Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2012: Results

5. Tom Hanks in Cloud Atlas- Hanks plays six different characters and gives four lacking characterizations showing his lack of range as an actor. The two characters in his range though are fairly well handled actually, unfortunately he really misses with the others.

4. James Spader in Lincoln- Spader is a delight in his role as political operative. Creating a unique character and naturally adding a great deal of humor to his film.

3. Samuel L. Jackson in Django Unchained- Jackson gives a terrific performance giving one of brilliant absurdity but as well a fascinating depiction of pealing behind his character's facades.

2. Sam Rockwell in Seven Psychopaths-Rockwell does his thing to the extreme here, and if you want a Rockwellian performance get Sam Rockwell. Rockwell is great being extremely funny while managing to still bring weight at the same time.

1. Javier Bardem in Skyfall- Good Prediction Micheal Patison and RatedRStar. This is is incredible year for supporting actors. Its a shame the academy chose to award three veterans giving descent but not particularly special performances and two leading performances. My choice overall this year goes to Javier Bardem as the greatest Bond Villain of all time. He is fun, entertaining, menacing, as well as even moving in a strange way. A true achievement that is just a performance enjoyable to watch but as well fulfilling character piece.

Overall Rank:

1. Javier Bardem in Skyfall
2. Christopher Walken in Seven Psychopaths
3. Sam Rockwell in Seven Psychopaths
4. Samuel L. Jackson in Django Unchained
5. Eddie Redmayne in Les Miserables 
6. Woody Harrelson in Seven Psychopaths 
7. Ben Whishaw in Cloud Atlas
8. Leonardo DiCaprio in Django Unchained 
9. James Spader in Lincoln 
10. Tom Waits in Seven Psychopaths
11. Ewan McGregor in The Impossible
12. Bruce Willis in Looper
13. Scoot McNairy in Killing Them Softly 
14. Jason Clarke in Zero Dark Thirty
15. Jim Broadbent in Cloud Atlas
16. David Straithairn in Lincoln
17. Edward Norton in Moonrise Kingdom
18. Michael Fassbender in Prometheus 
19. Ray Liotta in Killing Them Softly
20. Ezra Miller in The Perks of Being a Wallflower 
21. David Costabile in Lincoln
22. Tom Hardy in The Dark Knight Rises
23. Irrfan Khan in Life of Pi
24. Bruce Willis in Moonrise Kingdom 
25. Michael Shannon in Premium Rush 
26. Aaron Tveit in Les Miserables 
27. Andy Serkis in The Hobbit
28. Bryan Cranston in Argo
29. Russell Crowe in Les Miserables 
30. James D'Arcy in Cloud Atlas 
31. Dwight Henry in Beast of the Southern Wild
32. Richard Jenkins in Killing Them Softly 
33. Werner Herzog in Jack Reacher 
34. Jim Sturgess in Cloud Atlas
35. Jeff Daniels in Looper
36. Josh Brolin in Men in Black 3
37. Jared Harris in Lincoln 
38. Matthew McConaughey in Bernie
39. Ha Jung-Woo in Nameless Gangster
40. Ben Whishaw in Skyfall 
41. Jackie Earle Hayley in Lincoln 
42. Tom Wilkinson in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
43. Ian McKellen in The Hobbit 
44. Albert Finney in Skyfall 
45. Richard Armitage in The Hobbit 
46. Robert De Niro in Silver Linings Playbook
47. Hal Holbrook in Lincoln 
48. Alan Arkin in Argo
49. Scoot McNairy in Argo
50. Bruce Dern in Django Unchained
51. John Goodman in Argo
52. Michael Wincott in Hitchcock
53. Thomas Haden Church in Killer Joe
54. Dallas Robert in The Grey
55. Dermot Mulrooney in The Grey
56. Chris Tucker in Silver Linings Playbook
57. Tommy Lee Jones in Lincoln
58. Guy Pearce in Lawless
59. Ralph Fiennes in Skyfall
60. Tom Hiddleston in The Avengers
61. Tim Blake Nelson in Lincoln
62. Harry Dean Stanton in Seven Psychopaths
63. John Hawkes in Lincoln
64. Mark Strong in Zero Dark Thirty 
65. Michael Stuhlbarg in Seven Psychopaths
66. Frank Grillo in The Grey
67. Kyle Chandler in Zero Dark Thirty 
68. Walton Goggins in Lincoln
69. Don Johnson in Django Unchained
70. Bill Nighy in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
71. Michael Pitt in Seven Psychopaths
72. Gary Oldman in The Dark Knight Rises
73. Nate Parker in Arbitrage
74. Walton Goggins in Django Unchained
75. Bob Balaban in Moonrise Kingdom
76. Michael Caine in The Dark Knight Rises
77. Ben Mendelsohn in Killing Them Softly
78. Sacha Baron Cohen in Les Miserables
79. Michael Stuhlbarg in Lincoln 
80. Jason Clarke in Lawless
81. Joel Edgerton in Zero Dark Thirty
82. Clark Gregg in The Avengers 
83. Gulliver McGrath in Lincoln
84. James Gandolfini in Killing Them Softly
85. Joseph Gordon-Levitt in The Dark Knight Rises
86. Bill Murray in Moonrise Kingdom
87. Colm Wilkinson in Les Miserables 
88. Bruce McGill in Lincoln
89. Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Lincoln
90. Keith David in Cloud Atlas
91. Tom Conti in The Dark Knight Rises
92. Woody Harrelson in The Hunger Games
93. Jesse Plemons in The Master
94. Don Cheadle in Flight
95. James D'Arcy in Hitchcock
96. Gary Oldman in Lawless
97. Bruce Greenwood in Flight
98. Lee Pace in Lincoln
99. Jeremy Renner in The Avengers
100. Donald Sutherland in The Hunger Games
101. Daniel Huttlestone in Les Miserables
102. John Ortiz in Silver Linings Playbook
103. Rory Kinnear in Skyfall 
104. Stanley Tucci in The Hunger Games
105. Brian Geraghty in Flight
106. Lenny Kravitz in The Hunger Games
107. Morgan Freeman in The Dark Knight Rises
108. James Badge Dale in Flight
109. William H. Macy in The Sessions
110. Hugo Weaving in Cloud Atlas
111. Anupam Kher in Silver Linings Playbook
112. Rafe Spall in Life Of Pi
113. Pierce Gagnon in Looper
114. Michael Stuhlbarg in Men in Black 3
115. Josh Hutcherson in The Hunger Games
116. Tom Hanks in Cloud Atlas 
117. Matthew Modine in The Dark Knight Rises
118. Hugh Grant in Cloud Atlas
119. Logan Marshall-Green in Prometheus
120. Liam Hemsworth in The Hunger Games
121. Guy Pearce in Prometheus
122. Dash Mihok in Silver Linings Playbook
123. Rafe Spall in Prometheus
124. Paul Dano in Looper
125. David Oyelowo in Lincoln
126. Ben Mendelsohn in The Dark Knight Rises
127. Wes Bentley in The Hunger Games
128. John Goodman in Flight
129. Jemaine Clement in Men in Black 3
130. The Cast of The Expendables 2
131. Aasif Mandiv in Premium Rush
132. Wole Parks in Premium Rush

 Next Year: 2012 Lead

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2012: Javier Bardem in Skyfall

Javier Bardem did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite being nominated for a Bafta, Sag, and Critic's choice, for portraying Raoul Silva in Skyfall.

Skyfall is terrific action film, and probably my favorite Bond film of all time.

One of the reasons for that is that it contains my favorite Bond villain of all time beating out one of my very favorite actors who played one of Bond's earliest adversaries. Bardem holds the distinction as the actor to come the closest to ever being Oscar nominated for his role as he did receive most of the important precursors, but he lost out in the end. The academy apparently preferred Alan Arkin giving a less complex version of his Oscar winning performance than Javier Bardem once again playing a villain. Although Bardem's performance here as Raoul Silva could not be more different from Bardem Oscar winning turn as Anton Chigurh in No Country For Old Men.

Bardem takes a long time to actually appear in the film, and there is quite a bit of build up for his character as we already know many of his actions therefore Javier Bardem is required to meet these expectations, and does that quite brilliantly in his first scene. The entrance of Silva is something truly special not only the brilliant way it is shot, but as well Bardem flawless delivery of Silva's opening monologue. Bardem is outstanding making this monologue a fantastic way to introduce the character. Bardem establishes the very unique style that Silva has a villain with his method of delivery, but as well brilliantly through that final look we see the underlying connection between Bond and Silva.

In regards to his style Bardem really makes Silva a memorable villain that is the polar opposite of his previous villainous turn in a film. As Chigurh he was extremely reserved in his depiction of that psychopath. He barely spoke, and his intensity was in his silent uncompromising stare. As Silva though Bardem is as lively as one can be as shown in his opening story he tells from the was he says plop, to the way he nibbles when describing the rats. Bardem has a great deal of fun in the role and is extremely energetic in his performance and seems to be almost tirelessly trying to make Silva a memorable villain. Bardem efforts pay off beautifully and he does just that with this character.

Something particularly fascinating about this performance that attests to the talent of Bardem as a performer is the way he brings out such menace in such a different style. He was of course chilling as possible really as Chigurh in No Country For Old Men in being as cold as a character can be. Here as Silva he is definitely is more emotional about the whole thing on one side but is just a dismissive of murder as Chigurh. Where Chigurh kills with a distributing expressionless demeanor, Bardem shows Silva kill with a gleeful smile on his face that is equally effective. The way Bardem plays the scene where he kills his girlfriend, Bardem plays it like Silva is simply done with a toy he had enough fun with, which is equally chilling to the way he was in No Country For Old Men. 

Bardem is excellent as he knows just how flamboyant to make Silva without overplaying his hand. He plays him up as a larger than life villain for sure as James Bond villain should be, but he holds the proper restraints to keep him as a convincing character fitting to the film at hand. On the flamboyant side every little mannerism that he does do, only does add to his characterization of this man basking very much in his "glorious" accomplishments. The joy one can have just watching an actor perform is always something wonderful when an actor achieves that. Bardem does that in his performance here, and it is simply entertaining to watch him perform as Silva.

Already being entertaining to watch is certianly a plus to begin with but Bardem does not stop there and seeks to make Silva into even more. This starts in the early moment where he seems to be coming on to James Bond. Bardem allows several interpretations to this scene as is certianly shows that Silva is quite enjoying being so close to Bond, but as well by the way he breaks off the scene when he does not seem to bothering Bond at all that perhaps it was just Silva playing a bit of game. There is the whole brilliant play Bardem uses in these early scenes never allowing you to never really get a full read on Silva at any point. Bardem will play one moment with such conviction making it seem like Silva is going one way, but then he is equally convincing in Silva's instant rejection of his earlier behavior.

Bardem creates such a terrific dynamic within the character of Silva, and my personal favorite moment of him doing this is when he confronts M (Judi Dench) with his disfigurement that he received from being given up while he was an agent under her command. The moment is great, and Bardem almost makes you feel sorry for Silva as he pleads with M to say his real name. He is absolutely genuine in showing the pain Silva has over this betrayal that he suffered and he sets up brilliantly where the intense hatred Silva feels for her comes from. The incredible thing though is after portraying Silva so tragically well the moment after M and Bond leaves that knowing smile returns to Silva and he seems to instantly laugh off his pain from earlier. Bardem has a tremendous amount of fun leaving Silva with the right amount of mystery he should have.

A fascinating thing about Bardem's performance here is the subtlety he does infuse into the role despite the fact that this tends to be something quite rare for a villain in an action film. Bardem of course is very strong in being as imposing as he should be, and he makes Silva threatening with such ease of his performance that frankly he allows himself to bring even more texture to the role. My second personal favorite moment of his entire performance comes when Silva seems like he is absolutely going to completely succeed in his plan. He comes so close, and it is interesting becuase Bardem plays it that the reason he fails is Silva's own hesitation. The moment right before he is going to shoot M is a outstanding moment for him in his reaction where in his face we see the hatred, the pleasure in his face, but as well a reluctance that Bardem makes to be almost a disbelief that he has been able to accomplish his goal.

Javier Bardem actually is not in the film all that much since he takes awhile to appear as I stated and then he even disappears and reappears. Bardem though makes the most of everyone of his scenes though and importantly in the scenes we do see him he makes sure we do not forget him when he is off the screen. Silva is quite the accomplishment becuase by having him as flamboyant as he is, and even quite humorous as well Bardem risked Silva being not entirely convincing as villain. Bardem though of course never allows this to be, and he honestly makes the drive within Silva something that seems to be one thing he definitely does not joke about. Even when he seems to be entirely joking around in a scene, Bardem is extremely effective by showing behind it all there is a vicious determination. This determination that is truly fierce when his plan is the only thing on his mind, it is terrific the way Bardem brings this out.

Bardem brings the most to everyone of his scenes infusing so much style and energy into every second he's on screen. My number one personal favorite moment of his performance is when he once again gets to confront M. He aims his gun and he seems to cry out in a pained anger. It is a fantastic moment suggesting he definitely hates M, and wants to kill her, but that his connection to her from the past leaves him unable to just break it so easily. The idea of having Silva try to do due a murder-suicide pact with M seems absurd but Bardem is brilliant and makes it feel entirely genuine. Bardem through his earlier reactions suggests that really for Silva the only way he could be satisfied due to his history with her. He brings such weight to the end of his character, and it is amazing the way he honestly achieves this very character based moment in such an action packed conclusion. This is a great villianous performance that does more than anyone could ask for in such a role. He goes far beyond the call of duty here as Silva could easily have been far less than what Bardem brings with his portrayal.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2012

And The Nominees Were Not:

Leonardo DiCaprio in Django Unchained

Samuel L. Jackson in Django Unchained

Sam Rockwell in Seven Psychopaths

Christopher Walken in Seven Psychopaths

Woody Harrelson in Seven Psychopaths

Tom Waits in Seven Psychopaths

Javier Bardem in Skyfall

Tom Hanks in Cloud Atlas

Jim Broadbent in Cloud Atlas

Ben Whishaw in Cloud Atlas

Hugo Weaving in Cloud Atlas

James Spader in Lincoln

David Strathairn in Lincoln

Due to the ensemble nature of the year I have decided to review multiple performances in each film insane as that might be. To allow you to not go insane in attempting a prediction I will reduce the contest to only five.

Nominees For Prediction Contest:

Samuel L. Jackson in Django Unchained

Sam Rockwell in Seven Psychopaths

Javier Bardem in Skyfall

Tom Hanks in Cloud Atlas

James Spader in Lincoln 

272. Skyfall

272. (11 Nov) Skyfall (2012, Sam Mendes)* 52



There's been enough written about Skyfall's nonsensical plot that my concerns need not be enumerated. However fun Javier Bardem's villainous turn may be, he could scarcely have had a more preposterous revenge plot concocted. Fortunately, that opens things up for the enjoyable opening chase and a colorful, brilliantly photographed sequence in Shanghai. They're high points in a film that's mostly frivolous and amusing, even if this franchise gets all the more self-serious. We're three films into the Daniel Craig era of Bond and still debating the relevancy of secret agents?

SKYFALL

SKYFALL
Written by Neil Purvis, Robert Wade and John Logan
Directed by Sam Mendes
Starring Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Ben Wishaw, Ralph Fiennes and Judi Dench

James Bond: Everybody needs a hobby.
Silva: So what’s yours?
James Bond: Resurrection.

James Bond is getting older. His shot is not as on point as it once was; his stride not as fast as in his younger years. In fact, it saddens me to say that his stomach is not quite the washboard it used to be either. There is one notable offshoot to Bond’s decline in prowess though. With age, comes wisdom and with SKYFALL, the 23rd film in the 007 spy series, that wisdom lends its weight to what is without question one of the most exciting and emotionally charged adventures the series has ever seen.

Sam Mendes, the Academy Award winning director of AMERICAN BEAUTY, opens his crack at the Bond series with the man himself, once again embodied by the masterful Daniel Craig, blurred in the background. As he comes into the light and into focus, we direct our attention to his eyes. These are the eyes of a determined man and before either he or we are able to blink, he finds himself in a high-speed bike chase that takes him to the rooftops of Istanbul, overlooking the Grand Bazaar. Why waste time really? This is an action film after all and Mendes has a clear and firm understanding of what the audience wants from their favorite international spy.

Bond has grown into a complex character over the years. In his last outing, QUANTUM OF SOLACE, his complexities got the best of him. Bond was melancholy and the film suffered for it. In SKYFALL he is no less tortuous but Mendes handles the character with much more control and allows the film’s intricate and energetic action sequences to drive the film forward. Without the weight of Bond’s suffering to hold the film back, he commands even more attention and emerges with even greater strength as a result. This is all the more impressive considering what he has to endure at the onset of the film.

Before the first chase is through, Bond is lost and presumed dead. Naturally, the audience knows he isn’t dead, as this would make for an awfully short film. What he goes through should have surely killed him but somehow he is reborn, resurrected even, and all that once haunted him now seems to propel him forward with a more profound momentum than he has had for some time. It is never explained how Bond survives, although I suspect it has something to do with the healing power of Adele’s opening credits theme song, but the fact that he does live on, confirms his innate greatness and grander purpose.

MI6, the British intelligence agency that Bond serves, is under attack. Bond’s longtime boss and sometimes friend, M (Judi Dench), is the actual target of this aggression. Her reign over the agency is being questioned because a top secret list of undercover agents the world over has fallen into the wrong hands. As names leak to the public little by little, confidence in her ability to manage dissipates at the same rate and her methods are called antiquated and quaint. The question as to whether MI6, and subsequently Bond himself, are still relevant is plainly posed and SKYFALL affirmatively reminds everyone that they are far from finished.

Mendes infuses the Bond series with a level of pedigree it rarely sees. Enlisting John Logan to assist Bond screenwriter regulars, Neil Purvis and Robert Wade, raises the personal stakes for the major characters, as all of them have done things that they aren’t necessarily proud of. Bringing on Roger Deakins, arguably the greatest cinematographer working in film today, invigorates the visual look of the film in so many unexpected ways. His work in Shanghai is particularly creative, which not only makes the fight scenes explode off the screen, but also makes the film a serious visual awards contender. And finally, casting actors as talented as Ralph Fiennes (M’s new boss), Ben Wishaw (a welcome return and updated version of classic character, Q) and Javier Bardem (doing what Bardem does best, the bad guy), elevates everyone’s acting game to the next level.

Despite all of this undeniable ability, both in front of and behind the camera, it is Mendes himself who deserves the most applause. His control over this always elaborate, always exciting and always engaging experience is infallible. He can take the film from quiet and tense one moment to loud and intense the next without missing a beat. SKYFALL is something of a cathartic experience almost. Bond is reborn and while his past transgressions inform the man he has become, they do not dictate the man he is going to be going forward. And after people see the newly reincarnated James Bond, they will no doubt be ready to follow him wherever he goes next.

TO THE WONDER

TO THE WONDER
"Written and Directed" by Terence Malick
Starring Ben Affleck, Olga Kurylenko, Javier Bardem and Rachel McAdams

Father Quintana: Where are you leading us? Teach us how to seek you out.

To be honest, it is an actual wonder to me that Terence Malick actually thought his latest film, TO THE WONDER, to be finished. I don’t see how on any level he could have watched this film and thought that it would be satisfying for any audience, from his devout fans (of which he has many) to the casual filmgoer. Even at a reasonable two-hour runtime, I found it difficult to get through TO THE WONDER. I lost my patience about half way through and by the end, I actually found the film to be practically insulting on the part of the filmmaker. The man is famous for taking forever to finish a movie. Why he rushed this one, I will never understand.

There is a story embedded somewhere deep within TO THE WONDER, which is essentially the crux of the issue. Ben Affleck and Olga Kurylenko fall in love in France and eventually make their way back to America, Oklahoma to be precise. There, she is out of place and he does not know how to make the relationship work. There are also subplots that involve Javier Bardem as a displaced priest and Rachel McAdams as a woman from Affleck’s past. The plot itself is thin enough already but it is clear from Malick’s execution that he has no idea how to tell this story. A slew of supporting characters never even made the cut (from Michael Sheen to Rachel Weisz) and Malick buries the rest of the story (which consists mostly of misery) within one long stream of consciousness poem. Now, I’m no poetry expert but even I know lines like, “What is this love that loves us?” are nothing but pretentious crap.

Malick is under no obligation to make movies for anyone other than himself. I’m sure his producers would disagree with that statement, but as an artist, he is entitled to express himself any which way he would like. After last year’s masterpiece, THE TREE OF LIFE, Malick seems to have found a pattern that he is fond of. He is not the least bit concerned with dialogue or convention (Affleck speaks so little in the film, for a while, I thought his character might actually be mute); no, Malick is more concerned with the image and the tone of the piece, and allowing life to unfold rather than having it told. TO THE WONDER often feels like an attempt to recreate the same aesthetic of his last project, and at times, at least visually, thanks to the always brilliant work of cinematographer, Emmanuel Lubezki, it is striking to behold. THE TREE OF LIFE was about something though (and some might argue, it was about everything), while TO THE WONDER is about so little, it never justifies all the work involved in watching it. This infuriating film is not just a misstep for Malick, but a full on embarrassment.

No Country For Old Men

No Country For Old Men 2007, directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
Nominated for 8 Oscars, Won 4.

Synopsis: In rural Texas, welder and hunter Llewelyn Moss discovers the remains of several drug runners who have all killed each other in an exchange gone violently wrong. Rather than report the discovery to the police, Moss decides to simply take the two million dollars present for himself. This puts the psychopathic killer, Anton Chigurh, on his trail as he dispassionately murders nearly every rival, bystander and even employer in his pursuit of his quarry and the money. As Moss desperately attempts to keep one step ahead, the blood from this hunt begins to flow behind him with relentlessly growing intensity as Chigurh closes in. Meanwhile, the laconic Sherrif Ed Tom Bell blithely oversees the investigation even as he struggles to face the sheer enormity of the crimes he is attempting to thwart.

(source: IMDB)

Before watching this movie, I was under the impression that this film was going to be extremely boring. It didn't look all that thrilling to me, and was sure I wasn't going to enjoy it much. I remembered when it came out, and seeing the previews for it. I didn't think too much about the movie, not did I remember what it was about when I decided to start this project, and picked up this film at the library.

Reading the back of the box, I felt optimistic. It said it was an "action-packed thriller" and the story about a man finding dead men, a truck full of drugs, 2 million dollars cash, and violence sounded pretty promisin Unfortunately, I came out of the film disappointed.

The film started interestingly. We see Javier Bardem, killing various people in shocking and unexpected way and we know this guy is going to be a mastermind, and a huge played in the film. Though his relevance takes a while to unfold. We are about 25 minutes into the film before we see why we are looking at this killer.

We also follow the storylines of Llewelyn Moss, a retired welder and hunter, who is the main, main protagonist of this film, and sherriff Ed Tom Bell, who is on the verge of retirement, but friendly with the town-folk.

I remember sitting through this, and the action had finally started. Chigurh was tracking Moss, and many people are getting killed. There's several moments of suspense, but not much else. I started to find some of this film fairly predictable. Chigurh is in the house, don't do in. Chigurh put a tracker in the money. Chigurh has already caught up to you, run fast! While the movie didn't end as I had expected, I sat on my couch, thinking about what had just happened. That was it? But where was the action-packed thriller that I was promised? Sure, there was action (sparingly) and suspense (in a few moments) but overall, I found the film to be lacking. Had I not went into this thinking this was going to be some constant-action movie, I may have appreciated it more. But there we have it, false advertising the summary on the back of the DVD holds.

That being said, everything else about the film was quite fantastic. The acting was great, Javier Bardem (who won an Oscar for this role, as Chigurh) especially. He was extraordinarily creepy, and his acting was spotless. He seriousness was flawless, and his character was stunning. Pulling huge and unexpected weapons from seemingly nowhere, and killing without a blink.

Additionally, it was visually stunning. The cinematography was fantastic, and the landscapes were beautiful. The cinematographer, certainly did a stunning job.

Overall, the film was a strange one, but just ok. Had it not been acted so well, or looked so good, I wouldn't understand the hype that this movie received. While I somewhat enjoyed it, it wasn't a favourite.

Rating: B-

Black Sheep interviews Javier Bardem

A Biutiful Man

An interview with Javier Bardem

I don’t often get to interview Academy Award winning actors. If this is going to become a more common occurrence though, I should probably learn to mind my place a bit better. For instance, when Javier Bardem sat with me at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival to discuss his heartbreaking role in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s BIUTIFUL, we began our conversation by discussing Iñárritu’s impressions of the actor that led to him writing this role with Bardem in mind. He described Bardem as tough on the outside but soft on the inside, to which Bardem replied, “Like a melon, like Melon Brando!” comparing himself of course to the great method actor, Marlon Brando, but crossbred with the popular fruit.

Who knew Bardem was so cheeky? So I made a note of his witty little quip in my journal and he shot me a look. “Are you going to write that?” he asked, as if surprised that I was there for any other reason other than to take note of his every word. This is when, without thinking at all, I replied, “Oh, but I am,” and shot him a knowing look right back. “Let me see that!” he said, as he went for my notepad. Who also knew that Bardem could be so playful? And here he was, playing with me.

I was actually quite happy to see that Bardem still had the ability to laugh after playing in BIUTIFUL. In it, he plays Uxbal, a father of two who is estranged from his unstable wife, is involved with a number of illegal activities that exploit those who are even less fortunate than he is and, for reasons unbeknownst to him, he has the ability to communicate with the recently departed, if their souls still linger in unrest. As if that wasn’t enough to balance, he also learns at the on-set of the film that he has prostate cancer and not very long to live. Iñárritu’s first turn as both a writer and director is a haunting, evocative experience that leaves an indelible mark on all who see it, but what kind of scars did it leave on those who were in it?

“For me it was very important to learn to detach myself from what I was doing. Otherwise, you get lost in your own thing,” Bardem confides about his process. Isn’t that what everyone wants to know? How do you do it? How do you get so lost in this character and yet still manage to find your way back afterward? “Getting lost doesn’t help creativity at all. It is not about feeling what you’re doing; it is about pretending like you’re feeling what you’re doing. Some days are harder than others, of course.”

Bardem is no stranger to difficult roles. He has been perfecting the art of playing complex characters ever since he first appeared on Hollywood’s radar with an Oscar-nominated lead turn in Julian Schnabel’s BEFORE NIGHT FALLS, the first acting nomination in Oscar history for a Spanish actor (Bardem is from the Canary Islands). He went on to win the Oscar for his unforgettable supporting turn in the Coen Brothers’ NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (the first acting Oscar win for a Spanish actor). In fact, it wasn’t until playing in Woody Allen’s VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA that audiences actually got the chance to see Bardem loosen up a little. Incidentally, this is where he met his now wife and mother of his first child, and Academy Award winner herself, Penelope Cruz. The couple recently had their first child together, little Leo Encinas Cruz. A few days he was born, Bardem received his third Oscar nomination, as Best Actor for BIUTIFUL, a feat that many thought he would not be able to pull off.

Bardem is never to be underestimated though. The layers he brings to his performances are delicately nuanced and clearly leave lasting impressions. How does he find these convincing facets inside himself? “I think it’s on the page,” he explains. “When you do the wrong character, there is no way you can do it good. 50% of a good performance is the character that you are portraying. If he is well constructed, then you have 50% of a good performance already, just doing the lines. Then you have to add the other 50% on your own.”

Bardem is not only modest but apparently a realist as well, giving credit where credit is due. In this case, that would be for his director, Iñárritu. The two have been friends for almost ten years and have talked about working together all that time because they have a great respect for each other and each other’s work. (Iñárritu likens Bardem to a minotaur even!) “I am an admirer of his. You see all these amazing performances in his movies and you wonder what happens there,” Bardem proclaims. “With Alejandro, the material is so powerful that you really have to commit. It’s going to be a journey and you have to be aware of that.”

In recent years, Bardem seems to be allowing the journeys he takes to be a little less emotionally consuming, or at the very least he seems to be oscillating between more relaxed fare and films like BIUTIFUL. He appeared opposite Julia Roberts, a friend who helped campaign for his current Oscar nod, in Ryan Murphy’s summer hit, EAT PRAY LOVE, which he shot immediately after BIUTIFUL (“Take me to Bali!” he said when he put Uxbal to bed.) The contrast has allowed him to see the importance of incorporating both the light and the dark into his life. “As much as you have to bring some seriousness to a comedy set, you have to bring some laughter to a drama like BIUTIFUL. It is the balance that always makes things more enjoyable.”

This balance has Bardem attached to a number of upcoming projects, as varied as a new Terrence Malick film and a potential villain role in the next James Bond movie. Either way, Bardem will bring his almost signature brand of intensity to any project he takes on, just as long as he doesn’t have to die this time. “My mother doesn’t like that very much. She always asks, ‘Are you dying in this one?’”

Even if he does, BIUTIFUL teaches us that death is not an ending. It is just the beginning of a long, hard road ahead. I'm not sure if that is meant to be uplifting but if anyone can find the hope in that, it will be Bardem.