The Underdog Awards
Special Category
(Best Ensemble Cast, Best Breakthrough Actor, Best Breakthrough Director)
Unlike last year,
I've added one more category to this year's special awards.
This year we can see
five candidates for Breakthrough Director.
As well as the
original Best Breakthrough Performer and Best Ensemble cast. It's a rich
collection of the finest performances of the year.
Enjoy!
Underdog Award for
Best Breakthrough Performer
Young stars taking
their first step towards great roles and more glory or older one's bursting
into the A-List, then there's some who just couldn't be ignored.
This years
breakthrough actors are an eclectic bunch of such performers and performances.
As is with last year, this year all their performances are bound in contention
e.g. Chris Pratt is a nominee for both his works in Lego Movie and The
Guardians of The Galaxy.
Big thing to note, I
tried my best and succeeded in making sure none of the breakthrough's are
nominated in the other sections for acting or even direction.
A few notable
exceptions;
David Oyelowo
(Selma): He's made a big splash from his theater work with this film, but
despite missing on an Oscar it's still a straight shoot role like with Chiwetel
Ejiofor last year, that it doesn't count.
Rosamund Pike (Gone
Girl): She's been on the big screens for quite a while, but this one was her
Golden ticket. Still she's already an Oscar nominee, that's huge.
Essie Davis (The
Babadook): She's a tad bit older and her performance was so good, it's in the
Lead Actor nominees rather than Breakthrough.
Antoine Olivier
Pilon (Mommy): Oh, he was so terrific but I wasn't sure I wanted to give a
foreign film that many outside nominees. But still so terrific.
Sheila Vand (A Girl
Walks Home Alone At Night): Same as above
Gary Poulter (Joe):
Picked off the streets, Poulter gives a chilling performance in his debut.
Sadly age was a factor for him and he didn't cut the top ten of the supporting
list, but then he also passed away. So RIP Mr. Poulter, you've left your mark
in this world.
Honorable Mentions:
Dan Stevens-The Guest, Tony Revolori-The Grand Budapest Hotel, Jillian Bell-22
Jump Street, Maika Monroe-The Guest, Gina Persanti-It Felt Like Love, Dave
Bautista-The Guardians of The Galaxy, Josh Wiggins-Hellion, Evan Bird-Maps To
The Stars, Noah Wiseman-The Babadook, Jaeden Liberhaer-St. Vincent, Pitobash
Tripathy-Million Dollar Arm, Rohan Chand-Bad Words and Lone Survivor, Jerrod
Carmichael-Neighbors
And the Nominees
are...
Katherine Waterston
as Shasta Fay Hepworth for Inherent Vice
Being in some form a
romantic film, Inherent Vice relies on the shoulders of Waterston to make Doc's
(Phoenix) threadbare quest of saving her seem worth investing in. Waterston
straddles the line between a suspect femme fatale type and a victim perfectly.
Her at times simple
expressions of joy and eventual manipulation are enthralling and give reason to
why Doc is so obsessed with her. It's the little things that she does add
flavor to a very important crux of the narrative.
Waterston was so
brilliant, that at one point she was in top contention for a supporting
nomination at major awards. Sadly that didn't come to fruition but she did make
big waves with this marvelous performance.
Tessa Thompson as
Samantha 'Sam' White for Dear White People
Littered with a cast
of ready and hungry young actors, Tessa Thompson stands out. Not only because
she has the best character, but because Thompson proves to have refined one
hell of an arsenal in able to construct the multiple emotional transitions of her
character.
There's a sense of
duality to Sam which allows Tessa to be as charismatic and as likeable as she
is, while also push forward certain moments of mixed character choices with her
body language. She straddles lines between a loss of confidence, pain (that is
vaguely explained to the audience) and hesitation towards certain actions.
Thompson proves to
be one hell of a shining diamond in the rough. Don't be shocked if two-three
years from now, she'll be on that Oscar podium.
Ellar Coltrane as
Mason for Boyhood
What can one say
about Coltrane that hasn't been said. Sure it's hard for him to be natural at
first in front of the camera, but the early stages of a nervous and cautious
Mason add to an arc that sees the child move from broken home to broken home.
Like the film
itself, it's the little things that make his 12 year effort a wonder. His
simple expressions capturing a sense of innocence and world wonder. As the
years move onwards, Coltrane gains a sense of perspective just like a teenager
would and begins to reflect onto Mason.
Boyhood makes Ellar
Coltrane natural and he does the same. The performance is thus a cherish able
cherry on top of the sundae that is Boyhood.
Jack O'Connell as
Eric Love for Starred Up, Louis 'Louie' Zamperini for Unbroken, Gary Hook for
'71
At the cusp of
greatness, O'Connell knocks it out of the park with three sensational
performances. As Eric Love in Starred Up, he is a hardened shell with a tender
heart. The performance comes off in some moving emotional spectrum he presents,
his chemistry with Ben Mendelsohn touching.
In Unbroken, he
plays Zamperini perfectly. There's a sense of honor in his work that he brings
to this role, the passion O'Connell must have had to pick this one is exuded on
screen. His performance is essentially what makes Unbroken, despite the tide of
mediocre scripting he fights back with one hell of a showing.
But it's '71 that is
the true underdog, a performance so riveting you'll be taken in. There's not
much time to catch your breath in this thriller, despite how smooth and smartly
it is executed. Once again at the forefront is Jack O'Connell. His turn is enriched
by the presence of a larger pace and sequences that push him to the limit. It's
a wonderful cap off to an exhilarating year for the young man, who is going
places.
Macon Blair as
Dwight Evans for Blue Ruin
There's major
reasons why Blue Ruin is such a spectacular film. One such is Macon Blair, one
half of a childhood friends director-actor duo, Macon is fantastic as Dwight.
For its concept, Macon could have faltered badly, making the film a comedy and
losing the emotional resonance the picture has.
Macon Blair however
is a beacon of light. He balances the sides perfectly, with his wide eyed
expressions wringing out equal parts shock, horror and even black comedy.
It's a performance
told through the actors eyes and what eyes the are. Echoing a descent into the
abyss, Macon is staunch through out and a brilliant emotional vessel for the
audience to attach itself onto.
Jenny Slate as Donna
Stern for Obvious Child
It's been some great
years for female comedians, each one allowed the space to knock it out of the
park in cinema; from Kristen Wigg to this year's Trainwreck star Amy Schumer.
Last year was the hilarious Jenny Slate's chance and she hit all the right notes.
With impeccable
comic timing and some seriously wonderful dramatic chops, she resonates a
reality (with the aid of her director) in her character that is far too many
times lost in abortion comedy movies.
Slate is at best
when on the stage, dolling out the jokes but her sensitive side holds great
potential while still allowing her to hit the right dark and witty comedic
beats.
Chris Pratt as Emmet
Brickowski for Lego Movie and Peter 'Star-Lord' Quill for The Guardians of The
Galaxy
Whether he wins this
one or not, Chris Pratt has it made. Despite having actually made his
breakthrough as the lovable goof Andy Dwyer on Parks and Rec, he hit the A-List
last year with a double bonanza of big projects.
The first is the
hilarious Lego Movie, where he provided some sensational vocals for protagonist
Emmet. His voice lending such a sweet heart to the character at the center of
all the conflict. His innocence hiding a sense of heroic closure and resonance that
Finn (the boy) required in his own life and played out through the Lego, all in
the voice.
The second as Marvel
hero Star-Lord. It's a game changing role that has made him the Han Solo of our
generation. Pratt's work as Quill is funny and slick but it also utilizes his
underrated emotional chops. One's he showed a glimpse of in films like Moneyball.
The emotional arc of the character is always boiling close to the surface and
Pratt exudes it towards the end with aplomb.
His delivery top
notch and his acting on par, Chris Pratt is the third in line of Chris's that
have been made by Marvel. His future roles prove this, with franchise lead roles in
Jurassic World and most likely Indiana Jones. Let's hope that he however does
some other greater work on the side as well.
Ansel Elgort as
Augustus Waters for The Fault in Our Stars and Caleb Prior for Divergent
Not much to say
about Divergent, just that in the time he gets Elgort is quite good enough. Par
excellence compared to the film.
It's not easy
however to steal the show from someone like Shailene Woodley, but at most times
Elgort pulls this off in this year's sleeper romantic hit. As Augustus, Ansel
Elgort is like a bundle of joys hiding behind deep sorrows.
He is at his
charismatic best, pulling your eyes towards him. In the darkest, a small
moment, as a car crashed drunk Augustus rues his fate; Elgort is mind blowing,
he moves you intensely. Elgort simply becomes Augustus and it is a wonder to
behold.
Gugu Mbatha Raw as
Dido Elizabeth Belle for Belle and Noni Jean for Beyond The Lights
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Any of Gugu's
performances last year could have been a great launching pad, the fact that she
has two great ones is a statement of her abilities.
As the historical
painted figure Belle, Gugu is profoundly effective. Playing a black woman of
royalty in a white dominated period, Gugu is at once a demure and somewhat
reserved and fearful woman stretched by two sides unwilling to accept her or
let her go psychologically (in her mind). It's an identity crisis that the arc
runs through and one peppered with large conflicts. Raw is simply fascinating
in the moments when asked to step up, he silences allowing her body language to
speak a thousand words.
As Noni she is
equally magnificent, bearing the arc of a slowly drowning musician and a
non-private romance, Raw is natural in moments of simplicity between her and
Kaz (Nate Parker) while vivacious as the somewhat conflicted and beaten down
pop star. It's another notch on the belt for her.
Both performances
giving us the emotional range of what Gugu Mbatha Raw can handle and another
top class young actor just inches away from really breaking through the
stratosphere.
Stacy Martin as
Young Joe for Nymphomaniac
It might not seem
so, but off the two (her and Gainsbourg), Stacy Martin has the harder role.
Playing a younger Joe, one whose descent into sexual addiction seem like games,
she is at times wonderfully charming and sensuous but also peels greater layers
back.
There's a sense that
Martin hides a buried sexual hunger as well as a pain, which she masterfully
keeps on crafting under the surface until the final blow out when she realizes
she can not feel anything sexually.
Her subtlety in
expressions and her language balancing between trying to entice while alienate
provides a perfect foundation from which to constantly unsettle the viewer.
And the Winner is...
Jack O'Connell for Starred Up, Unbroken and '71!
Underdog Award for
Best Breakthrough Director
This year's new
addition!
There's been quite a
few directors this year who have left a big splash, a splash that made waves
across cinema. There passion for the art, pushing forward into the next half of
the decade and more.
Some have been on
the cusp of greatness the others lending a fresh voice and vision through their
works. So here's to them.
Honorable Mentions:
Anthony and Joe Russo-Captain America: Winter Soldier, Justin Simien-Dear White
People, Yaan Demange-'71, Ned Benson-Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, Jeremy
Saulnier-Blue Ruin, Gia Coppola-Palo Alto
And the Nominees
are...
Anna Lily Amirpour
for A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night
Taking on the desolation of an old western and framing it into a harrowed Iranian city, while bringing in some other flavors; Amirpour makes a twistedly delicious genre bender.
Taking on the desolation of an old western and framing it into a harrowed Iranian city, while bringing in some other flavors; Amirpour makes a twistedly delicious genre bender.
An existential
surface on Iran and an out worldly tale of romance and vampires makes her
freshmen effort a genuine work of art. Her eye for aesthetic is marvelous, as
she gorgeously displays the film in black and white. She crafts a haunting
atmosphere with the way the narrative plods on.
Amirpour spoke in an
interview about the use of music in her film, an amalgam of tunes that add to
the spice of the feature. There's a sense of horror and outlaw justice to each
moment with The Girl (Vand). It's in a sense a
frenzy motion dance that plays out on the backdrop of something much
more sinister and subdued.
Jennifer Kent for
The Babadook
Jennifer Kent will
really mess with your mind.
Mixing a
psychological insight into the horrors of single parenting with regular horror
jump scares, Kent visualizes probably the most fearsome horror film in around
two decades.
There's always an
under the layer tone of what's happening and how far our protagonists are from
reality or are they dreaming. Each point Kent utilizes certain horror clichés
to paint a terrifying picture that drags the audience one way, until she can pull
the ground of their feet.
It's a masterful
psychologically manipulation that makes Kent simply more than just a director
but a crafty puppeteer.
Xavier Dolan for
Mommy
For a man of 26 and
five films old, Xavier Dolan has already had a couple of breakthroughs but this
one is something else. Mommy sees Dolan in a similar headspace from his first
feature (I Killed My Mother), tackling the complexities of a relationship between
a mother and son.
It's a feature that
never gets emotionally soppy or vacant, in fact it straddles a line very
realistic at the same time very emotionally true without resorting to cheap
tricks. It's hard to describe but in some way Dolan's Mommy needs to be felt to
be understood. There's rich characters but also rich understanding of how to
visually portray it.
Dolan once again
proves that age is no barrier, experience is a great tool for a filmmaker and
he utilizes his very well in making this heart wrenching beauty.
Damien Chazelle for
Whiplash
There's one man the
Oscars sadly forgot to give credit to, for the riveting Whiplash. That is the
man that started it all, Damien Chazelle. Taking cues from his own life,
Chazelle constructs a film that clearly reflects a certain understanding of a
talented individual and their equally motivated teacher.
He crafts poetry in
motion in between Andrew (Teller) and Fletcher (Simmons), imbuing in them
conflicting ideologies, sense of connected character and a thrusting ambition
for success and throbbing heart for jazz.
Like Fletcher,
Chazelle is teacher (maybe not such a harsh one). Conducting the piece with a
musical ear and a smooth efficiency. Like Andrew, he is grounded to the
dramatic content and stakes constantly revealing his characters without being
tied by complexities rather just pushing forward (for Andrew even amidst a
harrowing accident).
He might not have
made it as a musician, but Chazelle proves he know how to create a musical
masterpiece.
Dan Gilroy for
Nightcrawler
Having written quite
a few films, Dan Gilroy's ascension to director's chair was a forgone
conclusion after his brother's own debut with Bourne Legacy. He blew the
floodgates open.
Gilroy's efforts in
Nightcrawler, reveal a smart visual sensibility. His construction of scenes
providing the film with an essence of magic that make the thrills and chills
come alive. From opening scene he has you hooked. His utilization of his actors
quite brilliant. With Gyllenhaal he crafts a chemistry that brings Lou Bloom
alive and with his own wife (Rene Russo) he shows strength in knowing her
comfort zones and pushing towards a performance we haven't seen from her in
ages.
It's his visual
aesthetic couple with his smart and crafty writing that makes Gilroy's vision
another terrifically underrated film of the year.
And the Winner is...
Damien Chazelle for Whiplash!
Underdog Award for
Best Ensemble Cast
When a cast full of
actors performs in sync on a level beyond good, great or even magnificent,
there's one reason; simple chemistry.
That is what makes
an ensemble cast, award worthy.
Honorable Mentions:
Fury, Palo Alto, Maps To The Stars, Kill The Messenger, Dawn of The Planet of
The Apes, Starred Up, A Most Violent Year, 22 Jump Street, Lego Movie, Captain
America: The Winter Soldier, Frank, Get on Up, The Double, How To Train Your Dragon
2, Lone Survivor, A Most Wanted Man, Begin Again, Joe, Neighbors, Cold In July
And the Nominees
are...
Best Performance:
Ralph Fiennes as Monsieur Gustave H.
The latest Anderson
film is another little sweet collection of some of the finest actors you will
find working today, all huddled together to create another wondrous film in the
Wes Anderson repertoire.
Leads Tony Revolori
and Ralph Fiennes providing much of the emotional connect and hearty witty
laughs of the feature. Backing them up an array of brilliant character actors
such as William Dafoe, Adrien Brody, Edward Norton and the sprightly Saoirse
Ronan. Cameos by the like of Tilda Swinton to Harvey Keitel to Jude Law
providing fits full of fun. Even Anderson regulars getting fitting face time;
Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray.
But at the top it
all of; a magnificent transformation by the elder Fiennes, proving that he has
some genuine comedic chops.
Best Performance:
Rosamund Pike as Amy Elliot Dunne
With Ben Affleck and
Tyler Perry working top notch like never before, then Gone Girl's ensemble are
in good hands. Include the breakthrough wonder of Carrie Coon and the
brilliance of the understated Rosamund Pike.
Gone Girl features
an eclectic cast of actors, that constantly knock it out of the park. Pike is
chilling and sensational as the woman at the center of the film, Affleck has
never fit better shuffling between honest and sincere to suspect. Coon carries
large portions of the film and Tyler Perry is a wonder to behold, that makes
you wonder what the hell he is doing with those pesky Madea films.
Rounding it out are
a bunch of great smaller roles played by Neil Patrick Harris to Kim Dickens.
Best Performance:
Tessa Thompson as Samantha 'Sam' White
Featuring a young
cast of great talents, Dear White People's team chemistry is one fire.
Thompson at the top
of it, at her A-Game, proving to be a young actor who will definitely go
places. Tyler James acts as a great contrast to her, playing the soft spoken
but determined and somewhat naïve/impressionable gay student Lionel.
Rounding out the
leads are Brandon Bell and Brittany Curran whose arcs intertwine and allow the
duo some amazing moments to show their potential dramatic chops. The likes of
Dennis Haysbert and another young super talent Kyle Gallner give some superb
support with their performances providing great conflict.
Overall all the
performers in Dear White People are crafty with their performances, being
natural and linking some great chemistry together.
Best Performance:
James McAvoy as Charles Xavier/Professor X
To be honest, I
tried, I tried real hard to keep James McAvoy in the leading category
contention. Yet despite his inability to top the ten, there's no denying McAvoy
gives one of the finest leading performances in a comic book movie.
Like with Fassbender
in the previous film, he steals the show with his emotional resonance and great
nuance in portraying a broken and near tragic figure. He I perfectly supported
by an array of talented individuals.
At the fore is Hugh
Jackman, racking up another notch with his performance as Wolverine coming off
some harrowing character changes and the burden of age and immortality allowing
him to kill it. Fassbender is genuinely delectable as the devilish Magneto.
Jennifer Lawrence keeps a good pace this time round and it's enough considering
her actual distaste for the franchise. Hoult hits the right notes.
The cast finally
rounded out by all the old and the new melding with standouts in particular
being Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart's chemistry as well as new entrants Fan
Bing-Bing and Evan Peters.
Best Performance:
Tilda Swinton as Mason
I'll discuss about
Swinton and Chris Evans later, there performances being real stand outs.
The cast however is
littered with a far greater dearth of talents. Soong Kang Ho shines as the
addicted supporting player, fighting to destroy the train and free the people.
A questionable quest he shares with his sweet and equally addicted daughter,
played surprisingly well by Go Ah-Sung. Jamie Bell is fantastic and imbues
Edgar with a great zest and innocence, defining Evans character arc well.
John Hurt being
another equally worthy nominee, with the subtext he mystifies with his
intonations. Ed Harris being a real genuine surprise and a standout as the
villainous and manipulative silver tounged Wilford.
There's a lot more
with Alison Pill as the vicious pre-school teacher, Octavia Spencer as the
determine d and tough as nails mother and the chilling Luke Pusqualino and Emma
Levie.
Best Performance:
Imelda Staunton as Hefina Headon
Don't blink, yes the
nice and accepting as well as feisty Hefina Headon (who is the first to accept
the Lesbian and Gay Support the Miners group at the village of Onllywyn, for
help) is played by Imelda Staunton, famous for being the annoyingly viciously
cruel Dolores Umbridge (Harry Potter).
It's difficult to
stand out in a cast of well talented stand outs, but Staunton pulls it off with
aplomb. Not to say the others are bad, but she's just to damn great. However,
speaking of the other actors they get their moments.
Paddy Considine is
another terrific performer as the townsman who first meets the LGSM. Dominic
West steals some of the best moments, Andrew Scott providing some fun support
to him. Ben Schnetzer proving to be equally show stealing and providing some
real heart warming instances.
Leading man George
McKay equally fun to watch as the audience surrogate.
That's just the tip
of the iceberg that includes the always entertaining Bill Nighy.
Best Performance:
Sheila Vand as The Girl/Marshall Manesh as Hossein
With a set of some
wonderful unknowns, A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night becomes a naturally
flavored film thanks to the subtle performances.
At the center is the
silent predator The Girl, Vand playing her with equal parts sexy smoldering
charm and an uncanny ability to be fearsome even when simply silent. Her eyes
expresses quite a lot. In contradiction Arash Marandi, being quite the delivery
man and expressive with his flexible body language.
Marshall Manesh
(Ranjit from HIMYM) in a show stealing cameo, as his drug addled father. His
scenes depicting a desperation but also a shocking hostility. A few other
actors rounding out the cast with their small but impactful roles.
Who says an ensemble
need be huge to leave a great impression?
Best Performance:
Charlotte Gainsbourg and Stacy Martin as Joe
It was hard to
decide which of the two Joe's was the best. Yet I talk about both of them
elsewhere (Stacy Martin is above).
Off the other
actors, there's not actually much to say. Multiple actors pop up and pop out
giving some sensational performances of varying styles and magnitudes. A
showstopping Uma Thurman steals a whole section, thanks to the level of
brilliance she brings to her betrayed wife when facing off against her home
breaker Joe (Stacy Martin).
Another particularly
terrific performance comes from Stellan Skarsgard who plays wonderfully with
the dialogue and expressions, warming the viewer up for his dark, detached and
fuck you (to the audience) turn that Lars Von Trier relishes.
Shia LeBeouf and
Jamie Bell playing against type are some worthy additions to the cast as well.
Best Performance:
Hard to decide among the heroic five
Did any cast have a
better chemistry with each other than the Guardians this year?
Hard to say, cause
these guys were so damn enjoyable. Each of the made stars of the film, bringing
their A-Game.
Off the supporting
cast, James Gunn staple Michael Rooker proved wonders with his role as Yondu
and hopefully gets an expanded time in the sequel. Karen Gillan and Lee Pace do
their best with some mediocre characterization. John C Reily and Josh Brolin round
it out with some entertaining expanded cameos.
The first hit of the
main cast is the super surprise Dave Batista as Drax, he has some sensational
comic timing. Both Cooper and Diesel imbue great heart into their characters,
making them feel flesh and blood. Saldana matches them with a feisty passion and
while she doesn't get a complete arc, she does make one bad ass Gamora.
At the front of
this, is a star making turn from Chris Pratt. But the standout of it all, is
their indescribable team chemistry that at times puts the Avengers to shame.
GoTG works because of the constant game of parcel they play with one another.
Their one hell of an ensemble cause their the 'Guardians of the Galaxy, bitch!'
Best Performance:
Josh Brolin as Det. Christian F. 'Bigfoot' Bjornsen
Inherent Vice, the
darkly comic and trippy feature from Paul Thomas Anderson features some of the
weirdest cast members in a PTA film and that counts those in Boogie Nights.
Owen Wilson, (wife) Maya Rudolph, Martin Short, Jean Malone, Eric Roberts and
Reese Witherspoon are great in small roles.
The bigger roles go
to the trio of leads in this sense, Brolin is hilarious (more on that later).
Katherine Waterston is a breath of fresh air and while Joquain Phoenix never
beats his recent performances, he's still on a role with a wacky turn that endears
you to the character while keeping you detached. He juxtaposes PTA's style
wonderfully.
Plus the chemistry
he shares with Brolin and Waterston is infectious.
And the Winner is...
The Cast of Snowpiercer!
And that's that. Took longer than usual.
Up Next: The men and women behind the great leading men and women, Underdog Award for Best Supporting Actor (Male and Female)
'Nuff Said
Aneesh Raikundalia
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