Supporting Actor 2012

Not sure what to say other than this is my favorite category. I already know my winner so let's see if any of these guys can change my mind.

2012 Best Supporting Actor

Christoph Waltz - Django Unchained

Quentin Tarantino does it again, delivering another Oscar winning Supporting Actor role for Christoph Waltz. It's obvious that the two are a perfect match because it seems as if Tarantino's writing was tailor made for Waltz to perform. It's a natural fit and Waltz looks at home in his role here as a bounty hunter of sorts. Of course, with this second win the question that one needs to ask is just how similar are the roles and should Waltz have won for a role that is pretty similar to his first win? To me, both winning roles DO feel very similar and I think a lot of that is due to Tarantino's writing and to Waltz's acting ability. His way of delivering lines isn't going to change all that much. We see Waltz's easy confidence when he's first introduced riding up in a dentist cart in the middle of night in a dark forest that feels very much like his intro in Inglourious Basterds at the farm house. It's that sort of chipper friendliness that belies the evil or ulterior motive underneath. He's able to move around in scenes doing as he pleases as everyone else reacts to his performance whether it's drinking milk or freeing slaves. That comfortability within the character makes for a very strong performances for sure. I also think comparing the two wins is fine because it is the same director and because they are both just so fun and insane and perfect Tarantino characters. So it depends on how much you like this one for it to be nominated AND win. I like this one a lot. But I also like Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson in this one as supporting players. In fact, there was a ton of buzz about Leo getting nominated and if he did, finally winning his elusive Oscar. I was on board with that because Waltz already had a similar win and rewarding Leo or Jackson for these roles would have been some inspired, fun choices from the Academy. They went with what they knew and Waltz is another Tarantino film away from a third win.

Alan Arkin - Argo

Sorry, but I'm not sure if this or his win for Little Miss Sunshine is the bigger waste of time. I say that because these two nominations are essentially for the same thing! In his winning performance, Arkin portrayed an asshole who happened to love his granddaughter but here he plays an asshole who loves the movies. But the thing is Arkin is just playing himself. The Academy thought his win was going to be the cap on a successful career and a nice pat on the back, yet Arkin kept making movies and delivered the same performance in Argo which confused voters because they are old and love anything having to do with Hollywood and voted for it again. I'm not sure Arkin would have won his Oscar if they felt he was going to continue to give Oscar worthy performances. I like his turn here in Argo. He's like a grumpy old man that curses and gets shit done and it's all part of his every day life. He's a bullshitter. But he understands he's trusted and can make an important change to world history. It's a performance that's well liked within the film, Arkin certainly knows how to play his character. He's very likable in this film and you can't really dislike what he brings. Even if it's just Arkin being Arkin, it's a fun supporting if a bit familiar.

Robert De Niro - Silver Linings Playbook

Alright, so let's talk about Robert De Niro. He's obviously a legendary actor and someone to be revered. But what does he bring to this nomination exactly? When I first watched this film a couple years ago I didn't have much love. But upon second watch, I found a bit more humanistic qualities in his performance. That sounds like a load of bullshit, and probably is, but honestly I just thought he was more legit this time around. He's a bookie that's lost his job and returned to the bookie lifestyle. He loves all things Philly and that's pretty much his contribution. He loves the Eagles and he loves criticizing his son. When they mix, things get brushed off with love. He's sort of the typical tough love dad that has a softer side deep down somewhere. I'm not sure if this was anyone other than De Niro, that they would have been nominated so this is very obviously a veteran nom on the strength of the film as a whole. I can't really get too upset about this because it is Robert De Niro after all. He does a fine job with the role and doesn't look out of place or ham it up. Also I love his hair since it reminds me of my grandpa's, so he's got that going for him. Obviously this one won't go down as one of De Niro's best but it's not bad.

Philip Seymour Hoffman - The Master

It's crazy that he is in Supporting because he is very much the second Lead to me! Despite that, Holy Shit is PSH so fucking good or what?! He has not so impressive competition and I still can't believe he didn't win. Maybe it is because he was basically a Lead? This is the strongest PSH performance I've ever seen/reviewed. It's that good! He inhabits and makes Lancaster Dodd his own character and his own non-character. Everything is so planned that everything PSH does or doesn't do is damn brilliant. All of his choices are fantastic. His role is essentially the faux-Scientology leader and his interaction and infatuation with Phoenix's character. But PSH makes the Master into a wholly unique character and honestly makes this film so damn watchable. I'm not sure I can keep my love for this film under control! Hoffman is amazing and unequaled. I'm sad this is the last Hoffman review I'll ever do and I won't do it any justice. This is seriously one of the greatest films of all time and here I am trying to explain why one of the main characters makes it so. I can't do that. You just have to sit back and realize it's a great performance. I wish I could say about a thousand words more on why it's great, but it just is. PSH delivers a knockout and I'm sad he wasn't rewarded for it.

Tommy Lee Jones - Lincoln

Jones plays Thaddeus Stevens, a Representative from Pennsylvania that's a staunch abolitionist and can help Lincoln pass his 13th Amendment. There's a lot to like about this performance. It's rather hilarious but not in a strictly comedic way. It's more of an intellectually funny way. Jones' character uses big words of the time to insult his fellow Congressmen and it's pretty funny when he lays into them with the old timey burns. But beneath that crusty exterior is an interior who is fervent in the belief that black folk are just as equal as white folk and need that equal protection as guaranteed by the Constitution in an amendment, not just the 13th. It's a pretty admirable role from the start but Jones inject his color into it to make it that much more memorable. The slight issue is that you've seen this same crusty Jones character in many movies before. He plays the same variation of this character to differing degrees of success and it works here. I would like to see Jones bring a different aspect to his acting and roles other than mean old man because we know he can do so much more, he just chooses not to. Regardless of all that, the mean old Thaddeus works for the film and stands out as being the beacon of what is right. The film as a whole treats both sides somewhat equally, meaning the Republicans (Stevens) and Democrats as being steadfast in their views and no exactly saying the Democrats are vile, devil scum. You just get guys that are arguing for what they truly believe in and it's interesting to see. Jones does exactly what he's supposed to with his role and he does it extremely well.
 
I don't understand why The Master got so much non-love. PSH was brilliant in his role. I did like Waltz but it was too reminiscent of his first win! From there you get a great Tommy Lee Jones nomination and the typical angry Arkin one, as well. Gotta say I hated that De Niro nom because it's so expected and so damn boring. This was a pretty good group, as usual, but more time is needed to write these blurbs and asses these noms.

Oscar Winner: Christoph Waltz - Django Unchained
My Winner:  Philip Seymour Hoffman - The Master
Christoph Waltz
Tommy Lee Jones
Alan Arkin
Robert De Niro