LeapBackBlog 2013 Film Awards – Part 2: Supporting Performances

Film in 2013 was fantastic. We saw tons of wonderful performances, powerfully emotional dramas, hysterical comedies, gripping thrillers, big and entertaining blockbusters, and grand technical achievements. This year was particularly difficult in narrowing down my choices for my favorite films, performances, directors, and technical accomplishments. For example, I loved Amy Acker in Much Ado About Nothing and Oscar Isaac in Inside Llewyn Davis, but neither quite made the list, and the same can be said for David O. Russell’s wonderful directing in American Hustle or Hoyte Van Hoytema’s sublime cinematography in Her (both just missing out on the list, when they would have made it in most other years). And, there are a number of good films that did not make the list either (and a few I have not yet seen). As it stands, the LeapBackBlog Film Awards are made up, through difficult deliberation, of the films that entertained me and grabbed me as something special, the performances that engaged me, and the craftsmanship that delighted me. These are my favorites of 2013.

Part 1: Technical Achievements

Part 3: Directors

Part 4: Leading Performances

Part 5: Films

Daniel Bruhl – Rush

While Rush is a great sports drama, it is a narrative that is dependent on its characters and their performances. Daniel Bruhl is exceptional as Niki Lauda, a cerebral driver who wins his races by understanding what makes his car superior (and what he can do to it to make it superior) and how to approach each race and track. Bruhl completely loses himself in the performance and role. Lauda is not necessarily a likable character, but Bruhl brings a great charisma to the character, which allows the audience to get behind him. They can see his talent and the confidence he has in himself, and that is infectious. With Rush and the character of Lauda, Bruhl finally has a performance that will serve as a breakthrough for him (which is very deserving for such a talented actor).

Bradley Cooper – American Hustle

American Hustle has a lot of fun with its actors, allowing them to play dress up in a sense, and Bradley Cooper goes all in (with a perm and Saturday Night Fever-like wardrobe choices). But what makes his performance as FBI agent Richie DiMaso so compelling is the intense nervous energy that he exudes. Cooper’s DiMaso has grand plans and wide eyes. He thinks he is the smartest guy in the room, making all the right moves, when really he is in way over his head. Getting back to his intense energy in the role, what makes it so gripping is that the viewer never really knows where it is going to lead. Cooper is a complete wildcard, much like Jennifer Lawrence’s brilliant performance. That kind of work is just so dynamic because it is never boring.

Michael Fassbender – 12 Years a Slave

Michael Fassbender gives what I think is 2013’s best supporting performances by an actor in 12 Years a Slave as the ruthless slave master Epps. Fassbender carries such an intense and intimidating presence in the film that the viewer cannot help but feel small, weak, and scared. He is utterly evil and vile. And yet, Fassbender brings so much depth and humanity to the character. The audience can see that there is weakness in his character and that he struggles with his vices, striving to be a better man, only to be pulled down over and over by a deplorable cruelty that he cannot shake. He is a man who is ashamed and afraid, lashing out to try to hide these truths. It would be easy to just dismiss Epps as an evil man if not for the clear inner-pain that rules his life. He may even be sympathetic (if we even dare think that) – though his actions are unforgivable, making for a complex and compelling performance. Fassbender is also very good in The Counselor (what is probably 2013’s most overlooked and misunderstood film).

Tom Hiddleston – Thor: The Dark World

Choosing Tom Hiddleston in Thor: The Dark World is very unconventional, especially in such a strong year for performances and films, I know, but the man is just so joyously wonderful as Loki. Hiddleston especially gets to have fun with the character in The Dark World, playing a whole range of emotions. He is tortured with envy over the place his brother holds and full of scorn for his adopted father, and yet also has almost unconditional love for his adoptive mother. All this is kept tightly inside, while he just takes a gleeful joy in being a villain and trickster. He revels in it. And so too does the viewer. Hiddleston has created Marvel’s greatest cinematic villain and one of the best in film history (a history that has seen a couple of brilliant and game changing performances in recent years), and his work as Loki in this is his best so far.

Jonah Hill – The Wolf of Wall Street

The Wolf of Wall Street is an insane exercise in excess, moral corruption, and greed. But, it sure is fun. The actors are given license to go big with their performances, and the whole narrative and world in which these characters exist is so over the top that they all feel firmly rooted in the reality of the narrative. Jonah Hill is clearly having a blast with his character Donnie, a man with seemingly no morals or boundaries. He is just so antagonistic and a complete asshole, and yet completely compelling and entertaining. It is maybe Hill’s best work to date. Margot Robbie is also fantastic in support in the film. Hill had a good 2013, starring in This Is the End as well, playing a very douchy version of himself.

Scarlett Johansson – her

Scarlett Johansson has one of 2013’s most difficult roles, playing the voice of Samantha in Her – an operating system who is self-aware and wants to experience all that is life, including love. What makes the role so difficult is that Samantha is essentially an inanimate object, shown only as an iPod-like device or computer screen. Johansson has to do everything solely with her voice. And to this, she is excellent.  As far as anyone is concerned, watching the film, she is alive. She feels just as vital and real as any of the other characters (which includes wonderful supporting work from Amy Adams and Rooney Mara as well; on a side note, Mara had a great 2013 with phenomenal work in Her, Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, and Side Effects). Johansson is also very good in the 2013 romantic comedy Don Jon.

Jennifer Lawrence – American Hustle

Jennifer Lawrence is a whirlwind in American Hustle. She plays Rosalyn Rosenfeld (the wife of con man Irving). Lawrence mines her scenes for every bit of fun with her charismatic and attention seeking performance. She absolutely commands the screen whenever she is in a scene, playing against other wonderful actors giving great performances. It is not subtle at all, but neither is the film. She walks a very interesting line between all-consuming and done right frightening. It may be the best performance of the film, and is certainly among the year’s best. The scene in which she sings Live and Let Die is one of 2013’s most entertaining cinematic moments. Lawrence is also very good as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

Carey Mulligan – Inside Llewyn Davis

Carey Mulligan does not have a lot of screen time in Inside Llewyn Davis, but her character Jean sure leaves an impact. Her chemistry with Oscar Isaac (who is also brilliant in the film, and barely missed making the Leading Performance list this year, which is overcrowded with great work) is electric. Their shared scenes jump off the screen. Mulligan does a fantastic job channeling all her pent up rage towards Isaac’s Llewyn Davis. Yet she does something more, something that makes the performance special, she does not just show hatred and rage, but there is a playfulness and maybe even a secret glee to her attitude towards Davis. Yes she is incredibly frustrated with him, but it seems to come from a very caring place (something that is kept hidden away). Mulligan is very good at layering her performances, and this is one of her best.

Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years a Slave

Without question Lupita Nyong’o’s tragic and heart-wrenching performance as Patsey in 12 Years a Slave is 2013’s greatest breakthrough acting achievement. She plays Patsey so delicately, yet with some defiance in her. However, her mental anguish is so severe that she only wishes for death. She is a flower desperately reaching for the sun, the thing that seems the most natural and right to her, but is constantly stymied through the terror of a dark cloud that hovers above her. In a film that features many of this year’s strongest performances, Nyong’o is able to distinguish herself and standout as a star (and in a film that marks her feature debut). She delivers profound work; it certainly seems like her future is very bright.

June Squibb – Nebraska

Nebraska is a film that succeeds on its great performances, notably from Bruce Dern, Will Forte, and June Squibb. She plays Woody Grant’s wife Kate, a strong-willed lady who is a bit fed up with Grant’s shenanigans. Squibb’s lively performance completely holds its own against the other great work in the film, and in many ways even might steal the film. She is a delight whenever she is onscreen. It is surprising that a woman of eighty-four would give one of 2013’s best breakthrough performances, but that is exactly what Squibb has done.

Rush (2013) – Review

Review: Rush is a fantastic sports rivalry drama that is both thrilling and emotionally engaging. The film is about two highly focused Formula 1 drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda (the two best drivers in the world at the time) and their intense and competitive 1976 season – each man fiercely contending to be World Champion. Their rivalry was born of hatred, but grew into something more – not just the motivation to be better, to beat the other, but admiration, respect, and friendship.

Rush works on multiple narrative levels. It is a great sports drama, probably the best in years if not ever (on a side note, here are a few sports films I love: The Pride of the Yankees, Hoop Dreams, Million Dollar Baby, Cinderella Man, and Goon). The rivalry between Hunt and Lauda hits all the right dramatic notes. What is brilliant about the film is that director Ron Howard does such a good job digging into each character that the audience cares deeply about each man and does not know who to fully root for – the viewer constantly finds himself switching sides throughout the film, which is a very compelling experience. The film also greatly benefits from the majesty of the big theater screen and speakers. The visuals and sounds of the Formula 1 race cars is onto itself exciting, to which Howard also adds the drama and thrilling tension of the narrative. For most, especially in America, this is probably an unfamiliar story and thus going in the ending is not a known entity, creating an engrossing narrative just from the perspective of wanting to see who comes out on top. As a sports film, everything works: the rivalry, the exhilarating visuals and sounds, and the larger than life heroes.

And yet, as good as the film is as a sports drama, it is maybe even better as a character piece. Ron Howard does a wonderful job with Hunt and Lauda. The audience is given enough character moments for both men to really get to know them and find themselves drawn in by their struggle and emotional journey. The audience has a strong connection to each man. Plus, Howard elicits absolutely phenomenal performances from his lead actors (probably the best of each actor’s careers to date). The juxtaposition of each man’s approach makes them seemingly perfect rivals: Hunt’s charisma and life-on-the-edge persona versus Lauda’s socially awkward but brilliant technician persona. Howard does great work showcasing each man’s perspective and making a compelling argument for each approach. The audience finds themselves relating to each man, which is a grand achievement in itself.

Howard also creates a very intimate feel throughout the film, which aids in the character development. Visually, Howard’s camera seems to always find itself right in the mix, invading the personal space of the characters placing the audience often in their perspective. The audience feels the full impact of each emotional high and low the character experiences, because they are right in there with them. The race scenes feel more breathtaking, because the audience is often right in the driver seat as well. Howard’s camera creates an overall heightened dramatic tension that really plays well for the audience, pulling them into the narrative even more.

From a pacing standpoint, Howard also does a good job. His narrative is structured to continually switch perspectives between Hunt and Lauda, with much of the story told through voice-over narration. The film never feels slow because Howard is able to switch back and forth from his two leads always telling the overall story from the best perspective (from a narrative sense).

Really, if there is anything to nitpick about Rush it is that the film is basically at its core just a by-the-numbers sports drama. The rivalry story is a tried-and-true narrative device that has been done over and over in popular media. Rush does not quite transcend its place as an entertaining Hollywood film. That said, however, it is a very entertaining experience and one of the best films of 2013 so far.

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: Ron Howard is a staple of Hollywood filmmaking. His films generally have the gloss and feel of grand, but safe, dramas (in which Howard does often garner strong performances) or A-list star driven comedies (that are never very good). His work, while hit or miss in terms of quality, has never been exciting from an aesthetic perspective. However, with Rush, Howard makes both his best narrative film and his most artistic. The film has a very ambitious and aesthetically interesting visual style that works extremely well with the narrative drama and characters. After a couple of his poorer directorial efforts, Howard’s filmmaking seems to have found new life (Rush is my favorite of Howard’s over twenty films, I also like Willow, Parenthood, A Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man, and Frost/Nixon – Apollo 13 is probably Howard’s other most critically acclaimed, I am just not as big a fan).

Hans Zimmer’s score works well to reinforce the thrilling and dramatic moments of the film, but is greatly overshadowed both by the solid soundtrack of period songs and the wonderful sound design (comprised of revving engines and squealing tires). Anthony Dod Mantle’s photography is second to none so far in 2013. It is brilliant work. The stylized look of the races, often combining what looks like actual footage with what Howard and Dod Mantle shot, works exceptionally in its ability to create a realistic experience for the audience. There are many stunning photographic moments in the film, culminating in the sheer magnificence of the final race scene in the rainy shadow of Mt. Fuji. Mark Digby’s production design is also top notch, as his work completely transports the audience into the 1970s both visually and culturally. The overall look and feel of the race scenes is a great achievement for all involved in the film.

The cast is very good throughout. Christian McKay (doing is typically wonderful, scene-stealing character work), Natalie Dormer, and Pierfrancesco Favino are all very good in small supporting roles. Olivia Wilde does not have too many dramatic opportunities, as she is basically there to look glamorous. She not only captures the look, but she also does good work in the few dramatic scenes she is given. Alexandra Maria Lara has a fuller supporting role than Wilde, and she takes full advantage. Her strong work allows the audience to see something more in Lauda, which then enables them to switch sides and root for him, despite the immutable charisma of Hunt. However, the film is really all about two characters and two performances. Daniel Bruhl is incredible as Lauda. It is a full on character performance, as Bruhl is completely lost in the role. What works very well is that while Lauda is not particularly likable, his confidence in himself and his talent in its own way gives him a kind of charisma that the audience can latch onto, and Bruhl does not miss any opportunity to pull them in. Chris Hemsworth is just having a blast with Hunt. The role plays off of Hemsworth’s natural talents as an actor: being handsome and charismatic, but he brings a deeper emotional turmoil to the role that is very interesting. As confident and care free as Hunt may appear to be, he also has his demons. Both characters feel like fully developed, real people and that is due to Bruhl and Hemsworth.

Summary & score: Rush may be the greatest sports film ever made, as it captures the imagination and the heart of the audience – just like the power of sport. 8/10

Movie of the Week - Goodbye Lenin!

This week’s movie is Goodbye Lenin! (2003).

The German film is about a family that lives in East Germany just before the fall of the wall. The mother of the family is a strong supporter of the ideals of the East. She has a heart attack and is in a coma during the fall of the wall and the westernization of the eastern section of Berlin. Time passes her by – but suddenly she wakes up, but is still very fragile and doctors warn she cannot take another shock, so her son, with the help of his sister and friends, goes to great and creative lengths to keep her ideals and East Germany alive, if only for her eyes and ears. The film is directed by talented German filmmaker Wolfgang Becker who also co-wrote it, and stars Daniel Bruhl (in the first of his three international hits, making him somewhat known to an international audience, aka America – the other films being The Edukators and Joyeux Noel).  The film also features very good performances from Katrin Sass, Chulpan Khamatova, Maria Simon, and Florian Lukas. Becker also has an excellent crew with him on the film – Yann Tiersen provides wonderful music as always, and Martin Kukula’s cinematography and Lothar Holler’s production design not only bring the world to life but allow Becker to have his film play on a romanticized level of reality. What makes the film great is just that, it takes place in reality, but seems to hover above it in a simpler happier world (a bit like Amelie). The film is a beautiful tale of discovery and love. It is a must for fans of light drama. Check out the trailer.

DVD available on Amazon.com, or try watching it on YouTube.com