Monday, 3 August 2026

Alternate Best Actor 1990

And the Nominees Were Not:
 
Jacky Cheung in Bullet in the Head
 
Danny Glover in To Sleep With Anger 
 
Al Pacino in The Godfather Part III
 
Wojciech Pszoniak in Korczak
 
Gabriel Byrne in Miller's Crossing
 
Feel Free to Predict These Five, Those Five or Both.  
 
Tim Robbins in Jacob's Ladder
 
John Lone in Shadow of China
 
Jason Patric in After Dark, My Sweet
 
Nicolas Cage in Wild At Heart
 
Robin Williams in Awakenings 

52 comments:

Luke Higham said...

House of Cards
Hamlet (Re-Watch)
Arachnophobia (Re-Watch)
Close-Up
Dreams
Vincent & Theo
King Of New York
Mo' Better Blues
Europa Europa
The Reflecting Skin
Avalon
Quick Change
Green Card
A Moment Of Romance
I Hired A Contract Killer
Bad Influence
No Fear, No Die
Everybody’s Fine
The Hairdresser's Husband
Open Doors
Narrow Margin
Father
A Shock To The System
May Fools
Black Snow
Metropolitan
La Femme Nikita
An Angel At My Table
Ju Dou
Alice
The Match Factory Girl
A Tale Of Springtime
The Witches
The Krays
The Russia House
Hidden Agenda
The Sheltering Sky
The Company Of Strangers
Journey Of Hope
Song Of The Exile
The Freshman
Boiling Point
Henry & June
Darkman
Quigley Down Under
Young Guns II
Cry-Baby
Days Of Thunder
Flatliners
Blue Steel
Impulse
Men Don’t Leave
Texasville
In The Spirit
Docteur Petiot
House Party
White Palace
The Hot Spot
The Comfort Of Strangers
Bride Of Re-Animator
Joe Versus The Volcano
Internal Affairs
I Love You To Death
The Two Jakes
The Ambulance

Luke Higham said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Luke Higham said...

Looking forward to Pszoniak the most. Hope he gets his five after dubbing prevented it the last time.

Luke Higham said...

I'd like a Hamlet re-watch so that Scofield will be in the supporting ranking.

Luke Higham said...

Lastly, could you watch the mini-series version of Vincent & Theo.

Shaggy Rogers said...

1. Byrne
2. Pszoniak
3. Pacino
4. Glover
5. Cheung

1. Lone
2. Cage
3. Robbins
4. Williams
5. Patric

Robert MacFarlane said...

1. Byrne
2. Pszoniam
3. Glover
4. Pacino
5. Cheung

1. Lone
2. Patric
3. Williams
4. Cage
5. Robbins

Ytrewq Wertyq said...

1. Byrne
2. Glover
3. Pszoniak
4. Pacino
5. Cheung

1. Lone
2. Patric
3. Robbins
4. Cage
5. Williams

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

1. Byrne
2. Pszoniak
3. Cheung
4. Glover
5. Pacino

1. Lone
2. Patric
3. Cage
4. Robbins
5. Williams

Jonathan Williams said...

1. Byrne
2. Pszoniak
3. Cheung
4. Glover
5. Pacino

1. Lone
2. Patric
3. Cage
4. Williams
5. Robbins

Anonymous said...

Do check out House Of Cards if you have the time. Ian Richardson is all-time great there.

Tony Kim said...

Fred Ward is a co-lead in Miami Blues, just thought you should know.

Luke Higham said...

He's got more than enough time to review him as a bonus.

Anonymous said...

Luke, your rating predictions

Luke Higham said...

Byrne - 5
Pszoniak - 5
Cheung - 4.5/5
Glover - 4.5
Pacino - 4.5

Lone - 5
Patric - 4.5/5
Cage - 4.5
Robbins - 4.5
Williams - 4.5

RatedRStar said...

1. Pszoniak
2. Byrne
3. Cheung
4. Glover
5. Pacino

1. Lone
2. Patric
3. Cage
4. Williams
5. Robbins

Anonymous said...

Luke, which 1990 films do you think will make the Top Ten

Maciej said...

1. Byrne
2. Pszoniak
3. Glover
4. Cheung
5. Pacino

1.Lone
2. Patric
3. Całe
4. Robbins
5. Williams

Luke Higham said...

Assuming #6-10 is completely replaced:
Bullet In The Head
Close-Up
An Angel At My Table
Korczak
Dreams

Anonymous said...

Louis what are your top ten scenes and acting moments for 1946?

Anonymous said...

Also anyone have any early predictions for Louis's Best Actor/Supporting Actor wins for 2026?

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous:
Actor: Cruise (Digger):or Turturro (The Only Living Pickpocket In New York)
Supporting Actor: Pattinson (Dune Part III), Dafoe (Werwulf), Courtenay (Queen At Sea) or Buscemi (Wild Horse Nine)

Calvin Law said...

1. Byrne
2. Cheung
3. Glover
4. Pszoniak
5. Pacino

1. Lone
2. Cage
3. Patric
4. Williams
5. Robbins

Really fantastic lineups, hard to predict. Will rewatch Godfather 3 and Awakenings this weekend too, it’s been awhile.

BRAZINTERMA said...

5º Jacky Cheung
4º Al Pacino
3º Danny Glover
2º Wojciech Pszoniak
1º Gabriel Byrne

5º Tim Robbins
4º Robin Williams
3º Jason Patric
2º Nicolas Cage
1º John Lone

Razor said...

1. Byrne
2. Cheung
3. Glover
4. Pszoniak
5. Pacino

1. Lone
2. Patric
3. Cage
4. Williams
5. Robbins

Matt Mustin said...

Tony: Fred Ward feels co-lead but looking at his screen time compared to Baldwin's Im not sure.

Dom said...

Wow this is a amazing lineup here

1. Byrne
2. Glover (I have a feeling that he could get put in supporting actor like Redgrave)
3. Pszoniak
4. Pacino
5. Cheung

1. Lone
2. Williams
3. Cage
4. Robbins
5. Patric (the only one I haven't fully seen as the others I have either seen the entire film or seen clips of)

Matt Mustin said...

1. Byrne
2. Glover
3. Pszoniak
4. Cheung
5. Pacino

1. Lone
2. Patric
3. Cage
4. Williams
5. Robbins

Harris Marlowe said...

Thoughts on Fanning, Pfeiffer and Offerman in MGMT?

1. Byrne
2. Pszoniak
3. Glover
4. Cheung
5. Pacino

1. Patric
2. Lone
3. Cage
4. Williams
5. Robbins

Calvin Law said...

I'd consider Ward a co-lead but I wouldn't complain too much if he's put in Supporting. I'm also curious to see what rating Baldwin will get (personally thought he was a bit of a weaker link compared to Ward and JJL).

Anonymous said...

Luke, who would be your #3 and #4 in Actor.

Luke Higham said...

Probably Paul Giamatti in The Debut and Andrew Scott in Elsinore.
I really hope Robert Eggers can get something great out of ATJ.

Aharkin said...

Honorable mentions: Mel Gibson in Hamlet, Ron Silver in Reversal of Fortune, Paul Newman in Mr. and Mrs. Bridge, Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone, Sean Connery in The Hunt for Red October

Anonymous said...

No faith in Malkovich Luke? Also looks like Giamatti is supporting just probably a big supporting role.

Anonymous said...

having just seen The Long Walk (2025) :

Hoffman : 4
Jonsson : 4.5
Wang : 4
Nyuot : 4
Plummer : 2
Wareing : 5
Odjick : 3.5
Hamill : 3

Lucas Saavedra said...

Louis: What are your ratings and thoughts on Ian Wolfe and Billy House in Bedlam, Oscar Levant in Humoresque, Francis Lederer in The Diary of a Chambermaid, Pierre Brasseur in Gates of the Night, Lee J. Cobb in Anna and the King of Siam and Monty Woolley in Night and Day?

Robert MacFarlane said...

Okay, I’ve seen Miami Blues, and I disagree HEAVILY with the others that he’s co-lead. He isn’t. Not even remotely. Unambiguously supporting. Have no idea where any of you are getting it from.

(Also, he’s not that good in it?)

Matt Mustin said...

Robert: I think he's fun but I wouldn't have requested him.

Matt Mustin said...

The Devil Wears Prada 2 cast:
Hathaway-4
Streep-3
Blunt-3.5
Tucci-3.5
Branagh-3
Theroux-2.5
Liu-2.5
Novak-2
Brammall-2

Tony Kim said...

Robert: I'll admit that I've been second-guessing my position somewhat after learning of the amount of screentime he has, but I'll need a rewatch to make sure. I'm glad we can agree JJL is the film's MVP, though.

Harris Marlowe said...

I was just made to watch the Ebenezer trailer, and Christ... how rancid. Depp's mugging is mortifying, and the whole "he's back!" framing makes me wanna hurl.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: He'd probably round out the top 5, I'm expecting another strong year for the category.

Harris: Eggers take with Dafoe can't come soon enough.

Perfectionist said...

Yeah, a little bit too much. I mean, I still think Depp could be really interesting as an actor. For instance, he was brilliant in Black Mass right before things went south. So he needs to dial it back in his upcoming movie performances, if this somehow works as a comeback vehicle.

Robert MacFarlane said...

I’d prefer if Depp never came back to the limelight myself.

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

Scenes:

1. Richest Man in Town - It’s A Wonderful Life
2. Bank Run - It’s A Wonderful Life
3. Marriage Night - It’s A Wonderful Life
4. Arriving Home - The Best Years of Our Lives
5. Plane Graveyard - The Best Years of Our Lives
6. The wrong drugs - It’s A Wonderful Life
7. Turning Down Potter’s Offer - It’s A Wonderful Life
8. Billy Can’t find the money - It’s A Wonderful Life
9. Meeting at Butch’s - The Best Years of Our Lives
10.George and Mary’s Date - It’s A Wonderful Life

Acting:

1. At home freakout - It’s A Wonderful Life
2. I Want to Live Again - It’s a Wonderful Life
3. Bar Prayer - It’s A Wonderful Life
4. Asking Potter for Help - It’s A Wonderful Life
5. Graveyard - It’s A Wonderful Life
6. Ma Bailey’s House in Pottersville - It’s A Wonderful life
7. Defending the Building and Loan - It’s A Wonderful Life
8. Homer Going to bed - The Best Years of Our Lives
9. Ending - Notorious
10. Cluny at the train - Cluny Brown

Harris:

Fanning - (I have long proclaimed the talents of Fanning and this is just another example of such. She’s terrific, in maybe a way I expected but only because I expect her to deliver. In this instance finding a natural combination between immaturity and maturity in her processing of her situations and the decisions she makes therein. Fanning manages to bring just an ease and natural quality to everything she does that successfully makes theoretically what could be the most sort of melodramatic elements feel far more honest thanks to just how consistently convincing she is bringing a reality to every step of Margot’s life. There’s that ease of her presence and one where you sense the way she’s taking it all in and rolling with the punches frequently but also building effectively to the moments of the blowups such as the legal confrontations scenes. Scenes that could potentially feel forced by Fanning plays them just as well as the more intimate scenes of showing her passion for motherhood or just her certain awkwardness of navigating her new profession.)

Louis Morgan said...


Pfeiffer - (Nice just for her to get a good role here and one that she can sink her teeth into a bit. A role that I think also could’ve easily gone wrong several different ways, but Pfeiffer navigates them all with a considerable ease in bringing to life the complexity of her role. Presenting well the degree of connection with her daughter, but with these nuanced reservations at the same time where she is able to play both a degree of bitterness about it even while making the warmth very real. Making her dismissive quality towards the newborn just this like a defense mechanism that she presents with this directness. Pfeiffer excels in filling in the history really in every interaction including with Offerman where you get the old connection but also her old frustrations, or with Kinnear where she plays this certain drive to escape through the avenue with a combination between hesitations and attempted blindness.)

Louis Morgan said...


Offerman - (Now fully making up for his narration in Chuck and his Mission Impossible performance by delivering two back to back outstanding turns. Offerman is marvelous here in bringing initially just such a powerful sense of warmth and support, even while you see in his eyes just all that the guy has been through and that this is in no way a simple solution. Offerman showed in the moments with Fanning and his grandson such a powerful sense of the man wanting to do right and bringing such a wonderful sincerity about every moment in relation to that. Contrasting that though is all that is bubbling under the surface which Offerman navigates so effectively in showing the certain meekness of the guy who has failed a lot but is trying to make amends yet is still suffering internally for it. Finding such a place within his performance which he achieves so naturally where he is working underneath so many lines speaking the truth of what his character is going through even as he keeps the “I’ll just take the hits” quiet expression so often. His late episodes work is particularly excellent and really harrowing because Offerman does make it so real in creating the character’s moments of despair but also attempt at any kind of apology so viscerally honest.)

Also has the right amount of fun with the quick bits we get to see of his wrestling personality.

Lucas:

Wolfe - (There’s so much potential in his performance that one wishes the film got to Bedlam interior more quickly as there’s instantly a sense of Cuckoos Nest connection. Wolfe really shows the potential and delivers on some of it as well through his performance where he manages to portray this passive mental illness where he’s not all there but also very much human and wishing to help. He has a wonderful warmth and even quiet intimacy about his work that I only wish we had gotten more of.)

House - (A properly trashy Lord type performance where he just owns the sheer gluttony of the character’s use of wealth just for the most base of pleasures without a hint of depth in the right kind of way.)

Levant - (Classic supporting Hollywood role where I would say there’s maybe just a little stiffness to his work at times, yet there’s also just a tremendous amount of heart he brings as well and grants a strong presence as the guy who cares about music but is also caring about everyone’s well being in a slightly melancholy way.)

Lederer - (Enjoyably creepy in just playing up the slightly sinister overtures of his character consistently and presenting someone who just takes joy in “stealing” from his employers anyway in which he can.)

Brasseur - (As the jilted husband which maybe is the least interesting role in a film with so many interesting roles to work from. Brasseur I think gets along fine in the speedrun of emotions they give him from possessive to murderous to guilty, but the speed of it does not benefit him.)

Cobb - (Wisely does not accent whatsoever, instead just brings a quiet dignified presence actually where there is an honest authority about everything he does and utilizes his eyes well as someone very much calculating every situation. He’s even very good later on in just portraying the degree of sympathy, not that it is a major change but shows the humanity of the character within the coldness naturally.)

Wolley - (Just him truly doing his thing, given he’s literally playing himself, but him as himself is far more lively than what anyone else is doing.)

Matt Mustin said...

After Dark, My Sweet cast:
Patric-5
Ward-3.5
Dern-4
Dickerson-3.5

Ytrewq Wertyq said...

Ebenezer bombing in theaters after that "GUESS WHO'S BACK, BITCHES" trailer would've been the most hilarious shit ever.

RatedRStar said...

Ytrewq Wertyq: Who says that won't happen lol, I could see it happening.

RatedRStar said...

Robert MacFarlane: I haven't seen Miami Blues in a long time but the only thing I remember was the funny back and forth between Baldwin and Ward in the shootout "FREEZE POLICE"

Michael McCarthy said...

Louis, are you at all interesting in watching Forbidden Fruits from earlier this year? I saw it a while back and I though Victoria Pedretti was a total hoot in an against type role, I’d recommend it even just for her.