MAFFE Awards 2008!! The Lead Actors

Casey Affleck - "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"

Simply stunning work.
His Ford is both creepy and pathetic.
Shows the danger of fandom.


Christian Bale - "3:10 to Yuma"

His everyman father doing something brave and ridiculous to prove himself to his son was heroic work.
You wished he would just turn back.


Daniel Day-Lewis - "There Will Be Blood"

What can I say that has not been said already by much better writers?

A simply towering performance.


James McAvoy - "Atonement"

For an iconic performance his Robbie Turner is up there with Day-Lewis.
You believed in his love, his passion and finally his despair. Your heart breaks for Robbie.


Viggo Mortensen - "Eastern Promises"

Minus the fact that he is incredibly sexy in the role, his is also amazing. His slight character shifts are so slight as to not give him away. You wonder how he did it.


Gorden Pinsent - "Away From Her"

For all the Hosanna's bestowed upon his co-star, people forget that he has the much more difficult role.
You feel his longing and pain as he looks at the woman he loves but who doesn't know him anymore.

I don't feel so bad for them now.

Boy I bet they are really funny in person.
This interview made me feel all warm and cozy, and not at all upset that these two fantastic actors will probably not be nominated for Oscars.
This interview shows them relaxed, head strong, full of good humor and wit, and especially in the case of Keira, totally in on the joke of awards season, Oscars and celebrity.

"EW: Both of you have also been through the Oscar-season process before. What was it like for you?

KEIRA KNIGHTLEY: For me it was the first time that anyone said that I could remotely act. So going from just a pretty face who's shit to somebody being nominated for an Oscar was hilarious! And also I knew that I hadn't got a fucking hope in hell of actually winning it, so it took the pressure off. But I never read a script and go, ''Ooh, that could be an Oscar.''"

I love them. Judging by what they both have lined up, it looks like their careers will not be over soon. Read the whole interview here!

Atonements Other Ending

How much would I have hated this film had this happened. Check out the rest of the interviews here

Some 2007 Acting clips

Julie Christie and Gordon Pinsent in "Away From Her"



Keira Knightly and James McAvoy in "Atonement"



Keira Knightly, James McAvoy and Saiorse Ronan in "Atonement"

Mini Review - Atonement

I have just come from the cinema.
I have just seen “Atonement”
I am glad that I had a 30 minute walk home to recoup. Otherwise I was going to be bursting into tears.

I will keep this short.

Joe Wright has made a stunning movie. Stunning in story, stunning in execution and stunning in detail. Those who read movie blogs know enough about this film, so I needn’t go into the plot.
Two lives are devastated by a child and the lie she tells.

The look and feel of this film is perfect. Every detail is captured and bought to life, not in reality, but as memory. This is what I would picture in my head as I am reading it. The sun being brighter, people being more beautiful, colour vividly dancing across the screen.
The director of photography, Seamus McGarvey, deserves all the awards he has coming. The world he paints is both glorious and wretched. Every frame could be hung on your wall as art.
Likewise for Dario Marianelli for his ingenious use of score, using the typewriter, the thumping on a car bonnet, the stomping of feet to creat percussion that builds mounting tension to the beautiful score.

As for the cast.
Well…..
There are few words.
Should James McAvoy not get an Oscar nomination…well I will just loose faith. What he does here is beautiful work. His Robbie Turner will charm the knickers off you before breaking your heart.
Keira Knightley proves once again that she is a wonderful actress. She fills Cecillia with enough hard nose snobbishness that you begin to hate before she shows the flicker of tenderness that allows her to unravel. Her scene with McAvoy when they meet years later is full of pent up rage, love, passion and sorrow. Knightley expertly conveys every emotion on her beautiful face. Hers is not a showy role but long after the movie is over, it is her face you see.

The Briony’s were all excellent, but special attention should be given to Saoirse Ronan. Not since Anna Paquin in “The Piano” has a child on screen been so believably manipulative and yet naïve. Her Briony is full of entitlement and self-importance. Her over active imagination and need for childish revenge drives her to do an awful thing and Ronan plays it perfectly.

There is nothing more I can say about this film than go and see it. Treat yourself to one of the best films of the year.
A-

Best Actor Prediticions

Why Frank? Well I do not know. I thought I would be different and predict him. There has to be a surprise nominee somewhere that no one was expecting, doesn't there?

The Top Five!

1 - It has been too long since Daniel Day Lewis graced our screens. I think over all admiration for him will see him in the mix for “There Will Be Blood”. I also cannot remember a time when he gave a performance nothing less that great, and he plays bad this time.

2 - George Clooney – “Micheal Clayton”. This performance has been critically praised. He is also Hollywood royalty. This will happen. He has loads of Awards for this already and has also been nominated for EVERYTHING.

3 -Johnny Depp in “Sweeney Todd”. I think this is silly. If he can get nominated for a Disney ride he can get nominated for this. Word is although he is not the best singer, he more than makes up for it in the acting side of things. Not alot of precursor love though.

4 - Viggo Mortenson was probably semi close in getting nom for Aragon for the “LOTR” trilogy. He may have been close for “A History of Violence” too. This time he is praised for his turn as a Russian mobster in “Eastern Promises” and he has BFCA, GG, and SAG to back him up.

5 - Frank Langella is a dark horse, but is critically praised with many 'Oscar' mentions for “Starting Out in the Evening”. He started out will in the precursors, but lagged behind by missing out SAG and GG. I still think sentimentality could win out though.


The Next Five

6 -This is the strangest thing to happen all season. I would never have thought Ryan Gosling would be a serious contender for "Lars and the Real Girl" but he has BFCA, GG, and SAG noms. He could do it. Another nomination so soon though?

7 - James McAvoy is a rising star, and may feel he should have been nominated last year. Now, with a critically successful film where he is singled out. However with no support from the precursors (aside from the Golden Globes) he is in real trouble.

8 - Emile Hirsh has gotten the much sought after SAG nomination for “Into the Wild". This alone could see him through, but he is young and the race is crowded with more loved actors. If the film is a big hit, he should get carried through.

9 - Denzel Washington is an actor the Academy loves. He has 5 nominations and two wins under his belt. The last time he played the bad guy he won…but he has LOADS of competition in this race, and the film, although a hit, is not considered to be amazing like "The Departed"

10 - “In the Valley of Elah” is already dividing critics (much like “Crash” did), but they all agree on one thing. Tommy Lee Jones is brilliant in the role of a grieving father. The good will for the actor and the political nature of the film should see him into the final five.

Trailer Park

A second and better look at “Eastern Promises” by David Cronenberg, with Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, and Armin Mueller-Stahl. This looks like is could be an Actors showcase, especially for Mueller-Stahl and Mortensen (women usually do not fare as well in this genre – sorry Naomi). The thing that gets me excited is seeing a naked and tattooed Viggo in a fight. That will be worth sitting through any gruesome killings for.
Movie Box has also added loads of film clips to wet your appetite

The “Atonement” sight has loads of film clips for you to watch. The best are ‘Briony’s Play’ to get a taste of the wonderful Saoirse in action. Kiera and James prove themselves captivating in ‘Letter Writing’. Watch the site as there are more to come!!!

Another horror remake comes with “One Missed Call”. The trailers always look to be effective, but you know the end result will not be impressive.

“Lions for Lambs” is desperately trying to make this look good. But the trailer does nothing for my interest……most likely because the gay scientologist midget is in it. Also Redford looks a little bit plastic.

And finally the new Cate Blanchette gimmick gets a brand new film clip.

The Venice Film Festival

What we have learned from Venice thus far:

“Atonement” will be a BIG awards contender, not only for Best Picture and Best Director (Joe Wright) but also for Best Actor (James McAvoy), Best Actress (Keira Knightly) and Best Supporting Actress (Saoirse Ronan) along will loads of writing/technical/music awards.

“Michael Clayton” may have a chance with Best Actor (George Clooney), Best Supporting Actor (Tom Wilkenson) and screenplay awards.

Ang Lee’s has sadly not impressed many with “Lust, Caution”.

“In the Valley of Elah” is getting very mixed notices, raging from raves to yawns. However one name keeps coming up with excellent notices. “Tommy Lee Jones” looks to be getting Best Actor notice for this. (Let’s hope we do not have another Paul Haggis love fest!!)

MAFFE - BEST ACTOR 2007

I struggled to include Sasha Baron Cohen – Borat , Clive Owen – The Children of Men and Ryan Gosling - Half Nelson , but could not upset the top 5.