Son Ye-jin for supporting actress! I was kinda rooting for Odessa since Lee got best actor, but it’s still an inspired choice for the win. Looking forward to see the full actress lists.
I feel like a Best Actress blog would have happened already, though I'm not sure I've ever read what the future plan is for this blog. The next few years we'll finish up the alternate years and I think it's the silent era after that. Not sure what would come next.
Yes, this is real news. Today, as part of US-Israel joint strikes on Iran, a girls' primary school in Minab, southern Iran (Hormozgan province), was hit. Iranian state media and officials (incl. FM Araghchi) report 40-53 killed, mostly children.
Unknown: It's a tragedy no doubt, but kind of evidenced by several instances over the years, not sure this is the best place for those kinds of discussions.
1. Lee Byung-hun - No Other Choice 2. Jesse Plemons - Bugonia 3. Timothee Chalamet - Marty Supreme 4. Leonardo DiCaprio - One Battle After Another 5. Rose Byrne - If I Had Legs I’d Kick You 6. Wagner Moura - Secret Agent 7. Stellan Skarsgard - Sentimental Value 8. David Jonsson - The Long Walk 9. Sean Penn - One Battle After Another 10. Joel Edgerton - Train Dreams 11. Sally Hawkins - Bring Her Back 12. Son Ye-jin - No Other Choice 13. Jessie Buckley - Hamnet 14. Emma Stone - Bugonia 15. Jacob Elordi - Frankenstein 16. Paul Mescal in Hamnet 17. Odessa A'Zion - Marty Supreme 18. Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas - Sentimental Value 19. Robert Aramayo - I Swear 20. Renate Reinsve - Sentimental Value
Louis: Where would you rank: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in Wicked: For Good Jennifer Lawrence in Die My Love and Adria Arjona in Splitsville (Lead or Supporting)
1. Rose Byrne - If I Had Legs I'd Kick You 2. Sally Hawkins - Bring Her Back 3. Jessie Buckley - Hamnet 4. Emma Stone - Bugonia 5. Renate Reinsve - Sentimental Value 6. Ariana Grande - Wicked For Good- 5 7. Amanda Seyfried - The Testament of Ann Lee 8. Jennifer Lawrence - Die By Love 9. Kathleen Chalfant - Familiar Touch 10. Leonie Benesch - Late Shift 11. Kate Hudson - Song Sung Blue 12. Eszter Tompa - Kontinental '25 13. Lea Myren - The Ugly Stepsister 14. Ma Shih-Yuan - Left-Handed Girl 15. Sophie Thatcher - Companion 16. Sydney Sweeney - Christy 17. Cynthia Erivo - Wicked For Good - 4.5 18. Eva Victor - Sorry Baby 19. Elizabeth Olsen - Eternity 20. Cate Blanchett - Black Bag 21. Olivia Colman - The Roses 22. Melissa De Vries - The Heart is a Muscle 23. Shu Qi - Resurrection 24. Florence Pugh - Thunderbolts 25. Vanessa Kirby - Fantastic Four: The First Steps
And:
Barbie Ferreira - Bob Trevino Likes It Sora Wong - Bring Her Back Julia Garner - Weapons
Supporting Actress:
1. Son Ye-jin - No Other Choice 2. Odess A'Zion - Marty Supreme 3. Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas - Sentimental Value - 5 4. Yeom Hye-ran - No Other Choice 5. Chase Infiniti - One Battle After Another 6. Maxine Peake - I Swear 7. Gwyneth Paltrow - Marty Supreme 8. Jane Levy - A Little Prayer 9. Wunmi Mosaku - Sinners 10. Amy Madigan - Weapons 11. Marisa Abela - Black Bag 12. Erin Kellyman - Eleanor The Great 13. Nina Hoss - Hedda 14. Pam Anderson - The Naked Gun 15. Teyana Taylor - One Battle After Another 16. Lesley Sharp - Pillon 17. Tania Maria - The Secret Agent 18. Janel Tsai - Left-handed Girl 19. Emily Blunt - The Smashing Machine - 4.5 20. Zoey Deutch - Nouvelle Vague 21. Shirley Henderson - I Swear 22. Regina Hall - One Battle After Another 23. Ane Dahl Torp - The Ugly Stepsister 24. Kerry Condon - Trian Dreams 25. Mariam Afshari - It Was Just An Accident
And:
Adria Arjona Jodie Comer - 28 Years Later Elle Fanning - Sentimental Value Mia Sara - The Life of Chuck Emily Watson - Hamnet Felicity Jones - Train Dreams Kirsten Dunst - Roofman Ella Anderson - Song Sung Blue Naomi Ackie - Sorry Baby Nina Ye - Left-handed Girl Carey Mulligan - The Ballad of Wallis Island Emily Watson - Steve Mia Goth - Frankenstein Hailee Steinfeld - Sinners
Luke: I just wanted to make sure as when he reviewed Leguizamo, I asked him if the ratings for the rest of the cast were the same and he said yes. So I assume he thought he gave her a 4 initially.
Louis, it looks like this is one of the better years for nominees. I know you aren’t planning on updating your rankings for every single year, though that’d be awesome, but about where would you place 2025 for Lead and Supporting Actor and Actress? Top 20?
1. The First Murder - No Other Choice 2. Final Game - Marty Supreme 3. River Of Hills - One Battle After Another 4. History of the house - Sentimental Value 5. Ending - Bugonia 6. Hit Gone Wrong - The Secret Agent 7. Ending - The Long Walk 8. Ending - Train Dreams 9. Ending - Hamnet 10. Rocky Road to Dublin - Sinners
Best Acted Scenes:
1. Final face time - No Other Choice 2. Dinner Table - Bugonia 3. Hustle - Marty Supreme 4. "Daddy Daughter Games" - One Battle After Another 5. Courage Bob Courage - One Battle After Another 6. Baby - If I Had Legs I'd Kick You 7. Life outlooks - The Long Walk 8. Sisters reading the script - Sentimental Value 9. Friend - Frankenstein 10. Rachel turning down the part - Sentimental Value
1. Bugonia (Flying) 2. Bugonia (Honey) 3. The Testament Of Ann Lee 4. No Other Choice 5. Bone Lake (Cherry) 6. Good Boy 7. Bugonia (Heads) 8. Ash 9. Kombucha 10. Marty Supreme (Imax)
Blockbusters:
1. Marty Supreme 2. One Battle After Another 3. Sinners 4. Weapons 5. The Naked Gun 6. Superman 7. The Fantastic Four: First Steps 8. 28 Years Later 9. Thunderbolts 10. Zootopia 2
Anonymous:
Bugonia: Grand Cycle Frankenstein: Body Building Hamnet: I Was The More Deceived One Battle After Another: River of Hills Sinners: Smokestack Twins
The only way Sinners could possibly win Picture would be if Wunmi Mosaku could pull a win, which she could since she has a BAFTA. This potential win, combined with Original Screenplay and Score might give Sinners the narrowest of chances. It would almost be like 12 Years a Slave and Green Book.
Again, MBJ is not locked, but then again, who really is?
Penn will most likely win, which will help OBAA. There’s also the fact that Skarsgard is actually lead according to some. But like someone else mentioned, Regina King won an Oscar without a SAG nom, but that year Blunt won it and wasn’t also nominated at the Oscars. Penn’s got two heavy hitters. He’s in the lead.
I was rooting for Teyana, and had she won tonight, the Oscar would’ve been hers. It ain’t over till it’s over, but the race has definitely been muddled.
Buckley is the only lock for acting. Madigan is my gut feeling for supporting actress for having two wins this season despite being her film’s only nom. Though I really want it to go to Taylor or Mosaku. Penn’s got two big wins. I have no idea for actor. Timmy has two wins, MBJ has an ambiguous win, and Moura hs one win and has been a dark horse favorite this whole season.
Bugonia: Jesse Plemons/Stavros Halkias F1: Kerry Condon/Callie Cooke Frankenstein: Jacob Elordi/Felix Kammerer Hamnet: Jessie Buckley/Justine Mitchell Marty Supreme: Timothée Chalamet/Emory Cohen One Battle After Another: Leonardo DiCaprio/Jon Beavers The Secret Agent: Wagner Moura/Igor de Araújo Sentimental Value: Stellan Skarsgård/Catherine Cohen Sinners: Jack O'Connell/David Maldonado
Although many of these "LVP's" are completely fine.
Luke:
Prediction Wise:
Sinners is in play for picture, though we knew that anyways. If OBAA had won here that would've put a stop to any second thoughts, though I think OBAA still takes it.
Actress is the only one truly sewn up.
Actor is still to the wire, as Jordan now has the most important win but coming with only SAG also isn't a super strong position either. And the fact that Chalamet had to double up says to me that it's not a done deal but crazy that it's now NGNG to predict him in a way.
Supporting Actress is wide open, probably between Mosaku and Madigan but the nature of the race I could even see Taylor pulling a resurgence. Sticking with Mosaku based on Sinners's strength and Madigan being a lone nod.
Supporting Actor Penn is pulling a Nicholson it seems, as Skarsgard still could pull the seemingly unlikely Chris Cooper (Globe win but losing both industry wins to a previous winner) but the strength of OBAA supports an acting win which he's the easiest rep for now.
Quality Wise:
Sinners's ensemble is a fine choice, love Penn's win, Buckley and Madigan are both deserving as well. Jordan also is very good, even if I would rather see Chalamet, DiCaprio or Moura take in the end.
Also did watch The Pitt and Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
The Pitt I didn't find reinvented the wheel exactly from the medical dramas I've never been particularly drawn to like ER though have seen random episodes now and again in its fundamental approach of the perfect setting for melodrama basically. I will also say some of the side players and a couple more essential actors I found bordered on cheesy to down right atrocious, which I think also contributed to a few of its message moments to play particularly heavy handedly. Having said that, where the show is different or at least made this type of series work more for me than other similar types was really in its specific pacing more than anything, and made every episode breeze by despite their intensity by just how well it is constantly moving as a show.
Top Five of the Cast:
1. Noah Wyle 2. Taylor Dearden 3. Fiona Dourif 4. Katherine LaNasa 5. Patrick Ball
The Knight of Seven Kingdoms I thought succeeded in telling a small scale story, where it has a specific setting, intention and approach and thrived with it. Because unlike some Disney+ series where small means nothing happens at all, here it used the smallness to really build its foundations on character interactions where it absolutely excelled in a way that managed to be funny while also packed a bigger emotional punch than I was initially expecting.
Cast Ranking:
1. Bertie Carvel 2. Dexter Sol Ansell 3. Daniel Ings 4. Sam Spruell 5. Peter Claffey 6. Danny Webb 7. Tom Vaughan-Lawlor 8. Henry Ashton 9. Rowan Robinson 10. Finn Bennett 11. William Houston 12. Tanzyn Crawford 13. Edward Ashley 14. Daniel Monks
Louis: I'm pleased you really liked AKOTSK. I'll ask for thoughts on the cast after the Oscars because I'd rather prioritise the recommendations first.
Grant - (His charm very much does come across in vocal form as well and I will say it is interesting how rarely I dislike latter day Grant. Grant brings the specific kind of shamelessness throughout his performance that really does wonderfully sell the semi-obliviousness of his character in a way that is especially endearing.)
Freeman - (Completely fine though I don’t think it distinguishes his role *too* much.)
Staunton - (Brings a completely different deranged intensity from her as her other deranged performances. Quite wonderfully so in playing it all with that regal voice but having so much fun with every wacky and completely insane line she has.)
Tennant - (Theoretically the most “dramatic” performance which Tennant brings the degree of weight he needs to beyond the rest of his work where he basically plays of a certain skeevy quality quite effectively.)
Blessed - (I mean I’ll always take some Blessed and his bellowing is ideal for a proper over the top pirate King.)
Michel - (Brings the right contrast at being the fresh faced one who is both a bit more dramatic with his “suffering” while also a bit more enthusiastic with his endeavor in the escape. Creating an effective sense of someone who in a way is taking it less seriously even though he’s the most direct about a lot. Leading to the ending scenes which I won’t spoil because everyone should watch this movie but he properly seeds it and pulls off the moment quite well.)
Rest of the cons - (They’re all good in their own ways, kind of fulfilling different pieces from being a bit more hardened, to a bit more charming, to a bit more stoic, each are natural particularly just in terms of the mutual chemistry they share with one another. They are more so a group than individuals in the function of the film, but you do get a sense of each man even within that group.)
Lamarr - 2.5(Might be in the top 10 for most attractive characters in a film and when Lamarr strictly is playing the seductive qualities of her part she works and works quite well. When she’s trying to sell her motivation at the start or her shame later on, she’s a lot more shaky and gets into that stiltedness common in performances in these films when not attuned in the right way.)
Sanders - 4(Breath of fresh air throughout the film because Sanders doesn’t take it excessively seriously yet that actually creates the most emotional investment despite playing the chief villain. Sanders is having a bit of fun, that grounds the story nicely, in playing up the character’s bemusement at the incompetence of others while conveying genuine frustration with his own existence. Something that is particularly impressive within his work is that you do feel a bit sorry for him because Sanders brings genuine pathos with humor, as I mentioned his last moment is great because Sanders does make it funny by showing how done with everything his character is, yet in that reaction there is real sorrow too.)
Anonymous:
The PD is that gigantic DeMille style you’d expect and delivers as such with just how big it all is. Where it isn’t subtle yet within the specific broad perspective of the film it does work in benign as grandiose as it is, particularly the final set which very much is fundamental in the final scene and delivers as such.
The costume design is one not all about historical accuracy of any kind, rather a fairly ridiculous over the top presentation of a basically sexy BC style, for the lack of a better description and very much works as such, particularly everything designed for Lamarr. And otherwise is all about gaudish colors and just more than needed but in a way that is eye catching to say the least.
I’ve been following award shows for over five years now, and I still have no clue when the final Oscar voting round actually wraps up.... But if it's still on, then MBJ has a very strong chance of winning, for how his win lit up the entire room when he won the SAG. Like it was loud...
By the way since I missed both the alternates, I can't express how thrilled I'm to see Lee win the overall. He was my favorite performance of the past year too... As for the Oscars, I predict either one of MBJ or Leonardo DiCaprio(in an eventful win) to take best actor. Anyone's game so let's go with the leads in two of the year's biggest successes. MBJ, especially with Sinners' box office is a particularly safe choice.
Hello Louis and folks Let's talk about some 2025 movie translations in non-English speaking countries. The names that were in Brazil were:
No Other Choice = The Only Way Out The Long Walk = The Long March: Walk or Die Hamnet = Hamnet: Life Before Hamlet Black Bag = Black Code Wake Up Dead Man = Dead or Alive: A Knives Out Mystery KPop Demon Hunters = K-Pop Warriors Song Sung Blue = Song Sung Blue: A Dream for Two Roofman = The Good Bandit Weapons = The Hour of Evil The Naked Gun = Run, The Police Are Coming! The Smashing Machine = Heart of a Fighter: The Smashing Machine Materialists = Materialistic Loves Caught Stealing = Thieves Ballad of a Small Player = Ballad of a Player The Running Man = The Survivor The Roses = The Roses: Until Death Do Us Part Highest 2 Lowest = Class Struggle The Amateur = Operation Vengeance
Picture: OBAA (Sinners might surprise on the night, and I'd honestly be okay with that) Director: PTA Actor: Jordan (Chalamet not winning a single industry award + SAG coming in at just the right time bodes well for him) Actress: Buckley Supporting Actor: Penn (a very performance-based win for once, as none of the narratives for the others really applies to someone who is already a 2-time winner) Supporting Actress: Madigan (but it is definitely close, and maybe I should be predicting Mosaku if I'm predicting Jordan, but oh well).
Louis: I know he's already in the film, but do you feel like based on the range you've seen from his late stage performances, that Hugh Grant actually might've been able to pull off Hanks' roles in Cloud Atlas better than Hanks did? I could've seen him being a highlight as Henry Goose for example, though something like Zachry in The Fall section would've been tricky regardless.
Luke: Aside from Plemons in TPOTD, are there any other performances Louis didn't save at first, but ended up having to review anyway when they got nominated?
RatedRStar: He won't just let the work speak for itself. Going back to his SAG speech (Despite its sincerity) last year, he's been bigging himself up to the point where it's seen as arrogance and I can see voters knock him down a peg than award him at this early stage in his career.
Harris: The argument I've seen so far is that he's still the contender with the most precursors, and that if the last minute win at the SAGs didn't help him overcome Brody, there's no reason to think it should help Jordan overcome him either.
That said, the current lack of momentum for Marty Supreme as a whole does put a lot of pause on all of those arguments for me.
Louis: thoughts on these retro casts for this year's BP nominees?
1970s Bugonia directed by Paul Verhoeven Teddy Gatz: Jeroen Krabbé Michelle Fuller: Glenda Jackson
2020s Sentimental Value directed by Hong Sang-soo (I know he's not necessarily your favourite but this does feel exactly like his kind of subject matter) Nora: Kim Min-hee Gustav: Choi Min-sik Agnes: Son Ye-jin Rachel: Greta Lee
Wyle - (An essential anchor for the series and very much helps in maintaining a certain consistency at the core of the piece. As his performance even very much goes with the pace in very much playing into the idea of expertise with the critical drive within his performance where he manages to very effectively play between being the professional trying to address every situation and the weight of the given situation. Wyle’s maneuvering of the latter is where his performance especially sings and I think better than anyone in the cast really hits the most genuine emotion in creating the constant heartbreak of so many situations. As Wyle’s great in playing the quality of the wavering and differentiating between each. While Wyle is also great in playing the different roles of the mentor where he goes from moments of just the quietly supportive one, to the somewhat combative one, and all different mixes of the moments all that Wyle makes a cohesive whole. Meanwhile, keeping throughout the season the through line of his personal state which he wholly and powerfully earns the moment of fully losing it towards the end by bringing us to this point and making it all the more impactful as the contrast to the calmer force he was for so much of the series.)
Dearden - (Always a tricky objective to play any character on the spectrum and it is fairly easy to fall into many pitfalls. Dearden in a way does overtly play aspects of condition however she finds the right balance in terms of having that being a defining element without it being the only thing about her performance. It is fundamental in the way she reacts to the more emotional moments and in her generally more detached demeanor in many moments. What Dearden does so well is be able to express the different emotional language of her character and find consistently and dynamics within that type of expression. Creating a convincing character where that is a fundamental aspect of the character but it isn’t the only aspect of the character or the performance.)
Dourif - (The sort of firebrand elements I think can easily be overplayed however Dourif I think really expresses well consistently by not being at that constant note, while also channeling a degree of just a bit of genuine instability within the character to not make it simplistic. She balances those sides to make it so when we get sort of her bigger moments they feel much more earned and have a far greater impact in her intensity then. As she earns those moments by creating a convincing quality in all the states we do get from her as there is warmth, even fun, as much as there is the moments of exasperation and anger.)
LaNasa - (Essentially plays as the note of stability though finding the complexity within that note particularly in the later episodes. Playing well the sort of directness of her early scenes which again I think could’ve easily been overplayed as well but she makes it fundamentally earnest by bringing them again from genuine sort of quality of someone just seasoned through her years of experience. Creating a believable contrast later on in the season where that resolves wavers not to the degree where she fully loses it rather portraying the loss of that stability in the same way. Showing well the certain cracks within her character later who is still putting herself as strongly as she can forward but with the sense of where the vulnerability is behind it.)
Ball - (Plays the more pompous note well but again I think another example where it was a role that could’ve been terrible in the wrong hands if he had played it too smug basically. Instead Ball I think finds a balance between that confidence supported by skill though with the moments of sincere concern for many that he is working with even within the sarcasm. Later on also excels though in seeing the breaks of exactly who the guy is in creating a more overt desperation that is wrapped within that confidence making it far more broken by that point and certainly far less convincing, in a good way.)
Gordon-Levitt - 3.5(Largely a good performance. Part of it is just playing a fresh faced hero type but in a lot of his specific interaction moments with Murray, you do get a bit more out of his vocal performance and a bit more depth beyond that. I will also say in playing the fresh faced hero aspects wholly reliable enough as such even if not overly distinctive beyond the aforementioned qualities.)
Murray - 4.5(MVP beyond belief where he is just truly giving it his all in every respect to find every bit he can out of the performance. In providing really almost three different voices from the mentor to Jim where he brings such genuine warmth and even a great degree of charm in his interactions for every moment. Finding a genuine sense of depth and care in these moments. The second voice being just the affable cook who is slightly silly in a way that would be convincing to doubt any danger of his character. Then you have the full villain we see with his henchmen where again Murray convincingly creates a more direct menace to the character. Murray though showing naturally what aspects of the character are true so to speak and what bits are not consistently throughout. Making Silver a great complicated villain for the film and kind of suggests one aspect of potential fully realized that I wish the whole film could’ve lived up to.)
Pierce - 2(I always like his voice in things but he’s just selling one bad bit after another here. And there’s only so much he can do and I’ll say even that isn’t enough to avoid being honestly just a little grating here.)
Thompson - 3(Sadly after bringing such a strong confident voice in her early scenes she just really doesn’t get to have much fun beyond that point. She seems ideal casting and ready to do something great with it, but the role just ends up being pretty forgettable beyond her voice.)
Short - 1(He’s having a tough go of it recently and I like him in general, but this is just not good. It’s basically any aspect of his presence that can be annoying and turned up to 11. When his character got his brain back I was hoping beyond hope that Short’s delivery would calm down, but nope, just more screeching for the sake of “comedy” that doesn’t work.)
No, in hopes that I’m wrong. As not only do I think Chalamet’s the most deserving, it also feels like he’ll win at some point regardless, so this guarantees it to be a great win, where we could get another A Complete Unknown down the road. But logically Sinners has lost no momentum, where Marty did slightly underperform with nominations by missing Score and A’Zion. Maybe he was second at BAFTA and again him having just won SAG makes that tricky too, so he can still win however. But if Marty was vying for any other win, which it is not in the slightest, it would be an easier prediction to make.
Calvin:
Yes 100% for Grant, he would’ve been great as Goose and Hoggins for that matter. Zachary would’ve indeed been trickier, but I’d take the earlier wins for the potential unknown of that role.
Jonathan:
The score very much is a combination between more traditional animated whimsy with also high flying adventure spectacle choices throughout. I will say Howard balances these quite effectively between the two. Bringing really that orchestral swell within bringing the more epic notions of the piece and then bringing the more playful qualities still in that same musical language, just small but in a way that does work.
Luke:
Caine - 3(He’s very good in his last scene but he hamstrings his own charm and charisma by using his dodgy accent. It just holds him back consistently and makes his presence that is usually innate less ideal. Caine otherwise struggles to be distinctive enough in his performance not creating enough of a striking sense of the complexities of the role in the sort of challenge between good and evil within his character. His character feels like he just does things at times because Caine doesn’t make enough of a statement with his performance. Again though does find genuine pathos and regret in his last scene to end on a high note at least.)
Sharif - 4.5(Like Zhivago his face just is able to express so much compassion throughout the film. Sharif found such honest power in portraying the good man throughout just by reflecting this earnestness in his belief throughout. Where you see the struggle within the man to maintain himself. He never makes him simple rather shows the struggle for the man to still care and to work for the saving of everyone. Sharif makes this whole idea tangible and quite powerful, by showing every heartbreak so viscerally within his performance and is absolutely moving in creating a very real heart at the center of the madness.)
The score is gorgeous. Absolutely grandiose with Barry pulling out all the stops, particularly in his use of the vocal choir throughout that gives the whole film this combination between the epic and this kind of mysterious haunting quality quite beautifully throughout. Although kind of a score that maybe is “overselling” only that if you hear it in isolation you’d think it was scoring a masterpiece, which the film sadly is not, but Barry’s achievement is remarkable…even if imperfectly used in the film itself.
Buckley - Hamnet’s Death Byrne - Misplaced baby Hudson - Group meeting Reinsve - Sisters read the script Stone - Dinner table
Fanning - Rehearsing the part Lilleaas - Sisters read the script Madigan - Principal Meeting Mosaku - First scene Taylor - Opening
Luke:
Hackman - 3(One of his worst performances though that is largely on the nature of the script. As the character has no real conflict of his choice Hackman is working with a strange setup where mostly he just needs to play into this strict sort of selfishness where even his more emotional explanations come off false. But false as written, I think Hackman is trying to proceed through to the degree that he can, but man the role is just so terribly written that the part almost comes off psychopathic in some of his total detachment to his actions…which would be okay if the film was dealing with that in that sense. The truth is I don’t think any actor could’ve made this part work unless they went against the intentions of the script, unfortunately those intentions are so wonky it ruins the whole thing.)
Ann-Margret - 2.5(Part of the problem is the nature of this character who honestly just comes down to being a flirt who then is emotionally needy. Ann-Margret I don’t think brings anything beyond that but also again the script doesn’t really develop her in any meaningful way making the whole thing wonky again.)
Burstyn - 3(Maybe the worst written character of them all since they burden her with being somehow suffocating to Hackman’s character yet we never actually see any of that. Burstyn I think does what she can in bringing authenticity to moments that aren’t connected to the entirely horribly written core relationship, but is burdened by that consistently.)
Madigan - 4(Aided in a way by being the only character who is saying what everyone is thinking. Madigan brings that firebrand energy to be sure and feels very cathartic in the moment because of that. Madigan’s performance does go beyond just that however and brings the most nuance when she can outside of the heated moments. Creating a real sense of her emotional pain in reacting and thinking about the situation. Creating a bit of real complexity about it all and offering someone you can at least believe as a person beyond the confines of the poorly written film.)
Sheedy - 2.5(Very forgettable and makes no real impression either way.)
Lang - 2.5(His character is also written strangely and he’s a little strange himself when acting directly with Hackman though he’s okay when with Madigan in at least playing a believable enough relationship.)
Dennehy - 3(Plays the friend note decently and even in the confrontation scene then the film totally forgets about his character.)
Calvin:
That would be a truly mad Bugonia, and yes to both choices, although with the request that Krabbé performs in Dutch.
I would agree that is more so his style of subject matter. And yes on those choices, I particularly like Greta Lee in the Kemp role.
117 comments:
Resurrection wins Production Design at the last minute.
I kinda wish Godzilla Minus One/Zero came out in 2025 because Jurassic World Rebirth feels like an unremarkable winner.
Son Ye-jin for supporting actress! I was kinda rooting for Odessa since Lee got best actor, but it’s still an inspired choice for the win. Looking forward to see the full actress lists.
Louis: Thoughts on Keiko Kishi's voice?
Luke: I think JW Rebirth is a perfectly acceptable winner.
Matt: For me, It's fine in comparison to the original.
Well, yeah.
Adolpho Veloso won!
BRASIL SIL SIL!!!
Louis: Tell from the year 2025 which are your TOP 10 best:
- Posters
- Blockbuster Film
Louis: what would you say are the best individual tracks of the five nominated scores this year?
Maybe we can give Louis a little break until he catches up with all the questions from the past week?
Excellent work on the video, Louis. We overlap on quite a few choices.
Louis: I removed my earlier question so you'll have less to answer.
Death by Lightning cast ranking:
1. Macfadyen - 5 (Honestly, my favourite performance from 2025, film or TV)
2. Gilpin
3. Offerman - 4.5
4. Whigham - 4
5. Malcolmson - 3.5
6. Shannon
7. Whitford - 3
Everyone else is just okay.
Nice editing, Louis. Adding Resurrection to my watchlist.
I just don’t get Marty Supreme. Sorry.
Great video, Louis.
Anonymous: Me too. I think Marty Supreme is weaker compared to Good Time and Uncut Gems.
Question, Have you ever thought on doing a Best Actress Blog?
Nice job on the video Louis, delighted that Park is your Best Director win.
BB: It has crossed his mind in the past but there's only so much that he could physically cope with.
I feel like a Best Actress blog would have happened already, though I'm not sure I've ever read what the future plan is for this blog. The next few years we'll finish up the alternate years and I think it's the silent era after that. Not sure what would come next.
Yes, this is real news. Today, as part of US-Israel joint strikes on Iran, a girls' primary school in Minab, southern Iran (Hormozgan province), was hit. Iranian state media and officials (incl. FM Araghchi) report 40-53 killed, mostly children.
Unknown: It's a tragedy no doubt, but kind of evidenced by several instances over the years, not sure this is the best place for those kinds of discussions.
A:
1. Lee Byung-hun - No Other Choice
2. Jesse Plemons - Bugonia
3. Timothee Chalamet - Marty Supreme
4. Leonardo DiCaprio - One Battle After Another
5. Rose Byrne - If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
6. Wagner Moura - Secret Agent
7. Stellan Skarsgard - Sentimental Value
8. David Jonsson - The Long Walk
9. Sean Penn - One Battle After Another
10. Joel Edgerton - Train Dreams
11. Sally Hawkins - Bring Her Back
12. Son Ye-jin - No Other Choice
13. Jessie Buckley - Hamnet
14. Emma Stone - Bugonia
15. Jacob Elordi - Frankenstein
16. Paul Mescal in Hamnet
17. Odessa A'Zion - Marty Supreme
18. Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas - Sentimental Value
19. Robert Aramayo - I Swear
20. Renate Reinsve - Sentimental Value
Louis: Where would you rank:
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in Wicked: For Good
Jennifer Lawrence in Die My Love
and Adria Arjona in Splitsville (Lead or Supporting)
Luke:
Actress:
1. Rose Byrne - If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
2. Sally Hawkins - Bring Her Back
3. Jessie Buckley - Hamnet
4. Emma Stone - Bugonia
5. Renate Reinsve - Sentimental Value
6. Ariana Grande - Wicked For Good- 5
7. Amanda Seyfried - The Testament of Ann Lee
8. Jennifer Lawrence - Die By Love
9. Kathleen Chalfant - Familiar Touch
10. Leonie Benesch - Late Shift
11. Kate Hudson - Song Sung Blue
12. Eszter Tompa - Kontinental '25
13. Lea Myren - The Ugly Stepsister
14. Ma Shih-Yuan - Left-Handed Girl
15. Sophie Thatcher - Companion
16. Sydney Sweeney - Christy
17. Cynthia Erivo - Wicked For Good - 4.5
18. Eva Victor - Sorry Baby
19. Elizabeth Olsen - Eternity
20. Cate Blanchett - Black Bag
21. Olivia Colman - The Roses
22. Melissa De Vries - The Heart is a Muscle
23. Shu Qi - Resurrection
24. Florence Pugh - Thunderbolts
25. Vanessa Kirby - Fantastic Four: The First Steps
And:
Barbie Ferreira - Bob Trevino Likes It
Sora Wong - Bring Her Back
Julia Garner - Weapons
Supporting Actress:
1. Son Ye-jin - No Other Choice
2. Odess A'Zion - Marty Supreme
3. Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas - Sentimental Value - 5
4. Yeom Hye-ran - No Other Choice
5. Chase Infiniti - One Battle After Another
6. Maxine Peake - I Swear
7. Gwyneth Paltrow - Marty Supreme
8. Jane Levy - A Little Prayer
9. Wunmi Mosaku - Sinners
10. Amy Madigan - Weapons
11. Marisa Abela - Black Bag
12. Erin Kellyman - Eleanor The Great
13. Nina Hoss - Hedda
14. Pam Anderson - The Naked Gun
15. Teyana Taylor - One Battle After Another
16. Lesley Sharp - Pillon
17. Tania Maria - The Secret Agent
18. Janel Tsai - Left-handed Girl
19. Emily Blunt - The Smashing Machine - 4.5
20. Zoey Deutch - Nouvelle Vague
21. Shirley Henderson - I Swear
22. Regina Hall - One Battle After Another
23. Ane Dahl Torp - The Ugly Stepsister
24. Kerry Condon - Trian Dreams
25. Mariam Afshari - It Was Just An Accident
And:
Adria Arjona
Jodie Comer - 28 Years Later
Elle Fanning - Sentimental Value
Mia Sara - The Life of Chuck
Emily Watson - Hamnet
Felicity Jones - Train Dreams
Kirsten Dunst - Roofman
Ella Anderson - Song Sung Blue
Naomi Ackie - Sorry Baby
Nina Ye - Left-handed Girl
Carey Mulligan - The Ballad of Wallis Island
Emily Watson - Steve
Mia Goth - Frankenstein
Hailee Steinfeld - Sinners
Louis: Can you confirm if Ferreira is now at a 4 for Bob Trevino? You gave her a 3.5 when you first saw it.
And may I ask why you consider Garner a lead for Weapons?
Harris: She's a 4 if she's in the 'and' section.
Luke: I just wanted to make sure as when he reviewed Leguizamo, I asked him if the ratings for the rest of the cast were the same and he said yes. So I assume he thought he gave her a 4 initially.
So Louis, after the huge debate, how did you ultimately decide to put Chase Infiniti in supporting?
Louis, it looks like this is one of the better years for nominees. I know you aren’t planning on updating your rankings for every single year, though that’d be awesome, but about where would you place 2025 for Lead and Supporting Actor and Actress? Top 20?
J96, back in October he told me: "I think Infiniti is supporting because it is so late in the film when she fully takes on the leading perspective."
One Battle After Another wins PGA. It's a done deal, everyone.
Last minute SAG predictions:
Ensemble: Sinners (though OBAA will still win BP)
Actor: Chalamet
Actress: Buckley
S. Actor: Penn
S. Actress: Madigan
Tahmeed & Harris:
Best Scenes:
1. The First Murder - No Other Choice
2. Final Game - Marty Supreme
3. River Of Hills - One Battle After Another
4. History of the house - Sentimental Value
5. Ending - Bugonia
6. Hit Gone Wrong - The Secret Agent
7. Ending - The Long Walk
8. Ending - Train Dreams
9. Ending - Hamnet
10. Rocky Road to Dublin - Sinners
Best Acted Scenes:
1. Final face time - No Other Choice
2. Dinner Table - Bugonia
3. Hustle - Marty Supreme
4. "Daddy Daughter Games" - One Battle After Another
5. Courage Bob Courage - One Battle After Another
6. Baby - If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
7. Life outlooks - The Long Walk
8. Sisters reading the script - Sentimental Value
9. Friend - Frankenstein
10. Rachel turning down the part - Sentimental Value
Brazinterma:
Posters:
1. Bugonia (Flying)
2. Bugonia (Honey)
3. The Testament Of Ann Lee
4. No Other Choice
5. Bone Lake (Cherry)
6. Good Boy
7. Bugonia (Heads)
8. Ash
9. Kombucha
10. Marty Supreme (Imax)
Blockbusters:
1. Marty Supreme
2. One Battle After Another
3. Sinners
4. Weapons
5. The Naked Gun
6. Superman
7. The Fantastic Four: First Steps
8. 28 Years Later
9. Thunderbolts
10. Zootopia 2
Anonymous:
Bugonia: Grand Cycle
Frankenstein: Body Building
Hamnet: I Was The More Deceived
One Battle After Another: River of Hills
Sinners: Smokestack Twins
PENN WINS SAG
Penn's coming for that third Oscar, wow.
PENN!
Sean Penn is gonna become Jack Nicholson?
I think there's still small potential for an upset, but Penn's definitely the frontrunner now.
Louis, for each BP nominee, who is your MVP and worst performance?
Let's keep in mind Skarsgard was not nominated for SAG.he can still win in the end, although I don't know
Maybe the SAG saw the sentimental value in rewarding Penn's return to cinematic greatness.
I'll see myself out.
MAD-AGAIN!
Table seems set for Madigan v Mosaku.
Madigan HAD to win here for her momentum. This could be very good for her.
I thought that Taylor's win would help OBAA win BP! I guess the director and adapted screenplay lock will help, but it'd still be nice to see her win.
Amy is her film's only nomination, right?
Was hoping for a Byrne upset but looks like Buckley has completed one of the most dominant sweeps of any season.
Buckley for the win!
J96: Yeah, on hindsight, I'm surprised Weapons didn't even get Makeup.
Oh wow, Michael B. Jordan!
MBJ!!!!!!!!!
That's an upset and a HALF. Good for him!
Hey Chalamet!
https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/simpsons/images/4/40/Picture0003.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20110623042517
Ok, well it's officially anyone's game now.
Sinners for SAG!
Would not at all be surprised if it ends up being Anderson for Director, Sinners for Picture
Me, delusionally: this is how Wagner Moura wins the Oscar
And yep, while I think Director is a done deal, I do think it's a genuine race between Sinners and OBAA for Picture.
A SAG win doesn't guarantee an Oscar BP win, but this is a nice victory for Sinners.
Don't Forget Chalamet won SAG last year so there was a reason to vote elsewhere, so it's not a sealed win for Jordan by any means.
Anonymous: That's why I said it's anyone's game.
The only way Sinners could possibly win Picture would be if Wunmi Mosaku could pull a win, which she could since she has a BAFTA. This potential win, combined with Original Screenplay and Score might give Sinners the narrowest of chances. It would almost be like 12 Years a Slave and Green Book.
Again, MBJ is not locked, but then again, who really is?
Penn will most likely win, which will help OBAA. There’s also the fact that Skarsgard is actually lead according to some. But like someone else mentioned, Regina King won an Oscar without a SAG nom, but that year Blunt won it and wasn’t also nominated at the Oscars. Penn’s got two heavy hitters. He’s in the lead.
I was rooting for Teyana, and had she won tonight, the Oscar would’ve been hers. It ain’t over till it’s over, but the race has definitely been muddled.
Buckley is the only lock for acting. Madigan is my gut feeling for supporting actress for having two wins this season despite being her film’s only nom. Though I really want it to go to Taylor or Mosaku. Penn’s got two big wins. I have no idea for actor. Timmy has two wins, MBJ has an ambiguous win, and Moura hs one win and has been a dark horse favorite this whole season.
On the brighter side of things, it brought me so much joy to see Michael J. Fox give a monologue.
Hamnet was a distant second behind OBAA, but now that torch has been passed to Sinners.
Louis: Thoughts on the SAG winners.
I hope you'll be watching Treasure Planet today.
J96:
Bugonia: Jesse Plemons/Stavros Halkias
F1: Kerry Condon/Callie Cooke
Frankenstein: Jacob Elordi/Felix Kammerer
Hamnet: Jessie Buckley/Justine Mitchell
Marty Supreme: Timothée Chalamet/Emory Cohen
One Battle After Another: Leonardo DiCaprio/Jon Beavers
The Secret Agent: Wagner Moura/Igor de Araújo
Sentimental Value: Stellan Skarsgård/Catherine Cohen
Sinners: Jack O'Connell/David Maldonado
Although many of these "LVP's" are completely fine.
Luke:
Prediction Wise:
Sinners is in play for picture, though we knew that anyways. If OBAA had won here that would've put a stop to any second thoughts, though I think OBAA still takes it.
Actress is the only one truly sewn up.
Actor is still to the wire, as Jordan now has the most important win but coming with only SAG also isn't a super strong position either. And the fact that Chalamet had to double up says to me that it's not a done deal but crazy that it's now NGNG to predict him in a way.
Supporting Actress is wide open, probably between Mosaku and Madigan but the nature of the race I could even see Taylor pulling a resurgence. Sticking with Mosaku based on Sinners's strength and Madigan being a lone nod.
Supporting Actor Penn is pulling a Nicholson it seems, as Skarsgard still could pull the seemingly unlikely Chris Cooper (Globe win but losing both industry wins to a previous winner) but the strength of OBAA supports an acting win which he's the easiest rep for now.
Quality Wise:
Sinners's ensemble is a fine choice, love Penn's win, Buckley and Madigan are both deserving as well. Jordan also is very good, even if I would rather see Chalamet, DiCaprio or Moura take in the end.
Louis: Along with The Pirates and Le Trou casts, your ratings and thoughts on Hedy Lamarr and George Sanders in Samson And Delilah.
Louis, thoughts on Samson and Delilah's Costume and Production Design.
Also did watch The Pitt and Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
The Pitt I didn't find reinvented the wheel exactly from the medical dramas I've never been particularly drawn to like ER though have seen random episodes now and again in its fundamental approach of the perfect setting for melodrama basically. I will also say some of the side players and a couple more essential actors I found bordered on cheesy to down right atrocious, which I think also contributed to a few of its message moments to play particularly heavy handedly. Having said that, where the show is different or at least made this type of series work more for me than other similar types was really in its specific pacing more than anything, and made every episode breeze by despite their intensity by just how well it is constantly moving as a show.
Top Five of the Cast:
1. Noah Wyle
2. Taylor Dearden
3. Fiona Dourif
4. Katherine LaNasa
5. Patrick Ball
The Knight of Seven Kingdoms I thought succeeded in telling a small scale story, where it has a specific setting, intention and approach and thrived with it. Because unlike some Disney+ series where small means nothing happens at all, here it used the smallness to really build its foundations on character interactions where it absolutely excelled in a way that managed to be funny while also packed a bigger emotional punch than I was initially expecting.
Cast Ranking:
1. Bertie Carvel
2. Dexter Sol Ansell
3. Daniel Ings
4. Sam Spruell
5. Peter Claffey
6. Danny Webb
7. Tom Vaughan-Lawlor
8. Henry Ashton
9. Rowan Robinson
10. Finn Bennett
11. William Houston
12. Tanzyn Crawford
13. Edward Ashley
14. Daniel Monks
Louis: I'm pleased you really liked AKOTSK. I'll ask for thoughts on the cast after the Oscars because I'd rather prioritise the recommendations first.
Louis: Where would you rank Shaun Thomas and Chloe Lea in AKOTSK?
Luke:
Grant - (His charm very much does come across in vocal form as well and I will say it is interesting how rarely I dislike latter day Grant. Grant brings the specific kind of shamelessness throughout his performance that really does wonderfully sell the semi-obliviousness of his character in a way that is especially endearing.)
Freeman - (Completely fine though I don’t think it distinguishes his role *too* much.)
Staunton - (Brings a completely different deranged intensity from her as her other deranged performances. Quite wonderfully so in playing it all with that regal voice but having so much fun with every wacky and completely insane line she has.)
Tennant - (Theoretically the most “dramatic” performance which Tennant brings the degree of weight he needs to beyond the rest of his work where he basically plays of a certain skeevy quality quite effectively.)
Blessed - (I mean I’ll always take some Blessed and his bellowing is ideal for a proper over the top pirate King.)
Michel - (Brings the right contrast at being the fresh faced one who is both a bit more dramatic with his “suffering” while also a bit more enthusiastic with his endeavor in the escape. Creating an effective sense of someone who in a way is taking it less seriously even though he’s the most direct about a lot. Leading to the ending scenes which I won’t spoil because everyone should watch this movie but he properly seeds it and pulls off the moment quite well.)
Rest of the cons - (They’re all good in their own ways, kind of fulfilling different pieces from being a bit more hardened, to a bit more charming, to a bit more stoic, each are natural particularly just in terms of the mutual chemistry they share with one another. They are more so a group than individuals in the function of the film, but you do get a sense of each man even within that group.)
Lamarr - 2.5(Might be in the top 10 for most attractive characters in a film and when Lamarr strictly is playing the seductive qualities of her part she works and works quite well. When she’s trying to sell her motivation at the start or her shame later on, she’s a lot more shaky and gets into that stiltedness common in performances in these films when not attuned in the right way.)
Sanders - 4(Breath of fresh air throughout the film because Sanders doesn’t take it excessively seriously yet that actually creates the most emotional investment despite playing the chief villain. Sanders is having a bit of fun, that grounds the story nicely, in playing up the character’s bemusement at the incompetence of others while conveying genuine frustration with his own existence. Something that is particularly impressive within his work is that you do feel a bit sorry for him because Sanders brings genuine pathos with humor, as I mentioned his last moment is great because Sanders does make it funny by showing how done with everything his character is, yet in that reaction there is real sorrow too.)
Anonymous:
The PD is that gigantic DeMille style you’d expect and delivers as such with just how big it all is. Where it isn’t subtle yet within the specific broad perspective of the film it does work in benign as grandiose as it is, particularly the final set which very much is fundamental in the final scene and delivers as such.
The costume design is one not all about historical accuracy of any kind, rather a fairly ridiculous over the top presentation of a basically sexy BC style, for the lack of a better description and very much works as such, particularly everything designed for Lamarr. And otherwise is all about gaudish colors and just more than needed but in a way that is eye catching to say the least.
Louis: Your rating for Staunton.
4.5 and a top ten finish for Brian Murray, couldn't be fucking happier.
Ratings and thoughts on the cast.
Thoughts on Treasure Planet's score.
I hope Staunton's a 4, she's my MVP of the film.
Louis: Thoughts on your top 5 for The Pitt?
Louis: Are you still predicting Chalamet?
I'm gonna go off the beaten path and predict Moura. Because why not?
I think Chalamet's campaign strategy has been a major turn-off for a significant amount of voters.
I'll go with Jordan because the Academy really loved Sinners.
It looks like Animation will have a far better year than last year. Hoppers reviews have surprised the hell out of me.
Luke: Your Acting wins (so far) for 2025.
Bryan: Chalamet, Buckley, Penn and Odessa.
I’ve been following award shows for over five years now, and I still have no clue when the final Oscar voting round actually wraps up.... But if it's still on, then MBJ has a very strong chance of winning, for how his win lit up the entire room when he won the SAG. Like it was loud...
Perfectionist: They usually finish the weekend before the Oscars.
By the way since I missed both the alternates, I can't express how thrilled I'm to see Lee win the overall. He was my favorite performance of the past year too... As for the Oscars, I predict either one of MBJ or Leonardo DiCaprio(in an eventful win) to take best actor. Anyone's game so let's go with the leads in two of the year's biggest successes. MBJ, especially with Sinners' box office is a particularly safe choice.
Hello Louis and folks
Let's talk about some 2025 movie translations in non-English speaking countries. The names that were in Brazil were:
No Other Choice = The Only Way Out
The Long Walk = The Long March: Walk or Die
Hamnet = Hamnet: Life Before Hamlet
Black Bag = Black Code
Wake Up Dead Man = Dead or Alive: A Knives Out Mystery
KPop Demon Hunters = K-Pop Warriors
Song Sung Blue = Song Sung Blue: A Dream for Two
Roofman = The Good Bandit
Weapons = The Hour of Evil
The Naked Gun = Run, The Police Are Coming!
The Smashing Machine = Heart of a Fighter: The Smashing Machine
Materialists = Materialistic Loves
Caught Stealing = Thieves
Ballad of a Small Player = Ballad of a Player
The Running Man = The Survivor
The Roses = The Roses: Until Death Do Us Part
Highest 2 Lowest = Class Struggle
The Amateur = Operation Vengeance
Post-SAG Oscar predictions:
Picture: OBAA (Sinners might surprise on the night, and I'd honestly be okay with that)
Director: PTA
Actor: Jordan (Chalamet not winning a single industry award + SAG coming in at just the right time bodes well for him)
Actress: Buckley
Supporting Actor: Penn (a very performance-based win for once, as none of the narratives for the others really applies to someone who is already a 2-time winner)
Supporting Actress: Madigan (but it is definitely close, and maybe I should be predicting Mosaku if I'm predicting Jordan, but oh well).
Can I get your thoughts on the top 5 for The Pitt?
Parasite and CODA both won SAG ensemble as their only major precursor, then both went on to win the Oscar.
Also, it’s funny to me, literally as I was watching Sinners in the theater I knew the slaughterhouse owner would be Louis’s LVP. I know Louis well!
J96: No, CODA won the PGA Award too.
Louis: I know he's already in the film, but do you feel like based on the range you've seen from his late stage performances, that Hugh Grant actually might've been able to pull off Hanks' roles in Cloud Atlas better than Hanks did? I could've seen him being a highlight as Henry Goose for example, though something like Zachry in The Fall section would've been tricky regardless.
Luke: Aside from Plemons in TPOTD, are there any other performances Louis didn't save at first, but ended up having to review anyway when they got nominated?
Tybalt: Christoph Waltz in Django Unchained, kind of.
Tybalt: He gave away Lindo's rating for Sinners after first watching it before saving him.
It’s funny how Louis’s MVP and LVP for Marty Supreme are two actors who played love interests of Saoirse Ronan.
It’s also funny how those of Sinners are two actors outside of the predominant racial/ethnic group.
What was Chalamet's campaign strategy? haven't kept up with the marketing/campaigns.
Here's a breakdown:
https://www.goldderby.com/film/2026/marty-supreme-lost-oscar-contest-timothee-chalamet/
RatedRStar: He won't just let the work speak for itself. Going back to his SAG speech (Despite its sincerity) last year, he's been bigging himself up to the point where it's seen as arrogance and I can see voters knock him down a peg than award him at this early stage in his career.
Idk guys, Marty Supreme is the highest grossing A24 film ever. Clearly Chalamet’s self promo tour, indulgent or not, has worked.
Louis: You listed Nathaniel Arcand in Train Dreams twice in your supporting ranking
Louis: Ratings and thoughts on Michael Caine and Omar Sharif in The Last Valley. And thoughts on the score.
Anonymous: Exactly. He's a bonafide star, like it or not.
Luke: The career retrospective at 30 didn't help either
Louis: Ratings and thoughts on the cast of Twice In A Lifetime.
I know the stats favour Jordan, but I'd be interested in seeing someone mount a cogent devil's-advocate case for predicting Chalamet.
Harris: The argument I've seen so far is that he's still the contender with the most precursors, and that if the last minute win at the SAGs didn't help him overcome Brody, there's no reason to think it should help Jordan overcome him either.
That said, the current lack of momentum for Marty Supreme as a whole does put a lot of pause on all of those arguments for me.
Louis: What is your best scene for each of the nominees in Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress this year?
Louis: thoughts on these retro casts for this year's BP nominees?
1970s Bugonia directed by Paul Verhoeven
Teddy Gatz: Jeroen Krabbé
Michelle Fuller: Glenda Jackson
2020s Sentimental Value directed by Hong Sang-soo (I know he's not necessarily your favourite but this does feel exactly like his kind of subject matter)
Nora: Kim Min-hee
Gustav: Choi Min-sik
Agnes: Son Ye-jin
Rachel: Greta Lee
Harris & Robert:
Wyle - (An essential anchor for the series and very much helps in maintaining a certain consistency at the core of the piece. As his performance even very much goes with the pace in very much playing into the idea of expertise with the critical drive within his performance where he manages to very effectively play between being the professional trying to address every situation and the weight of the given situation. Wyle’s maneuvering of the latter is where his performance especially sings and I think better than anyone in the cast really hits the most genuine emotion in creating the constant heartbreak of so many situations. As Wyle’s great in playing the quality of the wavering and differentiating between each. While Wyle is also great in playing the different roles of the mentor where he goes from moments of just the quietly supportive one, to the somewhat combative one, and all different mixes of the moments all that Wyle makes a cohesive whole. Meanwhile, keeping throughout the season the through line of his personal state which he wholly and powerfully earns the moment of fully losing it towards the end by bringing us to this point and making it all the more impactful as the contrast to the calmer force he was for so much of the series.)
Dearden - (Always a tricky objective to play any character on the spectrum and it is fairly easy to fall into many pitfalls. Dearden in a way does overtly play aspects of condition however she finds the right balance in terms of having that being a defining element without it being the only thing about her performance. It is fundamental in the way she reacts to the more emotional moments and in her generally more detached demeanor in many moments. What Dearden does so well is be able to express the different emotional language of her character and find consistently and dynamics within that type of expression. Creating a convincing character where that is a fundamental aspect of the character but it isn’t the only aspect of the character or the performance.)
Dourif - (The sort of firebrand elements I think can easily be overplayed however Dourif I think really expresses well consistently by not being at that constant note, while also channeling a degree of just a bit of genuine instability within the character to not make it simplistic. She balances those sides to make it so when we get sort of her bigger moments they feel much more earned and have a far greater impact in her intensity then. As she earns those moments by creating a convincing quality in all the states we do get from her as there is warmth, even fun, as much as there is the moments of exasperation and anger.)
LaNasa - (Essentially plays as the note of stability though finding the complexity within that note particularly in the later episodes. Playing well the sort of directness of her early scenes which again I think could’ve easily been overplayed as well but she makes it fundamentally earnest by bringing them again from genuine sort of quality of someone just seasoned through her years of experience. Creating a believable contrast later on in the season where that resolves wavers not to the degree where she fully loses it rather portraying the loss of that stability in the same way. Showing well the certain cracks within her character later who is still putting herself as strongly as she can forward but with the sense of where the vulnerability is behind it.)
Ball - (Plays the more pompous note well but again I think another example where it was a role that could’ve been terrible in the wrong hands if he had played it too smug basically. Instead Ball I think finds a balance between that confidence supported by skill though with the moments of sincere concern for many that he is working with even within the sarcasm. Later on also excels though in seeing the breaks of exactly who the guy is in creating a more overt desperation that is wrapped within that confidence making it far more broken by that point and certainly far less convincing, in a good way.)
Razor:
9 and 8 respectively.
Luke:
4
Gordon-Levitt - 3.5(Largely a good performance. Part of it is just playing a fresh faced hero type but in a lot of his specific interaction moments with Murray, you do get a bit more out of his vocal performance and a bit more depth beyond that. I will also say in playing the fresh faced hero aspects wholly reliable enough as such even if not overly distinctive beyond the aforementioned qualities.)
Murray - 4.5(MVP beyond belief where he is just truly giving it his all in every respect to find every bit he can out of the performance. In providing really almost three different voices from the mentor to Jim where he brings such genuine warmth and even a great degree of charm in his interactions for every moment. Finding a genuine sense of depth and care in these moments. The second voice being just the affable cook who is slightly silly in a way that would be convincing to doubt any danger of his character. Then you have the full villain we see with his henchmen where again Murray convincingly creates a more direct menace to the character. Murray though showing naturally what aspects of the character are true so to speak and what bits are not consistently throughout. Making Silver a great complicated villain for the film and kind of suggests one aspect of potential fully realized that I wish the whole film could’ve lived up to.)
Pierce - 2(I always like his voice in things but he’s just selling one bad bit after another here. And there’s only so much he can do and I’ll say even that isn’t enough to avoid being honestly just a little grating here.)
Thompson - 3(Sadly after bringing such a strong confident voice in her early scenes she just really doesn’t get to have much fun beyond that point. She seems ideal casting and ready to do something great with it, but the role just ends up being pretty forgettable beyond her voice.)
Short - 1(He’s having a tough go of it recently and I like him in general, but this is just not good. It’s basically any aspect of his presence that can be annoying and turned up to 11. When his character got his brain back I was hoping beyond hope that Short’s delivery would calm down, but nope, just more screeching for the sake of “comedy” that doesn’t work.)
Tybalt:
No, in hopes that I’m wrong. As not only do I think Chalamet’s the most deserving, it also feels like he’ll win at some point regardless, so this guarantees it to be a great win, where we could get another A Complete Unknown down the road. But logically Sinners has lost no momentum, where Marty did slightly underperform with nominations by missing Score and A’Zion. Maybe he was second at BAFTA and again him having just won SAG makes that tricky too, so he can still win however. But if Marty was vying for any other win, which it is not in the slightest, it would be an easier prediction to make.
Calvin:
Yes 100% for Grant, he would’ve been great as Goose and Hoggins for that matter. Zachary would’ve indeed been trickier, but I’d take the earlier wins for the potential unknown of that role.
Jonathan:
The score very much is a combination between more traditional animated whimsy with also high flying adventure spectacle choices throughout. I will say Howard balances these quite effectively between the two. Bringing really that orchestral swell within bringing the more epic notions of the piece and then bringing the more playful qualities still in that same musical language, just small but in a way that does work.
Luke:
Caine - 3(He’s very good in his last scene but he hamstrings his own charm and charisma by using his dodgy accent. It just holds him back consistently and makes his presence that is usually innate less ideal. Caine otherwise struggles to be distinctive enough in his performance not creating enough of a striking sense of the complexities of the role in the sort of challenge between good and evil within his character. His character feels like he just does things at times because Caine doesn’t make enough of a statement with his performance. Again though does find genuine pathos and regret in his last scene to end on a high note at least.)
Sharif - 4.5(Like Zhivago his face just is able to express so much compassion throughout the film. Sharif found such honest power in portraying the good man throughout just by reflecting this earnestness in his belief throughout. Where you see the struggle within the man to maintain himself. He never makes him simple rather shows the struggle for the man to still care and to work for the saving of everyone. Sharif makes this whole idea tangible and quite powerful, by showing every heartbreak so viscerally within his performance and is absolutely moving in creating a very real heart at the center of the madness.)
The score is gorgeous. Absolutely grandiose with Barry pulling out all the stops, particularly in his use of the vocal choir throughout that gives the whole film this combination between the epic and this kind of mysterious haunting quality quite beautifully throughout. Although kind of a score that maybe is “overselling” only that if you hear it in isolation you’d think it was scoring a masterpiece, which the film sadly is not, but Barry’s achievement is remarkable…even if imperfectly used in the film itself.
Lucas:
Buckley - Hamnet’s Death
Byrne - Misplaced baby
Hudson - Group meeting
Reinsve - Sisters read the script
Stone - Dinner table
Fanning - Rehearsing the part
Lilleaas - Sisters read the script
Madigan - Principal Meeting
Mosaku - First scene
Taylor - Opening
Luke:
Hackman - 3(One of his worst performances though that is largely on the nature of the script. As the character has no real conflict of his choice Hackman is working with a strange setup where mostly he just needs to play into this strict sort of selfishness where even his more emotional explanations come off false. But false as written, I think Hackman is trying to proceed through to the degree that he can, but man the role is just so terribly written that the part almost comes off psychopathic in some of his total detachment to his actions…which would be okay if the film was dealing with that in that sense. The truth is I don’t think any actor could’ve made this part work unless they went against the intentions of the script, unfortunately those intentions are so wonky it ruins the whole thing.)
Ann-Margret - 2.5(Part of the problem is the nature of this character who honestly just comes down to being a flirt who then is emotionally needy. Ann-Margret I don’t think brings anything beyond that but also again the script doesn’t really develop her in any meaningful way making the whole thing wonky again.)
Burstyn - 3(Maybe the worst written character of them all since they burden her with being somehow suffocating to Hackman’s character yet we never actually see any of that. Burstyn I think does what she can in bringing authenticity to moments that aren’t connected to the entirely horribly written core relationship, but is burdened by that consistently.)
Madigan - 4(Aided in a way by being the only character who is saying what everyone is thinking. Madigan brings that firebrand energy to be sure and feels very cathartic in the moment because of that. Madigan’s performance does go beyond just that however and brings the most nuance when she can outside of the heated moments. Creating a real sense of her emotional pain in reacting and thinking about the situation. Creating a bit of real complexity about it all and offering someone you can at least believe as a person beyond the confines of the poorly written film.)
Sheedy - 2.5(Very forgettable and makes no real impression either way.)
Lang - 2.5(His character is also written strangely and he’s a little strange himself when acting directly with Hackman though he’s okay when with Madigan in at least playing a believable enough relationship.)
Dennehy - 3(Plays the friend note decently and even in the confrontation scene then the film totally forgets about his character.)
Calvin:
That would be a truly mad Bugonia, and yes to both choices, although with the request that Krabbé performs in Dutch.
I would agree that is more so his style of subject matter. And yes on those choices, I particularly like Greta Lee in the Kemp role.
Post a Comment