Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
from esquire.com
Cranston is definitely the surprise here as thus far he hasn't reached anything near the publicity, critical acclaim/attention of the other four nominees, taking the place I expected to go to Tom Hanks for Bridge of Spies or Matt Damon for The Martian. I think it's almost a foregone conclusion that DiCaprio is going to win the Oscar anyway so it's just formalities for the other nominees; personally I was hoping that the likes of Ian McKellen and Jason Segel could've snuck in but oh well. Looks like Biopics are the theme of the year as all five nominees are to one extent or the other, portrayals of real-life people.
BRYAN CRANSTON / Dalton Trumbo – “TRUMBO” (Bleecker Street) JOHNNY DEPP / James “Whitey” Bulger – “BLACK MASS” (Warner Bros. Pictures) LEONARDO DiCAPRIO / Hugh Glass – “THE REVENANT” (20th Century Fox) MICHAEL FASSBENDER / Steve Jobs – “STEVE JOBS” (Universal Pictures) EDDIE REDMAYNE / Einar Wegener/Lili Elbe – “THE DANISH GIRL” (Focus Features)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
one of these two ladies is not the lead she should be nominated as
Larson, Blanchett, and Ronan are essentially locks at this point. I can definitely say the latter two are completely deserving, and everything I've heard indicates that Larson gives a barnstormer of a performance in Room. Carey Mulligan's performance in Suffragette is losing momentum with every awards snub it's getting, although I could see it picking up more recognition come big awards time if they surround her with more publicity. Mirren and Silverman are definitely the surprises here; the former was good but nothing incredible in Woman in Gold and I haven't seen Silverman yet.
CATE BLANCHETT / Carol Aird – “CAROL” (The Weinstein Company) BRIE LARSON / Ma – “ROOM” (A24) HELEN MIRREN / Maria Altmann – “WOMAN IN GOLD” (The Weinstein Company)SAOIRSE RONAN / Eilis – “BROOKLYN” (Fox Searchlight Pictures) SARAH SILVERMAN / Laney Brooks – “I SMILE BACK” (Broad Green Pictures)
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
from variety.com
I'm kind of intrigued by The Big Short now. The topic matter doesn't really interest me but if Bale's a scene-stealer, well that's enough to compel me to watch it. I've heard both favourable and unfavourable things about Shannon's performance in 99 Homes but he seems to be gradually picking up more and more momentum as we go along. Tremblay by all accounts is category fraud but hell, I hear he gives an amazing performance. Rylance is a very deserving nominee, as is Elba. Big surprise is definitely none of the Spotlight players getting in, which I could see as being a result of splitting votes; I could see Tom Hardy in The Revenant as having missed out on account of there being too much focus on campaigning DiCaprio, and maybe they just didn't like Creed enough to nominate Stallone. CHRISTIAN BALE / Michael Burry – “THE BIG SHORT” (Paramount Pictures) IDRIS ELBA / Commandant – “BEASTS OF NO NATION” (Netflix) MARK RYLANCE / Abel Rudolph – “BRIDGE OF SPIES” (DreamWorks) MICHAEL SHANNON / Rick Carver – “99 HOMES” (Broad Green Pictures) JACOB TREMBLAY / Jack – “ROOM” (A24)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
usatoday: McAdams for the Oscar nom? Better believe it.
MARA IN SUPPORTING IS CATEGORY FRAUD. On the plus side she has a high chance of winning since from what I've seen none of the other nominees makes nearly as incredible an impact as she does. Vikander is apparently a category fraud too but I'm just glad she got recognition in some way (even if she also needs a LOT more love for her work in Ex Machina and Testament of Youth). Winslet gave a solid supporting turn in an Oscar-baity film which I'll assume is the same case for McAdams. Mirren in Trumbo is apparently a scene-stealer so I'm not surprised at all to see her get in. ROONEY MARA / Therese Belivet – “CAROL” (The Weinstein Company) RACHEL McADAMS / Sacha Pfeiffer – “SPOTLIGHT” (Open Road Films) HELEN MIRREN / Hedda Hopper – “TRUMBO” (Bleecker Street) ALICIA VIKANDER / Gerda Wegener – “THE DANISH GIRL” (Focus Features) KATE WINSLET / Joanna Hoffman – “STEVE JOBS” (Universal Pictures)
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
straightouttacompton.com Really need to see this.
I'm most intrigued by the love Beasts of No Nation is getting here since the reviews I've read on it have basically focused solely on Attah and Elba. The Big Short and Spotlight, as well as Trumbo don't particularly surprise me, Spotlight in particular. Straight Outta Compton is a film I really need to check out; by all accounts its a flawlessly performed ensemble piece.
I'm still quite torn what my favourite Tarantino opening scene is: that prologue to Inglorious Basterds or the scene at the diner that begins Reservoir Dogs. I think I'll settle for the latter now just because of the collective greatness of the scene from a directorial, performative and most of all, dialogic standpoint. There's that circling camera panning around the table, capturing each and every one of the character in their different stances: Mr Blonde and Mr White cool and collected in their different ways, Mr Orange nervous and defensive (and hint hint overdoing those wiseguy mannerisms a tad bit), Nice Guy Eddie just shooting the breeze, Joe mindlessly ambling about the past, Mr Brown digressing about Madonna, Mr Blue having a fine old time being the most obvious red herring in all movie history. And of course, Steve Buscemi's terrific performance as Mr Pink, setting off at the end on one of the best written speeches in all movie history. Within 8 minutes and minimalist direction that makes use of close-ups and some pointed, subtle tonal changes--I particularly love the moment where Mr Blonde says 'you want me to shoot this guy' and the chuckling of the table soon segues into a retrospectively chilling shot of him wiping his hands in glee--make this one terrific mealtime scene.
Jazz club scene in 'Collateral' (2004)
Every time someone tells me Tom Cruise is a dreadful actor, I implore them to check this film out. His most fantastic performance as hitman Vincent is one domineering, once-in-a-lifetime masterpiece of acting, and in this particular scene he does so well in showing the different shades of the stone-cold killer. That usual Cruise charisma, but here delivered with an altogether more unnvering edge, which makes the chemistry of this scene perfectly balanced with the naturalistic rapport of Jamie Foxx and Barry Shabaka Henley. There's something off which Michael Mann's digitalized direction conveys, but the jovial nature of the performances put you off that scent till Vincent blows the act off in all his glory.
The ending to 'Ice Cold in Alex' (1959)
Bit tentative about adding on an ending scene here but anyway, SPOILERS (although to be honest it doesn't really ruin anything that major. You can watch it in all its entirety now and then watch the film again and it'll lose none of its impact because of how wonderfully its shot from that dispensing of beer, to that final shot of the film's central quartet being taken apart. What I love about this scene is how even after all the tension of the preceding setpieces it maintains it in such a casual manner, and yet also gives that emotional impact to the proceedings. Also the great Anthony Quayle is fantastic as always here.
The restaurant scene in 'In Bruges' (2008)
Sure it's slightly in ill-taste but I don't care. This is one of the funniest dinner scenes of all time and it's testament to Colin Farrell's brilliant performance (my win for 2008) that he makes the dialogue of Martin McDonagh run so smoothly and beautifully through his hilarious dealings with 'American' tourists. Technically speaking in an incredibly well-directed film this is one of the more straightforward scenes. But it's handled so well by the acting. So props for that.
Two scenes from 'Marty' (1955)
Two of the most naturalistic, touching (in different ways) scenes ever rendered on film and all they involve is a camera focusing on some incredible actors, most notably Ernest Borgnine as the titular Marty who in the first scene above expresses the repressed heartache of a lonely man in his shell (thinking the only tomatoes he'll ever be getting will be the ones in his nightly spaghetti), and in the second one the gradual blossoming of him through the charming Clara (Betsy Blair).
The diner scene in 'Se7en' (1995)
All I can really say about this scene is that it's a very, very well-acted scene. Fincher's perfectionism would've ensured that Freeman and Paltrow give the strong emotional connection these two characters generate in this one of their few scenes together, and it's simply a masterstroke of writing.
Thanksgiving dinner in 'The Gold Rush' (1928)
Hands down one of the funniest ever dinner scenes...if it can even be called that. Chaplin's Tramp, looking a bit more downtrodden than usual, partakes in one of the grimier Thanksgiving dinners ever.
Eating machine scene in 'Modern Times' (1936)
Although that's nothing compared to the hilarity of the eating machine scene where Chaplin merges excellent effects, camerawork and of course physical comedy to perfection.
Cartel Land is a gruelling documentary that gives us insight
into the brutal, unforgiving world of Mexican cartels, which is in my ever so humble opinion, the hands down the
best documentary of the year. It’s a great achievement for any documentary when it gets the audience so
involved that they forget they’re watching a documentary and it starts feeling
like a feature film: well lets just say Cartel Land really captures that feeling.
Arguably the main purpose of a documentary is to inform you about a subject or
at least offer some new information that you didn’t know before, Cartel Land
goes beyond that and when you leave the cinema (read couch) you will be feeling
like an insider who knows things that they aren’t supposed to. That’s the
amazing thing about this film, it tells you things in an almost
whispering-in-your-ear kind of way, it feels like it’s all supposed to be a
secret (yes the events in the film are that unbelievable) and you shouldn’t be
seeing what you are. Of course that’s great and terrifically exciting and
that’s why this documentary hits you like a punch, seriously though nothing
this year will make you feel so naïve.
In what is perhaps the most underrated and underseen film of
the year (Calvin's note: I will concur even without seeing the film as it's been getting rave reviews but doesn't seem to be showing anywhere), Joel Edgerton gives the most criminally overlooked performance of the
year (Intrigued? Thought so) (Calvin's note: Edgerton's fantastic in Black Mass as well, and he also directed/scripted this film) and if that wasn’t enough the man has written and
directed the film as well (Calvin's note: seems you're as impressed as I am). Naturally you’re curious to know what the film is
about and the best way to answer that question is by describing how the film
makes you feel, because really the film is less about the story (mind you there
are some excellent twists), but more about the atmospheric thrills that leave
you questioning what is right, and what is wrong, and where lies the line between
morality and immorality.
I’ve always considered it absolutely brilliant when MILD SPOILER AHEAD a
film switches protagonists and antagonists midway, because it’s such a hard and
bold move to make, needless to say The Gift pulls it off with perfection and in
the end you’re confused about who you really sympathise with.
SPOILER FREE NOW
If you like tense thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat and are
nail-bitingly suspenseful then The Gift is the movie for you tonight, seriously
you’ll thank me for this one (or any of the other 3 in this article). (Calvin's note: Apparently Jason Bateman who I'm usually not much of a fan of is great here, so definitely worth checking out. Also, Rebecca Hall <3)
A Most Violent Year was one of my 3
favourite films of 2014 alongside Whiplash and Nightcrawler (Calvin's note: Whiplash is my Best Picture choice for 2014-2015) and there’s a theme
it shares with the other two, which is Ambition. A Most Violent year is a film
with incredibly sharp and intelligent dialogue, beautiful vignette
cinematography and brilliant performances, this is one of those rare films in
which almost every character is extremely smart and that’s what makes any
conversation in the film so exciting.
J.C. Chandor who is the writer/director of the film has an immensely versatile
and impressive 3 film filmography (Margin Call 2011 and All is Lost 2013) I
highly recommend watching his other two films as well, in the years to come
J.C. Chandor is destined to become a great filmmaker just like his contemporary
and fellow auteur Cary Fukunaga (True Detective 2011, Beasts of No Nation
2015). Alright enough fanboy praising, back to the movie in which Oscar Isaac
provides us with what is perhaps one of his best performances (amongst rapidly
increasing competition) as an effortlessly reliable, self assured good guy that
you can’t help but root for, all the way (Calvin's note: Issac = the new Pacino. Calling it now). Of course it’s just a cherry on top
that Jessica Chastain totally excels in her role of a mobster’s daughter and
Oscar Isaac’s wife, gracing us with one of her career best performances as well.
I must say though, this is not a film that relies on a lot of different themes
(definitely not action as it’s name might suggest to some) but slow building
dialogue-dependent tension, in fact it’s set in 1981 NYC, which was statistically
the most violent year in the city’s history and hence the title. Watch this
film and you’ll know what a brilliantly crafted piece of cinema you had been
missing out on.
Style over substance is always a
bad thing but maybe style slightly over substance may not be so bad, well
that’s the point that Palo Alto tries to make anyway and it pretty much gets
away with it too. The thing is we have to cut Gia Coppola some slack since it’s
her debut feature (yes she’s from THAT royal family of Hollywood) but I have to
admit this is one of the most beautifully shot, soothingly scored films I’ve
ever seen in my whole (19 years of) life. The plot, which is based on James
Franco’s short stories (who also stars in the film), is somewhat generic but
it’s strengthened with some fine performances (including a charmingly naïve
Emma Roberts) and breathtaking cinematography.
At the end of the day Palo Alto is
(on paper at least) a basic coming-of-age story that is elevated by stunning
visual filmmaking. Oh and BTW this film has Val Kilmer. Fat. Fat Val Kilmer.
Don’t tell me you don’t wanna see that.
Best Actor: The one category, I must confess, where there's really no major competition at all thus far. I loved Matt Damon in The Martian and Michael Fassbender in Macbeth but to be honest there's no performance I've seen this year which comes even close to usurping Ian McKellen and his fantastic portrayal of an ageing Sherlock Holmes in Mr Holmes which is one of those performances for the ages: read more about it here
Best Actress: I thorougly adored Rooney Mara in Carol but I'll hold off calling her the definite winner here as Saorise Ronan is magnificent too in Brooklyn and both performances carry with them similar strengths: that subtle, beautiful mode of using eyes to convey volumes. I would not mind either of them winning the Oscar, but for the meantime I'll be rooting for Mara simply on a whim.
Best Supporting Actor: The most troublesome category for me. The beautifully understated, elegaic depiction of Gabriel Oak by the incomparable Belgian Brando Matthias Schoenaerts? The enigmatic, humorous and strangely moving work by Mark Rylance as Russian spy Rudolf Abel in Bridge of Spies? Or Nicholas Hoult's magnetic turn as Nux in Mad Max Fury Road where every moment was a lovely, lovely day? Maybe another frontrunner will emerge soon but for the timebeing these three are just about on equal par for me.
Best Supporting Actress: Alicia Vikander's turn in Ex Machina is easily one of the best performances I've seen anywhere this year, but question is is she lead or supporting? I'll have more of a think about it but for the timebeing she's a solid first. Elizabeth Debicki was fantastic in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. as was Lea Seydoux in Spectre, but for the timebeing they're still quite far off from Vikander's incredibly complex, engaging work in Alex Garland's sci-fi masterpiece.
Therese in Carol works as a shopgirl, but her true passion is photography; a motif which could've been if overly enforced in the film (snapshots of life's external beauty to comfort her interior feelings) come across as too much, but instead works perfectly in accordance with the films tone. Each snapshot she takes of her beloved Carol works in a dual sort of way: in those moments where they're being taken, Haynes directs these scenes with a glowing light, luminously painting Blanchett's Carol in bright shades, but many of the scenes where we see the actual photographs are dimly lit. This shows the retrospective power of There's photos: they capture beautiful moments in time, but are often looked over in times of sorrow and longing. They represent a bittersweet representation of past and a painful indicator into the present.
As my film buff friend Nick Mastrini pointed out (by the way check out his blog herehttps://medium.com/within-and-without), Todd Hayne's magnificent (that's right, magnificent) Carol bears more than a few similarities to the 1940's David Lean masterpiece Brief Encounter. In a broader sense: those piercing gazes. Repressed passion, but here unleashed in one of the most sensual, beautifully directed sex scenes I've ever watched on film. Propriety. That stylized manner of dialogue delivery (Cate Blanchett quite clearly modelling her accent and demeanour in the guise of a more prim and proper Lauren Bacall/Elizabeth Taylor, Rooney Mara a spitting image of an even more tender, doe-eyed Audrey Hepburn). Those wonderful scenes technically static, sat across tables, limbs strung across a bed, or side by side in a car, finding so much movement within confined spaces, slowly allowing passion to flourish.
from telegraph.online.uk
What I want to look into more though today is the character dynamics. The whole aesthetic and craftsmanship of Haynes is remarkable and deserves an article in itself. Whilst watching the film I was taken aback by the presence Cate Blanchett's Carol carried herself with: confidence, assertion, like she'd done all this before. And she has, in a sense, falling in line with Trevor Howard in Brief Encounter if you lend yourself to a more pessimistic view of the character as a well-versed cad just 'playing' the role of the nice guy. What's remarkable with Blanchett's work here is the sheer comfort with which she carries herself into the role. There's no artifice to Carol's methods with Rooney Mara's Therese; it all feels so natural to the woman because no, she's not a cad, she's not an active manipulator. She's within her element with Therese through her attraction to her alone; she has the domineering dynamic because she is attracted to Therese. Contrast the warmth of her scenes with Therese, where she is allowed to be 'herself', to the scenes where she puts up the colder, more angrily emotive front to others. She's someone who's more feigned than lived life, falling in line with her presumable having been in the closet quite a while. She reminded me in more ways than one too of Brad Pitt in The Assasination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford: her sheer volume of presence as Blanchett the Star jus seeps into the role. She practically glows in certain scenes. Make no mistake about it this isn't one of those 'chameleonic' roles for Blanchett like I'm Not There. This is a full-fledged harnessing of her capabilities as a movie star, MOVIE STAR. And it's entrancing.
from vimeo.com
Mara's performance is probably the more complex one and if she were to be nominated in the supporting category come Oscar time...fraud, fraud, fraud. I mentioned Brief Encounter before and another point I'm going to come to here is the power of the gaze. More specifically, Mara's gaze. Her talents as an actress, like Celia Johnson's, lie so much in those piercing doe eyes of her. She's probably the most beautiful I've ever seen anyone on film in this film. There's that fantastic wardrobe of course, and of course Haynes' direction (Part II will deal with Haynes). If Blanchett was the equivalent of Pitt's Jesse James, Mara's Therese is the film's trump card a la Casey Affleck as Robert Ford. The seemingly insignificant face in the crowd, content with being a face in a crowd till come face to face with someone special. But while Robert Ford sought to make himself into an image of Jesse James, Therese admires Carol and sticks with that. Through the power of photography she doesn't become subservient to Carol, rather she facilitates that otherworldy quality to Blanchett's performance, while gradually finding increasing strength within her to break out of the 'face in the crowd' she's been wrongly piegeonholed as. She moves up the jobs spectrum. She finds more confidence in herself. When the affair is broken off she's the one who actively pursues a way to salvage it together and, not to spoil anything, takes the final initiative. Rooney Mara, if you don't win an Oscar this year, the Academy better have a good excuse. Sorry Ronan, Mulligan. We've got a new frontrunner in town.
Pretty self-explanatory: in my opinion, 25 great films to watch in the 25 days leading up to the big day. In any order, really. Hint: if you note a conspicuous absence of one particular film in either of these lists, there's a reason for that...it's my all-time favourite film and I'm waiting to cover it in a full blog post ;)
Yes, I know this isn't from an actual film lols.
HERE'S SANTA
1. Edward Scissorhands
Credit: Oskar G. Herrera
Simply put one of the most finely made cinematic fairytales of all-time. The ending certainly hits hard, perhaps a bit too much to nurture one's joyous Christmas spirits, but the beauty of the cinematography, music, and above all the amazing central performance by Johnny Depp, so incredibly minimalistic and nuanced and yet packing such a punch, makes it well worth a Christmas (re) watch.
2. Gremlins
Credits: Movieclips
Credits: Moveiclips
I think the above two clips give a good idea about the tone of this film about the titular miscreants (and one good apple, the ADORABLE Gizmo) as they lay siege to a small suburban town. Equal parts absolutely endearing and macabarely funny, it has its fair share of scary moments but never to the extent that it's not pleasurable holiday viewing. That mechanical chair scene is one of the movie scenes I've felt worst about laughing at.
3. The Shop Around the Corner
Credits: netgazer3
I'll get more onto Jimmy Stewart and Christmas films at some later point, but this is another superb romantic comedy of his, directed with aplomb by the incomparable Ernst Lubitsch. The 'Budapest' setting just gives the film a sense of magic to the distinctly comical tones, and Stewart and on-screen sparring partner Magaret Sullivan have fantastic chemistry that cover beats of holiday love in the air wonderfully, while Frank Morgan handles the darker aspects of the storyline with equal dexterity.
4. Love Actually
Credits: dorune
Credits: Yu-Hsiang Chen
I used to think this was a guilty pleasure of mine. Now as the years go by it hits me harder and harder just how good a reflection of the human spirit come holiday time it really is. It's a delightful comedy at points, and heartbreaking at others, but one thing that's constant throughout is that sweet tone which never abides. I love this film, and I have no shame in saying so.
5. The Nightmare Before Christmas
Credits: Warhead
Some of the most quotably morbid Christmas songs come from this Tim Burton-produced masterpiece. Cracking tunes aside the twisted and yet oddly sweet edge it gives to the holiday spirit of Christmas is really quite masterful in itself, as we're both drawn and endeared into this unique little world of Jack Skellington (Chris Sarandon/Danny Elfman) which could've otherwise been a bit off-putting.
6. Scrooge (1951)
Credits: HolidayStore
There have been many adaptations of A Christmas Carol. The 1970 musical and 1984 television film are all solid in their own right (I'll hold back discussion, future Head-to-Head perhaps?) but my favourite of them all by far is the 1951 version. It's both faithful to the book while adding on some nice little flourishes of its own in terms of direction and artistic licence, and that ending is rendered so uplifting by its quiet yet very impactful sense of happiness it infuses on the viewer.
7. Miracle on 34th Street (THE 1947 ONE)
Credits: BobKerstein (sorry, could only find the colourised version)
Watch this scene without welling up into tears. Okay, so maybe not everyone's as much of a weepie as me. But Miracle on 34th Street is just simply put one marvellous Christmas film. Edmund Gwenn is the definitive Santa, you couldn't ask for a better supporting cast of lovely, quirky and endearing fellows and lasses (especially a terrific young Natalie Wood) to support them, and overall this is a perfect family film to watch come festivities.
8. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Credits: Eliona Lorex
One of the best comedies of all-time, Shane Black's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang may not be to everyone's tastes, but I do recommend this terrific dark comedy for anyone wanting a bit of edge to their Christmas viewing, or just enjoys watching a cracking crime-cum-mystery story with Robert Downey Jr. just doing Robert Downey Jr. things (Michelle Monaghan and Val Kilmer are excellent too, and that script throws pop culture references quicker than you can say...ah, Black would think of something clever to say here).
9. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (both versions)
Credits: Movieclips and Leroux Louisiana
The original animated version is a classic. Boris Karloff reading out Dr. Seuss Christmas folklore, what's not to like? But the 2000 Jim Carrey version gets much more hate than it deserves. It's not perfect, but Carrey is absolutely brilliant in his character creation of the green meanie and the ending actually packs quite an emotional punch, perhaps even more so than the original, with the benefit of added backstory.
10. The Holly and the Ivy
Ralph Richardson and Celia Johnson provide strong, nuanced leading turns in this 1950s Christmas drama about an enstranged family getting together come Christmas time, but it's Margaret Leighton's unsparing, hearbreaking but ultimately uplifting portrayal of a listless, alcoholic single mother that really leaves an impact
11. The Snowman
Credit: Richard Tallis
I love The Snowman, and if you haven't seen it you really should.
Here it is.
Watch.
12. Bad Santa
Credit: Movieclips
One of the most crass, offensive and downright dirty comedies I've ever seen, and I love it. It's like a subversive Miracle on 34th Street with Billy Bob Thornton showing off his highly underrated comic chops as the titular Bad Santa. The supporting cast is all stellar, with particularly the late Bernie Mac giving a wonderful deadpan performance, but this is really Thornton's show as he bites into every hilarious line with such gusto. Apparently this film was conceived first by the Coen brothers. Guess they like a couple sex jokes every now and then, too.
None of the rights to the above clips belong to me, but rather their respective production companies etc.
