Halfway Mark Festivities begin now! It's never too early to start thinking about year-end lists. If you keep a list all year long, you make better choices at year's end. Unlike The Academy we don't believe that the film year begins in October. So let's name the best male performances and achievements from the first half of the year.
Disclaimer: Notable films I missed that might have factored in to these categories but that I'll have to catch up with on DVD include 10 Cloverfield Lane and The Nice Guys.
NOTABLE MALE PERFORMANCES
(January through June, 2016 - U.S. Theatrical Releases)
Best Leading Actor
- Alfredo Castro as "Armando" in From Afar
One of world cinema's most dependably unnerving actors but his performances are never copies. (He's also great in the predatory priests drama The Club also released this year) - Colin Farrell as "David" in The Lobster
This underpraised actor continues to push himself when similarly famous stars would have long ago started coasting. Just wonderful as this lovelorn but surprisingly amoral sadsack - Jake Gyllenhaal as "Davis" in Demolition
Can someone please start giving him films that can keep up with him? He's been on such a tear. Get him while he's at his peak! - Daniel Radcliffe as "Manny" in Swiss Army Man
Though it's not much of a high-bar to proclaim this Harry Potter's best performance, that doesn't negate the compliment. Radcliffe does wonders with the weird constrictions of the role, never over or underplaying this corpse that talks, marvels, and learns and yearns for love - Ferdia Walsh-Peelo as "Cosmo" in Sing Street
He's a major find, superbly charting Cosmo's growing confidence and musical passion.
Four more categories after the jump...
Best Supporting Actor
- Tom Bennett as "Sir James" in Love & Friendship
The year's funniest performance and the MVP of one of its best movies. It's easy to imagine this character grating or feeling one note in lesser hands. But he's just bliss to watch. - Alden Ehrenreich as "Hobie Doyle" in Hail Caesar!
A star is born on the screens within the screen just as a star is born onscreen. That's a phenomenally neat trick courtesy of the casting department, the Coen brothers, and Ehrenreich himself. - Ralph Fiennes as "Harry" in A Bigger Splash
Fired up, funny, crude, charming and charmless in equal portions, and eager to fill every silence with life, music, and more-more-more of himself - Ralph Ineson as "William" in The VVitch
Moving and maddening as the pious patriarch of a doomed family - Alessandro Nivola as "Fashion Designer" in The Neon Demon
Suave but brutally dismissive. The stare is equal parts judgment and thirst.
Best Actor in a Limited or Cameo or Voice Role
- Idris Elba as "Sher Khan" in The Jungle Book
So many voice roles and makeup roles this year -- let us see his face, damnit! - Ralph Fiennes as "Laurence Laurentz" in Hail Caesar!
An amazingly refined counterpoint to his other recent balls-out performance. And totally funny in both - Stephen Fry as "Mr Johnson" in Love & Friendship
Perfectly dropping in to threaten his sneaky wife with threats of Connecticutt - Maurice LaMarche as "Mr Big" in Zootopia
The joke may be obvious but it works. And Mr Big is adorable. And this is why you should usually hire voice actors for animation rather than celebrities. So much flavor and character from actual voice actors - Don Stark as "Uncle Frank" in Hello My Name is Doris
Another mark of Hello My...'s compassion: he'd be the brunt of a joke in a lesser movie but in this one you feel for his awkward courting of Doris - this is not what she was expecting.
Breakthrough Performer
- Jack Greenlees as "Will Guthrie" in Sunset Song
Moving as the abused brother yearning to leave home - Mark McKenna as "Eamon" in Sing Street
Terrific deadpan foil to the moody teens around him. Bonus points: he likes rabbits. - Harvey Scrimshaw as "Caleb" in The VVitch
Compelling throughout but aces in that crucial disturbingly adult deathbed scene. Wow. - Luis Silva as "Elder" in From Afar
Highly watchable Brando-lite as an uncouth youth with a penchant for violence and sexual proclivities he doesn't understand - Ferdia Walsh-Peelo as "Cosmo" in Sing Street
(see also: Best Actor)
The Hotness
- Zac Efron as "Teddy Sanders" in Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising
"I'm a human woman. I need to watch this" -Kiersey Clemons as "Beth" speaks the truth. - Tom Hiddleston as "Laing" in High-Rise
Minimalism suits him. I'm not speaking solely of the lack of clothing, but that, too. - Tyler Hoechlin as "McReynolds" in Everybody Wants Some!!
Douchey bros have rarely been this appealing, whether showing off, spouting off, or being tremendously bad sports - Matthias Schoenaerts as "Paul" in A Bigger Splash
Those thighs, that sun-kissed skin, the comfortably tender mascluinity. And above all the way he gazes at Tilda. Swoon. - Sebastian Stan as "Lance" in The Bronze
Sending up his own Olympian hotness in a way that might make the Princes from Into the Woods proud.
What did you make of these men and would your list(s) be similar? Can any of them enter the Oscar conversation?