Best Actor 2016

Post Reply

Vote for the best nominated Leading Actor performance

Casey Affleck - Manchester by the Sea
19
76%
Andrew Garfield - Hacksaw Ridge
1
4%
Ryan Gosling - La La Land
0
No votes
Viggo Mortensen - Captain Fantastic
3
12%
Denzel Washington - Fences
2
8%
 
Total votes: 25

dws1982
Emeritus
Posts: 3791
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 9:28 pm
Location: AL
Contact:

Re: Best Actor 2016

Post by dws1982 »

Easily Affleck. If Garfield had been nominated for Silence instead, it'd be really tough to decide.

As of right now, for the year (keeping in mind I still have several films left to see), my list will consist of some combination of:
Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Timothee Chalamet, Miss Stevens
Colin Farrell, The Lobster
Andrew Garfield, Silence
Tom Hanks, Sully
Lewis MacDougall, A Monster Calls
Chris Pine, Hell or High Water
The Original BJ
Emeritus
Posts: 4312
Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2003 8:49 pm

Re: Best Actor 2016

Post by The Original BJ »

I thought Garfield was the one element of Hacksaw Ridge that grounded it in some semblance of reality, though I found him overall stronger in Silence (to say nothing of The Social Network). I was glad he finally got a nomination, but would never pick him for this.

Mortensen was solid as a fairly interesting character, but this is now the second solo nomination he's received that caught me a bit by surprise. I wouldn't have pegged him a nominee when I saw Captain Fantastic this summer.

Gosling was charming as ever, and the fact that he's such a strong dramatic actor really helped elevate La La Land into something more than feather-light entertainment. But it's still not a tour de force acting role, and he does struggle in the vocal department.

I think Washington is excellent in Fences, and I would rate his verbose, powerhouse work here among his strongest performances. But I didn't think it quite showed a new side of him to such a degree that I was rooting for yet another Oscar.

I was incredibly impressed by Affleck's breakthrough year in 2007, though for nearly a decade after that, it didn't seem like he'd ever get a role as strong as Robert Ford or Gone Baby Gone again. Happily, this part came along, and his quiet, withheld devastation -- especially in that wrenching police station scene -- made this the finest male performance of the year.
User avatar
Precious Doll
Emeritus
Posts: 4453
Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2003 2:20 am
Location: Sydney
Contact:

Re: Best Actor 2016

Post by Precious Doll »

Bog wrote:
bizarre wrote: Washington, who was featured in the audience looking absolutely livid
Yes he was...and I sure as hell bet it is because Denzel is constantly told in our country he is the best...he should win...he should always win...shit he's already been showered with awards for this exact role...on stage. He worked hard on the film (as Viola slammed down our throats for months on end now) and deserves to be awarded...especially if his inferior, supporting slumming co-star gets an Oscar. Complacency and nothing else is what I read into his nasty reaction...which by the way was not shown on screen until he was being verbally lauded by the winner...which made the sour grapes even more stomach churning. Reeks of "I just lost to the kid brother of the producer's best friend who gave him the role out of pity"...but I'm Denzel Washington, DAMNIT!
Back in 2002 when Halle Berry won Best Actress, becoming the first woman to ever do so Denzel Washington was asked by a rather tackless reporter if Halle Berry won because she was black (remember Sissy Spacek was the early favourite to win but Berry made up some ground with her SAG win).

Denzel's reply was something like "Halle Berry won because people voted for her so she must be the best". Far enough I say but I'd love to say to Denzel Washington on this particle occasion, "Denzel don't feel too bad because Casey won as the voters voted for him because they considered him the best" "You know, it's the same thing that happens every year".

I couldn't also help show him the dismal international box office figures for Fences which would have been more cost effective to release straight to home video rather than hogging up cinema screens.
"I want cement covering every blade of grass in this nation! Don't we taxpayers have a voice anymore?" Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) in John Waters' Desperate Living (1977)
User avatar
OscarGuy
Site Admin
Posts: 13668
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 12:22 am
Location: Springfield, MO
Contact:

Re: Best Actor 2016

Post by OscarGuy »

No offense, and I'm the last person to speak on this, but they accepted the settlements. They decided that money was more important than principle. I won't defend what Affleck did, but at this point, the victims are satisfied and to me, that's what's most important.

As to Washington, he had high hopes of becoming the first black actor to ever earn three Oscars and he probably will some day, but if Streep can wait almost three decades to earn her third Oscar, I think Washington can wait a few more years.
Wesley Lovell
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
Bog
Assistant
Posts: 878
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 12:39 am
Location: United States

Re: Best Actor 2016

Post by Bog »

bizarre wrote: fellow sexual predator
Just fucking wow...not sure I should even justify this with a response....but wow
bizarre wrote: Washington, who was featured in the audience looking absolutely livid
Yes he was...and I sure as hell bet it is because Denzel is constantly told in our country he is the best...he should win...he should always win...shit he's already been showered with awards for this exact role...on stage. He worked hard on the film (as Viola slammed down our throats for months on end now) and deserves to be awarded...especially if his inferior, supporting slumming co-star gets an Oscar. Complacency and nothing else is what I read into his nasty reaction...which by the way was not shown on screen until he was being verbally lauded by the winner...which made the sour grapes even more stomach churning. Reeks of "I just lost to the kid brother of the producer's best friend who gave him the role out of pity"...but I'm Denzel Washington, DAMNIT!
bizarre
Assistant
Posts: 566
Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2011 9:35 am

Re: Best Actor 2016

Post by bizarre »

I voted for Affleck too here, and I think his performance is stupendous. Have noted that this is a discussion that needs to happen - and is happening. It is my policy to trust the testimonies of victims - multiple ones in this case, too - especially against people with enough clout to throw money at them. And evaluating the severity of sexual assault on a sliding scale in situations like this really doesn't do anyone any favours.

In any case, Affleck gave the best performance and judging on merit he deservedly leads the pack.
nightwingnova
Assistant
Posts: 516
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2011 4:48 pm

Re: Best Actor 2016

Post by nightwingnova »

Just two comments.

Gosling was fine...but a thin role...more reliant on screen magnetism than a lot of acting.

Casey Affleck was very good in a demanding role...a quibble is that at times he engages in the lazy Method affect of mumbling.
nightwingnova
Assistant
Posts: 516
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2011 4:48 pm

Re: Best Actor 2016

Post by nightwingnova »

Amen.
Mister Tee wrote:
bizarre wrote:Now that we're recovering from the shock of the ceremony, here's a poll.

Affleck came into the season as the frontrunner following the colossal crash-and-burn of fellow sexual predator Nate Parker's film, career and Fox Searchlight deal. Following a SAG win and a greater media interest in the allegations against him - especially considering the backlash to Gibson's nomination and the Parker fiasco - Washington seemed poised to unseat him from his throne, so I personally found Affleck's ultimate triumph somewhat surprising. Affleck himself seemed surprised in his speech - though it's hard to tell from his affect - and the crowd seemed cold: he gave a shoutout to Washington, who was featured in the audience looking absolutely livid, and presenter Brie Larson - a vocal victims' rights advocate - seemed peeved when reading his name. There were some rumblings about a possible Gosling upset, but I believe he and the other two nominees (I found Mortensen's nomination for a film that seemed 10 years out of date surprising despite his strong run at the precursors) were also-rans.
What a steaming pile of horseshit.

Nate Parker went to trial for rape, and was acquitted on, essentially, a technicality: because he'd earlier had consensual intercourse with the victim a day or so previous. His co-defendant was convicted, though the verdict was later overturned on side issues and the victim chose not to go through a retrial.

Casey Affleck settled a civil/not criminal case that was never tested in court, on allegations that even if true don't rise to the level of those against Parker. The fact that Affleck settled the case isn't, legally, any admission of guilt, and shouldn't be read that way. Prominent people settle cases like this all the time, because merely giving accusations like these wide airing can persuade people they must be true -- which appears to have happened with you and a thousand other Internet warriors. I fully understand the idea that women need to be listened to when they make accusations, but that doesn't mean we jump to the presumption of guilt without evidence. Anyone who thinks every random accusation must be true should re-read The Children's Hour sometime.

And as far as "the crowd seemed cold" -- yeah: so cold that a bunch of them stood for Affleck, and roared approval even after he'd reached the stage. You saw/heard that through your own mind-made-up eyes.

The best performance by far won -- probably the best winner since Sean Penn/Milk. But let's shit all over it if we can.
Mister Tee
Tenured Laureate
Posts: 8637
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 2:57 pm
Location: NYC
Contact:

Re: Best Actor 2016

Post by Mister Tee »

bizarre wrote:Now that we're recovering from the shock of the ceremony, here's a poll.

Affleck came into the season as the frontrunner following the colossal crash-and-burn of fellow sexual predator Nate Parker's film, career and Fox Searchlight deal. Following a SAG win and a greater media interest in the allegations against him - especially considering the backlash to Gibson's nomination and the Parker fiasco - Washington seemed poised to unseat him from his throne, so I personally found Affleck's ultimate triumph somewhat surprising. Affleck himself seemed surprised in his speech - though it's hard to tell from his affect - and the crowd seemed cold: he gave a shoutout to Washington, who was featured in the audience looking absolutely livid, and presenter Brie Larson - a vocal victims' rights advocate - seemed peeved when reading his name. There were some rumblings about a possible Gosling upset, but I believe he and the other two nominees (I found Mortensen's nomination for a film that seemed 10 years out of date surprising despite his strong run at the precursors) were also-rans.
What a steaming pile of horseshit.

Nate Parker went to trial for rape, and was acquitted on, essentially, a technicality: because he'd earlier had consensual intercourse with the victim a day or so previous. His co-defendant was convicted, though the verdict was later overturned on side issues and the victim chose not to go through a retrial.

Casey Affleck settled a civil/not criminal case that was never tested in court, on allegations that even if true don't rise to the level of those against Parker. The fact that Affleck settled the case isn't, legally, any admission of guilt, and shouldn't be read that way. Prominent people settle cases like this all the time, because merely giving accusations like these wide airing can persuade people they must be true -- which appears to have happened with you and a thousand other Internet warriors. I fully understand the idea that women need to be listened to when they make accusations, but that doesn't mean we jump to the presumption of guilt without evidence. Anyone who thinks every random accusation must be true should re-read The Children's Hour sometime.

And as far as "the crowd seemed cold" -- yeah: so cold that a bunch of them stood for Affleck, and roared approval even after he'd reached the stage. You saw/heard that through your own mind-made-up eyes.

The best performance by far won -- probably the best winner since Sean Penn/Milk. But let's shit all over it if we can.
Big Magilla
Site Admin
Posts: 19318
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 3:22 pm
Location: Jersey Shore

Re: Best Actor 2016

Post by Big Magilla »

As I and others have noted elsewhere, Casey Affleck is not a sexual predator. He didn't rape anyone.

It's been a while since I researched all of this, but as I remember it, he was involved in a lawsuit by two women who wanted credit for a film in which they did some behind the scenes work. He allegedly made a pass at one or both of them, one or both of whom were sleeping in his bed next to him after working late at his residence. This is a far cry from what Nate Parker and his writing partner were accused of, or for that matter what Roman Polanski did and Woody Allen was accused of doing.

Denzel Washington was frowning at him because he said he had just met him that night, when the two have been at the same awards shows all season long. Washington even acknowledged him at the SAG awards. It was a strange comment.
bizarre
Assistant
Posts: 566
Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2011 9:35 am

Re: Best Actor 2016

Post by bizarre »

bizarre wrote:
mlrg wrote: You're whole post reminds me of what Monique said when she won: "it's about the performance and not the politics"
Yes - Affleck is a very good actor and on the quality front his win is one of the best of the past decade of uncommonly good ones, though the industry would be better off (and a more welcoming place for a wide variety of talent) if such cases were taken seriously across the board. There is a conversation to be had about the disparity in public response to the Parker and Affleck cases and the implicit racial bias of the coverage. Though even before the Nate Parker situation was brought to light there were many people across the board worried about a deal based on an opportunistic kind of tokenism that, by the end of the season, was clearly not necessary at all.
Also, the polls run forever - and I think in the coming years it will be interesting for readers to come back and see immediate impressions from the community here.
bizarre
Assistant
Posts: 566
Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2011 9:35 am

Re: Best Actor 2016

Post by bizarre »

mlrg wrote: You're whole post reminds me of what Monique said when she won: "it's about the performance and not the politics"
Yes - Affleck is a very good actor and on the quality front his win is one of the best of the past decade of uncommonly good ones, though the industry would be better off (and a more welcoming place for a wide variety of talent) if such cases were taken seriously across the board. There is a conversation to be had about the disparity in public response to the Parker and Affleck cases and the implicit racial bias of the coverage. Though even before the Nate Parker situation was brought to light there were many people across the board worried about a deal based on an opportunistic kind of tokenism that, by the end of the season, was clearly not necessary at all.
mlrg
Associate
Posts: 1747
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 11:19 am
Location: Lisbon, Portugal

Re: Best Actor 2016

Post by mlrg »

bizarre wrote:Now that we're recovering from the shock of the ceremony, here's a poll.

Affleck came into the season as the frontrunner following the colossal crash-and-burn of fellow sexual predator Nate Parker's film, career and Fox Searchlight deal. Following a SAG win and a greater media interest in the allegations against him - especially considering the backlash to Gibson's nomination and the Parker fiasco - Washington seemed poised to unseat him from his throne, so I personally found Affleck's ultimate triumph somewhat surprising. There were some rumblings about a possible Gosling upset, but I believe he and the other two nominees (I found Mortensen's nomination for a film that seemed 10 years out of date surprising despite his strong run at the precursors) were also-rans.

Snubbed - none of them majorly - were Joel Edgerton in Loving, Tom Hanks in Sully, Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool, Andrew Garfield in his other turn of the year, Silence, and Chris Pine in Hell or High Water (who I was predicting for an upset nomination). Performances such as those given by Adam Driver in Paterson, Jake Gyllenhaal in Nocturnal Animals and Colin Farrell in The Lobster had minor success with precursor citations but were not taken seriously for nominations.

I'm torn on the Casey Affleck win - he was terrific in the film, but I would prefer sexual harassers not be cast in the first place. If this poll is a measure of quality, though, I will cast a vote for him.

I will finish the polls for the major categories in several hours
You're whole post reminds me of what Monique said when she won: "it's about the performance and not the politics"

I think it's way too early for this years polls
bizarre
Assistant
Posts: 566
Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2011 9:35 am

Best Actor 2016

Post by bizarre »

Now that we're recovering from the shock of the ceremony, here's a poll.

Affleck came into the season as the frontrunner following the colossal crash-and-burn of fellow sexual predator Nate Parker's film, career and Fox Searchlight deal. Following a SAG win and a greater media interest in the allegations against him - especially considering the backlash to Gibson's nomination and the Parker fiasco - Washington seemed poised to unseat him from his throne, so I personally found Affleck's ultimate triumph somewhat surprising. Affleck himself seemed surprised in his speech - though it's hard to tell from his affect - and the crowd seemed cold: he gave a shoutout to Washington, who was featured in the audience looking absolutely livid, and presenter Brie Larson - a vocal victims' rights advocate - seemed peeved when reading his name. There were some rumblings about a possible Gosling upset, but I believe he and the other two nominees (I found Mortensen's nomination for a film that seemed 10 years out of date surprising despite his strong run at the precursors) were also-rans.

Snubbed - none of them majorly - were Joel Edgerton in Loving, Tom Hanks in Sully, Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool, Andrew Garfield in his other turn of the year, Silence, and Chris Pine in Hell or High Water (who I was predicting for an upset nomination). Performances such as those given by Adam Driver in Paterson, Jake Gyllenhaal in Nocturnal Animals and Colin Farrell in The Lobster had minor success with precursor citations but were not taken seriously for nominations.

I'm torn on the Casey Affleck win - he was terrific in the film, but I would prefer sexual harassers not be cast in the first place. If this poll is a measure of quality, though, I will cast a vote for him.

Two other contenders that had good reviews but who never developed traction were Michael Keaton in The Founder and Miles Teller in Bleed for This (at one point in the season, his co-star Aaron Eckhart was tipped for a likely Supporting nod).
Last edited by bizarre on Wed Mar 01, 2017 3:39 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Post Reply

Return to “81st and Other 9th Decade Discussions”