Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2011: Results

5. John Hawkes in Martha Marcy May Marlene- Hawkes combines effortlessly a charming and threatening personality in his portrayal of a cult leader.

4. Viggo Mortensen in A Dangerous Method- Mortensen gives a strong performance as Sigmund Freud succeeding well in creating the charismatic and persuasive personality of the man.

3. Bryan Cranston in Drive- Cranston even with his limited screen time creates both an enthusiastic as well as tragic presence in his film.

2. Brad Pitt in The Tree of Life- Pitt gives an astonishing performance and fully realizes his character despite limitations created by the direction of the film.

1. Mart Strong in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy- Strong wins this year for me, even with Brooks who on re-watch I still love, and give a 5, but he is no longer my favorite of the year. That goes to Strong even though it is close very close among the top three. Strong is my favorite though who gives an absolutely masterful performance, there is not a wasted moment or even a single facial gesture in his portrayal.

Overall Rank:

1. Mark Strong in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
2. Albert Brooks in Drive
3. Brad Pitt in The Tree of Life
4. Bryan Cranston in Drive
5. Tom Hardy in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy 
6. Viggo Mortensen in A Dangerous Method
7. John Hurt in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy 
8. John Hawkes in Martha Marcy May Marlene
9. Don Cheadle in The Guard
10. Benedict Cumberbatch in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
11. Ben Kingsley in Hugo
12. Colin Firth in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
13. Kenneth Branagh in My Week With Marilyn
14. Max Von Sydow in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close 
15. Corey Stoll in Midnight in Paris
16. Toby Jones in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
17. Christopher Plummer in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
18. David Dencik in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
19. Alan Rickman in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part II
20. Liam Cunningham in The Guard
21. Kevin Bacon in X-Men First Class
22. James Cromwell in The Artist
23. Mark Strong in The Guard
24. Paul Giamatti in The Ides of March
25. Stellan Skarsgard in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
26. Ron Perlman in Drive 
27. Laurence Fishburne in Contagion 
28. Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Ides of March
29. Robert Forster in The Descendants
30. Oscar Isaac in Drive
31. Chris Cooper in The Muppets
32. Matt Damon in Contagion 
33. Christopher Plummer in Beginners
34. Matthew Lewis in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part II
35. Ciaran Hinds in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
36. Jeffrey Wright in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
37. George Clooney in Ides of March
38. Yorick van Wageningen in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
39. Nick Nolte in Warrior
40. David Wilmot in The Guard 
41. Sacha Baron Cohen in Hugo
42. Vincent Cassel in A Dangerous Method
43. Tom Hiddleston in War Horse 
44. Sean Penn in The Tree of Life
45. Matthew Lillard in The Descendants 
46. Jonah Hill in Moneyball
47. Jude Law in Contagion
48. Tom Hiddleston in Midnight in Paris
49. Philip Seymour Hoffman in Moneyball
50. John Goodman in The Artist
51. Beau Bridges in The Descendants
52. Ralph Fiennes in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part II
53. Toby Jones in Captain America
54. Josh Lucas in J. Edgar
55. Michael Sheen in Midnight in Paris
56. Tom Hanks in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
57. Tommy Lee Jones in Captain American
58. Nicholas Hoult in X-Men First Class
59. Armie Hammer in J. Edgar 
60. Dominic Cooper in Captain America
61. Hugo Weaving in Captain America
62. Hugh Dancy in Martha Marcy May Marlene
63. Peter Mullan in War Horse
64. David Thewlis in War Horse
65. Jim Broadbent in The Iron Lady
66. James Badge Dale in Shame
67. Joaquín Cosio in A Better Life
68. Niels Arestrup in War Horse
69. Nick Krause in The Descendants 
70. Goran Visnjic in Beginners 
71. Matt Milne in War Horse 

Next Year: 1947 Supporting (I might do this year differently) 

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2011: Bryan Cranston in Drive

Bryan Cranston did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Shannon in Drive.

Bryan Cranston who is currently giving one of the greatest continuing performances as chemistry teacher turned meth dealer Walter White in Breaking Bad, plays a very different character here in Drive. Cranston portrays Shannon a car mechanic and a man who organizes stunt cars for movies. Shannon has a limp, and just seems to be a bit of a sorry sort to say the least. One positive thing in his possession of sorts seems to be that of the driver (Ryan Gosling) who works at his car garage as well as does stunt work for Shannon.

Cranston portrays Shannon as really a likable loser. Shannon repeatedly and unrepentantly remarks about how he really does use the driver for his own exploitation, but Cranston portrays the technically speaking less than positive aspects of Shannon with a certain warmth and smile. It is easy to see why he could so easily take money from the driver, as well even from gangster Bernie Rose (Albert Brooks), becuase Cranston has a genuine though low key charm in his performance. Rose states that he liked having Shannon around, and Cranston makes it believable that he would say that.

Cranston very effectively acts as a bright spot in this film which is filled with very seedy characters throughout. Cranston does it well with a great deal of enthusiasm, and more importantly he is able to do this despite that Shannon really is not entirely not a bit of a seedy sort himself. Cranston though is consistently jovial in the seedier qualities found in Shannon, even in the moment where he tries to convince the driver to share the money from a botched money Cranston still makes Shannon likable in that he shows that really Shannon can barely contain his understandable self interest.

The big reason that Cranston makes Shannon's self interest understandable is that he is able to portray a tragedy within Shannon, as Rose says in the film that Shannon never had a lot of luck. These are subtle, and short moments in Cranston's performance but are quite powerful when they do come about. These are mostly in small reactions like when Rose's partner mentions Shannon legs, and in just brief moment Cranston portrays a far deeper sadness within him. Cranston plays it well portraying that his more seeming overt happiness in the other moments, although while not a facade, is very much a way of him trying to overcome his troublesome past.

Shannon really is a fairly small role in the film, and he comes in and out, but Cranston makes an impact within the film whenever he does appear. He creates Shannon into an endearing character, as well as heartbreaking in the end of the film. He combines the various elements into making Shannon a compelling character that adds well to his film.  Cranston makes what happens to Shannon in the end not just something that is part of the film, but instead makes it so the Driver's final actions all the more poignant and powerful. Cranston works extremely well with his somewhat limited screen time and turns Shannon into far more than he would have been in lesser hands.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2011

And the Nominees Were Not:

Viggo Mortensen in A Dangerous Method

Bryan Cranston in Drive

Brad Pitt in The Tree of Life

Mark Strong in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

John Hawkes in Martha Marcy May Marlene

247. Argo

247. (13 Oct) Argo (2012, Ben Affleck)* 76



Ben Affleck continues to be one of the most consistent, exciting directors working today with Argo. Though this tense, taut thriller plays exquisitely throughout, it's hard not to relish the details. From the old Warner Bros. logo that opens the film to the outstanding production design to an ensemble all but destined to win a SAG Award, Affleck manages to barely falter in a film precariously straddling genres. The comedic bits set in Los Angeles are admittedly very funny, but some of that scripting is too on-the-nose in a way that's not in keeping with the more organic feel of the thriller segments. Alan Arkin's crowd-pleasing performance is especially out of step with the powerful work of the Houseguests. All the plots wrap up a little too tidily, as well, but it's too satisfying to matter much.

ARGO

ARGO
Written by Chris Terrio
Directed by Ben Affleck
Starring Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman and Alan Arkin

Tony Mendez: Can you teach someone how to direct in a day?
Lester Siegel: You can teach the Reese’s monkey how to direct in a day.

There was nothing simple or smooth about the mission to get six Americans out of Tehran during the 1979 Iran Hostage Crisis. That said, under the direction of multi-hyphenate, actor-writer-director, Ben Affleck, ARGO, the film based on this harrowing escape, is as smooth as they come. Affleck introduced himself as a director with the kidnapping drama, GONE BABY GONE. The people were cautious but pleasantly surprised. He then established himself as a serious player with THE TOWN, suddenly finding himself an awards contender again. And now, with ARGO, he cements himself as an important American filmmaker with something of worth to say and an incredibly entertaining way to say it.

ARGO also marks the first time Affleck gets out Boston as a filmmaker, his first two films having been set in the state of Massachusetts, where he grew up. In fact, Affleck travels pretty far to avoid getting pigeonholed as that Boston guy, as he goes back and forth between Tehran and Hollywood, California, here. Ordinarily, one wouldn’t think to naturally put these two settings together but in 1979, they were intrinsically linked to the fate of six American embassy workers. When the embassy was taken over by Islamist extremists, protesting America’s unwelcome involvement in Iran’s politics, six employees managed to get out undetected and hid at the Canadian ambassador’s personal home for what would become 79 days. Fortunately for them, the C.I.A. was working on a plan to get them home the entire time. Unfortunately for them, that plan involved posing as a film crew scouting locations for an exotic, science-fiction movie to get through airport security. At the time, this was the best plan they could come up with.

Thanks to a sharply written screenplay by first time feature writer, Chris Terrio, ARGO is a rich and layered work that operates on many levels - from satire to thriller to think piece. And as varied as the settings and tone are from scene to scene, from the often hilarious Hollywood insider track to the very real and very tense hostage situation at hand, Affleck exudes nothing but confidence and control over the vast entirety of the project. Not once, does he lose focus or pull it for the purposes of highlighting his own solid performance. Perhaps, his biggest achievement though, is telling a story where we know the whole time exactly how it will end, without sacrificing one trace of the suspense and heart-stopping fear that everyone involved must have been feeling while they were trying to pull it off. And with that, Affleck pulls off his tricky feat as well.

122. Rock of Ages

122. (02 Jun) Rock of Ages (2012, Adam Shankman)* 37

It's no wonder movie musicals are practically dead. Adam Shankman takes otherwise fun stage shows, sucks the joy out of them and prevents them from feeling remotely filmic. The casting here is atrocious aside from a fiendishly delightful Catherine Zeta-Jones, who knows just what movie's she's in while everyone else is being much, much too serious. She steals the movie with "Hit Me with Your Best Shot," making it potent and delightful, despite the scene itself being terribly photographed and edited. Tom Cruise and especially Russell Brand and Alec Baldwin come across badly.

Best of Black Sheep: DRIVE

DRIVE
Written by Hossein Amini
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Starring Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks and Albert Brooks


Irene: What do you do?
Driver: I drive.

Every now and again, a movie comes along and takes you for a ride you don’t soon forget. It straps you in with its fresh cinematic voice and doesn’t let you go until it has raced through your mind, taken some crazy turns and pulled back into the garage again.  When you step out, your legs might even feel a little weak from the constant barrage of thrills and brilliance. DRIVE is that movie. This year’s breakout director, and the winner of the Best Director prize at Cannes, Nicolas Winding Refn, delivers a smooth ride that will catch you off guard at almost every turn and announces the arrival of a new force to be reckoned with on the road.

While Refn may be the man behind the wheel off-screen, the man in the driver’s seat on screen is none other than Ryan Gosling. Known only throughout the film as the driver, Gosling exudes an eerie calm no matter how fast his life is moving. There are cars everywhere he turns. He works for a mechanic (Bryan Cranston) and drives stunt cars for the movies. He even moonlights as a getaway car driver for petty robberies and might soon start actually racing his own ride on an actual track. Gosling’s driver needs to be in that seat and subsequently in control of his own destiny. He lives a modest life and never gives anything away on his face, that is until he meets his neighbour, Irene (the always understated, Carey Mulligan). Once their hands touch, on the stick shift of his car no less, his engine starts making noises he’s never heard before.

DRIVE is an intense trip and once Refn kicks it into high gear, you can practically feel the rev of the engine emanating from the screen and reverberating through your entire core. It embodies a modern sense of extreme cool, from its pounding soundtrack to its excellent cast (including a deliciously funny, Albert Brooks and a just plain delicious, Christina Hendricks). DRIVE is a rebellious film, a night creature, a total badass of a movie. When it gets rough, it goes places I’ve never even imagined, let alone seen on film. And even though Refn pushes the movie into skids of reckless abandon, he is always clearly and confidently in control of the vehicle. By the time DRIVE screeches to a complete halt, you will instantly want to take it for another spin.

476. Drive

476. (23 Nov) Drive (2011, Nicolas Winding Refn) 44



Stylized to a fault, Drive uses pensive, wordless shots and a pounding score in lieu of character or plot development. That would be fine if Winding Refn were a more accomplished director, but it's all style, no substance. He really doesn't have much to work with in the always vacant Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan. Their romantic chemistry is simply not there. The delightful Christina Hendricks is totally wasted to give screentime to an ineffective Albert Brooks, who has some inexplicable Oscar buzz for a do-nothing role. I'm really not sure what the hipsters see in this one; is Gosling's jacket that cool?

TIFF Review: DRIVE

Written by Hossein Amini

Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

Starring Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks and Albert Brooks

Irene: What do you do?

Driver: I drive.

Every now and again, a movie comes along and takes you for a ride you don’t soon forget. It straps you in with its fresh cinematic voice and doesn’t let you go until it has raced through your mind, taken some crazy turns and pulled back into the garage again.  When you step out, your legs might even feel a little weak from the constant barrage of thrills and brilliance. DRIVE is that movie. This year’s breakout director, and the winner of the Best Director prize at Cannes, Nicolas Winding Refn, delivers a smooth ride that will catch you off guard at almost every turn and announces the arrival of a new force to be reckoned with on the road.

While Refn may be the man behind the wheel off-screen, the man in the driver’s seat on screen is none other than Ryan Gosling. Known only throughout the film as the driver, Gosling exudes an eerie calm no matter how fast his life is moving. There are cars everywhere he turns. He works for a mechanic (Bryan Cranston) and drives stunt cars for the movies. He even moonlights as a getaway car driver for petty robberies and might soon start actually racing his own ride on an actual track. Gosling’s driver needs to be in that seat and subsequently in control of his own destiny. He lives a modest life and never gives anything away on his face, that is until he meets his neighbour, Irene (the always understated, Carey Mulligan). Once their hands touch, on the stick shift of his car no less, his engine starts making noises he’s never heard before.

DRIVE is an intense trip and once Refn kicks it into high gear, you can practically feel the rev of the engine emanating from the screen and reverberating through your entire core. It embodies a modern sense of extreme cool, from its pounding soundtrack to its excellent cast (including a deliciously funny, Albert Brooks and a just plain delicious, Christina Hendricks). DRIVE is a rebellious film, a night creature, a total badass of a movie. When it gets rough, it goes places I’ve never even imagined, let alone seen on film. And even though Refn pushes the movie into skids of reckless abandon, he is always clearly and confidently in control of the vehicle. By the time DRIVE screeches to a complete halt, you will instantly want to take it for another spin.