by Nathaniel R
Kerry O'Malley in "The Killer" © Netflix
In the interest of wrapping up before Oscar night (or at least getting, say, 80% there) please note that there are multiple new categories posted at the 24th annual Film Bitch Awards. Tonight, let's talk the "extra" acting categories of which we have Limited Performances (for people with very short screen time --usually one or two scenes only), Breakthrough Performers, a special Body of Work award and much more. I have such fun thinking about these categories all year as I watch movies that I fear I missed my calling to be a casting director. Maybe in the next life...
BEST LIMITED (OR CAMEO) PERFORMANCE, ACTRESS
A special TFE shout-out to former Smackdown guest Kerry O'Malley who proved the unexpected MVP of the assassin drama The Killer despite having such a small role. She only proves that famous adage "there are no small parts". David Fincher's latest was a divisive movie for its patient formalism and anti-"action" approach (with the exception of one brutal Floridian brawl). Still, one thing most people seemed to agree on was that Kerry O'Malley was riveting as Dolores, a secretary who is too close to the titular protagonist's kill list to escape it. Her character was so fully formed, so precisely conjured, and so devastating (that line reading of "I'm not a bad person." My god...) that we wouldn't be surprised had you told us she approached the character like she was on a Mike Leigh set and had lived and learned everything about this woman for six months before the shoot. She changed the temperature of the movie without betraying its tone or intent. She briefly humanizes it, which only makes the nihilism before and after her chapter feel more potent and tragic. Brava, Kerry. Truly. May the casting offers come pouring in.
Also nominated: Anne-Lise Heimburger (Other People's Children), Carey Mulligan (Saltburn), Tracee Ellis Ross (American Fiction) and Hanna Schygulla (Poor Things). You can see the finalists and semi-finalists on the awards page.
Corey Hawkins in "May December" © François Duhamel for Netflix
BEST LIMITED (OR CAMEO) PERFORMANCE, ACTOR
The nominees are Casey Affleck (Oppenheimer), Matt Lauria (80 For Brady), Charles Parnell (The Killer), and Marlon Wayans (Air) and you can read about them on the link above. It was a delight to include Cory Michael Smith for his third Todd Haynes film, May December. His character/performance as Gracie's estranged musician son "Georgie" is just one of the film's (many) tonal risks. His smile is too hostile, his dialogue too provocative to quite get a handle on how much is true and how much is performance, given the psychic fallout of his mother's life and his own showmanship. In some ways he feels like he might be a kindred spirit to Natalie Portman's agent-of-chaos actress Elizabeth, but for his actual proximity to the infamous scandal at the film's core.
See the finalists and semi finalists on the awards page.
Virginie Efira in "Revoir Paris"
BODY OF WORK
On the main acting page, a special gold medal (we do these once in a while) to Gallic goddess Virginie Efira who faithful readers will already know we're obsessed with. Everyone was on the Sandra Hüller 'body of work' train but really we think that was all about her towering work in Anatomy of a Fall! Consider, instead the constant filmography of Justine Triet's other favourite actress, Virginie Efira. Efira had three movies released in the US this year (Revoir Paris - which finally won her the César Award, Other People's Children, and Madeleine Collins) and two more released at home (Just the Two of Us - her seventh César nomination, and All To Play For). A few of our contributors here are, shall we say, into her. She will reward your time if you watch her movies with stunning character studies and movie star charisma.
Ayo Edebiri voices April in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" © Nickelodeon
VOCAL PERFORMANCE
Ayo Edebiri had a sensational season winning the Emmy, Globe, and SAG for The Bear, and starring in two very funny comedies: Bottoms and Theater Camp. But one of our favourite Edebiri performances this year was her less-discussed vocal work as "April" in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. She just felt so real and grounding and unforced which is a feat in a movie about mutated turtles with an overprotective rat father who are fighting a killer mutated fly. Acting is such a strange profession. Also nominated: Riz Ahmed (Nimona) and Hailee Steinfeld (Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse)
Sophie Wilde in "Talk to Me"
BREAKTHROUGH OF THE YEAR
This is a good place to honor "new" stars that scream BIG POTENTIAL whether or not they were up for awards this season. And speaking of. I groaned and rolled my eyes at that one "Supporting Actress" citation for Sophie Wilde in Talk to Me a few months back (she's inarguably the protagonist of her movie, surrounded by a large and lively fine supporting cast). It reminds us that sometimes critics just don't take awards seriously at all. And they should if they're going to give awards out! It's not like there weren't other ways to honor this savvy endearing star turn which is equally effective whether she's playing beloved step-sister, party girl, grieving child, or a demon possessing her body. The Australian breakout won the AACTA Award for Best Actress and was also up for BAFTA's Rising Star award. Well played, Sophie. We can't wait to see what you do next.
The other bewitching promising nominees are: Paula Luchingser (El Conde), Rosy McEwen (Blue Jean), Teyana Taylor (A Thousand and One), and Enzo Vogrincic (Society of the Snow).
Also Recently Posted
- Pg 1 - Screenplays, Animated Feature (Picture/Director TBA)
- Pg 2 - Acting (Lead categories TBA)
- Pg 3 - Visual Categories - complete
- Pg 4 - Sound Categories - complete
- Pg 5 -Additional Acting Categories - complete
- Pg 6 - TBA (Hero, Villain, Diva, Sexpot categories)
- Pg 7 - TBA (Best Scene categories)