After the 2000s I was really wondering if I should do like a ranking for each category and maybe sum up each decade I do but I decided against that. I might do that after I'm done (if that ever happens!) or just one big summary of my thoughts on the whole thing. I mention this because entering a new decade - and century! - is awesome but also kind of daunting. I have so much more to go so maybe breaking it up would have been one thing to do. But I think just diving in and keeping it going is the way to go. I did a basic calculation of one movie a day for 365 days and figured it'd net me 18 years which would put me into the early 80s. I'd love to be in the 80s at the end of the year but I don't know how realistic that is with life getting in the way. Also, I'd only be in the 80s after doing this for almost 7 years and that seems awful! Oh well. I'll just have to stay motivated and realize this is a marathon project. On to the films though!
1999 Best Picture
American Beauty
This was a strong winner back in 1999 and people loved it. Nowadays, you can read a lot online and anywhere else that say this film is highly overrated and how it shouldn't have won Best Picture and that it's one giant cliche. I think that's a case of we loved it so much for awhile that now we have to find a way to tear it down to make us not seem so persuaded by its charm. American Beauty is a wryly comical film that makes fun of middle American
ideals and has some really funny moments that don't call attention to
themselves. It's about a man undergoing what you could call a mid-life crisis in response to his family being all kinds of screwed up. I love that the film skewers so much of society in one fell swoop and does it with such ease and intelligence. It makes fun of everything from the phony working woman, loveless marriages, the retired military man who can't adjust to real life, to the woman who sits in a near catatonic state who apologizes for no reason who is married to said military guy, the corporate world, high school popular kids, and a whole bunch of other little things. It takes aim and lets fire at a whole magnitude of the American population which is why I think the film is relatable. I also feel like it hit very close to home for a lot of the Academy voters and they thought it was an important film based off that reason. I don't believe that it's a very important film, it just peels back the cover and shines a light on what life is like for lots of people and lets you gaze on in horror and wonder and disbelief and hilarity. And I think that works right near the turn of the Century, as we were a bit more introspective going into a new Millennium and it gave us a good idea of our true selves - to some degree. I like American Beauty as a Best Picture winner because it's so different from what the Academy normally goes for. As a matter of fact, I saw that it was only the 2nd film of the 90s that wasn't a period piece. I would prefer more films like this one, especially if it meant fewer films like The Cider House Rules. I'd say American Beauty is a worthy winner.
The Cider House Rules
I'm struggling to come up with a reason as to why this was nominated. I feel I might sit here for eternity and never know. I mean, I don't know...besides it's cloying, cliche story what does it say? Oh, it talks about abortions? Ooohhhoohhhhhh! That's just cosmetic bullshit. It could have been polio or SARS or that disease from Soderbergh's Contagion. Point being this is one of the worst Best Picture nominees I've encountered so far. It's so obvious in its desire for a nomination anywhere that it boggles my mind how they didn't see that back in 1999. There are some real human moments scattered throughout the film, but they are few and far between. It's like you start to say okay, here's something decent and then they pull the laughtastic Negro knife fight. Like where did that come from and who approved it?? There's many other scenes that just land with a thud and you wonder is this actually a serious Oscar movie? Because there's a lot of cringe worthy scenes that I know I would have cringed at just as hard back then as I did now. And this isn't just a generational thing, this is a truly bad movie. Fuck it. I'm done pretending for tonight that there's any merit to this movie because there isn't. This is laughable, right down to the paralyzed Paul Rudd, the apple picker leader who bones his daughter and gets her preggo, the whole Michael Caine terrible accent Dr who does ether. There's just so many cliches in this film that I can't believe people actively defend this. I still read about this film getting warm accolades and I wonder what the hell those people were watching. That's why I think the actual Oscar race is just people hoping they are the first to pimp a film so they can brag about that on the way to a website or a column. Anyway, The Cider House Rules does not rule. I saw this was a Miramax film and that seems to explain everything, since the Weinstein Bros can buy anything, especially during this time period. What a truly awful nomination.
The Green Mile
At first, you glance through the list of Best Picture nominees and you see The Green Mile on it and you're like, okay yeah that seems like a no brainer. I like Tom Hanks and it's a feel good movie and I like Stephen King's work. And you convince yourself it belongs and you move on down the list. But then you really think about it and does this movie scream Best Picture to you? It does have all the hallmarks of one but is the sum greater than its parts here? I kinda think so but 1999 is such an odd year when you really look into it. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike The Green Mile. I find it to be quite an enjoyable watch for long stretches, though I wouldn't want to sit down and just watch it start to finish. That's one of the knocks I have is that it is so long, over 3 hours, and could be trimmed down to make a tighter, possibly better paced film. There are times where it feels glacial but then the acting hooks you and you keep sitting there watching. The acting is indeed pretty good in this, from Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan to all the supporting guys and gals who probably do elevate the film above what it really is. It's a very Stephen King non-horror story film, too, where it's fantastical and magical in a sense and very visual. You just know that reading some of the scenes in the book must have been quite an immersive and engaging experience. Sometimes that translates here onscreen, other times it falls a little flat. The story can be a little too cutesy and on the nose sometimes as well, which almost disrupts the flow of the film. There's a whole lot going on here which is why I kinda find this an odd choice for Best Picture. At its core, The Green Mile is an emotional film, somewhat manipulative, but with a good heart. It's easy to see why the Academy was swayed by it.
The Insider
It had been a long time since I saw this film and didn't know it was directed by Michael Mann. After watching it for a bit, I really was enjoying the direction and camera work and looked up the director and saw it was Mann and it made sense. While at times the direction feels showy, there's other times where it really suits the intense nature of the film. The camera gets right in the face of characters and follows them around for a bit and adds another element to the final product. The Insider tells the story of a whistleblower who leaks some info about tobacco being addictive when Big Tobacco has been denying it for years. A 60 Minutes producer catches wind of this and convinces Crowe's character to talk about it and it eventually snowballs from there. It's a very serious subject and it's treated as such in the film, which is intense from the acting right down to the music and cinematography. I think if done just a little bit wrong, The Insider would have failed miserably because it is so serious and important feeling. All the characters seem angry and on edge and it makes the world seem like such a terrible, greedy place where the truth costs you everything. But it has some energy that helps keep it from being so dour and boring. Plus, it's got some really great acting, especially from Al Pacino and Christopher Plummer, that keeps you really engaged with the story. One odd thing I noticed about the film is that 2005 Best Picture winner, Crash, steals some dramatic flourishes from the film such as a character driving by a burning car seemingly out of nowhere and the vocal music that plays occasionally throughout. When I noticed this it kinda pulled me out of the film a little because it seemed to me like Crash blatantly ripped it off, since I don't know if it's an honest nod to this film or not. Watch them and tell me that doesn't strike you as similar. But besides that issue, I could see myself wanting this film to win back in 1999 because it's the type of film I generally like. It certainly makes my decision for this year a tough one.
The Sixth Sense
I can remember watching this one in theaters and what a cultural phenomenon it became. Something about it just pressed the right buttons with the public and soon it was everywhere. You couldn't escape the "I see dead people" phrase no matter how hard you tried. I think that America was just hungry for a good ghost story again and something fresh in the horror/ghost/mystery genre was exactly what they wanted. This is of course before the public became aware of every M. Night Shyamalan film having some twist, so the ending wasn't expected and probably hit that much harder because you weren't looking and waiting for it. The Sixth Sense also offered up a really great performance from Haley Joel Osment who made the film what it was. It also benefited from being a great second watch film because you can pick up on all the things you missed the first time around after you found out what the twist was. So I think that helped add to the love the film received. The story itself is pretty good but I do think it loses steam at the end when we see that the ghosts are using him to tie up their loose ends and let loved ones know things. That clashes with the overall horror feel that the ghosts are evil and bad and here to take away Osment or at least torture and torment him that keeps getting alluded too. I'm also not a fan of the jump scares that films like to use which this one does, as well. But that's probably because I'm not a big fan of horror/scary films in general. I'm not sure The Sixth Sense is a great film. I think it's a very good genre film that exceeded expectations and gave us a great child actor performance but I think the hype certainly elevated it past where it should be. I remember there being a lot of Top 100 Film lists coming out at the end of the decade and The Sixth Sense kept getting mentioned as one of the best films ever after it had just come out, which even then I thought was absurd. So that's what I mean when I say the hype got out of control and people kept making it out to be better than it really was. I'm actually happy that it's included in this category, though, because the Academy is so adverse to genre films. So while I don't think it's a great or even Oscar caliber film, I'm fine with its inclusion for Best Picture simply because it's such a different choice for Oscar, especially at that time.
Not sure why the winner couldn't have been called The American Beauty, ya know, for continuity sake. Not a bad year if you don't include The Cider House Rules which is a really terrible movie that seems more like a parody than a legit Oscar film. Blame Miramax for that one. The other 4 are all good and provide an interesting group. You've got a Stephen King adaptation, The Green Mile, that's like magical realism which would be my 4th. Then you have a kind of mystery/horror/thriller in The Sixth Sense that I'm not sure the Academy will ever go with again, if so it will be awhile anyway. Then it's a hard choice: American Beauty or The Insider. Honestly, it's a toss up. I like each of them for different reasons and wouldn't mind re-watching them both. Slight edge to American Beauty for being unique and different, though, at least for now. Pretty good year that I wish I could replace the bottom feeder with a legit Oscar film.
Oscar Winner: American Beauty
My Winner: American Beauty
The Insider
The Sixth Sense
The Green Mile
The Cider House Rules
Showing posts with label 1999. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1999. Show all posts
Monday, February 8, 2016
Leading Actor 1999
The always prestigious Best Actor race with some notable names here except for one that I'm not familiar with at all. As I go back, I'm loving that I'm coming up on these unknowns (to me) because it keeps the excitement of the project going.
1999 Best Actor
Kevin Spacey - American Beauty
There are a lot of people, young and old, that can relate to Spacey's character in American Beauty. I think it's a daily fantasy for many people to dream about quitting the job they hate to pursue whatever goal they have, whether it be impressing a girl to have sex with or spiting their spouse or just to enjoy the little things in life. I'd wager that's a universal thing and one that is cleverly acted here by Spacey. I don't feel you have to be a middle aged white man in suburbia to hate your life so much that you fantasize about change. Spacey portrays that pathetic man in the beginning with a certain sly ease, meaning his character has been resigned to his shitty life for so long that he just goes through the motions no matter how farcical it might be. Where Spacey excels in this film is in the turn, the realization that he doesn't have to put up with that kind of lifestyle and he can in fact do whatever he wants, just like when he was a young kid. This part seems to fit more true to life for Spacey as I can easily see him just being this cool, laid back dude who smokes pot and buys a dream car and chills all day doing whatever makes him happy. That's why I think he fits so well into the role, not to mention he is such a great subtle comedian. He does things so dryly and sarcastically that you feel they don't work but I just absolutely love. Like when he tells Bening he bought the Firebird out front and then quietly pumps a fist and says "I rule," it's a moment that really works for me in believing the character. He is a man who has given up caring and is fed up with playing his familial role when he gets nothing out of it. I'd say he's a bit selfish but how many of us aren't when it comes to being happy? Spacey is so subtly funny throughout this film and is one reason I like his character so much, probably because it matches my own sense of humor. Another thing to note is that Spacey is probably one of the best at doing voice over work, to the point that it adds to his overall performance and makes it stronger. This is a really great performance overall and Spacey really did deserve his second Oscar win for this role.
Russell Crowe - The Insider
This is kind of interesting to watch again after seeing Crowe's other performances because you see pieces of those characters in this role. Crowe plays a tobacco scientist who is fired but also blew the whistle on cigarettes being addictive which Big Tobacco denied repeatedly. Crowe's character has this pulsing, just under the surface anger that comes out every so often and also demonstrates some paranoid tendencies. So this character is sort of the primer for his roles in Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind. The thing about this performance is that it seems too much like acting, like each little thing he does is a deliberate choice whether it's shrugging his shoulders when he's upset or tumbling down his front yard when running after some detectives. It can be especially noticeable when Al Pacino is acting opposite him in a very free flowing, natural style. I think Crowe is best at externalizing his pain and anguish and anger after keeping them bottled up for a bit. That's essentially where his character stays, too, right on the edge of exploding or breaking down. After a while you just want him to take a deep breath in and relax because watching his performance is almost exhausting for you, the viewer. It's a decent enough performance but I'd like a bit more range from the character than just brooding and angry. There's a couple moments with the family that try to humanize and bring the character back to a more relatable figure but I don't think it succeeds too well. It's an intense film but Crowe doesn't have to match the intensity to give a good performance. For the record, I much prefer Al Pacino as the better choice for a Best Actor nomination. I thought he was great as usual so maybe the Academy just wanted to anoint Crowe as their new man.
Richard Farnsworth - The Straight Story
I had never heard of this film or performance or actor until I started this project, and once I did, I couldn't wait to finally watch it because it's the first unknown (as far as the men are concerned) that I've come across. Then you realize it's a Disney film directed by David Lynch of all people, well that just piqued my curiosity even more! It reminds me of an Alexander Payne story and I could see this being shot in black and white, a la Nebraska. I'm glad it was done by Lynch, though, because it has some really great direction. This was Farnsworth's second Oscar nomination and would be his last film ever. Knowing the background of the film makes his performance even more poignant and interesting. Farnsworth was diagnosed with terminal bone cancer yet did the film anyway and his performance is magnificent. He is a man of few words in this film, preferring to let his acting do the talking and it's quite admirable. It's as authentic a performance as you'll ever find and that's because if I never knew Farnsworth was an actor before I would have sworn this was a real life portrayal. His stories while out driving his tractor seem personal in nature and not scripted, which speaks to his acting ability and just how raw and real the performance really is. It's really heartbreaking at times and just a genuine performance. Shit, if you don't cry at least once, you have no heart. Farnsworth is so unbelievably honest and real in his performance that I guarantee you will love it. To think this is a film and performance I never would have watched, yet I like it so, so much!
Sean Penn - Sweet and Lowdown
I feel I have to preface any Sean Penn nomination with I think he's a shitty person but a pretty great actor and it's unfortunate I have to do that. I must say that I was somewhat surprised that Penn was a leading man in a Woody Allen film but I guess also not so surprised. He actually fits extremely well into the typical Allen leading man role which I don't think I would have guessed. Penn plays a man who is the second best guitar player in the world (after Django Reinhardt) and is a womanizer, alcholic, overall miserable human being getting by on his immense talent. I think going backwards in this project affords me the ability to make this connection between Penn's Oscar nominated performances: this performance kinda reminds me of his I am Sam character. There are similar mannerisms and vocal inflections/intonations and it's almost a gateway between regular Penn and retard Penn. I don't mean that in a disparaging way, it's just that the two characters do seem to share a lot of similar styles almost, so I can see where Sam was developed from this possibly since I don't know for sure. But besides that, Penn does have an old school Hollywood leading man vibe going on which I kinda like. It doesn't surprise me that this was pretty much written in the 70s but shelved until now and feels like it could have been written in the 50s or at least portrayed by a 50s era leading man with ease. That's why I could see a George Clooney type excelling in the role. There are times when Penn is too quirky and eccentric with his acting but I think he does a good enough job with the character so that I wasn't completely turned off at the mention of his name. He's a great actor and he shows it time and again, just like he does in this film.
Denzel Washington - The Hurricane
I hate to say this but how many angry black man performances are too many when it comes to watching Denzel? I know that's a terribly loaded question because I don't want to be confused with slighting black actors but when you've seen him play an angry black man once, what's new that he can bring to the 5th time he's played that character in a different film? Part of that is the fact that those are the roles that black men get to play and is a major part of our cultural heritage and identity. We have a long way to go before we stop giving slave, prisoner, gangster, and radical roles to blacks and something else becomes the new norm. So obviously my point is that these are the roles that Denzel gets to choose from and that's just what we are going to get for right now. It's also the type of roles he seems best suited for anyway. Ones where he can tap into the submerged anger with ease and bring an intensity to a character that needs a voice. It's no different in The Hurricane where he portrays a once promising boxer who gets wrongly sent to jail on a triple murder charge. You can already tell how angry Denzel is from just reading that line. He does have his moments of redemption and towards the end he becomes this scholarly, peace spouting man that feels too sanctimonious for the film but at least Denzel can make the turn look effortless. There's also a scene where he is in solitary and has to act against his imaginary self and actually kinda surprised me that Denzel could pull that off without looking too ridiculous. I can't say I'm a big fan of this performance because I've seen Denzel pull this off better in Malcolm X and a couple of his other films, even if you leave the post 1999 ones out of the equation. It's just too familiar for me to give it much love.
Best Actor always seems to provide a pretty good group of actors year in, year out and this year is no exception. Just by name alone it's big with 4 Oscar winners in the group. Sean Penn was decent, surprisingly enough, in a Woody Allen film I actually enjoyed. If that's my 5th best, then it's not a bad year. I'd put Crowe as 4th just because it's so underwhelming and almost a primer for his future work, plus I just don't think I'm a fan of his acting style, honestly. Next would be Denzel, right in the middle for his not as good as he can be work. It's not bad, but I've felt I've seen him do the role better already. Now comes the tough part: Spacey and Farnsworth. I'll say I'm very happy with Spacey winning this year in real life. I love the performance and think it's really great. But damn, if Farnsworth didn't blow me away! Making him my number one is a bit easier seeing as how Spacey already had an Oscar before this one. If the Academy is going to do veteran and lifetime Oscars, why the hell not with a performance like Farnsworth's? Quite the year.
Oscar Winner: Kevin Spacey - American Beauty
My Winner: Richard Farnsworth - The Straight Story
Kevin Spacey
Denzel Washington
Russell Crowe
Sean Penn
1999 Best Actor
Kevin Spacey - American Beauty
There are a lot of people, young and old, that can relate to Spacey's character in American Beauty. I think it's a daily fantasy for many people to dream about quitting the job they hate to pursue whatever goal they have, whether it be impressing a girl to have sex with or spiting their spouse or just to enjoy the little things in life. I'd wager that's a universal thing and one that is cleverly acted here by Spacey. I don't feel you have to be a middle aged white man in suburbia to hate your life so much that you fantasize about change. Spacey portrays that pathetic man in the beginning with a certain sly ease, meaning his character has been resigned to his shitty life for so long that he just goes through the motions no matter how farcical it might be. Where Spacey excels in this film is in the turn, the realization that he doesn't have to put up with that kind of lifestyle and he can in fact do whatever he wants, just like when he was a young kid. This part seems to fit more true to life for Spacey as I can easily see him just being this cool, laid back dude who smokes pot and buys a dream car and chills all day doing whatever makes him happy. That's why I think he fits so well into the role, not to mention he is such a great subtle comedian. He does things so dryly and sarcastically that you feel they don't work but I just absolutely love. Like when he tells Bening he bought the Firebird out front and then quietly pumps a fist and says "I rule," it's a moment that really works for me in believing the character. He is a man who has given up caring and is fed up with playing his familial role when he gets nothing out of it. I'd say he's a bit selfish but how many of us aren't when it comes to being happy? Spacey is so subtly funny throughout this film and is one reason I like his character so much, probably because it matches my own sense of humor. Another thing to note is that Spacey is probably one of the best at doing voice over work, to the point that it adds to his overall performance and makes it stronger. This is a really great performance overall and Spacey really did deserve his second Oscar win for this role.
Russell Crowe - The Insider
This is kind of interesting to watch again after seeing Crowe's other performances because you see pieces of those characters in this role. Crowe plays a tobacco scientist who is fired but also blew the whistle on cigarettes being addictive which Big Tobacco denied repeatedly. Crowe's character has this pulsing, just under the surface anger that comes out every so often and also demonstrates some paranoid tendencies. So this character is sort of the primer for his roles in Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind. The thing about this performance is that it seems too much like acting, like each little thing he does is a deliberate choice whether it's shrugging his shoulders when he's upset or tumbling down his front yard when running after some detectives. It can be especially noticeable when Al Pacino is acting opposite him in a very free flowing, natural style. I think Crowe is best at externalizing his pain and anguish and anger after keeping them bottled up for a bit. That's essentially where his character stays, too, right on the edge of exploding or breaking down. After a while you just want him to take a deep breath in and relax because watching his performance is almost exhausting for you, the viewer. It's a decent enough performance but I'd like a bit more range from the character than just brooding and angry. There's a couple moments with the family that try to humanize and bring the character back to a more relatable figure but I don't think it succeeds too well. It's an intense film but Crowe doesn't have to match the intensity to give a good performance. For the record, I much prefer Al Pacino as the better choice for a Best Actor nomination. I thought he was great as usual so maybe the Academy just wanted to anoint Crowe as their new man.
Richard Farnsworth - The Straight Story
I had never heard of this film or performance or actor until I started this project, and once I did, I couldn't wait to finally watch it because it's the first unknown (as far as the men are concerned) that I've come across. Then you realize it's a Disney film directed by David Lynch of all people, well that just piqued my curiosity even more! It reminds me of an Alexander Payne story and I could see this being shot in black and white, a la Nebraska. I'm glad it was done by Lynch, though, because it has some really great direction. This was Farnsworth's second Oscar nomination and would be his last film ever. Knowing the background of the film makes his performance even more poignant and interesting. Farnsworth was diagnosed with terminal bone cancer yet did the film anyway and his performance is magnificent. He is a man of few words in this film, preferring to let his acting do the talking and it's quite admirable. It's as authentic a performance as you'll ever find and that's because if I never knew Farnsworth was an actor before I would have sworn this was a real life portrayal. His stories while out driving his tractor seem personal in nature and not scripted, which speaks to his acting ability and just how raw and real the performance really is. It's really heartbreaking at times and just a genuine performance. Shit, if you don't cry at least once, you have no heart. Farnsworth is so unbelievably honest and real in his performance that I guarantee you will love it. To think this is a film and performance I never would have watched, yet I like it so, so much!
Sean Penn - Sweet and Lowdown
I feel I have to preface any Sean Penn nomination with I think he's a shitty person but a pretty great actor and it's unfortunate I have to do that. I must say that I was somewhat surprised that Penn was a leading man in a Woody Allen film but I guess also not so surprised. He actually fits extremely well into the typical Allen leading man role which I don't think I would have guessed. Penn plays a man who is the second best guitar player in the world (after Django Reinhardt) and is a womanizer, alcholic, overall miserable human being getting by on his immense talent. I think going backwards in this project affords me the ability to make this connection between Penn's Oscar nominated performances: this performance kinda reminds me of his I am Sam character. There are similar mannerisms and vocal inflections/intonations and it's almost a gateway between regular Penn and retard Penn. I don't mean that in a disparaging way, it's just that the two characters do seem to share a lot of similar styles almost, so I can see where Sam was developed from this possibly since I don't know for sure. But besides that, Penn does have an old school Hollywood leading man vibe going on which I kinda like. It doesn't surprise me that this was pretty much written in the 70s but shelved until now and feels like it could have been written in the 50s or at least portrayed by a 50s era leading man with ease. That's why I could see a George Clooney type excelling in the role. There are times when Penn is too quirky and eccentric with his acting but I think he does a good enough job with the character so that I wasn't completely turned off at the mention of his name. He's a great actor and he shows it time and again, just like he does in this film.
Denzel Washington - The Hurricane
I hate to say this but how many angry black man performances are too many when it comes to watching Denzel? I know that's a terribly loaded question because I don't want to be confused with slighting black actors but when you've seen him play an angry black man once, what's new that he can bring to the 5th time he's played that character in a different film? Part of that is the fact that those are the roles that black men get to play and is a major part of our cultural heritage and identity. We have a long way to go before we stop giving slave, prisoner, gangster, and radical roles to blacks and something else becomes the new norm. So obviously my point is that these are the roles that Denzel gets to choose from and that's just what we are going to get for right now. It's also the type of roles he seems best suited for anyway. Ones where he can tap into the submerged anger with ease and bring an intensity to a character that needs a voice. It's no different in The Hurricane where he portrays a once promising boxer who gets wrongly sent to jail on a triple murder charge. You can already tell how angry Denzel is from just reading that line. He does have his moments of redemption and towards the end he becomes this scholarly, peace spouting man that feels too sanctimonious for the film but at least Denzel can make the turn look effortless. There's also a scene where he is in solitary and has to act against his imaginary self and actually kinda surprised me that Denzel could pull that off without looking too ridiculous. I can't say I'm a big fan of this performance because I've seen Denzel pull this off better in Malcolm X and a couple of his other films, even if you leave the post 1999 ones out of the equation. It's just too familiar for me to give it much love.
Best Actor always seems to provide a pretty good group of actors year in, year out and this year is no exception. Just by name alone it's big with 4 Oscar winners in the group. Sean Penn was decent, surprisingly enough, in a Woody Allen film I actually enjoyed. If that's my 5th best, then it's not a bad year. I'd put Crowe as 4th just because it's so underwhelming and almost a primer for his future work, plus I just don't think I'm a fan of his acting style, honestly. Next would be Denzel, right in the middle for his not as good as he can be work. It's not bad, but I've felt I've seen him do the role better already. Now comes the tough part: Spacey and Farnsworth. I'll say I'm very happy with Spacey winning this year in real life. I love the performance and think it's really great. But damn, if Farnsworth didn't blow me away! Making him my number one is a bit easier seeing as how Spacey already had an Oscar before this one. If the Academy is going to do veteran and lifetime Oscars, why the hell not with a performance like Farnsworth's? Quite the year.
Oscar Winner: Kevin Spacey - American Beauty
My Winner: Richard Farnsworth - The Straight Story
Kevin Spacey
Denzel Washington
Russell Crowe
Sean Penn
Friday, February 5, 2016
Leading Actress 1999
I like when I have a lot of nominees that I haven't seen because it opens up the possibility that among them is a hidden gem. That's kind of become my aim or goal now with this project. To finish it obviously, but to also find some film or performance I've never seen that I can eventually call one of my favorites of all time. It's only a matter of time before that becomes reality.
1999 Best Actress
Hilary Swank - Boys Don't Cry
I was always wondering just how I'd receive this performance after reading about it for so long. Yes, I knew Swank de-glamorized herself and became as boyish as possible. And yes, I know the Academy LOVES when an actress steps out of the norm and plays something ugly, or in this case, manish. From that, it looks like an easy win but how does it really measure up, especially after going toe to toe with some Oscar giants in Bening, Moore, and Streep? I'd say Swank held her own against the others pretty damn well. She undergoes quite the physical transformation to the point where there were times if I didn't know better, I'd swear Brandon was actually a man. Swank threw herself full force into the physical part of the role but we all know physical doesn't make a performance click, so how does that play out? There's a lot to like because it is so much more than looking like a man. Swank is still a great actress when she wants to be and can handle the anxious, amped up nature of Brandon who is always on the alert and defensive for being found out that he never quite settles in or down comfortably. There's a longing that's very tangible, too, and drives home the point that Brandon wants nothing more than to belong and fit in. There's also the delusion that he's convincing enough and that his lifestyle won't matter much because his dreams and goals are so big. That's a heck of a lot for a woman to externalize as a man without coming off as forcing anything untrue. For every bit of confidence, Swank has to round it out with self conscious loathing. There's so many things that Swank has to do right so that the character of Brandon succeeds that it's amazing she doesn't sink under the weight of it all. It makes the physical part seem easy in comparison. It's a character that at once understands that society isn't accepting of his true self and incredulous that he can't just go out and live his life and have fun with the chicks he encounters. This is a layered performance that you can keep peeling back the layers and find something new to appreciate over and over. I wasn't sure how I'd like this performance and I'd have to say I like it very much.
Annette Bening - American Beauty
Up until this point, I've been kinda harsh on Annette Bening's performances. I stand by my previous reviews but I'd like to say that I actually like her performance here as the career driven wife and mother who is out of touch with her family. I know the performance has it's detractors, that Bening is a shrill caricature of a woman who is made to exist in a male fantasy dominated world. But I think that's part of the point of her character and Bening knows this and executes her character's flaws to almost perfection. She is the career driven woman who pretends things are good while living in a sexless marriage with a daughter who hates her and a job that doesn't quite satisfy. She has her material possessions and her phony familial rituals but we all know deep down she is defeated. I think Bening portrays this remarkably well and her suburban woman character is as it should be: a shrill caricature of a working woman. She sleeps around with a more successful man because she wants to be with someone important and in charge, not like the passenger her husband has become. Bening plays the role at full steam during most of the scenes, the point that looking and acting the part means you are the part in regards to being the successful wife and mother. Keeping up that fake smile while showing a run down house, congratulating her daughter and abruptly saying it's time go, calling out her husband at dinner in the happily sarcastic tone. These are all choices by Bening to bring her character to greater life and she succeeds. The film focuses more on Spacey's character so we don't get to see the full breakdown or change in Bening's character but that's not her fault. She does well with the material she is given and creates a very vivid portrait of the phony suburbanite working woman. It's a performance I enjoyed, and even more so because this is a wholly created character and not just becoming some real life person. I find roles like these to be a little more interesting. Bening was close to winning and it's hard to deny she was one of the best performances of the year.
Janet McTeer - Tumbleweeds
When a performance like this gets into the Best Actress group that usually seems to mean one of two things: either it's a very strong, can't miss performance or it's an incredibly weak year. This is the weak year nomination. There were two women duking it out for the win this year (Swank and Bening) and the rest of the nominations were essentially just filler. That's pretty harsh to say, but just take a look at those performances and tell me they blow you away. McTeer was interesting because I last saw her as a man in Albert Nobbs (pukes) so this is like my first introduction to her as a woman and it's a bit jarring. She plays a flighty blonde woman with a strong southern accent who is constantly on the move because of failed marriage after failed marriage with her daughter in tow. It's very much a mother-daughter movie and the two women feed off each other really well. They have great chemistry together and make for an enjoyable watch. McTeer's character kinda says and does what she wants in that southern style and quickly becomes very annoying because of that fact. She cares about her daughter somewhat and cares about being with someone more so but she doesn't seem to make the concerted effort to build a real family life. When things get tough, she just packs up and leaves and her character is just so flighty and like a dimwitted blonde that it's grating to watch. The performance as a whole is fine but if you really start to look into it, there's a lot of fault to be found in the character which McTeer is unable to overcome. Yes, the mother-daughter relationship is really great and the single mother thing is interesting, but everything else just doesn't work for me. I want to slap some sense into her at times because she's so ditzy and off in her own world. This is a movie I would have never watched if not for the project and I'm always grateful that I get to watch these little films, but I also wish that if these get nominated that I'll be watching great, memorable performances and not one's like this. McTeer is alright and that's about as praiseworthy as I can be.
Julianne Moore - The End of the Affair
It's funny that a couple blogs I read about this performance both said pretty much the same thing about Julianne Moore. It was basically oh here's Moore getting nominated again for a weepy role and one where she gets naked a lot in. They mentioned how she was the darling of the Academy and seemed to express exhaustion at yet another inclusion of one of her performances at the Oscar's. It's interesting how over saturation can do that to you and frame how you feel about a certain actress because the Academy keeps going to them time after time. The same can be said for the woman under this one, who routinely gives great performances but could get nominated for simply just showing up if she wanted. Moore's performance here is very derivative of a lot of her other nominated work. She obviously plays a type and that can work well at times but at other times it can be quite boring. I'd call her performance here as a woman who has an affair, cuts it off, then rekindles it mostly boring. The first half of the film sort of tells Ralph Fiennes version of events and Moore is given nothing to do other than have sex and act melodramatic. Once it flips perspectives in the second half, Moore is able to do a bit more but not that much more. We see that there is more going on than just having sex and being weepy. She struggles internally with guilt and longing and with a promise to God. Unfortunately, that doesn't bring too much out of Moore who remains somewhat the same the whole way through the film. I feel Moore is to vague in her emotions and portrayal and it makes for a performance that you just can't get behind. She offers you no reason to care about her as a character and that's a huge issue for me. Why do two men fall so in love with her when I can't stand to see her on screen because she's so boring? I don't know and I suspect the Academy just voted the name in and not the performance.
Meryl Streep - Music of the Heart
It's hard to get mad at another Streep nomination when she gives such an earnest performance like this one. If you'll excuse the bad wordplay, this is a performance from the heart. You can tell Streep really wanted to bring her best to this message film about how music can change lives and open doors, especially for inner city kids. Obviously this is a film you've seen countless times before, usually with the same message and another actor giving an impassioned performance as the music teacher. Streep brings her gravitas and genuine likability to her role and you get sucked into the film as a result. Would I choose to watch this on purpose? Probably not, but with Streep it becomes something you have to check out at least once. It's a good performance, standard Streep fare that belies just how good she really is. She learned how to play the violin for this and she gives another accent that you don't even notice is an actual accent. I'm not going to try to make this out to be better than it is, but really there's not much to dislike about Streep here. It's a feel good performance made just a little bit better by Streep's involvement and you can understand with this role why the Academy keeps rewarding her with nominations.
This was a two women fight from the beginning with both Swank and Bening fighting it out for the win. Bening was the veteran who was due and Swank was the up-and-comer who uglified herself and became a man. The Academy went with Swank and I probably would, too. Hard to watch her performance and not come away extremely impressed. That's why she wins for me. Bening is the runner up but I did like her role, as well. Everyone else was just filler and it honestly looked like that's what the three were. I liked Streep's role a bit more than I thought but it would never have been close to a win even in a weak year - still, I liked it. Then McTeer who was decent but also annoying comes in 4th before we get to a truly boring performance from Moore and one I'll never watch again. Not the best year for Best Actress, but I'm coming to expect that now.
Oscar Winner: Hilary Swank - Boys Don't Cry
My Winner: Hilary Swank - Boys Don't Cry
Annette Bening
Meryl Streep
Janet McTeer
Julianne Moore
1999 Best Actress
Hilary Swank - Boys Don't Cry
I was always wondering just how I'd receive this performance after reading about it for so long. Yes, I knew Swank de-glamorized herself and became as boyish as possible. And yes, I know the Academy LOVES when an actress steps out of the norm and plays something ugly, or in this case, manish. From that, it looks like an easy win but how does it really measure up, especially after going toe to toe with some Oscar giants in Bening, Moore, and Streep? I'd say Swank held her own against the others pretty damn well. She undergoes quite the physical transformation to the point where there were times if I didn't know better, I'd swear Brandon was actually a man. Swank threw herself full force into the physical part of the role but we all know physical doesn't make a performance click, so how does that play out? There's a lot to like because it is so much more than looking like a man. Swank is still a great actress when she wants to be and can handle the anxious, amped up nature of Brandon who is always on the alert and defensive for being found out that he never quite settles in or down comfortably. There's a longing that's very tangible, too, and drives home the point that Brandon wants nothing more than to belong and fit in. There's also the delusion that he's convincing enough and that his lifestyle won't matter much because his dreams and goals are so big. That's a heck of a lot for a woman to externalize as a man without coming off as forcing anything untrue. For every bit of confidence, Swank has to round it out with self conscious loathing. There's so many things that Swank has to do right so that the character of Brandon succeeds that it's amazing she doesn't sink under the weight of it all. It makes the physical part seem easy in comparison. It's a character that at once understands that society isn't accepting of his true self and incredulous that he can't just go out and live his life and have fun with the chicks he encounters. This is a layered performance that you can keep peeling back the layers and find something new to appreciate over and over. I wasn't sure how I'd like this performance and I'd have to say I like it very much.
Annette Bening - American Beauty
Up until this point, I've been kinda harsh on Annette Bening's performances. I stand by my previous reviews but I'd like to say that I actually like her performance here as the career driven wife and mother who is out of touch with her family. I know the performance has it's detractors, that Bening is a shrill caricature of a woman who is made to exist in a male fantasy dominated world. But I think that's part of the point of her character and Bening knows this and executes her character's flaws to almost perfection. She is the career driven woman who pretends things are good while living in a sexless marriage with a daughter who hates her and a job that doesn't quite satisfy. She has her material possessions and her phony familial rituals but we all know deep down she is defeated. I think Bening portrays this remarkably well and her suburban woman character is as it should be: a shrill caricature of a working woman. She sleeps around with a more successful man because she wants to be with someone important and in charge, not like the passenger her husband has become. Bening plays the role at full steam during most of the scenes, the point that looking and acting the part means you are the part in regards to being the successful wife and mother. Keeping up that fake smile while showing a run down house, congratulating her daughter and abruptly saying it's time go, calling out her husband at dinner in the happily sarcastic tone. These are all choices by Bening to bring her character to greater life and she succeeds. The film focuses more on Spacey's character so we don't get to see the full breakdown or change in Bening's character but that's not her fault. She does well with the material she is given and creates a very vivid portrait of the phony suburbanite working woman. It's a performance I enjoyed, and even more so because this is a wholly created character and not just becoming some real life person. I find roles like these to be a little more interesting. Bening was close to winning and it's hard to deny she was one of the best performances of the year.
Janet McTeer - Tumbleweeds
When a performance like this gets into the Best Actress group that usually seems to mean one of two things: either it's a very strong, can't miss performance or it's an incredibly weak year. This is the weak year nomination. There were two women duking it out for the win this year (Swank and Bening) and the rest of the nominations were essentially just filler. That's pretty harsh to say, but just take a look at those performances and tell me they blow you away. McTeer was interesting because I last saw her as a man in Albert Nobbs (pukes) so this is like my first introduction to her as a woman and it's a bit jarring. She plays a flighty blonde woman with a strong southern accent who is constantly on the move because of failed marriage after failed marriage with her daughter in tow. It's very much a mother-daughter movie and the two women feed off each other really well. They have great chemistry together and make for an enjoyable watch. McTeer's character kinda says and does what she wants in that southern style and quickly becomes very annoying because of that fact. She cares about her daughter somewhat and cares about being with someone more so but she doesn't seem to make the concerted effort to build a real family life. When things get tough, she just packs up and leaves and her character is just so flighty and like a dimwitted blonde that it's grating to watch. The performance as a whole is fine but if you really start to look into it, there's a lot of fault to be found in the character which McTeer is unable to overcome. Yes, the mother-daughter relationship is really great and the single mother thing is interesting, but everything else just doesn't work for me. I want to slap some sense into her at times because she's so ditzy and off in her own world. This is a movie I would have never watched if not for the project and I'm always grateful that I get to watch these little films, but I also wish that if these get nominated that I'll be watching great, memorable performances and not one's like this. McTeer is alright and that's about as praiseworthy as I can be.
Julianne Moore - The End of the Affair
It's funny that a couple blogs I read about this performance both said pretty much the same thing about Julianne Moore. It was basically oh here's Moore getting nominated again for a weepy role and one where she gets naked a lot in. They mentioned how she was the darling of the Academy and seemed to express exhaustion at yet another inclusion of one of her performances at the Oscar's. It's interesting how over saturation can do that to you and frame how you feel about a certain actress because the Academy keeps going to them time after time. The same can be said for the woman under this one, who routinely gives great performances but could get nominated for simply just showing up if she wanted. Moore's performance here is very derivative of a lot of her other nominated work. She obviously plays a type and that can work well at times but at other times it can be quite boring. I'd call her performance here as a woman who has an affair, cuts it off, then rekindles it mostly boring. The first half of the film sort of tells Ralph Fiennes version of events and Moore is given nothing to do other than have sex and act melodramatic. Once it flips perspectives in the second half, Moore is able to do a bit more but not that much more. We see that there is more going on than just having sex and being weepy. She struggles internally with guilt and longing and with a promise to God. Unfortunately, that doesn't bring too much out of Moore who remains somewhat the same the whole way through the film. I feel Moore is to vague in her emotions and portrayal and it makes for a performance that you just can't get behind. She offers you no reason to care about her as a character and that's a huge issue for me. Why do two men fall so in love with her when I can't stand to see her on screen because she's so boring? I don't know and I suspect the Academy just voted the name in and not the performance.
Meryl Streep - Music of the Heart
It's hard to get mad at another Streep nomination when she gives such an earnest performance like this one. If you'll excuse the bad wordplay, this is a performance from the heart. You can tell Streep really wanted to bring her best to this message film about how music can change lives and open doors, especially for inner city kids. Obviously this is a film you've seen countless times before, usually with the same message and another actor giving an impassioned performance as the music teacher. Streep brings her gravitas and genuine likability to her role and you get sucked into the film as a result. Would I choose to watch this on purpose? Probably not, but with Streep it becomes something you have to check out at least once. It's a good performance, standard Streep fare that belies just how good she really is. She learned how to play the violin for this and she gives another accent that you don't even notice is an actual accent. I'm not going to try to make this out to be better than it is, but really there's not much to dislike about Streep here. It's a feel good performance made just a little bit better by Streep's involvement and you can understand with this role why the Academy keeps rewarding her with nominations.
This was a two women fight from the beginning with both Swank and Bening fighting it out for the win. Bening was the veteran who was due and Swank was the up-and-comer who uglified herself and became a man. The Academy went with Swank and I probably would, too. Hard to watch her performance and not come away extremely impressed. That's why she wins for me. Bening is the runner up but I did like her role, as well. Everyone else was just filler and it honestly looked like that's what the three were. I liked Streep's role a bit more than I thought but it would never have been close to a win even in a weak year - still, I liked it. Then McTeer who was decent but also annoying comes in 4th before we get to a truly boring performance from Moore and one I'll never watch again. Not the best year for Best Actress, but I'm coming to expect that now.
Oscar Winner: Hilary Swank - Boys Don't Cry
My Winner: Hilary Swank - Boys Don't Cry
Annette Bening
Meryl Streep
Janet McTeer
Julianne Moore
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Supporting Actor 1999
Ya know, sometimes I get so geeked about this project where I'll be at work bored and start thinking about all the stuff I've got left to watch and then maybe I'll read about the films or peruse other blogs and I just get so pumped and excited about it. It's an awesome feeling and I finally feel like I'm starting to get into the part of this project where I'm not bored. Not that I was before, but I was more anxious to get to films I haven't seen 5 times already. Now I'm getting to those films and I'm stoked to watch things I've been wanting to watch for years. I haven't seen 3 of these nominees yet and that's a wonderful feeling to finally tick the box of having seen them.
1999 Best Supporting Actor
Michael Caine - The Cider House Rules
Okay, let's be honest: the first thing you noticed about this performance (if you've even seen this dreadful movie) is that accent! It drifts in and out of Caine's normal accent to that of a New Englander. It kinda pulls your attention away from the film and you start to try to catch the slip ups. Besides the accent thing, what is there to the performance? Not much. Caine is a doctor in Maine who works at an orphanage and also helps deliver babies and does abortions. He teaches Tobey Maguire's character how to do the same and sleeps with the nurses and is addicted to ether. All of that sounds more interesting than it really is. This is purely the Academy wanting to reward Caine the man instead of rewarding the best performance of the year because this one doesn't even come close! I would rather vote for everyone else on this list first and I hate that he won here because he already had an Oscar! It's not like he was due and he would be nominated again a couple years later, so I don't understand the push to reward him again. I did read somewhere that he really wanted to win another one so he could accept it in person since he was doing like Jaws 12 or something when he won his first one but that's a weak reason to give him another Oscar. I would love to hear someone try and convince me he was worthy of the win because I'm just not seeing anything in this performance that looks worthy enough.
Tom Cruise - Magnolia
This should have been your 1999 winner and is a really great performance from Tom Cruise. The whole film itself is really interesting and a big part of that is Cruise's character. He plays a pick up artist who commands a seminar on how to get women to like you through any means necessary. He's a charismatic public speaker, intoning all those self help/religious fanatic/motivational speaker types who are electric on stage getting people to believe anything they say. It's somewhat of a departure from what you are used to from Cruise as it's not the leading man role and not an action packed role, either. He fits extremely well within the Paul Thomas Anderson landscape and adheres to his supporting role without trying to become the main focus. To go along with the pick up artist scumbag vibe, we get another side of him through an interview where we see he's a bit frenetic and full of himself, putting on a show whether on stage or not. The interviewer asks some deeply personal questions and we see the change inside of Cruise as he thinks things over. Cruise doesn't reveal too much here but it still works to show how much depth the character has and then we see Cruise go to his father's death bed and get even more honesty from him. It's seriously one of Cruise's best performances because it's so low key and so honest and so unexpected. This was leagues better than the crap that did win and it's unfortunate that Cruise was robbed. Just watch it and you'll see what I mean.
Michael Clarke Duncan - The Green Mile
On another blog I read, this performance was labeled as the "magical Negro" role and yeah, that pretty much sums up Duncan in The Green Mile. It was kind of a slight but also an admission that this is what the Academy nominates for black actors. That's kind of a sad truth but I'm sure Duncan didn't mind. You take what you can get and make the most of it. That's exactly what he did, too, in a role that seem perfectly fitted just for him. I mean really, can you imagine anyone else in this role? This was Duncan's and Duncan's alone. He brought the humanity to a character that's a bit dimwitted but full of so much heart. Duncan makes all of those competing versions of John Coffey work tremendously well together. He can be powerful and menacing as well as meek and child-like. It might get laid on a little too thick at times, but it's the story and writing asking that of Duncan. There's an obvious Jesus Christ correlation with John Coffey (JC, come on) that's not too subtle and speaks to Coffey's righteousness. He works miracles and seems to dole out his own righteous indignation when it's deserved. Duncan may not be truly Christ-like, but he is far better than a simple "magical Negro" that's for sure. This is a pretty tough role that could have ended up looking like a giant mess, but Duncan made sure we got a magical performance instead.
Jude Law - The Talented Mr. Ripley
What an interesting film! Was not expecting that much intrigue but I guess I should have known a Patricia Highsmith film would have a lot of it. In fact she wrote the story Carol is based on, which makes sense, and I saw The Two Faces of January which is by her as well and looks strikingly like this film, setting and plot. Anyway, this one concerns Law as an American ex-patriot living in Italy and enjoying his cavalier lifestyle. Matt Damon shows up after duping Law's father into going to Italy to track Law down and bring him back to America since Law's mom is ill and his dad wants him to not be a playboy anymore. So what we get is Law being a carefree, jazz loving, womanizing American enjoying the benefits of a rich life in Italy with a beautiful woman who seems to forgive his indiscretions and stays with him. This is basically the role Jude Law was born to play, although if he could use his British accent it might be even better. He is the carefree ex-pat who is totally engrossed in his own life and loves every second of not having responsibilities. He's a fit, handsome, charismatic man who does whatever he likes and lives a life of luxury you and I could only dream of. Damon's character takes note and wants to be him and creepily invades his life. The whole point is that Law is this ideal man: is rich, handsome, plays jazz, has a beautiful girl, can speak the local language, and everyone loves him. Law plays that role perfectly. He begins to question Damon's intentions and then pays for that but for that hour that Law is onscreen, he gives a good performance as the prima donna rich guy who is great at everything in life. I can definitely see why he was nominated and I feel there may be some envy behind it, but Law is good and this is a decent performance.
Hayley Joel Osment - The Sixth Sense
Okay, so I get that Bruce Willis was considered the lead actor for this film, but come one let's be real, Osment is the true lead since the entire story and film focuses on him and what he sees and does. I think this was more of wanting to reward Osment for his performance and knowing he'd have a tough time even getting nominated for Best Actor with that group, so Supporting seemed like the easier route. Anyway, that rant over with Osment delivers a very impressive performance. The kid came out of nowhere and really wowed people with his very serious turn as the kid who sees dead people. It's a juicy part and Osment does exactly what was needed for the role. It's something that could have easily gone off the rails. I think any other kid actor might have been too child actor-y, you know where the child wants to pretend he's acting like a grown up and comes off too polished and on the nose about everything. Osment is believable which is a necessity for this type of role. We need to really think he can see ghosts and we also need to be able to empathize with his plight. Osment allows us to do both and while his big watery eyes sometimes flirts with being too precious, I think he nails most of the performance. He still comes off as a kid instead of a child actor which allows the film to succeed and he also holds his own opposite of Bruce Willis and Toni Collette. I think Osment's performance makes the entire film and without his ability the film wouldn't have been as big a hit as it was, so kudos to him. He definitely belongs as an Oscar nominated actor.
A pretty good group if you can overlook the bullshit that won. Seriously, it pisses me off that Caine won for that garbage and prevented Tom Cruise from getting a well deserved Oscar. Like why the hell did the Academy find the need to reward him for a second time for something like that? Ugh! Obviously Caine is one of the worst winners I've seen yet, so last he will be. Cruise wins outright because he was so damn good and it's such a departure from his norm. Osment is a well deserved second because without him, that movie fails miserably. Duncan in his iconic role is the 3rd followed by Law who was interesting and a worthy supporting player but just not as good as the others. I'm hoping that these type of categories are few and far between because I'd rather be happy after finishing a group than angry because of the results.
Oscar Winner: Michael Caine - The Cider House Rules
My Winner: Tom Cruise - Magnolia
Hayley Joel Osment
Michael Clarke Duncan
Jude Law
Michael Caine
1999 Best Supporting Actor
Michael Caine - The Cider House Rules
Okay, let's be honest: the first thing you noticed about this performance (if you've even seen this dreadful movie) is that accent! It drifts in and out of Caine's normal accent to that of a New Englander. It kinda pulls your attention away from the film and you start to try to catch the slip ups. Besides the accent thing, what is there to the performance? Not much. Caine is a doctor in Maine who works at an orphanage and also helps deliver babies and does abortions. He teaches Tobey Maguire's character how to do the same and sleeps with the nurses and is addicted to ether. All of that sounds more interesting than it really is. This is purely the Academy wanting to reward Caine the man instead of rewarding the best performance of the year because this one doesn't even come close! I would rather vote for everyone else on this list first and I hate that he won here because he already had an Oscar! It's not like he was due and he would be nominated again a couple years later, so I don't understand the push to reward him again. I did read somewhere that he really wanted to win another one so he could accept it in person since he was doing like Jaws 12 or something when he won his first one but that's a weak reason to give him another Oscar. I would love to hear someone try and convince me he was worthy of the win because I'm just not seeing anything in this performance that looks worthy enough.
Tom Cruise - Magnolia
This should have been your 1999 winner and is a really great performance from Tom Cruise. The whole film itself is really interesting and a big part of that is Cruise's character. He plays a pick up artist who commands a seminar on how to get women to like you through any means necessary. He's a charismatic public speaker, intoning all those self help/religious fanatic/motivational speaker types who are electric on stage getting people to believe anything they say. It's somewhat of a departure from what you are used to from Cruise as it's not the leading man role and not an action packed role, either. He fits extremely well within the Paul Thomas Anderson landscape and adheres to his supporting role without trying to become the main focus. To go along with the pick up artist scumbag vibe, we get another side of him through an interview where we see he's a bit frenetic and full of himself, putting on a show whether on stage or not. The interviewer asks some deeply personal questions and we see the change inside of Cruise as he thinks things over. Cruise doesn't reveal too much here but it still works to show how much depth the character has and then we see Cruise go to his father's death bed and get even more honesty from him. It's seriously one of Cruise's best performances because it's so low key and so honest and so unexpected. This was leagues better than the crap that did win and it's unfortunate that Cruise was robbed. Just watch it and you'll see what I mean.
Michael Clarke Duncan - The Green Mile
On another blog I read, this performance was labeled as the "magical Negro" role and yeah, that pretty much sums up Duncan in The Green Mile. It was kind of a slight but also an admission that this is what the Academy nominates for black actors. That's kind of a sad truth but I'm sure Duncan didn't mind. You take what you can get and make the most of it. That's exactly what he did, too, in a role that seem perfectly fitted just for him. I mean really, can you imagine anyone else in this role? This was Duncan's and Duncan's alone. He brought the humanity to a character that's a bit dimwitted but full of so much heart. Duncan makes all of those competing versions of John Coffey work tremendously well together. He can be powerful and menacing as well as meek and child-like. It might get laid on a little too thick at times, but it's the story and writing asking that of Duncan. There's an obvious Jesus Christ correlation with John Coffey (JC, come on) that's not too subtle and speaks to Coffey's righteousness. He works miracles and seems to dole out his own righteous indignation when it's deserved. Duncan may not be truly Christ-like, but he is far better than a simple "magical Negro" that's for sure. This is a pretty tough role that could have ended up looking like a giant mess, but Duncan made sure we got a magical performance instead.
Jude Law - The Talented Mr. Ripley
What an interesting film! Was not expecting that much intrigue but I guess I should have known a Patricia Highsmith film would have a lot of it. In fact she wrote the story Carol is based on, which makes sense, and I saw The Two Faces of January which is by her as well and looks strikingly like this film, setting and plot. Anyway, this one concerns Law as an American ex-patriot living in Italy and enjoying his cavalier lifestyle. Matt Damon shows up after duping Law's father into going to Italy to track Law down and bring him back to America since Law's mom is ill and his dad wants him to not be a playboy anymore. So what we get is Law being a carefree, jazz loving, womanizing American enjoying the benefits of a rich life in Italy with a beautiful woman who seems to forgive his indiscretions and stays with him. This is basically the role Jude Law was born to play, although if he could use his British accent it might be even better. He is the carefree ex-pat who is totally engrossed in his own life and loves every second of not having responsibilities. He's a fit, handsome, charismatic man who does whatever he likes and lives a life of luxury you and I could only dream of. Damon's character takes note and wants to be him and creepily invades his life. The whole point is that Law is this ideal man: is rich, handsome, plays jazz, has a beautiful girl, can speak the local language, and everyone loves him. Law plays that role perfectly. He begins to question Damon's intentions and then pays for that but for that hour that Law is onscreen, he gives a good performance as the prima donna rich guy who is great at everything in life. I can definitely see why he was nominated and I feel there may be some envy behind it, but Law is good and this is a decent performance.
Hayley Joel Osment - The Sixth Sense
Okay, so I get that Bruce Willis was considered the lead actor for this film, but come one let's be real, Osment is the true lead since the entire story and film focuses on him and what he sees and does. I think this was more of wanting to reward Osment for his performance and knowing he'd have a tough time even getting nominated for Best Actor with that group, so Supporting seemed like the easier route. Anyway, that rant over with Osment delivers a very impressive performance. The kid came out of nowhere and really wowed people with his very serious turn as the kid who sees dead people. It's a juicy part and Osment does exactly what was needed for the role. It's something that could have easily gone off the rails. I think any other kid actor might have been too child actor-y, you know where the child wants to pretend he's acting like a grown up and comes off too polished and on the nose about everything. Osment is believable which is a necessity for this type of role. We need to really think he can see ghosts and we also need to be able to empathize with his plight. Osment allows us to do both and while his big watery eyes sometimes flirts with being too precious, I think he nails most of the performance. He still comes off as a kid instead of a child actor which allows the film to succeed and he also holds his own opposite of Bruce Willis and Toni Collette. I think Osment's performance makes the entire film and without his ability the film wouldn't have been as big a hit as it was, so kudos to him. He definitely belongs as an Oscar nominated actor.
A pretty good group if you can overlook the bullshit that won. Seriously, it pisses me off that Caine won for that garbage and prevented Tom Cruise from getting a well deserved Oscar. Like why the hell did the Academy find the need to reward him for a second time for something like that? Ugh! Obviously Caine is one of the worst winners I've seen yet, so last he will be. Cruise wins outright because he was so damn good and it's such a departure from his norm. Osment is a well deserved second because without him, that movie fails miserably. Duncan in his iconic role is the 3rd followed by Law who was interesting and a worthy supporting player but just not as good as the others. I'm hoping that these type of categories are few and far between because I'd rather be happy after finishing a group than angry because of the results.
Oscar Winner: Michael Caine - The Cider House Rules
My Winner: Tom Cruise - Magnolia
Hayley Joel Osment
Michael Clarke Duncan
Jude Law
Michael Caine
Saturday, January 30, 2016
Supporting Actress 1999
It feels kinda weird coming back to 1999 after doing a couple of the most current years. It's like I lost my momentum in going backwards and trying to remember the trends and who has been nominated recently has slipped my mind. I'll have to settle in and get back on track starting with this category!
1999 Best Supporting Actress
Angelina Jolie - Girl, Interrupted
This is back when Angelina was the weird goth chick doing a lot of things for shock value and to get attention. Her real life persona matches the character she portrays in this film, Lisa, and it probably helps her performance honestly. It's not too far fetched to see Angelina as Lisa or vice versa so she at least has the believability factor going for her. Lisa is a mentally unstable woman who has been in a psychiatric ward for eight years and is always causing problems and escaping the hospital. You should be able to tell from that brief description that Lisa is pretty wild and she absolutely is. She is the main source of drama for the film because Lisa speaks her mind, antagonizing everyone she meets and trying to corrupt anyone that looks weak to her. It's an easy performance to do because all Angelina has to do is act crazy and there is no taking it too far for this character so Jolie can overact to her heart's content. This is the loud, brash, bombastic performance I would expect from Jolie in a role like this. I can't decide if that's inherently a good or bad thing but what I was expecting was what I got. Angelina was wildly praised and obviously rewarded for this performance but I can't help but wonder if it's because it stands out against the rest of the film or because they were really into her as a celebrity at the time. It's easily the most interesting and compelling of the performances in this category because it is so electric, so maybe that's why it was the winner. I'm on the fence about whether or not I like it, but it's easy to see why it won over the Academy.
Toni Collette - The Sixth Sense
When I was remembering this film and thinking about this performance, I didn't really remember much at all about Collette and what exactly she did. I knew she was Osment's mother but I was trying very hard to remember if she did anything else besides the well known scene in the car. Unfortunately, that's about all she does in The Sixth Sense. She plays the anguished mother role well enough, but there's not much else to the performance. The car scene I mentioned is her Oscar moment, so to speak, but I don't think that one scene is enough to vault her into the Oscar discussion. She was terrific in that scene where Osment finally tells her he sees ghosts and relays the message from Collette's mother to her. It's real emotional work and very touching without being too insincere or hammy. It's a tremendous scene as I've said three times now but I don't think it alone warrants an Oscar nomination. I feel like she was swept in on the strength of The Sixth Sense which really was a cultural phenomenon back then and got a ton of attention and awards play. I know that sometimes these supporting categories have these nominations that piggy back on whatever film is getting the most love at the time of the nominations and usually it's fine and representative of the film as a whole, but you also have Haley Joel Osment nominated, as well. There's not much else I can say about her performance because there's not much else to it, honestly. It's not bad, but I just don't know if it's enough for her to be included here.
Catherine Keener - Being John Malkovich
This is one indescribably interesting film from the depths of the mind of Charlie Kaufman, who is exceedingly brilliant. He creates world's you never knew you wanted to explore. This film takes us into the mind of John Malkovich by way of a forgotten door behind a filing cabinet in an office located on the 7th and a half floor of a building. It get's crazier from there and one of the inhabitants of this world is Catherine Keener's Maxine, an office worker that becomes the love interest of everybody in the film. Maxine is an unfiltered, sexpot who becomes the sexy ingenue of Cusack's character and then his wife and then John Malkovich. During this part of the film, Keener is very one note for much of her performance since all she gets to do is play the bitchy, beautiful woman. Sure, she's interesting because Kaufman's writing is interesting but there's no depth to her character yet. Eventually she involves seemingly everyone in the film with her sex appeal and begins to do a little more heavy lifting in the story. Keener's performance blossoms towards the end, but not like some beautiful flower - more like a flowering weed. She's all over the place and I kinda grew tired of her character's schtick after awhile. Keener is able to show fleeting moments of her ability to do more than just be an asshole hot chick, but they are just fleeting. I can't get to annoyed or upset with the performance because it fits into Kaufman's world remarkably well. We don't really need Keener's character to have a ton of depth but it would have been nice. I feel like this might have been a reward for the whole film because it is such an interesting story.
Samantha Morton - Sweet and Lowdown
Well the Academy certainly has it's types, huh? Morton doesn't speak a word in this performance and though that sounds gimmicky (and it kinda is) it actually works really flipping well here. I had no idea what to expect from this performance and I certainly wasn't expecting a mute role from Morton in this Woody Allen film, but damn does it work! It's a really old school, Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Marx Bros-esque type of performance and I mean that with all sincerity and conviction. I read that she didn't know who Harpo was but then studied the movies of the time and man, did she nail the facial expressions and physical comedy elements. The way she can look at a person with her whole body frozen gives off more emotion than some actresses can while overacting. It's also amazing because you actually have to pay attention to her or else you'll miss the comedic effect of what she's doing. In many scenes, Sean Penn dominates because he's talking a mile a minute like any Woody Allen male lead but if you watch Morton she's nailing every comedic timing moment like she was transported from the 1920s. It's a ton of fun to watch and kudos to Allen for dreaming up this character because once the film goes on to the third act and focuses on Uma Thurman, you almost immediately want Morton and her expressions back on the screen. I also like that her silence let's Penn's character keep talking until the truth comes out, which I find especially humorous. I know it's been well documented that Allen creates great female characters for his films and his list of nominated performances bears that out, but I wasn't expecting much and I got a really enjoyable performance out of it.
Chloe Sevigny - Boys Don't Cry
It can be awkward trying to start off a review. Sometimes I'm not sure of what to say or how exactly to say it. Sometimes I have too much to say and I don't know where to start first. And sometimes I just don't feel strongly one way or another about a performance so I don't know how to start it off. This is almost a mixture of all those which I know makes little sense. I liked Sevigny's performance in this film as the love interest of Hilary Swank's Brandon. I found her to be perfectly supporting, playing the supportive girlfriend/lover in a way that didn't make me dislike her at all and made me start to realize, yeah she's a decent person after all. She trots into the film as this edgy, seductive chick who seems really independent and cool and just very sure of herself. Then she catches the eye of Swank and begins to reciprocate the interest. I feel two things about this performance: that it was voted in alongside Swank who was a powerhouse and that Sevigny stands in for the audience as the accepting, loving figure of Brandon. Getting swept in isn't a knock, especially when strong performances carry other supporting roles with them. It catches the eye of the viewer who then notice the others acting in the same space. The moral compass type role also seems to get voted in a lot and that's okay. Sevigny's Lana loves Brandon for who he is as a person and how he makes her feel. That's an important takeaway obviously, and it makes Sevigny's capable performance stand out even more. Even though she's kind of this white trash, trailer park mess she is still able to transcend what is expected of her from society and her surroundings and find the good in a person that the area/people/time find to be disgusting. That's not to inflate how good the performance is or anything, Sevigny is more than fine here, but she doesn't take over any of the scenes, especially with Swank dominating things. She's just a decent pick for a supporting nomination in a film that needs more awareness and a topic that is all the more relevant in today's world. I'm sure this was a bit more of a statement back in 1999 and I'm fine with Sevigny being here.
Hey, a Best Supporting Actress category that doesn't suck! And is actually pretty good, top to bottom! Imagine that! It's always awesome when this category surprises me and I'm glad that this is a very good group of women. I'd say my 5th spot goes to Collette just because there's not enough performance there unfortunately and she would be followed by Keener who just kind of annoyed me at the end of the film even though she wasn't bad at all. Just a preference, really. Sevigny is in the middle spot because she gives a very solid supporting performance that I enjoyed. Now the tough decision for this group was who is my top pick? Angelina has the more showy, loud, brash role and she does a great job with it. Morton has to act, and act convincingly and without overdoing it, in a role that has no dialogue at all. I want to say for the record that I am okay with Jolie's win and I understand why it did win. But I think I'm leaning just a bit towards Morton for doing so well with her mute performance, something I wasn't expecting to like at all. She made it a fun and interesting one, too, so my pick for 1999 is Morton. Maybe after a while I might lean a bit more for Jolie but right now it's Morton. This was a pretty good year.
Oscar Winner: Angelina Jolie - Girl, Interrupted
My Winner: Samantha Morton - Sweet and Lowdown
Angelina Jolie
Chloe Sevigny
Catherine Keener
Toni Collette
1999 Best Supporting Actress
Angelina Jolie - Girl, Interrupted
This is back when Angelina was the weird goth chick doing a lot of things for shock value and to get attention. Her real life persona matches the character she portrays in this film, Lisa, and it probably helps her performance honestly. It's not too far fetched to see Angelina as Lisa or vice versa so she at least has the believability factor going for her. Lisa is a mentally unstable woman who has been in a psychiatric ward for eight years and is always causing problems and escaping the hospital. You should be able to tell from that brief description that Lisa is pretty wild and she absolutely is. She is the main source of drama for the film because Lisa speaks her mind, antagonizing everyone she meets and trying to corrupt anyone that looks weak to her. It's an easy performance to do because all Angelina has to do is act crazy and there is no taking it too far for this character so Jolie can overact to her heart's content. This is the loud, brash, bombastic performance I would expect from Jolie in a role like this. I can't decide if that's inherently a good or bad thing but what I was expecting was what I got. Angelina was wildly praised and obviously rewarded for this performance but I can't help but wonder if it's because it stands out against the rest of the film or because they were really into her as a celebrity at the time. It's easily the most interesting and compelling of the performances in this category because it is so electric, so maybe that's why it was the winner. I'm on the fence about whether or not I like it, but it's easy to see why it won over the Academy.
Toni Collette - The Sixth Sense
When I was remembering this film and thinking about this performance, I didn't really remember much at all about Collette and what exactly she did. I knew she was Osment's mother but I was trying very hard to remember if she did anything else besides the well known scene in the car. Unfortunately, that's about all she does in The Sixth Sense. She plays the anguished mother role well enough, but there's not much else to the performance. The car scene I mentioned is her Oscar moment, so to speak, but I don't think that one scene is enough to vault her into the Oscar discussion. She was terrific in that scene where Osment finally tells her he sees ghosts and relays the message from Collette's mother to her. It's real emotional work and very touching without being too insincere or hammy. It's a tremendous scene as I've said three times now but I don't think it alone warrants an Oscar nomination. I feel like she was swept in on the strength of The Sixth Sense which really was a cultural phenomenon back then and got a ton of attention and awards play. I know that sometimes these supporting categories have these nominations that piggy back on whatever film is getting the most love at the time of the nominations and usually it's fine and representative of the film as a whole, but you also have Haley Joel Osment nominated, as well. There's not much else I can say about her performance because there's not much else to it, honestly. It's not bad, but I just don't know if it's enough for her to be included here.
Catherine Keener - Being John Malkovich
This is one indescribably interesting film from the depths of the mind of Charlie Kaufman, who is exceedingly brilliant. He creates world's you never knew you wanted to explore. This film takes us into the mind of John Malkovich by way of a forgotten door behind a filing cabinet in an office located on the 7th and a half floor of a building. It get's crazier from there and one of the inhabitants of this world is Catherine Keener's Maxine, an office worker that becomes the love interest of everybody in the film. Maxine is an unfiltered, sexpot who becomes the sexy ingenue of Cusack's character and then his wife and then John Malkovich. During this part of the film, Keener is very one note for much of her performance since all she gets to do is play the bitchy, beautiful woman. Sure, she's interesting because Kaufman's writing is interesting but there's no depth to her character yet. Eventually she involves seemingly everyone in the film with her sex appeal and begins to do a little more heavy lifting in the story. Keener's performance blossoms towards the end, but not like some beautiful flower - more like a flowering weed. She's all over the place and I kinda grew tired of her character's schtick after awhile. Keener is able to show fleeting moments of her ability to do more than just be an asshole hot chick, but they are just fleeting. I can't get to annoyed or upset with the performance because it fits into Kaufman's world remarkably well. We don't really need Keener's character to have a ton of depth but it would have been nice. I feel like this might have been a reward for the whole film because it is such an interesting story.
Samantha Morton - Sweet and Lowdown
Well the Academy certainly has it's types, huh? Morton doesn't speak a word in this performance and though that sounds gimmicky (and it kinda is) it actually works really flipping well here. I had no idea what to expect from this performance and I certainly wasn't expecting a mute role from Morton in this Woody Allen film, but damn does it work! It's a really old school, Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Marx Bros-esque type of performance and I mean that with all sincerity and conviction. I read that she didn't know who Harpo was but then studied the movies of the time and man, did she nail the facial expressions and physical comedy elements. The way she can look at a person with her whole body frozen gives off more emotion than some actresses can while overacting. It's also amazing because you actually have to pay attention to her or else you'll miss the comedic effect of what she's doing. In many scenes, Sean Penn dominates because he's talking a mile a minute like any Woody Allen male lead but if you watch Morton she's nailing every comedic timing moment like she was transported from the 1920s. It's a ton of fun to watch and kudos to Allen for dreaming up this character because once the film goes on to the third act and focuses on Uma Thurman, you almost immediately want Morton and her expressions back on the screen. I also like that her silence let's Penn's character keep talking until the truth comes out, which I find especially humorous. I know it's been well documented that Allen creates great female characters for his films and his list of nominated performances bears that out, but I wasn't expecting much and I got a really enjoyable performance out of it.
Chloe Sevigny - Boys Don't Cry
It can be awkward trying to start off a review. Sometimes I'm not sure of what to say or how exactly to say it. Sometimes I have too much to say and I don't know where to start first. And sometimes I just don't feel strongly one way or another about a performance so I don't know how to start it off. This is almost a mixture of all those which I know makes little sense. I liked Sevigny's performance in this film as the love interest of Hilary Swank's Brandon. I found her to be perfectly supporting, playing the supportive girlfriend/lover in a way that didn't make me dislike her at all and made me start to realize, yeah she's a decent person after all. She trots into the film as this edgy, seductive chick who seems really independent and cool and just very sure of herself. Then she catches the eye of Swank and begins to reciprocate the interest. I feel two things about this performance: that it was voted in alongside Swank who was a powerhouse and that Sevigny stands in for the audience as the accepting, loving figure of Brandon. Getting swept in isn't a knock, especially when strong performances carry other supporting roles with them. It catches the eye of the viewer who then notice the others acting in the same space. The moral compass type role also seems to get voted in a lot and that's okay. Sevigny's Lana loves Brandon for who he is as a person and how he makes her feel. That's an important takeaway obviously, and it makes Sevigny's capable performance stand out even more. Even though she's kind of this white trash, trailer park mess she is still able to transcend what is expected of her from society and her surroundings and find the good in a person that the area/people/time find to be disgusting. That's not to inflate how good the performance is or anything, Sevigny is more than fine here, but she doesn't take over any of the scenes, especially with Swank dominating things. She's just a decent pick for a supporting nomination in a film that needs more awareness and a topic that is all the more relevant in today's world. I'm sure this was a bit more of a statement back in 1999 and I'm fine with Sevigny being here.
Hey, a Best Supporting Actress category that doesn't suck! And is actually pretty good, top to bottom! Imagine that! It's always awesome when this category surprises me and I'm glad that this is a very good group of women. I'd say my 5th spot goes to Collette just because there's not enough performance there unfortunately and she would be followed by Keener who just kind of annoyed me at the end of the film even though she wasn't bad at all. Just a preference, really. Sevigny is in the middle spot because she gives a very solid supporting performance that I enjoyed. Now the tough decision for this group was who is my top pick? Angelina has the more showy, loud, brash role and she does a great job with it. Morton has to act, and act convincingly and without overdoing it, in a role that has no dialogue at all. I want to say for the record that I am okay with Jolie's win and I understand why it did win. But I think I'm leaning just a bit towards Morton for doing so well with her mute performance, something I wasn't expecting to like at all. She made it a fun and interesting one, too, so my pick for 1999 is Morton. Maybe after a while I might lean a bit more for Jolie but right now it's Morton. This was a pretty good year.
Oscar Winner: Angelina Jolie - Girl, Interrupted
My Winner: Samantha Morton - Sweet and Lowdown
Angelina Jolie
Chloe Sevigny
Catherine Keener
Toni Collette
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