2011 So Far: Performances, Part I

I haven't been the most faithful moviegoer in 2011 - out of all the movies I've wanted to see (I still haven't seen Insidious, Bridesmaids, Kung Fu Panda 2, Rio, Meek's Cutoff, and Incendies, among others), I've only caught a meager 11. However, it's been over half a year and I've seen enough good to do a little tribute to some of the performances. In part 2 we'll talk about the ladies, but let's start with the men (and in some cases, boys).

Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy in X-Men: First Class

As the power duo at the forefront of First Class, Fassbender and McAvoy work wonders with the only average material. Their chemistry is immaculate, thus making the moments of tension in their relationship so much more effective. Seeing two such interesting actors in a context as surprising as a superhero movie is rife with possibility and these two took advantage of this opportunity to the fullest.

Brad Pitt in The Tree of Life

The Tree of Life isn't really about the acting. It's not really about the cinematography either, or the screenplay, or any other individual element. It's about everything coming together in perfect symmetry to bring Terrence Malick's vision to the screen. That doesn't mean each element isn't perfect though, and Brad Pitt's quiet and subtle performance in the film is no exception. Pitt is one of the most famous actors of our time yet he sheds all fame for this role as a troubled father. His opening mourning scene is one of the best of his career and though we don't really get a lot of information about his character's backstory, Pitt seems to know it all. it's truly moving work that proves that Brad Pitt is just as respectable an actor as he is a figure of pop culture.

Hunter McCracken in The Tree of Life

If there's a "lead" role in The Tree of Life, it's newcomer Hunter McCracken's role as Jack. Not only does McCracken synergize perfectly with his older counterpart Sean Penn, but he carries every single moment of his screentime with uncanny naturalism. Where most child acting is characterized by over the top theatrics, McCracken gives as close to "de glam" as possible. It's hard to believe that this kid is actually NOT the character in the movie, and it's a shame that McCracken will probably not be in awards discussion later on this year. If only he was a little girl!

Joel Courtney in Super 8

Joel Courtney's work in Super 8 is almost the polar opposite of his similarly aged colleague Hunter McCracken's previously mentioned work, but it is still worthy of commendation. Courtney is as unpretentious as possible, embodying the ideal child that every audience member can relate to. He can go from being hysterically funny to completely sympathetic within seconds, and his blaring innocence works perfectly for his role. It should be interesting to see where he goes next.

Chris Hemsworth in Thor

Okay, okay, I know what you're thinking, and sure, Hemsworth's work in Thor is not even close to being on the same level as, say, Brad Pitt's aforementioned performance. Yet, I still felt a need to mention him here - in a role that is characterized by steely masculinity and almost nothing else, Hemsworth manages to add a level of charisma and charm that was unexpected and truly welcome. The fact that he's taking the film seriously - but not too seriously - is a big part of why his performance works. He allows himself to be funny, passionate and even at times ridiculous, all to the benefit of the overall film, which would have been a lot less fun to watch had he not been doing so well in the lead.

So there you have it - a few of my favorite performances so far. What were yours? Disagree or agree with anyone on the list? Comment below!

Golden Cornea Awards 2011: The Actors

Oddly I find it much harder to be impressed by male actors than their female counterparts, but this year was actually full of really impressive performances, especially after the rather underwhelming crowd last year (though Jeremy Renner's work in "The Hurt Locker" is simply fantastic).

5. Colin Firth - "The King's Speech"

If you think about it, Firth really doesn't have THAT much dialogue in the whole movie - yet he is able to create a fantastic character. His stutter isn't just a physical impairment, it comes from every fiber of his very being and Firth makes Bertie's journey so relatable for the audience.

4. James Franco - "127 Hours"

Franco's challenge is obvious - to hold the screen with almost no supporting cast for the duration of an entire film. But, with his ever expressive eyes and his brilliant energy, we the audience are completely captivated by Ralston's struggle. Franco skews his natural charisma as the film goes along so that we never lose hope for Ralston, even if he's losing hope himself.

3. Ryan Gosling - "Blue Valentine"

It may miss the point of the film to call Gosling the heart of "Blue Valentine", but his performance, more than any other aspect of the film, is charged with a real emotional intensity that is simply devastating. Dean's fight for what he considers a "perfect family" ends up tearing his marriage apart but his constant and failing attempts are portrayed so painfully and convincingly by Gosling. Oh, and I know everyone's already said it but "You always hurt the ones you love" is one of the best acted scenes of the year.

2. Aaron Eckhart - "Rabbit Hole"

It's shocking how unnoticed Eckhart went throughout awards season. His quiet performance never steals momentum from Kidman, and yet it stands alone so brilliantly and ends up being so heartbreaking. Eckhart layers his character so well that when the breakdown finally does happen it's impossible not to be completely destroyed with him.

1. Jesse Eisenberg - "The Social Network"

Ever since "The Squid and the Whale", I've always thought that Eisenberg had potential - but nothing prepared me for the brilliance that was his work in "The Social Network". Eisenberg is so subtle it's shocking, every emotion lying slightly underneath this facade that Mark creates for himself, Eisenberg always able to show so much while doing so little. Though the snappy, smart alecky dialogue is particularly well played, it's the subtle turns of emotion (such as in the "did I answer your condescending question?" scene) that are truly stunning.

Honorable Mentions:

Jeff Bridges grumbles and mumbles his way amazingly through "True Grit", and the amount of emotions he expresses with his one eye is simply awesome; Ben Stiller is kind of polarizing but I found his performance in "Greenberg" to be perfectly simple droll and ultimately affecting; Ben Mendelsohn is frighteningly unhinged in "Animal Kingdom"; Anyone saying Michael Cera plays the same character every time is missing out on all the hilarious little subtleties he injects into "Scott Pilgrim vs the World"; Leonardo DiCaprio does a perfect spiral into madness in "Shutter Island".

Just Missed It:

Oliver Platt in "Please Give", Alexei Guskov in "The Concert", Christos Stergioglou in "Dogtooth"

Ya'll know the drill. Comments below!