Best Actor: Ben Affleck

Showing posts with label Ben Affleck. Show all posts

Thursday, 24 February 2022

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2021: Results

10. Andre Holland in Passing - Holland offers the right blunt quality that contrasts the more guarded performances of his co-stars.

Best Scene: Talking about a lynching.

9. David Strathairn in Nightmare Alley - Strathairn gives a brief but moving portrayal of a man with the slight spark of the former spiritualist, but now just a lost soul.

Best Scene: A warning to Stan.

8. Tony Leung Chiu Wai in Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings - Though his film does not quite use him to his full potential, Leung brings so much depth and presence to what could've been a wholly stock villain.

Best Scene: The importance of names.

7. Jeffrey Wright in The French Dispatch - Wright gives a literal wonderful delivery of a story, but also gives a moving portrayal of the emotional woes behind the writer's work.

Best Scene: A new flavor.

6. Al Pacino in House of Gucci - Pacino once again delivers here bringing an endearing energy as the representation of the Gucci family empire, then a tragic power as the man sees that empire slip away.

Best Scene: Signing the company away.

5. Ben Affleck in The Last Duel - Affleck brings the right change of pace, that still fits within his film's tone, as the one man who seems to find joy in a mostly miserable world.

Best Scene: Discussing the rape charge.

4. Anders Danielsen Lie in The Worst Person in the World - The power of Lie's work slowly reveals itself in his portrait of a man defined by uncertainty who only finds certainty when it is too late.

Best Scene: Final scene.

3. Masaki Okada in Drive, My Car - Okada's work crafts a proper enigma which slowly reveals itself in both nefarious and strangely poignant ways.

Best Scene: Backseat revelations.

2. Mike Faist in West Side Story - Faist puts his all into his performance that is exceptionally compelling and creates a deeply moving portrait of a man defined by hate.

Best Scene: The rumble.

1. Bradley Cooper in Licorice Pizza - Good predictions Aidan and 8000's. Although working with the least amount of screentime, no other performance in this category left a greater visceral impact on me than this one. I simply laughed every moment Cooper was on screen through every insane variation he brought in his portrayal of certifiable lunatic Jon Peters, and Cooper for me delivered one of the very best purely comic turns in some time. I loved every second of this turn, and even though there's only so many seconds he has total, I never thought there was anything lacking for it. If I were not to give him the win here it would be lying to myself, because my favorite scene in my favorite film of the year is his sequence in Licorice Pizza, a sequence built upon the glorious madness of his performance. Yes he essentially only has one scene, but the same is true for the challenge, of only having one scene to be as memorable as Cooper is here. Although this is a year with many worthy candidates, despite what the academy would lead you to believe, and I certainly easily see the logic in choosing really anyone in my top five, my choice goes to Cooper without reservation for his work of 24karat comedic gold.

Best Scene: Peters returns.

Overall:

Bradley Cooper in Licorice Pizza
Mike Faist in West Side Story
Kodi Smit-McPhee in The Power of the Dog
Masaki Okada in Drive, My Car
Anders Danielsen Lie in The Worst Person in the World
Ben Affleck in The Last Duel - 5
Alex Hassell in The Tragedy of Macbeth
Ciaran Hinds in Belfast
David Alvarez in West Side Story
Al Pacino in House of Gucci
Jeffrey Wright in The French Dispatch
Tony Leung Chiu Wai in Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings
David Strathairn in Nightmare Alley
Anthony LaPaglia in Nitram
Kelvin Harrison Jr. in Cyrano
Willem Dafoe in Nightmare Alley
Richard Jenkins in Nightmare Alley
Andre Holland in Passing - 4.5
Sean Penn in Licorice Pizza
Adrien Brody in The French Dispatch
Willem Dafoe in Spider-Man: No Way Home
Sean Harris in The Green Knight
Jason Momoa in Dune
Tom Waits in Licorice Pizza
Barry Keoghan in The Green Knight
Benicio Del Toro in The French Dispatch
Corey Hawkins in The Tragedy of Macbeth
John Cena in The Suicide Squad
Andrew Garfield in Spider-Man: No Way Home
Toby Huss in Copshop
Javier Bardem in Dune
Simon Helberg in Annette
Troy Kotsur in CODA
Terence Stamp in Last Night in Soho
Timothy Spall in Spencer
LaKeith Stanfield in The Harder They Fall
Richard Ayoade in The Souvenir Part II
Jamie Dornan in Belfast
Colman Domingo in Zola
Jon Bernthal in King Richard
Merab Ninidze in The Courier
Oscar Isaac in Dune
Issey Ogata in Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle
David Harbour in Black Widow
Robin De Jesus in Tick Tick...Boom
Fred Melamed in Shiva Baby
Chaske Spencer in Wild Indian
Jason Flemyng in Boiling Point
Mohsen Tanabandeh in A Hero
Richard Jenkins in The Humans
Danny McBride in The Mitchells Vs. The Machines
Herbert Nodrum in The Worst Person in the World - 4
Stellan Skarsgard in Dune
Ralph Ineson in The Green Knight
David Knell in Pig
Taigo Nakano in 10,000 Nights in the Jungle
Joseph Cross in Licorice Pizza
Ali Ranjibari in A Hero
Bill Murray in The French Dispatch
Corey Hawkins in In the Heights
Joel Kinnaman in The Suicide Squad
Brendan Gleeson in The Tragedy of Macbeth
Alireza Jahandideh in A Hero
Vondie Curtis-Hall in The Night House
Benny Safdie in Licorice Pizza
Jared Leto in House of Gucci
Timothee Chalamet in The French Dispatch
Jeremy Irons in House of Gucci
Jesse Plemons in The Power of the Dog
Steven Yeun in The Humans
Adam Arkin in Pig
Josh Brolin in Dune
Josh Andrés Rivera in West Side Story
Lucian-River Chauhan in Encounter
Joel Edgerton in The Green Knight
Ben Affleck in The Tender Bar
Kiyohiko Shibukawa in Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy
Lil Rel Howery in Judas and the Black Messiah
Sean Harris in Spencer
Yousseff Kerkour in House of Gucci
Rajkummar Rao in The White Tiger
Colman Domingo in Candyman
David Dastmalchian in The Suicide Squad
David Harbour in No Sudden Move
Peter Dinklage in I Care A Lot
Talid Ariss in After Love
Owen Wilson in The French Dispatch
Alex Lawther in The Last Duel
Peter Capaldi in The Suicide Squad
Stephen Park in The French Dispatch
Brian Tyree Henry in Eternals
John Leguizamo in Encanto
Toni Servillo in The Hand of God
Ben Kingsley in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Tobey Maguire in Spider-man: No Way Home
Ray Chase in Malignant
Fred Armisen in The Mitchells vs. The Machines
Beck Bennett in The Mitchells vs. The Machines
Babs Olusanmkun in Dune
Bertie Carvel in The Tragedy of Macbeth
Ray Liotta in The Many Saints of Newark
Mel Gibson in Boss Level
Skyler Gisondo in Licorice Pizza
Hiroyuki Sanada in Mortal Kombat
Paul Anderson in Nightmare Alley
Holt McCallany in Wrath of Man
Jack Huston in House of Gucci
Mahesh Manjrekar in The White Tiger
Michael Gandolfini in The Many Saints of Newark
Jimmi Smits in In the Heights
Izaac Wang in Raya and the Last Dragon
Stephen Henderson in Dune
Christopher Lloyd in Nobody
Sylvester Stallone in The Suicide Squad
Jon Favreau in Spider-man: No Way Home
Ethan Darbone in Red Rocket
Bill Camp in Passing
Jesse Plemons in Judas and the Black Messiah
Trace Adkins in Old Henry
Barry Keoghan in Eternals
Leslie Odom Jr. in The Many Saints of Newark
Danny Deferrari in Shiva Baby
David Dastmalchian in Dune
Alfred Molina in Spider-man No Way Home
Dan Aykroyd in Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Scoot McNairy in C'mon C'mon
Gregory Diaz IV in In the Heights
Benedict Cumberbatch in Spider-man No Way Home
Holt McCallany in Nightmare Alley
Enrico Natale in The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain
Farrokh Nourbakht in A Hero
Stephen Root in The Tragedy of Macbeth
Stephen Dorff in Old Henry
Delroy Lindo in The Harder They Fall
Aditya Geddada in Encounter
Woody Harrelson in Venom Let There Be Carnage
Paddy Considine in Wolf
Benedict Wong in Raya and the Last Dragon
Ed Harris in The Lost Daughter - 3.5
Christopher Lloyd in The Tender Bar
Harry Melling in The Tragedy of Macbeth
Jim Beaver in Nightmare Alley
Joe Taslim in Mortal Kombat
Tony Goldwyn in King Richard
Tim Blake Nelson in Nightmare Alley
Taika Waititi in The Suicide Squad
Jon Bernthal in Those Who Wish Me Dead
Ron Perlman in Nightmare Alley
John Amos in Coming 2 America
Chris Messina in I Care a Lot
Jeffrey Wright in No Time to Die
J.K. Simmons in Being the Ricardos
Brian d'Arcy James in West Side Story
Don Lee in Eternals
Mathieu Almaric in The French Dispatch
Michael Smiley in Censor
Paul Walter Hauser in Cruella
Jesse Plemons in Jungle Cruise
Corey Stoll in West Side Story
Nathaniel Parker in the Last Duel
Ray Panthaki in Boiling Point
Macon Blair in I Care a Lot
Andrew Garfield in The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Matthias Schweighöfer in Army of the Dead
Jamie Foxx in No Way Home
Zeljko Ivanek in The Last Duel
James Earl Jones in Coming 2 America
Joel Fry in Cruella
Ethan Hawke in The Guilty
Bradley Whitford in Tick Tick...Boom
Ralph Fiennes in No Time to Die
Flula Borg in The Suicide Squad
Algee Smith in Judas and the Black Messiah
Mark Strong in Cruella
Brendan Fraser in No Sudden Move
Joshua Henry in Tick Tick...Boom
Joe Alwyn in The Souvenir Part II
Michael Rooker in The Suicide Squad
Matt Smith in Last Night in Soho
Garret Dillahunt in Army of the Dead
Jon Bernthal in The Many Saints of Newark
Ben Whishaw in No Time to Die
Matt Damon in No Sudden Move
Joe Keery in Free Guy
Matthew Goode in The Duke
Lambert Wilson in Benedetta
Vondie Curtis-Hall in Blue Bayou
Eric Andre in The Mitchells vs. The Machines
Bill Murray in Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Ernie Hudson in Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Rob Morgan in Don't Look Up
Harris Dickinson in The Souvenir Part II
Chang Chen in Dune
Tony Hale in Being the Ricardos
J.K. Simmons in Spider-man No Way Home
John Krasinski in A Quiet Place Part II
Willem Dafoe in The Card Counter
Jacob Batalon in Spider-man No Way Home
Yahya Abdul-Manteen II in The Matrix Resurrections
Idris Elba in The Harder They Fall
Djimon Hounsou in A Quiet Place Part II
Josh Hartnett in Wrath of Man
Bashir Salahuddin in Cyrano
Jamie Dornan in Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar
Anders Danielsen Lie in Bergman Island
Max von Sydow in Echoes of the Past
Israel Elejalde in Parallel Mother
Jeffrey Donovan in Wrath of Man
Dave Bautista in Dune
Fionn Whitehead in The Duke
Eddie Marsan in Wrath of Man
Mike Rianda in The Mitchells vs. The Machines
Forrest Whitaker in Respect - 3
Ben Mendelsohn in Cyrano
Channing Tatum in Free Guy
Ray Liotta in No Sudden Move
Scott Haze in Old Henry
Casey Affleck in The World to Come
Scott Eastwood in Wrath of Man
Kit Harington in Eternals
Tyler Perry in Don't Look Up
Peter Sarsgaard in The Lost Daughter
Wyatt Russell in The Woman in the Window
Kyle Chandler in Godzilla vs. Kong
Cliff Curtis in Reminiscence
Stephen Graham in Venom Let There Be Carnage
Wesley Snipes in Coming 2 America
Rob Morgan in The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Benedict Cumberbatch in The Mauritanian
Brian Tyree Henry in Godzilla vs. Kong
Aleksei Serebryakov in Nobody
Paul Rudd in Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Haris Patel in Eternals
Nicholas Hoult in Those Who Wish Me Dead
Lil Rel Howery in Free Guy
Martin Sheen in Judas and the Black Messiah
Florian Munteanu in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings
Billy Magnussen in No Time To Die
Arsenio Hall in Coming 2 America
Demian Bichir in Godzilla vs. Kong
Ludi Lin in Mortal Kombat
Logan Kim in Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Thomas Haden Church in Spider-man: No Way Home
Michael Gandolfini in Cherry
Daniel Durant in CODA
Billy Magnussen in The Many Saints of Newark
Omari Hardwick in Army of the Dead
Ferdia Walsh-Peelo in CODA
Will Patton in Halloween Kills
Dwight Yoakam in Cry Macho
Timothee Chalamet in Don't Look Up
Michael Ajao in Last Night in Soho
Steve O'Connell in The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain
Finn Wolfhard in Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Anthony Michael Hall in Halloween Kills
Julian Dennison in Godzilla vs. Kong
Gary Oldman in The Woman in the Window
Jonah Hill in Don't Look Up - 2.5
Danny Pino in Dear Evan Hansen
Eduardo Minett in Cry Macho
RZA in Nobody
Neil Patrick Harris in The Matrix Resurrections
Josh Lawson in Mortal Kombat
Ben Chaplin in The Dig
Tracy Morgan in Coming 2 America
Johnny Flynn in The Dig
Zachary Levi in The Mauritanian
Himesh Patel in Don't Look Up
Christoph Waltz in No Time to Die
Christopher Abbott in The World to Come
Cedric Joe in Space Jam: A New Legacy
Raul Castillo in Army of the Dead
Jonathan Groff in The Matrix Resurrections
Peter Sarsgaard in The Guilty
Alexander Skarsgard in Godzilla vs. Kong
Max Huang in Mortal Kombat
Kumail Nanjiani in Eternals
Finn Little in Those Who Wish Me Dead
George Young in Malignant
Tadanobu Asano in Mortal Kombat
John Michael Higgins in Licorice Pizza
Jake Lacy in Being the Ricardos
Colton Ryan in Dear Evan Hansen
Leslie Odom Jr. in Music
Emory Cohen in Blue Bayou
Charlie Heaton in The Souvenir Part II
Don Cheadle in Space Jam: A New Legacy
Mark O'Brien in Blue Bayou
Theo Rossi in Army of the Dead - 2
Jared Leto in The Little Things
Michael McDonald in Halloween Kills
Scott MacArthur in Halloween Kills
Chin Han in Mortal Kombat
Jack Reynor in Cherry
Douglas Booth in My Salinger Year
Ray Winstone in Black Widow
Tye Sheridan in The Card Counter
Jack Whitehall in The Jungle Cruise
Eugenio Derbez in CODA
John McCrea in Cruella
Ben Marten in The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain
Fred Hechinger in The Woman in the Window
Mark Rylance in Don't Look Up - 1.5
Daniel Wu in Reminiscence
Taika Waititi in Free Guy
Max Martini in The Tender Bar
Garrett Hedlund in The United States vs. Billie Holiday
John Magaro in The Many Saints of Newark
Ben Schwartz in Music - 1
Rami Malek in No Time to Die - Wiseau
David Dencik in No Time to Die - 0

Next: 2021 Alternate Lead

Tuesday, 22 February 2022

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2021: Ben Affleck in The Last Duel

Ben Affleck did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite being nominated for a SAG award for the wrong performance, for portraying Count Pierre d'Alençon in The Last Duel.

The Last Duel is a fantastic film by Ridley Scott that depicts the final officially sanctioned duel in France which resulted from the rape of Sir Jean Carrouges's (Matt Damon) wife Marguerite (Jodie Comer) by Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver).

While the film is brilliantly presented through the three different perspectives of the principals involved with the crime, Ben Affleck isn't really part of that whole structure, because as the saying goes "once a frat bro, always a frat bro". Ben Affleck seems atypical casting for a historical piece of this ilk, though he acquitted himself well enough in his previous foray via a supporting role in Shakespeare in Love. Affleck does so again, as once more in crafting one's presence in a historical piece it often isn't about being strictly accurate to reality rather feeling natural in the film's reality. Affleck doesn't fashion an English accent, or a French accent that would be far more accurate, he takes the same technique as former all American leads in a film about French duelists, Scott's other fantastic film about duels The Duellists, of Harvey Keitel and Keith Carradine, it is rather by the reduction the stronger Americaness of his natural voice. A technique that wholly works honestly and Affleck as much as he isn't the first you'd think of for the material, he ends up fitting right into the world that Scott creates, though in his own way. Affleck after all doesn't play one of the people, or even one the knights working hard to maintain their castle and lands via war-craft, he rather is one of the few people who just gets to enjoy life being a Lord who simply waits for others to bring him money and more power.

As mentioned before Affleck is a consistency in the stories in terms of who Pierre is, however how much we see of him changes substantially. Affleck's appearances in the first recounting, which is Jean's, are brief but terrific in the passive dismissiveness of his performance towards his off-screen friend in Matt Damon. Every time Jean enters a room Affleck does this perfect near eye roll, like, "oh he's this guy again". His delivery of "closer" when Jean is pledging his loyalty is with the pitch perfect complete disregard for whatever the man may be presenting to him. In Jean's version you get one thing clear, that Pierre thinks very little of him and Affleck accentuates that wonderfully well. Affleck really takes much closer to center stage when we see Jacques's version of the tale, which where we got a straight forward story of the noble hero, an epic of old with Jean, in Jacques we get more of the modern Game of Thrones style take where there's more than little bit of debauchery required. Affleck's Pierre is right at home in this version of the tale where his role is its most substantial, and I think essential in terms of his placement in the film. Being a tale as it is, in a time as it is, it is difficult to find too much levity, thankfully Affleck provides just that by offering us a medieval frat boy for the ages.

Affleck is terrific in his first substantial scene by in a way playing the part so differently from the far more serious turns of the rest of the cast. Affleck doesn't over do it, but he has just the right amount of fun with it, fittingly as one of the few people at the time who seemingly was allowed to have fun within a horrible system. Affleck in the scene is arguing against any defense of Jean's failures as a commander to Jacques, who actually wants to defend the man, which Affleck doesn't accentuate based on seemingly any reasonable loss rather based on just how boring Jean is. Affleck is less passionate about losing land and is more so as he speaks of his low view of Jean in every regard, showing a man who the one thing he really can't stand is someone as dour as Jean. This emphasized all the more as Affleck puts as much passion into his brief moment afterwards as he questions Jacques about his shoe options, something obviously as important to Pierre as anything else might be. This moment is quickly topped as we see Pierre as the Lord at a dinner party and is a hilarious lout. Affleck so pompously speaking Latin words as this great thinker, though said with all the cunning of a lecher reading a salacious novel. This particular obsession seemingly only shared as much by Jacques, and Affleck's reactions show that Pierre's favoritism towards Jacques comes more than anything just is on his same frat bro wavelength. That of the man who likes to present himself as a great thinker, but he only greatly thinks about one thing, how to get laid.

Affleck provides the right comic relief at the right time by showing a man wholly interested in just his vices and showing the mutual companionship with Jacques that comes from just that mutual fixation. Affleck is hilarious by showing that anything other than that, is to him a bit of an inconvenience. When speaking of his business interests Affleck's delivery is rambling, mumbling, something Pierre barely likes to even talk about even when he must. I especially love his moment over overseeing his sons on some hunting expedition, with Affleck just so passively looking on and putting in the barest effort as he praises his son. Especially love his moment of hesitation and near double take when having a second thought on whether he got his second son's name right or not. A wonderful scene for Affleck is when Jacques comes to Pierre with concern that Jean is suing him over a property dispute, while Pierre is naturally in the middle of an orgy. Affleck throughout the moment is great by showing the sleaziest smile on his face as he just wants Jacques to stop moping and join in on some debauchery already. Affleck's reactions in the moment are great as though he's just barely listening and just bemused by the whole situation of the lawsuit. His reaction of it not even as inconvenience, completely summing himself up as a man who always gets what he wants. His moment of "fixing" the situation by simply giving Jacques even more power, with this phony grand gesture, as a quick fix of the man, who really just wants to get back to the sex already.

We also get a few more moments with Jean and Affleck is again delightful by being as broadly as dismissive as he can be towards Jean. What I really love though is Affleck's reaction each time is with this certain boredom and disbelief as though saying "oh look it's the bore again". Affleck's terrific by playing every moment as just barely being offended rather almost just amused by how angry and to him boring Jean is at every point. His delivery of pointing out Jean's poor strategy to build favor is with this casual manner of "you serious dude, this isn't the way to get ahead with me". Affleck's greatest scene actually though isn't overly comic, though there is kind of a humorous undertone within Affleck's own performance, where Jacques and Pierre discuss the rape charge against Jacques. Affleck is a little quieter emphasizing that even within Pierre he knows the charge is something serious and not even something he can bring his usual blitheness to. Affleck's delivery is fantastic in the scene because he is able to say it with his hesitation as though Pierre is hoping that it can be dismissed immediately as nonsense, yet there's kind of a slight unease that it won't be. When Jacques admits to it, but as something he claims is consensual, Affleck's reaction is flawless as though he's saying "dude, come on, it's me". When Jacques basically admits to it, again Affleck's reaction is great by saying it without saying it as "really dude, why?". Affleck doesn't quite make Pierre any less than despicable still, but I do love that he shows that even Pierre isn't fooled by Jacques's claims, even if he will help cover it for him. The cover up which Affleck plays as Pierre in a way at his most formal as he states the charge as a rumor and just something that should be ignored, which he believes it will be if it falls only on his authority. Unfortunately when Jean circumvents Pierre by going straight to the King for appeal, Affleck's performance is pure gold in the intensity of his anger and the perfection of his exasperated delivery of "cuuuunt" referring to Jean, showing the man's frustrations knowing that now the charge will not be going away anytime soon nor his troubles. Affleck again is limited in Marguerite's telling, though we do get him watching the final duel from the stands, where I do adore Affleck's investment in the entire affair, and especially his final reaction of "oh man, he was my dude" when things don't go his way. Despite what some organizations will tell you, which should've been defunct before they were even funct, Ben Affleck delivers a great performance here. He finds his place within the style of the film, but finds just the right variation to offer a perfect breath of fresh air within its proceedings, even if probably smells of wine...among other things.

Thursday, 17 February 2022

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2021

And the Nominees Were Not:

Bradley Cooper in Licorice Pizza

Jeffrey Wright in The French Dispatch

Al Pacino in House of Gucci

Ben Affleck in The Last Duel

David Strathairn in Nightmare Alley

Predict these five, those five or both:

Anders Danielsen Lie in The Worst Person in the World

Masaki Okada in Drive My Car

Tony Leung Chiu Wai in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Mike Faist in West Side Story

Andre Holland in Passing

Tuesday, 30 December 2014

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2006: Results

5. Sergi López in Pan's Labyrinth - López gives an appropriately imposing portrayal of his sadistic character, but there just always felt like there was something missing.

Best Scene: Vidal's first torture session.

4. Mads Mikkelsen in Casino Royale - Mikkelsen gives an appropriately slick villainous turn, but also manages to bring more depth than one might expect from such a character.

Best Scene: A most painful torture session.

3. Steve Carell in Little Miss Sunshine - Carell gives a rather assured portrayal of his suicidal character who gradually finds some will to live.

Best Scene: Frank tells Dwayne to suffer.

2. Michael Caine in Children of Men - Caine gives a great supporting work where he gives a enjoyable off-beat yet still poignant turn. It's the sort of work that seems like he has more screen time than he does because of the impact he makes with the little he has.

Best Scene: Jasper says goodbye to his wife.

1. Ben Affleck in Hollywoodland - He'd be my supporting win but I can't quite agree with that placement. In either category though Affleck gives a great performance. He brings to life the charisma yet weakness of Reeves brilliantly to life, and gives a heartbreaking portrayal of a man who never felt he soared high enough.

Best Scene: Reeves's wrestling footage.

Overall Rank:

Michael Caine in Children of Men
Jackie Earle Haley in Little Children
Steve Carell in Little Miss Sunshine
Mads Mikkelsen in Casino Royale
Alan Arkin in Little Miss Sunshine
David Bowie in The Prestige
Robert Downey Jr. in A Scanner Darkly
Rob Lowe in Thank You For Smoking
Michael Caine in The Prestige
Toby Jones in The Painted Veil
Alec Baldwin in The Departed
John Hurt in V For Vendetta
Sergi López in Pan's Labyrinth
Martin Sheen in The Departed
Morgan Freeman in Lucky Number Slevin
Bob Hoskins in Hollywoodland
Joe Pesci in The Good Shepherd
Ben Kingsley in Lucky Number Slevin
Giancarlo Giannini in Casino Royale
Mark Wahlberg in The Departed
Noah Emmerich in Little Children
Richard Sammel in OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies
Ray Winstone in The Departed
Liam Cunningham in The Wind That Shakes the Barley
Ulrich Tukur in The Lives of Others
Paul Dano in Little Miss Sunshine
Jeremy Piven in Smokin' Aces
Padraic Delaney in The Wind That Shakes the Barley
Jeffrey DeMunn in Hollywoodland
Stephen Rea in V For Vendetta
Woody Harrelson in A Scanner Darkly
Alex Angulo in Pan's Labyrinth
Michael Clarke Duncan in Talladega Nights in The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby
Tsuyoshi Ihara in Letters from Iwo Jima
Chris Pine in Smokin' Aces
Boubker Ait El Caid in Babel
Gary Cole in Talladega Nights in The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby
Philip Seymour Hoffman in Mission Impossible III
Rufus Sewell in The Illusionist
John C. Reilly in Talladega Nights in The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby
Brad Pitt in Babel
J.K. Simmons in Thank You For Smoking
Paul Newman in Cars
Andy Serkis in The Prestige
Ray Liotta in Smokin' Aces
Chiwetel Ejiofor in Children of Men
Leslie Phillips in Venus
Sam Elliot in Thank You For Smoking
Michael Gambon in The Good Shepherd
Stephen Fry in V For Vendetta
Bill Nighy in Pirates of Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
David Oyelowo in The Last King of Scotland
Thomas Thieme in The Lives of Others
Ryo Kase in Letters From Iwo Jima
Ben Affleck in Smokin' Aces
Peter Mullan in Children of Men
Arnold Vosloo in Blood Diamond
Koji Yakusho in Babel
Liev Schreiber in The Painted Veil
Robert De Niro in The Good Shepherd
Stellan Skarsgaard in Pirates of Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Alfred Molina in The Hoax
Dustin Hoffman in Stranger Than Fiction
Gael Garcia Bernal in Babel
Paul Giamatti in The Illusionist
Ben Foster in X-Men The Last Stand
John Turturro in The Good Shepherd
Nestor Carbonell in Smokin' Aces
Michael Sheen in The Queen
Chiwetel Ejiofor in Inside Man
William H. Macy in Thank You For Smoking
Bill Nighy in Notes on a Scandal
Eddie Murphy in Dreamgirls
Terry Crews in Idiocracy
Burt Young in Rocky Balboa
Charlie Hunnam in Children of Men
Simon McBurney in The Last King of Scotland
Stanley Tucci in Lucky Number Slevin
Anthony Mackie in Half Nelson
Willem Dafoe in Inside Man
Tom Hollander in Pirates of Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Stanley Tucci in The Devil Wears Prada
David Koechner in Thank You For Smoking
Kevin Spacey in Superman Returns
James Badge Dale in The Departed
Alec Baldwin in The Good Shepherd
Greg Kinnear in Invincible
Billy Crudup in The Good Shepherd
James Cromwell in The Queen
William Hurt in The Good Shepherd
Richard Griffiths in Venus
Ian McKellen in X-Men: The Last Stand
Jack Davenport in Pirates of Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Mike Starr in The Black Dahlia
Stanley Tucci in The Hoax
Bruce Willis in Lucky Number Slevin
Jack Nicholson in The Departed
Tony Burton in Rocky Balboa
Larry The Cable Guy in Cars
Dax Shepard in Idiocracy
Danny Glover in Dreamgirls
Kelsey Grammer in X-Men The Last Stand
Frank Langella in Superman Returns
Jaden Smith in The Pursuit of Happyness
Dick Van Dyke in Night at the Museum
Patrick Stewart in X-Men The Last Stand
Kevin McNally in Pirates of Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
James Marsden in Superman Returns
Milo Ventimiglia in Rocky Balboa
Jeff Daniels in RV
Jamie Foxx in Dreamgirls
Alan Arkin in The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
Robin Williams in Night at the Museum
Aaron Eckhart in The Black Dahlia
Martin Short in The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
Mickey Rooney in Night at the Museum
Dan Castellaneta in The Pursuit of Happyness
Andrew Simpson in Notes on a Scandal
Andy Garcia in Smokin' Aces
Rory Cochrane in A Scanner Darkly
Spencer Breslin in The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
Vinnie Jones in X-Men: The Last Stand
Tristan Lake Leabu in Superman Returns
Eddie Redmayne in The Good Shepherd

Next Year: 1965 Supporting

Saturday, 27 December 2014

Alternate Best Actor 2006: Ben Affleck in Hollywoodland

Ben Affleck did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite being nominated for a Golden Globe, for portraying George Reeves in Hollywoodland.

Hollywoodland is an effective enough film about a private detective's (Adrien Brody) investigation into the apparent suicide of former Superman star George Reeves. Although I do like the film it's one of those films that never quite comes together even though greatness seems in reach.

After watching the film again I do have to move Ben Affleck over to leading actor for the film. Although there is another lead in the detective Louis Simo played by Brody his story of investigating Reeves's death is inter spliced with scenes of Reeves's life in Hollywood. Those scenes are almost all from Reeves's perspective and very few of the scenes even come from Brody's character hearing about Reeves, so I think it is fair enough to say Affleck leads the scenes set in the past. There certainly should have been no category confusion leaving Affleck as an oddly snubbed guy for having won two Oscars. Despite Argo winning best picture he was not nominated for director, and despite this film indicating his comeback, as it was just after having become the butt of many jokes for several years and only a year off his directorial debut, Affleck was ignored for this performance.

Ben Affleck plays George Reeves who we introduced to through his dead body. The film begins with George Reeves dying from being shot in the head, and the rest of the film examines whether or not he was the one who pulled the trigger. Part of the examination of this is going through his career and we first meet the living Reeves at a club in Hollywood. Affleck is great in the role of creating Reeves particularly style of performance which does extend right into his personal life as he purposefully tries to charm people to help make himself a star. Affleck has an interesting take on his manner in the role as he does kinda go for that old school type of movie star charm as Reeves. Affleck though does not make it pure so to speak, because after all Reeves was not exactly Clark Gable himself. There is that sort of posture though and very to the point delivery yet Affleck brings a decided weakness about the show as though Reeves is not quite as great as he thinks he is.

Reeves finds minor improvement in his career through relationship with a older well connected married woman Toni Mannix (Diane Lane). Both basically use each other in this relationship but it is interesting in the way both Affleck and Lane play these scenes. Although it is in the open that they both basically understand the nature of the relationship neither actor portrays their character as an innately cold individual. Even though they speak openly about it, Mannix in particular, Affleck and Lane still bring a certain warmth to the relationship. It is obviously not as pleasant as one would want to be as the basis seems to be something that underlines every scene they are together. Affleck and Lane are quite good though in creating the complexity in the chemistry between the two. Even with that being understood they still suggest the two forming an actual bond, and although they seem to say that both would deny loving the other, they do indicate that they do.

The biggest success that Reeves does find is in portraying Superman onscreen and Affleck absolutely shines in the scenes depicting Reeves as the character. In his portrayal of the recreation of the part Affleck is great as he really is that Superman of that era as he should be. He has that nobleness, that boy scout quality, and its all as bluntly heroic as possible. The smile, the stance, the whole demeanor Affleck makes the Superman Reeves was. One scene in particular that I love is when Reeves is spotted in a restaurant. Affleck begins the scene very much as the depressed Reeves as he basically looks upon his career as Superman as a waste of his talent. After being told of the watchers though he straightens himself in the rest room and Affleck brilliantly shows the transformation take place. He goes from the palatable sadness of Reeves's personal life to once again the great larger than life hero as he stands to meet his admirers.

Affleck is terrific in portraying the growing depression and despair throughout his performance. In the beginning Affleck plays Reeves as a fairly optimistic man but certainly with a sense of frustrations for not yet having had his break. As his personal story proceeds though Affleck portrays a slow descent into despair as his career never quite takes off and he is typecast in a role he hates. Affleck is tremendous in the way he reflects every set back as it slowly seems to wear him down. Slowly the attempt a charm starts to wear away and Affleck progressively portrays a sadder and sadder man. When Reeves has an outburst against at Toni Affleck wholly earns the scene and is outstanding as he realizes all the pent up anger in Reeves due to his fate. What is most heartbreaking though is the hints of optimism Affleck leaves in his performance such as his last performance before his death where he plays guitar to his friends and Affleck suggests last bit of hope in his song.

What is most remarkable about Affleck's work though is his juxtaposition of Reeves as the performer against Reeves as a man. Affleck is amazing as he puts on the act of Superman as he should be yet his expression subtly suggests a man who hates his life. One of the most memorable moments in his performance is when Simo watches footage of Reeves showing his martial arts skills to ensure a job to do a wrestling match. Affleck once again puts on that bright face as Reeves does his various moves bringing that great big smile and a sense of showmanship. Affleck makes it the second most haunting test footage of 2006, it happened to be a great year for that, though as he shows underneath the overwhelming heartbreak as Reeves indicates to cut showing his personal disdain at having fallen to this act. This a truly powerful performance by Ben Affleck and I wish he would again take a challenging role since, if this is any indication, he's more than up to the task.

Saturday, 20 December 2014

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2006

And the Nominees Were Not:

Mads Mikkelsen in Casino Royale

Michael Caine in Children of Men

Ben Affleck in Hollywoodland

Sergi Lopez in Pan's Labyrinth

Steve Carell in Little Miss Sunshine

Best Actor