Frequently Asked Questions for future reference, feel free to ask any additional questions that would fit here to be added to the list.
1. Why Don't You Review Actresses?
When I started this endeavor some time ago there were several blogs that covered exclusively female performances, so the whole point was as contrast by covering the then ignored male performances. Now most of those blogs have fallen by the wayside so that contrast no longer really exists. However I have been at this so long with this focus it just is too insurmountable of a task in my mind to try to start from nominations even with Actress and Supporting Actress. Though if there were two of me, I'd be all for it.
2. How does the prediction contest work?
Simply for fun you predict how I will order the final five, however if you win you can request one performance for me to review in the future. If it is a ten lineup, you get two chances and if you get both sets of five correct you get two predictions.
3. Rules on the Prediction Contest?
You may change your predictions after the first review of the lineup of five only. Technically the second review overall when it is a set of ten. I also ask that if you change your prediction in the same post to delete your old prediction if possible.
4. What questions are okay?
Anything film or TV related. I will occasionally touch Music and Books, however I prefer if it is related to a film or TV in some way, if not I'd ask that it be a question where a very simple reply would suffice.
5. Can I change my winning request?
You may change it to a performance from the same year, once.
6. Can I ask ratings/thoughts on any performance?
First I'd ask you to check if I reviewed the performance or given thoughts previously (search "actoroscar.blogspot.com" on google with that given performance, then on the page it gives you use search/control+F to find the performance). Otherwise I won't give thoughts on saved performances from the current year. Saved meaning either they are in contention for a nomination or I might do a full review in the alternate lineup that year.
7. I saw you watched a film from the year you're currently covering when can I ask about it?
Please wait on any films from a year I'm currently covering for the results section of that year, that way all the thoughts are in one consistent place for future reference. Unless it is about a film where I am reviewing one of the performances then ask in that review.
139 comments:
This post is long overdue.
Luke, which category do you think Louis will post next.
Anonymous: Whatever's easier I think so either Film Editing or Costume Design.
Cool.
Louis: I think another frequently asked question is about rating and thoughts on performances in films you might have seen/discussed some time ago, using the Google search and control + F.
Louis: Always wondered what the likes of Dinasztie and Sage Slowdive are doing these days.
RatedRStar: And Fritz.
Luke and Daniel: I actually came across what two of those guys are doing not too long ago. Dinasztie is active on Letterboxd under that same username. Fritz runs a YT channel about the Oscars.
Been reading your blog for 15 years now, quite a remarkable resource you have created!
I feel like they'd be pretty surprised to learn this blog is still active, lol.
Anyway, I'm glad I suggested making this FAQ last year. This should make things easier from now.
Louis, thoughts on the Lanterns trailer?
Nice.
Louis: Do you have any interest in seeing Wonder Man or the recent Muppet Show special?
Tahmeed: Your ratings for Robbie and Elordi in Wuthering Heights.
Luke:
Robbie - 4
Elordi - 4.5
J96:
I don't know honestly. Like the cast and what we see of them in the trailer. But from here seemed a little like sticking a square into a circle with the "Gritty police drama" mixed in with superhero that we got here. Maybe in the show it will be flawless mix but this didn't convince me of the choice.
Tybalt:
I actually have been watching Wonder Man, which I wouldn't say is great but it is far more watchable and far more consistent than a lot of the Marvel tv shows I've seen, or stopped watching. Aided greatly by both lead performances.
Louis: Is Sentimental Value Skarsgard's best performance?
Matt:
I'd still say Andor is his #1 overall.
Louis: What are your ratings and thoughts on the cast of The Ladies Man and Asim Chaudhry in Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die?
Can I get your thoughts on Isaac in Frankenstein?
Lucas:
Chaudhry - (A slightly bad performance, in that it is very thin and broadly played, however that works for the note his character needs which is to frankly seem out of place and not seem like he should be a main character at any point.)
Lewis - 2.5(His shtick is intolerable in the first half where he's just playing the broadest note constantly and it is just cloying in the worst possible way. In the second half he's still broad but he calms down juts enough to actually not be louder than the physical comedy he's doing and let the physical comedy actually play out. I hardly love him in the second half still but it works far better.)
Traubel - 3(As essentially the Margaret Dumont role, she's completely fine in bringing this general regal quality while facilitating some of Lewis's antics as a semi-straight man well enough if not overly distinctly.)
The rest of the cast is mostly there as group and I think are fine but don't really stand out.
Robert:
I gave my thoughts on him in the Alternate Lead Nominees post.
Louis: Do you think you'll watch Wuthering Heights soon or wait for streaming.
Sorry, totally missed those original posts. Got lost in the haze, I guess.
Louis: What do you think of Dan Chariton in OBAA and Hadley Robinson in History of Sound?
Louis: Your thoughts on this Kurosawa Secret in their Eyes cast.
Esposito: Toshiro Mifune
Irene: Machiko Kyo
Morales: Tatsuya Nakadai
Sandoval: Minoru Chiaki
Gómez: Tsutomu Yamazaki
Romano: Isao Kimura
Louis: Ratings and thoughts on the cast of Last Orders.
And if Mirren's a 4.5, where would you rank her in either Lead or Supporting Actress.
Louis: What are your thoughts on Tim Key and Tom Basden in The Ballad of Wallis Island, Bill Kelly in Christy and Pico Iyer in Marty Supreme?
Louis: Ratings and thoughts on the cast of Sound Of The Mountain.
Louis: Could you add a question about when it's appropriate to ask you about performances or technical elements (direction, etc) in additional films you watch for the bonus rounds?
Holy shit, I had no idea about A Little Prayer's similarities to Sound of the Mountain. Reading the Wiki synopsis of the latter... yikes. MacLachlan's got some splainin' to do.
I forgot, was my film request the 1991 Into the Woods filming?
Robert: Yep.
Tahmeed:
I’ll probably wait.
8000’s:
Ideal casting down the line though I could also see Shimura as Sandoval.
Tybalt:
Chariton - (Finds just the right pitch of obnoxiousness as you can just hear the sense of self-righteousness in every word he delivers and just that particular calm in essentially presenting the “rebel hotline” more like the most frustrating customer service who will indeed require your 15 number member id every time you call.)
Robinson - 3.5(Suffers from being a part designed to be disposed of in a fairly callous way within the film that doesn’t really give it any gravity. Robinson though I think does have decent chemistry with Mescal and creates some honest emotional connection within the relationship that the film ends up treating quite blithely.)
Luke:
Caine - 4.5(We mainly get glimpses of Caine’s character who makes the right type of impression within essentially the memories we have. As we have the moments of him just being the life of the group where he has a great warmth and his charm shines in just the right way. We then also have purposefully scattered scenes of different moments of Caine troubled and also good relationships with everybody. Where he finds the different emotional states that are not about bridges but rather moments. Caine though makes an impact with each of these moments where we have the loving father but also the struggling one. The winning husband but also the challenged one. The great friend who also isn’t without fault. With just a few more moments this honestly could’ve been a five as Caine is on point every second he has here.)
Hoskins - 4.5(I mean give Hoskins a leading role and he’s going to make go of it. And he’s just barely led here however the perspective always seems to return to him. Hoskins is great though in playing very much the frequent internalization of the complex thoughts about his friends where Hoskins is very moving in portraying the grief but with the challenges of his own struggles in life. Combining that with some strong chemistry with Mirren where their connection creates a mutual sense of understanding within their somewhat more subdued though more emotional states compared to Caine’s character.)
Mirren - (Very moving performance where she portrays the grief of her character with a quiet earnestness though never simplicity. Portraying instead the sense of difficulty in her own life with her husband’s ignoring of their daughter, and Mirren presenting this sense of essentially duty while showing a degree of frustration with her husband. Mirren finds the balance in the interactions with him where you do a sense of nuance of the relationship rather than just a singular note of happiness or anguish. Combined with that is her chemistry with Hoskins, a plot point I wasn’t sure about, but I think is delivered by their specific connection they do realize in a fairly low key way.)
#2 in supporting.
Courtenay - 4(His performance is mainly there just as the man quietly taking it all in and if you want someone to make a lot of such a role Courtenay is certainly a great choice for it. As he does say a lot in granting a sense of his character’s quiet caring for everyone and finding what nuance he can in the sense of little quiet conflicts in moments of not speaking up. Naturally I wouldn’t have minded a bit more of him.)
Lucas:
I thought I gave my thoughts on Key and Basden.
Kelly - (A performance that brings just a surprising bit of warmth in certain moments that doesn't have too much to do overall, but I liked how he created the sense of caring for Christy as just an unstated truth.)
Iyer - (Another great non-actor casting as you’d never guess he wasn’t other than again a more distinct memorable look, and in his case bringing just this great sense of regal dismissiveness and quiet annoyance in every moment between him and Marty. Where he gives off the air of someone who wants Ping Pong essentially to be a gentleman’s sport and exudes that quietly quite effectively.)
Luke:
Hara - 3.5(I’ll admit I was hoping for more out of the role for her but so many of her actions are described as after the fact it really does limit what she can do with this role. Having said that she certainly is good with what she has in the early scene presenting the seeming contentment and essentially slowly breaking down that contentment each time we see her showing just overt sorrow. She’s good even if I wish she had gotten far more to do.)
Yamamura - 4.5(Like Strathairn, also very good in portraying just that very specific conflict where you sense the distress and disappointment in his son in a way that emphasizes more so being lost about it rather than a strict authority regarding the situation. Yamamura emphasized as well the desire for a content and peaceful family who loves each other more than anything. As we see in his scenes with Hara where he brings that sweet sincerity in every interaction of just the loving father. Yamamura though also is good in those with the mistress where he portrays importantly the man trying to understand the situation before judgment and conveying the goodman consistently being challenged throughout the situation.)
Uehara - 4(Thought he was far more effective in the same role equivalent in portraying more of this sense of real brokenness within the man’s eyes where you see his callousness comes from a man totally lost in his existence after his experiences and hardened in this way where there is just an innate coldness about the man’s soul. Not that he makes him any more likeable but at least finds some nuance within the horribleness of the man.)
Nakakita - 4(I thought she was really interesting though severely underutilized in creating this combination of bitterness and willfulness of the “ignored in contrast” daughter, yet Nakakita presents this directness where she doesn’t apologize within her performance in a rather wonderful way. She makes an impact immediately. It's a shame she’s barely in the film.)
Louis: Your past roles for Brian Cox, Ben Kingsley and Jeffrey Wright?
Louis: Is OBAA Penn's career best, and your top 5 Paul Mescal performances?
Louis: Thoughts on these double features?
Bugonia/It was Just an Accident
Hamnet/Drive My Car
One Battle After Another/Leave No Trace
Sentimental Value/Postcards from the Edge
Louis: What's your argument for Elordi being lead in Frankenstein? Out of all the category fraud we've seen from 2025 I feel like Elordi is the one case where you can make equally good arguments for him in both categories.
Louis: Thoughts on the acting in the interview scene from Superman '25? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Najsk2Y4hr0
Louis: Thoughts on the direction of Le Trou?
Louis: Your thoughts on David Hemmings and Ray Winstone in Last Orders?
Cast ratings for films I saw recently...
Marty Supreme:
Chalamet - 4.5/5
O’Zion - 4.5/5
Paltrow - 4
Everyone else - 3.5/4
Weapons:
Garner - 4
Madigan - 4.5
Brolin - 4
Wong - 4
Ehrenreich - 3.5
Abrams - 2.5
Christopher - 3
Louis: Now that 2025 has ended for you, tell us your Top 5 favorites in the following categories:
Sound Mixing
Sound Editing
Visual Effects
Editing
Makeup & Hairstyling
Costume Design
Ensemble
I think i'd prefer to see Best Actress reviewed,It's almost been exhausted the male acting years,it would make a fresh change.
I don't think he can make it anymore clearer than he already did, about why he won't do that. Also the blog is called "best actor", and it has been specifically dedicated to male acting performances since like almost 2 decades.
Will you be giving The Illusionist (2010) a watch tomorrow.
Literally the first answer on this very FAQ that you're commenting on is why he can't and wont do that.
Anonymous: We also know Louis's female rankings and thoughts for a lot of the years, so fully reviewing and ranking them is a moot point prediction wise.
OBAA and Sinners take WGA Adapted and Original Screenplay respectively, fwiw.
Louis: your thoughts on David Jonsson in these roles?
Freddie (The Collector)
Gordon (A Patch of Blue)
John Singer (The Heart is a Lonely Hunter)
Ratso (Midnight Cowboy, perhaps opposite Harris Dickinson as Joe Buck)
Jonsson could also probably be a very good Mouse in Devil in a Blue Dress
I could see that. Perhaps opposite LaKeith Stanfield as Easy Rawlins.
Aside from Louis, who do people here think will win S. Actress? I'm actually kind of leaning towards Taylor - I know it's a risk, but OBAA is the strongest film in the category and she's the only one to have appeared at all of the precursors.
Bryan or Tahmeed: What did you think of DiCaprio and De Niro in This Boy's Life.
Louis: Ratings and thoughts on the cast of Pyaasa.
Ytrewq:
Cox:
Mr. Potter
Benjamin Dingle (Could be a wonderful against type for him.)
King Lear
Kingsley:
Arthur Ferguson Jones/"Killer" Mannion
Mr. Jordan
Andrew Wyke
Wright:
Nick Charles (feel he needs to play “smartest man in the room” detective at some point)
Henry Higgins (In My Fair Lady directed by Boots Riley)
Andrew Crocker-Harris
Tahmeed:
Yes, as much as I love his Thin Red Line performance, but honestly his work in OBAA is only going up estimation the more I sit with it.
1. Normal People
2. Aftersun
3. Hamnet
4. All of Us Strangers
5. God’s Creatures
Harris:
“Political” kidnapping, catharsis through art, tricky father/daughter relationships, dealing with your famous parent while struggling yourself, so I can see them all.
Anonymous:
He is above the threshold percentage wise where most performances become lead screentime percentage wise, and he is unquestionably lead if you go by the monster’s story, which is a substantial portion of the film and even the ending. He’s a little like Haing S. Ngor for me, where he’s supportingish in his earliest scenes, but he is so dominant in his scenes, without the other lead, it’s hard not to see him as a co-lead.
Tybalt:
Brosnahan throughout the scene which I think is essentially similar to Kidder of bringing the dogged reporter element, though with more familiarity and less romantic elements. The scene though is essential in realizing Corenswet’s take on Superman where he does find his own path, which is where I think Reeve had almost a shield in his optimism that seemed almost impervious to the cynical world, Corenswet’s performance is more so someone who is just as optimistic but one with a great awareness or at least vulnerability to understanding that people don’t see it his way, and in the scene it is less that he’s playing the optimism as something the doubts, rather in every answer it is more so optimism of someone frustrated that not everyone can see that is clearly the answer, and plays well that note of someone who is sure doing the right thing is…the right thing, but builds on just the frustration that it seems like so many can’t see what is so simply clear to him. And remarkable that he can pull it off where it just seems genuine to a with this straightforward outlook, where played wrong could seem pompous yet Corenswet realizes this in a way that feels humble.
Razor:
Becker’s work is all about directness in every remark and brilliance in that precise in that approach. A lack of score in itself is always a bit of a filmmaking flex to prove you can keep everyone’s attention without any music which Becker does. Where he just places you right into that room with brilliant blocking and composition of every shot because he manages to make it such a small space and feel that smallness at the same time never does it feel static or boring which is incredible. His work then is about that step by step and just giving us a moment with each step and making it intimate in the way in which it engrosses us into each step even the digging which should be boring, yet Becker knows exactly how to pace every single moment so flawlessly. The choice is essentially consistently no frills and instead this blunt reality that makes moments eye-catching in that spareness. So when there is not precisely a stylistic shot, because it is still of reality, but when it happens it is so striking in that sense that it is incredible in creating such a precise and purposeful world.
Lucas:
Hemmings - (I will say great young version casting given his son looked just like him but sadly he’s the least used of the young actors. Beyond that Hemmings brings this sort of brazen quality of the crew who is constantly speaking his mind and carries that directness effectively within the performance combining that bluster though essentially with the rust of a man who will still fight for his friends even if he probably shouldn’t.)
Winstone - (As the son I wouldn’t say he stands out beyond a certain point but does find enough of a sense of the complication of his moments which is this combination of some affection but also a certain distance with Caine that establishes quickly their specific relationship even how it began.)
Calvin:
His Freddie could be fascinating particularly as potentially a wolf in sheep’s clothing where we slowly see just how demented and sinister he is throughout.
With Gordon charm with some complexity is the need and Jonsson could certainly bring both in spades.
With Singer, big yes as his face is so expressive to begin with.
Ratso would be a more unexpected reinvention but I could certainly see that. Side note very much looking forward to see his performance in Wasteman which looks like it could be working with that kind of tone.
Luke:
Dutt - 3.5(Falls into the perfectly serviceable lead but one where he never quite came to life beyond basic needs of the role. It’s not the easiest role always to sell the artistic poet who not only wants success but wants it specifically on his terms, and Dutt I think falls into just being convincing enough without quite becoming more than that.)
Rehman & Sinah - 4(Each playing off the two sides of the role of the “good” woman who ends up becoming selfish in her nature and the “bad” woman who is selfless. I think both are the best parts of the film where they do come to life beyond those confines to the degree. Never feeling completely constricted and finding some nuance while hitting those direct notes. With Sinah not overplaying the more sinister notes but rather bringing them naturally from a sense of insecurity. Meanwhile Rehman brings an earned sincerity that doesn’t feel overplayed.)
Louis: What do you make of Sylvain Chomet's work as a director.
Luke: I thought De Niro was effective in the film, though he of course does get stuck with repetitive material. DiCaprio is also good. Might make the film my recommendation for the next period, just so Louis can check out their first collab.
Luke: ^That’s me.
Bryan: With the list I've been working on, I've been very cautious in whether to include that film because De Niro's 90s output has been a mixed bag and with DiCaprio, I don't think it would be as strong of a performance than What's Eating Gilbert Grape.
Luke: They're both decent, granted I saw the film 12 years ago for a school project. De Niro is believable as an abusive father you hate, but the script definitely holds him back when it comes to any nuance. DiCaprio is good too, but it's below Titanic and Gilbert Grape when it comes to his early performances for me.
Project Hail Mary opened to 95% on rotten tomatoes.
Louis: Ratings and thoughts on the cast of The Family Way. And where would you rank Marjorie Rhodes in Supporting Actress 1966.
Louis: Your top 5 Timothée Chalamet performances.
Luke:
Hayley Mills - 3(She’s largely doing her typical thing even though it is in a more bawdy context theoretically but the character is still working with her typical earnest naivety. In that sense she works well enough, has a certain charm but is also lacking any depth beyond a certain point.)
Bennett - 3.5(Finds a little more to work with in creating a believable sense of his character’s frustrations at society. Although he always seems strangely at a distance as written and there seems lacking moments to dive deeper into it and maybe too much of it is left for the older Mills to sell. Still Bennett gets the main conflict across so that is something I suppose.)
John Mills & Rhodes - 4(They’re performances are often working within tandem and each basically pulling back on the “type” they begin with fairly effectively to the point the film probably would’ve been better fully from their perspective. Mills is good in playing the rough masculine note here and just a man basically lost in that note but importantly creating the sense of a struggling curiosity to try to understand. Meanwhile Rhodes begins seemingly as the more stoic mom for much of it but her performance gradually brings a quieter warmth and even more so this conviction to a greater understanding as the story progresses. With both doing the most remarkable work in the film in the ending scenes where Mills is moving in opening of this vulnerability of the man finally understanding by dropping any notions of a forced facade and Rhodes being her most open yet still very precise and the mom willing everything to go right in the end.)
Comer - (As the other dad does far less but brings a general concern effectively enough.)
Head - (Whole point is the thinness of his performance but even as such maybe a little too thin.
She’d be #7.
Marcus:
1. Marty Supreme
2. Bones and All
3. Dune Part II
4. Little Women
5. Call Me by Your Name
Louis: What do you think of Sylvain Chomet as a director.
Louis: It's completely understandable if you don't have enough time to do so, but could you watch the first episode of Community (which was my December recommendation) before Sunday? If you decide to watch more, I'd be fine with you continuing with it after the ceremony.
Louis: Thoughts on the following casting choices?
Ryan Gosling as Rhett Butler
Heath Ledger as Frankenstein (mid 2000s)
Michelle Pfeiffer as Barbie
Naomi Watts as Linda (If I Had Legs)
Vincent Price as Chef Slowik
Bryan: I believe he actually chose Price as Slowik in a 1970s The Menu (and the fact Price was an irl chef is an added bonus btw)
Ywtrewq: You’re right, he did. Also hadn’t known that about Price himself either.
Louis: In that case, your 60s through 90s choices for the title role in Anora?
Bryan: might be I'm too far down the Literally Me rabbit hole, but i don't think Ryan Gosling quite has that "dangerous scoundrel" quality down that Rhett needs
Tim: You think so? I feel his turn in Pines sorta fits that “dangerous scoundrel” archetype, along with his Refn roles. He can go darker if needed, plus he played gradual bitterness well in Blue Valentine.
Louis: What are your thoughts on Brandon Lindsay in Train Dreams (if it's possible; I realize he's in it very briefly), April Grace in OBAA, and Kim Hyung-mook in No Other Choice?
Luke:
Well I’ve only seen two of his films so I would honestly need a bit more, however what he achieves is storybook brought to life though with an extra step up because music/sound design is a fundamental amplification of what he does in both films. An idea that with just the right material seems like he could go above and beyond. As there is such a richness to his work with also a strong sense of very much showing without telling and being able to convey emotion without the dialogue and convey plot as well. Although his Marcel Pagnol biopic animated film hasn’t gotten great reviews I’d certainly like to check it out.
Tony:
I am in the process of watching the first season.
Bryan:
Ryan Gosling as Rhett Butler - Maybe slightly too period for him, as I haven’t seen him feel that far off past. Certainly has the charm but not as sure of the degree of “magnificent bastard” of quality needed for the part. As there’s a sense of danger with Gable within the charm that I haven’t seen Gosling do specifically, though maybe he could. Usually when he’s dangerous, he’s more intense and with less overt charm. Though conversely I think he’d be a great fit for Peter Warne.
Heath Ledger - As the doctor? Wouldn’t necessarily be my first choice there though he’d be fine, be more interested in him as the monster.
Michelle Pfeiffer as Barbie - Ideal casting and has the comedy/dramatic chops for it.
Naomi Watts as Linda (If I Had Legs) - I mean big yes as emotional strain is something she can run with.
Vincent Price as Chef Slowik - Obviously fully support it and would love to see his slightly campier, but perhaps even more entertaining take.
60’s: Natalie Wood
70’s: Lesley Ann Warren
80’s: Lena Olin
90’s: Sherilyn Fenn
Bryan: he can do dark and he can do charming, but i don't think e could combine them in the needed way. His Refn characters are dangerous because they are bad people in bad environments. Rhett is moreso dangerous to Scarlett's specific situatiuon because of his sexual energy. He's supposed to be the kind of guy to make women swoon by merely raising his eyebrow, and i just don't think Ryan is arrogant enough for that.
Even his most womanizing role (Crazy.Stupid.Love.) is more ladback and pleasant than Rhett throughout the entire first half.
I'm just thinking about Rhett's introduction during the barbecue with the camera coming down the staircase. Can Ryan pull of THAT smile? I'd actually say no
Louis: Do you think you'll watch DTF St. Louis on HBO? And could I have your thoughts on Tim Key and Tom Basden in The Ballad of Wallis Island? I couldn't find them anywhere
Louis: Your top 20 performances from 2024? Was skimming through, and I didn't see anything.
Louis: Oops, yes I meant Ledger as The Monster.
I also saw the Bride, a terrifying film because I found a Jessie Buckley performance I did not like. Although her work is really emblematic of the whole film which is trying so many different things, while not bothering to do them particularly well and really a very hat on a hat mentality. As take Buckley herself, needing to do a camp Charlotte Rampling impression as “Mary Shelley” who is less a spirit of chaos and more of a spirit of randomness that should’ve been taken out of the film. As we also have Buckley doing a Harley Quinnesque Gun moll who is undead and crazy…isn’t that enough. No, she needs to be possessed for no reason. But take any element here. Let’s do Bonnie and Clyde, lets try genuine love, lets try broken monster love, let’s try His Girl Friday cop and partner, let’s do the love of cinema, let’s watch classic dance movies, let’s be a classic dance movie, let’s be a mafia murder movie, let’s be women’s liberation rebellion for some random moments let’s be cheeky, let’s be ironic, let’s be earnest, let’s be silly. Let’s do it all at once too, which hey if they did it and pulled it off that would be amazing but sadly that's not the case.
Buckley - 2.5
Bale - 3
Bening - 3
Sarsgaard - 2.5
Cruz - 2
Magaro - 2.5
Maher - 2
Burić - 2
Gyllenhaal - 3
Thoughts on the cast?
Speaking of Gable, It Happened One Night/Gone with the Wind is one of my favorite examples where an actor gives such distinct, layered work in two films without really changing their voice/mannerisms. Really hope he takes the win for '39 when Louis revisits it.
Louis: Do you remember which blog/forum you encountered first all those years ago which ranked Oscar nominated performances, like among those blogs that covered actresses? As a relative newcomer, always love learning about the backstory of this place.
Harris:
Buckley - (Maybe she simply had an insurmountable task and one could argue back to the Buckley vs. Stone question and say Stone takes the lead as essentially this is her failed Poor Things, but Stone was working with a far better script, far better direction and a cohesive tone. Buckley instead has the most thankless role of selling one of the film’s key overcomplications of the bride not just being a undead gun moll but also possessed randomly by Mary Shelly at times. To the point whenever it feels like she’s gaining any momentum with a moment she literally has to break it by putting on the other performance. Which unfortunately both performances are mostly camp upon camp, with just the occasional quiet moment as just the Bride, where Buckley is at her best, but unfortunately those moments are so brief she can’t really get going with that either. So mainly it is just going as broad as possible in both roles, which I can see the raw materials for something special with both as Buckley is a dynamic and potent performer, you don’t have to ask me, but here it just feels like a whole lot of noise in search of a purpose. As a great performer going down a misguided route, there are far worse examples but it’s a shame as a clearer vision within the film itself, I think Buckley could’ve made something special out of this.)
Bale - (Bale is dealing with similar problems as the film doesn’t always know what really is Frank’s deal consistently as it throws him in a lot of random notes to play with, including dance film fan, lonely monster, rage monster, manipulative lover, shy man not knowing how to deal with such a brazen partner, again as written the shifts are too fast and too random. Bale I think hedges his bets more effectively by playing it down the middle most of the time more consistently and keeps his head up a bit more with finding some moments of genuine emotion in there, even if again raw materials seem there for something far greater than this.)
Bening - (Bening manages to keep the same tone with her performance that makes her work a little better in bring just this kind of earthy confusion to her moments, though again her character even feels a little underwritten in a few departments though I think she does deliver with what she can.)
Sarsgaard - (He’s okay in playing the real emotion of the detective with a bit more stakes into the case, but in the moments of trying to do this screwball style with Cruz, it just all falls flat and Sarsgaard unfortunately falls flat with it.)
Cruz - (Really thought she just seemed consistently out of place and just trying the whole screwball, smart fast talker, her deliveries honestly just felt very slow and labored against the whole point of the character.)
Magaro - (More of just doesn’t have much to do but he’s fine as generalized thug.)
Maher - (Why do casting director’s love him so much? Rarely does he not stick out of a scene and just seem very much acting in a given scene, and this instance is no difference.)
Burić - (I’m glad everybody likes him in Triangle of Sadness but I think we can probably move on now. As everything he’s done since then is basically doing the same exact thing to different degrees of success just if his slightly over the top demeanor fits the part or not. In this instance I just thought he was ridiculous.)
Gyllenhall - (Does a fine Fred Astaire type routine in the movie sequences, in his actual sequence he’s fine in playing the awkwardness and eventual fear. Though why he is in the movie in terms of his incredible importance that instantly goes away is another question.)
Marcus:
I believe it was Fritz’s.
Tahmeed: I have a feeling Gabin is going to win.
Tim: Ok, yeah those are fair points. Gosling is of course immensely talented, but him combining all those traits in a singular role would indeed be a roll of the dice.
Louis: My guess is that he’s pretty good friends with the Afflecks (and most likely Matt Damon too.) Those three are of course well-established and talented to varying degrees, so it could mean that casting people just assume he’s good by association.
A perfect case of “Who do you know here?”
Louis: Do you intend to watch Sleepy Hollow by Sunday.
Louis: How good of an Oscar predictor would you say you are, and have you improved over the years? And are there any notable upsets or surprise nominations/snubs you've called in the past?
Louis: (Re: Community) Ah, good to hear. I was just a little worried because of the limited timeframe.
Tybalt:
I would say I'm okay, the great struggle is trying to be impersonal, but even that is tricky because sometimes I'll doubt something I love just because of lack of faith the academy, though that can occasionally be rewarded with a correct prediction, like predicting the No Other Choice snub in International this year.
And my badge of honor predictions:
Calling Emma Stone in La La Land early, when many were favoring Natalie Portman.
Calling Rockwell overtaking Dafoe.
Calling Plummer's nomination for All The Money In The World fairly early on.
Louis: Speaking of the Oscars, could you post your full predictions here once you've finalized them?
Louis: What would you do if Robert Aramayo gets nominated at the next oscars for I Swear since he is eligible for next year
He'd probably still put him in the prediction contest and provide a link to his review on the results. But honestly Hollywood were so petty towards John Davidson after that unfortunate incident that I think it's now impossible for it to make a big enough splash.
Lucas:
I will copy and paste my review with some very minor adjustments for example "received his first Oscar nomination". I doubt the likelihood of it however because to get in he will need the British bloc passion, that is hard to maintain when they've already rewarded the film. Simple truth is Searchlight should've snatched it up for 2025, and probably could've gotten it three or four nominations with the right campaign.
Harris:
Picture: OBAA
Director: PTA
Actor: MBJ
Actress: Buckley
Supporting Actor: Penn
Supporting Actress: Mosaku
Adapted: OBAA
Original: Sinners
Cinematography: OBAA
Score: Sinners
Editing: OBAA
Sound: F1
PD: Frankenstein
CD: Frankenstein
Makeup: Frankenstein
DOC: Mr. Nobody Against Putin (Based mostly on the BAFTA win)
International: Sentimental Value
Casting: Sinners
VFX: Avatar
Animated: KPop Demon Hunters
Song: "Golden" - Kpop Demon Hunters
I guess you'll be watching The Piano last as there's a possibility Sam Neill's review might be re-edited to some degree.
Louis: How far into Community season 1 are you? I'd say it gets good with the debate episode.
Thoughts on the trailer for Hokum? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP2nDyQWBOU
Hey guys
Of the 23 years that remain to be analyzed, which lead and supporting actors nominated for or winners of Oscars do you think will receive upgrades when Louis revisits? I believe they will be:
William Powell - My Man Godfrey
Henry Fonda - The Grapes of Wrath
James Dean - Giant (maybe new winner overrall)
James Caan and Marlon Brando - The Godfather
Robert De Niro - Taxi Driver
Shaggy: Duvall probably way more likely than Caan.
Robert: Yeah. I actually think Duvall gets a 5, upon re evaluation as well, as he should. Marvelous nuanced work.
Shaggy: I can see Brando and Dean being upgraded but not the rest. I believe De Niro, was in the same boat as Norton in AHX, where they actually used to be 5s and then got a downgrade.... But I would LOVE to see an upgrade for De Niro personally. I'm probably the only person on this blog to have him as the win for that year without a sliver of doubt. I still think De Niro gives one of the most haunting depictions of loneliness and mental exhaustion that I have ever seen.
De Niro is amazing in Taxi Driver and deserves a 5 but it's not gonna happen. He also wouldn't be my win that year, but he is amazing.
I'm interested to see how De Niro's work in 1900 fares from the same year.
Robert:
Episode 8.
Harris:
Well certainly has some visual style and quite the creepy vibe, with a little bit of a Wicker Man/Straw Dogs, brushing up against the locals aspect. Obviously hard to say from a mood trailer if it looks like it will come together but certainly striking enough.
Louis: What are your ratings and thoughts on the cast of Macario?
Robert: Pre-Debate 109 Community has plenty of good stuff. The "Wise Up" montage in Spanish 101 and the Dead Poets Society parody in particular are great.
Lucas:
Tarso - 3.5(A fine enough average man performance although I would say he falls into the overshadowed by the direction rather than elevated in that sense. As he plays mostly into the straightforward notes in a way that is convincing enough a surface level but his performance never quite came to life to make him standout beyond kind of a symbol within the certain confines of this scenario. Stil lis entirely fine even if not great.)
Pellicer - 4(Found she brought a little more in perhaps what I was seeking in Tarso’s work in making the emotions of her desperation feel truly real and adding a lot in just many reactions towards the situation and managing to internalize each reaction rather effectively. To the point I certainly wouldn’t have minded a bit more of her within the overall narrative.)
Lucero - (His performance is all about playing death incarnate as matter of factly as possible. And he works by just adding something by being so just to the point with every moment, and in no way playing up the death note, but actually making it work by being so straightforward, essentially playing it as just a man with a job.)
Louis: Ratings and thoughts on the cast of Father Mother Sister Brother.
Luke:
Waits - (A lot of fun as he manages to basically play upon different notes of a guy potentially losing his mind. Going from some moments of just seeming like he's totally out of it, to suddenly viciously violent, then even sweet though sweet in a guy reverting to overly paternal instincts. Waits makes the flow of this so natural in his Waits way and is just fun to see perform as per usual, with a nice extra bit of something at the very end which is also a nice touch.)
Driver - (Does the quiet reactions of trying to discern with that comedic deadpan fairly effectively with his asides hitting the right comic note that facilitates and never gets in the way of Waits.)
Bialik - (Found her attempt to do what Driver is doing a bit stiff and just doesn't find the right tone.)
Rampling - 3(Wholly fine in a fairly expected note as the distant mother. Hits that note well enough but not too remarkable beyond that.)
Blanchett - 3.5(Essentially working within silence where she does quite the impressive combination between respectability and this quietly penetrating emotional desperation that she pushes down. It ends up not building to anything of course but what she does is effective.)
Krieps - 3.5(An enjoyable mess in just playing the note of this constantly trying to impress one moment after another while also seeming completely lost and as desperate, however in a way where she seemingly deludes herself with her constant "who cares" manner that contrasts Blanchett effectively.)
Moore & Sabbat - 2.5(They kind of have chemistry but I just found there is an innate artificial and stilted quality to both of their performances that prevented me from really investing in them at any point.)
Louis what would be your Oscar casting ranking?
Louis: What do you think of Kim Hyung-mook in No Other Choice, and Luciano Chirolli in The Secret Agent?
Louis: Ratings and thoughts on the cast of The Boat That Rocked.
Luke:
Hoffman - 3.5(Not exactly the character that is pushing him the most but he brings a nice wily energy and a strong presence as to be expected. Theoretically he probably sells the “stakes” the most in conveying his character’s particular convictions which he delivers with a natural ease about it, while having his moments of comedy in there particularly in the game of chicken scene where he is just a natural.)
Sturridge - 2(Quite dull, boring and bland. Doesn’t really go beyond that at any point and remains a fairly uninteresting pseudo lead the whole time.)
Nighy - 3.5(Largely just doing his thing but does so enjoyably.)
Frost - 3(Thought in terms of the “charm” came off more skeevy I would say, though still works well enough in the moments of presenting himself more so as a slightly silly mentor.)
O’Dowd - 3.5(Mainly for his big scene with Jones which he delivers quite effectively honestly in managing to hit genuine emotion of sheer disbelief and heartbreak, while working with the confines of the dark comedy of the situation.)
Brown - 3.5(Brings a nice quietly ramshackled charm in his way though with just the tiny hint of a pathos in there that works quite well particularly for his scene with Sturridge where he really does all the heavy lifting and delivers as such.)
Brooke - 3(Mostly working in the slightly just lost routine with his moment of inspiration and it is largely one note but he hits the note well.)
Branagh - (Plays up the stuff purposefully but frankly I think the scenes where to be over the top so being more ridiculous I think in playing the stiffness would’ve made them funnier…aka doing the full John Vernon.)
Darby - 2(Usually I enjoy his performances however thought he was just going over the top in the wrong direction in a way that I found neither endearing or funny.)
Thompson - 3(Given a fairly quick bit, she brings a certain mild humor and grace in those moments even if they don’t add up to much.)
Parkinson - 2.5(Mostly just there in scenes but she’s certainly fine.)
Jones - 2.5(Her performance is all about being extremely vapid so I just job done, but not really too notable as such.)
Louis: Could you watch my birthday recommendation Tale Of Tales (1979) on Monday or Tuesday. It's on Sunday but you're busy enough as it is.
Anonymous:
Kim - (I mean brings enough of a humor in just playing up the character's rather shameless scummy qualities particularly in his surprise, then turn on, then fear in the scene with both husband and wife.)
Chirolli - (I think he's entirely effective in bringing just a privileged scumbag routine where there's a sense of both the innate pompousness towards everyone combined with a direct insidious deeper horribleness to him.)
Jonathan:
Sure.
Anonymous:
I'll admit that it seems like the academy is not releasing any of the bakeoff info to state specifically the casting the casting directors were behind. But let's say we cut out just the biggest names.
Hamnet - Buckley & Mescal
Marty Supreme - Chalamet, Paltrow
One Battle After Another - DiCaprio, Penn, Del Toro, Hall
The Secret Agent - Moura
Sinners - Jordan, Lindo, O'Connell, Mosaku, Steinfeld
Then I'd rank them as follows:
1. Marty Supreme
2. One Battle After Another
3. Hamnet
4. The Secret Agent
5. Sinners
Which maybe isn't fair but trying not to just do best ensemble.
Louis: Your thoughts on Rhys Ifans in The Boat That Rocked? And could you add Chris O'Dowd in the film to your '09 supporting ranking?
Louis: Do you intend to add Stunt Design to your wins in 2028.
Lucas:
Ifans - 3.5(Manages to hit the right note between just pompous and actually cool. Not overplaying either note to much and successfully showing the appeal while touching on being insufferable just enough. Bringing also beneath just some moments of nuance enough, like his last exchange with Hoffman, that do balance it all.)
Luke:
I was thinking of maybe just instead having the coverall of Action/Dance/Fight choreography as an umbrella that includes stunts, and yes they are not all exactly the same, however neither is hairstyling and makeup, yet are all are connected as realization of specific physical actions onscreen.
Louis, ratings and thoughts on the cast of Into The Woods.
I'd be happy to see The Mask Of Zorro get a win in particular.
I just about loved The Secret of NIMH.
Full review: https://letterboxd.com/aoisato/film/the-secret-of-nimh/
Hartman - 4.5
Malet - 3.5/4
DeLuise - 3.5
Baddeley - 4
Carradine - 4
Jacobi - 4
Shenar - 3.5
Louis: What are your ratings and thoughts on the cast of Resurrection?
How would you rank the Golden Lion winners you've seen from the century so far?
Louis: What are your thoughts on the NIN score for Tron Ares?
A full comprehensive list of actresses like the ones you make for actors would probably be impossible now, but maybe a yearly Top 10? I’d really love to see who your runner-up actresses were in some years!
Anonymous: He does that every year.
Anonymous: You'll find them under most of his Alternate Lead and Supporting Actor results pages.
Lucas:
Yee - (A good performance even though I would say he more of realizes the vibe of each character more so a fully developed character on their own though that is the nature of the piece. He is overshadowed by the direction where I wouldn’t say we fully embrace each character separately. Yet he is convincing in a general sense in being a more middle aged grifter, a sorrowful creature, a hot head gangster of sorts. Each he is that, even if not beyond that. But hits the generalized notes well enough.)
Shu - (Like Yee basically but just with fewer variations. But as successful in convincingly creating different vibes even if we don’t get more than that.)
Matt:
Putting the techno…in techno. But very going the furthest in this sense for them where the emphasis really is to go as far in that overt style as possible. In that sense I would say it is effective enough, though I wouldn’t always say it is utilized brilliantly, in creating just the most intense version of this type of choice. Where it is never subtle but always about the loud, electronic, beat and brawwwwm. As such I wouldn’t say great, but certainly gets the job done.
Harris:
Poor Things
Nomadland
The Shape of Water
Vera Drake
The Magdalene Sisters
All The Beauty and Bloodshed
Father Mother Sister Brother
Roma
The Wrestler
Brokeback Mountain
The Return
The Room Next Door
Joker
Could I get your thoughts on The Return as a film? I can't seem to find them anywhere.
And your top 5 numbers from Into the Woods (1991)?
Louis: While it's a limited sample, would you say Marty Supreme and The Smashing Machine gave you a general idea of which Safdie brother brought what to the table in their collaborations? Sort of similar to how some people have done the same for the Coens.
Harris:
In short not poorly made but for me Zvyaginstsev's films fall into symbolic misery upon misery in a way that...aren't for me.
1. Agony
2. No One Is Alone
3. Last Midnight
4. Prologue
5. Moments in the Woods
Tybalt:
I mean Smashing Machine is such a strange enterprise, that while not the best solo debut, it is also some odd near shot for shot remake of a doc. And to be fair to Benny, he also wrote the Curse which actually worked, but I guess maybe the specific kinetic desperation fueled approach is more so Josh, and possibly Ronald Bronstein, where Benny seems more interested in idiosyncratic characters malfunctioning in society.
Louis: Thoughts on the Into the Woods cast? Curious to who your MVP is.
My final predictions:
Picture: One Battle After Another
Director: PTA
Actor: Jordan
Actress: Buckley
Supporting Actor: Penn (though it could be Skarsgard)
Supporting Actress: Mosaku
Original Screenplay: Sinners
Adapted Screenplay: One Battle After Another
Score: Sinners
Production Design: Frankenstein
Cinematography: One Battle After Another (don't get really get why it seems to be sweeping this category, but I'm fine with it)
Costumes: Frankenstein
Makeup: Frankenstein
Sound: F1
Visual Effects: Avatar: Fire and Ash
Animated Feature: KPop Demon Hunters
International Feature: Sentimental Value
Casting: Sinners
Song: Golden-Kpop Demon Hunters
Robert:
Zien - (In the first half basically is delivering this comedic haplessness towards everything that is pretty funny, including the killing of the wolf where he plays it like “I guess I gotta do this”, and there is much amusement from that sloppiness and really his chemistry with Gleason specifically in playing the scheming element where there is that endearing quality in basically by a shyster in trying to get every bit for the spell. The second half I guess I thought he was more fine just in playing the more emotional elements, although I think he delivers enough as more so creating someone overcoming the disbelief of the misfortune more than anything.)
Gleason - (Probably my MVP in only that I thought she did everything Zien did but took one step beyond. In bringing that sort of dogged energy in all of her early scenes in making all the deals and very much pushing the husband along. Again finding a real lot of comedic gold in playing the note of every one as very much a bit of a hairbrained scheme type of angle to each bit that is very funny but also reflects a just sort of going with each flow to try to get what she wants. Only taking it further in the second half in playing very much this attempt at kind of self-analysis and playing up the sense of how some continue after achieving their dream yet isn’t really satisfied. Playing it less like she’s swept up in the moment with the prince and more so just kind of a “whatever who cares” instead, as almost a blunt reaction to all the madness that has been going on.)
Peters - (Very much playing two extremes quite nicely in the two setups, first in the over the top witch but in the right way and very much her singing is a lot of what she’s doing even more so than some of the other performers and of course does so impeccably. Playing up a combination between grandiose and earthy that is funny while also delivering a certain commanding presence. Before the switch over to initially the sort of vain approach to a comical annoyance, and eventually through this blunt kind of attempt at wisdom all that she plays with a similar grandiose quality though with frankly just even more sarcasm which works.)
Crosby - (Maybe made less of an impression for me overall though I liked what she did in general bringing a purposeful earnestness and something she eventually subverts right at the end, where that particular line delivery of liking clearing certainly did sing. But mostly working in presenting the Cinderella type more overtly that works very much as contrast.)
Ferland - (I’ve been avoiding talking about the contrasting versions but I feel I need to talk about this one because the movie version is an active attempt to copy Ferland’s performance which is hitting that one note of her so precisely though effectively in achieving that comedic deadpan, where so many of her reactions and line deliveries are hilarious in the contrasting directness of every word from her no matter what is going on or the overall situation.)
Westenberg - (First the wolf which he makes work by managing to be a combination between complete creepiness but with the right degree of ownership of it by playing up the ridiculousness of every moment of it. Then in his prince very much playing up the pompousness with just impeccable comedic timing, where his less about charm and more so just owning the privileged to an insane degree and enjoyably so in just going to an extreme. Even in his “he is trained to be charming”, there’s no regret, rather just a man taking full ownership of his rather despicable nature.)
Aldredge - (Loved all his work as the narrator by playing the sense of distance about it and very much as the man explaining it to the audience not entirely unlike Edward Everett Horton would narrate fractured fairy tales. Making the punchline of the character absolutely hilarious aided greatly by Aldredge’s presentation of the sheer disbelief of it all, all the better. Thought his other work was more of just fine in playing very much as ramshackled deadbeat, but delivered well enough as such.)
Wright - (Basically played Jack as particularly thick, and thought he hit that note well as such and consistently.)
Byrne - (Shrill is a tricky note to play but thought she found a way into the ridiculousness of it here that worked, although reminded more than a little of her work in Amadeus but the approach certainly worked for both.)
Wagner - (In a way gets less punchlines than Aldredge but certainly managed to deliver a similar comedic energy effectively, though with slightly minor dramatic intention later on, though only minor but thought he hit that note decently.)
Kashani - (Thought she was fine and funny in a few reactions but didn’t leave too much of an impression on me overall.)
Casey Affleck won best actor, even after the allegations. James Franco won a Golden Globe, and was snubbed of an Oscar nomination after his allegations got out but probably because it git out before nominations voting is over.
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