Ten Essential Film Performances of the 2000's

In no particular order, here are the most essential film performances of the past decade (NOT necessarily the best, just the ones that defined to decade for me).

Casey Affleck
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
For taking his in-bred awkwardness and making it work for the character. For working in a homoerotic subtext into this butch, Western biopic. For that post-Jesse epilogue, a tragic figure on the fall.


Dame Judi Dench
Notes on a Scandal
For continuing to surprise us and, even at 75, challenge herself. For playing into the film's camp aesthetic but never descending into hopeless theatrics. For scaring the shit out of me.


Anne Hathaway
Rachel Getting Married
For producing the decade's definitive "star is born" performance. For working her way up the old fashioned way and gaining valuable experience at every pit stop. For taking a stock character and performing it in such a way that it completely becomes her own.


Nicole Kidman
Dogville
For taking her auteur lust to a whole new level. For braving a role which relies solely on her face and body language. For proving time and time again that she's the bravest actress of our time.


Heath Ledger
Brokeback Mountain
For taking a mumbling, impenetrable, almost unlikable character and turning him into the unlikeliest romantic hero in ages. For his emotional breakdown after an entire film of emotional stoicism.


Julianne Moore
The Hours
For pushing her minimalistic acting to its breaking point. For her wonderfully warm and expressive face. For being the best in show with a movie featuring Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and Toni Collette.


Julia Roberts
Erin Brockovich
For combining her decade-in-the-making star persona and natural charisma with a new found dramatic flair. For ditching her vanity and dropping some f-bombs. For her comedic timing on lines like, "That's all you've got: two left feet and fucking ugly shoes."


Uma Thurman
Kill Bill Volume 1 and 2
For providing the decade's one true iconic character. For trusting in Tarantino and his blood hungry vision. For having fun slicing limbs off the Crazy 88's.


Ashley Tisdale
The High School Musical Trilogy
For unleashing a comedic firestorm unlike anything Disney has ever seen. For proving that "Disney" isn't always synonymous with bad acting. For creating a tween character "type." For adding humanity to a one-note character.


Catherine Zeta-Jones
Chicago
For turning on the charisma full throttle. For matching the film's high-kicking, electric energy. For rocking a Louise Brooks bob. For proving that she, yes, can do it alone.

2008 Diva Cup Awards: Best Actor

Colin Farrell
In Bruges

Like most people, I had been waiting since Farrell's breakthrough in 2000's Tigerland for him to live up to that initial promise. It's been a long, tough eight years, but he finally did it with In Bruges as a remorseful hitman. Farrell is hardly the first person you would think who could handle both the wickedly hilarious side of the role as well as the dark, internal drama and does both jaw-droppingly great. Along with his also great performance in Woody Allen's Cassandra's Dream, it looks like Colin Farrell is fighting to finally be taken seriously as an actor and up his game with each passing role; let's hope for more of this in the future.

Andrew Garfield
Boy A

There's a great little scene in the middle of Boy A that perfectly sums up why Andrew Garfield's performance is not only one of the best of the year, but one of the most exciting and breathtaking breakthrough performances of the past decade. Garfield's Jack is sitting in a restaurant with his girlfriend Michelle when she hands him a little gift. It turns out to be a nice leather wallet- a nice gesture, but nothing earthshattering. Jack, on the other hand, reacts as if he's just been handed the Heart of the Ocean and about 14 different emotions run across his face. The moment is interesting because, for a minute, you have no clue what his reaction is and, consequently, how you should be feeling about it: is he going to cry, laugh, get angry or is he just really surprised? More often than not, women are called on to play these types of emotional roles that demand shading and texture so it's nice to see an extremely young, good looking man not only tackle this but do it so damned effectively.

Richard Jenkins
The Visitor

Jenkins's performance in The Visitor is probably the hardest of the five to talk about because it's hard to put into words what makes it so special. On first glance, it doesn't look like Jenkins is doing much with only one big "moment," but the beauty of the performance lies in the quiet moments of fractured dialogue and deep, soulful looks of contemplation. Jenkins subtly follows the progression of The Visitor's narrative perfectly, starting cold and unapproachable, slowly melting as he becomes tangled up emotionally with a young immigrant couple and building up to that firestorm of frustration and grief before regaining his composure, still quite and reserved but newly open to care for another human being. The acting may not be superficially visible like a certain Best Actress nominee who cried and threw things on her way to a nomination, but Jenkins is able to speak volumes and more clearly with just a few carefully chosen gestures and looks.

Heath Ledger
The Dark Knight

The most buzzed about performance of the year, if not the decade, and somehow all of it (and then some) is completely warranted. Ledger's Joker may not have a massive amount of physical on-screen time, but, just like Anthony Hopkins' Hannibal Lecter, his presence so dominates every frame of the film that he feels like a true lead with Bale's Batman. Whenever a long stretch of screentime goes on (and on) without him, the film seems to flounder, but always recovers whenever he decides to cause some drama and show up for another round of "Guess What the Psychopath Will Do Next." And that's probably what makes Ledger's performance so exciting and immediately engrossing: you really have no clue what trick he's going to pull out next (or, as in the film, stick in your eye). Every scene is a jolt and, in my case, makes you sick to your stomach in anticipation of his next diabolical move. Heath's passing early last year was extremely saddening, but how many actors get to go out with a bang like this?

Mickey Rourke
The Wrestler

Like Jenkins, it may not seem like Rourke is doing much "acting" as the past-his-glory wrestling star Randy "The Ram" in The Wrestler, but his quiet character shadings speak volumes about both the character and Rourke's ability as an actor. The fact that The Ram's downfall to obscurity after an impossibly great 80's mirrors Rourke's career in Hollywood is the icing on the cake and one of the most perfect immersions of an actor into a role I've ever seen. The fact that Oscar passed over this subtle character work for some perfectly competent (and, for the most part, admittedly well-done) biopic-ing isn't really that surprising, but I'm thinking that this is the performance more people will still be talking about 15 years down the road.

If Only There Were Six: James Franco, Pineapple Express

Rest of the Top 10: Sean Penn, Milk...Espin Klouman-Hoiner, Reprise...Josh Brolin, W....Sam Rockwell, Choke

And the Diva Cup Goes to: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

This Picture Makes Me Happy and Sad at the Same Time

I found this picture of the Brokeback crew at the Toronto Film Festival in 2005 while rummaging through I Heart Jake yesterday and I felt compelled to share it for some reason. I love the way it almost feels like a random snapshot from a weekend barbeque or something, a few friends just getting together and having a few laughs. This picture also makes me happy because of the whole "four young actors who have finally 'arrived'" vibe going on; you can practically feel that these four people are ready to take over Hollywood and show us what they can do. It's also kinda sad for the obvious reason: the passing of Heath Ledger. He really was taken way too soon. I hope you guys find this photo as fascinating as I did.

Rants on I'm Not There and Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Before I get into my ranting, let me get something off my chest: I don't understand why Cate Blanchett has legions of fans who proclaim her to be the new Meryl Streep. What am I missing? Maybe I need to see some of her earlier work, because I haven't really been impressed with anything I've ever seen her in. I won't deny that she has talent and that she is ever-watchable, but Meryl Streep? Come on. Let's be a little more realistic. She gave a fine imitation of Katherine Hepburn and nailed the voice in The Aviator, but did all of that really add up to an Oscar-worthy performance? Blanchett had nothing to do in Babel besides lie there and pee her pants, so I can't really discredit her too much, but what was she doing there anyways? I do love her in Notes on a Scandal (especially the "Here I am!" scene), but she's outshone by Dame Judi Dench. She was fine in Elizabeth but, frankly, it didn't stand above any other Queen Elizabeth's I've seen. If you're a Blanchettphile, please tell me in the comments what I need to see of hers to be shown the way of the Blanchett.

I'm Not There (Todd Haynes, 2007): I'm not going to be a pretentious boob and pretend I understood this movie, because I didn't. I must admit that I still love the concept of the six actors portraying different aspects of Bob Dylan, but I don't know if it actually worked. I was bored with Marcus Carl Franklin, didn't understand Ben Whishaw's section and thought Richard Gere didn't fit at all. Christian Bale was kind of interesting during his limited screentime, but had nothing to really work with.

There were two "aspects of Dylan" that took risks and, to varying extents, worked in Haynes' thesis of a film. The first is, of course, Cate Blanchett in the most exhilarating part of Dylan's life. Blanchett is definitely a breath of fresh air to the proceedings, but I don't think they were particularly helpful to the overall film or our perception of the character. For the most part, I thought that somehow Jeff Bridges in full-on Dude mode had been cast as well, for all the annoying "man" and "dude"'s she put on the end of every sentence. It wasn't until that final moment in the limo when Blanchett drops all the pretense and annoying mannerisms that I finally saw her as a part of the story and an actual character. Plus, that enigmatic smile in the final frames was simply beautiful.

I think Heath Ledger played my favorite aspect of Bob Dylan and I don't believe it's only because of his recent passing; it's genuinely a fine performance. As the actor who played Dylan in a movie biopic ten years previously, Ledger, so I've read, is portraying Dylan's homelife. I don't know if I can really explain precisely why I liked it, I just think the scene at the restaurant and the montage where he buys the motorcycle are so beautifully done that they make the performance. This section is easily my favorite because it also contains my favorite performance in the entire film: Charlotte Gainsbourg as Ledger's ex-wife. It's so subtle next to Blanchett's larger than life, scene-stealing performance that you might not think about it at first, but Gainsbourg is the emotional center of the film, offering the only true "real" person in the entire film. We understand her heartbreak when, at a party, Ledger ignores her and treats her like an unwanted guest or the aforementioned restaurant scene where she battles for her own place in the relationship. It's quite a bewitching performance and one that, given time to simmer, sticks with you in the end.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age (Shekhar Kapur, 2007): I can't really get excited about Elizabethan films because, to me, they all look the same and offer nothing new besides the beautiful costumes and loud art direction. The original Elizabeth was fine and everything, but nothing to really write home about. The sequel, made nine years later, is a lot more entertaining but not really in a good way. The Golden Age is written much like an average episode Desperate Housewives, with all the snarky side-glances and tossed off bitchy one-liners, and I wouldn't have minded if Kapur had intended for this to be a camp film. Instead, his direction is more aimed at historical drama and the two do not mix at all. And poor Cate Blanchett just can not catch a break in this film. She tries her best to save the sinking disaster, but she's like Velma Kelly and can't do it alone. Blanchett has her moments, but you try spouting off lines like "My bitches wear my collar!" and see how you fair. It's not easy. I'm not going to say that her Oscar nomination is completely undeserved since I liked her better than the obvious number 6 Angelina Jolie in A Mighty Heart, but there are at least five other actresses I can think of who would have been worthier candidates.

My Ratings
I'm Not There *** 1/2
Elizabeth: The Golden Age ** 1/2

RIP Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger (1979-2008)

I just don't even know what to say. I was so excited today about Oscar nominations and was getting ready to write my thoughts about them, but then this news broke and I just have to stop and mention it. CNN is saying that he died of a drug overdose (possibly sleeping pills) and it's all so sad.

This is all I can say now, it's just so upsetting. I haven't been this distraught since Aaliyah's tragic death.

Happy Turkey Day!

Have a happy Thanksgiving this year!