10. Kim Yoon-seok in The Chaser - Kim gives a good performance in creating this conflicted state of a former detective turned pimp returning to his roots, yet the film lets down Kim by not granting enough time or importance to the development of this idea.
Best Scene: Final confrontation.
9. Vincent Cassel in Mesrine - Cassel gives in the first part an effective, if ridiculously rushed, portrayal of the different facets leading towards the life of a gangster, then in the second part becoming the "legend" partially in truth, and partially as a purposefully grotesque creation of the man's purposeful making.
Best Scene: In seclusion/trial.
8. Mads Mikkelsen in Flame and Citron - Mikkelsen, as usual, gives a striking turn in realizing the convictions of a man fighting for a righteous cause, while also realizing the turmoil from the evil he must do to pursue this fight.
Best Scene: His final words.
7. Josh Brolin in W. - Brolin gives an entertaining performance that brings the best out of the more comedic elements of the satire, while also finding whatever nuance he can within the bit of complexity within the character.
Best Scene: Failed press conference.
6. Song Kang-ho in The Good The Bad The Weird - Song gives a very charismatic and appropriately off-beat turn that is properly fitting to his character's moniker while also creating a most unusual western hero for us to follow.
Best Scene: Tripping.
5. Chiwetel Ejiofor in Redbelt - Ejiofor gives a great performance that not only anchors the film through the sheer charisma of his presence, but also importantly grants any reality to the overly stylized dialogue as well as offering a very much needed consistency within the convoluted narrative.
Best Scene: Championship.
4. Jean Claude Van Damme in JCVD - Van Damme, who is not known for his acting ability, at least proves his ability to give a great performance in French as Jean Claude Van Damme through his amusing, yet also heartbreaking introspective turn.
Best Scene: "oos"
3. Sam Rockwell in Snow Angels - Rockwell gives a harrowing and heartbreaking performance that manages to humanizes the terrible descent of his character.
Best Scene: A moment of "clarity".
2. Philip Seymour Hoffman in Synecdoche, New York - Hoffman gives a fascinating turn here. He not only manages to tread so carefully within the film's tone, but also manages to give a deeply moving performance through this portrayal of a man who tries to make observation into his way of life.
Best Scene: Final scene with his daughter.
1. Johannes Krisch in Revanche - Good predictions
Emi Grant, Michael McCarthy and
Luke. Krisch gives an outstanding performance that subverts the usual tropes involved with a revenge narrative to realize a wholly atypical, yet absolutely harrowing portrayal of a man's journey involving facing hate, sorrow, and perhaps in the end finding forgiveness.
Best Scene: Revealing the truth.
Updated Overall
Next: 2008 Supporting
