Best Scene: Threatening a baby.
4. Hugh Laurie in The Personal History of David Copperfield - Laurie gives the year's funniest performance. This in bringing impeccable comic timing that steals every single moment he has on screen.
Best Scene: Lets go fly a kite.
3. Brian Dennehy in Driveways - Dennehy delivers a worthy sendoff to his career, giving a natural depiction of a warm relationship and delivering a knock out final monologue.
Best Scene: Final Speech.
2. Mark Rylance in The Trial of the Chicago Seven - Rylance delivers a great performance that rises above the rest of the cast, making the least of Sorkin digestible, and making the best of it sing.
Best Scene: The Tape.
1. Ben Mendelsohn in Babyteeth - I have to admit while lead actor was sewn up relatively quickly this year, I had absolutely no idea who my supporting winner would be going into the Oscar nominations or even going into this alternate lineup. I knew my favorites, my current top five, but there wasn't the one that made me say "that's it", until re-watching Babyteeth. Mendelsohn's work simply devastated me all the more the second time. I saw all the more nuance and a true poignancy in his heartbreaking portrayal of a father doing his best to contain his pain, to try to alleviate his daughter's own.
Best Scene: The beach.
Overall Ranking:
- Ben Mendelsohn in Babyteeth
- Paul Raci in Sound of Metal
- Mark Rylance in The Trial of the Chicago Seven
- Brian Dennehy in Driveways
- Hugh Laurie in The Personal History of David Copperfield - 5
- Nicholas Hoult in True History of the Kelly Gang
- Bo Burnham in Promising Young Woman
- Russell Crowe in True History of the Kelly Gang
- Mick Jagger in The Burnt Orange Heresy
- Aldis Hodge in One Night in Miami
- Alebrecht Schuch in Berlin Alexanderplatz- 4.5
- Thomas Bo Larsen in Another Round
- Lars Ranthe in Another Round
- Magnus Millang in Another Round
- Barry Keoghan in Calm With Horses
- Malachi Kirby in Mangrove
- Ben Whishaw in The Personal History of David Copperfield
- Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in The Trial of the Chicago Seven
- Frank Langella in The Trial of the Chicago Seven
- Will Patton in Minari
- Sergei Erlish in Dear Comrades!
- Glynn Turman in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
- Mark Gatiss in The Father
- Alfred Molina in Promising Young Woman
- John Carroll Lynch in The Trial of the Chicago Seven
- Eddie Redmayne in The Trial of the Chicago Seven
- Robin de Jesus in Boys in the Band
- Colman Domingo in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
- Chadwick Boseman in Da 5 Bloods
- Sacha Baron Cohen in The Trial of the Chicago Seven
- Peter Capaldi in The Personal History of David Copperfield
- David Strathairn in Nomadland
- Guy Boyd in I'm Thinking of Ending Things
- Kwak Do-won in The Man Standing Next
- Jack Lowden in Mangrove
- Bill Burr in The King of Staten Island - 4
- Ned Dennehy in Calm With Horses
- Rufus Sewell in The Father
- Michael Keaton in The Trial of the Chicago Seven
- Colin Farrell in The Gentlemen
- Johnny Flynn in Emma
- Michael Rooker in Love and Monsters
- David Wilmot in Calm With Horses
- Matthew Macfadyen in The Assistant
- Donald Sutherland in The Burnt Orange Heresy
- Sean Bean in Wolfwalkers
- Max Greenfield in Promising Young Woman
- Hugh Grant in The Gentlemen
- Jeremy Strong in The Trial of the Chicago Seven
- Albert Rudbeck Lindhardt in Another Round
- Bill Nighy in Emma
- J.K. Simmons in Palm Springs
- Christopher Mintz-Plasse in Promising Young Woman
- Aneurin Barnard in The Personal History of David Copperfield
- Steve Toussaint in Red, White and Blue
- Denis Lavant in Night of the Kings
- Clancy Brown in Promising Young Woman
- Chris Lowell in Promising Young Woman
- Eli Goree in One Night in Miami
- Charles Dance in Mank
- Jonathan Majors in Da 5 Bloods
- Vladislav Komarov in Dear Comrades!
- Ray Romano in Bad Education
- Simon McBurney in Wolfwalkers
- David Thewlis in I'm Thinking of Ending Things
- Robert Pattinson in Tenet
- Johnny Depp in Waiting for the Barbarians
- Alex Jennings in Mangrove
- Kevin Pugh in Wendy
- Henry Cavill in Enola Holmes
- Jason Clarke in The Devil All The Time
- Arliss Howard in Mank
- Lee Sung-min in The Man Standing Next
- Tommy Chong in Color Out of Space'
- Zachary Quinto in The Boys in the Band
- Tom Burke in Mank
- Robbie Gee in Alex Wheatle
- Kyle MacLachlan in Tesla
- Robert Pattinson in Waiting for the Barbarians
- D’angelou Osei Kissiedu in Rocks
- Charlie Hunnam in True History of the Kelly Gang
- Tuc Watkins in The Boys in the Band
- Tom Pelphrey in Mank
- Brendan Meyer in Color out of Space
- Pedro Pascal in Wonder Woman 1984
- Robert Pattinson in Then Devil All the Time
- David Thewlis in Eternal Beauty
- Peter MacNeill in The Kid Detective
- Graham Norton in Soul
- Chris Pine in Wonder Woman 1984
- Peter Kim in The 40-Year Old Version - 3.5
- Karl Markovics in Resistance
- William Sadler in Bill and Ted Face the Music
- Tzi Ma in Mulan
- Ian Hart in Escape From Pretoria
- Michael Stuhlbarg in Shirley
- Benedict Wong in The Personal History of David Copperfield
- Charlie Hunnam in The Gentlemen
- Matt Dillon in Capone
- Richard Ayoade in Soul
- Anthony Carrigan in Bill and Ted Face the Music
- Harry Melling in The Devil All the Time
- Jerry Adler in Driveways
- Kelvin Harrison Jr. in The Trial of the Chicago Seven
- Mathieu Amalric in Sound of Metal
- Adam Brody in Promising Young Woman
- Rafael Casal in Bad Education
- Forest Whitaker in Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
- Andrew Rannells in The Boys in the Band
- Kyle MacLachlan in Capone
- Ben Shenkman in The Trial of the Chicago Seven
- Isiah Whitlock Jr. in Da 5 Bloods
- Darren Boyd in The Personal History of David Copperfield
- Michael Potts in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
- Jack Lowden in Capone
- Chris Cooper in Irresistible
- Norm Lewis in Da 5 Bloods
- Bill Skarsgard in The Devil All the Time
- Joe Pantoliano in Bad Boys For Life
- Charlie Shotwell in The Nest
- Marlon Wayans in On the Rocks
- Rupert Graves in Emma
- Sam Riley in Rebecca
- Steve Buscemi in The King of Staten Island
- Christopher Plummer in The Last Full Measure
- Alex Wolff in Bad Education
- Toby Jones in First Cow
- Paul Walter Hauser in Da 5 Bloods
- Harry Melling in Waiting for the Barbarians
- Michael Benjamin Washington in The Boys in the Band
- Josh O'Connor in Emma
- Conleth Hill in Herself
- William Hurt in The Last Full Measure
- Jim Carrey in Sonic The Hedgehog
- Kyle Chandler in The Midnight Sky
- George Wendt in The Climb
- Samuel L. Jackson in The Last Full Measure
- Glenn Howerton in The Hunt
- Lance Reddick in Sylvie's Love
- Ed Harris in The Last Full Measure
- Rati Oneli in Beginning
- Matthias Schweighöfer in Resistance - 3
- Bradley Whitford in The Last Full Measure
- Keegan-Michael Key in Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
- Donnie Yen in Mulan
- Aldis Hodge in The Invisible Man
- Macon Blair in The Hunt
- Elliott Knight in Color Out of Space
- Jonny Coyne in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
- Yashua Mack in Wendy
- Peter Macdissi in Uncle Frank
- Demian Bichir in The Midnight Sky
- Al Madrigal in The Way Back
- Johnny Tri Nguyen in Da 5 Bloods
- Will Sasso in Irresistible
- Alex Sharp in The Trial of the Chicago Seven
- Rudhraksh Jaiswal in Extraction
- David Oyelowo in The Midnight Sky
- Eddie Marsan in The Gentlemen
- Sebastian Stan in The Devil All the Time
- Michael Dorman in The Invisible Man
- Théodore Pellerin in Never Rarely Sometimes Always
- Ewan McGregor in Birds of Prey
- Bo Hopkins in Hillbilly Elegy
- Andrew Rannells in The Prom
- Ed Harris in Resistance
- Callum Turner in Emma
- Jeremy Shamos in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom - 2.5
- Steve Zahn in Uncle Frank
- Keegan-Michael Key in The Prom
- Jeffrey Donovan in Let Him Go
- Logan Lerman in Shirley
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt in The Trial of the Chicago Seven
- Kenneth Branagh in Tenet
- Stephen Root in Uncle Frank
- Jasper Pääkkönen in Da 5 Bloods
- Topher Grace in Irresistible
- Dan Ewing in Love and Monsters
- Fred Hechinger in News of the World
- Ian Lloyd Anderson in Herself
- Sam Claflin in Enola Holmes - 2
- Oliver Jackson-Cohen in The Invisible Man
- Terry Chen in Falling
- Henry Golding in The Gentlemen - 1.5
- Nguyễn Ngọc Lâm in Da 5 Bloods
- Will Brittain in Let Him Go
- Jean Reno in Da 5 Bloods
- Michael Covino in News of the World
- Jeremy Strong in The Gentlemen - 1
Next: 1980 Lead, though I will not be starting this until after the Oscars.
398 comments:
1 – 200 of 398 Newer› Newest»Louis: What are your top twenty lead actress and supporting actress lineups? Also what are you top twenty favourite performances of the year?
Louis: Thoughts on the rest of the 4s.
Your Female Lead and Supporting top 25s with 4+ honourable mentions.
Al Pacino - Cruising
Kris Kristofferson/Christopher Walken - Heaven's Gate
Stacy Keach - The Ninth Configuration
Anthony Quinn - Lion Of The Desert
John Savage - Inside Moves
Bonus: Richard Dreyfuss - The Competition
Can't wait for Heaven's Gate.
And Lion Of the Desert was released in Spain at the end of 1980.
Louis: Your forget to list James Corden for the prom
Wow, did nobody win the prediction? I guess we all underestimated Rylance.
I did consider Robert Redford in Brubaker who gave a very strong performance but I thought the film belonged to Kotto.
Matt: the reason we underestimated Rylance was due to Louis opinion on the movie going down since he first watched it: when he first gave thoughts on it he called it the best movie of the year so far but in his top ten hamilton which he saw before trial was on the list and trial wasn't.
Anonymous: I know, that's part of what screwed me up too.
Louis: Where would Franz Rogowski in Undine be ranked since you gave him a 4
Matt: I actually predicted Rylance to place third, but yeah, this exceeded my expectations as well.
Luke: Richard Gere in American Gigolo a possibility?
Louis: If you haven't posted them already, what would be your thoughts/ratings for the cast of "The Last Full Measure"?
Funny that a movie which virtually no one talked about would have such a fine ensemble.
Louis: Thoughts on Morfydd Clark and Jennifer Ehle in Saint Maud.
Also, I'll use my 1996 Supporting winning request on Michel Serrault in The Inquisitor (1981).
Bryan: Is he great though? I'd rather Louis took a wait and see approach with him. The 3 non-requests I went with appear to be more reliable to me.
Luke:. Oh, I haven’t seen it myself. Just asking because Gere hasn’t scored high ratings on here, and maybe Schrader got something better out of him.
Bryan: If he manages a 4.5, I wouldn't mind a special review for him, especially when you have Dreyfuss in there.
Louis: Thoughts on the Mainstream trailer.
Anonymous & Luke:
Lead:
1. Carey Mulligan - Promising Young Woman
2. Morfydd Clark - Saint Maud
3. Julia Vysotskaya - Dear Comrades!
4. Han Ye-ri - Minari
5. Frances McDormand - Nomadland
6. Jessie Buckley - I'm Thinking Of Ending Things
7. Maria Bakalova - Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
8. Anya Taylor-Joy - Emma
9. Maxine Peake - Fanny Lye Deliver'd
10. Kate Winslet - Ammonite
11. Nicole Beharie - Miss Juneteenth
12. Vanessa Kirby - Pieces of a Woman
13. Elisabeth Moss - The Invisible Man
14. Diane Lane - Let Him Go
15. Barbara Sukowa - Two of Us
16. Sally Hawkins - Eternal Beauty
17. Paula Beer - Undine
18. Ia Sukhitashvili - Beginning
19. Bukky Bakray - Rocks
20. Martine Chevallier - Two of Us
21. Eliza Scanlen - Babyteeth
22. Cristin Milioti - Palm Springs
23. Tilda Swinton - The Human Voice
24. Devin France - Wendy
25. Hong Chau - Driveways
And:
Carrie Coon - The Nest
Clare Dunne - Herself
Wunmi Mosaku - His House
Radha Blank - The 40 Year-Old-Version
Julia Garner - The Assistant
Millie Bobbie Brown - Enola Holmes
Supporting:
1. Youn Yuh-jung - Minari
2. Olivia Colman - The Father
3. Essie Davis - True History of the Kelly Gang
4. Essie Davis - Babyteeth
5. Niamh Algar - Calm With Horse
6. Olivia Williams - The Father
7. Amanda Seyfried - Mank
8. Sophia Loren - The Life Ahead
9. Gayle Rankin - Blow the Man Down
10. Renee Elise Goldsberry - Hamilton
11. Phillipa Soo - Hamilton
12. Allison Janney - Bad Education
13. Letitia Wright - Mangrove
14. Tilda Swinton - The Personal History of David Copperfield
15. Mia Goth - Emma
16. Gayle Rankin - The Climb
17. Toni Collette - I'm Thinking of Ending Things
18. Rochenda Sandall - Mangrove
19. Olivia Cooke - Sound of Metal
20. Morfydd Clark - The Personal History of David Copperfield
21. Elizabeth Debicki - Tenet
22. Charlene Swankie - Nomadland
23. Rosalind Eleazar - The Personal History of David Copperfield
24. Maria Bonnevie - Another Round
25. Elizabeth Debicki - The Burnt Orange Heresy
And:
So-jin Kim - The Man Standing Next
Alexis Chikaeze - Miss Juneteenth
Ellen Burstyn - Pieces of a Woman
Jennifer Ehle - Saint Maud
Noel Kate Cho - Minari
Anonymous:
No I had successfully purged that performance from my memory, Eternal Sunshine style, now all those dollars wasted...anyways he's really kind of co-lead anyways.
Lucas:
He's actually lead, but I forgot to rank him there.
Mitchell:
Not really much to say. Hurt, Jackson, Harris and particularly Plummer give nice earnest turns in overly simple parts. Whitford does his typical jerk routine.
Razor:
Did I never give my thoughts on them?
Hey Louis!
Tell me from the year 2020 which are your TOP7 best:
- Score
- Poster
- Editing
- Blockbuster-film
- Screenplays (adapted and original)
- Cast
- Character of the year (name and film)
Louis: Your lowest 4.5s in those rankings. Thoughts on the performances you haven't given yet.
And I'm happy that Essie Davis got her 2nd and 3rd fives in rapid succession.
Louis: Nope. I'm surprised no one asked you.
Louis: Huh...that's probably one of the reasons the film didn't make much of a splash, then.
Haven't seen it myself, but I thought it may have been worth seeing for the "A History of Violence" reunion - or for it being the last films of Plummer and Fonda, if I'm not mistaken.
I swore that What a Life (Another Round) was the best song of 2020
Louis, is Bakalova a 4.5 or 5.
Shaggy: It's not an original song made for the film, otherwise I'm 100% it would be Louis' choice for the win (as it would be for most I imagine).
And nice to see Mendelsohn get the win! I will wholeheartedly admit that I seriously considered putting him as mine, especially after reading your review, but I've already given him a win (yeah, I know I shouldn't base it around these but that was the only way I ended up deciding between him and Raci). That top 5 is really quite impeccable though.
Louis: You've given your ratings for both Clark and Ehle but you held off on thoughts just to not spoil anything for people who haven't seen it yet.
Louis: I have to agree with Calvin and Razor on this. I tried finding them (with Clark as a keyword) from the past 2 months but there's no record of it.
Oh Jeremy Strong, gave Louis' favourite film performance of his yet but also finishing bottom for The Gentlemen
Some intriguing things to note from the Actress lineups is Swinton getting in for a short film (The Human Voice) and a few films I've yet to see. Beginning, Herself, and Blow the Man Down all look interesting but I honestly have very little interest in Fanny Lye Deliver'd.
Anonymous: I'll admit - I still don't know what to make of Strong. For someone who's starred in a number of high profile films, I seem to forget he's even in them.
Calvin: Something to note about supporting actress is the double mentions for Davis and Debecki...
Hopefully this will indicate something in the future for those two talented Aussies.
I mean, both of Debicki's roles were terrible so hopefully those aren't indicative of her future path (though she does well with them both). Agreed that this was a banner year for Davis though.
Razor:
Alright then.
Ehle - (Her performance is good, though I think the major moment actually is more so down to Rose Glass's direction than her own performance though she does effectively contribute something to it. The rest of the time her performance is an artful sort of series of reactions. This conveying her own desperate state and also this kind of analysis of Maud. This in portraying moments of confusion, derision, occasionally sympathy but most often a kind of curiosity.)
Clark - (In terms of her two performances of 2020 she's up there with Day-Lewis in terms of showing such an extreme range in one year, from her delightfully goofy work in Copperfield, to her work here where bearing her soul might not properly describe it fully. This as her performance is a brilliant kind of everything. This as there is definitely a style in parts in portraying the character at her most "zealous" where she wholly excels. This in this sort of full bodied quality within her work as though she is truly possessed in these moments. Clark throws herself into every moment creating such a startling depiction of a kind of obsessive kind of perceived martyrdom. Her most insane moments are terrifying as she presents them with this kind of unnerving conviction. She balances this though in portraying her moments as the nurse with this quiet sensitivity of a woman who never is quite at ease with herself, even when describing her comforts there's a certain anxiety in it, and this terrifying need for approval from another. We see then as she proceeds this kind of unraveling and reveal of her anxieties. These where she shows this painful disconnect to others as a natural and fundamental trait. Her bar scene is brilliant work, this as she shows just a kind of attempt to try to fit into an expectation of interaction and failing miserable as this ball of desperation. It is a wholly brilliant performance from Clark as she shows a most unlikely resolution that she makes wholly tangible both in the extremes and within the nuance. This as she contains the overt madness in her work, but also reveals the quieter insecurities that create that madness.)
Luke:
Sukhitashvilli - 4.5(The film itself pushes the slow burn, do we really need 5 minutes of a person sitting still, I'm going to say no. Nonetheless her performance is still a potent one. This in creating this kind of internalized state of uncertainty that is both silent yet also potent of the pain that she is going through. It is terrific work in creating this sort of juxtaposition of the accentuation on calm, even as she's being torn apart inside.)
Swinton - 4(A good performance from her in this short film and artfully carries the short film. This in portraying this combination of a kind of ferocity with a restrained annoyance. This in sort of playing against each other and slowly building towards a literal spark.)
Dunne - 4(I'm sorry, too many films are getting raves these days, as this was some pretty obvious cloying stuff. Dunne gives a good performance though this as she manages to give at least some reality to the scenario that is a bit overdone in terms of writing and direction. Her performance consistently captures a reality even when the film often feels pretty flimsy at times.)
Rankin - 4.5(Another film that was heavily praised, and while there's interesting things in there, it's not great. Anyway Rankin is a fascinating performer honestly as she just brings an unlikely presence that is something special. This one, in just a few minutes of screentime, leaves a tremendous impact and created the only character I cared about. This as she creates a real sense of grief in her reactions towards what is going on, while also building up this sense of anger and dismay. This in just a few scenes creates a more compelling arc than anything else in the entire film.)
Kim - 4(Although underused I thought she made for a fantastic femme fatale, and wish she had been used more as this kind of covert power player. As she's terrific in her few scenes in showing the far more cutting one in the relationship honestly, and most of all far less conflicted.)
Anonymous:
Honestly watching Succession made me even more annoyed by that performance, as it's like "dude, you can be great, so stop being terrible".
Calvin:
I personally wouldn't strongly recommend any of them overall (other than The Human Voice, which is a fine short watch), though the performances are worthwhile,
Yeah hopefully she stops playing battered wives/girlfriends soon, she's really good at it, but I'd prefer to not see her pigeonholed.
Calvin: I'm not defending the quality of Debecki roles, mind you. I was more just commenting on how it's cool to see her recognized twice, and that hopefully she'll make a return to form soon enough...
Side Note: Someone better cast her as a Bond villain - or at least in a villainous role - as her turn from "Man from Uncle" shows she's more than fit for one.
It's funny that her best performance so far, Widows, has possibly contributed to this typecasting just on a cursory glance - battered wife and girlfriend at the start - but the subsequent roles have completely ignored the subsequent growth and journey her character goes through in that. Honestly have to give all the credit in the world to Steve McQueen to being the only director who has truly utilised her to her full potential from what I've seen.
Also agreed on Strong on Succession, in fact, dare I say it, he might be my favourite of the cast.
Louis: Your top 20 carey mulligan and jessie buckley acting moments
Calvin: Strong is great, but my favorite is pretty easily Matthew Macfayden.
Calvin: Also The Night Manager, another battered wife who falls in love with someone else, arguably THE role that got her into being typecast
Michael: Oh, he's fantastic, and I love him and Nicholas Braun's dynamic (I remember you telling me before that his performance grows on you and Macfayden's chemistry with him is a big part of it). Honestly not a single weak link in the main cast.
Anonymous: Also true, I like her a lot in that too but it is a limited role.
Brazinterma:
Score:
1. Minari
2. Wolfwalkers
3. Soul
4. Mank
5. The Personal History of David Copperfield
6. Promising Young Woman
7. Wendy
Poster:
1. Promising Young Woman (Bleeding lip)
2. Promising Young Woman (Lip Stick)
3. Color Out of Space (Cage exploding)
4. I'm Thinking of Ending Things (Snow)
5. Mank
6. Boys State
7. Minari (David)
Great movie bad poster: The Father (Looking forward one particularly).
Editing:
1. The Father
2. Nomadland
3. Promising Young Woman
4. Another Round
5. Mangrove
6. Dear Comrades!
7. Minari
Blockbuster-film:
Not sure much qualifies this year...
Original Screenplay:
1. Promising Young Woman
2. Another Round
3. Dear Comrades!
4. Minari
5. Sound of Metal
6. Mangrove
7. Palm Springs
Adapted Screenplay:
1. The Father
2. I'm Thinking of Ending Things
3. The Personal History of David Copperfield
4. Nomadland
5. True History of the Kelly Gang
6. One Night in Miami
7. Emma
Cast:
1. Minari
2. The Father
3. Another Round
4. Promising Young Woman
5. Hamilton
6. The Personal History of David Copperfield
7. True History of the Kelly Gang
Characters (Harder to gauge this year but a guess):
1. Tutar
2. Cassie Thomas
3. David Yi
4. Paul
5. Anthony
6. Fern
7. Abbie Hoffman
Glenn:
5, on re-watch as it's simply a great broad comic turn, if she were to win (I don't think she will at this point, and would rather see Youn, though both are great) she'd be worthy to follow in the footsteps of Kevin Kline and Marisa Tomei.
Louis: Was Eliza Scanlen a 4 or 4.5 for Babyteeth. Can't find your thoughts on her anywhere.
And I'm pleased Vinterberg got the Director win.
Speaking of Babyteeth, I'm watching it right now and I think Toby Wallace is definitely, 100% supporting. I'm surprised you consider him lead, Louis.
Matt: Same, if anything Mendelsohn and Davis have more individual focus than him, I feel like every scene he’s in he’s supporting to Scanlen.
Louis: What are your top 10 comedic Oscar winners?
Also have you reviewed the main cast of Succession. I would love to see that.
Also with regards to The Father posters, I kind of love how some of them make it out to be your standard kinda prestige British drama about elderly people. There’s one on its website with a grinning Hopkins and Colman that is hilarious in how poorly it represents the film.
Anybody have the ratings for Louis's female actor top 10s?
Taylor-Joy and Algar are the highest 4.5’s for him.
Louis,your thoughts on Jim Carrey's performance in Sonic the Hedgehog?
Hi everyone. Back from a bit of a hiatus. I've been catching up on the posts though!
Anyways, I've been doing plenty of movie watching myself, and I've had some mixed results. Hell's Heroes was a solid early talkie (collective 3 for the major players), Tortilla Flat and The Great Waltz... Well, one is definitely superior to the other, but that's not saying much. As for ratings:
Tortilla Flat was pretty bad, and I'm not sure if I was being too kind in my rating for it or not (2):
Spencer Tracy and John Garfield (1.5): Easily the worst leads of 1942, so far
Hedy Lamarr (3): Not given a whole lot to do, but she does get some solid reactions and the like.
Akim Tamiroff (1/1.5): Just no.
Frank Morgan (3.5): Quite easily the best part of the movie, but even he can't save how dreadful it all is.
The Great Waltz is a solid enough movie, with some wonderful cinematography, gorgeous music and solid editing, but pretty of lacking in the story department. I might be being too kind to it. Not sure.
Fernand Gravey (2.5): Bland role but he does have decent enough moments.
Luise Rainer (3.5/4): Not in this nearly enough, but quite sincere, despite some of the writing hurting her. A shame her career was effectively dead after this.
Miliza Korjus (2): I'm locking her as the worst Best Supporting Actress nominee of the 1930s, despite having 6 performances left, but there's no way they can be worse. She is quite flat outside of the singing sequences, and her style is definitely an acquired.
Ytrewq Wertyq: Right here.
https://actoroscar.blogspot.com/2020/05/alternate-best-supporting-actor-1983_99.html
Babyteeth I was not liking at all in the beginning, but it grew on me as it went on, to the point that I actually ended up liking it at the end, even though I definitely still have problems with it. None of those problems, however, involve Ben Mendelsohn or Essie Davis in any way.
Scanlen-4
Mendolsohn-5
Davis-5
Wallace-3.5(For most of the film I was actually feeing pretty negative about his performance, but I gotta hand it to him, he fucking *nailed* his last couple scenes.)
I do have to object though to it's only BAFTA nomination being for Shannon Murphy's direction, as I think that's easily the weakest aspect of it.
Anonymous:
Mulligan:
1. Watching the video - Promising Young Woman
2. Stripper - Promising Young Woman
3. A song - Far From the Madding Crowd
4. The Elevator - Drive
5. Meeting with Dean - Promising Young Woman
6. Final Confrontation with Ryan - Promising Young Woman
7. Day drinking - Promising Young Woman
8. Suddenly Sober - Promising Young Woman
9. Trying to explain things to Ryan - Promising Young Woman
10. Final scene with Oak - Far From The Madding Crowd
11. Talking with her parents about the truth - An Education
12. Blunt truths from Oak - Far From The Madding Crowd
13. Dinner - Promising Young Woman
14. Death of a maiden - Far From the Madding Crowd
15. Initial Meeting - An Education
16. Stare down the cat callers - Promising Young Woman
17. Boldwood Excusing himself - Far From the Madding Crowd
18. Visiting the mom - Promising Young Woman
19. Dean confrontation - An Education
20. Seeing her son from a distance - Suffragette
Buckley:
1. Encouragement to dream - Wild Rose
2. Glasglow - Wild Rose
3. Dinner - I'm Thinking of Ending Things
4. Kill him first - Fargo
5. Initial bar near fight - Wild Rose
6. Visiting Her Husband - Chernobyl
7. First Scene - Taboo
8. Truths revealed - Wild Rose
9. Introduction - Fargo
10. Pauline Kael - I'm Thinking of Ending Things
11. Visiting Nashville - Wild Rose
12. Almost tortured - Taboo
13. Very rough sex - Fargo
14. Initial Car ride - I'm Thinking of Ending Things
15. Failing her kids - Wild Rose
16. Helping James - Taboo
17. Cocaine - Fargo
18. Years in a second - I'm Thinking Of Ending Things
19. At the school - I'm Thinking of Ending Things
20. Banging her head - Fargo
Matt:
Well for me the crux of the story is the relationship, at least in terms of focus, I personally cared WAY more about the parents, making him leading that story along with Scanlen. Although I should note, unless a performance is contending for the top ten, I don't really sweat over placements too much, in fact at all.
Agreed 100% regarding the BAFTA nom, Murphy over Fennell, Zeller or Glass, is a little much, also such a random way to recognize the film, when Davis was right there...or Mendelsohn...oh wait neither made the long-list somehow meanwhile Cumberbatch did for Mauritanian...
Anonymous:
Almost purely comedic? Limited pool, as someone like Martin Landau in Ed Wood is hilarious, but too heartbreaking to really call comedic.
1. Frances McDormand - Fargo
2. Kevin Kline - A Fish Called Wanda
3. Marisa Tomei - My Cousin Vinny
4. Clark Gable - It Happened One Night
5. Claudette Colbert - It Happened One Night
6. Tatum O'Neal - Paper Moon
7. Peter Ustinov - Topkapi
8. Walter Mathau - The Fortune Cookie
9. Maggie Smith - California Suite
10. Charles Coburn - The More the Merrier
Calvin: I'd be able to laugh at those posters for The Father if I didn't think they were actively driving people away from the film, but I think they might be.
Matt: Quite the reverse, the film has never been more popular than it is now, not because of the posters but because of the growing hype around Hopkins’ performance. It’s the highest rated BP nominee alongside Minari on Letterboxd and the highest, period, on IMDB.
Having said that it is still the least seen Best Picture nominee so far...but that's more to do with the really weird super late wide release strategy that had everyone worried. Honestly though I think in a weird way Sony Picture Classics knew what they were doing. The fact it got six nominations means that it did reach to an Academy audience enough and everyone was appropriately impressed, then they proceeded to make it more available to the general public to drum up the general support. I do think it's in a pretty good position for a surprise Adapted Screenplay, possibly Editing win.
Louis: What are your top twenty favorite performances of 2020?
Louis: Glad you appreciated Sukhitashvili’s performance in Beginning, i liked the movie more than you i guess but i have to agree that some scenes could have been shorter and would have had the same impact to be honest, especially the one where Iana is under the tree. Your thoughts on the cinematography?
Before the Oscars could you watch some of these movies if you a find a decent copy?
-Berlin Alexanderplatz
-It’s not a Burial, it’s a Resurrection
-The Disciple
-The Metamorphosis of Birds
-Saturday Fiction (Gong Li)
-The Woman Who Ran
-My Little Sister and The Audition (Nina Hoss)
-Never Gonna Snow Again
-Beasts Clawing at Straws
Louis: Is Bukky Bakray a 4 or a 4.5 for rocks? I am asking this because i am updating the google document to include the lead actress results.
I think both Pacino and Dreyfuss should be bonus since I think 1980 could be a hidden gem year.
John Savage - Inside Moves
Naseeruddin Shah - Sparsh
Gerard Depardieu - The Last Metro
Art Garfunkel - Bad Timing
Ray Sharkey - The Idolmaker
Bonus: Al Pacino - Cruising (Team Siskel and Ebert Vs Team Kermode)
Bonus: Richard Dreyfuss - The Competition (Team Siskel and Ebert Vs Team Razzie)
if you wait until the Awards, i can only imagine how many comments this post will have
Richard Gere might be worth a look, only problem is he is playing a cynical brooding type of character, that could be good (Primal Fear) or terrible (The Cotton Club)
Louis: Have you watched/finished any TV shows.
I updated the google document of Louis's top tens for this year:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sM-Tz4PDsvXVR1SQtG2xCpaktNL8CJA4Z_dtP0_zrTo/edit?usp=sharing
Kris Kristofferson/Christopher Walken - Heaven's Gate
Stacy Keach - The Ninth Configuration
Anthony Quinn - Lion Of The Desert
John Savage - Inside Moves
Naseeruddin Shah - Sparsh
Bonus:
Al Pacino - Cruising
Richard Dreyfuss - The Competition
Anthony Quinn - Lion Of The Desert (3.9 on Letterboxd)
Gerard Depardieu - The Last Metro
Christopher Walken - Heaven's Gate
John Savage - Inside Moves
Naseeruddin Shah - Sparsh
RatedRStar: I've seen Bad Timing and Theresa Russell owns the film for me.
Anonymous: Bakray is a 4.5.
Carey Mulligan fully deserved the Lead Actress win. Incredible work from her
Also, here's a list of performances to look forward to in the upcoming remainder of the year, wondering if anyone else has any.
Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand in The Tragedy of Macbeth
Kirsten Dunst in The Power of the Dog
Idris Elba in The Harder They Fall
Alexander Skarsgard in The Northman
Dev Patel in The Green Knight
Tang Wei in Decision to Leave
Everyone in Mass (but especially Jason Isaacs and Ann Dowd)
Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard in Annette
Lady Gaga in House of Gucci
Oscar Isaac and Willem Dafoe in The Card Counter
Ruth Negga in Passing
Anya Taylor-Joy in Last Night in Soho
Riley Keough and Colman Domingo in Zola
Will Smith in King Richard
Joaquin Phoenix in Don't Worry Darling
Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry in Red, White and Water
Richard Jenkins and Jayne Houdyshell in The Humans
Calvin: Judging by it's cast, I don't think Skarsgard will be MVP of The Northman.
No Thomasin McKenzie in Last Night in Soho.
And mustn't forget the ensembles of The French Dispatch and Dune.
And Michael Fassbender in Next Goal Wins.
And could be banner years for Willem Dafoe, Adam Driver and Bradley Cooper.
And maybe Oscar Issac.
Louis and Calvin: I don't think it would be a good move to have the deadline revert back to Dec 31st for next year's awards season. 10 months qualifying isn't enough for me so it should be the end of January then revert back to December for the following year.
Calvin: Maybe if mass is as good as it looks than Jason Isaacs could receive his first five.
With Rahim saved for The Mauritanian, I think a 10 lineup for Lead next year is pretty likely. There's alot of potentially great performances listed there.
Louis: I agree that the pandemic has made it difficult, so here are some films that I consider to be blockbuster and tell me what your ranking?
Soul
Onward
The Invisible Man
Tenet
Borat 2
Palm Springs
Birds of Prey
Extraction
The Croods: A New Age
Luke: i'd actually say ten months could be enough. It's needlessly complicated already
Louis: If you've finished it, could I have your thoughts on Erased.
Anonymous:
Omar:
Well as always, and I'll say it again, if their influence is Tarkovsky they're no Tarkovsky. Perhaps a high bar for comparison, but I will not hesitate to do so. For me the difference is Tarkovsky actually had detailed scripts and characters even within his techniques, he created the investment in the long takes, rather than just merely having the long takes. Take the candle shot in Nostalgia, which is longer than most shots in Beginning, I care about the meaning of the moment, and the length is actually essential to the point of the scene. Whereas the the tree shot here, does feel just like indulgence. I am a repeating record, but I feel a long take misused is as a tired as a CGI sky beam, the difference is the former wows critics no matter how inert it may be. Apologies for the mini-rant, but as someone who actually does love "arthouse" fair the "pass" they get actually makes it seem like all are equal in technique and execution, which is not the case.
Anyway, the film is certainly well shot, and it best be given the length you'll look at certain shots. I'll actually say, the opening scene is a brilliant use of the long take, compared to the tree scene, as there is purpose within the execution and it is truly startling. The shots themselves very much have the "as a portrait" quality to them, this in the detail in the lighting and the specificity of the composition and framing shots. This is very effectively realized.
I will try to watch some of those.
Anonymous:
Finished Erased, will continue Succession soon (solely stopped due to need for Oscar/Alternate lineup re-watches.)
Luke:
I for one think they should just use the 10 month window, after all the extended period only mattered for Judas and the Black Messiah.
Anonymous:
Minor changes due to re-watches and the like:
1. Anthony Hopkins - The Father
2. Delroy Lindo - Da 5 Bloods
3. Carey Mulligan - Promising Young Woman
4. Morfydd Clark - Saint Maud
5. Mads Mikkelsen - Another Round
6. Chadwick Boseman - Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
7. Youn Yuh-jung - Minari
8. Ben Mendelsohn - Babyteeth
9. Julia Vysotskaya - Dear Comrades!
10. Paul Raci - Sound of Metal
11. Riz Ahmed - Sound of Metal
12. Han Ye-ri - Minari
13. Steven Yeun - Minari
14. Frances McDormand - Nomadland
15. Olivia Colman - The Father
16. Essie Davis - True History of the Kelly Gang
17. Jessie Buckley - I'm Thinking of Ending Things
18. Essie Davis - Babyteeth
19. Maria Bakalova - Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
20. Mark Rylance - The Trial of the Chicago Seven
Brazinterma:
Soul
Palm Springs
Borat 2
The Invisible Man
Tenet
Onward
Extraction
Birds of Prey
Haven't seen the Croods.
Tahmeed:
I liked it, and perhaps for series Anime's I prefer more "realistic" fair. I will say I do think there was a certain point where I felt it lost a little momentum, this in the final few episodes where there is no mystery, in fact I didn't think there was much of one anyways I knew who did it the moment the character showed up, but it hit a point where I just wanted the characters to catch up already. Having said that, I rather liked the rest of it this in pulling you into really this story of analyzing one's adolescence more closely with though an effective through line in the sort of Quantum Leap style rescue. Felt it manages to balance well between the plot that created the alternate perspective, with just an appreciation for setting and character.
Louis: Would you be able to finish Blackadder by the 25th.
Calvin: Do you mean Joaquin Phoenix in "C'mon, C'mon"?
Louis, you should be happy you haven't lost your mind and decided to do the Lead and Supporting Actresses for reviews, otherwise, you'd have to suffer through some truly terrible movies (Saratoga Trunk for example) and performances.
It's too late for me.
Calvin: Are you going to make the full list of The Reel and Roll Awards 2020?
Louis: If you prefer more "realistic" Animes, then perhaps the "Fist of the North Star" film (1986) may not be for you - or many Shonens for that matter.
That said, you might still like "Fate/Zero" and it's sequel "Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works". While not perfect, I found both those series to be pretty strong in their world building and characterizations.
BRAZINTERMA: He's been posting them on his Instagram feed.
Luke is correct, I will be posting a finalised list on my blog site though as well later on before Oscar day.
Thanks, Calvin
Christopher Walken - Heaven's Gate
Al Pacino - Cruising
Scott Wilson - The Ninth Configuration
Naseeruddin Shah - Sparsh
John Savage - Inside Moves
Anonymous: Scott Wilson is Supporting.
Of those that I've listed, Anthony Quinn in Lion Of The Desert is the one I would most like to see because it feels like a really great expansion to his work in Lawrence Of Arabia.
I'm pretty sure Walken's a lock since it's the follow-up to his all-time great work in The Deer Hunter.
Calvin: What's your address or name on Instagram?
www.instagram.com/reelandroll_films/?hl=en
Thanks Luke
The big question regarding 1980 lead is: Will Tatsuya Nakadai keep his win? Or will he lose his win to John Hurt?
Anonymous: If it happens, it'll be a sad day for Nakadai to go winless even if he lost his sole win to an extraordinary piece of work from the late great John Hurt.
Louis: Glenn mentioned Lion Of The Desert being a 3.9 on Letterboxd but it's also an 8.4 on IMDB.
Luke: I am keen to see Heavens Gate actually just to see if it really is a massive turkey, and to see why Walken is a supposed lock for a review or whatever reason that is.
RatedRStar: If you and Louis watch the 216 minute cut which is highly favoured over the theatrical version, it might not be so bad.
i have once watched Heaven's Gate like up to it's halfpoint. I found it very boring honestly ...
Louis: will you write some more Bonus Reviews until the Oscars or are you taking a break?
*halfwaypoint
Tim: He's taking a break until then. He might post the 80 Lead lineup shortly before that in case of comment congestion.
I highly doubt he'll review Gere.
Matt: Have you seen American Gigolo?
I took Kristofferson out to make way for Gere but if he's not noteworthy, I'll just put the former back in.
Luke: I haven't, I just know he hates him.
Matt: You mean early Gere. He liked him quite abit in Arbitrage.
Luke: I'll admit, I'm not too familiar with Gere's early stuff (I haven't even seen "An Officer and a Gentleman"). From what I have watched, I would say he's decent in some roles (Chicago), but underwhelming in others (Unfaithful, from the very same year).
Luke: Yes, and this is early Gere we're talking about, so my point stands.
Regarding "An Officer and a Gentleman", actually, I read that Winger's part was originally offered to Sigourney Weaver. I have no frame of reference, having not seen Winger's performance, but how does everyone feel she would've been in the role?
Matt & Mitchell: He can be a good enough actor but Louis doesn't hate him. He has more contempt for guys like Rob Schneider and Joel Kinnaman.
I'll put Kristofferson back in then.
Honestly, I think a 10 lineup for Lead might be the best course of action for this year. I could be wrong about Scott Wilson because after skimming through The Ninth Configuration's wikipedia page, he features very heavily in the plot section.
Stacy Keach/Scott Wilson - The Ninth Configuration
Kris Kristofferson/Christopher Walken - Heaven's Gate
Anthony Quinn - Lion Of The Desert
John Savage - Inside Moves
Naseruddin Shah - Sparsh
Gerard Depardieu - The Last Metro
Al Pacino - Cruising
Richard Dreyfuss - The Competition
Louis: Sorry for posting this a 3rd time.
Luke: Can't really blame him in regards to Schneider or Kinnaman.
Louis what are your thoughts on Treat Williams in Prince of the City?
Kind of wish we were doing 1981 so I can see a Griffin Dunne upgrade.
Robert: 1981 will be next from this decade. I agree about Dunne, I'd go so far as giving him a 5 for American Werewolf. Aside from Williamson (He's my win for 81 supporting) and Woods, there's not a great deal of competition for reviews.
Luke:
I'll say a 10 should be reserved when there are more known quantities, it sounds like most of the recommendations here are a lot of sight unseen speculation choices (please anyone correct me if I'm wrong, as I would like to know what performances you're passionate about, if any from 1980). Sounds to me more like a treasure hunting year.
I'll definitely watch the 4th eventually, I often use sitcoms I know I'm going to enjoy some what strategically so it may not be right away.
Anonymous:
I think I did give those at some point.
Louis: Anthony Quinn in Lion Of The Desert and Christopher Walken in Heaven's Gate
Louis, If I could interject, I've seen Lion Of The Desert and it's a very good war film with a brilliant performance by Anthony Quinn (Better than Zorba The Greek). Oliver Reed is great too in his supporting role. It unfortunately has Rod Steiger in it but don't let that deter you.
Your thoughts on the cast of Wolfwalkers.
Luke:
Is Walken lead though? What I've read and seen about the film, it sound like he's more supporting.
Louis: If you think he's Supporting, that makes me all the happier.
Louis: I do agree that it's hard to identify what the prospective fives are
For 1980, the performance I’m most passionate about is Savage, who I requested. Beyond that I’ll throw in John Travolta in Urban Cowboy (a refreshing reminder that he was at least at one time capable of a really lived in, naturalistic performance) and Walter Matthau in Hopscotch (Matthau in an espionage movie with Glenda Jackson, what’s not to like?).
Louis: Stacy Keach (He's a great straight man to Wilson's madcap performance and it's time for him to make his review debut on the blog).
Louis, would you mind posting your most recently updated #11-25 films of 2020?
Stephen:
Kneafsey - 3.5(A fine if standard vocal turn overall. She brings the right kind of spirit and emotional sense to the part, even as it is a very typical protagonist of the ilk.)
Whittaker - 4(She would've been in my mentions on either lead/supporting but I forgot as I was still deciding what her placement should be. Anyways her vocal performance is absolutely wonderful. This as there is such a fire and such a life to it. This as you get both kind of a sense of the "viciousness" wolf, but this kind of life loving attitude just through intensity.)
Bean - (Pretty much doing Ned Stark, but it wholly works for the part.)
McBurney - (I mean as usual he is playing a pompous Englishman, does it well as per usual, and I will say there is a bit in his final delivery that grants a sense of Cromwell's zealousness rather effectively.)
Michael:
Sure.
11. Boys State
12. Soul
13. The Painter and the Thief
14. Palm Springs
15. Wolfwalkers
16. The Mole Agent
17. The Trial of the Chicago Seven
18. I'm Thinking OF Ending Things
19. True History of the Kelly Gang
20. One Night in Miami
21. Belushi
22. Bad Education
23. Emma
24. The Man Standing Next
25. The Kid Detective
And your updated 10 worst if you don't mind.
Anonymous:
1. Earwig and The Witch (THIS WAS STUDIO GHIBLI???)
2. Capone
3. Hillbilly Elegy
4. Uncle Frank
5. Falling
6. Sonic The Hedgehog
7. Birds of Prey
8. Irresistible
9. The Gentlemen
10. Rebecca
Louis: Thoughts on Earwig And The Witch. Never in a million years did I think a Ghibli film would be at the top of a rubbish pile.
Guess I need to see Belushi then.
And no incentive to see Earwig and the Witch now if it fell below Hillbilly Elegy.
Luke:
I will preface, under no circumstance should anyone watch the film, having had no knowledge of the film, I saw it on HBO max and said hmmm....something by a Miyazaki, can't be all terrible, boy was I wrong. The animation IS bad, it looks like one of those bargain bin Pixar knock off movies, it is written like one too. It is worse than Capone and Hillbilly, because it is mostly just boring and kind of painful to watch by just how inert it is. There's not even morbid enjoyment to be had, it is just interminable nothing for less than an hour and half, that feels like 3 hours or more.
I’m of the theory Earwig was a calculated and deliberate “fuck you” from Goro to his old man made purely put of spite.
Robert:
A fair theory. I mean having read about their relationship, it is hard not to feel sympathy for Goro.
Robert: I buy that for sure, and you know what, I wouldn't blame him.
Louis: What are your 20 favorite tracks from film scores of 2020?
Louis: your thoughts on 'The Inflated Tear' from Judas and the Black Messiah?
So, uh, watched Wolfwalkers and it’s my new #1 for 2020.
Rewatched Da 5 Bloods, mostly for Lindo. What's great is still great (Lindo, the cinematography, Peters, to an extent), but the problems with it bothered me more this time around. And yeah, Spike sure likes to drag out his endings, doesn't he?
I actually like Lee’s extended epilogues in general, Malcolm X’s is effective and Blackkklansman’s I thought was actually quite effective, but Da 5 Bloods’ one was just all over the place.
Calvin: Yeah, I don't usually mind it either actually, I'm just saying.
I find it stupid that the annies (which is an award for animated movies) nominated the lead from earwig and the witch but not Jamie foxx or Tina fey for soul.
your 70s cast for King Kong with the 2005 screenplay?
Louis: I am glad you liked Erased at the very least-I definitely agree on the fact that the 'mystery' is the weakest part of the show (it gets spoiled in the opening theme too), but I'm easier on it because that didn't seem like prime focus.
Could I have your thoughts on these scenes?
https://youtu.be/Y6c8MaTHKfM
Watching the Christmas tree
Aidan:
1. Jacob's Prayer - Minari
2. Main Theme - The Father
3. The Story of Wendy - Wendy
4. Follow Me - Wolfwalkers
5. Birdslingers - Minari
6. Wolves - Wolfwalkers
7. Grandma Picked a Good Spot - Minari
8. Epiphany - Soul
9. Welcolme to Victorville - Mank
10. Garden of Eden - Minari
11. I'm a Wolfwalker - Wolfwalkers
12. Mr. Dick and the Kite - The Personal History of David Copperfield
13. Ship Chase - Soul
14. Squeezed Out - Promising Young Woman
15. All This Time - Mank
16. David's Writing - The Personal History of David Copperfield
17. Find It Every Time - Minari
18. Born to Play - Soul
19. My Own Story - The Personal History of David Copperfield
20. Terry Time - Soul
Side Note: I wish the Wind Song from the Minari soundtrack was in the film somewhere, at least the credits, because I actually even prefer it over the Rain Song.
Calvin & Matt:
Eh to me it speaks to strange lack of confidence, or just a sledgehammer mentality, in seemingly getting his message across, particularly with Malcolm X, the eulogy was a great ending, the schoolkids is just hammering it in. Blackkklansman's I think serves a very specific purpose actually, but it is just longer than it needs to be, as he gets the point across right away, then keeps going to make sure you know.
Tim:
I mean Grodin (Black), Bridges (Brody) and even Lange (Watts) would make fine choices in a non-terrible film.
Anonymous:
Although I actually do appreciate the Annie's general refusal to jump on the Pixar bandwagon, that is a terrible choice.
Calvin:
It's a terrific character theme that instantly evokes a kind of guy just on a fringe with the song that is like a rusty squeezebox. Perfectly fitting O'Neal in that sense, as just like him, the song always seems to be just eeking by. I will also say the film's disqualification for score seemed silly as the score certainly distinguished itself from the preexisting music featured (a rule the music branch seem to so randomly brandish).
Tahmeed:
I think both scenes, one more joyous, the other more somber to say the least, show very much where the series does excel, this in the very personal, and at times brutally honest depiction of dealing with someone going through abuse and neglect. This in each showing how potent then the joys can be like the Christmas tree, or actually how an actual normal meal can be heart-wrenching in a certain context.
Louis: part of Wind Song appears in the film, but without the lyrics! But only for a very short montage. And I do agree that Lee's endings get a bit too long and could be shorter in general, but I do feel like the purpose of Malcolm X and Blackklansman's are still clear whereas Da 5 Bloods' epilogue just doesn't really go anywhere.
Also agreed that the preexisting music rule is stupid as so many great film scores have been based around some sort of preexisting music (also one of the reasons PYW's score was disqualified I think, and both of these films have plenty of non-original music).
Calvin:
I think it is made worse by the fact that they enact the rule so haphazardly enforced, like Babel winning best original score despite its two most lauded tracks being preexisting (Santaolalla reusing his own work from Deadwood and a piece by Ryuichi Sakamoto, which I'm convinced got the film the Oscar win). Although the original score music branch has long had such issues, like Herbie Hancock's win over Morricone for 'Round Midnight, where all but like 2 tracks are preexisting songs.
I actually think there should be no concern when the non-original music are lyrical tracks, since those are very easy to distinguish from instrumentals as is the case for "Judas" and PYM. I do understand the concern though with something like Arrival, where the track most people took with them was a preexisting instrumental.
Louis: Could I have your top ten favourite scenes of 2020, and your top ten favourite acting moments?
It's older news at this point, but apparently Pierce Brosnan is set to play Doctor Fate in "Black Adam". Thoughts on this, anyone?
Just watched the trailer for The Woman In The Window (which comes out the day i graduate from college and a day before my birthday). Basically a mix between Rear Window and... The Father??? Looks promising, i guess... idk...
Would like to know everyone else’s thoughts if you’ve seen it.
Tahmeed:
I won't overlap just to spread the wealth a bit more.
Scene:
1. Dancing - Another Round
2. Come back grandma - Minari
3. Stripper - Promising Young Woman
4. Massacre - Dear Comrades!
5. "Getting on Everyone's tits" - The Father
6. Danish National Anthem montage - Another Round
7. Swankie's story - Nomadland
8. Flying a kite - The Personal History of David Copperfield
9. PC Pulley Cross Examine - Mangrove
10. Running With the Wolves - Wolfwalkers
Acting:
1. I want my Mommy - The Father
2. Madness in the jungle - Da 5 Bloods
3. Confronting Ryan - Promising Young Woman
4. Job Interview - The Father
5. Argument with Wife - Another Round
6. Sitting in a bar - Saint Maud
7. Death - Babyteeth
8. Ruben and Joe's last talk - Sound of Metal
9. Punishing David - Minari
10. How to handle white folks - Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Mitchell:
Decent enough choice, have no idea what to make of that film, which has been in pre-production forever.
Matthew:
Looks like Girl on the Train Part Deux to me.
Louis would who would be your 6-10 in director?
Anonymous:
6. Andrei Konchalovsky - Dear Comrades!
7. Rose Glass - Saint Maud (it is the script that keeps it from being in my top 25)
8. Darius Marder - Sound of Metal
9. Justin Kurzel - True History of the Kelly Gang
10. Charlie Kaufman - I'm Thinking of Ending Things
Louis: your thoughts on ‘Come back grandma’, that’s an amazing scene in really giving that emotional gut punch. That scene, building up to Youn’s final shot of the film is just incredible for her, she doesn’t say a word yet in both moments she just captures so much through her silent reactions.
Paul Dano is playing Speilberg’s dad in his upcoming semi autobiographical film. Could be a really juicy role.
I know he has The Batman coming up, but it's great to see him back acting again. He hasn't performed on a film since Okja.
Luke, he's a fantastic actor. Any performances from him that could possibly get a five.
Glenn: There Will Be Blood and War & Peace (Five equivalent and is easily my favourite performance from him, any less will be gutting for me).
Calvin:
Just a fantastic emotionally climatic scene, this as you get the kids fully embracing their grandmother by now desperately asking her to come back after having dismissed her at first, with Youn's portrayal of the kind of shame of having caused the accident but also the reaction to her grandchildren's pleas is just perfection. You also get though the moment of Monica going into saving Jacob and the two kind of embracing for one time in the film in that rescue, showing their love beneath all the tension that defines their relationship in the film. Just a great scene, that earns really the potential slide into melodrama by making it so naturally build off of the relationship between the characters. The first doesn't matter, the way each come together from it does.
Mitchell: I've been waiting for The Woman in the Window for forever at this point
Louis: Thoughts on these tracks.
The Story of Wendy
Follow Me
Birdslingers
Welcome to Victorville
Mr. Dick and the Kite
David's Writings
Damn, I know I’m two days late to this but RIP Walter Olkewicz.
So since I've had time to mull this over after "Soul Eater", I thought I might offer my updated top 10 Anime series. It's notably different than before, but it was always tentative list.
1) Mob Psycho 100 (2 Seasons)
2) FullMetal Alchemist (1 Season)
3) Fate/Zero (2 Seasons)
4) Demon Slayer (1 Season)
5) Hunter X Hunter (4 Seasons)
6) Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works (2 Seasons)
7) Yu Yu Hakusho (1 Season)
8) My Hero Academia (1 Season)
9) Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures (2 Seasons)
10) Soul Eater (1 Season)
What are the top 10 actors you want to see win an oscar?
Louis: What are some performances that, when you looked at the rankings a few years after you made them, did you say “why did I rank them that low/high”?
Anonymous:
The Story of Wendy - (The highlight of that amazing scene in a movie that's unfortunately just kind of a mess otherwise. This bit of score is extraordinary honestly though in the sheer emotional exuberance of it all that one can explore an entire Peter Pan style adventure while listening to it. This as Romer and Zeitlin go through such a seemingly random yet seamless instrumentation choices that each build upon each other in this song's forward momentum. This carrying with it such an honestly inspirational quality, while also giving you this sense of the constant movement of time so beautifully. I mean if the film was just a short film, and it was just this scene, with this score, an all-timer right there.)
Follow Me - (Such an atypical blend already in this scoring that is just wonderfully done. This sort of pseudo period quality that is just so emotional resonate, and articulates beautifully the sort of fantastical yet period quality inherent in the piece. Here in such a mix of soulful strings. This though balanced as it proceeds articulating such joy in the mix in with the muted horns and percussion. This turning into a beautiful kind of procession and creating this fantastic juxtaposition. Again such an unlikely mix that just work beautifully together, and honestly the more I think about it, how the heck didn't Wolfwalkers make the score "shortlist" even?)
Birdslingers - (How much Mosseri gets within the specific style he crafts for the overalls score is amazing. This one being different as kind of march against the other pieces that typically have a more passive tempo. This is amazing work in that syncopation that creates such a greater emphasis while still having that same beauty in that sort of style here that feels so innately one with nature. I love the segue particularly back to Jacob's Prayer, that is just gorgeously done in this quiet simplification of the instrumentation.)
Welcome to Victorville - (Gorgeous work that I think most succeeds, at out of any of the tracks, of creating basically a neo-Bernard Herrmann track. This as they evoke him in a great way of that ethereal combination of haunting strings and more kind of regal horns against that. This though still crafting their own riff on it that crafts its own feeling and manner. You can say what you want about the Finchers evoking Kane, but Ross and Reznor did so brilliantly. )
Mr. Dick and the Kite - (Just gorgeous work that is so wonderfully uplifting, both literally and metaphorically just like the scene. This as just the best in terms of the overall score with a very sweeping always romantic instrumental. Here just there is just so much whimsy and charm in the grand mix of piano and the orchestra. Beautiful work._
David's Writing - (Love the solo cello that seems to be of inspiration that segues probably to a harp, this then slowly building with the undercurrent of the full orchestra. This creating kind of the build of inspiration right in the climax of the piece. This as it so effectively keeps building adding more and more instrumentation and momentum to the piece. This creating kind a flow of thought in a way as there is so much inspiration in every note.)
Anonymous:
Well anyone who gives the best performance of a given year, but to answer that more concisely here are a list of ten I think could and should eventually.
1. Tom Courtenay
2. Bruce Dern
3. Ben Foster
4. Viggo Mortensen
5. Brendan Gleeson
6. Ryan Gosling
7. Ben Mendelsohn
8. Mads Mikkelsen
9. Ralph Fiennes
10. Ian McKellen
Robert:
High:
Bruce Willis in Sin City (Though I tended to forget the infection of Madsen's all time bad performance)
Leonardo DiCaprio - Shutter Island/Gangs of New York
Sean Penn - Mystic River
Low:
Sean Penn - Milk
Song Kang-ho - Memories of Murder
Billy Crudup - Big Fish
Johnny Depp - Pirates
Stephen Rea - The Crying Game
Alan Arkin - The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
Somehow Both Ways for:
Ian McDiarmid in Revenge of the Sith (Somehow I can never entirely convince myself that it's just ham or hamtastic)
RIP Walter Olkewicz, last of the Renaults and Franklin Delano Romanowski.
On a similar note to my last comment, what would everyone's thoughts on this be?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbkIltRgX6E
I will admit, I was a bit surprised by the video when I first watched it, but now that I've seen a bit of "Yu Yu Hakusho", I find it strangely satisfying.
Does Earwig kind of give anyone else this uncanny valley vibe?
Louis who are your ten best living actors who haven't been Oscar nominated?
Rather surprised you didn't include Willem Dafoe
What are your top 10 actresses you want to win an oscar?
Anonymous: I'd just write down Donald Sutherland's name ten times for the best actors who haven't been Oscar nominated yet.
Anonymous:
1. Tatsuya Nakadai
2. Ben Foster
3. Mads Mikkelsen
4. Choi Min-sik
5. Brendan Gleeson
6. Donald Sutherland
7. Lee Byung-hun
8. Mathias Schoenaerts
9. Tsutomu Yamazaki
10. David Warner
And an extremely long list of honorable mentions.
Anonymous:
Please don't be "surprised" by an exclusion at any point, it's a large pool so it is easy to overlook by accident when constructing a list. Anyway Dafoe would be my #3.
1. Liv Ullmann
2. Sigourney Weaver
3. Emily Watson
4. Nina Hoss
5. Lesley Manville
6. Naomi Watts
7. Toni Collette
8. Michelle Pfeiffer
9. Jessie Buckley
10. Rooney Mara
Louis: Your thoughts on the production design and cinematography of Scanners.
I have never been so angry at Netflix (and i have had some salty moments there i can tell ya) as today when i found out that Knives Out 2 and 3 have been bought by them.
We finally get a mid-budget movie being a huge hit, but Netflix has to stop it in it's tracks right away.
Really, i am unreasonably mad right now ...
Louis: How do you rank all of John Williams' Oscar nominated scores?
how would you rank Roger Deakins' nominations?
I'm sure most of you probably aren't watching The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but I'm enjoying it and I have to say that Wyatt Russell's performance in today's episode was pretty amazing.
I don’t know if I’ll ever watch Falcon & Winter Soldier or not, but I do really like Wyatt Russell. I think he gave one of the most underrated performances in Black Mirror.
So on a random note, I just watched "The American" for the first time. As far as slow burn thrillers go, this one was certainly effective and well realized in it's admittedly predictable premise. Although I would say the other Corbijn film that I watched - "A Most Wanted Man" - had a more intriguing story, I still found "The American" to be engaging enough, specifically in it's portrayal of the titular character's isolation.
Clooney - 4.5 (His best performance, without question, and his final driving scene easily overshadows a similar sequence from "Michael Clayton")
Bonacelli - 3.5
Placido - 3
Reuten - 3
Leysen - 3
So I guess I'm the only one here who thought A Most Wanted Man was really, really boring?
Matt: It's not the best paced film, is it? If I had to articulate it, though, the reason "A Most Wanted Man" wasn't boring to me was that I could easily imagine it as a real operation; As in, the events of the film no doubt reflect real life missions and events, especially around the time period the novel is based on.
Also, a strong leading turn from the late great PSH never hurts things.
Matt: It bored me as well, unfortunately. PSH is great (of course), and I do kind of like the ending, but as a whole, I couldn’t get with it.
I’ll admit though, there’s not much middle ground for me with slow-burn thrillers. I either get with them or I don’t.
Mitchell: I got no problem with slow-paced. I love to death Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. I just never found myself invested in A Most Wanted Man, although I think the extremely lacking performance from Grigory Dobrygin was a big reason why.
Matt: I'll also admit, there is this almost haunting quality of the film for me just by watching Hoffman. I know it was part of the role, but he looks so pale and sickly as Gunther, almost as if he was on the brink of dying. The film was apparently shot 2 years before his death, but even then you could see he wasn't long for the world.
Little side note about the movie; For a long time, I saw McAdams as the weak link of the English speaking cast, mostly because of her wavering accent. In my re-watches of the movie, though, I've warmed up to her work somewhat and actually have more problems with Wright's performance than with hers.
Mitchell: Wright was terrible.
Matt: I would've probably gone with a softer word, but I won't argue against the use of that one.
Matt: I don't know if it was because I watched it while being tired during a road trip, but A Most Wanted Man may be the most simultaneously bored and invested I've ever been during a movie.
As much as I admire every single element in it, though, I can't say the same for TTSS. Which for some reason has never quite connected with me. That one is on me, however.
For 1980 Lead, I have a suggestion for Brisnsley Forde in Babylon which I just watched. It’s a director vision-heavy film but he’s great in it and has a compelling arc, and the film on the whole is excellent and worth watching regardless of whether it gets a review or not.
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