Best Supporting Actor 1995: Results

5. Ed Harris in Apollo 13- Ed Harris gives a very standard performance that never turns into anything special.

4. Brad Pitt in 12 Monkeys- Pitt's performance is somewhat interesting in his first few scenes even if over the top in his craziness, but as he continues to appear his performance just become repetitive.

3. Tim Roth in Rob Roy- Tim Roth gives an appropriately flashy villainous performance with a certain slimy charm, but in the end he just isn't that memorable.

2. James Cromwell in Babe- James Cromwell gives a wonderful performance that is genuinely moving and heart warming. It is a unique performance that finds just the right tone, and creates the right presence throughout the film.

1. Kevin Spacey in The Usual Suspects- Good prediction Dinasztie. Kevin Spacey gives a great performance that perfectly conveys the right sort of mystery with his character without ever giving away too much or too little through the course of the film.

Deserving Performances:
Patrick McGoohan in Braveheart
Kevin Spacey in Se7en

Best Supporting Actor 1995: James Cromwell in Babe

James Cromwell received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Farmer Arthur Hoggett in Babe.

Babe is an enjoyable film about a Pig who tries his best to find his place on the farm that isn't on the food menu.

James Cromwell portrays the stoic Farmer Hoggett who is a man of few words but clearly is the man in charge of his farm. Cromwell whole performance really is the sort of presence he  is able to convey with Hoggett since his performance really is nearly silent for the most part. The farmer Hoggett despite just being a simple farmer is harder to bring to life than one might think, as there could have been many pitfalls to his character but Cromwell never seems to make a single mistake with his performance that finds just the right tone throughout the film.

Farmer Hoggett frankly could have just been a dull character, after all commonly in stories of this nature the humans are the least interesting characters, but Cromwell never allows himself to be dull despite the fact that his role is so often one of few words. Cromwell has just the perfect sort of manner in his performance that suggests Famer Hoggett's long history of being a farmer, as well as being very much an old timey fellow in his own personal style. Cromwell absolutely nails this aspect of Hoggett and his performance almost feels like just an extension of the old farm itself in a way.

The most important aspect with Cromwell's performance though is actually his relationship with the Pig. In most of the early moments of the film Cromwell in very small but effective reactions suggests his slow movement to growing to become very found of the pig. Cromwell is really brilliant in just his tiniest of glances, and smiles at the mention or at the sight of the pig that are simply wonderful. He also slowly builds this change from almost indifference to fondness to really love which comes out fully in a scene where Hoggett completely loses his stoicism.

His scene where he completely breaks out into song is simply splendid. Cromwell reaches this point believably actually, and does not force this action of Hoggett instead it actually feels like a natural transition brought by Cromwell. It is a terrific moment where Cromwell brings such genuine joy to the song and dance that make the moment wonderful. The only moment I might like more in the performance than that though is his final "That'll do Pig". Cromwell gives such a warmth in his performance that is really something special.

James Cromwell simply gives a charming entertaining performance with Farmer Hoggett that does so much with what seems like a relatively simple role. Hoggett could have easily been boring, or overly sweet frankly. Cromwell's ability to make the character's change through the film, and relationship with his pig honestly heart warming without a single forced moment it actually quite an achievement. This is really a one of a kind performance by Cromwell, in a one of a kind film.

Best Supporting Actor 1995

And the Nominees Were:

Ed Harris in Apollo 13

James Cromwell in Babe

Kevin Spacey in The Usual Suspects

Brad Pitt in 12 Monkeys

Tim Roth in Rob Roy

TIFF Review: THE ARTIST

Written and Directed by Michel Hazanavicius

Starring Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, John Goodman and James Cromwell

George Valentin (on a title card): I won’t talk. I won’t say a word!

Some critics would be hard pressed to find genuine artistry in the film industry today, but they needn’t look any further than THE ARTIST, French director, Michel Hazanavicius’s homage to another era. It is a fine celebration of the cinema and the art involved in making the movies feel magical. True to the period in which it is set (Hollywood, 1927), the film is black and white, shot in the more box-y 1.33:1 aspect ratio and, perhaps most notably, the film is silent. Somehow though, without a single word uttered throughout, THE ARTIST keeps you hanging on every frame.

George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), the artist in THE ARTIST, believes the introduction of sound into film to be a gimmick, a passing fad. You and I both know how very wrong he was but he held true to the cinema’s authentic and humble origins. His refusal to grow and change with the times finds him falling out of favour with his studio and subsequently continuing to fall, only this time on hard times. Meanwhile, the woman he is in love with, actress Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo, Hazanavicius’s wife) is being swept up in the emerging success of the “talkies”. Valentin must essentially adapt or die; he must find his voice again in order to finally be heard by his public and the woman he loves. As simple as the plot is, it is its refined execution that makes the whole exercise seem effortless, allowing nothing but great warmth and passion to emanate from the screen.

It’s funny how we take things like dialogue for granted and it’s hard to believe that the movies really were like this at one point in time. As demonstrated in the film’s opening sequence, elegant theatres would be filled to capacity with patrons decked out in their finest wares, anxiously awaiting the latest screen adventures of their favorite Hollywood stars. An orchestra would not only fill the room with music but it would also fill the silence between the actors on the screen. Emotion and intention needed to be clearly communicated without speaking in order for the film to be successful. And while it may at times come off as exaggerated or false, the point was usually made. By honouring the silent film and doing it such great justice, THE ARTIST almost renders the usage of words completely pointless.