In many of these categories, there were performances I liked more. But all of those were nominated for Oscars, and I’d rather shine a spotlight on the less-heralded turns this year.
ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY
Eephus
One advantage to make an amateur sports movie as opposed to a pro sports movie is the actors don’t have to be that good at the game itself. That frees up the casting director to pick interesting faces and big personalities. Spending an afternoon (and chilly evening) on the baseball diamond with these guys felt like hanging out with your buddies, a lost art in film.
ACTOR & SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson, The Naked Gun
That they’re both great at comedy shouldn’t have surprised anyone, given how game they’ve been to poke fun at their own images. But they really are a comedic dream team, whether cooking, scat-singing, or having a threesome with a magical snowman.
ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Chase Infiniti, One Battle After Another
A performance so good you’ll be thinking “How was this her first movie?!” for the rest of time. Going toe-to-toe with both Leonardo DiCaprio (as her stoner dad) and Sean Penn (as her malevolent sire), this massive film shifts onto her shoulders in the last half-hour and she carries it without breaking a sweat.
SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Kevin O’Leary, Marty Supreme
I am well aware of how much this unscrupulous businessman sucks in real life. But he is absolutely perfect as, well, an unscrupulous businessman in this film. He’s not any less a hustler than Marty Mauser, but he has the wealth and leverage to humiliate him over and over. When he makes a bold, bizarre claim near the end of the movie, he might actually be telling the truth.
ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA
Sinners
There’s really no other option for this category, given how much is required of this group, especially as other members “turn” throughout the film. Depending on the scene, they have to be scary, sexy, or soulful, with not a single weak link.
ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Denzel Washington, Highest 2 Lowest
Denzel is so taken for granted that he got ignored last year for absolutely cooking in Gladiator II. This year he’s much more restrained but no less powerful as a record executive caught in a huge dilemma: Spend almost every dime he has to ransom the son of his right-hand man (Jeffrey Wright, just as good), or let him die and proceed with retaining his legacy. For many people, this wouldn’t be a hard choice. But Denzel makes you feel the weight of his decision, and the horror when it all goes wrong.
ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Jennifer Lawrence, Die My Love
Two other fine actresses are nominated this year for playing depressed mothers. And while Jessie Buckley and Rose Byrne are quite good, no one did it quite like J-Law. This is probably her best performance to date, turning Grace’s postpartum depression into something downright feral. The movie itself doesn’t always come together, but Lawrence’s screen presence is undeniable.
SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Ralph Fiennes, 28 Years Later
He’s arguably even better in The Bone Temple (currently in theaters), but Fiennes shows off his quite presence and physicality as an oasis in the midst of a hellish reality. Though he looks like a monster, his connection to death is one of honor, not terror. It’s a deeply moving performance in a film that’s aging better each day.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Mariam Afshari, It Was Just an Accident
Arguably the strongest part of a great ensemble, Afshari’s Shiva is the calming force amidst the fired-up victims trying to execute their revenge plan. I had never seen any of these actors before, but she made the strongest impression as a woman just trying to get on with her life, caught up in this harebrained scheme that has her reliving her worst days.