1. Best Performance By An Actor I Usually Hate
I detest Julia Roberts. I think she is your typical smug, self-adoring celebrity. And she has a horse face. But there are times when I see movies of hers, and I can't help but love them and think she was great in them. The first such film is My Best Friend's Wedding which I thought was incredibly hilarious and fun. The Julianne character she played was a nut job, but relatable, and I loved the performances by Rupert Everett, Cameron Diaz and Dermott Mulroney. I also have to give it up for Erin Brokovich, which I thought was deeply moving and also well-done on Julia's part. The superbly talented and unrecognizable Aaron Echkart is just a bonus.
2. Best Suprisingly Well-Done Turn By A Character Actor
Despite the fact that I have not ever seen Star Trek anything, I thought the spoof film Galaxy Quest was really great. The story was engaging and the cast was wonderful-- even a not-yet-famous Justin Long. But the stand-out here was definitely Enrico Colantoni, of "Just Shoot Me" fame (or not). He plays an alien with a funny, halting monotone and an awkward movement, and he's quite brilliant. I love those moments when some actor you would have otherwise discounted shows you why they made it. It's like, who knew?
3. Best Dramatic Performance By A "Comedic Actor"
I've always appreciated Jim Carey's offbeat performances in Man on the Moon, The Truman Show, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. But here, I got to give it up for Steve Carrell in Dan in Real Life. The movie is definitely not perfect. E.g. What does the fact that he's some sort of advice columnist have to do with anything? And some of the family interactions feel a little forced. But even through the funny parts, Carrell is playing a total straight man and he really brings you in. I remember watching this movie in the theatre, and when the talent show scene came on, and he's singing to Juliette Binoche, I suddenly had tears streaming down my cheeks. It was such an incredibly poignant moment, the kind you rarely feel in movies these days.
4. Best Performance That Wowed Me After-The-Fact
I really liked the movie Gone Baby, Gone and thought the actress playing the trashy mom was good, but didn't think much about it at the time. But later, I noticed Amy Ryan in Dan in Real Life (incidentally, with Steve Carrell) and also in "The Office" (also with Steve Carrell). She was so good in "The Office" going tit-for-tat with comedy heavyweight Carrell, it was really hard to believe that she is the same woman from Gone Baby, Gone. But she is, which makes her performances in both all the more impressive. Seeing her in this movie put her on my and many other's "Ones to Watch" list, and very deservedly so.
I could go on and on.
5. Most Incredible Flash-In-The-Pan (Claire Forlani, from Meet Joe Black to brilliant cinematic achievements such as Jackie Chan's The Medallion??? But why? She's so. . . pretty. It makes no sense.)
6. Actor I Had Lowest Hopes For But Was Completely Proven Wrong About (Daniel Craig, a brilliant Bond and also wonderful in Munich)
7. Best Performance By A Movie Star I Had Completely Forgotten Was Actually An Actor (George Clooney in Michael Clayton- wonderful film)
8. Best Movie That Deserves All Of The Overblown Praise It Gets (Walk The Line)
Anyway, the point is I love movies, and of all the awards shows, The Oscars is the one I have some respect for. So enjoy the show, and my pick for Most Versatile Leading Man (from song and dance on Broadway to Wolverine- is there anything that Hugh Jackman can't do?).
No comments:
Post a Comment