Alternate Best Actor 1981: Results

5. Sam Neill in Possession - Neill gives a scattershot yet potent performance that matches his insane film, though he is overshadowed by his co-star.

Best Scene: Rocking Chair

4. Jeremy Irons in The French-Lieutenant's Woman - Irons is able to deliver honest and power to both forbidden romances of very different ilks.

Best Scene: A late visit. 

3. Keith Carradine in Southern Comfort - Carradine gives a striking performance through his calm yet incisive demeanor. 

Best Scene: Making decisions. 

2. Michel Serrault in Garde à Vue - Serrault effectively delivers a tricky performance that is convincing in creating the sense of a man in an emotionally heightened state. 

Best Scene: Seeing something horrible.

1. John Heard in Cutter's Way - Good predictions Robert, Ytrewq & Calvin. Heard proves he was perhaps a largely untapped talent with this powerfully intense portrait of a wounded war vet attempting a strange sort of revenge. 

Best Scene: Cutter's reasoning for his plan.

Updated Overall

Next: 81 Supporting

Alternate Best Actor 1981: Sam Neill in Possession

Sam Neill did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Mark in Possession.

Possession is supposedly about the fallout after a woman Anna (Isabella Adjani) asks her husband for a divorce...but that hardly gives you a sense of things now does it. 

Sam Neill plays the man, Mark who we see in his professional shady world briefly, before just as briefly having a harsh conversation with his wife who wants to leave him, he then seems completely gone over the hill in drink, then he is a loving father disturbed his son seemingly being mistreated by his wife then he confronts her however while doing so is sinisterly and intensely going back and forth in a rocking chair that is far too swift and dangerous than the recommended rocking chair use. Now the purpose of that rambling description is to give you at least a minor understanding of the experience of watching the film and the introduction of the character of Mark. I suppose though one must in turn ask about Neill's performance which defies traditional logic in many ways. As the extremes here are also represented in Neill's performance without traditional pacing involved. Neill though is convincing as the man is just a bit taken aback by his wife's seemingly sudden request and the proper cold professional disposition when we see him discussing his enigmatic work. As sudden, as it is Neill certainly shows the extreme gaunt expressions of a man over the bend as he falls into despair. He brings warmth suddenly when trying to see what is going on with his son and projects a realistic concern. Then immediately has full-on brutal intensity as he confronts Anna. Of course, though this is without that connective tissue you'd expect in performance. The rub, as is a term often used, is obviously in the disconcerting design of the film, so judgment becomes a bit trickier as the work defies convention. 

All performances though are contextual in some sense and therefore what the context here becomes is essential in looking at Neill's work. The real question becomes then is Neill compelling or successful in depicting this unusual extreme? Well largely so I would say, and the film does begin to calm down...a bit when it comes to Mark's emotional state. Although the strangeness hardly goes away as we see Mark perhaps trying to figure out the situation that only becomes stranger. This includes Mark confronting Anna's supposed lover who himself seems more interested in Mark than Anna in these confrontations even if in a sadistic sort of way. Neill's performance though manages to realize something within them in the confusion and frustrations as the man presents far more riddles than solutions. Confusing things further is Mark finding that his son's teacher Helen looks just like Anna, more or less. There as he tries to raise his son alone and interacts with her again you suddenly get a kind of reality from Neill. Just a kind of thought as there is fully a man who seems to be dealing with the truth of it, as he might be too accepting of it all, although there is something compelling in Neill's quietly emotional moments in crafting a man seemingly accepting this sudden bent reality with this new woman who looks almost like his wife. At the same time though Neill still makes Mark occasionally equally bent in some of his reactions towards others, such as an overly loving delivery to the man reporting more disturbing news about Anna. 

Neill is effective as he is in his own blend of insanity, but I'll admit it really is but a warm up act for when the film shifts focus closer on Anna/Adjani. Adjani's performance is completely insane yet utterly transfixing to the point all other elements of the film are overshadowed in comparison. In one easy comparison, there is a moment of a freak-out by Adjani at a certain point that is absolutely unforgettable. Neill also gets such a scene, though while it isn't forgettable, it doesn't quite leave as strong of a mark, probably the best moment of it is Neill's blissful grin after it is over. Where the film goes at a certain point isn't about logic it is about insanity and a whole insane notion. There are tangibles kind of, but to say anything makes sense in an obvious way would be quite wrong. Neill's performance, as was in the earliest scenes, is basically a vortex of emotional and physical extremes. One moment he's full ferocity of violence to the next he's a man whimpering as crawling in agonizing pain. Every switch as such is as extreme as the extremes themselves. What Neill's performance though does do is actualize them to some extent in that at the very least it is captivating to see him perform the insanity of these moments, even if it is a bit of "take what you will from them" at a certain point. One does ponder what if Mark had been portrayed wholly straight as a complete foil to what Adjani is doing, however that isn't what we get here. We get a performance more befitting the overall madness of the film by being completely mad itself. This including Neill's work at the end of the film as Mark's seeming clone where he is truly creepy in the completely joyful smile that is twisted in the "perfection" of his state. This is a performance that is all over the place and over the top, both matching the nature of the film's intention. Does it work, yes, in at least my reaction, although even then perhaps not to the degree of Adjani's work that truly embraces the madness in a way that somehow elevates psychotic ramblings to a kind of genius. 

Alternate Best Actor 1981

And the Nominees Were Not:

John Heard in Cutter's Way

Michel Serrault in Garde à Vue

Jeremy Irons in The French Lieutenant's Woman

Keith Carradine in Southern Comfort

Sam Neill in Possession 

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2016: Results

13. Yoshi Oida in Silence - Oida gives a moving depiction of the quiet earnest devotion of one of the most devote Christians in Japan.

Best Scene: Ichizo pleads for someone to join him.

12. Shinya Tsukamoto in Silence -Tsukamoto along with Oida gives a moving depiction of a devoted Christian particularly as he faces certain demise.

Best Scene: A final hymn.

11. Alden Ehrenreich in Hail Caesar! - Ehrenreich gives a very funny performance by being so earnest in his approach to a singing cowboy who tries to be an actor.

Best Scene: Would that it were so simple.

10. Harvey Scrimshaw in The Witch - Scrimshaw gives an effective natural depiction of a boy in an unnatural situation that is absolutely haunting in his final moments.

Best Scene: Caleb wakes up.

9. Damian Lewis in Our Kind of Traitor - Lewis gives an incredibly compelling performance that works so well within the certain constraints he purposefully sets up for his refined government agent.

Best Scene: Hector tells about his son. 

8. Tadanobu Asano in Silence - Asano gives an extremely incisive yet somehow funny portrayal of a man viciously needling his hostage in order to break him. 

Best Scene: The interpreter meets Rodrigues.

7. Ralph Ineson in The Witch - Ineson gives a powerful depiction of a man essentially coming to terms with his own desperate state, and losing his delusions of grandeur.

Best Scene: William's prayer at night. 

6. Stellan Skårsgard in Our Kind of Traitor - Skårsgard is asked to do a lot in short order, yet he matches the challenge while giving an incredibly poignant portrait of a man doing whatever it takes to save his family.

Best Scene: Dima says goodbye to Perry.

5. Yosuke Kubozuka in Silence - Kubozuka gives a haunting portrayal that grants a heartbreaking understanding of what seems to be a wretched man.  

Best Scene: Kichijiro's first Confession.

4. Liam Neeson in Silence - Neeson in only a few scenes leaves such a considerable impression through his subversion of his usual role as the confident mentor by instead portraying a sad broken man being forced to destroy his own teachings.

Best Scene: Ferreira meets Rodrigues.

3. Issey Ogata in Silence - Ogata gives a truly menacing yet somehow also absolutely hilarious portrayal of a persecutor with a unique yet brutally effective method of destroying his foes.  

Best Scene: A story of Concubines. 

2. Sam Neill in Hunt for the Wilderpeople - Sam Neill delivers his best performance giving such a hilarious yet heartwarming portraying an irascible old man finding a connection with a troubled boy. Neill balances the various tones of the film brilliantly to be both very funny yet incredibly touching in depicting Uncle Hec's personal journey during his more literal journey through the bush.

Best Scene: The Boar. 

1. Ben Foster in Hell or High Water - Good prediction Michael McCarthy, and Luke Foster gives yet another great performance to his ever growing list of them. He gives an entertaining yet edgy depiction of an outlaw, yet he underlines it all with just a heartbreaking portrayal of man who has only ever found any use for himself as a criminal. Although this was a strong year for the category I have to admit this was an easy choice for me. Not just because this is a great performance, it is, but it hit me on an even more personal level than a good performance already hits you on.

This is not something I mentioned in my review but will I now. Foster's realization of Tanner went even further for me as he so reminded of my own older brother with whom I share a similair relationship to that Toby shares with Tanner, though far less extreme and in different circumstances of course. The little nuances and details of such relationship were there for me, and it connected with me on an even deeper level because of that. I simply cannot deny something like that.

Best Scene: The brothers say their goodbyes.

Overall Rank:

1. Ben Foster in Hell or High Water
2. Sam Neill in Hunt for the Wilderpeople
3. Issey Ogata in Silence
4. Tadanobu Asano in Harmonium
5. Mahershala Ali in Moonlight
6. Liam Neeson in Silence
7. Yosuke Kubozuka in Silence
8. Stellan Skårsgard in Our Kind of Traitor
9. Hugo Weaving in Hacksaw Ridge 
10. Ralph Ineson in The Witch
11. Tadanobu Asano in Silence 
12. Damian Lewis in Our Kind of Traitor
13. Woody Harrelson in The Edge of Seventeen
14. Harvey Scrimshaw in The Witch
15. Alden Ehrenreich in Hail Caesar!
16. Christopher Lloyd in I Am Not A Serial Killer
17. Ha Jung-woo in The Handmaiden
18. Farid Sajadhosseini in The Salesman
19. Shinya Tsukamoto in Silence
20. Yoshi Oida in Silence 
21. Gil Birmingham in Hell or High Water 
22. Sharlto Copley in Hardcore Henry
23. Jack Reynor in Sing Street
24. Macon Blair in Green Room
25. Tracy Letts in Christine
26. Nick Offerman in The Founder
27. John Carroll Lynch in The Founder
28. Cho Jin-woong in The Handmaiden
29. Toby Kebbell in A Monster Calls
30. Jun Kunimura in The Wailing
31. Jared Harris in Certain Women
32. Alan Rickman in Eye in the Sky
33. Donnie Yen in Rogue One 
34. Tom Bennett in Love and Friendship
35. Adam Driver in Silence
36. Shia Labeouf in American Honey
37. John Goodman in 10 Cloverfield Lane
38. Andre Holland in Moonlight
39. Ma Dong-Seok in Train to Busan
40. Glen Powell in Everybody Wants Some 
41. Jovan Adepo in Fences
42. Kurt Russell in Deepwater Horizon 
43. Ralph Fiennes in Hail Caesar!
44. Roger Guenveur Smith in Birth of A Nation
45. Patrick Stewart in Green Room 
46. Kevin Costner in Hidden Figures
47. Aaron Paul in Eye in the Sky
48. Mykelti Williamson in Fences
49. Sebastian Stan in Captain America Civil War 
50. Alan Tudyk in Rogue One
51. Jharrel Jerome in Moonlight 
52. Taiyō Yoshizawa in After the Storm
53. Tom Wilkinson in Denial
54. John Gallagher Jr. in 10 Cloverfield Lane
55. Craig Robinson in Morris From America
56. Lucas Dawson in The Witch
57. Stephen Henderson in Fences
58. Barkhad Abdi in Eye in the Sky
59. Bradley Whitford in Other People
60. Daniel Bruhl in Captain America Civil War
61. Mads Mikkelsen in Rogue One
62. Luke Bracey in Hacksaw Ridge 
63. Evan Peters in X-Men Apocalypse
64. Byung-hun Lee in The Age of Shadows
65. Tom Holland in Captain America Civil War
66. Alessandro Nivola in The Neon Demon
67. Kevin Spacey in Elvis & Nixon 
68. George Clooney in Hail Caesar!
69. Liam Neeson in A Monster Calls 
70. Barry Shabaka Henley in Paterson
71. Billy Crudup in Jackie
72. John Leguizamo in The Infiltrator
73. Frank Langella in Captain Fantastic
74. Peter Sarsgaard in Jackie
75. Keegan Michael-Key in Don't Think Twice
76. Ethan Hawke in The Magnificent Seven 
77. Chadwick Boseman in Captain America Civil War
78. John Hurt in Jackie
79. Billy Crudup in 20th Century Women 
80. Max Baker in Hail Caesar!
81. Michael Fassbender in X-Men Apocalypse
82. William Jackson Harper in Paterson
83. Bill Murray in The Jungle Book 
84. Russell Hornsby in Fences 
85. Blake Jenner in The Edge of Seventeen
86. Rene Auberjonois in Certain Women
87. James McAvoy in X-Men Apocalypse
88. Anthony Mackie in Captain America Civil War
89. Adam Driver in Midnight Special  
90. Paul Rudd in Captain America Civil War
91. Kanji Furutachi in Harmonium
92. Luke Treadaway in Ethel & Ernest
    
93. Ralph Fiennes in Kubo and the Two Strings
94. Riz Ahmed in Rogue One
95. Byung-hun Lee in The Magnificent Seven
96. Masatoshi Nagase in Paterson 
97. Hugh Jackman in Eddie the Eagle
98. Mike Birbiglia in Don't Think Twice
99. Channing Tatum in Hail Caesar!
100. Idris Elba in The Jungle Book  
101. Hayden Szeto in The Edge of Seventeen
102. Mads Mikkelsen in Dr. Strange
103. Lucas Hedges in Manchester by the Sea 
104. David Wenham in Lion
105. Jiang Wen in Rogue One
106. Brendan Gleeson in Live By Night
107. Toby Jones in The Man Who Knew Infinity
108. Sam Worthington in Hacksaw Ridge
109. TJ Miller in Deadpool
110. Jimmy O Yang in Patriots Day
111. Charles Berling in Elle
112. Michael Shannon in Nocturnal Animals
113. Simon Pegg in Star Trek Beyond
114. Toby Jones in Anthropoid
115. Colin Farrell in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 
116. Oscar Kightley in Hunt for the Wilderpeople
117. Aaron Eckhart in Bleed for This
118. Colin Hanks in Elvis & Nixon
119. Rhys Darby in Hunt for the Wilderpeople
120. Jeremy Renner in Captain America Civil War
121. JK Simmons in Kung Fu Panda 3  
122. Stefan Kapicic in Deadpool
123. Ben Kingsley in The Jungle Book 
124. Michael Sheen in Passengers 
125. Hwang Jung-min in The Wailing
126. Joel Edgerton in Midnight Special
127. Tyler Hoechlin in Everybody Wants Some
128. Michael Parks in Blood Father
129. Shingo Tsurumi in The Age of Shadows 
130. Aidan Gillen in Sing Street
131. Corey Stoll in Cafe Society 
132. Jaden Piner in Moonlight
133. Ben Mendelsohn in Rogue One
134. Robert Picardo in Hail Caesar!
135. Joe Cole in Green Room
136. Kyle Chandler in Manchester by The Sea
137. Alex Wolff in Patriots Day
138. Themo Melikidze in Patriots Day
139. Benedict Wong in Dr. Strange 
140. Callum Turner in Green Room
141. Ed Skrein in Deadpool
142. Keanu Reeves in The Neon Demon
143. Timothy Spall in Denial
144. Frank Grillo in Captain America Civil War
145. Bryan Cranston in Kung Fu Panda 3
146. Matthew Goode in Allied  
147. Chiwetel Ejiofor in Dr. Strange
148. Mahershala Ali in Hidden Figures
149. Bill Camp in Midnight Special
150. Mahershala Ali in Free State of Jones
151. Jared Harris in Allied  
152. Laurence Fishburne in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice 
153. Ciaran Hinds in Bleed For This
154. Jemaine Clement in Moana 
155. Kevin Bacon in Patriots Day 
156. Nicolas Cage in Snowden
157. John Goodman Patriots Day
158. Ben Foster in The Finest Hours  
159. Babak Karimi in The Salesman
160. Laurence Fishburne in Passengers
161. Jonas Bloquet in Elle
162. Ciaran Hinds in Silence
163. JK Simmons in Patriots Day
164. Woody Harrelson in Triple 9 
165. William H. Macy in Blood Father
166. Jeremy Irons in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
167. Kodi Smit-McPhee in X-Men Apocalypse
168. Ethan Suplee in Deepwater Horizon 
169. Jay Hernandez in Suicide Squad
170. Karl Urban in Star Trek Beyond 
171. Tye Sheridan in X-Men Apocalypse
172. Clancy Brown in Hail Caesar! 
173. George MacKay in Captain Fantastic
174. Rhys Ifans in Snowden
175. Robert Seeley in The Love Witch
176. Aaron Eckhart in Sully
177. Daniel Grao in Julieta
178. Chiwetel Ejiofor in Triple 9
179. Laurent Lafitte in Elle
180. Karl Urban in Pete's Dragon
181. Zachary Quinto in Star Trek Beyond
182. Jeffrey Vincent Parise in The Love Witch
183. Harry Lloyd in Anthropoid
184. August Diehl in Allied  
185. David Costabile in 13 Hours
186. Anthony Mackie in Triple 9
187. Ken Stott in Cafe Society
188. Simon McBurney in Allied
189. Wyatt Russell in Everybody Wants Some
190. Bradley Cooper in War Dogs
191. Karl Geary in I Am Not a Serial Killer 
192. Graham McTavish in The Finest Hours
193. Norman Reedus in Triple 9 
194. Chris Messina in Live By Night
195. Jeremy Renner in Arrival
196. Chris Cooper in Demolition
197. Keanu Reeves in Keanu 
198. Robert Redford in Pete's Dragon
199. Ryan Guzman in Everybody Wants Some
200. Keith Carradine in A Quiet Passion
201. Edgar Ramirez in Gold
202. Mark Strong in Miss Sloane 
203. Stephen Fry in Love and Friendship
204. Anthony Head in A Street Cat Named Bob
205. Vince Vaughn in Hacksaw Ridge
206. JK Simmons in The Accountant 
207. Chris Tucker in Billy Lynn's Halftime Walk
208. Idris Elba in Zootopia
209. Jai Courtney in Suicide Squad
210. Kevin Pollack in War Dogs
211. Christopher Lambert in Hail Caesar!
212. Ewan McGregor in Miles Ahead
213. Michael Shannon in Loving 
214. Sam Waterston in Miss Sloane
215. Steve Carrell in Cafe Society 
216. Sam Shepard in Midnight Special
217. Anton Lesser in Allied 
218. Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Nocturnal Animals 
219. Jon Bernthal in The Accountant 
220. JK Simmons in Zootopia
221. Clifton Collins Jr. in Triple 9
222. Method Man in Keanu 
223. Anton Yelchin in Star Trek Beyond
224. Choi Woo-shik in Train to Busan
225. Jason Mitchell in Keanu
226. Manuel Garcia-Rulfo in The Magnificent Seven
227. Andrew Scott in Denial
228. Forest Whittaker in Arrival
229. Michael C. Hall in Christine
230. Don Wycherley in Sing Street
231. Eric Bana in The Finest Hours
232. Chris Gethard in Don't Think Twice
233. Steve Martin in Billy Lynn's Halftime Walk
234. Matthew McConaughey in Kubo and the Two Strings
235. Kim Eui-sung in Train to Busan
236. Scoot McNairy in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice 
237. Martin Sensemeier in The Magnificent Seven
238. Johnny Depp in Yoga Hosers 
239. Christopher Walken in The Jungle Book
240. Tracy Letts in Indignation
241. Chris Hemsworth in Ghostbusters 
242. Keith David in The Nice Guys
243. Idris Elba in Star Trek Beyond
244. John Lithgow in The Accountant 
245. Armie Hammer in Birth of a Nation
246. Zach Woods in Other People
247. Dylan Minnette in Don't Breathe
248. Andy Garcia in Ghostbusters
249. Gian Keyes in The Love Witch
250. Peyman Moaadi in 13 Hours
251. Wes Bentley in Pete's Dragon
252. Justin Long in Yoga Hosers 
253. Matt Bomer in The Nice Guys 
254. Michael Stuhlbarg in Arrival
255. Robert Glenister in Live By Night
256. Michael Sheen in Nocturnal Animals
257. Will Smith in Suicide Squad 
258. Oscar Isaac in X-Men Apocalypse
259. Beau Knapp in The Nice Guys
260. Luke Evans in Girl on the Train
261. Michael Stuhlbarg in Miss Sloane
262. Chris Cooper in Live By Night
263. Ezra Miller in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
264. Daniel Zovatto in Don't Breath
265. John Malkovich in Deepwater Horizon 
266. Nick Kroll in Loving
267. Vin Diesel in Billy Lynn's Halftime Walk
268. Aaron Paul in Triple 9 
269. Jim Parsons in Hidden Figures
270. Vincent D'Onofrio in The Magnificent Seven
271. Diego Luna in Blood Father
272. Armie Hammer in Nocturnal Animals  
273. Forest Whittaker in Rogue One 
274. Johnny Depp in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
275. Jackie Earle Haley in Birth of A Nation
276. Jacob Latimore in Collateral Beauty 
277. Justin Theroux in Girl on the Train
278. Bill Murray in Ghostbusters 
279. Judah Lewis in Demolition
280. Peter Sarsgaard in The Magnificent Seven
281. Ralph Garman in Yoga Hosers
282. Joel Kinnaman in Suicide Squad
283. Tyler Posey in Yoga Hosers
284. Jesse Eisenberg in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
285. Matthew Maher in Live By Night
286. Simon Helberg in Florence Foster Jenkins
287. Jared Leto in Suicide Squad
288. Edward Norton in Collateral Beauty
289. Austin Butler in Yoga Hosers
290. Christian Madsen in Mr. Church
291. Neil Casey in Ghostbusters
292. Michael Pena in Collateral Beauty

Next Year: 1937 though I'm going to take a break until after the Oscars.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2016: Sam Neill in Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Sam Neill did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Hector "Uncle Hec" in Hunt for the Wilderpeople.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a very enjoyable film about a juvenile delinquent and his "foster Uncle" hiding in the bush away from a particularly driven child protection service.

Sam Neill despite leading one of the biggest films of all time, Jurassic Park, kind of faded into a certain obscurity going so far as to appear as the doctor in The Escape Plan for some reason. Neill perhaps has gotten his most prominent feature film role in sometime, although it is not saying enough, this film should be more recognized if you ask me, but nevertheless still notable. Anyways it seems Neill just merely needs to take roles where his character goes through an arc involving paternal instincts. So there must be a beginning for that, and the film opens with our troubled youth Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison) being brought to his new home with his "foster aunt"  Bella ready to take care of him, who is married to Neill's Hec. Hec though is not overly interested in the boy, with the initiative of taking Ricky in clearly belonging to his wife. Neill only has a scant few lines in the first twenty minutes of the film, but that in no way hinders Neill's performance. Neill is a great irascible old man in the early scenes as he mostly keeps to himself, as this old sort more comfortable hunting than interacting with someone. Neill exudes such a well placed disdain early on for essentially this initial nuisance of having Ricky around.

After a bit though Ricky becomes more comfortable with his new home and Hec seems to become a bit comfortable with Ricky. Neill's very good though in showing this as basically in reflection to his wife's appreciation of the boy. He hasn't completely taken him into his heart, but Neill shows just the right hints of a potential warmth beneath his crusty old surface. Tragedy though soon strikes though as Bella suddenly dies and even though it is not focused upon for too long Neill actually is very moving in portraying first the more overt anguish at discovering her death then later just wearing the grief within Hec. This is basically all left to Neill and he's really quite effective in internalizing the death within his work. I particularly love his completely humorless reaction towards Ricky, when he asks if he can't get a replacement wife, as Neill shows so well that it is no laughing matter to Hec. He truly has lost someone very dear to him. The film then takes its turn to the main story as Ricky, rather than returning to the child services, decides to run away into the forest, with Hec following shortly afterwards to find him.

This is when Neill's performance really comes into play with the film, and where frankly the brilliance of it becomes evident. Sam Neill essentially has to do it all in that the film needs a bridge between its various aspects, and Neill is that bridge. The film is a comedy, a very funny one at that, and much of the humor is derived from the interactions between Ricky and Hec. Dennison gives a somewhat broad performance as a wannabe gangsta type of kid, and Neill plays so well off of that set up. Neill himself never seems to unintentionally go for laughs, he technically speaking plays Hec in a very realistic fashion, but that's what makes his performance so great. He's a downright perfect as a straight man for Dennison, as his often stone cold reactions to some of his more nonsensical statements are quite hilarious. Neill knows exactly how to amplify anything that Dennison does by so honestly portraying Hec's extremely amusing befuddlement at the boys personal style. Neill is never one note in this and he's so good at keeping his timing right on point throughout the film making just about every comic setup he's given work absolutely without question.

That is not to say that Neill makes Hec some static character, despite needing to act as the straight man. One thing that is so remarkable about Neill's portrayal of Hec is the way he actually is able to build up to a couple of straight jokes himself, and he completely earns them. Neill delivery of these are flawless because he makes these moments still feel so natural to the character of Hec, he makes so it just would seem like something he would say. I have a particularly affection for his incredibly funny switch of first so dramatically saying "now we run", to his straight forward "no reason to run" after instantly facing exhaustion at the prospect. This is such entertaining performance from Neill and againn he never seems to be trying to be entertaining. That's what makes it so special. In that he works with Dennison but breaks off only at the right time and in a way that seems right for Hec. Neill never sacrifices the character for a joke, but he's consistently amusing throughout the film. Neill gives a great example of what can be done when an actor has such a grasp of his material, and crafts such an effective realization of his character.

Of course this isn't just an entertaining performance, again Neill acts as this very important bridge to making the film worth more than quite a few laughs, although that's already a worth a lot if you ask me. Neill though goes further in realizing that connection between Hec and Ricky. Early on in their adventure together Ricky actually causes Hec to lash out him in anger, when Ricky presses Hec over his inability to read. Neill doesn't hold back in making the anger pretty intense actually and again only fitting to how Hec should be. Neill though is just as believable as he makes Hec's meek little apology over his outburst soon afterwards so genuine. Neill does so much in his reactions throughout the film as he never wastes a moment to convey Hec's growing concern for the boy. Neill never rushes a moment in this absolutely taking each step as he should, and again so much of it is in his silence. Neill makes a particularly powerful moment in Hec's earnest concern as he hears about the death of one of Ricky's friends who was also in the foster home system. Neill says it all without having to say a single thing. Neill's truly impressive the way he realizes the more dramatic moments with such ease throughout the film, such as when he loses his loyal dog in a boar attack. Neill instantly makes the moment genuinely heartbreaking as he shows Hec's subtle sadness over the loss with such poignancy. It's hard boiled in its simplicity, yet there is never doubt that Hec is torn up over what he has to do. There is no transition that Neill fails to realize throughout the film. He always keeps the film grounded in the right way. When basically the moment comes for grumpy old Hec to reveal his love for the boy, again he doesn't have to say anything. Neill makes you feel it instead and it is incredibly heartwarming because of how well he does it. It wasn't from a single moment but capitalization on everything that Neill did previously in the film. There is never a conflict with Neill as this is a performance because he merely is Uncle Hec, and everything he does it exactly what Uncle Hec should do. Everything in his portrayal feels natural which is quite the achievement given the technical tonal movement in the film. Neill makes that tone work. Neill utilizes every second of his screen time to give us such a heartfelt yet incredibly amusing turn, I love this performance.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2016

And the Nominees Were Not:

Stellan Skarsgård in Our Kind of Traitor

Damian Lewis in Our Kind of Traitor 

Sam Neill in Hunt For the Wilderpeople

Ben Foster in Hell or High Water

Alden Ehrenreich in Hail Caesar!

Ralph Ineson in The Witch 

Harvey Scrimshaw in The Witch

For Prediction purposes:

Skarsgård from Traitor

Ineson from the VVitch

 And they also were not:

Shinya Tsukamoto in Silence

Yoshi Oida in Silence 

Tadanobu Asano in Silence

Liam Neeson in Silence 

Issey Ogata in Silence

Yosuke Kubozuka in Silence

For prediction purposes:
 
Tsukamoto out of the villagers.  

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1995: Results

5. Gene Hackman in Get Shorty - Hackman gives an effortlessly amusing performance as he manages to make an unscrupulous movie producer rather endearing.

Best Scene: Harry tries to act tough.

4. Don Cheadle in Devil in a Blue Dress -Cheadle takes his time to appear but once he does he steals the show with his magnetic turn as a trigger happy sidekick.

Best Scene: A drunk Mouse.

3. Sam Neill in Restoration - Neill gives a properly grand, and entertaining performance that so well represents the lovable rouge that Charles II needs to be.

Best Scene: Charles sets everything right.

2. Kevin Spacey in Seven - Spacey gives a great performance in realizing the "other worldly" preacher the killer believes he is, but also brilliantly undercuts it by also finding the real hate filled psychopath beneath it all.

Best Scene: The Box.

1. Patrick McGoohan in Braveheart - McGoohan, playing a far less likable King than Charles, also brings the larger than life gravitas, but along with it considerable menace in his depiction of the cruel Longshanks. 

Best Scene: The battle of Falkirk.

Overall Rank:

1. Angus Macfadyen in Braveheart
2. Patrick McGoohan in Braveheart
3. Kevin Spacey in Seven
4. James Cromwell in Babe
5. Sam Neill in Restoration
6. Don Cheadle in Devil in a Blue Dress
7. David O'Hara in Braveheart
8. Gene Hackman in Get Shorty
9. Raymond J. Barry in Dead Man Walking
10. William Hurt in Smoke
11. David Strathairn in Dolores Claiborne
12. Ben Stiller in Heavyweights
13. Sam Waterston in Nixon 
14. Forest Whitaker in Smoke
15. Joaquin Phoenix in To Die For 
16. Harvey Keitel in Smoke
17. Alan Rickman in Sense and Sensibility 
18. Ian Bannen in Braveheart
19. Sean Bean in GoldenEye 
20. Jim Broadbent in Richard III
21. Viggo Mortensen in Crimson Tide
22. Harold Perrineau in Smoke
23. Ian McKellen in Restoration
24. Jeremy Irons in Die Hard With a Vengeance
25. Alan Cumming in GoldenEye
26. Brendan Gleeson in Braveheart
27. Gary Sinise in Apollo 13
28. Tim Roth in Rob Roy
29. Kevin Bacon in Apollo 13
30. Gene Hackman in Crimson Tide 
31. James Woods in Casino 
32. Benicio Del Toro in The Usual Suspects
33. Paul Freeman in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
34. Jonathan Hyde in Jumanji 
35. Pete Postlethwaite in The Usual Suspects
36. John Hurt in Rob Roy
37. Danny DeVito in Get Shorty
38. James Woods in Nixon 
39. Matt Dillon in To Die For
40. Leland Oser in Seven
41. Brian Cox in Rob Roy
42. Dennis Farina in Get Shorty
43. George Dzundza in Crimson Tide 
44. Nigel Hawthorne in Richard III
45. Delroy Lindo in Get Shorty 
46. Andrew Keir in Rob Roy
47. Stephen Baldwin in The Usual Suspects
48. Tom Sizemore in Devil in a Blue Dress
49. R. Lee Ermey in Dead Man Walking
50. Frank Vincent in Casino
51. Colm Meaney in The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain 
52. Tomas von Brömssen in All Things Fair 
53. Robert Prosky in Dead Man Walking 
54. James Cosmo in Braveheart
55. David Thewlis in Restoration
56. Max von Sydow in Judge Dredd 
57. Christopher Plummer in Dolores Claiborne
58. Martin Sheen in The American President
59. Desmond Llewelyn in GoldenEye
60. Ian McDiarmid in Restoration
61. J.T. Walsh in Nixon 
62. Robert Downey Jr. in Richard III
63. R. Lee Ermey in Seven
64. Joe Don Baker in GoldenEye
65. Kevin Pollack in The Usual Suspects
66. Nick Wyman in Die Hard with a Vengeance
67. Michael Gough in Batman Forever 
68. Ernie Hudson in Congo
69. Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa in Mortal Kombat
70. Chazz Palminteri in The Usual Suspects 
71. James Gandolfini in Get Shorty
72. Dan Hedaya in To Die For
73. Kenneth Griffith in The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain 
74. Robbie Coltrane in GoldenEye
75. Don Rickles in Toy Story  
76. Hugh Grant in Sense and Sensibility 
77. Nathaniel Parker in Othello
78. Ed Harris in Nixon
79. Kurtwood Smith in To Die For
80. Gottfried John in GoldenEye
81. Jim Varney in Toy Story
82. Michael J. Fox in The American President
83. Bradley Whitford in Billy Madison
84. Christopher Lambert in Mortal Kombat 
85. Hugh Grant in Restoration
86. Dennis Hopper in Waterworld
87. Tom Sizemore in Heat
88. John Ratzenberger in Toy Story 
89. David Ogden Stiers in Pocahontas
90. Trevor Goddard in Mortal Kombat 
91. Don Rickles in Casino
92. Jon Voight in Heat
93. Wallace Shawn in Toy Story
94. Val Kilmer in Heat
95. Cheech Marin in Desperado
96. Chris Cooper in Money Train 
97. Rob Lowe in Tommy Boy
98. Tom McGowan in Heavyweights
99. Darren McGavin in Billy Madison 
100. Linden Ashby in Mortal Kombat
101. Tim Curry in Congo 
102. Ian McNeice in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls 
103. Jim Cummings in A Goofy Movie
104. Steve Buscemi in Desperado
105. F. Murray Abraham in Mighty Aphrodite
106. Rob Paulsen in A Goofy Movie
107. Donald Sutherland in Outbreak
108. Ed Harris in Apollo 13
109. Sean Connery in First Knight 
110. Morgan Freeman in Outbreak 
111. Bill Paxton in Apollo 13
112. Josh Mostel in Billy Madison 
113. Simon Callow in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
114. Charles S. Dutton in Nick of Time
115. Brian Dennehy in Tommy Boy
116. Samuel West in Carrington
117. David Alan Grier in Jumanji
118. Kevin Gage in Heat
119. Jon Polito in Bushwhacked
120. Rip Torn in Canadian Bacon
121. Rufus Sewell in Carrington
122. Ben Cross in First Knight 
123. Robert Blake in Money Train
124. Joaquim de Almeida in Desperado
125. Eric Bogosian in Under Siege 2: The Dark Territory 
126. Martin Short in Father of the Bride Part II
127. Alan Alda in Canadian Bacon
128. Christopher Walken in Nick of Time 
129. Steven Martini in Major Payne
130. B.D. Wong in Father of the Bride Part II
131. Bob Hoskins in Nixon
132. Johnny Yong Bosch in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
133. George Wendt in Man of the House
134. Grant Heslov in Congo 
135. Brad Pitt in 12 Monkeys 
136. Eric Idle in Casper
137. Morris Chestnut in Under Siege 2: The Dark Territory 
138. Stephen Lang in The Amazing Panda Adventure 
139. Dan Aykroyd in Tommy Boy
140. Michael Rapaport in Mighty Aphrodite
141. Orland Brown in Major Payne
142. Joe Don Baker in Congo 
143. William H. Macy in Mr. Holland's Opus
144. Peter Gallagher in While You Were Sleeping
145. Joe Pantoliano in Bad Boys
146. George Newbern in Father of the Bride Part II 
147. Jay Thomas in Mr. Holland's Opus 
148. Steven Waddington in Carrington
149. Paul Sorvino in Nixon 
150. Charles S. Dutton in Cry, The Beloved Country
151. Steve Cardenas in Might Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
152. David Yost in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
153. Victor Slezak in The Bridges of Madison County
154. Jim Carrey in Batman Forever
155. Tommy Lee Jones in Batman Forever 
156. Armand Assante in Judge Dredd
157. Rob Schneider in Judge Dredd
158. Quentin Tarantino in Desperado 
159. Michael Maloney in Othello
160. Chris O'Donnell in Batman Forever
161. Julian Sands in Leaving Las Vegas

Next Year: 1928

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1995: Sam Neill in Restoration

Sam Neill did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying King Charles II in Restoration.

Restoration is a disjointed though still effective film about the phases in the life of one doctor Robert Merivel (Robert Downey Jr.) during a period of restoration in England.

Sam Neill plays the man partly responsible for the restoration, In simplest terms restoration of the monarchy in England after the rule of Oliver Cromwell, who in fact had Charles's father, Charles I, executed. Charles II comes into the film through his invitation to Merivel to possibly help one of his beloved companions a Spaniel. Charles was known as the merry monarch and this is what Neill plays into in his earliest appearances of the film. Neill is probably best known for rather serious minded characters so it is interesting to see him take on Charles. Neill is actually incredibly charismatic in the role and has the sort of presence needed for such a King. Neill has this grand quality about him that would only fit a royal upbringing, as he acts as though he is on a separate ground than anyone else, well because he kind of is being King and all. What's so special about what Neill does is he's not unlikable in the role. The charm he finds within the King's behavior quite abundant, and he becomes the eccentric and lovable sort of rouge the merry monarch needs to be. A man who obviously probably spends too much on his personal excesses, but Neill makes you really like the man anyways.

It also needs to be said that Neill gives a performance that is simply fun to watch as he realizes so well the indulgence eccentricities about the King. Again the character easily could have come off as a repulsive man whose personal excess is something off-putting. Neill goes with it in a way though that makes the man only endearing. This shown particularly well in his central attachment to Merivel which is to make him a false husband for one of his mistresses, in order to satisfy another one of his mistresses. Again Neill is just splendid because he somehow makes Charles request seem quite reasonable and fair, even though it is only for his own selfish purposes. The thing is though that the film never blames Charles or even depicts him in really even an unsympathetic light. Neill makes this completely work with his performance though, because he manages to make Charles that larger than life figure he needs to be to allow a certain contradiction. That being it is only Charles's family that technically makes him anything more than any other man, but that winning personality that Neill creates so well more than makes up for anything questionable the man might do.

Neill finds just the right tone for his work, that also manages to work within the tone of the film which wavers between light comedy and drama. Neill is very entertaining in the role, but once again, even though Charles probably should just be a joke, he never comes off as one, once again due to Neill. As much as Neill great at being that lovable rouge, he makes Charles worthy of being a King as well. Neill exudes a strong command, even within the character's certain flamboyance, that is worthy for a ruler of a country. Neill very naturally has this even part of Charles when he is speaking completely unimportant things such as that his prize dog will no longer call back to him. Neill though is excellent in the way that when a situation calls for it, the true King in Charles becomes all the more evident. When Charles actually has to actually get something done, such as setting Merivel straight, Neill is striking as he delivers that authoritative control out of the situation without question, and the most important part is Neill makes seem from that very same man who was heartbroken over his dog. Neill is especially effective when this side of Charles reveals itself late in the film where he essentially fixes everything for Merivel. Neill is fantastic in the scene because he brings such a warmth within that powerful determination the man has essential for a great King. Neill does not even have that many scenes, being completely absent for a large chunk of the film. Charles II is never forgotten though as Neill makes such an impact in the the time that he does have, in his portrait of the man that frankly was worthy of an entire film.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1995

And the Nominees Were Not:

Angus Macfadyen in Braveheart

David O'Hara in Braveheart

Patrick McGoohan in Braveheart

Don Cheadle in Devil in a Blue Dress

Kevin Spacey in Seven

Sam Neill in Restoration

Gene Hackman in Get Shorty

For Prediction Purposes:

Take McGoohan from the Braveheart men.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1993: Results

6. Sean Penn in Carlito's Way- Penn gives a suitable enough performance that does not fall into the problems of his later work, but still it is not anything that remarkable.

5. Sam Neill in The Piano- Neill does his best to not fall into his cliches of his sort of character creating a believable portrayal of a man who simply does not understand the woman who he wants as his wife.

4. Christopher Lloyd in Twenty Bucks- Lloyd is so incredible in his short segment of his compilation film to the point that I wish the film had been solely about him. He creates a terrific portrait of a small time criminal who is as efficient as one probably could be in his line of work.

3. Ben Kingsley in Schindler's List- Kingsley gives a very quiet, but very moving performance as the man who desperately tries to save as many people as he can by trying convince another man to do the right thing.

2.Val Kilmer in Tombstone- Kilmer brings to life the role of the larger than life Doc Holliday well combining both the flamboyancy and morose qualities of the man beautifully.

1. Richard Jordan in Gettysburg- Good Prediction RatedRStar. Although this year is a spectacular year for supporting actor I can easily choose my favorite non Oscar nominated performance of the year in Richard Jordan. I really do not cry from watching films but watching Jordan's performance as a civil war General pained by the fact that he must fight his best friend is the closest I have ever come to doing so. His performance is so powerful I am very tempted to give him the whole year.

Overall Rank:

1. Richard Jordan in Gettysburg
2. Ralph Fiennes in Schindler's List
3. Val Kilmer in Tombstone
4. Pete Postlethwaite in In the Name of the Father
5. Ben Kingsley in Schindler's List
6. Christopher Lloyd in Twenty Bucks
7. Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park  
8. Stephen Lang in Gettysburg 
9. Richard Attenborough in Jurassic Park
10. Leonardo DiCaprio in What's Eating Gilbert Grape?
11. John Malkovich in In the Line of Fire 
12. Dennis Hopper in True Romance   
13. Chazz Palminteri in A Bronx Tale
14. Michael Biehn in Tombstone 
15. Gary Oldman in True Romance  
16. Michael Keaton in Much Ado About Nothing
17. Gene Hackman in The Firm 
18. Matthew McConaughey in Dazed and Confused
19. Christopher Walken in True Romance 
20. James Gandolfini in True Romance
21. Steve Buscemi in Twenty Bucks
22. Mark Hamill in Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
23. Robert De Niro in A Bronx Tale
24. Tom Waits in Short Cuts 
25. Kevin Conway in Gettysburg  
26. Joe Pesci in A Bronx Tale 
27. JT Walsh in Red Rock West
28. Sam Neill in The Piano
29. Jack Lemmon in Short Cuts
30. Dennis Hopper in Red Rock West
31. Joe Mantegna in Searching For Bobby Fischer    
32. Brian Mallon in Gettysburg 
33. Harvey Keitel in The Piano
34. Don Baker in In the Name of the Father
35. Clint Eastwood in A Perfect World
36. Wilford Brimley in The Firm
37. Joseph Mazzello in Jurassic Park
38. Viggo Mortensen in Carlito's Way 
39. Ben Kingsley in Searching For Bobby Fischer
40. Saul Rubinek in True Romance
41. Michael Rooker in Cliffhanger
42. Martin Sheen in Gettysburg 
43. Bruce Davison in Short Cuts  
44. Spalding Gray in King of the Hill 
45. Adam Goldberg in Dazed and Confused
46. Sam Elliot in Tombstone 
47. Laurence Fishburne in Searching For Bobby Fischer
48. Charlton Heston in Wayne's World 2
49. Bob Peck in Jurassic Park
50. Peter Wight in Naked
51. Stephen Tobolowsky in Groundhog's Day
52. Brad Pitt in True Romance
53. Denzel Washington in Much Ado About Nothing
54. Tim Robbins in Short Cuts
55. Ed Harris in The Firm
56. Ken Page in The Nightmare Before Christmas
57. Frank Langella in Dave
58. Ben Affleck in Dazed and Confused
59. Stephen Lang in Tombstone
60. Samuel L. Jackson in Jurassic Park 
61. Michael Wincott in The Three Musketeers
62. Sean Penn in Carlito's Way
63. Charles S. Dutton in Rudy
64. Wayne Knight in Jurassic Park
65. Bill Paxton in Tombstone
66. John Lynch in In the Name of the Father
67. Sam Elliot in Gettysburg
68. Fred Ward in Short Cuts 
69. Kiefer Sutherland in The Three Musketeers
70. C. Thomas Howell in Gettysburg
71. Tommy Lee Jones in The Fugitive
72. David Strathairn in The Firm
73. Walter Matthau in Dennis the Menace
74. Chris Penn in Short Cuts
75. Powers Booth in Tombstone
76. Gary Busey in The Firm
77. Bronson Pinchot in True Romance
78. Tom Hulce in Fearless 
79. Brian Blessed in Much Ado About Nothing 
80. Ned Beatty in Rudy
81. Dick Miller in Matinee
82. Oliver Platt in The Three Musketeers 
83. Adrien Brody in King of The Hill
84. Robert Downey Jr. in Short Cuts 
85. John Turturro in Fearless 
86. Charles Dance in Last Action Hero
87. William Hickey in The Nightmare Before Christmas
88. Anthony Michael Hall in Six Degrees of Separation
89. Charlie Sheen in The Three Musketeers
90. Chris Elliot in Groundhog's Day
91. Ben Kingsley in Dave
92. Anthony Quinn in Last Action Hero
93. Matthew Modine in Short Cuts 
94. Tim Curry in The Three Musketeers
95. Christopher Lloyd in Dennis the Menace
96. Christopher Reeve in The Remains of the Day 
97. Dennis Hopper in Super Mario Bros. 
98. Michael Rapaport in True Romance
99. John Lithgow in Cliffhanger 
100. John Leguizamo in Carlito's Way
101. Joroen Krabbe in The Fugitive
102. Peter Gallagher in Short Cuts
103. Jason Robards in Philadelphia
104. Luis Guzman in Carlito's Way
105. Dylan McDermott in In the Line of Fire
106. Antonio Banderas in Philadelphia
107. Pierce Brosnan in Mrs. Doubt Fire 
108. JT Walsh in Needful Things
109. Frederic Forrest in Falling Down
110. Steve Williams in Jason Goes to Hell
111. Omri Katz in Matinee
112. T.J. Lowther in A Perfect World 
113. Robert Picardo in Matinee
114. Fisher Stevens in Super Mario Bros.
115. Richard Edson in Super Mario Bros. 
116. Ralph Waite in Cliffhanger
117. J.J. Abrams in Six Degrees of Separation
118. Greg Cruttwell in Naked 
119. Mojo Nixon in Super Mario Bros. 

Next Year: 2003 Supporting

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1993: Sam Neill in The Piano

Sam Neill did not receive an Oscar nomination, although he did receive an AFI nomination, but since Reb Brown received one of those one can perhaps question their validity, for portraying Alistair Stewart in The Piano.

The Piano is a powerful film about a mute woman Ada (Holly Hunter) and her daughter who go to New Zealand with her prized piano. She is sent to be married to a wealthy plantation owner, but ends up becoming involved with the plantation owner's friend Baines (Harvey Keitel).

Sam Neill portrays the plantation owner, and really this is a role one can probably predict quite a bit about from the moment you see him on screen. The other man in the love triangle is a role that can easily be an extremely one dimensional character. These characters sometimes can be just extremely dull straw men simply there to show how great the other romantic lead is, or they can be just one dimensional evil villains who are evil just for evil's sake it seems. Although I won't say that the part of Alistair is that complex of a character, he thankfully is not either of the two types of the other man used in lesser films.

Alistair is a character who has the tenants of these sorts of characters is that he is the richer man, he is the first man, and he really does not understand Ada very well. Well Neill should get a great deal of credit here in that he does not settle allowing Alistair to be a simplistic character in that he does a very good job in showing that Alistair's reaction to her is not something because he is too little of a character to understand, but rather he genuinely does not know what to do with her. Neill actually conveys an earnestness in his character that portrays Alistair as a man who honestly wants to understand but he can't.

Alistair is not a perfect man in any way, far far from it in fact. Neill though plays him as a man who is attempting to be some sort of husband, and father but really can't quite fit the role. One particular good moment early on in the film is when he trying to comb his hair properly as he is going to meet Ada for the first time. Neill does well in showing Alistair's attempt to turn himself into what he believes he is suppose to be, but really there is that lack of experience and fear of sorts underlying in his face. Neill creates this problem well in Alistair that works quite well later on in the film.

Later in the film when Alistair finds of the affair between Ada and Baines, Neill is quite good because he does not portray it as you might expect. Again Neill is good because he does not portray simply anger in Alistair, as he really has not become that attached to Ada, but rather he quite effective making the reaction one of bewilderment. Alistair is not at all relieved by her continuing going to Baines even after saying he knows, and later even tempting Alistair, but not allowing him to touch her. Alastair's reaction to the affair soon becomes extreme, than later becomes quite reasonable, this would seem hard to believe but Neill makes it work.

Neill makes the two actions of Alistair first one of extreme violence toward Ada, than later one of understanding. This works because Neill's depiction throughout showing Alistair as a man trying comprehend Ada. Her actions that throw him into violence is shown by Neill as the worst possible thing for Alistair, as her continued actions against his will only lead him to a worse state of inability to discern her. Neill makes his violence towards her less of actual hate, but rather of frustration. His just as extreme turnaround is actually earned by Neill because he portrays a realization in Alistair. This works because it is not of Alistair finally knows what Ada wants, but rather simply that he is better off without her because he has not idea how to understand her. Neill does exactly what he needs to in this role, making his character's action entirely believable. With all of that said though I would say while good in the role he is not what your remember from the film. Both Harvey Keitel, and Neill are overshadowed by Holly Hunter's performance. Neill is most certainly good, I must stress that but his performance simply is not where the power of the film comes from.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1993

And the Nominees Were Not:

Richard Jordan in Gettysburg 

Sam Neill in The Piano 

Ben Kingsley in Schindler's List

Val Kilmer in Tombstone

Sean Penn in Carlito's Way