Performance – Marlon Wayans (Sextuples)
Addison Wylie: Marlon Wayans didn’t nearly get enough credit for his multiple performance work in Netflix’s Sextuplets. But, then again, I don’t think you can fully appreciate Wayans’ dedication to such an absurd premise and roster of characters unless you’ve watched his recent work. I consider Wayans’ latest spoof movies to be guilty pleasures, but Sextuplets is a vehicle that swaps his wheelhouse gross-out humour for eccentric personalities and – dare I say – wholesome comedy.
Wayans holds the film together as Alan, a soon-to-be-father who is eager to trace his family tree. The zany siblings (all played by Wayans) are differentiated in ways that don’t rely on stereotypes and instead challenge the actor to create independent characterizations – proving that Sextuplets has significantly more effort than the cheap reputation most people arbitrarily assumed.
Performance – Billy Eichner (The Lion King)
Addison Wylie: This year’s remake of The Lion King was faced with scrutiny, seemingly, as soon as it was greenlit – understandably so. Even with the release of a trailer that featured stunning photorealistic animation, it was determined that movie goers were more concerned about the performances and how the new cast would approach their roles. Would they be aiming for a direct emulation? Would they be putting a new spin on Disney’s classic characters?
Personally, I felt most of the cast were able to submit work that allowed their interpretations to stand alone (under Jon Favreau’s direction). But, the film’s MVP was easily Billy Eichner’s vocal portrayal of Timon – sharing the comic relief with on-screen partner Seth Rogen. Most notably known for his outrageous man-on-the-street antics on TV’s Billy on the Street, Eichner was able to channel his quick-witted personality with the character’s already-established charm.
However, that’s only half of his responsibilities. In Favreau’s remake, Timon is given the extra weight of carrying sincerity; actually making Eichner the “straight man” to Rogen’s dopey rendition of Pumbaa. During these moments, Eichner possesses effective emotional range. Considering Eichner is simply using his voice to convey these feelings, this was an excellent way to show viewers how he can step outside the box.
Performance – Leonardo DiCaprio (Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood)
Justin C: After his long awaited Oscar win for The Revenant in 2015, Leonardo DiCaprio returns to the big screen in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood as fictional Hollywood actor Rick Dalton in the 1960s whose career is on the decline. And DiCaprio delivers yet another stunning acting performance unsurprisingly, along with having great chemistry with Brad Pitt.
This is a very difficult role to pull off. Rick Dalton is a bad actor who is finding it difficult to get roles, while DiCaprio is meant to be one of the best actors currently working in real life. Yet, DiCaprio made Dalton very realistic and made people believe he is actually a poor actor. You could see DiCaprio’s acting range through Dalton, where he was so relaxed when speaking with his best friend but stutters when speaking to his agent.
The scene where Dalton was auditioning but forgot his next line while stuttering also felt genuine and unforced. Making use of stutter to convey being nervous is very difficult to master but DiCaprio managed to make it seem natural and convincing. When DiCaprio broke down in the van after failing an audition was also very relatable, as it’s what happens to a lot of us when we get upset at ourselves for not doing our best when we know we can do better. Using the words of Julia Butters’ character, what DiCaprio did as Rick Dalton was some of “the best acting I’ve ever seen in my whole life”.
Performance – Renée Zellweger (Judy)
Amy Smith: Judy Garland’s The Wizard of Oz is in my top ten films of all time, so I have always appreciated her as a performer. It is so tragic to not only hear about her past, but to see it recreated with a performance as strong as Renée Zellweger, who vanishes into the role of Garland.
Not only portraying the struggles that she went to, but also showing hope in that madness and a longing for a good life with her children, it only makes the performance more tragic when you find out what truly happened after the events of the film. This is a film that may be structured simply as a bio-pic, but the performance elevates it to another level and only a performance like the one Zellweger gives has that ability.
Performance – Jonathan Majors (The Last Black Man in San Francisco)
Michael Frank: As you grow older, it becomes harder to describe the sensation of losing a community. You haven’t necessarily lost anyone or anything to death. Nor have you lost these people and things due to a spell of forgetfulness. Time and circumstance have caused these feelings of loss. Immaterial feelings that Jonathan Majors captures in The Last Black Man in San Francisco.
Playing a beautiful second fiddle and best friend to Jimmie Fails, Majors represents this lack and loss of community with grace and power. His constant attempts to fit in, be liked, and be accepted resonate regardless of your background. For those of us that have gone back to a place we used to know and felt unwanted, we feel Majors’ pain, frustration, and ultimate acceptance. His performance deserves endless rewatches, endless articles, and endless praise.
Performance – Constance Wu (Hustlers)
Pop! Pour! Review: When you bring up the film Hustlers, most people will think of Jennifer Lopez’s performance, which is rightly so. But she is not the only actress in the film to give a show stopping performance – Constance Wu delivers a heartfelt and raw performance. Wu plays Destiny, a low level stripper who works her way up to the top, with the help from Jennifer Lopez’s Ramona.
Constance Wu plays the role perfectly and is able to show her ability as an actress, since Destiny is such a fully rounded character. From playing the new girl at the strip club to the head of a high-dollar scheme, Constance Wu is able to bring the vulnerability when needed but also brings confidence to this character. Wu’s acting ability stands out in one particular moment when she has to transition from emotion to emotion in what feels like one long drawn out scene. From bringing an injured ‘client’ to the hospital, looking for her daughter, then bringing her to school. She goes from confidence to terror back to confident. If voters check off Jennifer Lopez for a nomination, they should also remember Constance Wu.
Performance – Elisabeth Moss (Her Smell)
Michael Frank: A performance that stuns as much as it weakens your defenses, Elisabeth Moss gives the best acting this year in Her Smell, outside of Adam Driver in Marriage Story. Her controlled mania mesmerizes you, filling up the screen in a larger-than-life way. Her portrayal of a rocker’s ego should live much longer than other performances that have been given more awards buzz.
Through the five vignettes of the movie, she fluctuates from being completely unlikable to irresistible to heartwarmingly resilient. Her voice is perfect for the role. Her manner changes at the drop of a hat and her ability to seamlessly wreck and repair situations and movies continues to be unmatched. Her acting has helped define this decade and this performance is one more layer to that absolutely fantastic cake.
Performance – Joaquin Phoenix (Joker)
Justin C: Joker was an extremely controversial movie in 2019. However, people generally praised Joaquin Phoenix’s take on the Batman villain. Phoenix fully displays the tragic nature of the Joker with a more unique approach as Joker was a dark and gritty character study rather than a superhero film.
The late Heath Ledger, who won an Oscar for The Dark Knight, is generally considered the standard of a good Joker. Therefore, people may compare Phoenix and Ledger’s respective performances; however, both are equally amazing. Phoenix displays more internal emotions as his version focuses on how an ordinary Gotham City resident undergone so much bullying and mental struggle to become one of the most well-known comic book villains. Contrastingly, Ledger displays more emotions externally as his version of the character is already a well-developed and experienced villain, ready to wreak havoc anytime on Gotham City.
Phoenix’s Joker was more subtle while Ledger’s Joker was showier, but both had given their all in playing such a complex character, with Phoenix reported to have lost 24 pounds of weight and developed a laugh and character that audiences would not identify for the film. Phoenix’s portrayal is definitely widely acclaimed as one of the best performances of the year.
