Movies
My Rankings & Thoughts On the Five Nominees For Best Supporting Actor
I know that the Oscars happened already, but bear with me. It’s a learning process. So let’s get after it.
I know that the Oscars happened already, but bear with me. In the rush to finish all the major award contenders, I didn’t have a chance to spell out my thoughts on all the categories that I was able to finish. We know the winners now, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that I agree.
This is a process I enjoy. It’s a learning process. So let’s get after it.
No. 5
Robert De Niro
The tonal choice made in The Killers OF The Flower Moon is only possible with the performance of Robert De Niro as “The King” William Hale. There is no mystery as to who is behind the destruction of Osage Country members and therefore it’s up to De Niro to create a character interesting enough to keep garnering additional screen time.
Scorcese knows that we know the atrocities of what happened. It’s based on true events so why hide the truth? De Niro is essential to making this movie work in some regard.
Hale doesn’t have a lot of growth as a character. He is set in his manipulative ways. It’s just a matter of how he is going to get the job done. The scenes where Hale is coaching up Ernest Burkhart, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, are where De Niro is able to shine most. The moments of subconscious manipulation still have an air of mystery to it as to how they are going to unfold compared to the moments when he is lying directly to the Native American faces.
Robert De Niro has been nominated for nine Academy Awards during his five decade career. He is a two-time winner for Best Supporting Actor in The Godfather: Part II, Best Actor in Raging Bull.
Killers Of The Flower Moon was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, but won none on Sunday night: Best Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Directing, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Picture, Best Production Design and Best Supporting Actor.
No. 4
Ryan Gosling
Let’s get this out of the way first. Ryan Gosling may not have won the Oscar for his role as Ken, but he did win the Oscars broadcast on Sunday night with his performance of “I’m Just Ken.”
It’s a credit to Gosling that he is able to be believably self-deprecating as one of the most attractive people on the planet. The childish way in which Ken learns things and gets indoctrinated in Barbie is the comedic highlight of the film. The perpetual Hollywood heartthrob is in a tough spot here because among the nominees I have him tied for third with Mark Ruffalo, but Ruffalo gets the nod above him because I enjoyed Poor Things compared to Barbie.
In terms of his performance in Barbie, the line I remember most is when he screams “SUBLIME!” in the doorway when Barbie comes to talk to him. Yes, that part made me laugh. Gosling gave himself to the role fully and is still embracing all the fandom in the aftermath. His love for Barbie is hopefully Kenenough for all the film’s stans upset at the Academy.
Ryan Gosling has been nominated for three Academy Awards. Before this year he had twice lost for Best Actor, once in 2017 for La La Land and ten years earlier for Half Nelson.
Barbie was nominated for a total of eight Academy Awards and the winner of one: Best Original Song (2x), Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Production Design and Best Costume Design.
No. 3
Mark Ruffalo
BELLLAAA!!! Yes, it’s an homage to A Streetcar Named Desire, and Mark Ruffalo still nails it.
Ruffalo plays the part of Duncan Wedderburn, the friend, lover, and ex-lover of Bella Baxter. He is an outrageous character who cloaks his true self in extravagance and fancy fast talk. Duncan pretends to be an adult, but deep down he is as childish mentally as Bella.
I mean this as a compliment to the highest degree. Mark Ruffalo is great at playing a whiny bitch. As Poor Things wears on, Duncan feels the weight of Bella’s growing maturity on his shoulders. He devolves so fast when the pair are no longer the two just jumping up and down viciously and endlessly on one another. The fact that the last straw is Bella giving away the casino winnings he won is perfect because Duncan thought he had cashed in a beautiful young woman and made it rich in life. She takes it and throws it away for what she thinks is right, and that leaves Duncan without a place to call reside and a personna to rely on.
Mark Ruffalo has now been nominated for Best Supporting Actor four different times at the Academy Awards: Poor Things, Spotlight, Foxcatcher and The Kids Are All Right.
Poor Things won four Oscars, the second highest total, trailing only Oppenheimer. It took home the golden statute for Best Actress, Best Costume Design,Best Makeup And Hairstyling, and Best Production Design. All in all, Poor Things was nominated for 11 awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematographer, Best Directing, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Picture, and Best Supporting Actor.
No. 2
Sterling K. Brown
Sterling K. Brown totally took me by surprise. When he first appears in American Fiction as Monk’s brother Clifford with his rigid six-pack and coked out maniac mental state…well I was taken aback. I only knew Brown from his time on NBC’s This Is Us, and Clifford is nothing like Randall Pearson.
Every scene that Clifford appears in is embroidered with emotion. Whether it be frustration, sadness, empathy or love, Clifford’s presence has an emotive effect needed to balance out the rigid stillness of Monk’s personality.
Brown shares one scene with Jeffery Wright and his mother Anges, played by Leslie Uggams. Anges is suffering from dementia and makes a ridiculously rude comment without knowing the emotional consequences it’d have. The sudden shock on Clifford’s face is filled with a million emotions. There is anger, sadness, love, and embarrassment. Clifford can’t pretend it didn’t hurt him, but he holds it back just long enough to leave the room.
It’s great stuff, and there are more than a handful of scenes that will have your mouth open. And one thing that Clifford gets right is when he curses out the nosy beach neighbor asking about permits. Hilarious stuff.
This was Sterling K. Brown’s first Oscar nomination.
American Fiction was nominated for five Oscars in total: Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor. Writer (and director) Cord Jefferson took home the gold for best Adapted Screenplay.
No, 1
Robert Downey Jr.
This one the academy got right. Robert Downey Jr, was one of seven Academy Awards that Oppenheimer won at the 96th Academy Awards, and furthermore it was one of the three 100% sure-fire guarantees. Downey Jr. and his supremely confident self was instrumental to the film’s success and part of the reason the final act of Oppenheimer sings like a fire breathing chorus.
One’s appreciation for Downey Jr.’s work in Oppenheimer depends on whether or not you enjoyed the third act of Christopher Nolan’s Best Picture winner. It’s a long movie, and those who don’t love the film typically cite the third act as the main reason for the lack of attentiveness.
Seeing as the third act of Oppenheirmer was my favorite of the movie, it’s not surprising that I love Downey Jr.’s portrayal of Strauss. In a movie that’s about power and what you do with it when you have it, the dichotomy between J, Robert Oppenheimer and Strauss is fascinating to dissect.
This is Downey Jr.’s third Oscar nomination and first win. In 1993 he was nominated for Best Actor in Chaplin. In 2009 Downey Jr. was nominated for Best Supporting Actor portraying Kirk Lazarus in Tropic Thunder.
All in all, Oppenheimer was nominated for 13 Academy Awards and winners of seven: Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Original Score, Best Sound, Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Production Design and Best Costume Design.
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