Best Actors (Lead and Supporting), My Ballot
Sunday, January 23, 2011 at 5:30PM As is my annual perogative I went back and forth between lead and supporting designations on several of those "co-lead" roles until I tied myself in knots and could not come undone. I'm more strict about these things than most so just deal. Every year people give me a hard time about it. But for every clear cut case of category fraud (Hailee Steinfeld is a lead in True Grit. Duh!) there are areas so gray one can't make out blacks or whites (I'm still not sure what to make of Lesley Manville in Another Year) and one just has to call it like one sees it and be okay with how other people are calling it too. No biggie. So for what it's worth I consider the couplings of Firth & Rush (The King's Speech) and Wahlberg & Bale (The Fighter) to be power duets within films specifically about their relationship with one another - therefore leads just like Scarlett & Rhett in Gone With the Wind only without the sex and with more of a damn given.
Lead Actor
I regret to inform that I have not seen Javier Bardem's much lauded performance in Biutiful. I tried! (Screener didn't work. Didn't realize that til after one week qualifier had passed, etcetera) Do I feel bad about thus dissing him? Yes and No. I love Bardem but it's no secret that I disdain the "one week qualifier" Oscar tactic and part of me -- a small petty part but a part nonetheless -- wishes even the worthiest of performances and films would be ignored every year IF attempting this until the studios and/or the Academy put a kabosh on this absurd practice which is bad for moviegoers and bad for dramatic films in general, as it teaches audiences to shun them or not care a whit about them unless or until they are Oscar-stamped. That's no way to build or keep an audience for adult entertainment. After all, not every film can be Oscar nominated.
So for my best actor list I had to choose between a sweaty former boxer, a sweaty federal agent, a sweaty rock climber (what's going on here) and several other men who were sweating out really difficult situations like an illiterate inmate, an innovator beset by lawsuits, a king on the verge of war, a man who'd just lost a child and so on.
Supporting Actor
So many wonderful performances and I'm still debating a couple of also rans with myself. Self: "He was better." Also Self: "No, you're crazy. Him." But in the end I'm happy with the settled ballot which includes a chill sperm donor, a hardened criminal, two men with mysterious motives with their lead actress, and one man, Andrew Garfield who I would have nominated twice over if I could have. Subtract The Social Network from the 2010 calendar and he'd still be a Film Bitch Award nominee for Never Let Me Go... (a film I didn't much care for overall).
Who is on yours?
Reader Comments (39)
Solid lists. I like it!
I'm excited for the actresses. :)
My best actor and best supporting actor ballots:
Leading
Jeff Bridges (True Grit)
Robert Duvall (Get Low)
Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network)
Colin Firth (The King's Speech)
Ryan Gosling (Blue Valentine)--Winner
I haven't seen Franco. If I felt his performance was worthy of a nomination, I would take Duvall out of this list.
Supporting
Christian Bale (The Fighter)--Winner
Vincent Cassel (Black Swan)
Bob Hoskins (Made in Dagenham)
Guy Pearce (The King's Speech)
Jeremy Renner (The Town)
I see the Rush reasoning, but I still disagree about Christian Bale. No matter; he's nominated, that's what's important :). I wish I'd seen Fish Tank, b/c (1) everyone seems to love it and (2) Fassbender.
Franco and Gosling almost made my lead actors list, but I went with Cera/Duvall/Eisenberg/Firth/Wahlberg. Is it awful that I really don't remember A Prophet, even though I know I really really loved Hichem Yacoubi in it? Your supporting list is tres strong, though again: haven't seen Fish Tank. Mine is Bale/Garfield (like you, for The Social Network)/Murray (I clearly liked Get Low more than you did!)/Rush/Shannon (for The Runaways).
Are these the most Film Bitch-friendly Oscars in a while? (I won't say Oscar-friendly Film Bitch; I like to think they finally caught up to you).
I'm curious what your views about Niels Arestrup in A Prophet and Josh Hutcherson in Kids are. They both make my list and given your admiration for both films I thought they might place above some of the supporting men you mentioned, especially Jeremy Renner who I just found to be serviceable in The Town.
It's interesting, I had a hard time convincing myself that Bale could be co-lead until I thought: "leave the movie exactly the same but pretend like the title was: The Fighters." And just adding that one "s" suddenly does it.
It's interesting to go back to years where co-leads were nominated and wonder if the (cue Mommie Dearest) "NO CO-LEADS, EVARRRRRRRR!" mindset were in place then.... would Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart be supporting in his own movie?
Eenywhoo, nice lists. Very. I get so excited for Film Bitch every year. Can't wait for the next announcement.
no ewan mcgregor mention?
I thought maybe you were going to consider Garfield lead for The Social Network also...I don't, but as you said people different reasons for the placement for those kinds of roles.
If the oscar nominees matched these exactly, I could not complain.
Mike F --- andrew garfield was in consideration for lead to but at the end of the day unlike THE FIGHTER(s) and THE KING'S SPEECH ...TSN eally starts to feel like a war over Zuckerberg (only lead) with Garfield pushed further and futher away by Timberlake and the ensemble nature of the legal battles lending a feeling of definite support. Plus even when he's in the scenes he's not always the focus -- whereas Christian Bale is definitely pulling focus continually (not just in performance but in actual narrative as the entire B plot is his. People keep saying he leaves the move for awhile. He really doesn't. He's in prison for about 15 mintues of the narrative and even then we check back in with him like 3 times. to me it's a film about a brother trying to hang on to something that he's already lost and eventually coming to grips with his supporting role and passing the baton. So it's especially interesting for this debate ;) Plus whenever we start and end with a character i have issues calling them supporting (see also: true grit and the assassination of jesse james by the coward robert ford and collateral)
Dean -- i like both of those performances a lot. i hadn't decided on the last couple of semi-finalists. about 5 people saying 'me'me'me
Matthew __ vincent cassel eh? I tried to love that performance but something about black swan keeps pushing me away from everyone but NINA. it's a weirdly non-ensemble ensemble film if you know what i mean.
Having yet to see Animal Kingsom, Barney's Version, Biutiful, Fish Tank, and A Prophet...
Best Actor
Christian Bale, The Fighter - Yes, he should be a lead nominee. People don't just fight in the boxing ring.
Jeff Bridges, True Grit - His performance is wonderful. I feel he and Firth are winning for the wrong movies. '09 and '10 winners should be flip-flopped.
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network - Brilliant work. Heart-breaking and sickening.
Colin Firth, The King's Speech - Remember when he was just... Mr. Darcy? Well, my sister sure does.
Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine - In ten years, he'll likely have another two or three nominations. And deservedly so.
Honorable Mentions: Michael Caine (Harry Brown) and James Franco (127 Hours).
Best Supporting Actor
Vincent Cassel, Black Swan - I do believe that is it the work of the cast supporting Portman who will make the film re-watchable.
Matt Damon, True Grit - He was everything the film needed him to be.
Andrew Garfield, The Social Network - From the moment he walks in asking if Mark is alright to the moment he walks out determined to bring Mark down, Edwardo has the audience.
John Hawkes, Winter's Bone - (What Nathaniel said.)
Ian McShane, 44 Inch Chest - Biased? Perhaps, but this spot would otherwise go to Ruffalo and the same could be said about him.
Honorable Mentions: Armie Hammer (The Social Network) and Mark Ruffalo (The Kids Are All Right).
My nominees if aI had a ballot
Lead Actor:
Jim Broadbent - Another Year
Jim Carrey - I Love You Philip Morris
Jesse Eisenberg - The Social Network
James Franco - Howl
Ryan Gosling - Blue Valentine
Supporting Actor:
Andrew Garfield - Never Let Me Go
John Hawkes - Winter's Bone
Josh Hutcherson - The Kids are All Right
Mark Ruffalo - The Kids are All Right
Miles Teller - Rabbit Hole
as for the girls...
Lead Actress:
Annette Bening - The Kids are All Right
Dakota Fanning - The Runaways
Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole
Natalie Portman - Black Swan
Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine
Supporting Actress:
Amy Adams - The Fighter
Kirsten Dunst - All Good Things
Keira Knightley - Never Let Me Go
Charlotte Rampling - Life During Wartime
Jacki Weaver - Animal Kingdom
YES! John Hawkes is on your ballot!
But I'm confused...Tahar Rahim makes your Best Actor list, but no mention of Niels Arestrup's equally riveting performance in the same film?
Didn't see FISH TANK yet. I didn't consider THE PROPHET because I saw it last year. Putting Bale in Best Actor seems like category fraud and discredits the immense center provided by Mark Wahlberg.
Here are my Actor and Supporting Actor nominees:
Best Actor:
Jeff Bridges – True Grit – an amusing, disgusting, powerful presence that makes everything seem possible & REAL
Jesse Eisenberg – Social Network – smart, subtle, fearless & very, very funny in a very, very specific way
Colin Firth – King’s Speech – appropriately pompous with vulnerability the audience adores – a true star turn and a true joy to behold
James Franco – 127 Hours – wild and impassioned and believable with manliness battling it out with sensitivity in almost every frame
Hrithik Roshan – Guzaarish – remarkably vulnerable with an edge of steel and a level of frustrated yearning that blew me away
Supporting Actor (I really try, but obviously don’t always succeed, to focus on the SMALLER parts that blow me away):
Christina Bale – The Fighter – amazingly appealing and interesting as a real scum bag – he makes him fascinating, understandable, and sympathetic AND he does so with flair and power
Andrew Garfield – Never Let Me Go – I know, I’m supposed to prefer him in Social Network, but I didn’t – in fact, he sort of didn’t do it for me in that film but in Never Let Me Go he was moving and had a lost, hopeless but yearning aura about him that I found very haunting
Mark Ruffalo – Kids Are All Right – very joyous, very charming, very sexy, totally believable – he made me want to sleep with him and then have a nice long heart to heart with him too!
Geoffrey Rush – King’s Speech – strong, mischievious, charming as all hell, and very intelligent – he made a far-fetched character really work
Miles Teller – Rabbit Hole – God this guy blew me away – I could sit and watch him watch Kidman for hours – the vulnerability, the hopeless hope, the teary eyes – he melted my heart in that film more than anybody else – I’ve already been to IMDB to see what his next project will be!
YAY Fernando - I just noticed you've got Miles Teller on your list too! You're brilliant!
The lead/supporting thing is so funny. I think I settled on Bale in supporting (Wahlberg still has a story to tell without him), but Ruffalo in lead (since, well, without him there's no movie). Rush as lead, yes, and I still waver on Fassbender for "Fish Tank". Manville is SO lead, though. How can she not be? Without her it's just watching this old couple drink tea. She is the entire thrust of the movie and it's not like she's lacking in the screen time to justify a lead placement. Without Manville there would literally be no "Another Year" since I can't imagine Leigh finding much in Tom and Gerri to occupy 130minutes of time otherwise. Greta Gerwig, too, is lead I reckon. I shudder to think what "Greenberg" would've been like without that character. It'd be a man sitting in a chair for 2hrs. I found it interesting, too, that you put Ben Mendelsohn in supporting for "Animal Kingdom".
I wonder if any of that made sense. Hmmm.
Nevertheless, a nice set of nominations but we're all just biding our time for the actress categories!
Sorry Nate - I just read that you gave Teller an Honorable Mention. You're not quite as brilliant as Fernando and I, but close. :-)
billybil: and we both prefer Garfield in Never Let Me Go too, something tells me we could be very good friends...
I agree Glenn - I, myself, believe Ben Mendelsohn is the lead in ANIMAL KINGDOM. Without him there wouldn't be a movie in my opinion - at least not one I'd want to watch. Ya gotta have a human in the lion den.
At least the best movie going buddies, huh Fernando?!
No Jim Carrey? His performance is so special. I fell in love with it.
at the very least billybil... ;D
Nice lists! I'm hoping you go Gosling for the win.
I'm also really happy to see Hawkes, Renner, and Ruffalo in your supporting. Garfield would just miss my list, and I haven't seen Fish Tank yet. I'd add Rush to the list. Would he have made your list if you considered him supporting?
Great to see Miles Teller with a runner-up citation, and I'm loving how well-represented "Fish Tank" is in this year's FBs. Makes me want to watch it again.
Great lists, as always Nathaniel. This is pretty much exactly my ballot, with only a Bale/Garfield switch, and Edgar Ramirez joining the actor lineup. It was quite a weak year in the leading category so I'm unsurprised. Assuming Gosling takes home a second win (you gave it to him for Half Nelson, non?), does that put him at the top of the Film Bitch food chain?
Also, I surprised you left off Armie Hammer from even the honourable mentions list, did you perhaps feel it was more technical trickery that made it special?
I stick to Academy categorization and whatnot with the acting categories, so Rahim is not eligible this year. I will wait until the nominees come out to see where to place Steinfeld and Manville. If they get nominated, I'll place them appropiately in that category. If they're snubbed, I get to choose.
(Manville is genuinely Supporting, but I might place Steinfeld in Supporting just because I've had her there all this time and it's easier.)
So, I present to you all the BTO Awards for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor!
NOMINEES:
ACTOR:
Javier Bardem, Biutiful
BEST MOMENT: Saying goodbye to his daughter
Jesse Eisenberg, Social Network
BEST MOMENT: Did I accurately answer your condescending question?
Colin Firth, King's Speech
BEST MOMENT: His eyes do all the work, particularly during the speech itself.
James Franco, 127 Hours
BEST MOMENT: Amputation.
Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine
BEST MOMENT: Singing.
JUST MISSED IT: Jeff Bridges, True Grit. (His best moment would be kicking those children. I laughed.)
OVERRATED: Robert Duvall, Get Low. Yawn.
THE WINNER: Colin Firth.
SILVER: Bardem
BRONZE: Franco
4th: Eisenberg
5th: Gosling
S. ACTOR:
Christian Bale, The Fighter
BEST MOMENT: It's his general jumpiness and whatnot that I love.
Vincent Cassel, Black Swan
BEST MOMENT: Seduction.
Jeremy Renner, The Town
BEST MOMENT: Same as you.
Mark Ruffalo, Kids Are All Right
BEST MOMENT: "I love lesbians."
Justin Timberlake, Social Network
BEST MOMENT: His introduction, with Emily from Stanford.
JUST MISSED IT: Geoffrey Rush, King's Speech. (Best moment would be, "Yes you do.")
OVERRATED: Andrew Garfield-he's good, but Timberlake's character is more interesting. But I'm glad that Arnie Hammer wasn't nominated here, because he was the weakest part of the movie. Not a particularly good actor. But thankfully, no awards attention for him, so I can't say overrated.
THE WINNER: Christian Bale
SILVER: Cassel
BRONZE: Ruffalo
4th: Renner
5th: Timberlake
Wow… *fabulous* lineups!
Wonderful to finally see Fassbender. Regardless of where one believes Bale and Rush belong, the Best Supporting Actor (usually the weakest of the acting categories) race was so rich last year.
My Personal Picks…
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE:
Jesse Eisenberg, THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Colin Firth, THE KING’S SPEECH
James Franco, 127 HOURS
Ryan Gosling, BLUE VALENTINE
Jake Gyllenhaal, LOVE & OTHER DRUGS
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
Christian Bale, THE FIGHTER
Peirce Bronson, THE GHOST WRITER
Michael Fassbender, FISH TANK
Ewan McGregor, I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS
Mark Ruffalo, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
I'm so glad someone else recognizes how good Miles Teller was in Rabbit Hole. Stunning work. My ballot is as follows, in oder.
Lead Actor
Colin Firth
Aaron Eckhart
Jesse Eisenberg
Leonardo DiCaprio (Inception)
Mark Wahlberg
Supporting Actor
Andrew Garfield
Geoffrey Rush
Mark Ruffalo
Miles Teller
Christian Bale
Nathaniel, why did you considered Christoph Waltz supporting last year? He was as leading as the Heath Ledger two years ago. I haven't seen The Fighter yet but is Christian Bale character more similar to Ledger or to Waltz?
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE:
Jesse Eisenberg, THE SOCIAL NETWORK (silver)
Colin Firth, THE KING’S SPEECH (bronze)
James Franco, 127 HOURS
Ryan Gosling, BLUE VALENTINE (gold)
Jake Gyllenhaal, LOVE & OTHER DRUGS
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
Christian Bale, THE FIGHTER (gold)
Peirce Bronson, THE GHOST WRITER
Michael Fassbender, FISH TANK (bronze)
Ewan McGregor, I LOVE YOU PHILLIP MORRIS
Mark Ruffalo, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT (silver)
I love the inclusion of Andrew dancing up to Jesse. I was just in love with how he did it.
Here's the real question... I've gotten to the point where Lesley Manville is a lead performance. We see so many of the sees through her eyes-- we focus on her at the barbecue, the final shot is hers, etc.
But what about Ruth Sheen? Co-lead? Supporting? So often, we know what to think about Mary because of Gerri's reactions. And yet, she's there all the time! What to do, what to do...
And I'm also surprised at the FB/Oscar overlap, both this year and last.
rob -- i dunno really. i think i thought of everyone in Basterds as supporting really. it's such an ensemble film (which is the way i feel about animal kingdom this year kinda). Honestly i can't begin to see why so few people consider Bale "lead" so i'm not sure i'm the best person to define it. to me the whole film was about the brothers as "the pride of lowell" and their troubled relationship. but apparenlty i am now the only person who regularly sees two leads in films :)
I probably over did it on the Ledger thing, though. He just took over the movie so much in my head that i assumed he was in like all of it :) But I've seen The Fighter very recently and Bale has plenty of scenes that are HIS. including the emotional climax of the movie which doesnt even have Mark Whalberg in it. it's between the brother and the girlfriend.
Evan -- Ruth Sheen is totally the lead of Another Year. It's just that Manville is the showy character. But i think they're both leads the more i think of it. As for the oscar/fb overlap. We don't even know what the oscar nominees are yet. haha.
some years there is more consensus though yes.lately though Oscar has obviously been trending closer to general critical response.
Glenn -- well I'd say if Animal Kingdom has a lead it's gotta be James Frecheville. But it's really such an ensemble film. Like Reservoir Dogs
Nice list. However, I think Andrew Garfield was co-lead in "The Social Network."
Obviously that's not a popular opinion, but he drives the story forward and is the main focus in the last half (he also has equal screen time with Eisenberg).
Film Bitch Award rules! And finally somebody put both Bale and Rush in lead!
Lead:
Won Bin, "Mother"
James Frecheville, “Animal Kingdom”
Ryan Gosling, “Blue Valentine”
Édgar Ramírez, “Carlos”
Ryan Reynolds, “Buried”
Supporting:
Kieran Culkin, “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World”
Bruce Greenwood, "Meek's Cutoff"
Ed Harris, “The Way Back”
John Hawkes, “Winter’s Bone”
Ben Mendelsohn, “Animal Kingdom”
Fassbender, yes! Honestly, that was my one must-happen for the FB Awards!
Of course, if you have some room for Katie Jarvis in Best Actress, I certainly won't complain :-)
Oooops - I made a mistake. I agree, Nate - James Frecheville is the lead in ANIMAL KINGDOM. That's who I meant when I wrote: "Without him there wouldn't be a movie in my opinion - at least not one I'd want to watch. Ya gotta have a human in the lion den."
Ben Mendelsohn was great but it was James I adored.
Actor
Javier Bardem - "Biutiful"
Won Bin - "Mother"
James Franco - "127 Hours"
Ryan Gosling - "Blue Valentine"
Édgar Ramírez - “Carlos”
S. Actor
Christian Bale - "The Fighter"
John Hawkes - "Winter's Bone"
Samuel L Jackson - "Mother and Child"
Sam Rockwell - "Convictionn"
Mark Ruffalo - The Kids Are All Right
I love your five choices for Best Actress!