Wednesday 21 July 2021

Alternate Best Actor 2015: Christopher Plummer in Remember

Christopher Plummer did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Zev Guttman in Remember. 

Remember, that follows an old man suffering from dementia on a mission to kill a Nazi war criminal, I think is largely undermined by its own contrivances. 

That is a bit of a shame however as it has a strong cast, with three actors giving among their final performances in the great Martin Landau, Bruno Ganz and of course Christopher Plummer in the lead role. These performances really lend greater credibility to the film that itself runs too much more so as an exploitation piece than a genuine examination of dementia or the holocaust. Thankfully the performances are there particularly Christopher Plummer. Plummer's performance takes the material very seriously and puts as much effort into the role as if the film was a great one, like say The Father, which does evidently put most similar films to shame. Plummer's performance though is terrific in creating the state of his Zev Guttman an older German man living alone at a nursing home after the passing of his wife. This as he creates a sense of a kind of undercurrent of a malaise of the man trying always to figure out where he is and what he is doing. There is in his performance this moment of calibration essentially that effectively portrays man figuring out what's going on in any given situation. Plummer creating this state vividly of the man who is actively trying to stabilize himself and make sense of his situation, which becomes built around a letter written by his seeming friend, and fellow holocaust survivor Max Rosenbaum (Landau) who sends him on his mission. 

The film then becomes really these kind of curious set pieces as Zev goes about his task and each situation presents him some new challenge whether it be one of the potential suspects of the war criminal, who goes by the name of Rudy Kurlander yet the real one is in fact an Auschwitz commandant by the name of Otto Wallisch. This really breaks the film into two types of scenes, one being the procedure of dealing with his dementia, and the other being the scenes of potential revenge seeking. The dealing with dementia scenes work so well just by how honest Plummer feels in every moment of them. This as Plummer finds in these moments the man being lost and basically finding himself through interacting with others. He's particularly moving by showing the progress of finding himself through these moments. Whether they are the man being completely lost to finding his path just through someone showing him what he needs. There are also the more personal moments where we see Zev as he seems more emotionally despondent. Plummer is great in these moments in creating the immediate sense of urgency as Zev asks for his wife and wonders about those around him. The immediate sense of anxiety is so deeply felt in his delivery, yet what is even more remarkable is the way he conveys Zev calming himself. This moment of kind of a sad realization that those he are looking for are not living, and it is just his memory getting the better of him. 

The other scenes are set up into 4 different scenes of confrontation. The first being with a former German soldier, but not the S.S. officer he was looking for. Plummer projects the approach he will in this scene with this sort of steely eyed determination combined with a certain sloppiness as the man still finding bearings. Plummer makes this seemingly odd combination natural in his manner as he shows the man managing to find his path by fixing upon this singular goal. A goal that he presents with a kind of singular manner when promoting the threat. Each time there is almost a rehearsed quality to it with Zev, this even speaking towards the death of his family, there is almost overly purpose about it. Again this as this point of creating an exact method the man takes to hone himself towards this goal, but also seems like something more. We see this further with the second man, a fellow holocaust victim who reveals himself having been imprisoned for being homosexual. Plummer's performance reveals this kind of generalized kind of sorrow in the man's expression of his family's death even in reaction to this man. It is a real sorrow of some kind however there is this degree of ambiguity in Plummer's performance due to this lack of specificity. The third man though challenges the man seemingly more as he meets the son of the next man, the man having died, however his son being a Neo-Nazi who mistakes Zev as a friend of his father's. 

This man's overt antisemitism throws Zev off however Plummer is incredible in creating this unique state of the fear and anxiety within the situation. This as he speaks towards his Jewishness it still with the man discovering this thought and revealing it as something he needs to hold onto more than anything, even when there isn't a certain specificity. This leading to the final sequence of the film where he comes upon the final man, (Jürgen Prochnow). Plummer is amazing in this scene just from his manner with Prochnow which has initially this innate affability and even camaraderie within their interaction. It is practically instinctual in Plummer work, though just is as the man embraces Plummer revealing himself to being a Nazi commandant but not THE Nazi commandant that Plummer is looking for. Plummer's reaction of disgust to his embrace as he reveals this is with again a kind of conducted disgust of a man who has been implanted a kind of reaction. This of course leading to the film's twist ending SPOILERS that Plummer's Zev was the Nazi commandant all along. This being a twist that I'm sure the screenwriter was very proud of to define the film, though I think makes it all feel a bit trite in overall conception because of it. With the ending being more intended as a "gotcha!" than a genuine resolution to these characters. 
 
Having written all that though, within Plummer's own performance at least he makes it work. This in part to having actually built to it by showing that sort of rehearsed quality intentional to the man who had been conditioned basically to repeat the same lines and believe the same reaction without further depth than that. Plummer leads towards the twist while never undermining his performance. This in creating a man who is largely built upon created memories, however in that there is something genuinely haunted. Plummer playing that ambiguity well throughout, to say whether it alludes to a survivor's guilt or the guilt of a killer. This while also delivering the power within his work in the moment of the realization. This as Plummer becomes the reality sense of distress and despair in the moment. This as contrived as it feels as written, Plummer makes the emotion both honest and potent within his performance. This sense of sudden onset of guilt in the realization is just an astonishing instance in his work, and crafts something special within his own work, even though I don't think the revelation still functions on its own. This speaks to the strength of Plummer's work here overall that I think often deals with repetitive scenes. Again the scenes are either those confrontations or being helped by a random stranger or employee do some, rinse and repeat. What makes the scenes distinct is Christopher Plummer's performance. This in both crafting something natural out of an artificial contrivance, but also just the deftness in every other moment. Every little interaction we get, particularly those with the couple children Zev comes across, are so beautifully acted by Plummer. This as he finds such a genuine poignancy in these little interactions of an old man just trying to find himself, while constantly being lost. Even while the material is not, this is a great performance by Christopher Plummer. Even when the intentions of the film are anything but honesty and truth, Plummer finds them within his quietly powerful and often haunting work.

96 comments:

Luke Higham said...

Happy that he has 2 fives now.

Ratings and thoughts on the rest of the cast

Matt Mustin said...

It's so frustrating that the movie is not as good as his performance, because the potential is there. Also, the twist made me mad and actually a little bit grossed out.

Anonymous said...

What is your top 10 acting families/siblings?

Michael McCarthy said...

I’d REALLY like to know your thoughts on Dean Norris’s brief performance. Because I thought he started out brilliant, but after the moment of the character’s realization suddenly became kind of terrible.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

This is brilliant work, and for me, Plummer's very best. It's weird how the film doesn't come together, given that every single performance (including Norris basically rehashing Hank) worked for me.

Matt Mustin said...

Michael: I liked how he played it all the way through actually.

Calvin Law said...

Agreed with you all on the twist, very bad, also the weakest Egoyan I've watched by some margin. Plummer is great though for sure.

BRAZINTERMA said...

Hello folks!
Tell your TOP10 best director, lead actress and supporting actress in 2015:

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
10º Laura Linney - Mr. Holmes
9º Karine Teles - The Second Mother
8º Joan Allen - Room
7º Rebecca Ferguson - Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
6º Elizabeth Banks - Love & Mercy
5º Elizabeth Debicki - The Man From U.N.C.L.E
4º Cynthia Nixon - James White
3º Marion Cotillard - Macbeth
2º Alicia Vikander - Ex Machina
1º Jennifer Jason Leigh - The Hateful Eight

LEAD ACTRESS
10º Carey Mulligan - Suffragette
9º Alicia Vikander - Testament of Youth
8º Saoirse Ronan - Brooklyn
7º Brie Larson - Room
6º Cate Blanchett - Carol
5º Carey Mulligan - Far From the Madding Crowd
4º Emily Blunt - Sicario
3º Charlize Theron - Mad Max Fury Road
2º Charlotte Rampling - 45 Years
1º Rooney Mara - Carol

DIRECTOR
10º Alex Garland - Ex Machina
9º László Nemes - Son of Saul
8º Anna Muylaert - The Second Mother
7º Lenny Abrahamson - Room
6º Quentin Tarantino - The Hateful Eight
5º Ciro Guerra - Embrace of the Serpent
4º Todd Haynes - Carol
3º Denis Villeneuve - Sicario
2º Alejandro González Iñárritu - The Revenant
1º George Miller - Mad Max: Fury Road

And what are your Tops?
Comment!

Sean Ingram said...

I wish he takes overall for 2015. He deserves it. Would be amazing to finally get a win after four nominations.

Luke Higham said...

Perfectionist: I believe he has a good chance to take it but it will be difficult to overcome both McKellen and Tremblay.

I find 2015 Lead to be quite amusing where we had many great performances yet about half of them came from films that Louis found problematic.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

This doesn't seem like a winner's review. Then again, like Louis said, there really is no one lead performance in 2015 that clearly towers over the rest, but there's like a dozen equally brilliant performances.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: When you re-edit 2015 Lead on the my nominations page, could you also complete 80 Supporting.

Shaggy Rogers said...

My favorites of 2015:
1. Plummer
2. McKellen
3. Tremblay
4. Courtenay
5. Dano

Anonymous said...

Louis: Thoughts on the dune trailer?

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: He usually stays away from any promotional material after the first trailer to avoid any spoilers.

Sean Ingram said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Louis Morgan said...

Luke:

Landau - 3.5(Good to see him in anything honestly. Do like his performance though that manages to create his own undercurrent of a quiet desperation and sort of conviction in his moments of prodding Plummer. He effectively speaks the truth within the character even when the character isn't being honest.)

Ganz - 3.5(This is really just a functional role but it speaks to his talent the amount of history he manages to get out in his bit of exposition. This in his reaction to Plummer, his explanation of his own role, suggests a proud German indoctrinated within a bad system, but not a zealot for the system. Minor role but he really does everything one could for it.)

Norris - 3(Think he does indeed start off very strongly in the way he initially approaches Plummer with this sort of friendly member that reeks both of the desperation of an often lonely man, and just a guy wishing to experience some sense of his father's interests for a moment. This even naturally seguing to the hateful speak as though it is just a casual interest for him, which it is. I think he overcooks the switch a bit, but it literally quite brief within the performance, that I do think all that came before is worth praising.)

Prochnow - 3.5(The makeup on him is a little distracting, and I'd say not quite needed really. He's really good though in instantly conveying the sense of nostalgic affection with Plummer, but naturally seguing towards disbelief and desperation as the situation turns. What I like though is Prochnow doesn't just turn into a one note villain, showing genuine concern in the man for his family as he reveals himself, even as he also doesn't hold back on the portrayal of his enjoyment of his vile past.)

Anonymous:

1. De Havilland/Fontaine
2. Douglas
3. Huston
4. Carradine
5. Kinski
6. Harris
7. Dern
8. Gleeson
9. Bridges
10. Fonda

Anonymous:

Not watching any more trailers for the film.

Perfection:

Unlikely as that top 5 is too tight, he could potentially move around within the "lower tier" of the 5's, but even that isn't overly likely.

Louis Morgan said...

Daniel:

Funny that you mention that, as I just happened to be watching a few of the updated and new episodes just this very moment.

RatedRStar said...

Louis: Go look on the Siskel and Ebert website =D, I am glad these have finally been found, I don't think I've seen either of these 2 specials =D.

Anonymous said...

What actors/actresses do you feel most notably improved as they got older?

RatedRStar said...

Louis: Only 1996 is left I think for the If We Picked The Winners that isn't available and I looked it up, it does exist, so what's your S&E predictions for 1996 before it gets put up?

RatedRStar said...

Louis: I am not gonna watch the specials until the weekend so Ill put my own predictions for 93/94 to see if I get them right when I come back to it.

1993
Best Actor - Liam Neeson (Siskel) Laurence Fishburne (Ebert)
Best Actress - Holly Hunter (Both)
Best Supporting Actor - Ralph Fiennes (Both)
Best Supporting Actress - Anna Paquin (Siskel) Winona Ryder (Ebert)
Best Picture - Schindlers List (Both)
Worst Nomination - Holly Hunter for The Firm (Both)

1994
Best Actor - Nigel Hawthorne (Siskel) Paul Newman (Ebert)
Best Actress - Winona Ryder (Both)
Best Supporting Actor - Samuel L.Jackson (Siskel) Martin Landau (Ebert)
Best Supporting Actress - Dianne Wiest (Both)
Best Picture - Pulp Fiction (Both)
Worst Nomination - Susan Sarandon (Siskel) Jodie Foster (Ebert)

Louis Morgan said...

RatedRStar:

89 (88 Oscars), still hasn't been found, and I know it exists since there was the intro to it on YouTube for some time.

1996:

My guess:

Best Actor - Ralph Fiennes (Siskel) Billy Bob Thornton (Ebert)
Best Actress - Frances McDormand (Both)
Best Supporting Actor - Edward Norton (Siskel) William H. Macy (Ebert)
Best Supporting Actress - Juliette Binoche (Siskel) Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Ebert)
Best Picture - Fargo(Both)
Worst Nomination - The Crucible Adapted Screenplay (Siskel) Ghosts of Mississippi Makeup (Ebert)

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

Ranked by the intensity of their improvement:

1. Charlize Theron
2. Diane Lane
3. Scarlett Johansson
4. Gregory Peck
5. Sandra Bullock
6. Nicole Kidman
7. William Holden
8. Jared Harris
9. Walter Huston
10. Melvyn Douglas

Anonymous said...

Louis: Thoughts on Back to the Future and Who Framed Roger Rabbit direction?

Anonymous said...

Louis: Before Dune probably clarifies the answer for most of us, do you prefer Hedges or Chalamet as a performer? Also, from their age group, who would be your top 5 actors working today.

Michael McCarthy said...

I don't have a clear favorite between the two since Little Women, but for me Hedges still has the higher height with Boy Erased.

Glenn said...

Luke, which 5 Lead Actor performances sight unseen have the highest potential to take the overall win this year.

Luke Higham said...

Glenn: Even at this stage, it's still difficult to tell. If I were to make a prediction for just one at this moment, I'd go with Denzel Washington in The Tragedy Of Macbeth. I think the stars are aligning for him with Joel Coen, the material and Frances McDormand to rock the screen with.

Anonymous said...

What top 10 actresses do you think are best at starring in period pieces/historical dramas?

ruthiehenshallfan99 said...

Finally watched The Farmer's Daughter and therefore have now seen all the Best Actress winners of the 1940s! Here are my ratings for each winning performance (plus ranking):

Olivia de Havilland (The Heiress): 5
Jennifer Jones
Joan Crawford
Ingrid Bergman
Olivia de Havilland: 4.5/5
Joan Fontaine: 4.5
Jane Wyman
Greer Garson: 4/4.5
Ginger Rogers: 4
Loretta Young: 3.5/4

If anyone else has seen all these performances, what's your ranking and ratings?

Bryan L. said...

Brazinterma: I'll give Top Fives

Best Director

1. George Miller - Mad Max: Fury Road
2. Denis Villeneuve - Sicario
3. Alejandro G. Inarritu - The Revenant
4. Quentin Tarantino - The Hateful Eight
5. Ciro Guerra - Embrace of The Serpent

Best Actress

1. Charlize Theron - Mad Max: Fury Road
2. Saoirse Ronan - Brooklyn
3. Carey Mulligan - Far From the Madding Crowd
4. Emily Blunt - Sicario
5. Brie Larson - Room

Best Supporting Actress

1. Alicia Vikander - Ex Machina
2. Jennifer Jason Leigh - The Hateful Eight
3. Marion Cotillard - Macbeth
4. Elizabeth Banks - Love & Mercy
5. Rebecca Ferguson - Mission Impossible : Rogue Nation

Calvin Law said...

Ruthie:

de Havilland in The Heiress (5)
Bergman
Crawford
Jones
Fontaine (4.5)
de Havilland in To Each His Own
Young (4)
Rogers
Garson
Wyman (3.5)

ruthiehenshallfan99 said...

Calvin: Very happy that I've finally found someone who loves Jennifer Jones' performance almost as much as I do.

Anonymous said...

Louis: What did you think of Naseerudins mannerisms as a blind man in Sparsh? Asking because you didn't mention it in your review of his performance, but I'm guessing you liked them

Marcus said...

Louis: What are some of your least favorite movie titles? Edge of Tomorrow's international title ('Live. Die. Repeat') would probably be up there for me.

RatedRStar said...

ruthiehenshallfan99: I don't know many people that think lowly of Jones in Bernadette, most people tend to think she was a worthy choice, shes easily my winner in that category for 43 lol.

Thomas said...

Louis: Your thoughts on this trailer from 2003.

youtube.com/watch?v=r5X-hFf6Bwo

ruthiehenshallfan99 said...

RatedRStar: Honestly she's my winner for the category in 1943 in general (even if you include Teresa Wright, though Ms. Wright is simply outstanding) and her performance is among my Top 10 for all Lead Actress performances.

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

Well Zemeckis's direction of Back To the Future is working with one of the all time great scripts in creating pure entertainment. So the question then is what does he do with it, and how does he make a great entertainment on screen as well. So Zemeckis was kind of seen as Spielberg's protege, and you can see that, particularly in the development of his early career. This is where Back to the Future really combined basically everything he had done previously, while also taking it further, to craft really what is an unlikely masterpiece. This as his previous films were a mix of mostly comedy, a variation in the amount of action and just a little bit of the dramatic. With this film he found the perfection combination of the three. I'd say this is where we get the overarching vision more than anything. This as the creation of the world as a vision is relatively straight forward for the time, but it is really the intelligence of tone in the direction that makes the film as great as it is. This as we again get from him a lot of comedy, hilarious comedy. His timing is amazing, and it is such a shame we lost genuinely funny Zemeckis as his ability with making comedy work is incredible. This even including understanding he needed Michael J. Fox in the lead role not Eric Stoltz, someone who could emphasize the comedy in the right way, while not overemphasizing the drama in these moments. Also important to note that Zemeckis is careful not to got too far, particularly in the incestuous element which he has fun with but doesn't over exploit. The action here is well placed and incredibly well realized, each as a consistent set piece with specific moments that built tension brilliant, and Zemeckis knows just how to ratchet through definable steps. Really his work in Back to the Future shows you how to do "low stakes" action scenes, in that what is happening might be simple but every bit matters, like Doc getting the line ready on the clock tower, simple seemingly, but everything in how Zemeckis emphasizes every point of it. The drama though is in a way that takes the film to the next level, where Zemeckis allowed himself to expand on the idea, and really just placed more overtly genuine moments in the exploration of friendship between Doc and Marty, and a new perception on one's parents in Lorraine and George. This where you really get some brilliance in building earnestness in both. This as he slowly leads to it, I think even in the smallest of moments like getting the briefest of connection in George's correction of density to destiny. This making the defeat of Biff, and most of all Earth Angel scene just amazing film-making in how to realize a dramatic moment. The latter being genuinely one of the greatest scenes of all time in terms of having the tension of Marty fading, the beauty of the song, and the catharsis of the kiss. It's worth noting that really Zemeckis's work is never autopilot even beyond those great moments, this as he knows how to handle little moments, like Marty getting out of the space car, or even just think about he handles the opening scene. This creating a mystery really for the viewer in every step of first discovering doc's lab, then Marty in the guitar gag, then Hillvalley through his rush to school. The latter which also should be a teaching moment in terms of how to direct a simple scene, this just Marty going to school, yet he gives you the geography of the area, the sense of place in the 80's and a sense of Marty's carefree but also intuitive nature. This is throughout the film, and really Zemeckis's work shows how to make a great entertainment.

Louis Morgan said...

Marcus:

For good movies:

Beast Cops
Romancing the Stone
Sydney (Sorry PTA Hard Eight is the better title)

Though Dishonorable Mention to a bad film:

Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House and got his groove back while learning to love the bomb.

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

Hedges slightly based on the two fer of Boy Erased and Ben Is Back over Chalamet's of Call Me By Your Name and Little Women, though its close. Chalamet also has currently the lowest low in Beautiful Boy, plus a suggested limit in his range by the King.

Well say 30 to 21 then?:

1. LaKeith Stanfield
2. George MacKay
3. Barry Keoghan
4. Kelvin Harrison Jr.
5. Lucas Hedges

Anonymous:

Yes, you can see where Pacino got his inspiration for Scent with them though I think he took the idea honestly and made it feel less natural.

Tim:

Appropriately epic, if dated due to the constant fade out cuts, trailer to an epic finale.

Anonymous said...

What would be your top 5 actresses from the same age group?

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

1. Florence Pugh
2. Saoirse Ronan
3. Anya Taylor-Joy
4. Elle Fanning
5. Aisling Franciosi

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Your thoughts on the rice-ball eating and the 'stink spirit' scenes from Spirited Away? Rewatched it today, and the former sequence just exemplifies why it's the best directed animated film for me.

RatedRStar said...

Louis: So I saw the two specials, True..Liessss lol that got me =D I will say, omg how did I predict Holly Hunter for The Firm, that was a total fluke, and as for Supporting Actor 94, I was so happy to see what they said, makes me love them even more now.

RatedRStar said...

Louis: I thought the 93 special was ok but the 94 special I thought was great =D.

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Your cast & director for…

1990s The Martian
1970s Bone Tomahawk
1980s Black Mass

Matt Mustin said...

Bryan L: Peckinpah for 70's Bone Tomahawk.

Bryan L. said...

Matt: With William Holden as Sheriff Hunt, of course.

Matt Mustin said...

Bryan L: Or Warren Oates.

Sean Ingram said...

Louis, have your opinion on Cruise's performance in Born On The Fourth changed to some extent?? I feel that it's still a really good performance even though I do find some few problems as well that you pointed out with some unsubtle moments due to Oliver Stone direction, but there are some really good moments with subtlety as well that Cruise brings. I think that Cruise's eyes are actually very haunting in most of his later scenes in the movie. The way he is able to suggest trauma and regret with just his expressions later on is really incredible. I do think that there's a problem with Cruise's speech though. There's something about his stuttering and breaking of words that he used to do back then in 80s(glad that he stopped doing that and grew more confident as an actor) that kind of feel really overdramatic in emotional moments. But I think it's still a really good performance that suggest that Cruise is there to stay and is the future of the industry. I personally would give it 3.5.

Tim said...

your 70s Cast and Director for Saving Mr Banks?

Anonymous said...

Louis: Have you seen any new films/TV shows lately?

Could I bave your updated top 20 Christopher Plummer acting moments as well?

Sean Ingram said...

By the way Louis, I have to ask you something important and it might potentially lead to a change in your list... You gave Philip Baker Hall a win for 1997 but wasn't Hard Eight released in 1996 and got screened at Sundance Film Festival?? OK, I get it that you probably based the dates on release in US, and in this case, Hard Eight was released in 1997. But then what about Memento and Pearce?? Wasn't Memento released in 2001 in US and it was only screened at Venice Film Festival in 2000?? And yet you gave him the win for 2000 year... I am kinda curious in knowing your decision.

Luke Higham said...

Perfectionist: It's the first release date regardless of nation. Memento was released in Europe in 2000.

Sean Ingram said...

Luke: Well then Hard Eight was also released in 1996... But Louis gave Baker Hall win for 1997.

Luke Higham said...

Perfectionist: Louis doesn't count festival screenings. The first theatrical release was in 97.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Hey Louis, what's the likelihood of Hoskins taking 1981? I just saw The Long Good Friday and now Hoskins is my #2 for the entire 80's.

Louis Morgan said...

Tahmeed:

A wonderful scene I think shows that sometimes directing is actually about not showing off, although he's not working with actors so to speak, he lets the emotions just show through his character in the moment, and beautifully lets it play out.

Kind of on the other end of things in terms of being a very showy scene in terms of the animation, and just an example of the creativity within the film through just how much it shows through the whole sequence that is so beautifully done.

RatedRStar:

Yeah 94 special was great, 93 expectedly was more straight forward since it largely just covering their love of Schindler's List again, which they already did in their extended review.

Bryan:

1990's The Martian...I suppose Ridley Scott still:

Mark Watney: Jeff Bridges
Commander Lewis: Geena Davis
Annie Montrose: Catherine O'Hara
Teddy Sanders: Donald Sutherland
Mitch Henderson: Ian McKellen
Bruce Ng: John Lone
Vincent Kapoor: Delroy Lindo

1970's Bone Tomahawk directed by Sam Peckinpah:

Sheriff Hunt: William Holden
Arthur: Steve McQueen
Brooder: Warren Oates
Chicory: Burgess Meredith
Samantha: Karen Allen
Tall Trees: Will Sampson
Purvis: Albert Salmi
Buddy: Strother Martin

1980's Black Mass directed by Peter Yates:

Whitey Bulger: Jack Nicholson
John Connolly: James Woods
Billy Bulger: Chris Sarandon
Stephen Flemmi: George Dzundza
Johnny Martorano: J.T. Walsh
Brian Halloran: Michael Parks
Kevin Weeks: Michael Madsen
John Morris: John Heard
Fred Wyshak: Stacy Keach
Marianne Connolly: Katherine Ross

Perfectionist:

Well I haven't re-watched the film, and have little desire to. My overarching feelings I doubt would change much as I do think Stone sends him most frequently in the wrong direction in what is one of his least subtle films, which is saying a lot. Today though I probably would give him more credit for his better moments, where I'll admit I focused on the scenes I do think are way overcooked, and I doubt my feelings would change there.

Tim:

Saving Mr. Banks 1970's directed by Robert Stevenson:

P.L. Travers: Angela Lansbury
Walt Disney: Melvyn Douglas
Mr. Travers: Richard Harris
Mrs. Travers: Claire Bloom
Don DaGradi: Jack Weston
The Sherman Brothers: Ron Rifkin and Bob Balaban
Ralph: George Kennedy

Anonymous:

No.

Save for the results.

Louis Morgan said...

Robert:

It's not out of the question, frankly his final scene alone is kind of worth a win.

Anonymous said...

Thoughts on Laura Linney as an actress?

Anonymous said...

Like, I think Laura Linney is talented but represents a common lacking I find in a lot American actors and actresses.

She has a great deal of natural talent but I feel she often does not really know how to use this effectively. For instance, she especially fails when trying to give mannered turns. I've noticed a lot of my favorite American actresses(Sissy Spacek,Holly Hunter, Emma Stone etc) are very effective in giving naturalistic turns. I definitely can't really think of many American actresses who are notably skilled at giving mannered turns, Geraldine Page and Frances McDormand being the rare exception. I think it may have to do with a general lack of classical training compared to their foreign peers and this results in a specific weakness in a lot of American actors.

Do you agree about this in general?

Marcus said...

Louis: What are your favorite performances you haven't given wins to. I'm guessing Douglas/Paths of Glory might be near the top of such a list.

8000S said...

Louis: Your thoughts on these casting choices for a 50s No Country for Old Men and a 50s L.A. Confidential.

Ed Tom Bell: Victor McLaglen
Llewelyn Moss: Robert Mitchum
Anton Chigurh: Anthony Quinn
Carson Wells: Richard Widmark
Carla Jean Moss: Patricia Neal
Wendell: Tim Holt
Loretta Bell: Lillian Gish
Gas Station Proprietor: J. Carrol Naish

Ed Exley: Kirk Douglas
Bud White: Burt Lancaster
Jack Vincennes: Ray Milland
Lynn Bracken: Ava Gardner
Dudley Smith: Pat O'Brien
Sid Hudgens: Burgess Meredith
Pierce Patchett: Brian Donlevy
Ellis Loew: Hume Cronyn

Luke Higham said...

The Green Knight reviews are in and boy oh boy, we're in for a classic. Patel is the first major contender for the overall win.

Matt Mustin said...

Has anybody seen Old? I'm curious about it just because the reactions are all over the place.

Calvin Law said...

Blonde not being announced for Venice makes me seriously doubt its chances anymore. Feels like The Hand of God and The Power of the Dog could really make their mark there.

Matt: I’m seeing it on Thursday.

Calvin Law said...

Louis: Do you think if it had a distributor like Neon or Sony Picture Classics (since it never had a proper American distributor I believe), that Burning might’ve been able to snag an International Film nod and maybe a dark horse fifth place nod for Yeun?

Matt Mustin said...

Calvin: I'd like to think so, but up until Parasite the Academy never had any interest in Korean films at all for some reason.

Lucas Saavedra said...

Louis: in your 1992 Supporting Actor rsnking you put Courtney B. Vance in One False Move, but he is not credited for that movie, did you mean to put someone else?

Michael McCarthy said...

Matt: I saw it, and I know Psifonian did too. For me it was an entertaining watch in a sense where I wouldn’t exactly call it a “good” movie, but also not quite “so bad it’s good.” Basically it’s a good movie if you view Shyamalan films as their own genre.

Matt Mustin said...

Michael: All I care about is that it's not boring.

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

Well I'd argue some of those have given mannered turns effectively Spacek (The Straight Story, aspects of Carrie), Hunter (Raising Arizona), Stone (Cruella, The Favourite), but it isn't their typical focus so think less about it. I think in part that stems from the types of roles often taken as classical British parts usually require more mannered turns from the outset. It's a bit of a broad brush, though if you broke it down it is probably true to an extent.

Anonymous:

An inconsistent actress for me, and I wouldn't say it is wholly dependent on if naturalism is stressed as one of her better performances in The Truman Show where artifice is a major element. Honestly she's not someone I can get a bead on and is more than anything just very inconsistent. She can be good (The Truman Show, The Savages), but she can also be terrible (Falling, Nocturnal Animals, Mr. Holmes). There isn't a pinpoint reason either in my view, perhaps just material and role, which she does have a limit I'd say. She can work within certain kinds of roles I'd say, where the stress of emotion is specific.

Marcus:

Well here are some lead performances I adore that I don't give wins to, squeezed together:

Humphrey Bogart - The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Al Pacino - Dog Day Afternoon
Kirk Douglas - Paths of Glory
Tatsuya Nakadai - Harakiri & The Sword of Doom
James Mason - Lolita
Colin Farrell - In Bruges
Ryan Gosling - Blade Runner 2049
Mads Mikkelsen - The Hunt
Guy Pearce - L.A. Confidential
Russell Crowe - L.A. Confidential

Louis Morgan said...

8000's:

All good choices, particularly the Douglas/Lancaster pairing.

Calvin:

I think it could've gotten the foreign language nod, but I think Yeun would've come up empty handed still.

Lucas:

I somehow remembered it being him in that film and not Michael Beach. Much like how on re-watch of The World's End, I was quite surprised to learn the old high school bully was played by Darren Boyd not Garret Dillahunt.

Calvin Law said...

Louis: True, even if Rockwell had missed out most likely Chalamet, Jordan etc. were next in line.

Anonymous said...

What are some female performances you love that you didn't give wins?

BRAZINTERMA said...

Hello folks! Here are my 2015 winners bets ...

PICTURE: Mad Max: Fury Road
DIRECTOR: George Miller - Mad Max: Fury Road
ACTOR: Ian McKellen - Mr Holmes
ACTRESS: Rooney Mara - Carol
SUPPORTING ACTOR: Tom Hardy - The Revenant
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Jennifer Jason Leigh - The Hateful Eight
ENSEMBLE: The Hateful Eight
PRODUCTION DESIGN: Mad Max: Fury Road
SOUND EDITING: Mad Max: Fury Road
SOUND MIXING: Mad Max: Fury Road
SCORE: Mad Max: Fury Road
EDITING: Mad Max: Fury Road
VISUAL EFFECTS: Mad Max: Fury Road
COSTUME DESIGN: Mad Max: Fury Road
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Mad Max: Fury Road
MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING: Bone Tomahawk
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: The Lobster
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Carol
SONG: "One Kind of Love" - Love & Mercy

And what are yours?
Comment!

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

I'm quite interested in what rating Louis is going to give Munther's performance. His final scene is great, and I'd probably give him a 4 or a 4.5 for being the best part of quite a flawed film.

Luke Higham said...

Tahmeed: I hope it's a strong 4. I really want to get Karl Markovics in The Counterfeiters out of the way.

RatedRStar said...

Canterbury Glass delayed till 2022,, looks like Next Goal Wins will also be delayed to 2022 as well.

Calvin Law said...

I sincerely, dearly hope Canterbury Glass flops so bad.

Luke Higham said...

I don't wish anything bad on the performers but fuck David O. Russell.

And Fassbender will have to wait another year for a return to the blog.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Like myself, would Willem Dafoe in The Lighthouse be the only acting snub that didn't bother you as much as others because his review benefited much more from it.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

I wish nothing but the worst for O. Russell.

Tim said...

why do you all even care enough about him to hate him this much?

Luke Higham said...

Tim: It's called having a moral stance. He's a bully, a self confessed sexual abuser and aside from that he's very overrated as a filmmaker.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Thoughts on The Card Counter trailer.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Tim: Luke covered it, but also I think it's fair to point out that any other filmmaker with less sway would have had their careers (justifiably) ended for half the stuff he's gotten away with.

Glenn said...

Louis, your top 5 Hugh Laurie moments.

Louis Morgan said...

Calvin:

Hate lineups like those by the way, 100% sure Chalamet was sixth there, with a considerable gap between him and whoever was 7th. Also put blame on somewhere like Critics Choice, which if they had gone off the beaten path a bit and given Jordan the win, it might've prompted the academy voters to feel they had gotten the "okay" to vote for him.

Anonymous:

Leading performances:

Faye Dunaway - Chinatown
Gena Rowlands - Woman Under the Influence
Liv Ullmann - Persona & Autumn Sonata
Linda Fiorentino - The Last Seduction
Frances McDormand - Fargo
Nicole Kidman - Dogville
Rachel Weisz - The Favourite
Emma Stone - The Favourite
Sigourney Weaver - Alien 3
Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone

Luke:

I mean it bothered me less I suppose because he didn't have a chance for the win, despite the fact he would've been the only non-winner, and it was a very strong lineup with the two "lesser" choices of Pitt and Hopkins still being strong performances.

Wasn't particularly impressed by that, looked a little shoddy and cheap in terms of aesthetic. Too little of Dafoe to get a real bead on him, Haddish looked decent against type, (just like most of their most recent work) it is a wait and see on Isaac and Sheridan still at the moment. Trailer suggests they could go either way.

Glenn:

1. Kite Flying - The Personal History of David Copperfield
2. "Are you the Scarlet Pimpernel?" - Blackadder
3. Theft - The Personal History of David Copperfield
4. Facing the Pm - Blackadder
5. I don't know who that is - The Personal History of David Copperfield

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Is Ellen Burstyn 3rd or 4th for Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Since you've seen Jared Harris's Emmy submission for Mad Men, could I have your thoughts on this scene?

https://youtu.be/s30xeVSVrls

Anonymous said...

Louis: On a related note, do you plan on ever watching Mad Men?

Tim said...

your thoughts on David Gordon Green doing a new Ecorcist trilogy with Ellen Burstyn attached?


I mean, i guess i should be open-minded for that.

It's just ...




Why? Why did this need to happen?

Louis Morgan said...

Tahmeed:

Harris is incredible in the scene in every moment of basically going through the process. This so naturally seguing from each attempt of him trying to explain himself from first seeming unknowing of it, to fighting for it with pride, to arguing in hope of sympathy, or just falling into despair to try to explain himself. Harris makes such a mess of emotions wholly honest in the moment, and entirely heartbreaking in showing a man pouring his heart out, while being ignored at every point.

Anonymous:

Won't say never, but it isn't at the top of my list.