Brendan Gleeson in In Bruges
Showing posts with label 2008. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2008. Show all posts
Tuesday, 31 May 2011
Best Actor 2008: Results
Brendan Gleeson in In Bruges
Best Actor 2008: Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler
Mickey Rourke received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Randy "The Ram" Robinson in The Wrestler.
The Wrestler tells the story of past his prime pro-wrestler, who tries to reform his life, after a severe heart attack.
Mickey Rourke's performance here most certainly has an extra quality due to his long troubled career before the Wrestler. Rourke has some detractors here for playing himself, which certianly is a blatant rather foolish statement because what Rourke does here, is anything but just simply act as himself. He may certainly channel himself, and his experiences but almost any actor does that, and rarely do actors ever do as well as Rourke in this film.
The Ram at the beginning of the film is not shown to be the best off fellow, in fact he lives pretty shabbily, and seems to not really have any meaningful relationships in his life. He was a big star in the professional wrestling world though at one time. Rourke is extremely good here, because he certainly shows just the tired aged demeanor of the man in his rather exasperated way of just doing his day to day tasks. Rourke is especially in good in showing that he his time really was the 80's and certainly seems a little lost, such as when he fails to understand a young local kid's description of a modern game.
Rourke though shows that The Ram is not entirely without his small pleasures in his life, he does have a little fun for example with the local kids, but that certianly does not overcome his age. What does overcome this more mentally, although not physically, is found in his wrestling experience, both at local little conventions, and matches at rather small venues.
Rourke here is especially good because he shows Randy's charisma, and presence he has in the ring. Rourke is natural in the ring, and he finds the right believable camaraderie with the other wrestler that works extremely well. Rourke shows that in the ring Randy is in his own, and suggests his past as the wrestling superstar.
Randy though after a brutal extreme wrestling match and suffers his heart attack and has to quit wrestling. He decides to try to create a relationship with a local stripper Cassidy (Marisa Tomei). It is an interesting relationship because the stripper constantly rebukes him due to her defenses due to her profession. It is not cold, but sort of harsh, but Rourke is extremely good because of his earnestness in the relationship even if it not all shared. Rourke shows that Randy desperately needs the relationship, and it is the desperation that makes him keep trying.
At the same time he tries as well to try to once again create a relationship with his estranged daughter. Rourke shows quite clearly his torrid history with his daughter, and how he really does not know her well at all, due to his complete awkwardness talking about her earlier with Cassidy. Rourke as well shows that still shows his desperation makes him still try, and that he does have a love for his daughter even if he himself can't always remember that. This is of course shown best by his "piece of meat speech" which could have easily been overly melodramatic, but because of Rourke emotional honesty the scene is incredibly effective.
Randy also works more at his supermarket job by working behind a deli, which may be for me, the best part of his performance. Rourke's performance is amazing simply, when he once again finds the old Randy but this time as just a worker in the deli. He once again shows his charisma underneath that age once more, in a simply great scene. Rourke is outstanding in his performance, as he is humorous, a very entertaining and all that Randy is doing is working at a deli.
Randy life though never reforms as he wishes, despite his attempts, but that is due to his own destructive behavior. Rourke makes Randy's downfall believable because Randy is never portrayed as perfect, and Rourke always presents that his trying to fix his life, is always part of his desperation in life. Rourke's performance simply is outstanding becuase he perfectly mixes each part of his life so well, his mistakes, his tries, his success and his failure.
Mickey Rourke's performance here most certainly has an extra quality due to his long troubled career before the Wrestler. Rourke has some detractors here for playing himself, which certianly is a blatant rather foolish statement because what Rourke does here, is anything but just simply act as himself. He may certainly channel himself, and his experiences but almost any actor does that, and rarely do actors ever do as well as Rourke in this film.
The Ram at the beginning of the film is not shown to be the best off fellow, in fact he lives pretty shabbily, and seems to not really have any meaningful relationships in his life. He was a big star in the professional wrestling world though at one time. Rourke is extremely good here, because he certainly shows just the tired aged demeanor of the man in his rather exasperated way of just doing his day to day tasks. Rourke is especially in good in showing that he his time really was the 80's and certainly seems a little lost, such as when he fails to understand a young local kid's description of a modern game.
Rourke though shows that The Ram is not entirely without his small pleasures in his life, he does have a little fun for example with the local kids, but that certianly does not overcome his age. What does overcome this more mentally, although not physically, is found in his wrestling experience, both at local little conventions, and matches at rather small venues.
Rourke here is especially good because he shows Randy's charisma, and presence he has in the ring. Rourke is natural in the ring, and he finds the right believable camaraderie with the other wrestler that works extremely well. Rourke shows that in the ring Randy is in his own, and suggests his past as the wrestling superstar.
Randy though after a brutal extreme wrestling match and suffers his heart attack and has to quit wrestling. He decides to try to create a relationship with a local stripper Cassidy (Marisa Tomei). It is an interesting relationship because the stripper constantly rebukes him due to her defenses due to her profession. It is not cold, but sort of harsh, but Rourke is extremely good because of his earnestness in the relationship even if it not all shared. Rourke shows that Randy desperately needs the relationship, and it is the desperation that makes him keep trying.
At the same time he tries as well to try to once again create a relationship with his estranged daughter. Rourke shows quite clearly his torrid history with his daughter, and how he really does not know her well at all, due to his complete awkwardness talking about her earlier with Cassidy. Rourke as well shows that still shows his desperation makes him still try, and that he does have a love for his daughter even if he himself can't always remember that. This is of course shown best by his "piece of meat speech" which could have easily been overly melodramatic, but because of Rourke emotional honesty the scene is incredibly effective.
Randy also works more at his supermarket job by working behind a deli, which may be for me, the best part of his performance. Rourke's performance is amazing simply, when he once again finds the old Randy but this time as just a worker in the deli. He once again shows his charisma underneath that age once more, in a simply great scene. Rourke is outstanding in his performance, as he is humorous, a very entertaining and all that Randy is doing is working at a deli.
Randy life though never reforms as he wishes, despite his attempts, but that is due to his own destructive behavior. Rourke makes Randy's downfall believable because Randy is never portrayed as perfect, and Rourke always presents that his trying to fix his life, is always part of his desperation in life. Rourke's performance simply is outstanding becuase he perfectly mixes each part of his life so well, his mistakes, his tries, his success and his failure.
Monday, 30 May 2011
Best Actor 2008: Richard Jenkins in The Visitor
Richard Jenkins received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Walter Vale in The Visitor.
The Visitor is a somewhat contrived, although not entirely ineffective film about a man who finds a purpose again in life by befriending illegal immigrants.
Richard Jenkins is quite good at being just an average man in this film as Walter Vale. He plays a widowed economic professor. He seems to simply be drifting through life without much of a purpose, except the rather simple day to day tasks involving his job, and the piano lessons he takes basically because his wife memory. Jenkins simply, but effectively portrays his characters rather overt, yet at the same time subtle depression. He is not visibly crying constantly nor has he stopped his life completely, but Jenkins clearly suggests the profound effect the death of Walter's wife has had on him. It is not so much a sadness, but a lack of joy that Jenkins conveys wonderfully.
Walter soon meets a group of illegal immigrants that is the main focus of the film. Jenkins is again good in his confused apprehension at first as he encounters them in his apartment in New York City that he rarely uses. Walter comes around to them, and in fact befriends the illegal immigrant couple, particularly the man Tarek, who starts to teach him to play the drums. Jenkins' transition of Walter's relationship is not a huge jump by anyways, but it honestly portrayed by Jenkins, because he still shows that some awkwardness in his relation with the immigrants does stay, and that it is a very gradual transition of greater comfort with his very different from him, new friends.
Jenkins also does not become instantly happy at all, but shows that his life has simply found something new, and has again given more of some joy, that the utter devoid he had before. A passion also grows even more fully actually when Terek is imprisoned due to his illegal status. Walter once again finds a passion within himself to help Terek the best he can, and Jenkins suggests it as not something new to Walter, but rather this part of himself being risen once more. This is particularly shown well in his angry speech scene at the prison, where Jenkins is effective because he shows that he really does care for what is being done to Terek, and how his relationship with him has moved quite deeply.
With the imprisonment of Terek he also meets and befriends as well Terek's mother Mouna. Again Jenkins is good in creating and honest natural relationship with her, but this time he seems to make an even deeper connection with her, so much that he reveals and reflects more about himself. Jenkins comes full circle very well in showing how Walter had been sleepwalking through life, but finally has grown enough to find a purpose as well as see how he had been previously. I think I have probably sounded rather positive throughout this whole review, no doubt coming at least partially from the rather lackluster performances I have just gone through. I will say I am positive this is a good performance, and Jenkins shows his ability as a leading man as he did more commonly as a supporting actor.
Richard Jenkins is quite good at being just an average man in this film as Walter Vale. He plays a widowed economic professor. He seems to simply be drifting through life without much of a purpose, except the rather simple day to day tasks involving his job, and the piano lessons he takes basically because his wife memory. Jenkins simply, but effectively portrays his characters rather overt, yet at the same time subtle depression. He is not visibly crying constantly nor has he stopped his life completely, but Jenkins clearly suggests the profound effect the death of Walter's wife has had on him. It is not so much a sadness, but a lack of joy that Jenkins conveys wonderfully.
Walter soon meets a group of illegal immigrants that is the main focus of the film. Jenkins is again good in his confused apprehension at first as he encounters them in his apartment in New York City that he rarely uses. Walter comes around to them, and in fact befriends the illegal immigrant couple, particularly the man Tarek, who starts to teach him to play the drums. Jenkins' transition of Walter's relationship is not a huge jump by anyways, but it honestly portrayed by Jenkins, because he still shows that some awkwardness in his relation with the immigrants does stay, and that it is a very gradual transition of greater comfort with his very different from him, new friends.
Jenkins also does not become instantly happy at all, but shows that his life has simply found something new, and has again given more of some joy, that the utter devoid he had before. A passion also grows even more fully actually when Terek is imprisoned due to his illegal status. Walter once again finds a passion within himself to help Terek the best he can, and Jenkins suggests it as not something new to Walter, but rather this part of himself being risen once more. This is particularly shown well in his angry speech scene at the prison, where Jenkins is effective because he shows that he really does care for what is being done to Terek, and how his relationship with him has moved quite deeply.
With the imprisonment of Terek he also meets and befriends as well Terek's mother Mouna. Again Jenkins is good in creating and honest natural relationship with her, but this time he seems to make an even deeper connection with her, so much that he reveals and reflects more about himself. Jenkins comes full circle very well in showing how Walter had been sleepwalking through life, but finally has grown enough to find a purpose as well as see how he had been previously. I think I have probably sounded rather positive throughout this whole review, no doubt coming at least partially from the rather lackluster performances I have just gone through. I will say I am positive this is a good performance, and Jenkins shows his ability as a leading man as he did more commonly as a supporting actor.
Sunday, 29 May 2011
Best Actor 2008: Sean Penn in Milk
Sean Penn won his second Oscar from his fourth nomination for portraying Harvey Milk in Milk.
Milk is a rather standard biography film that essentially is a retelling of the documentary about Harvey Milk, The Times of Harvey Milk, making its original screenplay win rather ridiculous.
Well after giving the film another viewing after many years I will say my view has changed a bit. Not so much on the film, which I still think is a decent fairly straight forward biopic. Watching it again though I will say though that Sean Penn actually gives a performance very much fitting to such a biopic. This is to the point, that despite some surface elements, it is very dissimilar to a lot of Penn's work. Penn is noted for his flamboyant, usually hammy, performances however interestingly that actually is not what he does with the role of Harvey Milk, who was a reasonably flamboyant guy when seen in the public eye. Penn actually uses this to give one of his more subdued performances as he actually sets up a certain personal style within the character of Milk that offers sort of an insight into the idea of a politician. This is specifically though into the idea of insight as the first openly elected homosexual politician in the United States. In that Penn develops multiple sides of the character in his work there being the man we meet in his session with his other social activists in his store, the man on the world's stage, and also quietly recording a final testament in his belief that he will eventually be assassinated.
Penn embodies every side of the man fully within his work from his particular timbre of voice and physical mannerisms. These are very much opposed to Penn's typical mannerisms, and he uses these effectively in order to convey the different states of Milk as the political operator in a way. Now in the most open public spaces we get Penn at his most flamboyant. He is actually rather effective in the way he plays these scenes basically as Harvey playing them up a bit for the crowd. Penn actually changes dependent on the situation showing that Harvey in a way purposefully portrays himself as whatever he feels he needs to show the crowd. The one facet of this being that he in a way camps it up, where he amplifies those mannerisms, which Penn projects directly into when Harvey is directly interacting with mostly straight crowds. Penn uses this in a way to show Harvey essentially creating the visibility fitting to a man who wishes to be known as gay in the public eye. He does this even in two ways which is interesting. One being in crowds he wishes to win over he projects a warmth within their overtness like he's Paul Lynde as a way to endear the crowd to them. When working with a directly hostile crowd or person though Penn delivers this as overt though now with a confrontational hostility, as he is trying to directly invade their personal space, and force them to directly face who he is and what he represents.
That is opposed to when Milk is with his inner circle of supporters and activists or even with crowds of other homosexuals. Penn again sets his performance differently depending on the crowd and the situation once again realizing the nature of the politician. He's particularly good with this through his scenes with the inner circle where he creates this variation. One hand he in part fulfills the idea of Milk as the first out politician in terms of his emphasis on Milk playing up certain behaviors. He tempers this much of the time though in the more serious minded discussions however Penn plays with the idea effectively dependent on this mood. When he speaks to them less as individuals and more of the group as supporters, such as when he requests they all out themselves to their families, Penn puts on a certain show. He does not make it the same level as with sort of the "general" audience, but he does put on the idea of Harvey Milk as this representative, and not just at a government level. This is even more evident in his scenes with the crowds of homosexuals. He brings in these moments sort of the grandeur of a proper politician and leader. Again Penn paints this with touches of flamboyance though he uses that as undercurrent with the more powerful sentiment being the passion he delivers in every one of his speeches. He reveals the man playing to the crowd as this force of personality, and as man very much created an image people can believe and follow.
This is against however the man that Harvey Milk is beneath all the requirements of the politician. We don't see this Harvey too often. Penn reveals him in the taping of the testament, and in his later scenes with Dan White (Josh Brolin) and Milk's lovers Scott (James Franco) and Jack (Diego Luna). Now in these scenes Penn is at his most subtle and quiet. He still exudes certain mannerisms however it is here where they seem most natural and worn within the man when he has essentially now one to persuade or confront. This is just the man as himself and Penn delivers an effectively subdued look at very much the man without any needs to be anyone other than himself. This quite honestly at Penn at some of his most subdued in general and is quite good in these moments in revealing a more direct wear of the life in his certain haggard delivery of his testament, but also offers a real poignancy within these moments of reflection revealing a genuine pride in his accomplishment. The scenes between Harvey and Scott and Jack are bit different though. In that each Penn reveals sort of the ways of a man who had been long in the closet in each of his interactions with each man when they initially meet. In that in each Penn very much puts his attentions forth in a very obvious way, however this is fitting to someone who once had to make his intentions known quickly and somewhat non-verbally. Over time though Penn reveals again that quieter self as he shows off the man's own vulnerabilities which are far more open in these relationships than anywhere else in his life. His most fascinating relationship though is perhaps with the man who would eventually kill him in Josh Brolin's Dan White. In that in these singular interactions Penn realizes this idea of the interaction between essentially the politician and the man throughout. In that early on Penn shows Milk starting out strong to make himself very much known to White. This is somewhat of surface interaction however as they keep going, where they come to conflict several times, Penn is interesting as he shows a growing sympathy within Milk for the man who is increasingly becoming unhinged. This is especially interesting in the later scenes in that we see even this interesting mix in the quieter personal moments Penn emphasizes this concern for White, while in the politician moments he reaffirms an even stronger stance against the man's continued career. This is a very good performance by Sean Penn as he tempers his usual excesses, and actually succeeds in giving a more personalized work that goes beyond even the requirements within the film as he offers both the inspirational figure desired by the film and this examination of what it means to be a politician..
Well after giving the film another viewing after many years I will say my view has changed a bit. Not so much on the film, which I still think is a decent fairly straight forward biopic. Watching it again though I will say though that Sean Penn actually gives a performance very much fitting to such a biopic. This is to the point, that despite some surface elements, it is very dissimilar to a lot of Penn's work. Penn is noted for his flamboyant, usually hammy, performances however interestingly that actually is not what he does with the role of Harvey Milk, who was a reasonably flamboyant guy when seen in the public eye. Penn actually uses this to give one of his more subdued performances as he actually sets up a certain personal style within the character of Milk that offers sort of an insight into the idea of a politician. This is specifically though into the idea of insight as the first openly elected homosexual politician in the United States. In that Penn develops multiple sides of the character in his work there being the man we meet in his session with his other social activists in his store, the man on the world's stage, and also quietly recording a final testament in his belief that he will eventually be assassinated.
Penn embodies every side of the man fully within his work from his particular timbre of voice and physical mannerisms. These are very much opposed to Penn's typical mannerisms, and he uses these effectively in order to convey the different states of Milk as the political operator in a way. Now in the most open public spaces we get Penn at his most flamboyant. He is actually rather effective in the way he plays these scenes basically as Harvey playing them up a bit for the crowd. Penn actually changes dependent on the situation showing that Harvey in a way purposefully portrays himself as whatever he feels he needs to show the crowd. The one facet of this being that he in a way camps it up, where he amplifies those mannerisms, which Penn projects directly into when Harvey is directly interacting with mostly straight crowds. Penn uses this in a way to show Harvey essentially creating the visibility fitting to a man who wishes to be known as gay in the public eye. He does this even in two ways which is interesting. One being in crowds he wishes to win over he projects a warmth within their overtness like he's Paul Lynde as a way to endear the crowd to them. When working with a directly hostile crowd or person though Penn delivers this as overt though now with a confrontational hostility, as he is trying to directly invade their personal space, and force them to directly face who he is and what he represents.
That is opposed to when Milk is with his inner circle of supporters and activists or even with crowds of other homosexuals. Penn again sets his performance differently depending on the crowd and the situation once again realizing the nature of the politician. He's particularly good with this through his scenes with the inner circle where he creates this variation. One hand he in part fulfills the idea of Milk as the first out politician in terms of his emphasis on Milk playing up certain behaviors. He tempers this much of the time though in the more serious minded discussions however Penn plays with the idea effectively dependent on this mood. When he speaks to them less as individuals and more of the group as supporters, such as when he requests they all out themselves to their families, Penn puts on a certain show. He does not make it the same level as with sort of the "general" audience, but he does put on the idea of Harvey Milk as this representative, and not just at a government level. This is even more evident in his scenes with the crowds of homosexuals. He brings in these moments sort of the grandeur of a proper politician and leader. Again Penn paints this with touches of flamboyance though he uses that as undercurrent with the more powerful sentiment being the passion he delivers in every one of his speeches. He reveals the man playing to the crowd as this force of personality, and as man very much created an image people can believe and follow.
This is against however the man that Harvey Milk is beneath all the requirements of the politician. We don't see this Harvey too often. Penn reveals him in the taping of the testament, and in his later scenes with Dan White (Josh Brolin) and Milk's lovers Scott (James Franco) and Jack (Diego Luna). Now in these scenes Penn is at his most subtle and quiet. He still exudes certain mannerisms however it is here where they seem most natural and worn within the man when he has essentially now one to persuade or confront. This is just the man as himself and Penn delivers an effectively subdued look at very much the man without any needs to be anyone other than himself. This quite honestly at Penn at some of his most subdued in general and is quite good in these moments in revealing a more direct wear of the life in his certain haggard delivery of his testament, but also offers a real poignancy within these moments of reflection revealing a genuine pride in his accomplishment. The scenes between Harvey and Scott and Jack are bit different though. In that each Penn reveals sort of the ways of a man who had been long in the closet in each of his interactions with each man when they initially meet. In that in each Penn very much puts his attentions forth in a very obvious way, however this is fitting to someone who once had to make his intentions known quickly and somewhat non-verbally. Over time though Penn reveals again that quieter self as he shows off the man's own vulnerabilities which are far more open in these relationships than anywhere else in his life. His most fascinating relationship though is perhaps with the man who would eventually kill him in Josh Brolin's Dan White. In that in these singular interactions Penn realizes this idea of the interaction between essentially the politician and the man throughout. In that early on Penn shows Milk starting out strong to make himself very much known to White. This is somewhat of surface interaction however as they keep going, where they come to conflict several times, Penn is interesting as he shows a growing sympathy within Milk for the man who is increasingly becoming unhinged. This is especially interesting in the later scenes in that we see even this interesting mix in the quieter personal moments Penn emphasizes this concern for White, while in the politician moments he reaffirms an even stronger stance against the man's continued career. This is a very good performance by Sean Penn as he tempers his usual excesses, and actually succeeds in giving a more personalized work that goes beyond even the requirements within the film as he offers both the inspirational figure desired by the film and this examination of what it means to be a politician..
Saturday, 28 May 2011
Best Actor 2008: Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon
Frank Langella received his first Oscar nomination for portraying former president Richard M. Nixon in Frost/Nixon.
Frost/Nixon while far less interesting than the actual interviews, offers a semi-decent examination of the story even if it attempts to ingrain a far greater importance to the story than actually existed.
Frank Langella's performance is what should be described as a mannerism filled performance from his face, to his voice to the way he walks. All in an attempt to imitate the real Richard Nixon. Now Langella claims in interviews that he was not trying to imitate, yet he was still using a voice not of his own, as well as mannerisms, so its a little hard to believe his statement. I guess he was just trying to excuse the fact that he fails to get Nixon down, who real is not really nearly as mannered as Langella's performance makes him out to be. Frank Langella whole mannered performance is a severe hindrance to his entire performance. He looks almost like a cartoon character at times, because he looks so strange, in not only the way he is made up but also because of the way he walks, and talks, which simply does not work well for Nixon as a character. Langella's whole performance feels out of place because of this, he just never seems natural in his characterization of Nixon, he simply should have cut back on the mannerisms.
Langella performance after his mannerisms seems to have three sets of acting scenes in this film. One is he awkwardly tries to talk to people normally, again Langella mannerisms made Nixon's inability to connect with other people rather unnatural, now that might make it seem like I am saying the right type of unnatural, but I would say unrealistic type of unnatural, not proper to a real person type of unnatural. Another is his yelling scenes or at least loudly pitched scenes, which has too many of. There are great numbers when he loses it, and frankly again it never felt particularly natural, instead it always came off as excessive ACTING to me. I never felt it was ever really effective, in conveying emotion, but rather just trying to override all other emotions with his angered yelling, which also is completely incorrect to how Nixon acted on the actual tapes, if Langella had been more like how he actual was that could have been a great performance. He also has his token quiet scenes, where the filmmaker show their belief to create some sympathy for the character just put in some obvious scenes that basically come off as the "sympathy creation scenes". Langella and his mannerisms again undermine any potential emotion that could have possibly been made in these rather forced moments. Langella never finds the right depth of emotion to really create anything in these scenes either. This is a performance that fails to be a good imitation, and it puts so much of its effort into its imitation causes to never be much more than a caricature of the man.
Frank Langella's performance is what should be described as a mannerism filled performance from his face, to his voice to the way he walks. All in an attempt to imitate the real Richard Nixon. Now Langella claims in interviews that he was not trying to imitate, yet he was still using a voice not of his own, as well as mannerisms, so its a little hard to believe his statement. I guess he was just trying to excuse the fact that he fails to get Nixon down, who real is not really nearly as mannered as Langella's performance makes him out to be. Frank Langella whole mannered performance is a severe hindrance to his entire performance. He looks almost like a cartoon character at times, because he looks so strange, in not only the way he is made up but also because of the way he walks, and talks, which simply does not work well for Nixon as a character. Langella's whole performance feels out of place because of this, he just never seems natural in his characterization of Nixon, he simply should have cut back on the mannerisms.
Langella performance after his mannerisms seems to have three sets of acting scenes in this film. One is he awkwardly tries to talk to people normally, again Langella mannerisms made Nixon's inability to connect with other people rather unnatural, now that might make it seem like I am saying the right type of unnatural, but I would say unrealistic type of unnatural, not proper to a real person type of unnatural. Another is his yelling scenes or at least loudly pitched scenes, which has too many of. There are great numbers when he loses it, and frankly again it never felt particularly natural, instead it always came off as excessive ACTING to me. I never felt it was ever really effective, in conveying emotion, but rather just trying to override all other emotions with his angered yelling, which also is completely incorrect to how Nixon acted on the actual tapes, if Langella had been more like how he actual was that could have been a great performance. He also has his token quiet scenes, where the filmmaker show their belief to create some sympathy for the character just put in some obvious scenes that basically come off as the "sympathy creation scenes". Langella and his mannerisms again undermine any potential emotion that could have possibly been made in these rather forced moments. Langella never finds the right depth of emotion to really create anything in these scenes either. This is a performance that fails to be a good imitation, and it puts so much of its effort into its imitation causes to never be much more than a caricature of the man.
Best Actor 2008: Brad Pitt in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Brad Pitt received his second Oscar nomination for portraying Benjamin Button in the Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is an overly long, often boring film about a man who ages backwards.
Brad Pitt's performance here cannot be mentioned without mentioning all of the special effects in the various scenes of the film. It is many times difficult to tell how much of the actual character is Pitt in these early scenes, which even seems to include the face partially at times. The one thing that seems to Pitt's own most of the time seems to just be his voice, except for of course at the very end of the film.
I think a major problem, one of the major problems with this performance, is that much of it is special effects, or makeup. Pitt's I never felt really did all that much to do all that much himself to indicate the age as well as deaging of the character. Pitt' always seems to just let the special effects handle most every thing, and I geuss he alters his voice a little bit but not all too much, or all that interestingly.
Another problem comes from the fact that Pitt's portrays his part in an extremely uninteresting fashion. He has a distinct lack of charm in the role, and he again seems to want the special effects to do everything, including in trying to make him an interesting character. Pitt is just deadly dull because he does this, perhaps one could say well the special effects were hindering, I say no, watch John Hurt in The Elephant Man to see a performance, that technically could have been hindered by makeup but never for single moment was.
Pitt's whole performance shows what makes other performances good actually, because when there is a close up to Pitt's face, what does one see nothing. He shows absolutely no reflection on the character's life, or frankly much of a realization that his character is even aging backwards. Pitt always keeps the part at this same level of passiveness, that is quite boring to watch.
Pitt in fact does try to give a performance similar to that of Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump. He tries to be a likable guy to follow through his adventures, and misadventures through time. Although I believe this to be a faulty way in portraying a character that seems like he should have deeper reflection, even though he never does. Still as even trying to be like Hanks he fails, because Hanks still was able to be likable and carrying his film, Pitt never does this, making the story of Benjamin Button, quite a dull one.
Brad Pitt's performance here cannot be mentioned without mentioning all of the special effects in the various scenes of the film. It is many times difficult to tell how much of the actual character is Pitt in these early scenes, which even seems to include the face partially at times. The one thing that seems to Pitt's own most of the time seems to just be his voice, except for of course at the very end of the film.
I think a major problem, one of the major problems with this performance, is that much of it is special effects, or makeup. Pitt's I never felt really did all that much to do all that much himself to indicate the age as well as deaging of the character. Pitt' always seems to just let the special effects handle most every thing, and I geuss he alters his voice a little bit but not all too much, or all that interestingly.
Another problem comes from the fact that Pitt's portrays his part in an extremely uninteresting fashion. He has a distinct lack of charm in the role, and he again seems to want the special effects to do everything, including in trying to make him an interesting character. Pitt is just deadly dull because he does this, perhaps one could say well the special effects were hindering, I say no, watch John Hurt in The Elephant Man to see a performance, that technically could have been hindered by makeup but never for single moment was.
Pitt's whole performance shows what makes other performances good actually, because when there is a close up to Pitt's face, what does one see nothing. He shows absolutely no reflection on the character's life, or frankly much of a realization that his character is even aging backwards. Pitt always keeps the part at this same level of passiveness, that is quite boring to watch.
Pitt in fact does try to give a performance similar to that of Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump. He tries to be a likable guy to follow through his adventures, and misadventures through time. Although I believe this to be a faulty way in portraying a character that seems like he should have deeper reflection, even though he never does. Still as even trying to be like Hanks he fails, because Hanks still was able to be likable and carrying his film, Pitt never does this, making the story of Benjamin Button, quite a dull one.
Best Actor 2008
Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon
Brad Pitt in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Sean Penn in Milk
Richard Jenkins in The Visitor
Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler
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