Best Supporting Actor 2016: Results

5. Michael Shannon in Nocturnal Animals - Shannon is the best part of a bad film. He offers some entertainment, with just a bit of pathos, in his portrayal of an uninspired character. 

Best Scene: His reintroduction.

4. Lucas Hedges in Manchester By The Sea - Michael Shannon's work is more consistent but Lucas Hedges's has higher heights in his depiction of a teenager going through grief. Hedges is best when he gives a more internalized performance, but I do find he falters in his attempt to depict a more overt sadness.

Best Scene: Patrick sees his father.

3. Dev Patel in Lion - Patel gives a surprisingly strong performance. He gives a moving and authentic portrayal of his fairly straight forward yet still compelling character.

Best Scene: The reunion.

2. Mahershala Ali in Moonlight - Ali gives a great performance that manages to give truth and a real poignancy to his character who is both a good natured man and drug dealer. Despite appearing in only the first third of the film he makes a lasting impact.

Best Scene: The Beach.

1. Jeff Bridges in Hell Or High Water - Good predictions Robert MacFarlane, Psifonian, and RatedRStar. Although Ali gives a great performance, and it is easily the best actually supporting performance in this lineup, Bridges is easily my favorite overall. Bridges delivers such a vivid and powerful depiction of the old lawman type that surpasses any notion of merely being the trope. It is such incredible work particularly his unforgettable final scenes.

Best Scene: The shootout.

Best Supporting Actor 2016: Michael Shannon in Nocturnal Animals

Michael Shannon received his second Oscar nomination for portraying Lt. Bobby Andes in Nocturnal Animals.

Nocturnal Animals is a glossy hollow film about an art gallery owner Susan (Amy Adams) who receives a manuscript from her ex-husband Edward (Jake Gyllenhaal), which was written from his heart, a broken heart no doubt!!!!

Nocturnal Animals tells two stories, one of the vapid woman who reads the manuscript and ponders on the vapid choices that lead to her vapidness. A wholly inert story filled with terrible overacting from the majority of the cast, awkward dialogue, a jump scare, and people in their late thirties as college students, which attempts to get by through asking the audience to think of what does it all mean??? We also are given the story of the manuscript about a man Tony (Gyllenhaal as well) whose family is abducted by three men after their car is run off an isolated rode. This half of the film is the stronger half, but that isn't saying much. Alone it is an excessively straight forward and derivative thriller. Anyways in the story Tony finds help in the local law enforcement and this is where Michael Shannon comes into the picture as the lawman tasked to try to help the man find his family. Now in the film there is an attempt by most of the supporting players to give a stylized performance a la a David Lynch film, and I don't like even mentioning Lynch's name in connection to this film since it fails so miserably to replicate that type of style.

Michael Shannon is a very good actor, though now if you only knew him by his Oscar nominations you'd think he only ever played quirky supporting roles in not very good films. He's capable of much more, but he does know how to make at least something out of weak material. Again there is that stylized quality to all the supporting performances and it is found in Shannon's work as well, he's just better at it. Shannon plays the Texan police officer who likes to get justice done his way. Shannon delivery automatically is a little atypical and plays it up here just a bit in his casual drawl as he investigates the disappearances that quickly are revealed to be murders. Shannon's a man with presence, a naturally intriguing one, to the point that you expect more from one of his characters even if there is very little to them. That does come in handy here just as Andes goes about asking Tony various questions about the crime. There is something naturally engaging about Shannon asking the questions with those steely eyes of his along with that slight lisp.

On that point I will admit upon my initial viewing of the film I found Michael Shannon to be the strongest element of the film, and perhaps that hasn't changed, yet it does not mean a great deal. This is not a great performance by Michael Shannon, though he is no way helped by the rote character he is given.  He's the gritty officer who has the occasional one liner to deliver some exposition, then later gets to go all Death Wish on the criminals to help the man avenge his family. There is little depth past that even his eventually revealed fatal cancer is more of there for a plot device to enable him to go full Death Wish. Shannon's task therefore is just to kind of be there to make some very banal notes sing. He does so by playing into the style, which does not make a realistic performance, but in a film where the tone doesn't work anyways, you have to take what you can get. Shannon is indeed somewhat entertaining in playing into the type, I have to say on re-watch his entertainment value decreased though, and I fear if I ever saw the film again its terribleness may infect his work all the more. I will also grant a bit of credit in that there is some nuance in his work. In the moment where he finds Tony's family, he grants a bit of emotion in his melancholy glance, after Tony inquires about his daughter's fate, and later offers some anguish behind the intensity as he says that he's changed indicating towards his fatal condition. It doesn't add up to all that much but I appreciate that it is there. He's mostly there to grumble out a few choice lines, which he does well enough, and give some deadly intense stares, which I'm pretty sure is Shannon's resting expression. It's not a great performance, but for me he at least offered something in an otherwise unpleasant experience.

Best Supporting Actor 2016

And the Nominees Are:

Jeff Bridges in Hell or High Water

Michael Shannon in Nocturnal Animals

Mahershala Ali in Moonlight

Lucas Hedges in Manchester By The Sea

Dev Patel in Lion

Alternate Best Actor 2011: Results

5. Robert Wieckiewicz in In Darkness- This is not a great performance by any means as the role is relatively simple, but Wieckiewicz nevertheless gives a realistic performance.

4. Michael Fassbender in Shame- A compelling performance by Fassbender that creates a memorable performance of a man seeking pleasure but only finds emptiness.

3. Brendan Gleeson in The Guard- Gleeson makes this just a very entertaining from beginning to end through his realization of a man who may be the best and worst cop simultaneously.

2. Michael Shannon in Take Shelter-Shannon gives an excellent performance here through his ability to maneuver through the complex state of his character.

1. Ryan Gosling in Drive- This is another year where the choice of the winner was extremely difficult not only among the alternates, but also the overall of the year. My top three favorites still consist of the three who speak the least. Gosling gives an amazing performance with few words, but all the meaning needed through the smallest of gestures.

Overall Rank:

1. Gary Oldman in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
2. Ryan Gosling in Drive
3. Jean Dujardin in The Artist
4. Matthias Schoenaerts in Bullhead
5. Woody Harrelson in Rampart
6. Michael Shannon in Take Shelter
7. Brendan Gleeson in The Guard
8. Michael Fassbender in Shame
9. Demian Bichir in A Better Life
10. Aksel Hennie in Headhunters
11. Peter Mullan in Tyrannosaur
12. Peyman Moaadi in A Separation
13. Ralph Fiennes in Coriolanus
14. Jake Gyllenhaal in Source Code
15. Daniel Henshall in Snowtown
16. Antonio Banderas in The Skin I Live In  
17. Omar Sy in The Intouchables
18. Francois Cluzet in The Intouchables 
19. Mel Gibson in The Beaver
20. Matthew McConaughey in The Lincoln Lawyer
21. Matt Damon in The Adjustment Burea
22. Michael Fassbender in X-Men First Class
23. Tom Hardy in Warrior
24. Joel Edgerton in Warrior
25. Andy Serkis in Rise of the Planet of the Apes
26. John Boyega in Attack the Block
27. Paul Giamatti in Win Win
28. Jack Black in Kung Fu Panda 2
29. Michael Fassbender in Jane Eyre 
30. Clive Owen in Trust
31. Luis Tosar in Sleep Tight
    
32. Ben Foster in The Mechanic
33. Lucas Pittaway in Snowtown
34. Christoph Waltz in Carnage
35. Ewan McGregor in Beginners
36. Michael Smiley in Kill List 
37. Brad Pitt in Moneyball   
38. Johnny Depp in Rango
39. Daniel Craig in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo 
40. Dominic Cooper in The Devil's Double
41. Joseph Gordon-Levitt in 50/50
42. Ryan Gosling in The Ides of March 
43. Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol 
44. Andy Serkis in The Adventures of Tintin
45. Jamie Bell in The Adventures of Tintin 
46. David Thewlis in The Lady
47. Robert Wieckiewicz in In Darkness
48. Neil Maskell in Kill List
49. Jakub Gierszal in Suicide Room
50. Robert Downey Jr. in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
51. Michael Fassbender in A Dangerous Method   
52. Harrison Ford in Cowboys & Aliens
53. Jude Law in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
54. James McAvoy in X-Men First Class
55. Owen Wilson in Midnight in Paris
56. Simon Pegg in Paul
57. David Hyde Pierce in The Perfect Host
58. Chris Evans in Captain America
59. Chris Hemsworth in Thor
60. John C. Reilly in Carnage
61. Jason Statham in The Mechanic 
62. Charlie Day in Horrible Bosses
63. Jason Bateman in Horrible Bosses
64. Jason Sudeikis in Horrible Bosses
65. Asa Butterfield in Hugo
66. Vin Diesel in Fast Five  
67. Rhys Ifans in Anonymous
    
68. James McAvoy in Arthur Christmas
69. Alex Shaffer in Win Win
70. Joel Courtney in Super 8
71. Bradley Cooper in Limitless
72. James Franco in Rise of the Planet of the Apes
73. Daniel Craig in Cowboys & Aliens
74. Leonardo DiCaprio in J. Edgar
75. Jason Segal in The Muppets
76. Daniel Radcliffe in Harry Potter And The Deathly Hollows 
77. Hunter McCracken in Tree of Life
78. George Clooney in The Descendants 
79. Paul Walker in Fast Five
80. Clayne Crawford in The Perfect Host  
81. Seth Rogen in Paul
82. Eddie Redmayne in My Week With Marilyn 
83. Jeremy Irvine in War Horse
84. Thomas Horn in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Next Year: 1954

Alternate Best Actor 2011: Michael Shannon in Take Shelter

Michael Shannon did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Curtis LaForche in Take Shelter.

Take Shelter is an effective film about a man who sees strange visions which may be indicating some sort of terrible future, or they may be caused by a developing paranoid schizophrenia.

Shannon did not receive an Oscar nomination here as the film, and his performance never gained enough traction for the Oscar nomination. He very well could have been close though. Shannon did receive an Oscar nomination earlier for his supporting role in Revolutionary Road which was quite over the top needlessly so depiction of a mentally disturbed man. I did not think he was terrible in that role as I do believe he showed some quality in the performance that suggested that he could have been given a far greater performance if he merely toned down the performance slightly.

Shannon seriously dials back his performance this time as a man with a possible mental problem, or a man who is having prophetic visions. What they are technically does not matter to Shannon's performance as Curtis is deeply disturbed by what he sees either way. Shannon portrays the disturbance in a low key fashion for a great while during the film. He shows the constant internal uncertainty within Curtis as he sees one horrible event after another with very little idea of what they mean. Shannon effectively brings to life all of the pain Curtis faces over his visions and how they bring out the worst fears in him.

The focus on the film is how the visions persist and how they slowly worsen his own mental state as well as his relationship with his wife (Jessica Chastain) and the local community as well. Shannon is quite effective as he builds the disturbance that grows slowly in Curtis as his visions become more frequent as well as more disturbing. At first Shannon portrays a struggle within Curtis to fight against the feelings of anxiety, and he tries to express some sort of sense of normalcy on his face although, Shannon shows it is very very difficult for him to do so for long.

In his more strained moments Shannon is quite good as he has fierce short moments of intensity where he tries to quickly cut off his paranoia, but as well Shannon keeps the same intensity in the scenes where his wife questions his behavior. Shannon again presents as a rather brutal anger to keep his wife from finding out more about what is affecting him. Shannon does not portray this as a cruelty, even if it is blunt, from Curtis but rather his way of trying to keep his wife from really finding out the truth of what really is going on with his behavior exactly.

He cannot shake the visions though, and his condition only becomes worse when he makes the connection that his mother became a schizophrenic at the same age he is now. Shannon importantly keeps us with him through this battle going on in his mind though as he does always manage to humanize Curtis. Shannon always manages to bring to life the idea that really part of what haunts Curtis is his own care for his family. Shannon always makes it very clear that he has a genuine love for his family, and great deal of his fear comes from that he is either alienating them do to his condition or being concerned for them due to the disaster in his visions.

Shannon is excellent in the slow decay of Curtis's mental state. Shannon is careful in this as he always shows that Curtis is trying his very best to not fall into what he believes to be a mental condition, and Shannon properly stresses the resistance Curtis has to the visions. The visions never do leave though, and Shannon falls deeply into believing everything that he sees in the vision. Shannon is able to reflect the conflicting emotions that result from falling into his state of urgency he is forced to feel do to what Curtis sees. Shannon never makes it so Curtis is ever one way, but always stresses the unbalances nature the visions have caused in him. Shannon is convincing by showing an incredible drive in Curtis in his scenes where he thinks he is being prophetic, but as well is just as believable when he shows Curtis's intense sadness and pain when he believes himself to be falling apart.

Shannon effectively leads to his final scenes which include his more Oscary scene, and his actual best scenes. His more oscary scene where he confronts the town people and espouses loudly about his apocalyptic visions. This is certain more like his Revolutionary Road performance, but really he earns it here. Shannon manages to make it work because throughout the film he has been building the anxiety growing up until this point, and it is earned that Curtis would finally burst out as he does. Shannon turns it into a strong scene because he shows really the full extent to what the visions have been doing to him.

 His very best moments though come when he and his family going until the shelter during the storm. Shannon once again dials it down but he frankly more intense here than he was in the scene with the town people. Shannon is chilling here because he realizes his paranoia so quietly. He is truly off putting here as shows just how intense his fears have become. Michael Shannon though is equally strong as he portrays Curtis finally facing his fears. Shannon is absolutely heartbreaking as he shows the terror in his eyes as he finally confronts what is outside the shelter. Shannon gives an excellent performance here and as he is able to really allow the ending occur through his ability to maneuver through the complex state of his character. Shannon here shows exactly what his earlier Oscar nominated performance could have been with this powerful work.

Alternate Best Actor 2011

And the Nominees Were Not:

Ryan Gosling in Drive

Robert Wieckiewicz in In Darkness

Michael Fassbender in Shame

Michael Shannon in Take Shelter

Brendan Gleeson in The Guard

Best Supporting Actor 2008: Results

5. Michael Shannon in Revolutionary Road- Shannon gives an intense performance that serves the film the way it wants him to, I only wish his depiction of the mentally instability man could have been a little less obvious display of acting.

4. Phillip Seymour Hoffman in Doubt- Phillip Seymour Hoffman gives an effective performance that succeeds in treading the fine line to keep the mystery of his character intact without making his performance seem lacking.

3. Josh Brolin in Milk- Josh Brolin although has a very limited screen time that realizes the standard politician on the outside as well as the lonely unhappy man on the inside.

2. Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder- Robert Downey Jr. gives a very enjoyable and entertaining performance by portraying a character who is entirely there to be funny by portraying him with the utmost conviction and devotion.

 

1. Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight- Excellent prediction Eddie. Heath Ledger simply gives an outstanding performance. Ledger never tries for a moment to portray the Joker in a safe fashion. Every risk that he takes with the performance that absolutely succeeds in creating a chilling entertaining and very memorable villain.

Deserving Performances:
Ralph Fiennes in In Bruges
Brad Pitt in Burn After Reading
Gary Oldman in The Dark Knight

Best Supporting Actor 2008: Michael Shannon in Revolutionary Road

Michael Shannon received his first Oscar nomination for portraying John Givings in Revolutionary Road.

Revolutionary Road is one of those films about the soullessness of suburbanites this time about the Wheelers played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.

Michael Shannon portrays a plot contrivance the son of one the Wheelers friends who has been in an institution and is mentally unbalanced. The whole point of his character seems to be the Oscar nominated character for the film, since John acts as the only one who will tell those suburbanites that they are the soulless individuals they are. This is not to say that Michael Shannon performance is bad, but his character's whole existence is a little questionable.

Shannon shows up in three scene to chew the scenery a bit particularly in his first and last scenes. Again this does not mean its bad, after all the performance and character seemed setup just to be the Oscar nominated supporting performance for the film. It is true that since his character is suppose to be intrusive as well as mentally unbalanced it would be technically wrong for his performance to be quiet but I don't think the part of John has to be quite actory fashion Shannon chooses to portray him.

All three scenes he wants to steal with his performance which makes John seem frankly more intrusive than he some ways should be, because he seems intrusive through what feels like a performance more than what feels like actually human behavior but than again the character in itself is just a plot device to be used therefore I suppose Shannon's method is supportive of that fact. I do think though John would have been more interesting if he had been portrayed more realistic and in a less purposefully showy manner.

I should not be mistaken though because Shannon still is effective in the role. He is intense and certainly entertaining as he acts out his part. He never came alive as a mentally disturbed man exactly but he did act well as the plot device he was written as has. The doubt and hatred John fires up is most certainly understandable through Shannon's striking performance. He does control his scenes without question and certainly makes it so cannot avoid John's observations.

Shannon performance does work in context for the film which I highly doubted really wanted a more realistic and depth filled approach, which I think perhaps Shannon could have pulled off to, but the film does not care about who John really is it just wants him to cause conflict within the film when it needs him to. It really is a missed opportunity for both Shannon and a character for his character to less than he frankly could have been. John easily could have been a great very memorable character, but as it is Shannon gives a strong enough performance but not one that stays with you too long after watching the film.

Best Supporting Actor 2008

And the Nominees Were:

Josh Brolin in Milk

Philip Seymour Hoffman in Doubt

Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight

Michael Shannon in Revolutionary Road

Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder