The Oscar-worthy kids of 1987

by Cláudio Alves

The kids of Best Picture nominee Hope and Glory

It's not often that we see child actors recognized in the film awards race. In many regards, that's understandable. Kids aren't known for being the most disciplined of performers and it seems unfair to expect them to deliver complex characterizations, or to embody concepts and ideas that they're still learning. Furthermore, while every acting job is a fruit born out of several people's labor – the actors themselves, directors, writers, editors, sound mixers, etc. – when the performer is as lacking in agency as a child, it's easier to attribute excellence to those other folks' craft.  Nonetheless, good work is good work, and we should celebrate the greatness we see on-screen, regardless of how it came to be.

That brings us to 1987, the year of the next Smackdown, and a rare vintage that's stock full of brilliant performances by young artists. Curiously enough, the three Leading Actor performances paid special homage in this write-up all come from films about boys facing the harsh realities of World War II. First up, we have: 

Christian Bale, EMPIRE OF THE SUN

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Ethan Hawke at 50: An Appreciation

by Lynn Lee

If I had to pick one actor who most perfectly embodies the spirit of Generation X, the choice would be a no-brainer.  With all due respect to other 40 and 50something stars (Leo, Brad, Johnny, Keanu) or dead icons (River, Heath) in his peer group, it could never be anyone other than Ethan Hawke.  Not because—or not only because—of Reality Bites, which made him the poster child for cynical, disaffected (but secretly vulnerable) Gen X slackers everywhere.  Rather because his career exemplifies the quiet independence and under-the-radar achievements of that not-quite-lost, but certainly liminal, generation.  He’s been working steadily since his debut, at the age of 14, in Explorers (1985), yet like any good Gen Xer, has successfully eluded easy characterization.  He reaches the half century mark today having assembled one of the most intriguing and eclectic bodies of work of any currently living actor... 

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Chadwick Boseman Oscar Chart Switcheroo

I got my time comin' to me.

You've surely heard that Chadwick Boseman's people have made the (correct) decision to place him in the Best Actor category for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. Less category fraud makes the world a better place. And usually campaigns err on the side of fraud to make things easier for the big stars, so we couldn't applaud them more for it. While it's true that this considered a "featured" role on Broadway, so was Ma Rainey herself (so clearly Broadway sometimes has its own issues with "categories") and they're the two obvious big characters of the show. So we've updated both the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor chart as a result. We still think the late beloved actor is likely to win (though it's so early, we must remind) only now that posthumous honor will be in the correct category. People who've seen the film think he's special in it. 

Chadwick Boseman will almost certainly win the Oscar for Best Actor, now that Netflix has officially decided to campaign him as a lead performer for MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM. He’s so good in his final film performance that it feels undeniable.

— Kyle Buchanan (@kylebuchanan) October 21, 2020

Almost There: Michael Fassbender in "Shame"

by Cláudio Alves

With the films of Steve McQueen's anthology, Small Axe, earning critical raves as they traverse through the festival circuit, it's a good time to remember some of his previous projects. While 12 Years a Slave was a great success that conquered acclaim and many awards, the rest of the director's filmography has been more polarizing and arguably underrated. It feels wrong, for instance, that his recurring muse, Michael Fassbender, got the first of two Oscar nominations for his least impressive contribution to McQueen's oeuvre. He was much more deserving two years before that best Picture winner, in 2011's Shame...

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AFI: Riz Ahmed in "Sound of Metal"

by Eurocheese

When putting together my list of films to catch at the festival, I threw this film in because I’d heard that it had an incredible sound design. Nobody told me that Riz Ahmed gives one of the best leading male performances that we’ve seen in years. Nobody told me that this passion project would have me emotionally on edge from start to finish, or that I’d leave feeling that it was unlike any film I’d seen before. The fact that the sound design buzz on the sound design proved true was the delicious cherry on top.

Ahmed plays Ruben, a drummer in a rock band, and the movie kicks off immersing us in one of his performances...

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