I hope Knightley improves for you on this rewatch of Pride and Prejudice as well. I know you don't like her generally, but I always felt like she was the perfect Lizzie. She doesn't make her as austere as the miniseries, she makes her act her actual age.
Tahmeed: Oh that explains it. It's been ages since I saw the film so I remembered him as Supporting. (I was the Anonymous user, I just forgot to enter my name.)
Harris: It was bound to happen, the ratings have dropped year after year that they had to make a change to keep the ceremony at least somewhat relevant to the casual viewer.
Luke: I feel even then, YouTube's going to charge a fair bit for it. I just hope we don't get a repeat of Hulu crashing during the Best Actress/Best Picture announcement if the ceremony runs over time.
Louis: What are the most prominent examples of "bad scenes" in otherwise very good-to-great acting performances that knock those performances down for you, i.e. "What's in the Box?" for Pitt in Se7en.
That scene is why Pitt is a 4 for me instead of 4.5. It would've been a masterful scene for him, Spacey and Freeman, but the inclusion of that massive "Oh God, OH GOOOOOD" in place of just silence almost ruins it all.
Ya know, I used to be one of the people who hated the box thing, but I watched it again a couple years ago and it's really nowhere near as bad I remembered, and it actually does fit the whole arc of what Pitt (and Fincher, honestly) is trying to do with that character.
Louis: Similiar to my question about Burt Reynolds from a few weeks ago, which present roles do you think would've been a good fit for Mickey Rourke, assuming that he would've become easier to work with after The Wrestler?
So, personally I think "The Box" scene is just absolutely perfection. I fail to see any fatal flaw with Pitt's acting. Maybe 1-2 line deliveries of his were flat, but the pain that his eyes showed in that scene plus "tell me she's alright!!!!" are enough to overcome those issues for me. I think this is the movie, where Brad Pitt is slowly figuring out "acting". Prior to that, he is either under acting or over acting.
I'm sure there are others but I'm just having trouble recollecting them at the moment.
Luke:
Worst:
Angelina Jolie - Alexander Ray Romano - Welcome to Mooseport Wayne Robson/Reagan Pasternak/John Rothman - Welcome to Mooseport Marlon Wayans - The Ladykillers Lucy Punch - Being Julia
Bening - 2.5(The character is so much a “type” to begin with as written that I don’t think she exactly begins at a good starting point. Having said that she plays very much into that type so strictly that basically it is a bit like Wiest in Bullets Over Broadway, but she’s not trying to be funny…nor is she. She ends up being just this type without the nuance for some real dramatic effect of someone dealing with being pushed beyond by so many, nor does she find actual comedy within her performance either being within an unsuccessful grey area. Honestly aspects of this performance were far better realized by her in Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool.)
Saunders - 4(Brings kind of a certain self-help guru though where the phoniness of it is purposefully worn with a bit of a precise callousness. Her performance has a directness that works quite effectively by creating a bridge between bringing that Shrek modern flavor to it, but with a genuine kind of intensity through it. Creating a particular ease in the villainy yet one where it is convincing particularly in terms of basically subverting the very notion of the fairy godmother so bluntly.)
Zhang - (At a certain point I do think the action of the character feels designed to make the plot happen rather than something that feels genuine, but even making those overly melodramatic if not just illogical character choices, doesn’t get in the way of appreciating Zhang’s performance. She just is a magnetic performer here and makes the most of the very physical nature of the character. Bringing just a dynamic quality not only in every quiet facial reaction but every movement she carries something with. She is actively compelling every moment we have at her, even within the less interesting aspects of the plot Zhang’s performance just has a charisma that makes it easy to watch her through every step of it. As even in the final moments, Zhang absolutely sells them with absolute conviction even if I didn’t fully believe them.)
Khumalo - (Brings an important contrast within the hardship by creating a convincing sense of optimism even within the difficult life of the character. Her performance makes that the center and does so in a way that never feels naive, rather the innate nature of her character. As she brings nuance within that but also nuance within the moments of reacting to her hardships. In each she offers a convincing complexity within the life of the character that I think in lesser hands could’ve become overly symbolic.)
Hall - (Manages to find just the right tone which I’d argue that even the Coens struggled with this time around. Hall though seems to know exactly what the film needs in her portrayal where she brings a certain dogmatic directness which has a comedic value to, but with just enough grace to emphasize where the character is coming from is from her genuine values. She very carefully manages to amplify without overplaying the part either. Finding a remarkable balance between the qualities of the role of never being too much, but still elevating her moments rather consistently. Even though the film as a whole did not work for me, she did.)
Delpy - (Obviously great chemistry with Hawke once again, and she’s particularly effective in kind of unwrapping her character from where we see her as almost just intrigued by her connection to the now burgeoning writer to more so discovering what had made them connect so profoundly as younger people. Delpy’s performance finds a remarkable charm in playing around with the notion of maturity and immaturity within the reflection, such as the way she is able to deliver her “oh I didn’t come” so blithely however convincingly as someone looking back, but then slowly build towards obviously it being all more than a memory. Leading towards her song sequence, which combines the times of the character by bringing a playful youth, but with a more earnest reflection which we see leading towards genuine love.)
Tatou - (Tatou’s performance is largely reactionary, but reactionary in a way that does work. Where she very much embodies every story that she comes across throughout the film, and brings an emotional honesty along with the certain grace within her character who contrasts Cotillard especially.)
Judd - (For the role that becomes overly simplistic at a certain point I will say I found there to be an honesty in her performance consistently. Finding ways to bring some truth to the overly glossy manner of the piece and consistently keeps some real humanity within the flash and overly cliched moments.)
Kekilli - (Kind of has to go from one overly big emotion to another due to the strange structure of the piece, but I will say, unlike her GOT work which I wasn’t overly impressed by for the most part, I thought she did deliver fairly effectively with these different intense swings, even if maybe they didn’t add up to as much as I would’ve liked.)
Cotillard - (The most captivating part of the film albeit for just a few minutes of screentime. Cotillard though brings a natural ethereal quality to be expected though with this particularly dynamic conviction where in her early scenes she almost seems like a ghostly vengeance. This however is in stark contrast to her later scene where in the end she just is the murderer in jail awaiting her trial. Cotillard beautifully realizes the story against the reality essentially, as in this scene playing so modestly of now just seeing the woman broken by her loss, particularly when she finally reads her far too late message, and captures so powerfully the poignancy in her realization. As I love that she doesn’t play it as horror rather just a “of course” as though recognizing that fate simply will be cruel to her, while still emphasizing the sense of love beneath it all.)
Barclay - (Matches Macfadyen’s performance quite artfully in bringing a consistent authenticity in bringing such a believable emotional strain as we uncover essentially the truth of what is really going on. Her work is moving by reinforcing just the wear of it all as it progresses and finding nuance in it, that while her character suffers much, that isn’t all there is to her work as she finds the hope within the suffering quite notably.)
Fanning - (This is the one time, where as an adult or child, where her presence fully worked for me, and the sort of degree of self-consciousness of her performance actually came to life. And a big reason why is just finding the chemistry with Washington which genuinely works and the sense of warmth between them just builds so naturally. Fanning in this instance doesn’t feel like she’s doing too much, instead finding just the needed sense of just excitement and connection of the little girl finding someone who seems to actually care.)
Not sure the sudden clicking thing worked entirely for me but could always be an in-context sort of thing. Despite Black Bag in Koepp I don’t trust, whereas I know Spielberg will do his thing, and it seems like he is in terms of the general tension from the trailer, but the script finding a new angle into Alien Contact/Invasion is essential, and from this looks like it could go either way.
Lucas:
Yes but out of the top 20.
Luke:
Powell - 2.5(I think he’s fine in some of the action scenes, where Powell does have that ability to bring stakes within a scene through his performance. Unfortunately he struggles with setting up the emotional stakes of the performance. Honestly he’s nearly terrible in the early scenes where he has no chemistry with his onscreen wife, and every line delivery attempting to sell himself as the hero who cares, Powell just comes off as putting on every bit of the emotion. Not a moment being the earnest guy does Powell seem convincing and his passion for good just seems like the most obvious “I’m angry” acting. Powell can be good but attempting to fully replicate a Tom Cruise style presence does not work for him in the least if this is any indication.)
Brolin - 3.5(I don’t think this is the most surprising performance from him in any way, but I think he delivered on the basic necessary combination between an authoritarian manner, with the right combination of smarmy showmanship, where his real thrill is the potential ratings boost. As Brolin performances go he’s been better, but he delivers to the basic requirements of the role albeit just that.)
Domingo - 3.5(He’s having fun and does elevate what he can. I particularly liked his last scene where Domingo sold his comedic note quite effortlessly while telling a bit about his character within the moment. Otherwise he’s having the right accentuation of the action with just enough of an over the top energy to be selling to the crowd constantly. Of course I ‘d say he’s also a bit underutilized as the host, and he’s almost always just for a quick bit before being cut away from.)
54 comments:
Louis: Ratings and thoughts on Annette Being in Being Julia and Jennifer Saunders in Shrek 2.
Thoughts on the rest of the Female Performances
1. Heard
2. Gielgud
3. Nakadai
4. Biswas
5. Macfadyen
Overall ranking predictions
Heard - 5th
Gielgud - 3rd
Nakadai - 5th
Biswas - 2nd
Macfadyen - 7th
I've only seen Nakadai and Macfadyen; excited to check the rest of these out.
1. Heard
2. Nakadai
3. Biswas
4. Macfayden
5. Gielgud
Thoughts on the Disclosure Day trailer?
Louis, ratings and thoughts on the cast of Sirat.
Louis: would you still give a 4 to Corinna Harfouch and Juliane Köhler in Downfall, and where would you rank them if that's the case?
I'll just say that I think Gielgud's performance is a masterclass but you really have to vibe with what the film is doing.
1. Heard
2. Nakadai
3. Macfadyen
4. Biswas
5. Gielgud
1.Heard
2.Gielgud
3.Nakadai
4.Biswas
5.Macfayden
I hope Knightley improves for you on this rewatch of Pride and Prejudice as well. I know you don't like her generally, but I always felt like she was the perfect Lizzie. She doesn't make her as austere as the miniseries, she makes her act her actual age.
1. Heard
2. Nakadai
3. Biswas
4. Macfadyen
5. Gielgud
5º John Gielgud
4º Matthew Macfadyen
3º Chhabi Biswas
2º John Heard
1º Tatsuya Nakadai
1. Nakadai
2. Biswas
3. Gielgud
4. Heard
5. Macfadyen
Probably, everyone is getting a 5 here?
1. Heard
2. Nakadai
3. Gielgud
4. Biswas
5. Macfadyen
1. Biswas
2. Heard
3. Nakadai
4. Macfadyen
5. Gielgud
Great lineup.
1. Heard
2. Gielgud
3. Nakadai
4. Macfadyen
5. Biswas
Gonna change mine a little.
1. Heard
2. Biswas
3. Nakadai
4. Macfadyen
5. Gielgud
1. Heard
2. Biswas
3. Nakadai
4. Macfadyen
5. Gielgud
*checks 2005 supporting actor ranking* Wow, Macfadyen isn't even on the overall? And Sutherland's only #42? Goddamn.
Anonymous: Macfadyen's #20 on the Lead overall for Pride and Prejudice, which I've always felt was low even with the strength of the year.
Would love a Sutherland upgrade too, he's my win that year.
to everybody here: If you didn't like the last two Avatar movies, this next one is not gonna sway you.
If you liked them, like me, it sadly might ...
Robert: Have you decided on your recommendation.
Tahmeed: Oh that explains it. It's been ages since I saw the film so I remembered him as Supporting. (I was the Anonymous user, I just forgot to enter my name.)
Louis and everyone else: What are your thoughts on the Oscars moving to YouTube starting 2029?
Harris: It was bound to happen, the ratings have dropped year after year that they had to make a change to keep the ceremony at least somewhat relevant to the casual viewer.
Luke: I feel even then, YouTube's going to charge a fair bit for it. I just hope we don't get a repeat of Hulu crashing during the Best Actress/Best Picture announcement if the ceremony runs over time.
Luke: I guess the 1991 filming of Into the Woods? It's on Youtube.
1. Biswas
2. Heard
3. Nakadai
4. Macfadyen
5. Gielgud
Louis: What are the most prominent examples of "bad scenes" in otherwise very good-to-great acting performances that knock those performances down for you, i.e. "What's in the Box?" for Pitt in Se7en.
Marcus: He still gave Pitt a 4.5 for Seven so I don't think that scene affected him too much.
Louis: Ratings and thoughts on Powell, Brolin and Domingo in The Running Man.
That scene is why Pitt is a 4 for me instead of 4.5. It would've been a masterful scene for him, Spacey and Freeman, but the inclusion of that massive "Oh God, OH GOOOOOD" in place of just silence almost ruins it all.
Ya know, I used to be one of the people who hated the box thing, but I watched it again a couple years ago and it's really nowhere near as bad I remembered, and it actually does fit the whole arc of what Pitt (and Fincher, honestly) is trying to do with that character.
Louis: Could you add my request Vincent Price in The Abominable Dr. Phibes to the requests page.
Louis: Your thoughts on 'Heavenly Puss' from Tom and Jerry?
Louis: Similiar to my question about Burt Reynolds from a few weeks ago, which present roles do you think would've been a good fit for Mickey Rourke, assuming that he would've become easier to work with after The Wrestler?
Louis: As soon as you see The Odyssey trailer/prologue, can I have your ten most anticipated films of 2026 and your thoughts on each.
So, personally I think "The Box" scene is just absolutely perfection. I fail to see any fatal flaw with Pitt's acting. Maybe 1-2 line deliveries of his were flat, but the pain that his eyes showed in that scene plus "tell me she's alright!!!!" are enough to overcome those issues for me. I think this is the movie, where Brad Pitt is slowly figuring out "acting". Prior to that, he is either under acting or over acting.
I've never really been bothered with Pitt's performance in the ending.
Marcus:
Costner’s opening “Oh no” - JFK
I'm sure there are others but I'm just having trouble recollecting them at the moment.
Luke:
Worst:
Angelina Jolie - Alexander
Ray Romano - Welcome to Mooseport
Wayne Robson/Reagan Pasternak/John Rothman - Welcome to Mooseport
Marlon Wayans - The Ladykillers
Lucy Punch - Being Julia
Bening - 2.5(The character is so much a “type” to begin with as written that I don’t think she exactly begins at a good starting point. Having said that she plays very much into that type so strictly that basically it is a bit like Wiest in Bullets Over Broadway, but she’s not trying to be funny…nor is she. She ends up being just this type without the nuance for some real dramatic effect of someone dealing with being pushed beyond by so many, nor does she find actual comedy within her performance either being within an unsuccessful grey area. Honestly aspects of this performance were far better realized by her in Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool.)
Saunders - 4(Brings kind of a certain self-help guru though where the phoniness of it is purposefully worn with a bit of a precise callousness. Her performance has a directness that works quite effectively by creating a bridge between bringing that Shrek modern flavor to it, but with a genuine kind of intensity through it. Creating a particular ease in the villainy yet one where it is convincing particularly in terms of basically subverting the very notion of the fairy godmother so bluntly.)
Zhang - (At a certain point I do think the action of the character feels designed to make the plot happen rather than something that feels genuine, but even making those overly melodramatic if not just illogical character choices, doesn’t get in the way of appreciating Zhang’s performance. She just is a magnetic performer here and makes the most of the very physical nature of the character. Bringing just a dynamic quality not only in every quiet facial reaction but every movement she carries something with. She is actively compelling every moment we have at her, even within the less interesting aspects of the plot Zhang’s performance just has a charisma that makes it easy to watch her through every step of it. As even in the final moments, Zhang absolutely sells them with absolute conviction even if I didn’t fully believe them.)
Khumalo - (Brings an important contrast within the hardship by creating a convincing sense of optimism even within the difficult life of the character. Her performance makes that the center and does so in a way that never feels naive, rather the innate nature of her character. As she brings nuance within that but also nuance within the moments of reacting to her hardships. In each she offers a convincing complexity within the life of the character that I think in lesser hands could’ve become overly symbolic.)
Hall - (Manages to find just the right tone which I’d argue that even the Coens struggled with this time around. Hall though seems to know exactly what the film needs in her portrayal where she brings a certain dogmatic directness which has a comedic value to, but with just enough grace to emphasize where the character is coming from is from her genuine values. She very carefully manages to amplify without overplaying the part either. Finding a remarkable balance between the qualities of the role of never being too much, but still elevating her moments rather consistently. Even though the film as a whole did not work for me, she did.)
Delpy - (Obviously great chemistry with Hawke once again, and she’s particularly effective in kind of unwrapping her character from where we see her as almost just intrigued by her connection to the now burgeoning writer to more so discovering what had made them connect so profoundly as younger people. Delpy’s performance finds a remarkable charm in playing around with the notion of maturity and immaturity within the reflection, such as the way she is able to deliver her “oh I didn’t come” so blithely however convincingly as someone looking back, but then slowly build towards obviously it being all more than a memory. Leading towards her song sequence, which combines the times of the character by bringing a playful youth, but with a more earnest reflection which we see leading towards genuine love.)
Tatou - (Tatou’s performance is largely reactionary, but reactionary in a way that does work. Where she very much embodies every story that she comes across throughout the film, and brings an emotional honesty along with the certain grace within her character who contrasts Cotillard especially.)
Judd - (For the role that becomes overly simplistic at a certain point I will say I found there to be an honesty in her performance consistently. Finding ways to bring some truth to the overly glossy manner of the piece and consistently keeps some real humanity within the flash and overly cliched moments.)
Kekilli - (Kind of has to go from one overly big emotion to another due to the strange structure of the piece, but I will say, unlike her GOT work which I wasn’t overly impressed by for the most part, I thought she did deliver fairly effectively with these different intense swings, even if maybe they didn’t add up to as much as I would’ve liked.)
Cotillard - (The most captivating part of the film albeit for just a few minutes of screentime. Cotillard though brings a natural ethereal quality to be expected though with this particularly dynamic conviction where in her early scenes she almost seems like a ghostly vengeance. This however is in stark contrast to her later scene where in the end she just is the murderer in jail awaiting her trial. Cotillard beautifully realizes the story against the reality essentially, as in this scene playing so modestly of now just seeing the woman broken by her loss, particularly when she finally reads her far too late message, and captures so powerfully the poignancy in her realization. As I love that she doesn’t play it as horror rather just a “of course” as though recognizing that fate simply will be cruel to her, while still emphasizing the sense of love beneath it all.)
Barclay - (Matches Macfadyen’s performance quite artfully in bringing a consistent authenticity in bringing such a believable emotional strain as we uncover essentially the truth of what is really going on. Her work is moving by reinforcing just the wear of it all as it progresses and finding nuance in it, that while her character suffers much, that isn’t all there is to her work as she finds the hope within the suffering quite notably.)
Fanning - (This is the one time, where as an adult or child, where her presence fully worked for me, and the sort of degree of self-consciousness of her performance actually came to life. And a big reason why is just finding the chemistry with Washington which genuinely works and the sense of warmth between them just builds so naturally. Fanning in this instance doesn’t feel like she’s doing too much, instead finding just the needed sense of just excitement and connection of the little girl finding someone who seems to actually care.)
Anonymous:
Saving Lopez.
Harris:
Not sure the sudden clicking thing worked entirely for me but could always be an in-context sort of thing. Despite Black Bag in Koepp I don’t trust, whereas I know Spielberg will do his thing, and it seems like he is in terms of the general tension from the trailer, but the script finding a new angle into Alien Contact/Invasion is essential, and from this looks like it could go either way.
Lucas:
Yes but out of the top 20.
Luke:
Powell - 2.5(I think he’s fine in some of the action scenes, where Powell does have that ability to bring stakes within a scene through his performance. Unfortunately he struggles with setting up the emotional stakes of the performance. Honestly he’s nearly terrible in the early scenes where he has no chemistry with his onscreen wife, and every line delivery attempting to sell himself as the hero who cares, Powell just comes off as putting on every bit of the emotion. Not a moment being the earnest guy does Powell seem convincing and his passion for good just seems like the most obvious “I’m angry” acting. Powell can be good but attempting to fully replicate a Tom Cruise style presence does not work for him in the least if this is any indication.)
Brolin - 3.5(I don’t think this is the most surprising performance from him in any way, but I think he delivered on the basic necessary combination between an authoritarian manner, with the right combination of smarmy showmanship, where his real thrill is the potential ratings boost. As Brolin performances go he’s been better, but he delivers to the basic requirements of the role albeit just that.)
Domingo - 3.5(He’s having fun and does elevate what he can. I particularly liked his last scene where Domingo sold his comedic note quite effortlessly while telling a bit about his character within the moment. Otherwise he’s having the right accentuation of the action with just enough of an over the top energy to be selling to the crowd constantly. Of course I ‘d say he’s also a bit underutilized as the host, and he’s almost always just for a quick bit before being cut away from.)
Louis: Are you saving thoughts on Staunton and Moreno.
Rating and thoughts on Jolie in Alexander.
Louis: Thoughts on Zeta-Jones in The Terminal, and the film's direction and screenplay?
Louis: What are your ratings and thoughts on the rest of the cast of The Running Man?
Louis: Since Robert was asking about them earlier, have you rewatched A.I. and/or The Piano since reviewing Law and Neill?
Louis: What are your thoughts on Reginald Owen as Scrooge?
To my fellow commenters who have seen The Pitt, who do you think will be Louis's pick for MVP of S1?
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