Year two of counting
down the top 30 performances of the year and I am very excited for this year’s
list because it’ been a very, very strong year for acting in general. Of course
there are some mistaken nominations this year and we will get into that, and
that’s why I’ve got my wild cards, so I can discuss the performances that have
been overlooked.
Just like last year, the
top 4 spots are reserved for my picks on who will win the Academy Award this
year, one from each category (Best Actor, Actress, Supporting Actress, and
Supporting Actor)
Why 30?
Because we are combining
combination of all of the acting categories: Best Actor & Actress and Best
Supporting Actor & Actress. Already done the math? Realize that I’m 10
performances over? Well the other 10 are going to what I call wild card
performances, these are performances from actors who have not been nominated
for an academy award but I believe that they should be.
What are elements that
I look for in a good performance?
·
Character
Development – is the character fully developed with a clear history that
effects how the character moves, acts, thinks, feels and reacts to the
currently situation. Is the character progressing through the story, is their
performance layered, show depth and continuing in a logical path.
·
Relationships –
are the relationships clear and consistent with every character they interact
with.
· Believably –
do we believe the actor in the part? Am I looking at the character in the story
or at the actor on the screen? It should be the former not the latter. Does the
actor use all available tools (voice, body and mind) to create a brand new and
unique character?
·
Interpretation –
what did the actor bring to the character? Did he make proper choices for the
character? Does the character feel organic or forced? Did the actor take
appropriate risks? Could you see anyone else playing the character?
·
Objective – dose
the actor understand the goals and objectives of the character in every moment
and every scene?
·
Progression –
does the actor understand and portray the arch, story and development of the
character? Are they on point in every moment on screen? An actor is a
storyteller, are they telling me the story.
30-16 Acting Performances of 2013
The Three Who Doesn’t Belong
30.
Meryl Streep – August: Osage County – Best Actress – Why is she on this list this year? Because she’s
Meryl Freaking Streep. This is sadly the second Streep nomination in a row that
I just simply don’t agree with. She’s a great actress, but we need to actually watch
what she’s doing not just award her for gracing us with her presents on screen.
It’s a great part, in a great play; but on film August: Osage County falls very flat as does this performance.
29.
Julia Roberts – August: Osage County – Best Supporting Actress – Read above… She’s here for name value and Oscar night
ratings. A showy performance in overall pretty poor film full of showy performances
28.
Christian Bale – American Hustle – Best Actor – I have a long storied history with thinking that
Mr. Bale is quite overrated. I think he’s a very good actor, and his win for The Fighter is more than well deserved,
but quite frankly I’m not sure what’s with the crazy Bale love (or the crazy
love for American Hustle), sure he’s
Batman, but he wasn’t a very good one. In a year that was marked by several insanely
good leading acting performances Bale didn’t deserve to be in the category, he’s
good, he’s very good, in most years he would be higher on this list but 2014 is
far too good for this nonsense.
The Two That Other People Like
27.
Bradley Cooper – American Hustle – Best Supporting Actor – This is not so much an indictment of Cooper, who
is more than adequate in American Hustle,
as much as the film itself. If Oscar night features a ton of wins for Hustle I’m going to be one sad film
critic. Cooper is one of the most enjoyable parts of the film, but not enough
for him crack my top 25 and again he’d miss my list completely if it wasn’t for
his nomination.
26.
Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine – Best Actress –
Can I say anything bad about Blanchett in this role? No. Can I say that I
enjoyed this role? No. Blue Jasmine
fits right in with Woody Allen’s other recent films and is very well made.
Blanchett is the star of this film, she’s what makes it work, her character is
entitled, self-centered, ego driven and a just plain awful person. What makes
this hard to watch is that her character grates on you at every moment and to
top it off her character arc is very small, if it exists at all. Blanchett is
very good at playing a very terrible person; it’s just hard to watch when she’s
the focus of film. If I was betting on the Oscars Blanchett would be my bet to
win, but for me it’s a very difficult performance to watch.
The Very Good But Not Flashy
25.
Sally Hawkins – Blue Jasmine -- Best Supporting Actress – I may be the only person to put Hawkins of
Blanchett for Blue Jasmine but
Hawkins plays a character like I’ve never seen her play before. She pulls off a
true middle class American, with heart and soul, kindness and caring, depth and
layers (and considering she’s British, that’s an accomplishment). Hawkins is understated and very good, she’s
makes Allen’s script shine and make the film enjoyable.
24.
June Squibb – Nebraska – Best Supporting Actress – The definition of a firecracker is June Squibb in Nebraska, she’s wonderful and strong.
Squibb has very little screen time and she shines when she’s on the screen.
Squibb is a hidden gem of an actress, giving a hidden gem of a performance.
Happy to see her nominated.
23.
Barkhad Abdi – Captain Phillips – Best Supporting Actor – “I’m the captain now” is probably the most
quotable line of the year. Abdi came out of nowhere this year to become a true
dark horse in the Supporting Actor race. Abdi is very strong and holds his own opposite
mega star Tom Hanks (who was robbed this year from an Oscar nomination for this
film or Saving Mr. Banks). But, yet,
it’s Abdi who is representing Captain
Phillips this year and it’s more than deservedly so. Abdi plays the leader
of his Somali pirate crew and allows us to see why he’s doing what he’s doing,
what is the reason behind his action, and at points we actually care for this
true to life pirate captain.
22.
Sam Rockwell – The Way Way Back – Josh’s Wild Card Best Supporting Actor – Alright, this is my first wild card spot and I dedicate
this one to Rockwell. It’s not surprising that Rockwell is great, he’s great
more often than not, but what is surprising is his soulful and youthful take on
this slacker owner of a waterpark. The character could come off as stale and clichéd
but in the hands of Rockwell the character becomes the emotional center of the
film. The Way Way Back was a small
summer hit and if you missed it find a way to see it this winter on DVD.
21.
Amy Acker – Much Ado About Nothing – Josh’s Wild Card Best Supporting Actress – Speaking of small summer hits, Joss Whedon followed
the biggest hit of last year with a small black and white adaptation of
Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing.
This script always hangs on the relationship between Benedict and Beatrice
played skillfully by Alexis Denisof and Amy Amy Acker, respectively. Acker
steals this film, she is simply breathtaking in the role, subtle yet strong a
true independent woman. I hope this opens up her career allows her to shine
more often.
The Very Good But Too Flashy
20.
Jonah Hill – The Wolf of Wall Street – Best Supporting Actor – It’s good to see Hill taking time to make films
like these. He’s a great actor and is allowed to shine here. Yes, he’s one of
the comedic relief elements of the film, but hangs in with star Leo DiCaprio in
every scene. The film is about excess and Hill’s character personifies that. He
shows that he can play it straight while in a big broad film and proving that
he deserves his spot in the Hollywood hierarchy.
19.
Amy Adams –American Hustle – Best Actress–
Getting back to American Hustle Adams
is a deserved nominee from this film. She holds what little plot there is
together, gives us an emotional and logical center that we can follow and a
character that we can care for and root for, which is something you can’t say
the men of American Hustle.
The Best of the Blockbusters
18.
Tom Hiddleston – Thor: The Dark World – Josh’s Wild Card Best Supporting Actor – its characters like these that will never get
noticed, its performances like Hiddleston’s will never get noticed. Its
characters like Loki that will be far more remembered then most characters on
this list. It takes a lot to take a villain and turn him into a beloved film
icon and that’s what Hiddleston has done. What allows him to do this? He’s a
very talented actor who elevates a character to the next level. Giving the
character depth, humor, reliability and likeability, Hiddleston is the star and
steals every second of Thor: The Dark
World that he’s in.
Come Back Tomorrow for numbers 15-1!
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