Casino Jack | Review

Sunkmanitu Tanka Owaci. Yeah figure that one out. Muahahahahah.

So what we have here is kind of an on and off again entertaining movie. For those who don't know the true story this movie it's based on, this is the story of Jack Abramoff played by Kevin Spacey who was once a super lobbyist in Washington D.C until he was involved in this huge corruption scandal involving swindling tens of millions of dollars from Native American casinos amongst other wonderful wrongdoings like political bribery and murder.

For the most part, Casino Jack is an enjoyable satirical comedy. The problem is that I followed this story quite closely two years back and I know what really went down so I couldn't get the thought out of my mind on how inaccurate this movie was. One being that this is a really emphatic movie about Abramoff. Kevin Spacey here is playing this total douchebag in real life as a sweet, movie loving, wise cracking guy who just did some fucked up shit.

I did find myself loving the character Spacey was portraying but that's not how Abramoff is in real life. I mean he's the scummest of scumbags people. But with a bit of belief suspension, you'll find yourself drawn to Kevin Spacey's character because reality aside.. he is one funny guy to watch. When you have a movie where the bad guy is the lead, the director and Spacey did a good job to make Abramoff lovable. Charming really. He reminded me of Jake Gyllenhall's character from Love And Other Drugs where he's this asshole that gets what he wants by manipulating other people, but at the same time, he has such a flair and style to doing it that you can't help but love the guy. Spacey's version is more goofy than flair and it was jackass awesome.

Great to see Jon Lovitz back to doing good comedy. He was an unmitigated disaster in this. But that's not really a bad thing if you're Jon Lovitz. I thought he was actually what Casino Jack needed at times just to point the film back on the goofy path when things got too serious. Sure, it's a brain dead performance and even more brain dead story development but hey, I was brain dead watching it and I was loving the sillyness.

On the other hand, there are some disastrously misguided casting choices, beginning with Kelly Preston as Jack's wife and even though she exhibits some swagger towards the beginning to the film, she is unable to keep up with Spacey, Lovitz and Barry Pepper who developed a great camaraderie of goody sillyness while she's stuck playing the one-dimensional wife.

The story was all over the place at times. Again, this is coming from a guy who knew the case and I can tell you that these guy's really took an artistic license when writing the story. They probably went, "Hmm.. how do I make this funny? Oh I know.. I'll put in some shit that never really happened and have Jon Lovitz turn to the camera and go, ACTING!"

I think I would have liked Casino Jack more if it was a simple television movie. Many of it's gaping flaws would have been forgiven because it's production value terribly fits that of a cinema format.

Ultimately, this is a movie for people who aren't that into politics to watch, have fun and learn a small fraction of something. It's a joy watching Spacey and Lovitz interact here but Casino Jack is gravely mediocre at best. Average, amateurish filmmaking.

RATING: 4/10

Charlie Sheen to undergo rehab in his own house

"Two and a Half Men" actor Charlie Sheen will now undergo rehab due to his addiction issue. Charlie Sheen was hospitalized about 4 days ago due to hiatal hernia will now go in-house rehab without leaving his house.

Charlie Sheen's rep told US magazine, "He's getting treatment done at home," and at TMZ "He's doing rehab there."

Further, the actor's rep added in a statement,

"In compliance with the national health privacy laws (HIPPA), no further information relating to Charlie Sheen's health or his rehab experience will be released without his written permission,"

"I can say that all of us who know Charlie care about him very much. We will support him in any we can in this journey, beginning by respecting his privacy."

Encore Awards: Ensemble Acting

Sometimes I think people misunderstand the term ensemble acting – or perhaps, conversely, I place too much emphasis on it. Either way, there’s always a divide between me and the general populace. In the last decade or so, the biggest head-scratcher when it comes to singling out any cast for “ensemble” acting would be the win at the SAG for Sideways, my general apathy towards the film aside Sideways just seemed like the weirdest contender for an ensemble prize – even Inglourious Basterds, which I’m not especially fond of, makes sense because that film depends on that cast working in conjunction with each other. Ensemble acting is not just about getting great performances from a number of actors, it’s about seeing a group of actors acting together – in accordance with each other, something’s that’s not as simple or incidental as it would seem.

(click on the photos for reviews)

THE NOMINEES

Animal Kingdom: (Cast: James Frecheville, Ben Mendelsohn, Joel Edgerton, Guy Pearce, Luke Ford, Jacki Weaver, Sullivan Stapelton, Dan Wyllie, Anthony Hayes, Laura Wheelwright, Mirrah Foulkes)

 I sort of wish that Animal Kingdom would turn into a mini-series, because though Michod doesn’t exploit it there’s something brilliant about watching the family in their natural habitat just coexisting with each other. Even the smaller characters like Nicky’s entire family exist in the same fabric – all of them on the same wavelength with each other (the dinner at their house) or those two scenes in the coffee shop; one with Baz and one without, where everyone has their own reaction to give, no matter how understated.

For Colored Girls (Cast: Loretta Devine, Whoopi Goldberg, Macy Gray, Janet Jackson, Thandie Newton, Phylica Rashad, Anika Noni Rose, Tessa Thompson, Kerry Washington)

Perry doesn’t thrust the entire female ensemble together until the closing moments, but even within these separate stories we have ensembles at work – divided as they are. Phylicia Rishaad and Kerry Washington, as the watchers in the group are given the task of interacting with almost everyone – and Rishaad especially thrives on this slightly voyeuristic way. It’s such a rare thing to see an accomplished female ensemble playing opposite each other so those moments where Goldberg and Newton go at it, or Devine stops in for a chat with Jackson, simmer because even when Perry doesn’t know precisely which decision to take in procuring the right amount of (cinematic) drama, the cast is doing a brilliant job.

The Kids Are All Right (Cast: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Waskikowska, Josh Hutcherson, Yaya DaCosta, Zosia Mamet, Kunal Sharma, Eddie Hassell)

The very essence of The Kid Are All Right depends on that quintet of actors working together, the first and final dinner scenes in the film work not only because of the writing and the direction but because every tangent of that pentagon works perfectly. And then, there are those actors on the sidelines – like Yaya DaCosta working opposite Ruffalo, or Mamet and Sharma opposite Wasikowska. All these actors in totality are imperative in establishing that suburban cacophony that defines The Kids Are All Right

Scott Pilgrim vs the World (Cast: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ellen Wong, Kieran Culkin, Alison Pill, Johnny Simmons, Jason Schwartzman, Mae Whitman, Aubrey Plaza, Anna Kendrick, Brie Larson, Mark Webber, Chris Evans, Brandon Routh)

In theory, the ensemble of Scott Pilgrim vs the World should not feel as integrated as it does. It’s essentially a situation where Scott goes through the film fending off evil exes, belligerent “frenemies”, officious siblings and best-friends, morose band members and cloying girlfriends – and that’s just the half of it. But even though it seems like Cera’s doing the heavy lifting, Wright doesn’t shirk at opportunities for everyone to meet up with each other; like Knives and Ramona or Wallace and Stacey. Even if direct conversation is lacking between some branches, they all inhabit the same environment establishing a palpable uniformity in the performances.

The Social Network (Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Max Minghella, Rashida Jones, Armie Hammer, Rooney Mara, Brenda Song, Joseph Mazzello, Douglas Urbanski)

It would be wrong, not to mention a little seditious, to call The Social Network a courtroom drama, although – to some extent – it functions as one. The deposition scenes have the main players opposite a host of bit players all doing good work and as the story unfolds in flashbacks – noting the most “important” moments – everyone gets the opportunity to play the highs and though like with Scott Pilgrim vs the World they’re play opposite Eisenberg it doesn’t prevent them from playing opposite each other.

         

FINALISTS: Sometimes it seems like The Fighter doesn’t realise that it has an ensemble to play with, so they end up getting a bit marginalised at times – still, ultimately, when Russell realises the fun to be had in largeness of the cast things get exciting; The King’s Speech thrives on a cast that’s not getting as much love as it should – despite it’s one-man focus it really is an ensemble at heart, like seeing how many talented thespians can pop up and play opposite Firth; sort of the same way you’d think that Rabbit Hole is the Becca and Howie story, but there’s much good to be found on a larger scale – not just Wiest, Oh, Teller and Blanchard (all great) but those support group folks with their one scenes and that awesome realtor with the quirky facial expressions.

Which 2010 film stands out as a fine example of ensemble acting at its best, for you?

Encore Awards: Memorable Characters

This category would probably take the prize for being the most indecisive, even more than choosing favourite performances and whatnot it takes a special sort of projection to distinguish what characters will emerge as memorable. The list is not quite arbitrary, though it’s difficult for me to say what makes this list a solid representation of the quirky characters presented in 2010. Originality of character plays a role, as does profundity – although great performance are not necessarily indicative of great characters (or vice versa). It’s as personal list as any, but let’s peruse...

          

(click on the photos for reviews)

THE NOMINEES

(from Animal Kingdom) Grandma Smurf; played by Jacki Weaver)

It’s difficult to distinguish Jacki Weaver from the woman she plays, her big eyes constantly watchful of everything around is a key part of her role in this quasi-family quasi-crime drama. As the most important female of the lot, Jeanine prevents the narrative from being bogged down by all the testosterone present and though I think it’s the slightest bit insincere to consider her as the mastermind behind the family – her role is key. I still cannot succumb to hatred of her, for in her devious ways she’s protecting her family the only way she knows how – at whatever cost.

(from Black Swan) Nina Sayers; played by Natalie Portman

 

In a way the credit should just go to Tchaikovsky for the creation of the paradigm the character is based on, but I won’t nitpick. The psychological mess that is Nina Sayers is difficult to resist, inasmuch as being fascinated by characters go. She has an entire narrative at her whim and Aronofsky exploits the chance to have her react to everything around her. Her journey is a singular one, but it’s fascinating.

(from The Kids Are All Right) Paul; played by Mark Ruffalo

 

Paul traipses around with a look of perpetual surprise on his face that’s never really, actually, surprise – just sort of a vague look of confusion. Expressions are sort of Ruffalo’s key to defining the character and I hate that Blumberg and Choledenko have taken such a beating from audiences for their alleged anti-male stance. It’s hard not to think of Paul as the most sympathetic of the lot – especially when his directionless wandering is not something he does maliciously but the evidence of an underdeveloped mind.

(from The King’s Speech) Lionel Logue; played by Geoffrey Rush

 

From his first scene Rush defines Logue by only subtle quirks, a man intent on presenting a vaguely animated personality but with a palpable melancholy to him. It’s possible that Logue emerges as more interesting than Bertie because the narrative tells us less about him – although, that’s not definitive. Seidler always avoids turning him into too much of a maverick and Rush’s sincerity underscores that. 

(from Rabbit Hole) Becca; played by Nicole Kidman

 

 Becca is a special type of mother – a childless one, but that’s not what defines her. Nicole Kidman already has a general aloofness to her that’s attractive, but Becca is defined by an even more caustic countenance and a general composedness that belies a damning character of speaking before she thinks. It’s weird watching her, because you feel as if this is someone you know – or could know.

FINALISTS: You sort of get the sense that Amenbar is a bit too in love with Hypatia (Rachel Weisz) in Agora – but not only does Weisz sell the brilliance she makes it seem like this is the sort of woman who’s every word is significant (or is that just the British accent) ; in a way Dickie (Christian Bale) in The Fighter is a dime a dozen – a coked up former star trying to recapture his former glory, but more than those general moments of lowness it’s the relationship he has with this family that makes him memorable; The Ghost (Ewan McGregor) in The Ghost Writer is someone we know extremely little about – we never even know his name, but that doesn’t cause the film from failing around him. It has a lot to do with McGregor playing the role but it’s the sort of character – eternally mysterious that holds our interest long after the credits roll;

SEMI-FINALISTS: Abbie (Chloe Moretz) is the typical old soul trapped in a youth’s body in Let Me In; Mimi (Kristin Scott Thomas) in Nowhere Boy; Knives Chow (Ellen Wong) in Scott Pilgrim vs the World; Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) in The Social Network

           

Which characters have defined 2010 for you? The ones you look at for quotable quotes, those that act as a good example of reacting to situations in life (regardless of how dubious their actual choices are)? Which characters, ten years from now, will be remembered from 2010?

Meet The New Superman: Henry Cavill

Zack Snyder's production of The Man of Steel finally has it's Superman. British actor Henry Cavill, known for his TV role on the period drama The Tudors among other screen credits like The Count of Monte Cristo and Stardust.

He has apparently been super close to playing numerous iconic screen characters. He lost out to Daniel Craig for the Bond movies, The Green Lantern, Batman and even Twilight. Lucky he dodged that bullet huh? From the looks of it, this couldn't have happened to a better guy after hearing all the misses he's gotten. Still not all too convinced he can pull of Superman. I liked Brandon Routh.

The Man of Steel is written by David S. Goyer of FlashForward, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight with producer Christopher Nolan attached, as well as Zack Snyder of Watchmen and Legend of the Guardians helming. Watch out for it in 2012. This should be good.

Nick Minaj SNL

Nicki Minaj worked overtime on the episode, joining the creeps of 'The Creep'  a.k.a. The Lonely Island (Andy Samberg with longtime comedy partners Jorma Taccone and Akiva Schaffer) as will be announced at 'Saturday Night Live' this week,

Minaj's part "Get your knees flexin' and your arms T-Rexin'" was a fine rhyme, but it was the Grammy nominee's adorable blond bookworm look, not to mention her skill at balancing nerdy sweetness and total ickiness that put the latest 'SNL' digital short over the top.

Nick Minaj told fans later she had a great time working with "incredible" people on set, and even tweeted the name of her 'Creep' character.

Nick Minaj later tweeted from her Twitter account how she enjoyed her SNL appearance.

SNL just gave me yet another #moment4life | S/O to the entire staff 4 being INCREDIBLE ; and Thank you all for tuning in! xoxo

Encore Awards: Supporting Actors

The first acting category...last year this category was overflowing with brilliance, and truth be told my five nominees from last year would probably knock every single nominee of this year out, Schneider's work in Bright Star is sooooooo good (not better than Whishaw, of course, but still great). Still, the supporting men were good this year and I like each of these performances. They didn't all get that Oscar love I wish they could have, but that doesn't negate the goodness of their work.

(click on the pictures for reviews)

THE NOMINEES

Christian Bale in The Fighter (as Dickie)

Bale avoids the most obvious of pitfalls and avoids turning Dickie into one of those usual walking powder-keg drug addicts. Sure, he gets the physicality of a user down excellently – with every bodily twitch, but the performance has much more to offer. As riveting as he is in those moments, it’s the emotional bits where he shines. As good as he is with Mark his best moments are opposite Melissa Leo (a dynamic I’d have loved to see more of) and despite his overt lack of restraint his devotion to his family rings throughout the drama. (Highlight: “I Started A Joke”)

Andrew Garfield in The Social Network (as Eduardo Saverin)

I hate that his obvious “actor” scenes are the ones that people keep remembering because the reasons I like this performance so much comes to the smaller bits. He knows Mark is an asshole, but he also knows they’re both similar in that desire for kinship (even though Mark is adamantly against social contact). He responds to every action from Mark, but he doesn’t really respond to Mark – and I’m not sure if its Fincher’s direction or his sensibilities but with every wince (blink and you’ll miss them) or slight intake of breath he’s making Eduardo more than the just token wronged friend and into a real person, which sounds sort of clichéd but is true nonetheless. (Highlight: The Chicken incident, at the deposition and at Harvard)

Mark Ruffalo in The Kids Are All Right (as Paul)

I think I tweeted sometime towards the end of last year that Paul is probably the most sympathetic character in the narrative. They’re all moving in their way, but this bathetic man child becomes the most stirring because Ruffalo is doing so much with it. It’s not that he gives my favourite performance of the film (he doesn’t) but it’s a classic example of script and actor finding a perfect match. He doesn’t even seem aware of Paul’s insecurities because Paul isn’t even aware of his insecurities, and those lingering glances and bits of stilted conversation only underscore the sort of wandering soul he is. And he does it all without EVER going over-the-top with it. (Highlight: First Meeting with Moms)

Geoffrey Rush in The King’s Speech (as Lionel Logue)

Rush avoids his usual theatricality (which I’m actually fond of) for a surprisingly tender portrayal of Logue here. Even though a significant portion of the narrative examines his relationship with the King, Seidler doesn’t explain his arc fully which leaves Logue as something of an enigma at times and Rush has no problem doing that. Sometimes it seems as if he’s usual tricks but that soft empathy with which he approaches Bertie is significant allowing him to dig deeper. One of the lasting things about the film is that you get the feeling there’s more to the man – but neither he (nor the film) is interested in going there. He’s willing to step aside.

(Highlight: First Meeting with “Mrs. Johnson”)

Sullivan Stapleton in Animal Kingdom (as Craig)

He has the sort of “open” face that makes it distressing to watch him, especially when you take into consideration how much he underplays the addiction arc – saving all that pent-up desperation only to completely destroy you when he unhinges in that final scene – well more than he was before. He’s already unhinged, not in the same manner as Mendehlson’s Pope, but just as much. His entire final scene played on a loop after coming out of the movie and it’s startling how with the absence of dialogue and even without the very overt facial tics that you’d expect, he manages to convey that nadir of despair that’s responsible for thrusting the narrative in a new destroy. (Highlight: his death)

                           

FINALISTS: Joel Edgerton leaves Animal Kingdom early on but that doesn’t prevent his Baz from having a lasting effect. ; Rhys Ifans gives a performance to rival the already good cast in Greenberg; Miles Teller functions as well as Eckhart, Wiest and Blanchard as a scene partner for Kidman in Rabbit Hole. He’s fortunate because Becca’s breakthrough moments come opposite him, and he plays excellently off her offering up a not clichéd example of how more than the grieving parties are victims of accidents.

SEMI-FINALISTS: Don Cheadle plays on the angry policemen in Brooklyn’s Finest to excellent results, showing again why he’s one of the best underrated actors at the moment; Kieran Culkin ends up stealing the show from everyone in Scott Pilgrim vs the World because even if his acerbic sidekick is a stereotype his line readings are hilarious; Andrew Garfield in Never Let Me Go; with just a few scenes to work with in The King’s Speech I finally get what people are talking about with Guy Pearce. He’s the right amount of EVERYTHING in the film and works so perfectly against Firth; Jonathan Tucker’s introverted psychiatric patient is one of the saving graces of Veronika Decides to Die. It’s more than his remarkable chemistry with Gellar – his attention to detail (which the script demands in those scenes where he has no dialogue) is impressive.

        

What do you think of my nominees? Who would you toss out? Who would you bring in?

America's Next Top Model : Ann Ward

Ann Ward won America´s Next Top Model, as many expected.

The very tall girl with a height of 6'2" who had five best photos in a row for the first time in all of 15 seasons. The same girl that struggled with her personality and awkwardness, who was facing a savvy Chelsea as a contender.

But the thing is, this whole season had no surprises whatsoever. Ever since episode 1, ever since promos, America's Next Top Model winner we all knew Ann would get the title.

Anne Ward's Bio

Age: 19
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Height: 6’2”
Occupation: Student
Favorite Designer: Betsey Johnson
Favorite Shoe: flats
Must-Have Photo Shoot Accessory: eyeliner
Would Never Wear: holiday sweaters
If Trapped On An Island, Would Bring: satellite phone

TV Week in Review

Due to my own negligence I missed 30 Rock this week. Apologies.

Big Love: “A Seat at the Table”

Things are getting even more complicated on and off the compound and Bill has even more stress to deal with. I didn’t love the issue of Barb getting drunk last week but Jeanne Tripplehorn is doing a brilliant job of establishing her issues and this week especially, the conflict with her mother was a well played arc. Ellen Burstyn does a great job of playing against Jeanne and the eventual blow-up between the two is excellent. Watching Marge descend is difficult to watch, but kudos to Ginnifer for making it work. One of the thing I always love about this show is how the women work so well together, and with the children and that closing scene with Nikki and Barb was beautiful. It’s tough watching Bill sweat even more and it looks like his political career could already be defunct. It’s a good solid episode, not as good as the premiere – but still good.

[B+]

Cougar Town: “Lost Children”

Sometimes I forget how much fun Cougar Town and this week they offer up what’s arguably the best episode of the season – thus far. Jules, in her crazy controlling way decides to play a weird version of hide-and-seek when her TV breaks down preventing her from watching “Waiting For Superman” (and feeling smart and depressed instead of dumb and happy). And we end up getting a crazy episode filled with adults behaving silly. Ensemble shows like Cougar Town are always best when the group splits up and we get unlikely pairings – like Andy and Grayson or Tom and Ellie. Ellie forces Jules to admit that she’s unduly bossy, and we get a nice back-story as to Andy’s issues with Grayson but I have to give props to Bobbie and Laurie who were hilarious with their fake TV show “Beef and Bubbles”. I love that pairing. And it all culminates with the entire cast – minus Jules – in the back of Ellie’s new truck. Absolutely brilliant.

[A/A-]

Community: “Celebrity Pharmacology”

Ah, this was a nice safe episode that didn’t really break any new ground but it was a nice filler episode of sorts that actually had some significant plot development. The major arc was Annie putting on a play for some elementary students fighting drugs which becomes monopolised when Pierce bribes her to get a starring role (blurring the message of abstinence from drugs). It’s hilarious watching Chevy Chase go crazy with Pierce this episode and it’s one of the thing about Community – the opportunity to see these duos that we don’t often see together. Brie and Chase work well together, and that entire scene in Annie’s house stood out as a great moment in the episode. And the subplots were just as satisfying from Jeff and Britta’s nephew to Shirley and Senor Chang (who I can’t believe I do not hate anymore). A nice solid episode, not riveting but worth it.

[B]


The Office: “The Seminar”

It’s an episode on par with “Andy’s Play” where Ed Helms take the forefront, and he deals with being a terrible salesman. You can already sense them trying to phase out Michael, and it’s working even though his scenes with Amy Ryan stole the show (WHY ARE THEY SO AWESOME TOGETHER?) And all those little side bits were just delicious – Jim and his friend and their spat from third grade, Kelly being amazing and Gabe and Erin and their scrabble. Erin can be such a moron, but I like her – Gabe still annoys me terribly. I just want that relationship to end. Though I’ll always love Ryan and Kelly and have a special place in my heart for Pam and Jim, Andy stands out as the most multifaceted character on The Office with the exception of Michael and though the audience lacks the most obvious comedic hooks it functions as a nice bit of character development for him. And with Michael leaving, character development of the remaining stalwarts.

[B]

Parks & Recreation: “Flu Season”

I love how the team on Parks & Recreation are so comfortable that even their lesser efforts are great. This week the flu hits and Chris, Leslie and April are all victims giving Ann the opportunity to play some importance. Since, I’m a big fan of Rashida Jones I love the chance that Ann gets to play in her natural habitat as a nurse and watching her move between these three crazy (but different) people is fun to watch. And we get so many arcs. There’s really no main arc, although one could surmise that Leslie’s speech to get advertisers for her harvest festival is most salient. Seeing Leslie sick is as fun as you’d expect and Poehler keeps on thriving with the great scripts doing great work. The fact that Chris is afraid of the flu makes perfect sense, and Ann relishing the urge to take care of him is expected. I still love Ann and Andy more than any couple on the show, but Lowe and Jones work well together. And seeing Andy bond with Ron was a hilarious side-note.

[B+]
       
Standout Writing
Cougar Town A
Parks & Recreation B+
          
Standout Acting
Amy Poehler in Parks & Recreation B+/A-
Christa Miller in Cougar Town B+/A-
Jeanne Tripplehorn in Big Love B+/A-
Bill Paxton in Big Love B+/A-
Rashida Jones in Parks & Recreation B+
Rob Lowe in Parks & Recreation B+
Ginnifer Goodwin in Big Love B/B+

Juliani Cardenas kidnapped boy

Car involved in Juliani Cardenas kidnapping found The car was found with sonar Friday morning.


Juliani Cardenas, a Hispanic 4 years old boy, 3 ’6 “, 40 pounds boy with brown eyes and black hair was kidnapped allegedly by Jose Esteban Rodriguez, a Hispanic male, 27 years old, 5 “9″, 180 pounds with brown eyes and black hair. He was last seen wearing a checkered white and black shorts and a cap.

Suspect's vehicle is a silver Toyota Corolla with California tag number 6HBW445. It has added aluminum wheels oversize.

The abduction and subsequent search are now the subject of national media attention. Friday evening Tabitha appeared on “The Nancy Grace Show” on CNN.

Encore Awards: Body of Work

Though she didn’t end up with any love from the top awards’ bodies last year was all about Marion Cotillard for me. Her general brilliance turned Public Enemies into something much better than it could have been, and her brilliantly performed Luisa Contini was a beacon in the already good cast of Nine (she made my supporting actress shortlist for both performances). Anyone can star in a slew of performances in a given year, but it’s something better when an actor can deliver two (or more) performances in a year that have something good to see in them and assume different sensibilities*.

THE NOMINEES

Annette Bening (in The Kids Are All Right; Mother & Child)

It might be easy to mistake them for extensions of the same character, but whereas Nic quietness is indicative of the uncertainty she wishes to hide, Karen’s quietness is more of a conscious decision to observe those around her. Both performances stand somewhere at the top half of her career, making her one of those indelible proofs of actresses getting better as they age.

               

Helena Bonham Carter (in Alice in Wonderland; Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows; The King’s Speech)

In a way, it annoys me that she’s turned into a sort of ultimate supporting actor implying that her natural personality is best taken in small doses and even though she supports in a period piece in The King’s Speech it’s neither reminiscent of her early Merchant Ivory work nor suggestive of her recent kooky characters. Each character she played this way, in their own way, is a woman before her time but she doesn’t make that define them. There is a palpable sense that she’s being served up too little on each occasion, but it’s the sort of acting from the sidelines that does not define the picture but still augments it significantly.

             

Patricia Clarkson (in Cairo Time; Easy A; Shutter Island)

Her supporting turn in Shutter Island is a bit of a blink and you’ll miss it one – and yet, along with Williams and DiCaprio, she leaves the biggest impact on you. You rarely ever seeing Patty being loud and obnoxious, always opting for a quiet sincerity which is her ace-in-hole when it comes to Cairo Time which she makes so much more important than you expect her to be. And then opposite Tucci she offers up one of the best screen-mothers of the year in Easy A. Truly, a great body of work.

                

Aaron Johnson (in The Greatest; Kick-Ass; Nowhere Boy)

It’s been a while since I had this much interest in watching a young male star’s star rise. It’s been a stratospheric year for Johnson and more than turning out three performances this year, it’s impressive how the running thread between them is so thin. There’s little to find that’s palpably similar between his Lennon, his  John and his Dave. True, acting doesn’t necessarily mean mastering accents, but I’ll give him credit for pulling off the American one so well, nonetheless.

Kerry Washington (in For Colored Girls; Night Catches Us; Mother & Child)

I don’t know – the fact that each film has landed with almost no sound makes me rethink the sentiment – but, perhaps, Kerry is on her way to stardom, opting for the slower path. She pulls out three performances that rests on internalising grief and pain and performs each brilliant. Sure, she thrives best in Mother & Child, but even in the huge cast of For Colored Girls with the storyline that seems least important she carves something special. (And story issues aside she and Mackie are beautiful to watch in Night Catches Us.)

               

FINALISTS: Michelle Williams for offering up a brilliant supporting turn in Shutter Island and a haunting lead performance in Blue Valentine; Andrew Garfield for offering up two good (if similar) turns in The Social Network and Never Let Me Go and James Franco for being a beacon in two lead roles in Howl and 127 Hours.

                 

Which actor ruled 2010 with their ability to jump from performance to performance?

* Just in case you're wondering, Johnny Depp would win the alternative award here. He's easily the worst thing in The Tourist and Alice in Wonderland (yep, even worse than the Wasikowska's bland work in the latter.) He sinks Angelina's attempts to be at least interesting in the former, and other than a glimmer of goodness opposite HBC he's terribly vile in the latter. I hope it's not the beginning of a trend for him...