Yesterday I began my look back on the best performances of 2021. We started with the Supporting Actress category and today we follow it up with Supporting Actor. Much like the ladies, this is a category rich with great performances from a wide variety of movies. So lets get to it starting with a few honorbale mentions who just missed the cut.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Rob Morgan (“Don’t Look Up”), Ciarán Hinds (“Belfast”), Jon Bernthal (“King Richard”), Willem Dafoe (“Nightmare Alley”), David Strathairn (“Nightmare Alley”), Richard Jenkins (“The Humans”), Woody Norman (“C’mon C’mon”), Jamie Dornan (“Belfast”)

#5 – Troy Kotsur (“CODA”)

It has been great seeing my critic colleagues from across the nation sharing this pick. Troy Kotsur’s performance in the surprisingly wonderful “CODA” could have been an easy one to overlook. Thankfully people have taken notice and now Kotsur has a legitimate shot at an Oscar nomination. He gives a performance so sincere and full of life. And the way he represents the hearing impaired community is inspiring. If you haven’t seen “CODA”, you should.

#4 – Jason Isaacs – (“Mass”)

There were so many powerful performances this past year, but few moved me quite like Jason Isaacs work in the heart-rending drama “Mass”. While the film relies on its incredible ensemble, Isaacs’ performance spoke to me the most. He brings a raw and pained intensity to the film’s heavy subject matter and you feel the emotion in every word he shares. The entire cast blew me away, but it was Isaacs who I really connected with.

#3 – Ben Affleck (“The Tender Bar”)

I think the most scene-stealing actor out of this year’s batch may be none other than Ben Affleck. He could easily have made this list for his work in Ridley Scott’s “The Last Duel”. But I’m going with the George Clooney directed “The Tender Bar”. Affleck is a captivating presence, swiping every scene he’s in and bringing a relatable down-to-earth personality that Clooney wisely utilizes. He’s terrific.

#2 – J.K. Simmons (“Being the Ricardos”)

Aaron Sorkin’s “Being the Ricardos” was a nice surprise. Of course it had Sorkin’s signature snappy dialogue. But it was the performances that stole the show. One of the best of the group came from the always reliable J.K. Simmons who played the surly but secretly compassionate William Frawley. Simmons loses himself in the role (as he often does) and really captures his character. Easily one of my favorites of the year.

#1 – Mike Faist (“West Side Story”)

Hands down one of my favorite things about the fabulous “West Side Story” was Mike Faist. Full disclosure: I wasn’t familiar with Faist prior to this, but his eye-opening work in Steven Spielberg’s musical remake/adaptation blew my mind. Not only is he boiling over with charisma, but his performance has a modern day edge yet feels like something that could have been yanked from the 1961 film. There were several great performances in “West Side Story”, but Faist’s was tops on my list.

Come back tomorrow when I look at the Lead Actress Category

Tis the season for us film critics to start looking back over the movie year that was and compiling lists (it’s what we do). Before I get into my Top 10 movies of the year, I want to hone in on some of the 2021’s very best performances. Over the next few days I’ll be focusing on the very best work from each of the four major acting categories. So as I normally do, let’s start by with the Supporting Actress category.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Aunjanue Ellis (“King Richard”), Haley Bennett (“Cyrano”), Nina Arianda (“Being the Ricardos”), Marlee Matlin (“CODA”), Martha Plimpton (“Mass”), Rita Moreno (“West Side Story”), Alicia Vikander (“Blue Bayou”), Jayne Houdyshell (“The Humans”)

#5 – Emma Thompson (“Cruella”)

While I’m not seeing her name pop up on many (if any) ‘Best of’ lists, Emma Thompson’s hilariously venomous performance in “Cruella” has stuck with me all year. Sure, it’s not the kind of super-serious prestige role that grabs voters’ attention. But Thompson is an acid-spewing delight and she brings a villainous energy to the movie that I loved.

#4 – Jessie Buckley (“The Lost Daughter”)

In Maggie Gyllenhaal’s “The Lost Daughter” Jessie Buckley is given a tricky role to pull off. She’s asked to feed us fragments of a troubled woman’s past through a series of story-critical flashbacks. She’s up for the task in every respect. Buckley skillfully wrings out every layer of conflict in her rich but complicated character. It’s yet another great performance from an actress who never disappoints.

#3 – Ariana DeBose (“West Side Story”)

I was overjoyed to see critics groups from around the country recognizing Ariana DeBose’s vibrant and layered performance in “West Side Story”. Whether she dancing, singing or shouldering one of the movie’s heaviest scenes, DeBose leaps off the screen and brings an energy that’s impossible to match. I love this performance and I left the theater immediately wanting to know more about her.

#2 – Cate Blanchett (“Nightmare Alley”)

Leave it to the effortlessly great Cate Blanchett to give us one of the best movie femme fatale’s since film noir was in its heyday. In “Nightmare Alley” she absolutely simmers with mystery and panache, mixing wicked elegance with lethal cunning. By now nothing Blanchett does is surprising. She’s always in top form and this performance is no different.

#1 – Caitríona Balfe (“Belfast”)

“Belfast” is Kenneth Branagh’s warm, tender and earnest reflection back to his childhood growing up in the tumultuous late 1960’s. It’s focus is firmly on family and what made the film work was the terrific cast that brought them to life. Caitríona Balfe’s heartfelt and textured performance really captures the movie’s range of emotions. Funny, frustrated, compassionate and courageous – Balfe conveys it all through her stellar work.

Check back tomorrow as I look at the Supporting Actor category

2022 is already shaping up to be good one for movie lovers. Case in point: the epic revenge thriller “The Northman”. Visionary filmmaker Robert Eggers (“The Witch”, “The Lighthouse”) brings his stark visual style to 10th Century Iceland, a place that feels right in his wheelhouse. To add to the appeal, the film sports an all-star cast that includes Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, Björk, Claes Bang, and Ralph Ineson.

The film seems to have a pretty basic revenge story premise, but it’s the setting and Eggers’ furious style that really sells this. Skarsgård plays Amleth, a man driven by vengeance since he was a child. That’s when he watched his Viking King father (Hawke) murdered, his mother (Kidman) kidnapped, and their kingdom stolen by his uncle Fjölnir (Bang). This thing looks violent, ferocious, and absolutely absorbing. I can’t wait to see it.

“The Northman” opens exclusively in theaters April 22nd. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Next in line in the increasingly popular buddy action-comedy genre looks to be “The Lost City”. Directed by brothers Aaron and Adam Nee, this silly looking romp puts Sandra Bullock alongside Channing Tatum for a wacky adventure with Daniel Radcliffe playing the main antagonist. I’m not 100% sure how those particular pieces will come together, but the first trailer released today by Paramount looks reasonably entertaining.

Bullock plays a romance writer on a book tour for her latest novel when she is kidnapped by a wacky billionaire (Radcliffe) who is convinced she can lead him to a treasure in a place known as The Lost City (or something like that). Tatum plays her hunky but air-headed cover model (think an even more ridiculous Fabio) who makes it his mission to go save her. Obvious hijinks ensue. The trailer looks utterly absurd which could be a good thing. But its biggest laugh comes with the appearance of a certain unexpected star near the end of the trailer. I’ll let you discover it for yourself.

“The Lost City” is set to hit theaters March 25th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

I have the pleasure of being a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association. Yesterday the voting body presented our awards for the best of the 2021 movie year. It was an interesting year and the voting reflected it. Few of my picks actually won, but I love the group’s enthusiasm and careful consideration that lead to this announcement (Look for my personal Top 10 and a couple weeks). Here is our official press release.

HEADLINE: The Southeastern Film Critics Association Names Jane Campion’s ‘The Power of the Dog’ as the Best Picture of 2021. Campion’s haunting and soulful western also won for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Director

ATLANTA, DECEMBER 13, 2021 – The Southeastern Film Critics Association (SEFCA) has announced its accolades for 2021 and chosen Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog as the Best Picture of the Year. This is the second time a Campion film has won Best Picture and Best Director as SEFCA also recognized her film The Piano back in 1993. Her latest work, based on the novel by Thomas Savage, is a captivating examination of loneliness, masculinity, and frailty set on a ranch in 1925 Montana.

“Jane Campion has been one of our finest directors for decades, and I’m thrilled that our members chose to recognize her exquisite work on The Power of the Dog,” said SEFCA President Matt Goldberg. “Campion has crafted a unique Western that gets to the core of the genre while still feeling fresh and vital. It’s an absolute triumph of mood, performances, and craft that will certainly go down as one of her finest movies in a career full of marvelous filmmaking.”

SEFCA voters also recognized The Power of the Dog in the categories of Best Actor for Benedict Cumberbatch, Best Supporting Actor for Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Best Supporting Actress for Kirsten Dunst while Kristen Stewart was awarded Best Actress for her turn as Princess Diana in Spencer.

Award winners below:

Top 10 Films

1. The Power of the Dog

2. Licorice Pizza

3. Belfast

4. The Green Knight

5. West Side Story

6. The French Dispatch

7. Tick, Tick…BOOM!

8. Drive My Car

9. Dune

10. Summer of Soul

Best Actor

Winner: Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog

Runner-Up: Will Smith, King Richard

Best Actress

Winner: Kristen Stewart, Spencer

Runner-Up: Alana Haim, Licorice Pizza

Best Supporting Actor

Winner: Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog

Runner-Up: Jeffrey Wright, The French Dispatch

Best Supporting Actress

Winner: Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog

Runner-Up: Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard

Best Ensemble

Winner: The French Dispatch

Runner-Up: Mass

Best Director

Winner: Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog

Runner-Up: Steven Spielberg, West Side Story

Best Original Screenplay

Winner: Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza

Runner-Up: Wes Anderson, The French Dispatch

Best Adapted Screenplay

Winner: Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog

Runner-Up: Tony Kushner, West Side Story

Best Documentary

Winner: Summer of Soul

Runner-Up: Flee

Best Foreign-Language Film

Winner: Drive My Car

Runner-Up: The Worst Person in the World

Best Animated Film

Winner: The Mitchells vs. The Machines

Runner-Up: Flee

Best Cinematography

Winner: Greig Fraser, Dune

Runner-Up: Ari Wegner, The Power of the Dog

Best Score

Winner: Hans Zimmer, Dune

Runner-Up: Jonny Greenwood, The Power of the Dog

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This morning the Hollywood Foreign Press (and Snoop Dogg) unveiled this year’s batch of nominees for the 79th annual Golden Globes. After a (shall we say) rocky year, the HFPA returns and have left us with plenty to talk about. There are a few surprises and a few headscratchers. But such is the nature of these things. So as I’m prone to do, here are a few Random Thoughts from today’s announcement.

• It was a great morning for “Belfast” which was great to see. Seven total nominations for what is one the year’s best films. Hopefully it can hold out against the inevitable wave of dismissal that is sure to come.
• Speaking of a good morning, “The Power of the Dog” also grabbed seven nominations. This is the kind of movie that scratches the itches of a lot of awards voters. It’s going to have a good awards season run.
• How about “CODA” slipping into Best Picture – Drama? Love seeing it.
• “Dune” gets a well deserved Best Picture nomination. It’s an extraordinary science-fiction epic that could have easily failed. Great seeing it getting recognized.
• Speaking of “Dune”, I love seeing Denis Villeneuve get a Best Director nod. Sadly he has no chance of winning, but he’s (rightfully) nominated.
• By the way, what did Snoop call Denis Villeneuve????
• “Licorice Pizza” gets a lot of love from the HFPA which is both icky and expected. But it’s Paul Thomas Anderson so don’t expect there to be too much outcry (or even conversation) over the film’s ‘problematic’ central relationship.
• LOVE seeing “Cyrano” get nominated for Best Picture – Musical or Comedy. It was one of the biggest and best surprises of a year that was full of them.
• And Peter Dinklage getting nominated for “Cyrano” made me smile. Much deserved and hopefully the Academy takes notice.
• What a batch of talent in both Best Actress categories. But no Jennifer Hudson for “Respect”? In a group that included Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Stone, and Marion Cotillard, I’m a bit stunned that Hudson got nothing.
• Kristen Stewart vs Lady Gaga? I’m hoping Colman slips in and beats them both.
• So glad to hear Rachel Zegler’s name called. What an amazing debut in “West Side Story”.
• Speaking of “West Side Story”, love seeing it get a Best Picture nomination and I’m sure an Oscar bid is in its future.
• It seems like all of the push is behind Jane Campion in the director’s category, but I love seeing Branagh, Villeneuve, and Spielberg. And Maggie Gyllenhaal? She did a terrific job with “The Lost Daughter”. She absolutely belongs.
• Supporting Actor is the one category that actively annoyed me. No Mike Faist? Seriously?
• I would also liked to have seen J.K. Simmons nominated for “Being the Ricardos”.
• I know Kodi Smit-McPhee seems to be trending as an early favorite, but there were several better turns this year. Put your money on Smit-McPhee though.
• Best Actor – Drama, WOW! Who to pick? Easily one of the strongest categories. In my critics group I went with Denzel Washington for “The Tragedy of Lady MacBeth”. He never disappoints.
• Hooray for Caitriona Balfe. She was such a key part of what made “Belfast” so good. I hope she wins (she should), but I’m not sure if she has a shot.
• Nothing for “Mass”. It’s unfortunate but the movie is just now (finally) getting some kind of push.
• Will Smith gave his best performance in years in “King Richard”. Great to see the HFPA recognize him and the movie. Both were wonderful surprises.
• Nothing for Guillermo del Toro’s “Nightmare Alley”. Unfortunate. It’s a movie that has really stuck with me the more I’ve thought about it. Cate Blanchett was incredible and should have been in that Supporting Actress field.
• “A Hero” gets a nod for Best Picture – Foreign Language. Not only is it my favorite film from that category, but it deserves a Best Picture nomination. But you know how these things go. I’m glad it at least got a mention.

Well, enough of my rambling. Here’s a full list of this year’s nominees for all of the film categories:

Best Motion Picture, Drama

• “Belfast”
• “CODA”
• “Dune”
• “King Richard”
• “The Power of the Dog”

Best Picture, Musical or Comedy

• “Cyrano”
• “Don’t Look Up”
• “Licorice Pizza”
• “Tick, Tick… Boom!”
• “West Side Story”

Best Director, Motion Picture

• Kenneth Branagh, (“Belfast”)
• Jane Campion, (“The Power of the Dog”)
• Maggie Gyllenhaal (“The Lost Daughter”)
• Steven Spielberg (“West Side Story”)
• Denis Villeneuve (“Dune”)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama

• Mahershala Ali (“Swan Song”)
• Javier Bardem (“Being the Ricardos”)
• Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Power of the Dog”)
• Will Smith (“King Richard”)
• Denzel Washington (“The Tragedy of Macbeth”)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama

• Kristen Stewart (“Spencer”)
• Olivia Colman (“The Lost Daughter”)
• Lady Gaga (“House of Gucci”)
• Nicole Kidman (“Being the Ricardos”)
• Jessica Chastain (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

• Leonardo DiCaprio (“Don’t Look Up”)
• Peter Dinklage (“Cyrano”)
• Andrew Garfield (“Tick, Tick… Boom!)
• Cooper Hoffman (“Licorice Pizza”)
• Anthony Ramos (“In the Heights”)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

• Marion Cotillard (“Annette”)
• Alana Haim (“Licorice Pizza”)
• Jennifer Lawrence (“Don’t Look Up”)
• Emma Stone (“Cruella”)
• Rachel Zegler (“West Side Story”)

Best Supporting Actress, Motion Picture

• Caitriona Balfe (“Belfast”)
• Ariana DeBose (“West Side Story”)
• Kirsten Dunst (“The Power of the Dog”)
• Aunjanue Ellis (“King Richard”)
• Ruth Negga (“Passing”)

Best Supporting Actor, Motion Picture

• Ben Affleck (“The Tender Bar”)
• Jamie Dornan (“Belfast”)
• Ciarán Hinds (“Belfast”)
• Troy Kotsur (“CODA”)
• Kodi Smit-McPhee (“The Power of the Dog”)

Best Screenplay, Motion Picture

• “Licorice Pizza”
• “Belfast”
• “The Power of the Dog”
• “Don’t Look Up”
• “Being the Ricardos”

Best Original Score, Motion Picture

• Alexandre Desplat (“The French Dispatch”)
• Germaine Franco (“Encanto”)
• Jonny Greenwood (“The Power of the Dog”)
• Alberto Iglesias (“Parallel Mothers”)
• Hans Zimmer (“Dune”)

Best Picture, Foreign Language

• “Compartment No. 6”
• “Drive My Car”
• “The Hand of God”
• “A Hero”
• “Parallel Mothers”

Best Original Song, Motion Picture

• “Be Alive” (“King Richard”)
• “Dos Oruguitas” (“Encanto”)
• “Down To Joy” (“Belfast”)
• “Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)” (“RESPECT”)
• “No Time To Die” (“No Time To Die”)