Running down the performances, gives percentages of screen time.
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I just watched all of Fandor’s videos this year. In every one of them he oversimplifies the nominees he doesn’t think are the best, and then goes on to say things about his favorite that one could also say about the others. These videos would be a lot more fun if they came from a smarter point of view.
The narrator sounds like he thinks the best performance was Bruce Dern’s.
Let’s face it, there are no losers here. Even Christian Bales’ is pretty good. Of course, certainly not nomination worthy. Switch out Bale with either Oscar Isaac or Robert Redford, and then you’ve got a truly great lineup. But, I hope that Leonardo DiCaprio wins. Still think it’s going to be Matthew McConaughey.
Nominee rankings:
1. Dicaprio – This guy is ridiculously, hilariously off base with his “same chord” analogy. Was it the same chord in the early stretch of the film, when he plays a naive young stockbroker? Or in the later stretch in scenes like the all time great confrontation between him and the FBI agent, or his two final scenes with Donnie (the one by the pool and the wire scene in the office)? Certainly the entirety of the Quaaludes sequence is a different chord? This guy’s bias is only allowing him to think about Belfort’s motivational speeches as the single defining aspect of a complex peformance. Using his percentage method, I think it might surprise him to learn that those big speeches account for roughly 25 minutes of film, or 13.9% of the film’s running time.
2. McConaughey – I agree with his assessment of this performance, and I would add that the fact that the film was shot wildly out of sequence makes his seamless character arc all the more impressive.
3. Ejiofor – “Rarely surprises”. That’s what he says about this? What the fuck does that even mean? How would Ejiofor “surprise” us? In most years this work would easily be the best, but its a testament to how strong the category is this year that this is only my third favorite nominated performance.
4. Dern – I don’t mean to reduce what Dern accomplished in this film, because I do think playing senile convincingly is a tricky thing to do, but that’s pretty much what Dern did in this film. Sure, I think some of the better moments in the film allow for a certain amount of mystery and ambiguity about the character and whether or not he is mentally present. I also think Dern really sells the climax of the film in a great, understated way. But honestly, he’s given MUCH greater performances in the past with MUCH less to work with.
5. Bale – This performance is interesting and I think the video hints at what’s particularly interesting about it. Christian Bale has never used vulnerability to convey charm like this before, so in that respect it is a new kind of performance that stretches his already considerable range farther. But this Bale performance seems more in league with his (admittedly fine) turns in 3:10 To Yuma and The Dark Knight films rather than his all time great work in stuff like Rescue Dawn, American Psycho and The Fighter. Neither Dern or Bale would’ve made my 5 if I had a vote this year.
If I Had A Vote:
1. Leonardo Dicaprio – The Wolf Of Wall Street
2. Matthew McConaughey – Dallas Buyers Club
3. Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years A Slave
4. Oscar Isaac – Inside Llewyn Davis
5. Joaquin Phoenix – Her
I don’t know *why* I just wrote Tom Cruise when I meant Hanks. How did that happen? Ugh.
Pierre I actually thought that Dern’s was the easiest, by a mile, of the five nominated performances in terms of degree of difficulty, reach (number of notes required) and character arc. Would have swapped him with Tom Cruise in a minute. Or Mads Mikkelsen in The Hunt. Or many others. Ejiofer’s last scene was sublime.
Thanks for pointing us to this video essay- these are really well done!
Oh NO! 🙁 But i will remember him always because of “Groundhog Day”! R.I.P and thank you for sharing us soo many funny moments with your great Comedy work as an Actor and most of all as a Writer and a Director! R.I.P!
As much as I’ve enjoyed McConaughey’s work the past couple of years, his performance in DBC is my least favorite of these five. He has done better work in other films but I won’t begrudge his win should he take the Oscar.
The work Ejiofor did in his film’s last scene is worthy of an Oscar. I think the most difficult role was Dern’s, and his seemingly effortless work is acting at its best. DiCaprio is magnificent and I don’t regard his performance as one-note. Bale’s work in AH has a lot of subtlety to it despite appearances.
I’d be hard-pressed to choose but would probably go for Ejiofor.
OT: Harold Ramis passed away 🙁