly lightweight fashion. Honestly I'm glad that was its approach however as it played into just the endearing relaxed experience of the film.)
Wolfwalkers - (Wolfwalkers has a fairly predictable story, well other than I don't recall Oliver Cromwell's fate involving a giant wolf...but what do I know? Still predictable in a largely effective and rather charming way. This in particularly the friendship between the two girls really quite works in its sweetness, but what I loved about it was the animation. Again if that was taken into account for the best animated film, I think it should win based on that quality even if I preferred Soul as an overall film. This as the film is just absolutely gorgeous to look at and is kind of the fulfillment of the promise of the less impressive Song of the Sea.)
Belushi - (A history of type film however manages to dive deep through the perspective of Belushi's wife granting a particularly intimate view of the man. This expressed all the more through the personal letters and some well utilized animated scenes to fill in the visual gaps. Although I wouldn't say it told me anything new, it told his story with both poignancy and appropriate tragedy.)
The Truffle Hunters - (A particularly well shot documentary, and just immensely charming in focusing on these little moments in the lives of all these different off-beat men. It isn't anything *substantial* but just a joyful examination of a unusual bunch.)
Anonymous:
1. Capone
2. Hillbilly Elegy
3. Uncle Frank
4. Falling
5. Sonic The Hedgehog
6. Irresistible
7. The Gentlemen
8. Rebecca
9. Tesla
10. The Devil All the Time
Louis: If you haven't already, your thoughts on Irresistible and Tesla with ratings/thoughts on the casts.
Louis: Wait a minute, Oliver Cromwell and a giant wolf. I'm pretty sure Charles II had his head on a pole after the Restoration.
Louis, ratings and thoughts on the Palm Springs cast.
Calvin: In regards to Blackadder, Your favourite episode from season 2, 3 and 4.
Mine are:
Potato
Sense and Senility
Goodbyeee
Luke:
I mean if Frank Darabont couldn't pull off Frank Capra despite his best efforts, Jon Stewart was flying far too close to the sun on his second feature. Irresistible is anything but. Generic in some ways, poorly devised risks in others, dull, boring, un-engaging, unfunny, just kind of forgettable. Can't decide if it wants to be broad or subtle, earnest or sarcastic. Not good, is the point I'm making. Boys State honestly makes this film look all the worse for it.
Carell - 2.5(He tries but it just kind of becomes a pretty forgettable performance from him. He doesn't fall into his overacting he sometimes does. He's trying to make the tone work, but it doesn't so he doesn't.)
Byrne - 2.5(She's doing her abrasive bit, and less impressively here.)
Davis - 2.5(Not that she's been bad really, but still waiting for the "why they're trying so hard to make her a thing" performance. She's okay here but doesn't really make much of an impact.)
Cooper - 3(The best part of the film in doing the stoic dogooder. He does do it as well as he can and comes the closest to the sort of Capra spirit, if still that isn't much.)
Hey, trying to do your own biopic riff is much appreciated, but this isn't it. This was terrible, and every attempt to be unique fell flat on its face for me. It just becomes one colossal ill-conceived idea after another, which kind of are there to distract you from the really bland outline realization of Tesla's story behind all that. The man deserves a great and unique biopic, this isn't it.
Hawke - 3.5(A shame that the film is so bad as Hawke offers a fine audition for a proper biopic here. This creating the right sort of ethereal quality within his performance. Sadly the film doesn't mine an actual depth, rather just has him stand in front of some purposefully fake back drops and sing for some reason. Odd things for him to do, all that really don't inform his character beyond just a generalized troubled genius. I did like Hawke still, but it is a waste of a chance.)
MacLachlan - 3(Pretty much copy my thoughts on Hawke, as I like the idea of this casting, I even like his general performance, but the writing isn't even slightly there.)
Gaffigan - 3(I liked his performance as well and bought him in the part, if again, there's just nothing really to propel him to anything interesting.)
Hewson - 3(I have to give her some kudos for selling the film's worst lines with a strict conviction. Sadly she also has the film's worst lines, and her part too is also this super generalized concept of a kind of muse of sorts or unrequited love. Both are poorly developed, she does what she can, but not enough.)
Regarding the Cromwell comment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llE7wT1BKt8
David Jones:
I think I gave that somewhere...
1. Hoskins
2. Mason
3. Anderson
4. Woods
5. Newman
"...still waiting for the "why they're trying so hard to make her a thing" performance..."
I see where your coming from, Louis, but I would say Davis is an actress I'm still rooting for, somewhat. At the very least, she's someone that I've been picturing in certain roles; Case in point, she may have made a decent Captain Marvel just based on her action scenes from "Dark Fate".
your thoughts on these characters? Not performances, just the characters as written
Rick Blaine
Severus Snape
Phil Connors
Mrs Carmody (The Mist)
Annie Wilkes
Lester Burbank
Hud Bannon
Nick Naylor
Ethan Hawke needs to stay away from Michael Almareyda apparently. The Hamlet they did together sucked (sorry Robert), I hear nothing but terrible things about Cymbeline, and now I guess Tesla's pretty bad too.
Louis: what are your ratings and thoughts on the cast of Palm Springs?
Thank you Louis
Luke, who do you think are locks for 2015 Lead.
Anonymous: Aside from the requests and Courtenay & Hardy:
Viggo Mortensen in Far From Men (I've read very strong things about him and his on screen chemistry with Reda Kateb)
Adam Driver in Hungry Hearts (His Volpi Cup win helps him a great deal)
*Looks at Worst of the Year list*
Louis: No Birds of Prey? I recall you being rather negative about it.
Also, your lowest 5, 4.5 and 4 on your Top 20.
Anonymous & Lucas:
Samberg and Milioti - 4(Samberg is working kind of in his comic type but doing it well. That is while he's largely comic in his overall manner he doesn't go to broad to diminish the character's curious state of constant ambivalence due to his experience. He finds the right balance within the comedy. Milioti's performance is slightly more dramatically inclined and she delivers well within this slightly more skewed balance. She's wonderful and really a delight while naturally finding the self-loathing aspects of the character without overplaying them. This though with the real selling point being their chemistry where the two excel. The two finding just a sweet honesty in their interactions that manage to hid the familiar rom com beats, though in atypical ways, but hit them earnestly and effectively that amplify both the comedy and drama aspects of the film.)
Simmons - 3.5(As to be expected does another riff on hateful and vicious well with the right comic overtones. When needed though he effectively switches towards the philosophical and delivers his more tender speech with the right degree of heart.)
Tim:
Rick Blaine - (Casablanca itself is the great version of a film that was made seemingly endless times in that period. The reason being just all the right elements coming together, but also a far better script than most. This is partly in Blaine's character who has a bit more depth than most through his arc of finding purpose and self-sacrifice. This though could've been lost with a more sort of "optimistic" actor, but having Bogart is really what really brings it home.)
Snape - (The most interesting of all the Harry Potter characters, basically though in short he's a jerk who is a good person where it counts. This as a bitter man, which is developed with depth over his experience, but within it still the heart of someone who loved. This juxtaposition being one of the most powerful elements in revelation.)
Phil Connors - (A character that really works because of Bill Murray, as he's an extreme jerk and it is because we like Murray as a jerk, that we like the character. As written most would have failed because he's just an egomaniac jerk, his redemption arc well revealed throughout the film, but as written he needed a certain type of charisma to get over the hump. This as there are no immediately known hidden depths, just a "Big city weatherman" with a bad attitude.)
Mrs Carmody - (Broadly written sketch of a fanatic, though properly insidious as such, that works due to performance and the film's heightened tone.)
Annie Wilkes - (The worst nightmare fan realized within one character. This in adoration that is scary to anger over perceived "betrayals" that are just as disturbing. The character is one of brilliantly realized contradictions of a nurse who kills, a chaste woman obsessed, a prude who curses a storm. All realized as a elegant madness that is deranged fan culture personified to an extreme.)
Hud Bannon - (Just a brilliantly written character that is one of the very realizations of the "rebel" son, here realized in the most toxic and caustic way. The emphasis of the character being his careless attitude towards all things, from work, to women, to family to anything at all. What is so great about the character is this is never simplified. He's not pure evil, he's careless and selfless. He does have charisma, but he does have the hints of caring both about what his father thinks about him, and about others. Its hidden though in ego, bluster, lusts and hates. It's just incredibly well written realization of a "bad son" that never makes the concept a simple thing.)
Nick Naylor - (The character doesn't really have a core, and perhaps that's the idea that he's a hollow pitchmen. Well that's fair enough actually in a certain sense. This as it does work in showing what type of man would go to bat for such a company and do it with such enthusiasm.)
Not sure I'm familiar with Lester Burbank.
Bryan:
To be honest, I forgot it came out last year. I started logging what I've been watching in a given year, took me far too long to do this I must admit, but overlooked that one as I started that around June so might've missed a few of those before then when recounting.
5 - Nomadland (Note: The Father could go up, I just want to really watch it a second time, and not because I have any doubts about it either. If it is as devastating the second time, then that's an easy 5, although I'll admit it won't be the easiest thing go through again, as it is an emotionally exhausting experience, and I mean that in a Silence sort of way(aka that's a good thing). Promising Young Woman could also go up, again just a re-watch is needed to see how the ending plays a second time.)
4.5 - Soul
Truffle Hunters is still a 4.
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