Best Actor: Jack Dylan Grazer

Showing posts with label Jack Dylan Grazer. Show all posts

Friday, 9 February 2018

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2017: Results

10. Daniel Craig in Logan Lucky - Craig goes wildly against his established James Bond type here to give a very entertaining portrayal of a southern crook that manages to get laughs even when the film undersells his moments.

Best Scene: "We're dealing with science here"

9. Hugh Grant in Paddington 2 - Grant gives a very enjoyable performance here bringing the needed charm but also the explosive ego to his villainous actor.

Best Scene: A character conference.

8. Paul Dano in Okja - Dano gives yet another strong performance here bringing such warmth and delivering an uncompromising empathetic figure within a film that is very much in need of one.

Best Scene: Taking the stage.

7. Jack Dylan Grazer in It - Grazer gives the best performance of the loser boys as he not only adds so much to the overall chemistry of the group, but also has some stand out individual moments through his arc that he realizes so well.

Best Scene: Gazebos.

6. Mark Hamill in Star Wars: The Last Jedi - Although I think his performance is slightly weakened by the forced humor given to his character, Hamill delivers a powerful reprise here in his depiction of a broken man.

Best Scene: Final scene with Leia.

5. Jerome Flynn in Loving Vincent - Flynn in one major scene makes a tremendous impact that sums up the nature of van Gogh's death through his moving portrayal of the man who blames himself for it.

4. David Lynch in Lucky - Lynch delivers some Lynchian greatness here as he manages to be both hilarious yet heartbreaking in his portrayal of a man who has lost his tortoise.

Best Scene: Coming to terms with tortoise loss.

3. Romain Duris in All the Money in the World - Duris quietly steals this film in his dynamic and moving depiction of the crisis of conscience of his kidnapper who struggles with his innate goodness as he tries to be a bad man.

Best Scene: The amputation.

2. Will Poulter in Detroit - Poulter's work is truly disturbing here as rather than portraying an overt drooling racist he depicts a calm and confident one who doesn't need to announce his prejudice as obvious hate rather he puts it within his horrible actions.

Best Scene: Interrogation tactics gone wrong.

1. Patrick Stewart in Logan - Good Prediction Michael McCarthy. Patrick Stewart gives a heartbreaking reprise of his most famous cinematic role. He realizes the real tragedy of the Professor's demise through how far he has fallen through his failing mind, but also finds a real poignancy just in those minor hints of the man he once was.

Best Scene: The most perfect night.

Overall Ranking:

Sam Rockwell in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Kōji Yakusho in The Third Murder
Sebastian Stan in I, Tonya
Woody Harrelson in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Patrick Stewart in Logan
Willem Dafoe in The Florida Project
Will Poulter in Detroit
Romain Duris in All the Money in the World
David Lynch in Lucky
Jason Isaacs in The Death of Stalin
Jerome Flynn in Loving Vincent
Mark Hamill in Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Tom Skerritt in Lucky
Christopher Plummer in All the Money in the World
Jack Dylan Grazer in It
Michael Palin in The Death of Stalin
Paul Dano in Okja
Eric Tsang in Mad World
Mark Rylance in Dunkirk
Algee Smith in Detroit
Richard Jenkins in The Shape of Water
Michael Keaton in Spider-man: Homecoming
Hugh Grant in Paddington 2
Daniel Craig in Logan Lucky
Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Mom
Bruce Greenwood in Gerald's Game
Jason Mitchell in Mudbound
John C. Reilly in Kong: Skull Island
John Boyega in Detroit
Brendan Gleeson in Paddington 2
Rory Cochran in Hostiles
Jean-Louis Trintignant in Happy End
Ray Romano in The Big Sick
Paul Walter Hauser in I, Tonya
Paddy Considine in The Death of Stalin
Caleb Landry Jones in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Cillian Murphy in Dunkirk
Bradley Whitford in Get Out
Robert Carlyle in T2
Rupert Friend in The Death of Stalin
Ben Foster in Hostiles
Shia LaBeouf in Borg McEnroe
Armie Hammer in Free Fire
Jeff Goldblum in Thor: Ragnarok
Stephen Merchant in Logan
Terry Notary in The Square
Bill Nighy in Their Finest
Thomas Kretschmann in A Taxi Driver
Sharlto Copley in Free Fire
Michael Rooker in Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2
Dave Bautista in Blade Runner 2049
Michael Stuhlbarg in Call Me By Your Name
Harrison Ford in Blade Runner 2049
Clarke Peters in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Bruce Greenwood in The Post
Carlos Sanz in Stronger
Michael Shannon in The Shape of Water
Idris Elba in Molly's Game
Jaeden Lieberher in It
Stellan Skarsgard in Borg McEnroe
Anthony Mackie in Detroit
Kenneth Branagh in Dunkirk
Bob Odenkirk in The Post
Ewen Bremner in T2
Gil Birmingham in Wind River
Dave Bautista in Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2
Michael Stuhlbarg in The Shape of Water
Jon Hamm in Baby Driver
Luke Evans in Beauty and the Beast
Ian McShane in John Wick Chapter 2
Ben Mendelsohn in Darkest Hour
Buddy Duress in Good Time
Lakeith Stanfield in Get Out
Traci Letts in Lady Bird
Peter Dinklage in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Bill Skarsgård in It
Austin Stowell in Battle of the Sexes
Jack Reynor in Free Fire
O'Shea Jackson Jr. in Ingrid Goes West
Kurt Russell in Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2
Jared Leto in Blade Runner 2049
Jack Lowden in Dunkirk
Danny McBride in Alien: Covenant
J. Quinton Johnson in Last Flag Flying
Ben Safdie in Good Time
James Darren in Lucky
Woody Harrelson in War for the Planet of the Apes
Ryu Jun-yeol in A Taxi Driver
Tom Hiddleston in Thor: Ragnarok
Jamie Foxx in Baby Driver
Jeremy Ray Taylor in It
Owen Wilson in Lost in London
Graham Greene in Wind River
Josh Gad in Beauty and the Beast
Tom Hardy in Dunkirk
Hugh Bonneville Paddington 2
Camille Salameh in The Insult
Mark Hamill in Brigsby Bear
Gary Basaraba in Suburbicon
Fionn Whitehead in Dunkirk
Udo Kier in Brawl in Cell Block 99
Jeffrey Tambor in The Death of Stalin
John Hawkes in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Ronald Pickup in Darkest Hour
Taika Waititi in Thor: Ragnarok
Jonathan Majors in Hostiles
Oscar Issac in Suburbicon
Ron Livingston in Lucky
Pedro Pascal in Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Cillian Murphy in Free Fire
Mark Ruffalo in Thor: Ragnarok
Barry Keoghan in Dunkirk
Matt Walsh in Brigsby Bear
Too Hae-jin in A Taxi Driver
CJ Jones in Baby Driver
Johnny Lee Miller in T2
Timothy Spall in The Party
Gael Garcia Bernal in Coco
Akshaye Khanna in Mom
Ian Hart in God's Own Country
Wes Studi in Hostiles
Ed Oxenbould in Better Watch Out
Dwight Yoakam in Logan Lucky
Jacob Latimore in Detroit
Bill Pullman in Battles of the Sexes
Domhnall Gleeson in American Made
Jesse Plemons in Hostiles
Cillian Murphy in The Party
Tom Holland in The Lost City of Z
Tommy Flanagan in The Ballad of Lefty Brown
Joe Cole in Thank You For Your Service
Chosen Jacobs in It
Steven Yeun in Okja
Kenneth Cranham in Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool
Kevin Costner in Molly's Game
Aneurin Barnard in Dunkirk
Eddie Marsan in Atomice Blonde
Robert Pattinson in The Lost City of Z
Kit Harington in Brimstone
Chris O'Dowd in Loving Vincent
Josh Gad in Murder on the Orient Express
Paul Scheer in The Disaster Artist
Barry Shabaka Henley in Lucky
Wyatt Russell in Ingrid Goes West
Adnan Siddiqui in Mom
Dallas Roberts in My Friend Dahmer
John Goodman in Atomic Blonde
Greg Kinnear in Brigsby Bear
Oscar Isaac in Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Boyd Holbrook in Logan
Michael Smiley in Free Fire
Stephen Henderson in Lady Bird
Bruno Ganz in The Party
Lior Ashkenazi in Norman
Giancarlo Esposito in Okja
Stephen Root in Get Out
Stephen Dillane in Darkest Hour
John Boyega in Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Seth Rogen in The Disaster Artist
Marcus Henderson in Get Out
Harry Styles in Dunkirk
Martin McCann in Lost in London
Laurence Fishburne in John Wick Chapter 2
Finn Wolfhard in It
Steve Buscemi in Norman
Toby Jones in Atomic Blonde
Michael Sheen in Brad's Status
Don Johnson in Brawl in Cell Block 99
Barry Keoghan in The Killing of a Sacred Deer
Sterling K. Brown in Marshall
Willem Dafoe in Death Note
Armie Hammer in Call Me By Your Name
Tom Glynn Carney in Dunkirk
Dwayne Johnson in Fast 8
Jason Statham in Fast 8
Ralph Fiennes in The Lego Batman Movie
Kurt Russell in Fast 8
Robert Downey Jr. in Spider-man: Homecoming
Alex Lawther in Goodbye Christopher Robin
Karl Urban in Thor: Ragnarok
Glenn Fleshler in Suburbicon
Carel Struycken in Gerald's Game
Alan Cumming in Battle of the Sexes
Rob Morgan in Mudbound
Ben O'Toole in Detroit
Brian Gleeson in Phantom Thread
John Lithgow in Beatriz At Dinner
John Magaro in War Machine
Alec Secareanu in God's Own Country
Benjamin Bratt in Coco
Jon Favreau in Spider-man: Homecoming
Barkhad Abdi in Good Time
Noah Taylor in Paddington 2
James D'Arcy - Dunkirk
Choi Woo-shik in Okja
Mathieu Kassovitz in Happy End
Eddie Izzard in Victoria and Abdul
Bokeem Woodbine in Spider-man: Homecoming
Morgan Spector in Chuck
Anthony Hopkins in Thor: Ragnarok
Peter Capaldi in Paddington 2
Bobby Cannavale in I, Tonya
Wyatt Oleff in It
Derek Jacobi in Murder on the Orient Express
Matvey Novikov in Loveless
Franz Rogowski in Happy End
Adeel Akhtar in The Big Sick
Jason Mitchell in Detroit
Lakeith Stanfield in War Machine
Colin Firth in Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Donald Glover in Spider-man: Homecoming
Brian Gleeson in Logan Lucky
Jack Quaid in Logan Lucky
David Thewlis in Wonder Woman
Kwon Hae-hyo in On the Beach at Night Alone
Sam Riley in Free Fire
Ron Perlman in Chuck
Richard E. Grant in Logan
Jonathan Pryce in The Man Who Invented Christmas
Alex Wolff in My Friend Dahmer
Samuel L. Jackson in Kong: Skull Island
Nicholas Hamilton in It
Sam Claflin in Their Finest
Marton Csokas in Mark Felt
Jung Jae-young in On the Beach at Night Alone
Michael Rapaport in Chuck
Traci Letts in The Post
Johannes Krisch in In The Fade
John Goodman in Kong: Skull Island
Colin Farrell in Roman J. Israel, Esq.
Michael Cera in Molly's Game
Beulah Koale in Thank You For Your Service
Mark Strong in Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Lance Reddick in John Wick Chapter 2
Christopher Plummer in The Man Who Invented Christmas
Jim Gaffigan in Chuck
Denis Moschitto in In The Fade
Said Taghmaoui in Wonder Woman
Matthias Schoenaerts in Our Souls At Night
Jacob Batalon in Spider-man: Homecoming
Bradley Cooper in Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2
Willem Dafoe in Murder on the Orient Express
Lucas Hedges in Lady Bird
Bill Camp in Molly's Game
Billy Crudup in Alien Covenant
Timothee Chalamet in Lady Bird
Ewan Bremner in Wonder Woman
Michael Cera in The Lego Batman Movie
Christopher Fairbank in Lady Macbeth
David Cross in The Post
Anupam Kher in The Big Sick
Jon Bernthal in Wind River
Paul Hilton in Lady Macbeth
Tom Hanks in The Circle
Domhnall Gleeson in Mother!
Ezra Miller in Justice League
Nick Offerman in The Hero
Shea Whigham in Death Note
Paul Anderson in Brimstone
Jacob Tremblay in The Book of Henry
Michael McElhatton in The Foreigner
Emory Cohen in War Machine
Christopher Lloyd in Going in Style
Ian McKellen in Beauty and the Beast
Udo Kier in Downsizing
Peter Fonda in The Ballad of Lefty Brown
Leslie Odom Jr. in Murder on the Orient Express
Tim Blake Nelson in Colossal
Lee Pace in The Book of Henry
Michael Sheen in Norman
Dominic West in The Square
Christopher Abbot in It Comes At Night
Caleb Landry Jones in The Florida Project
Noah Taylor in Free Fire
Michael Stuhlbarg in The Post
Christoph Waltz in Downsizing
Stephen Graham in Films Stars Don't Die Liverpool
David Yow in I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore
Jesse Plemons in The Discovery
Sunny Suljic in The Killing of a Sacred Deer
Arnaud Valois in BPM
Jim Caviezel in The Ballad of Lefty Brown
Caleb Landry Jones in Get Out
Steve Zahn in War For the Planet of the Apes
Owen Wilson in Wonder
Ed Harris in Mother!
Bradley Whitford in The Post
Benicio del Toro in Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Dustin Hoffman in The Meyerowitz Stories
Garrett Hedlund in Mudbound
Aleks Mikic in Better Watch Out
Israel Broussard in Happy Death Day
Jack Reynor in Detroit
Aidan Gillen in The Lovers
Brian Gleeson in Mother!
Lucas Hedges in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Jason Momoa in Justice League
Riz Ahmed in Una
Jordan Rodrigues in Lady Bird
Andy Serkis in Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Lil Rel Howery in Get Out
Ian Glen in My Cousin Rachel
Matthew Rhys in The Post
Jon Hamm in Marjorie Prime
Tom Hollander in Breathe
Robert Redford in The Discovery
Ray Fisher in Justice League
Adeel Akhtar in Victoria & Abdul
Emory Cohen in Shot Collar
Tim Robbins in Marjorie Prime
Dan Stevens in Colossal
Jim Belushi in Wonder Wheel
Zach Efron in The Greatest Showman
Austin Abrams in Brad's Status
Jason Clarke in Mudbound
Henrik Rafaelsen in Thelma
Eugene Brave Rock in Wonder Woman
Seth MacFarlane in Logan Lucky
Ewan Mcgregor in Beauty and the Beast
Jay Hernandez in Bright
Johnny Depp in Murder on the Orient Express
Oliver Platt in Professor Marston and the Wonder Woman
Jeffrey Donovan in Shot Collar
Dacre Montgomery in Better Watch Out
Scott Eastwood in Fast 8
J.K. Simmons in The Snowman
Common in John Wick Chapter 2
Edgar Ramirez in Bright
John Ortiz in Going in Style
Domhnall Gleeson in Star Wars: The Last Jedi
John Slattery in Churchill
Jeremy Strong in Molly's Game
Tyler Ross in The Lovers
Toby Kebbell in Kong: Skull Island
David Dencik in The Snowman
Bo Burnam in The Big Sick
Chris O'Dowd in Molly's Game
Clancy Brown in Stronger
Danny Huston in Wonder Woman
Zack Galifianakis in The Lego Batman Movie
Billy Magnussen in Ingrid Goes West
Dean Norris in The Book of Henry
Devon Graye in I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore
John Krasinski in Detroit
Ike Barinholtz in Bright
Kurt Braunohler in The Big Sick
Mike Colter in Girls Trip
Jonathan Banks in Mudbound
Jonas Karlsson in The Snowman
Michael Mando in Spider-man: Homecoming
Caleb Landry Jones in American Made
Jake Gyllenhaal in Okja
Riccardo Scamarcio in John Wick Chapter 2
Thomas Mann in Kong: Skull Island
James Jordan in Wind River
Elton John in Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Ellar Coltrane in The Circle

Next Year: 2017 Lead

Monday, 5 February 2018

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2017: Jack Dylan Grazer & Bill Skarsgård in It

Jack Dylan Grazer did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Edward "Eddie" Kaspbrak in It.

It is a fairly entertaining horror film about a child eating monster stalking the underbelly of a New England town. Although watching it again it does overdo a few typical horror film techniques, particularly the string smear to telegraph when something scary is about to happen.

One of the elements that works so well within this adaptation of Stephen King's novel is the coming of age story of the kids that could almost stand separately from their time dealing with a killer clown from outer space. This is further amplified by the terrific ensemble of juvenile performers that form their group known as the losers club. Although perhaps a couple of them are a bit under served by the screenplay, Chosen Jacobs as Mike and Wyatt Oleff as Stan, together they excel in a few ways. One being in every single one of the horror scenes where not a single one of the actors falters. They help to bring to life the horror in intimate detail as they effectively heighten the tension of each and every encounter. They are as good though in terms of creating this group dynamic of these kids. They do just behave in this uniform way of all good little kids falling into line as friends. No, what they do is make a far stronger dynamic by so naturally realizing the richness of their interactions which aren't always wholly pleasant for some of the members yet so effectively allude to the history between the kids who already know each other and the brewing history with the new additions to the group.

Although obviously in this review I am focusing in on Jack Dylan Grazer as Eddie, who is in the "upper tier" in terms of both of those aforementioned elements. His scenes of terror are particularly strong in that regard especially his direct moments with the fellow mentioned below. Grazer frankly sells something even far more terrifying than we even see through the sheer petrified terror he able to realize within his performance as Eddie. He goes all in in creating every gasp, and panic in his body language so very real. Again while the horror is important what makes this film stand out within the horror genre are the kids. My favorite, and really most realistic dynamics within the kids, is their constant ball busting one another spearheaded by Finn Wolfhard's Richie, who tries far too hard to make everything a joke, and that's entirely the point. Jack Dylan Grazer, who apparently also came up with a lot Richie's one liners, is actually delivers the most abundant humor in the film. His realizes this isn't so much in Eddie's effort to make a joke but rather his reactions towards Richie's jokes. This includes some general frustration that Grazer realizes so naturally as the friend who just can't believe the stupidity of his friend at times, the best moments in this though are whenever this takes the form of indeed a counter joke. These are always placed right after something Richie says, and Grazer's delivery is dynamite every time by so boosting the moment through his portrayal of Eddie's sheer annoyance as he comes up with his own comeback. It's terrific as Grazer actually ends up being the funniest of the kids by so effectively realizing this dynamic with Wolfhard as Richie. In addition though, even in their sometimes rough jokes, they both create this underlying sense of genuine care for one another even if it isn't directly spoken very often.

An important aspect of this is that Grazer's performance, despite some of cruder choices in subject matter and vocabulary, still makes Eddie a normal kid. This isn't even in his scenes with the monster where obviously Eddie is particularly vulnerable. In even his verbal sparring with Richie that frustration Grazer brings is very much with the right earnestness within petulance of a child. There is also though more to this in his portrayal of the hypochondriac side of Eddie that he makes a very naturalistic part of his character. In the moments where they are just near something dirty or when he's talking about disease Grazer captures the intensity of the anxiety of a kid without proper foresight or guidance. Grazer makes it something that seems to pester him throughout showing well the way it is a near hysterical fear that is pervasive in him. The best moments though of his are when Eddie comes face to face with his overbearing mother where Grazer most strongly reveals the true innocence of Eddie. These moments are terrific because he plays them entirely lacking of the pretense of the "maturity" when hanging out with the rest of the friends. He shows just a really scared kid and constricts showing in his eyes as though Eddie is looking some sort of comfort from his mother to which he is given the exact opposite. Grazer's best scene in the film is when he directly confronts his fears by confronting his unloving mother after finding out she has been giving him placebos that only contributed to his anxieties. Grazer's great in this scene on a dramatic level again because he doesn't suddenly become an adult but rather is all the more moving by truly revealing this innocent delivery of Eddie's rejection of his mother's behavior. It's beautifully realized as he finds still a bit of fear as he says he has to help his friend and in turn makes that determination all the more powerful. In addition it's a downright hilarious as well through his flawless, purposefully unknowing, delivery of "They're gazebos!" when decrying the placebos. Grazer gives a wonderful performance here that realizes Eddie's arc so well while also just contributing just a little something special to every single scene he is in.

Bill Skarsgård did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying the titular monster aka Pennywise the dancing clown in It.

The original tv miniseries adaptation of the film is not known as this untouchable classic. In fact it is known as much worse when one begins to consider the second half of the series. The one element consistently praised though is Tim Curry's original portrayal of Pennywise the clown leaving the one thing this adaptation had to live up to when compared to the miniseries. The fairly young Bill Skarsgård came as the choice for the lover of floating things, and I will say he certainly had a take for the character. Skarsgård takes the approach that Pennywise isn't all that great in his act of pretending to be a clown. Although this might seem strange, he actually goes all the way with this in terms of portraying it specifically as this Alien not only trying to pretend to be a clown but a human in general. Skarsgård's vocal delivery in the role is of this constant breaking of the timbre of his voice as he constantly is going from this more heightened attempted pleasant voice, that constantly is falling towards a more guttural sound. That sound being closer to this vicious beast rather than a man, and Skarsgård portrays this as the real Alien struggling to maintain his clown voice. He keeps this idea within the entirety of his performance. This also is just in the way he interacts with his prey, particularly in the use of his eyes where Skarsgård's will portray this sudden switch to a blank stare more akin to predator than anything else again showing the clown as nothing more than the most surface of veils for the monster beneath. This is an interesting choice, and technically well portrayed by Skarsgård through the methods I previously mentioned. He is not so specific towards that idea though that he doesn't also have a bit of fun in the role, as a proper Pennywise should to be honest. He takes a few notes from the Joker's playbook, in portraying the most overwhelming joy in the clown as he terrorizes his victims. In turn he is entertaining in the role particularly when the film switches more towards action horror later on. Having said all that I don't love this performance, only because while chilling enough, in that he's certainly not goofy, he doesn't truly get under your skin beyond a certain point, well unless he's eating you....no Skarsgård's good, but he's not quite great. Curry in the original, who plays as a flamboyant though demonic clown, is more chilling while also being more entertaining oddly enough. Skarsgård's version is an interesting approach that he realizes well but he does not pinch the truly visceral nerve you want from a performance like this. I mean I just can't help but wonder what that other guy would've done, you know the one I hear gave a pretty chilling performance in a different film from 2017.

Friday, 2 February 2018

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2017

And the Nominees Were Not:

David Lynch in Lucky

Patrick Stewart in Logan

Daniel Craig in Logan Lucky

Jerome Flynn in Loving Vincent

Romain Duris in All the Money in the World

And for the Second Set of Predictions:

Will Poulter in Detroit

Mark Hamill in Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Hugh Grant in Paddington 2

Paul Dano in Okja

Jack Dylan Grazer in IT

With special appearances by:

John Boyega in Detroit

Brendan Gleeson in Paddington 2

Bill Skarsgård in IT

Best Actor