Best Scene: Asking for his file.
Best Scene: Having made his confession.
Best Scene: Meeting his old lover.
Best Scene: Dalton in the trailer.
Best Scene: The argument.
Next: 2019 Alternate Supporting
Showing posts with label Adam Driver. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adam Driver. Show all posts
Tuesday, 21 January 2020
Best Actor 2019: Results
Best Scene: Asking for his file.
Best Scene: Having made his confession.
Best Scene: Meeting his old lover.
Best Scene: Dalton in the trailer.
Best Scene: The argument.
Next: 2019 Alternate Supporting
Best Actor 2019: Adam Driver in Marriage Story
Adam Driver received his second Oscar nomination for portraying Charlie Barber in Marriage Story.
Marriage Story follows the dissolution of a marriage that quickly falls into a custody battle over their son.
Adam Driver continues his streak of an ever growing resume of quality performances in interesting projects. This is as I'll give it away early that I think this is a great performance, but why it is a great performance, is a good question. One might think it is built around one scene, which there is a small nugget of truth in terms of making that scene work, but even that nugget is also not entirely true. Adam Driver here takes on the essential role of just playing a normal man. The idea even of the character of Charlie as a surrogate for writer/director Noah Baumbach isn't something that is focused upon, and I'm glad that Driver didn't try to turn Charlie into Baumbach. This as that would get in the way of what he is doing here, which is to first and foremost just introduce us to the person that is Charlie Barber. This isn't to say he is just some average ole' Joe, given he is a successful avant-garde theater director, but Driver's performance here isn't to make a distance with the character. This offering the right directness in his overall approach, not that he's making Charlie the most approachable man per se either. What he is instead is doing is allowing us just to observe this man, as a man in the most immediate intimacy, though by merely being with him with so many moments in which Driver let's us in on this man. Charlie, again is not some extreme idiosyncratic person, the challenge in Driver's work is to make it all compelling with letting us into basically Charlie's experience.
His essential partner in this approach is Scarlet Johansson as Charlie's wife Nicole. The brief early scenes of their interactions being essential in creating the chemistry between the two. This is not of this sparking love but rather a long standing relationship. What is remarkable in their performances is they do not simplify this towards the other end as their conversations and interactions capture the informality of their marriage experience as a day to day existence. This both in the brief moments where we do see them seemingly in happier moments with their son Henry. Driver and Johansson, right down to the most simple physical interaction they capture the ease and casual manner of a married couple. This with an assumption and connection, that in itself actually plays an essential element within the film. This in the earliest scene as the two prepare for their separation, where they initially speak of just a small scale agreed upon divorce, however after finishing their last collaboration on Charlie's new successful play. This is as in this moment their manner towards another is of a connection of love in the moment but rather an awareness of each other. This in each creating the static attempt of an indifference though with sort of a festering emotion "smoothed" over by their state of marriage. This in their exchange as Nicole asks for notes on the show, which when prodded slightly Charlie puts forth. Driver delivers the rundown on her performance without hesitation, cruelly, though naturally within portraying it as a ease based upon familiarity.
The film then shifts first to Nicole's perspective as she moves to LA to act in a pilot and is talked in lawyering up, serving Charlie surprisingly when he arrives to visit. Driver is outstanding in this scene by making it so vivid in realizing every moment of Charlie's interactions that lead up to having the legal documents given to him. This includes portraying so earnestly just Charlie trying to reconnect initially with his wife and son again, and even in his interactions with Nicole's sister and mother played by Merritt Wever and Julie Hagerty. I give special mention to the latter because the two performers overplay their roles to the point of being cartoons, so Driver deserves special mention in his cheerful moments of playing along with them, that he natural segues into as just someone having fun with what he believes to be his immediate family. Driver makes his part of it genuine even as he's working with one note performances, and in his own way creates a better awkwardness of the situation by showing the comfort of their interactions. This before he is finally served with the documents and Driver's subtle loss of life and sense of confusion is brilliantly performed. This as he creates so subtle in the moment the anxiety and sense of betrayal. It isn't with a curse but just this disbelief that feels so honest within his work. This honesty of his performance, consistent honesty, that becomes so essential in not only bringing the part to life but creating the needed empathy for Charlie.
This is that Driver makes Charlie neither monster nor saint. He rather makes him a flawed complicated man but by offering the necessary genuine detail to every situation makes his experience far more tangible. This as we see him initially attempting to find a lawyer while also getting blindsided by the legal ramifications of a situation he didn't know existed. Driver finds the right sense of detached confusion within these conversations that underlines not a man who doesn't care, but rather someone who has no idea what he is doing. This though with the distinct sense of the unease of the situation. Driver is fantastic in creating such a withdrawn frustration in these moments of trying to do what the law expects him to do in order to get custody of his son while also trying to do his job and see his son. Driver is fantastic in these scenes by carrying with it the constant push pull of emotions of the situation. There isn't a moment Driver is not wholly within through his performance that so captures the clawing intensity of it. This in just delivering the general lines with this attempt at the utmost cordiality, even towards his wife when it appears as though she is doing things to undermine him, though with these minor frustrated outbursts towards his son when he shows little appreciation or concern for Charlie's efforts. Driver essentially though shows in these moments the conviction in the devotion of care for his son, though always burdened by everything else weighing him down in these attempts.
The nature of this slowly caves within Charlie and this is realized so powerfully yet quietly in Driver's work that so succinctly avoids melodrama. Also if one wants to chime in on the scene I will be getting to below to make a claim otherwise, I think you should rethink your position. Anyways, the fantastic work Driver does here is showing the weight of the situation. This as we get his moment where he finds his first lawyer (Alan Alda) who slowly advises him to settle to avoid a battle in the courts. Driver is amazing in the scene in just the way he physically embodies the pain of the situation in his pacing, and his brief moments of yelling out and nearly breaking down. Driver is excellent in showing so well the way Charlie is on the verge of completely losing it, yet doesn't quite, by creating these edges, with also this always palatable sense of the repression that works towards just how worn he is by it all. I love Driver and Johansson's work in the scene, which is tailored to belong to Laura Dern and Ray Liotta as their hot shot lawyers, where we see their first official legal hearing. Driver and Johansson are marvelous in their silence, in showing the sheer shame and bitterness in their down turned faces. Both creating the sense of shame within the situation but also within their out in the open secrets spoken so loudly by both lawyers to undercut each other. Their performances convey the weight of these secrets even in their reserve, particularly in the sense of how much it hurts each to hear every one of them.
Driver's performance naturally works towards a tipping point. This in that underlying sense that only grows, with minor outbursts, such a phone call between Charlie and Nicole were a bit of the venom comes out. This with an exasperation of something that runs deeper than a single betrayal. What Driver though builds towards, and wholly earns, is the scene where Nicole and Charlie truly talk to one another about the situation. This scene I think alone perhaps shows why insta-social media reaction of art, is a particularly um, let's say um... a stupid method too many utilize these days. This as this scene I will be discussing here was dismissed out of context as "bad acting", but hey I guess if you have a poorly informed opinion about something, best be aggressive and quick about it...or maybe not. Anyway, actually taking the time to watch something though is important to appreciating it I suppose. This as this scene exists and is earned through what we see built up throughout the story between Charlie and Nicole, as their conversations slowly begin to become more hostile. Of course this is even brilliantly realized in the scene itself that does begin quiet as the two are just talking, and Driver delivers just an extra bit of a snipe as he remarks not wanting to use a photograph because it has Nicole in it. This with though in Driver's silent reactions as he creates the sense of the wear of just hearing her words as she begins to openly bring up what was said in court. This then begins what is a masterful decay portrayed by both actors, that moves both Charlie and Nicole towards their lowest point. This as each speak of old wounds, and Driver is incredible by making every outburst harder and more emotional as any sense of repression just loses itself through Nicole's words that cut particularly deep. Driver though is even not one note in also portraying the attempts at fighting back by rationalizing his own mistakes or attacking Nicole. In each, Driver finds the mess of the thoughts as they spiral out as urgent pleas or hateful barbs. Driver peels away each real defense as he physically wears the pent up anger until it finally releases as such both through that and vile words at Nicole. Driver makes this as natural as anything else he does, and in turn extremely remarkable, as this is not just some sudden yelling, but rather the breakdown of any sense of love driven really by words that could've only been learned through such familiarity. The two earn this extreme honest to two people at their absolute worst, both through their articulate and truthful work within the scene itself and throughout the film.
After that scene Driver carefully shows even the after effects of it by showing a more detached Charlie in a way. Driver continues to bring us right with Charlie in every scene, even two potentially contrived moments. The first being when Charlie cuts himself in an absent minded way when speaking to a court observer. Again Driver's detachment in the moment captures just someone spent in the way he speaks defeated by it all, and his down turned manner of someone who just is not quite with it in the moment. The same is true in some time later after the court has finally been settled, mostly not in Charlie's favor, and he goes out in the night. The contrivance comes as Charlie, sparked by music in a bar, decides to regale everyone with a song. Driver though again adds truth to it as his first lines in the scenes still carry just that weight and bitterness of the situation until his ears catch the music. There then Driver is amazing in the moment by showing just a hint of mania in his eyes as he begins to sing, suggesting a man just trying to find some way to live up his life just a bit after having been burdened by the custody battle for so long. I'll end this review with two different moments, particularly in focus of the film, but both together I think help to illustrate the greatness of Driver's performance here. The first being one of the final moments in the film where Charlie stumbles upon his son reading a letter from Nicole about all the things she likes about Charlie. Driver is heartbreaking in this scene by quietly building just how moved Charlie is as he hears each word then begins to read the words himself. This in the moment showing Driver so poignantly revealing just how much Charlie did love Nicole even after all that happened, in his pained voice, the sorrow of his expression, though with a sense of tenderness within it all. The other moment though comes before this just as Charlie enters Nicole's house after all has been said and done, and is there to see Henry. This as first Charlie meets Nicole's boyfriend, and brief, so brief, facial downturn, Driver shows the heartbreak in this, before shifting to a welcoming smile to greet Nicole's family and Henry once again. That longer moment and this shorter one though show just how detailed Driver's work is here, in making every moment of Charlie's experience so vivid, while always seeming absolutely natural. This isn't the portrayal of some historical figure, some extreme personality, it is just a man, a man that we get to know, feel and understand his experience through Adam Driver's astonishing work.
Marriage Story follows the dissolution of a marriage that quickly falls into a custody battle over their son.Adam Driver continues his streak of an ever growing resume of quality performances in interesting projects. This is as I'll give it away early that I think this is a great performance, but why it is a great performance, is a good question. One might think it is built around one scene, which there is a small nugget of truth in terms of making that scene work, but even that nugget is also not entirely true. Adam Driver here takes on the essential role of just playing a normal man. The idea even of the character of Charlie as a surrogate for writer/director Noah Baumbach isn't something that is focused upon, and I'm glad that Driver didn't try to turn Charlie into Baumbach. This as that would get in the way of what he is doing here, which is to first and foremost just introduce us to the person that is Charlie Barber. This isn't to say he is just some average ole' Joe, given he is a successful avant-garde theater director, but Driver's performance here isn't to make a distance with the character. This offering the right directness in his overall approach, not that he's making Charlie the most approachable man per se either. What he is instead is doing is allowing us just to observe this man, as a man in the most immediate intimacy, though by merely being with him with so many moments in which Driver let's us in on this man. Charlie, again is not some extreme idiosyncratic person, the challenge in Driver's work is to make it all compelling with letting us into basically Charlie's experience.
His essential partner in this approach is Scarlet Johansson as Charlie's wife Nicole. The brief early scenes of their interactions being essential in creating the chemistry between the two. This is not of this sparking love but rather a long standing relationship. What is remarkable in their performances is they do not simplify this towards the other end as their conversations and interactions capture the informality of their marriage experience as a day to day existence. This both in the brief moments where we do see them seemingly in happier moments with their son Henry. Driver and Johansson, right down to the most simple physical interaction they capture the ease and casual manner of a married couple. This with an assumption and connection, that in itself actually plays an essential element within the film. This in the earliest scene as the two prepare for their separation, where they initially speak of just a small scale agreed upon divorce, however after finishing their last collaboration on Charlie's new successful play. This is as in this moment their manner towards another is of a connection of love in the moment but rather an awareness of each other. This in each creating the static attempt of an indifference though with sort of a festering emotion "smoothed" over by their state of marriage. This in their exchange as Nicole asks for notes on the show, which when prodded slightly Charlie puts forth. Driver delivers the rundown on her performance without hesitation, cruelly, though naturally within portraying it as a ease based upon familiarity.
The film then shifts first to Nicole's perspective as she moves to LA to act in a pilot and is talked in lawyering up, serving Charlie surprisingly when he arrives to visit. Driver is outstanding in this scene by making it so vivid in realizing every moment of Charlie's interactions that lead up to having the legal documents given to him. This includes portraying so earnestly just Charlie trying to reconnect initially with his wife and son again, and even in his interactions with Nicole's sister and mother played by Merritt Wever and Julie Hagerty. I give special mention to the latter because the two performers overplay their roles to the point of being cartoons, so Driver deserves special mention in his cheerful moments of playing along with them, that he natural segues into as just someone having fun with what he believes to be his immediate family. Driver makes his part of it genuine even as he's working with one note performances, and in his own way creates a better awkwardness of the situation by showing the comfort of their interactions. This before he is finally served with the documents and Driver's subtle loss of life and sense of confusion is brilliantly performed. This as he creates so subtle in the moment the anxiety and sense of betrayal. It isn't with a curse but just this disbelief that feels so honest within his work. This honesty of his performance, consistent honesty, that becomes so essential in not only bringing the part to life but creating the needed empathy for Charlie.
This is that Driver makes Charlie neither monster nor saint. He rather makes him a flawed complicated man but by offering the necessary genuine detail to every situation makes his experience far more tangible. This as we see him initially attempting to find a lawyer while also getting blindsided by the legal ramifications of a situation he didn't know existed. Driver finds the right sense of detached confusion within these conversations that underlines not a man who doesn't care, but rather someone who has no idea what he is doing. This though with the distinct sense of the unease of the situation. Driver is fantastic in creating such a withdrawn frustration in these moments of trying to do what the law expects him to do in order to get custody of his son while also trying to do his job and see his son. Driver is fantastic in these scenes by carrying with it the constant push pull of emotions of the situation. There isn't a moment Driver is not wholly within through his performance that so captures the clawing intensity of it. This in just delivering the general lines with this attempt at the utmost cordiality, even towards his wife when it appears as though she is doing things to undermine him, though with these minor frustrated outbursts towards his son when he shows little appreciation or concern for Charlie's efforts. Driver essentially though shows in these moments the conviction in the devotion of care for his son, though always burdened by everything else weighing him down in these attempts.
The nature of this slowly caves within Charlie and this is realized so powerfully yet quietly in Driver's work that so succinctly avoids melodrama. Also if one wants to chime in on the scene I will be getting to below to make a claim otherwise, I think you should rethink your position. Anyways, the fantastic work Driver does here is showing the weight of the situation. This as we get his moment where he finds his first lawyer (Alan Alda) who slowly advises him to settle to avoid a battle in the courts. Driver is amazing in the scene in just the way he physically embodies the pain of the situation in his pacing, and his brief moments of yelling out and nearly breaking down. Driver is excellent in showing so well the way Charlie is on the verge of completely losing it, yet doesn't quite, by creating these edges, with also this always palatable sense of the repression that works towards just how worn he is by it all. I love Driver and Johansson's work in the scene, which is tailored to belong to Laura Dern and Ray Liotta as their hot shot lawyers, where we see their first official legal hearing. Driver and Johansson are marvelous in their silence, in showing the sheer shame and bitterness in their down turned faces. Both creating the sense of shame within the situation but also within their out in the open secrets spoken so loudly by both lawyers to undercut each other. Their performances convey the weight of these secrets even in their reserve, particularly in the sense of how much it hurts each to hear every one of them.
Driver's performance naturally works towards a tipping point. This in that underlying sense that only grows, with minor outbursts, such a phone call between Charlie and Nicole were a bit of the venom comes out. This with an exasperation of something that runs deeper than a single betrayal. What Driver though builds towards, and wholly earns, is the scene where Nicole and Charlie truly talk to one another about the situation. This scene I think alone perhaps shows why insta-social media reaction of art, is a particularly um, let's say um... a stupid method too many utilize these days. This as this scene I will be discussing here was dismissed out of context as "bad acting", but hey I guess if you have a poorly informed opinion about something, best be aggressive and quick about it...or maybe not. Anyway, actually taking the time to watch something though is important to appreciating it I suppose. This as this scene exists and is earned through what we see built up throughout the story between Charlie and Nicole, as their conversations slowly begin to become more hostile. Of course this is even brilliantly realized in the scene itself that does begin quiet as the two are just talking, and Driver delivers just an extra bit of a snipe as he remarks not wanting to use a photograph because it has Nicole in it. This with though in Driver's silent reactions as he creates the sense of the wear of just hearing her words as she begins to openly bring up what was said in court. This then begins what is a masterful decay portrayed by both actors, that moves both Charlie and Nicole towards their lowest point. This as each speak of old wounds, and Driver is incredible by making every outburst harder and more emotional as any sense of repression just loses itself through Nicole's words that cut particularly deep. Driver though is even not one note in also portraying the attempts at fighting back by rationalizing his own mistakes or attacking Nicole. In each, Driver finds the mess of the thoughts as they spiral out as urgent pleas or hateful barbs. Driver peels away each real defense as he physically wears the pent up anger until it finally releases as such both through that and vile words at Nicole. Driver makes this as natural as anything else he does, and in turn extremely remarkable, as this is not just some sudden yelling, but rather the breakdown of any sense of love driven really by words that could've only been learned through such familiarity. The two earn this extreme honest to two people at their absolute worst, both through their articulate and truthful work within the scene itself and throughout the film.
After that scene Driver carefully shows even the after effects of it by showing a more detached Charlie in a way. Driver continues to bring us right with Charlie in every scene, even two potentially contrived moments. The first being when Charlie cuts himself in an absent minded way when speaking to a court observer. Again Driver's detachment in the moment captures just someone spent in the way he speaks defeated by it all, and his down turned manner of someone who just is not quite with it in the moment. The same is true in some time later after the court has finally been settled, mostly not in Charlie's favor, and he goes out in the night. The contrivance comes as Charlie, sparked by music in a bar, decides to regale everyone with a song. Driver though again adds truth to it as his first lines in the scenes still carry just that weight and bitterness of the situation until his ears catch the music. There then Driver is amazing in the moment by showing just a hint of mania in his eyes as he begins to sing, suggesting a man just trying to find some way to live up his life just a bit after having been burdened by the custody battle for so long. I'll end this review with two different moments, particularly in focus of the film, but both together I think help to illustrate the greatness of Driver's performance here. The first being one of the final moments in the film where Charlie stumbles upon his son reading a letter from Nicole about all the things she likes about Charlie. Driver is heartbreaking in this scene by quietly building just how moved Charlie is as he hears each word then begins to read the words himself. This in the moment showing Driver so poignantly revealing just how much Charlie did love Nicole even after all that happened, in his pained voice, the sorrow of his expression, though with a sense of tenderness within it all. The other moment though comes before this just as Charlie enters Nicole's house after all has been said and done, and is there to see Henry. This as first Charlie meets Nicole's boyfriend, and brief, so brief, facial downturn, Driver shows the heartbreak in this, before shifting to a welcoming smile to greet Nicole's family and Henry once again. That longer moment and this shorter one though show just how detailed Driver's work is here, in making every moment of Charlie's experience so vivid, while always seeming absolutely natural. This isn't the portrayal of some historical figure, some extreme personality, it is just a man, a man that we get to know, feel and understand his experience through Adam Driver's astonishing work.
Saturday, 18 January 2020
Best Actor 2019
Leonardo DiCaprio in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Joaquin Phoenix in Joker
Adam Driver in Marriage Story
Jonathan Pryce in The Two Popes
Antonio Banderas in Pain and Glory
Saturday, 26 January 2019
Best Supporting Actor 2018: Results
Best Scene: Scene from the trailer (no fish edits so it's better).
Best Scene: How he learned to play music.
Best Scene: Thinking about his Jewish heritage.
Best Scene: Backing up.
Best Scene: A final request.
Wednesday, 23 January 2019
Best Supporting Actor 2018: Adam Driver in Blakkklansman
Adam Driver received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Detective Philip "Flip" Zimmerman in Blackkklansman.
Blackkklansman is a good enough film following an African American cop, Ron Stallworth (John David Washington), infiltrating the Ku Klux Klan.
Adam Driver, who was perhaps the most consistently recognized aspect of this film throughout this awards season, actually has a fairly limited role in terms of scope of character, though large in terms of screentime. Driver portrays the most seasoned undercover detective who ends up working with Ron to investigate the Klan. We meet him initially as the two monitor a speaker with ties to black radicals. It is there that we come to know the character with Driver in the role. Now I won't go to speak to a German man again in Paterson New Jersey to cover Driver here, but Driver is an actor where there is a certain fascinating quality just to his normal presence. It's a little off-beat and intriguing by nature, which is a good thing for Flip who is a pretty straight forward character in the scheme of the film. We know him really just as a competent, devoted cop, who is casually a good guy. This is immediately evident on the debriefing on the speaker where Ron believes him not to be a threat, and Driver delivers Flip's agreement with this as a direct confirmation. This is not of some guy who is overly passionate, but rather just is firmly doing his job, as a decent man.
This remains much the same once he begins the investigation into the Klan with Ron. There is a touch of a dismissive quality towards Ron, though as a rookie cop not as an African American, that Driver delivers well as just a bit of dry ribbing such as when he remarks on Ron using his own name in order to establish contact with the Klan. In order to infiltrate it further though someone obviously needs to take Ron's place, which is Flip. Initially Driver just again hits the marks of professionalism as he preps for the job, and begins his work as an undercover man. Now in the undercover scenes Driver gets to stretch a bit more, though still in a limited sense as a man putting up a front. Driver though is very good in portraying sort of the duality within the character as he deals with the situation. In playing the racist, while actually being one of the targets of the Klan as a Jewish man. Driver realizes this sort of hollow passion, as brings the needed conviction to be believed by the Klan members, while in his eyes expressing no truth within the words. It's a delicate balance that Driver pulls off well as he is believable as an inside man, while also managing to let the audience in on Flip's own feelings on the situation.
Driver's work is important as in a way he facilitates a bit of the humor of the situations involving the Klan members stupidity, by giving such straight laced reactions, or attuned over reactions that Driver plays as sort of as these hidden bit of derision towards them. In this though the film never becomes about Flip truly, despite being the focus of so many scenes, leaving his arc about his Jewish heritage rather limited. Driver though still does some particularly fine work in realizing the little bit of this we are granted. The most notable instance of this being when he opens up to Ron about thinking more about his Jewish heritage. It's a strong scene from Driver as he makes less a grandiose statement, but rather realizes it as this rather subtle bit of self-reflection in Flip. There also a especially strong moment during Flip as fake Ron's initiation to the Klan. It is just his line delivery as Flip has to state being a non-Jewish pure Aryan race. Driver doesn't make it this hesitation, that would kind of give away the truth to the onlooking Klan members, but does find the right awkwardness alluding to Flip's discomfort even as he succeed in playing the part as the Klan member. That moment is essentially what Driver's performance is, which is a lot of strong little moments. We don't delve deeper into his self-reflection, nor any aspect of who he is beyond the investigation, being Jewish and a good man. Driver however makes the most of what he has to work with, and is especially important in helping the film's tone find balance with his careful and subtle work throughout.
Adam Driver, who was perhaps the most consistently recognized aspect of this film throughout this awards season, actually has a fairly limited role in terms of scope of character, though large in terms of screentime. Driver portrays the most seasoned undercover detective who ends up working with Ron to investigate the Klan. We meet him initially as the two monitor a speaker with ties to black radicals. It is there that we come to know the character with Driver in the role. Now I won't go to speak to a German man again in Paterson New Jersey to cover Driver here, but Driver is an actor where there is a certain fascinating quality just to his normal presence. It's a little off-beat and intriguing by nature, which is a good thing for Flip who is a pretty straight forward character in the scheme of the film. We know him really just as a competent, devoted cop, who is casually a good guy. This is immediately evident on the debriefing on the speaker where Ron believes him not to be a threat, and Driver delivers Flip's agreement with this as a direct confirmation. This is not of some guy who is overly passionate, but rather just is firmly doing his job, as a decent man.
This remains much the same once he begins the investigation into the Klan with Ron. There is a touch of a dismissive quality towards Ron, though as a rookie cop not as an African American, that Driver delivers well as just a bit of dry ribbing such as when he remarks on Ron using his own name in order to establish contact with the Klan. In order to infiltrate it further though someone obviously needs to take Ron's place, which is Flip. Initially Driver just again hits the marks of professionalism as he preps for the job, and begins his work as an undercover man. Now in the undercover scenes Driver gets to stretch a bit more, though still in a limited sense as a man putting up a front. Driver though is very good in portraying sort of the duality within the character as he deals with the situation. In playing the racist, while actually being one of the targets of the Klan as a Jewish man. Driver realizes this sort of hollow passion, as brings the needed conviction to be believed by the Klan members, while in his eyes expressing no truth within the words. It's a delicate balance that Driver pulls off well as he is believable as an inside man, while also managing to let the audience in on Flip's own feelings on the situation.
Driver's work is important as in a way he facilitates a bit of the humor of the situations involving the Klan members stupidity, by giving such straight laced reactions, or attuned over reactions that Driver plays as sort of as these hidden bit of derision towards them. In this though the film never becomes about Flip truly, despite being the focus of so many scenes, leaving his arc about his Jewish heritage rather limited. Driver though still does some particularly fine work in realizing the little bit of this we are granted. The most notable instance of this being when he opens up to Ron about thinking more about his Jewish heritage. It's a strong scene from Driver as he makes less a grandiose statement, but rather realizes it as this rather subtle bit of self-reflection in Flip. There also a especially strong moment during Flip as fake Ron's initiation to the Klan. It is just his line delivery as Flip has to state being a non-Jewish pure Aryan race. Driver doesn't make it this hesitation, that would kind of give away the truth to the onlooking Klan members, but does find the right awkwardness alluding to Flip's discomfort even as he succeed in playing the part as the Klan member. That moment is essentially what Driver's performance is, which is a lot of strong little moments. We don't delve deeper into his self-reflection, nor any aspect of who he is beyond the investigation, being Jewish and a good man. Driver however makes the most of what he has to work with, and is especially important in helping the film's tone find balance with his careful and subtle work throughout.
Tuesday, 22 January 2019
Best Supporting Actor 2018
Adam Driver in Blackkklansman
Mahershala Ali in Green Book
Richard E. Grant in Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Sam Elliott in A Star is Born
Sam Rockwell in Vice
Wednesday, 8 February 2017
Alternate Best Actor 2016: Results
Best Scene: Bathroom meeting.
Best Scene: Final scene.
Best Scene: First meeting with Cohen.
Best Scene: Garupe's test.
- Andrew Garfield in Silence
- Jeff Bridges in Hell or High Water
- Viggo Mortensen in Captain Fantastic
- Joel Edgerton in Loving
- Denzel Washington in Fences
- Shahab Hosseini in The Salesman
- Hiroshi Abe in After the Storm
- Andrew Garfield in Hacksaw Ridge
- Chris Pine in Hell or High Water
- Casey Affleck in Manchester by the Sea
- Ryan Gosling in La La Land
- Michael Keaton in The Founder
- Adam Driver in Paterson
- Song Kang-ho in The Age of Shadows
- Tom Hanks in Sully
- Russell Crowe in The Nice Guys
- Ryan Gosling in The Nice Guys
- Robert Downey Jr. Captain America: Civil War
- Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool
- Trevante Rhodes in Moonlight
- Ethan Hawke in Born to Be Blue
- Luke Treadaway in A Street Cat Named Bob
- Adrian Titieni in Graduation
- Jarkko Lahti in The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki
- Julian Dennison in Hunt for the Wilderpeople
- Lewis MacDougall in A Monster Calls
- Ashton Sanders in Moonlight
- Anton Yelchin in Green Room
- Nate Parker in Birth of a Nation
- Don Cheadle in Miles Ahead
- Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Raman Raghav
- Jesse Plemons in Other People
- Daniel Radcliffe in Swiss Army Man
- Paul Dano in Swiss Army Man
- Oscar MartÃnez in The Distinguished Citizen
- Benedict Cumberbatch in Dr. Strange
- Jake Gyllenhaal in Demolition
- Chris Evans in Captain America: Civil War
- Jeremy Irons in The Man Who Knew Infinity
- Jonah Hill in War Dogs
- David Oyelowo in A United Kingdom
- Dan Fogler in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
- Jim Broadbent in Ethel & Ernest
- Bryan Cranston in The Infiltrator
- Hugh Grant in Florence Foster Jenkins
- Cillian Murphy in Anthropoid
- Mark Rylance in The BFG
- Dave Johns in I, Daniel Blake
- Michael Fassbender in The Light Between Oceans
- Sunny Pawar in Lion
- Dev Patel in Lion
- Gong Yoo in Train to Busan
- Mel Gibson in Blood Father
- Josh Brolin in Hail Caesar!
- Gong Yoo in The Age of Shadows
- Taron Egerton in Eddie The Eagle
- Joe Alwyn in Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk
- Eddie Redmayne in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
- Miles Teller in Bleed For This
- David Oyelowo in The Queen of Katwe
- Diego Luna in Rogue One
- Dwayne Johnson in Moana
- Paddy Considine in The Girl With All The Gifts
- Ferdia Walsh-Peelo in Sing Street
- Alex Hibbert in Moonlight
- Joe Seo in Spa Night
- Jean-Pierre Léaud in The Death of Louis XIV
- Matthew McConaughey in Free State of Jones
- Michael Shannon in Elvis & Nixon
- Vicky Kaushal in Raman Raghav 2.0
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Snowden
- Denzel Washington in The Magnificent Seven
- Mark Wahlberg in Patriots Day
- Majd Mastoura in Hedi
- Casey Affleck in The Finest Hours
- Jason Bateman in Zootopia
- Ben Affleck in The Accountant
- Stephen Lang in Don't Breathe
- Markees Christmas in Morris From America
- Miles Teller in War Dogs
- Michael Shannon in Midnight Special
- Blake Jenner in Everybody Wants Some
- Peter Simonischek in Toni Erdmann
- Matthew McConaughey in Gold
- Keegan-Michael Key in Keanu
- Mark Duplass in Blue Jay
- Lucas Jade Zumann in 20th Century Women
- Chris Pine in Star Trek: Beyond
- Ben Affleck in Live by Night
- John Krasinski in 13 Hours
- Casey Affleck in Triple Nine
- James Badge Dale in 13 Hours
- Mark Wahlberg in Deepwater Horizon
- Jamie Dornan in Anthropoid
- Jack Black in Kung Fu Panda 3
- Art Parkinson in Kubo and the Two Strings
- Jordan Peele in Keanu
- Ulrich Thomsen in The Commune
- Dev Patel in The Man Who Knew Infinity
- Mungau Dain in Tanna
- Oakes Fegley in Pete's Dragon
- Ben Affleck in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
- Jesse Eisenberg in Cafe Society
- Kwak Do-won in The Wailing
- Max Records in I am Not a Serial Killer
- Ewan McGregor in Our Kind of Traitor
- Chris Pratt in Passengers
- Jaeden Lieberher in Midnight Special
- Logan Lerman in Indignation
- Chris Pine in The Finest Hours
- Neel Sethi in The Jungle Book
- Henry Cavill in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
- Brad Pitt in Allied
- Eddie Murphy in Mr. Church
- Jake Gyllenhaal in Nocturnal Animals
- Will Smith in Collateral Beauty
Saturday, 4 February 2017
Alternate Best Actor 2016: Adam Driver in Paterson
Adam Driver did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite winning and being nominated for several critical prizes, for portraying Paterson in Paterson.
100 percent about what is about to be said may be all false or 0 percent of it may be true. There is also a 72 percent chance that none of it is true, but also a 88 percent chance that 25 percent of it is.
Paragraph 1: I approach my keyboard preparing to write a review for Adam Driver in Paterson a film where he plays a bus driver for the city Paterson while playing a man named Paterson. I notice there is a hangnail on one of my fingers. It could easily be pulled so I retrieve nail clippers from a drawer and remove the unneeded attachment. I return back to the keyboard. I press on the f key, it's a bit sticky, I should replace it. I type noticing that there is strange task in reviewing this performance in a film about seemingly nothing. Who is this Adam Driver guy anyways? I probably should investigate. I go off to the local library only to find there are no books written about Adam Driver, though there is a book on how to drive a Vauxhall Adam. A random bystander passes by exclaiming "that dudes Kylo Renn, he's got his light saber he goes broommmmm, broommmmm, he killed Han Solo, screw that guy".
Paragraph 2: I return to a keyboard somewhere to continue to the review. I find in the comments section of my last review a question "Thoughts on Buddy the Wonder Dog in Air Bud?'. I ponder the question. The comment continues "Big fan of the air bud franchise but I noticed you've barely ranked any of the dogs.". At this time my own dog barks in the room. I walk outside to notice that the light is on in my car. I turn off the light, and see my neighbor is home. He beckons me to come inside. My neighbor is playing darts with a picture of himself across the room. He asks what am I doing. I say I'm reviewing Adam Driver in Paterson. I explain it is a hard nut to crack. He asks "why". I explain that it is a curiously compelling work even though he doesn't seem to do anything. "Sounds boring" he says as he throws a dart in his own photographic eye. I say but it's not.
Paragraph 3: I decide to take a break from the rigors of performance review and go off to the store in order to gather food for my dinner. As I wait in the line I stand behind two shoppers deep in conversation. The first person exclaims "Count Chocula doesn't taste like it used to" the other person asks "What do you mean?", the first continues "Count Chocula doesn't taste like it used to", "the cereal?" the other inquires, "who else is there?" the first counters "I sure love Boo Berry" the other claims, "What are you talking about? It doesn't taste the same anymore either" the first finishes. After my dinner, I continue the review questioning what it is there about this portrayal of a bus driver who likes to write poems is engaging. I ponder if it is the way Driver says certain words like "Blue Tip", there may be something to this.
Paragraph 4: I arrive at a local bar sitting at the counter to contemplate the performance further. I am approached by an actor who overhears my dilemma. "What's the drama, where is the conflict?" the actor inquires. I explain that there is none. We mostly just observe this man who goes about his day, a few slightly atypical things happen, nothing major and he treats any of the strange things in a pretty straight forward fashion. "What? You gotta have conflict to connect.". I attempt to tell the actor that there is just something strangely fascinating about watching the man be himself, perhaps there's just something strangely fascinating about Adam Driver. "Nothing bad happens to him?" the incredulous man asks. I reply that his poetry book is ruined by his dog. "That's it! I'm dealing with real drama" the actor balks at the idea. What you are in? I ask. "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, I'm the titular role". Where? "At the High School down the street." You're a student? I wonder aloud. "I'm the janitor, they let me play there though, it's going to be great.".
Paragraph 5: Still unsatisfied I walk down to a park, sitting at bench next to a trickling stream. A German approaches and sits next to me. The German has a book that reads "Performance Review". "I love a good performance" the German exclaims. I say, huh? "I write reviews of performances, this is my book." Is there a performance your currently writing about, I ask. "Jerry Lewis in The Day the Clown Cried.". Haven't seen that one, how is it? I pose the question. "Heartbreaking work, deals with a clown during the holocaust" I say oh, then explain that I am also writing a review, about a guy who just kinda gets upset in a normal fashion over having his poetry destroyed. He never gets too upset no matter what happens, somehow it feels natural, and is actually pretty funny as well as endearing. It's a performance that fits the film's tone perfectly, and just happens to be captivating in this unique way. "Hmmm" the German nods, "Give him a 4.5". The German leaves the park. I wait a moment more before getting up myself, walking home, and going to bed.
Paragraph 1: I approach my keyboard preparing to write a review for Adam Driver in Paterson a film where he plays a bus driver for the city Paterson while playing a man named Paterson. I notice there is a hangnail on one of my fingers. It could easily be pulled so I retrieve nail clippers from a drawer and remove the unneeded attachment. I return back to the keyboard. I press on the f key, it's a bit sticky, I should replace it. I type noticing that there is strange task in reviewing this performance in a film about seemingly nothing. Who is this Adam Driver guy anyways? I probably should investigate. I go off to the local library only to find there are no books written about Adam Driver, though there is a book on how to drive a Vauxhall Adam. A random bystander passes by exclaiming "that dudes Kylo Renn, he's got his light saber he goes broommmmm, broommmmm, he killed Han Solo, screw that guy".
Paragraph 2: I return to a keyboard somewhere to continue to the review. I find in the comments section of my last review a question "Thoughts on Buddy the Wonder Dog in Air Bud?'. I ponder the question. The comment continues "Big fan of the air bud franchise but I noticed you've barely ranked any of the dogs.". At this time my own dog barks in the room. I walk outside to notice that the light is on in my car. I turn off the light, and see my neighbor is home. He beckons me to come inside. My neighbor is playing darts with a picture of himself across the room. He asks what am I doing. I say I'm reviewing Adam Driver in Paterson. I explain it is a hard nut to crack. He asks "why". I explain that it is a curiously compelling work even though he doesn't seem to do anything. "Sounds boring" he says as he throws a dart in his own photographic eye. I say but it's not.
Paragraph 3: I decide to take a break from the rigors of performance review and go off to the store in order to gather food for my dinner. As I wait in the line I stand behind two shoppers deep in conversation. The first person exclaims "Count Chocula doesn't taste like it used to" the other person asks "What do you mean?", the first continues "Count Chocula doesn't taste like it used to", "the cereal?" the other inquires, "who else is there?" the first counters "I sure love Boo Berry" the other claims, "What are you talking about? It doesn't taste the same anymore either" the first finishes. After my dinner, I continue the review questioning what it is there about this portrayal of a bus driver who likes to write poems is engaging. I ponder if it is the way Driver says certain words like "Blue Tip", there may be something to this.
Paragraph 4: I arrive at a local bar sitting at the counter to contemplate the performance further. I am approached by an actor who overhears my dilemma. "What's the drama, where is the conflict?" the actor inquires. I explain that there is none. We mostly just observe this man who goes about his day, a few slightly atypical things happen, nothing major and he treats any of the strange things in a pretty straight forward fashion. "What? You gotta have conflict to connect.". I attempt to tell the actor that there is just something strangely fascinating about watching the man be himself, perhaps there's just something strangely fascinating about Adam Driver. "Nothing bad happens to him?" the incredulous man asks. I reply that his poetry book is ruined by his dog. "That's it! I'm dealing with real drama" the actor balks at the idea. What you are in? I ask. "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, I'm the titular role". Where? "At the High School down the street." You're a student? I wonder aloud. "I'm the janitor, they let me play there though, it's going to be great.".
Paragraph 5: Still unsatisfied I walk down to a park, sitting at bench next to a trickling stream. A German approaches and sits next to me. The German has a book that reads "Performance Review". "I love a good performance" the German exclaims. I say, huh? "I write reviews of performances, this is my book." Is there a performance your currently writing about, I ask. "Jerry Lewis in The Day the Clown Cried.". Haven't seen that one, how is it? I pose the question. "Heartbreaking work, deals with a clown during the holocaust" I say oh, then explain that I am also writing a review, about a guy who just kinda gets upset in a normal fashion over having his poetry destroyed. He never gets too upset no matter what happens, somehow it feels natural, and is actually pretty funny as well as endearing. It's a performance that fits the film's tone perfectly, and just happens to be captivating in this unique way. "Hmmm" the German nods, "Give him a 4.5". The German leaves the park. I wait a moment more before getting up myself, walking home, and going to bed.
Friday, 3 February 2017
Alternate Best Actor 2016
Andrew Garfield in Silence
Adam Driver in Paterson
Joel Edgerton in Loving
Michael Keaton in The Founder
Chris Pine in Hell or High Water
Sunday, 7 February 2016
Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2015: Results
Best Scene: The Commandant prepares the men to attack.
Best Scene: "You don't know the half of it"
Best Scene: Kylo and Han.
Best Scene: Tony and Ellis the night after the dinner with Tony's family.
Best Scene: Boldwood joins Bathsheba in song.
Best Scene: A family dinner.
Best Scene: "Have you tried dancing with her?"
Best Scene: Reading the Lincoln Letter.
Best Scene: The flea circus.
Best Scene: A promised trip to Valhalla.
- Tom Hardy in The Revenant
- Nicholas Hoult in Mad Max: Fury Road
- Sylvester Stallone in Creed
- Richard Jenkins in Bone Tomahawk
- Walton Goggins in The Hateful Eight
- Mark Rylance in Bridge of Spies
- Samuel L. Jackson in The Hateful Eight
- Oscar Isaac in Ex Machina
- Benicio Del Toro in Sicario
- Michael Sheen in Far From The Madding Crowd
- Emory Cohen in Brooklyn
- Kurt Russell in The Hateful Eight
- Bruce Dern in The Hateful Eight
- Michael Angarano in The Stanford Prison Experiment
- Matthew Fox in Bone Tomahawk
- Adam Driver in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
- Harrison Ford in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
- Sam Elliot in Grandma
- Stanley Tucci in Spotlight
- Josh Brolin in Sicario
- Matthias Schoenaerts in Far From The Madding Crowd
- Liev Schreiber in Spotlight
- Idris Elba in Beasts of No Nation
- Michael Keaton in Spotlight
- Tim Roth in The Hateful Eight
- Joel Edgerton in The Gift
- Jeff Daniels in Steve Jobs
- Roland Møller in Land of Mine
- Ethan Hawke in 10,000 Saints
- Jan Bijvoet in Embrace of the Serpent
- Michael Shannon in 99 Homes
- Toby Jones in Tale of Tales
- Tom Noonan in Anomalisa
- Jason Statham in Spy
- Will Poulter in The Revenant
- Brian d'Arcy James in Spotlight
- Richard Kind in Inside Out
- Louis C.K. in Trumbo
- Domhnall Gleeson in The Revenant
- Michael Madsen in The Hateful Eight
- Rory Cochrane in Black Mass
- James Parks in The Hateful Eight
- Brendan Gleeson in In The Heart of the Sea
- Billy Crudup in The Stanford Prison Experiment
- Peter Sarsgaard in Black Mass
- Sean Harris in Macbeth
- Demian Bichir in The Hateful Eight
- Louis Hofmann in Land of Mine
- W. Earl Brown in Black Mass
- Hugo Weaving in The Dressmaker
- David Morse in Concussion
- Liev Schreiber in Pawn Sacrifice
- Paul Giamatti in Straight Outta Compton
- Tye Sheridan in The Stanford Prison Experiment
- Hugh Keays-Byrne in Mad Max: Fury Road
- John Cusack in Chi-Raq
- Chiwetel Ejiofor in The Martian
- Dave Bautista in Spectre
- Jeremy Renner in Avengers: Age of Ultron
- Seth Rogen in Steve Jobs
- Peter Sarsgaard in Pawn Sacrifice
- Michael Douglas in Ant-Man
- David Harbour in Black Mass
- Forrest Goodluck in The Revenant
- Oscar Isaac in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
- Billy Crudup in Spotlight
- Domhnall Gleeson in Brooklyn
- Sean Bean in The Martian
- Paul Dano in Youth
- Luigi Sciamanna in Embrace of the Serpent
- Mark Strong in Kingsman: The Secret Service
- Jeff Daniels in The Martian
- Nathan Jones in Mad Max: Fury Road
- Richard Jenkins in Spotlight
- Tom Hardy in London Road
- Jack Reynor in Macbeth
- Jim Beaver in Crimson Peak
- Jim Broadbent in Brooklyn
- John Goodman in Trumbo
- Josh Helman in Mad Max: Fury Road
- Lewis Black in Inside Out
- Brendan Gleeson in Suffragette
- Peter Mullan in Sunset Song
- Michael Stuhlbarg in Trumbo
- Bill Camp in Love & Mercy
- Jon Gries in Faults
- Arthur Redcloud in The Revenant
- Lourenço Mutarelli in The Second Mother
- Mikhail Gorevoy in Bridge of Spies
- Tom McCamus in Room
- Mark Rylance in The Gunman
- Corey Stoll in Black Mass
- Samuel L. Jackson in Chi-Raq
- Domhnall Gleeson in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
- Neal Huff in Spotlight
- Chris Ellis in Faults
- Jurgen Prochnow in Remember
- Kit Harington in Testament of Youth
- Vincent Cassel in Tale of Tales
- Paddy Considine in Macbeth
- Ben Whishaw in Spectre
- Bruno Ganz in Remember
- Jude Law in Spy
- Simon Pegg in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
- Kurt Russell in Furious 7
- Harvey Keitel in Youth
- Martin Landau in Remember
- Cory Michael Smith in Carol
- Sylvester Groth in The Man From Uncle
- Chris O'Dowd in The Program
- Albert Brooks in Concussion
- Brionne Davis in Embrace of the Serpent
- James Spader in Avengers: Age of Ultron
- John Slattery in Spotlight
- Ben Whishaw in The Lobster
- Franz Rogowski in Victoria
- Michael Cyril Creighton in Spotlight
- Milo Parker in Mr. Holmes
- Paddy Considine in Child 44
- David Arquette in Bone Tomahawk
- Colin Morgan in Testament of Youth
- Colin Quinn in Trainwreck
- Benedict Wong in The Martian
- Alan Rickman in A Little Chaos
- Kurt Egyiawan in Beasts of No Nation
- Jeffrey Donovan in Sicario
- Josh Brolin Everest
- Christian Berkel in Trumbo
- Tom Holland in In The Heart of the Sea
- Forest Whitaker in Southpaw
- Angus Sampson in Mad Max: Fury Road
- Ralph Fiennes in Spectre
- Kobina Amissa-Sam in Beasts of No Nation
- Ryan Gosling in the Big Short
- Ron Livingston in James White
- Stacy Keach in Truth
- Christopher Plummer in Danny Collins
- Bradley Cooper in Joy
- Jesse Plemons in Black Mass
- John Hawkes in Everest
- Bobby Cannavale in Danny Collins
- Taron Egerton in Testament of Youth
- Sebastian Koch in Bridge of Spies
- Paul Giamatti in Love & Mercy
- Brad Pitt in The Big Short
- James Badge Dale in The Walk
- Ben Mendelsohn in Slow West
- Corey Stoll in Ant-Man
- Stephen Root in Trumbo
- Wesley Snipes in Chi-Raq
- John C. Reilly in The Lobster
- Robert Downey Jr. in Avengers: Age of Ultron
- Alec Baldwin in Concussion
- Jamey Sheridan in Spotlight
- Christian Bale in The Big Short
- Taron Egerton in Legend
- Jason Statham in Furious 7
- Sid Haig in Bone Tomahawk
- Jeremy Strong in The Big Short
- Scott Shepherd in Bridge of Spies
- Kyle Chandler in Carol
- Steve Carell in The Big Short
- Derek Jacobi in Cinderella
- Jake Weary in It Follows
- Jake Gyllenhaal in Everest
- Kevin Bacon in Black Mass
- Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje in Trumbo
- Hugh Grant in The Man From Uncle
- Ving Rhames in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
- Jeremy Renner in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
- Bill Hader in Inside Out
- Bobby Cannavale in Spy
- Harry Lennix in Chi-Raq
- Dwayne Johnson in Furious 7
- Jesse Plemons in The Program
- Javier Bardem in The Gunman
- Ed Harris in Run All Night
- Dave Chappelle in Chi-Raq
- Chris Evans in Avengers: Age of Ultron
- Sean Bridgers in Room
- Kid Cudi in James White
- Jim Broadbent in The Woman in the Van
- Michael Stuhlbarg in Steve Jobs
- Norman Lloyd in Trainwreck
- Robert Redford in Truth
- Nonso Anozie in Cinderella
- Bobby Cannavale in Ant-Man
- Mark Ruffalo in Avengers: Age of Ultron
- Graham McTavish in Creed
- Ben Whishaw in In the Heart of the Sea
- Rory McCann in Slow West
- David Thewlis in Legend
- David Thewlis in Macbeth
- Ben Whishaw in The Danish Girl
- Keir Gilchrist in It Follows
- John C. Reilly in Tale of Tales
- Channing Tatum in The Hateful Eight
- Jon Bernthal in Sicario
- John Magaro in The Big Short
- Finn Wittrock in The Big Short
- Chris Hemsworth in Avengers: Age of Ultron
- Hiroyuki Sanada in Mr. Holmes
- Ezra Miller in The Stanford Prison Experiment
- Matthias Schoenaerts in The Danish Girl
- Daniel Bruhl in Woman in Gold
- William H. Macy in Room
- Michael Stuhlbarg in Pawn Sacrifice
- Edgar Ramirez in Joy
- Dennis Quaid in Truth
- Michael Caine in Kingsman: The Secret Service
- Charlie Hunnam in Crimson Peak
- Benedict Cumberbatch in Black Mass
- Donald Glover in The Martian
- Sean Bean in Jupiter Ascending
- Sean Harris in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
- Ty Simpkins Jurassic World
- Michael Pena in Ant-Man
- Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Avengers: Age of Ultron
- Ben Kingsley in The Walk
- Adam Scott in Black Mass
- Ben Whishaw in Suffragette
- Alexander Skarsgard in The Diary of a Teenage Girl
- Andy Serkis in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
- Common in Run All Night
- Robert De Niro in Joy
- Mark Ruffalo in Spotlight
- Samuel L. Jackson in Kingsman: The Secret Service
- Michael Pena in The Martian
- John Cena in Trainwreck
- Tony Bellew in Creed
- John Magaro in Carol
- Nick Robinson in Jurassic World
- Lebron James in Trainwreck
- Curtis Jackson in Southpaw
- Anthony Bourdain in The Big Short
- Hugh Jackman in Chappie
- Barry Otto in The Dressmaker
- Vincent D'Onofrio in Jurassic World
- Liam Hemsworth in the Dressmaker
- Richard Thaler in The Big Short
- Miguel Gomez in Southpaw
- Austin Stowell in Bridge of Spies
- David Dastmalchian in Ant-Man
- Christoph Waltz in Spectre
- David James Elliot in Trumbo
- Dean O'Gorman in Trumbo
- Adam DeVine in The Intern
- Nat Wolff in The Intern
- Anders Holm in The Intern
- Caleb Landry Jones in Heaven Knows What
- Andrew Rannells in The Intern
- B.D. Wong in Jurassic World
- Douglas Booth in Jupiter Ascending
- Nat Wolff in Grandma
- Emile Hirsch in 10,000 Saints
- Tom Sturridge in Far From the Madding Crowd
- Jose Pablo Cantillo in Chappie
- Ninja in Chappie
- Joel Kinnaman in Child 44
- Topher Grace in Truth
- Guillaume Canet in The Program
- Quentin Tarantino in The Hateful Eight
- Eddie Redmayne in Jupiter Ascending
Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2015: Adam Driver in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Adam Driver did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Kylo Renn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
The Force Awakens is a very entertaining beginning for a new Star Wars trilogy, even if it perhaps hits a few too many of the plot points of the original film through its story of some unlikely heroes, this time Finn (John Boyega) and Rey (Daisy Ridley), helped by an old mentor this time Han Solo (Harrison Ford), facing down a villain clothed in black, and a giant weapon that specializes in destroying planets.
Kylo Renn acts as the new Darth Vader for the film as he shares a very similair introduction. That being as the leader of a brutal attack who proceeds to take someone prisoner who perhaps holds a key to stop the Empire, I mean the First Order. Both of them have a deep voice though in Vader's case other than the heavy breathing that was just the great voice of James Earl Jones, in this case he very specifically has a distorted voice. Both are rather ominous sounding, and though the amplification in this case does a lot, Driver actually manages a bit of variation within that. Their physical manner also differs greatly. Vader walked in a very distinct way you'd expect almost from a robot. Kylo Renn is made frankly less mechanical as there a sense of youth in his movements, as well are much more that of a man than a machine. Nevertheless in this early scene, and the immediate scene afterwards where he tortures the man, Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), to gain the information he seems to be vicious fiend you'd expect him to be, and as Vader had been. It should be noted that Vader actually was just a fairly simplistic villain in the first film, not even the head one as he took orders directly from Grand Moff Tarkin, the development of his character came in the later films, that's not the case for Kylo Renn.
Kylo not exactly being Vader is made obvious from his reaction when things do not go his way, as well as when we actually see Kylo speak directly to the damaged helmet of Vader. When not hearing good news he does not quickly silence or kill the poor messenger as Vader would have done. Driver makes it rather it is a far more intensely emotional reaction almost like a child who has not gotten his way. Driver manages, even over the distortion, to deliver a wavering of his voice as he states his pledge to finish what Vader started. Kylo is not Vader, even though he is related to him, as it turns out he is the son of Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Han, Ben Solo. Kylo is not even physically damaged as Vader was, as revealed when he takes off his helmet which revels just a normal young man. The revelation of Driver's face is actually quite an interesting, and one thing in the film that is rather daring. He's not a monster under there at all, and suddenly it seems odd that he's the villain everyone fears. Driver's performance is quite effective in that he's not actively menacing as was the case of Vader due to Jones's voice and David Prowe's stature. He still is a good villain though in that Driver makes there something quite dangerous in the petulance of his Kylo. Driver brings this emotional confusion within the character that makes him rather threatening since you have no idea what he might do with his immense power.
Driver actually does something very interesting with the use of his voice as he does, even without the helmet on, a certain voice that seems to attempt to be emotionless. Kylo though concerned that he cannot completely give himself to the dark side of the force seems to reveal Ben, as his voice wavers to a far human sound. Driver manages to make something quite striking in just how much of an emotional mess that Kylo is as he speaks without his mask. The idea of fear and anger leading to the dark side was rather poorly shown in the prequels through a certain performance, but Driver finally gives this sense through his depiction of Kylo here. The pain of emotion is shown as he speaks about the light still pulling at him, and being a merciless murderer seems to be the only way in which to find any comfort or confidence. The pivotal scene for Driver's performance is when Han finally goes to confront his son and attempt to convince him to give up the dark side. Ford, who might be giving his best performance as Solo actually, and Driver are excellent together as in a single scene they manage to establish a history between the two. There is an unquestionable distance between the two yet in their interactions there still seems to be an underlying connection. Driver is even moving as he reveals a vulnerability in the moment, as a son is revealing his anxieties to find some sort of comfort from his father. It's brilliantly played moment by him as he subverts the tenderness and twists it into a cold comfort as Kylo regains his confidence by killing the original source of this comfort. However this does not appear to solve all of Kylo's problem as he engages in a light saber duel at the end of the film. Driver is very good in the performance of the scene by even representing the mental strife in his wild, and violent attacks. He's not a Darth though he may be on the path to becoming one. This film leaves Kylo's story unfinished as you'd expect but the film and Driver actually have created the most fascinating character out of the villain whose not a simple monster in a mask. After this memorable first act I have to say in terms of the sequels I am most looking forward to seeing the further path of Driver's performance and the story of Kylo Renn.
Kylo Renn acts as the new Darth Vader for the film as he shares a very similair introduction. That being as the leader of a brutal attack who proceeds to take someone prisoner who perhaps holds a key to stop the Empire, I mean the First Order. Both of them have a deep voice though in Vader's case other than the heavy breathing that was just the great voice of James Earl Jones, in this case he very specifically has a distorted voice. Both are rather ominous sounding, and though the amplification in this case does a lot, Driver actually manages a bit of variation within that. Their physical manner also differs greatly. Vader walked in a very distinct way you'd expect almost from a robot. Kylo Renn is made frankly less mechanical as there a sense of youth in his movements, as well are much more that of a man than a machine. Nevertheless in this early scene, and the immediate scene afterwards where he tortures the man, Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), to gain the information he seems to be vicious fiend you'd expect him to be, and as Vader had been. It should be noted that Vader actually was just a fairly simplistic villain in the first film, not even the head one as he took orders directly from Grand Moff Tarkin, the development of his character came in the later films, that's not the case for Kylo Renn.
Kylo not exactly being Vader is made obvious from his reaction when things do not go his way, as well as when we actually see Kylo speak directly to the damaged helmet of Vader. When not hearing good news he does not quickly silence or kill the poor messenger as Vader would have done. Driver makes it rather it is a far more intensely emotional reaction almost like a child who has not gotten his way. Driver manages, even over the distortion, to deliver a wavering of his voice as he states his pledge to finish what Vader started. Kylo is not Vader, even though he is related to him, as it turns out he is the son of Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Han, Ben Solo. Kylo is not even physically damaged as Vader was, as revealed when he takes off his helmet which revels just a normal young man. The revelation of Driver's face is actually quite an interesting, and one thing in the film that is rather daring. He's not a monster under there at all, and suddenly it seems odd that he's the villain everyone fears. Driver's performance is quite effective in that he's not actively menacing as was the case of Vader due to Jones's voice and David Prowe's stature. He still is a good villain though in that Driver makes there something quite dangerous in the petulance of his Kylo. Driver brings this emotional confusion within the character that makes him rather threatening since you have no idea what he might do with his immense power.
Driver actually does something very interesting with the use of his voice as he does, even without the helmet on, a certain voice that seems to attempt to be emotionless. Kylo though concerned that he cannot completely give himself to the dark side of the force seems to reveal Ben, as his voice wavers to a far human sound. Driver manages to make something quite striking in just how much of an emotional mess that Kylo is as he speaks without his mask. The idea of fear and anger leading to the dark side was rather poorly shown in the prequels through a certain performance, but Driver finally gives this sense through his depiction of Kylo here. The pain of emotion is shown as he speaks about the light still pulling at him, and being a merciless murderer seems to be the only way in which to find any comfort or confidence. The pivotal scene for Driver's performance is when Han finally goes to confront his son and attempt to convince him to give up the dark side. Ford, who might be giving his best performance as Solo actually, and Driver are excellent together as in a single scene they manage to establish a history between the two. There is an unquestionable distance between the two yet in their interactions there still seems to be an underlying connection. Driver is even moving as he reveals a vulnerability in the moment, as a son is revealing his anxieties to find some sort of comfort from his father. It's brilliantly played moment by him as he subverts the tenderness and twists it into a cold comfort as Kylo regains his confidence by killing the original source of this comfort. However this does not appear to solve all of Kylo's problem as he engages in a light saber duel at the end of the film. Driver is very good in the performance of the scene by even representing the mental strife in his wild, and violent attacks. He's not a Darth though he may be on the path to becoming one. This film leaves Kylo's story unfinished as you'd expect but the film and Driver actually have created the most fascinating character out of the villain whose not a simple monster in a mask. After this memorable first act I have to say in terms of the sequels I am most looking forward to seeing the further path of Driver's performance and the story of Kylo Renn.
Tuesday, 26 January 2016
Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2015
Stanley Tucci in Spotlight
Liev Schreiber in Spotlight
Michael Keaton in Spotlight
Nicholas Hoult in Mad Max: Fury Road
Idris Elba in Beasts of No Nation
Emory Cohen in Brooklyn
Benicio Del Toro in Sicario
Josh Brolin in Sicario
Walton Goggins in The Hateful Eight
Samuel L. Jackson in The Hateful Eight
Kurt Russell in The Hateful Eight
Oscar Isaac in Ex Machina
Richard Jenkins in Bone Tomahawk
Adam Driver in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Michael Sheen in Far From The Madding Crowd
Matthias Schoenaerts in Far From The Madding Crowd
For Prediction purposes:
Tucci
Hoult
Elba
Cohen
Del Toro
and/or
Goggins
Isaac
Jenkins
Driver
Sheen
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