Oscar Race: The 30 Acting Performances of 2013 PART 2!

Let’s Talk About Saving Mr. Banks

15. Emma Thompson – Saving Mr. Banks – Josh’s Wild Card Best Actress – Without any further ado lets jump right into part 2 of the top 30 performances of 2013 by talking about possibly the biggest snub of the year. Thompson gives one of the best performances of her long and storied career; as P.L. Travers Thompson finds a way to make one of the harshest and unforgivingly strict authors of all time and make her relatable and downright likable at times. We understand why Travers is the way she is through the eyes of Thompson. This film is one of the more touching and wonderful films of the year and it mainly hang on the shoulders of Thompson, a great performance from a great film and possibly the greatest family film of the year.

14. Colin Ferrell – Saving Mr. Banks – Josh’s Wild Card Best Supporting Actor – I’m as shocked as anyone that Ferrell is on this list. It was only last summer when I openly stated that he was a “film ruiner”, but shocker of all shockers here he is. He plays a character unlike anything I’ve seen him play before and really gives it his all. I’d love to see more performances like this one in Ferrell future; well rounded, fully formed and full of heart these are the characters I want more of.

The Cream of the Crop – A moment to discuss these next few performances as whole, they are called the cream of the crop because that’s exactly what they are, every choice was very difficult and all in all, all of them deserves an award but there can only be one…. highlander.

13. Michael Fassbender – 12 Years a Slave – Best Supporting Actor – Fassbender is amazing, he’s a star on the rise and an amazing actor to boot. As a vicious and borderline sociopathic salve owner Fassbender is brutal. He completely gives in to the character and the part, and is beyond fantastic in this role. The difficult part about this performance is Fassbender’s character is such a terrible, awful, gross human being that’s hard to really say that you enjoy watching him. So very good, so very talented, so very hard to watch.

12. Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years a Slave – Best Actor – Speaking of hard to watch, Ejiofor is nearly perfect as Solomon Northup which is what makes 12 Years a Slave so difficult to watch. I’ve seen it twice, I’m not sure if I want to watch it again. Northup is such a good man in the worst situation imaginable, he manages to show the characters strength through his stoic and subdued nature; which is a masterful feat. If we didn’t care for Solomon then we wouldn’t connect with this film at all.

11. Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years a Slave –Best Supporting Actress – In terms of acting Nyong’o is the brightest of all the bright spots in 12 Years a Slave, that being said… awwww… crushing… soul dead… ughhh… Nyong’o kills me; you can’t help but feel for this woman as she deals with life. A life no one should have to live. Nyong’o plays this character with the innocents and strength and is simply spectacular.    

The One Where Josh’s Cheats Because it’s his Article and He Can Do What He Wants.

10. Melonie Diaz, Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer – Fruitvale Station – Josh’s Wild Card Best Ensemble – The top 10 is starting with the best ensemble of the year, in one of the most overlooked films of the year. Fruitvale Station was the very early frontrunner of the awards season, sadly due to Hollywood politics and summer release date Fruitvale became lost in the shuffle. Even in this very strong year of lead acting performances, Michael B. Jordan deserves a spot in the final five nominees. On top of that, Melonie Diaz and Octavia Spencer could easily replace Streep and Roberts but sadly their names are not famous enough. This is the first film that made cry this year and one of the most moving and emotional films of the year, and a lot, A LOT, of that is because of this cast. If I had to pick one above the rest it would be Spencer as the matriarch of this family, but everyone is fantastic really showing the layers and depth of everyone in this story. Showing how people are not all good and not all bad, but that people are people and should be respected for that fact alone, Diaz, Jordan, Spencer and Fruitvale Station make a fantastic film from start to finish.

Let’s Talk About Excess

9. Leonardo DiCaprio – The Wolf of Wall Street – Best Actor – If you don’t see DiCaprio’s greatness in this film, you are blind. As fraudulent Wall Street broker Jordan Belfort DiCaprio is at some points comedian, some points scary sociopath and other points satirical mastermind. Never, never are you rooting for Belfort but you can empathies with what he’s striving for. This has been a controversial performance in a very controversial film (which is why I think DiCaprio will go home Oscar less, again.) What make this controversial is the accusation that The Wolf of Wall Street glorifies Belfort’s action, I say it indicts them. This is a moralistic tale and DiCaprio and director Martin Scorsese are pointing out the flaws and pitfalls of this terrible “bro” lifestyle. It’s really not their fault if bros idealize the character for the wrong reasons.

8. James Franco – Spring Breakers – Josh Wild Card’s Best Supporting Actor – The most polarizing film of the year. Even after several months and repeated views I still don’t know if Spring Breakers is good or bad, but I do know that James Franco as Alien is a genius. Alien is the embodiment of everything that is wrong with the American Dream version of spring break. But Franco losses himself in Alien and you totally forget that you are watching Franco. Taking many lines and scenes that would fall flat (or be borderline psychotic) and making them work to the nth degree. Franco is the reason to watch this film and should be nominated for supporting actor; in fact he should be the winner. I’d easily kick Cooper out of the category to put Franco in.  

The Extremely Amazing

7. Adele Exarchopoulous – Blue is the Warmest Color – Josh’s Wild Card Best Actress – A newcomer with something to prove. You may not know her name but Adele Exarchopoulous is someone who should be on American radars very soon. She gives and epic performance in an epic tale of discovering yourself. Following the character from ages 17-27 Blue is the Warmest Color is an amazing work film and work of art. Yes, the film is three hours long, but it needs every moment. I love what Adele brings to her character of the same name, she finds so many moments that fill you with joy, fill you with hope, fill you with pain, and fill you with despair. This character so perfectly encapsulates everything that this time in your life is about and Adele Exarchopoulous is perfection in this role.

6. Bruce Dern – Nebraska – Best Actor – As American as Apple Pie, Baseball, and Chevy, that’s Bruce Dern. Dern’s Woody Grant is a man with nothing lose as he goes on an adventure to find one million dollars. This is a story of fathers and sons and is one of the most touching and moving films of the year. A lot of that is Dern, he is ever-present in his portrayal of a man with dementia, who is reliving his past and sharing his life for the first time with his son. Dern knocks it out of the park with this role.   

5. Oscar Issac—Inside Llewyn Davis – Josh’s Wild Card Best Supporting Actor – Layered, emotional, driven, complex, believable, organic, melancholy, surreal, transcend, flawed, dark, funny, enigmatic, exhilarating and irresistible are all words to describe the over the moon amazing performance given by Oscar Issac at the title character of The Coen’s latest film. I have endless love and endless admiration for this performance. Truth be told, if I didn’t put the top four as my Oscar picks this would be number one.

The Group Known as the Best of the Best

            With this group there is specifically one from each category and the person who I would give the Academy Award to, if I had a vote. Based on who was nominated.

4. Judi Dench – Philomena – Best Actress – It is not a bold choice to say that Judi Dench is amazing and gives the best lead actress performance of the year. But she does, Dench is great in this role because she is playing a character I’ve never seen her play before. She shy and timid, firmly entrenched in the old world and old points of view. She’s sweet to an extreme and caring about all things and all people. As Philomena she makes the film work and her and co-star Steve Coogan are a dynamic team. Dench is wonderful and if she’s pulls the upset this weekend, I’d be thrilled.

3. Jared Letto – Dallas Buyers Club – Best Supporting Actor – Letto is a weirdo, Letto is also amazing as Reyon in Dallas Buyers Club. What makes this film work is the performances and how much you can connect to them. I was shocked with how much I enjoyed Letto in this film. A simple performance, played right at every note, and dealing with a hot button political issue in very good film with a very good performance is going to be more than enough for Letto to take home this award.   

2. Jennifer Lawrence – American Hustle – Best Supporting Actress – I’m in love with America’s new sweetheart Jennifer Lawrence, and I’m not alone in this. Lawrence delivers the only true great thing in American Hustle, she’s honest and funny and heartfelt and crazy and a real human in a hyper stylized world. I’m banking on the fact that Lawrence will win back to back Oscars and continue down her path to take over Hollywood. She’s awesome, there’s nothing more to say about her.  

And now for Number 1!!!

The Year of McConaughey            

1. Matthew McConaughey – Dallas Buyers Club – Best Actor – Alright, alright, alright! McConaughey has brilliantly maneuvered his career back on track and 2013 is the culmination of all of his efforts. He’s a giant film star now taking roles that challenge him and show off his crazy skills. From Mud to The Wolf of Wall Street to Dallas Buyers Club McConaughey could have been nominated three times this year. In Dallas Buyers Club he shows us a completely transformative performance (and I don’t mean his weight loss) but we get to see a character challenge his ideals or what is right and what is wrong, he never shies away from any moment and never betrays his character. I would be shocked and more than a little disappointed if Mr. McConaughey doesn’t walk home with an award.