Categories One-by-One: Supporting Actor

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Reza
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Supporting Actor

Post by Reza »

Precious Doll wrote:Anyway whilst I think Ali will win I really wish Richard E. Grant would not only for his excellent work in Can You Ever Forgive Me?, but for his Withnail and all the other wonderful work he has been doing for decades.
I agree but the same also applies to Glenn Close this year for those here who don't think The Wife is a film for which she should win.
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Supporting Actor

Post by Precious Doll »

I meant to leave a comment on this post earlier but forgot.

Mahershala Ali is pretty much deemed the front runner for this category and he is better than the material he has to work with (I think that is the highest compliment one can actually pay an actor), but I wouldn't consider voting for him or Adam Driver (very good in BlacKkKlansman) because they are both co-leads. It's blatant category fraud for Ali and arguable fraud for Driver (I consider Washington & Driver co-leads and all the other actors supporting).

That leaves in my mind three legitimate supporting performances.

Sam Rockwell has nothing much to do and plays George W. Bush exactly how Adam McKay want him to play the role as a crude charcuterie. I was never a fan of George W. but the man was not the idiot as portrayed in Vice.

Sam Elliott a reliable character actor for five decades now really does not have any thing much to do in A Star is Born. I'm glad to see him get some Academy recognition but a nomination is as far as he will go.

Richard E. Grant is clearly way out in front as the most deserving of the 3 legitimate nominees. Whilst I expect Ali to win this award I'm really hoping that Grant does. Aside from the fact that he is very good in the film he has been a welcome presence in cinema for over 30 years. His Withnail is iconic and having recently watched Gosford Park again for the first time since its first release, his performance is example of an actor having very little to work with but making the most of it.

I'll take this opportunity to mention my Richard E. Grant sighting that didn't result in an exchange due to my reluctance to engage with the few famous people I have come across in everyday life.

About 10 years ago I approached the traffic lights near the office building where I used to work (I think it was shortly after we had relocated a few blocks away). It was right in the centre of the shopping district of Sydney's CBD and who should be standing there with a shopping bag but Richard E. Grant with a shopping bag. I knew he was in Sydney for a run of My Fair Lady but was nevertheless surprised to see him standing there waiting for the traffic lights to change to walk. I was so tempted to say "Excuse me! Can you help me? I'm on holiday by mistake" which is a ad-lib of a line his character Withnail used in Withnail and I to a hostile local when Richard E. Grant & Paul McGann find themselves in need of help in a remote local area in the film.

I decided not to say anything. I like to think he would have laughed out loud but I'll never know.

Anyway whilst I think Ali will win I really wish Richard E. Grant would not only for his excellent work in Can You Ever Forgive Me?, but for his Withnail and all the other wonderful work he has been doing for decades.
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Supporting Actor

Post by Big Magilla »

I don't know why Fox or Fox Searchlight hasn't done more to promote Can You Ever Forgive Me. Apparently they put all their promotional money into The Favourite with nothing left over, unlike last year when they gave an equal push to Three Billboards and The Shape of Water. The Favourite is slated for a major Fox Home Video release on Blu-ray and DVD on March 5th. Can You Ever Forgive Me was quietly released yesterday on DVD only, which is not something that is done with a major Oscar contender. It's like they've just thrown in the towel and said give the Oscars to someone other than McCarthy and Grant.

To me, it should have been a close race in which either Ali or Grant would have been a deserving winner.
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Categories One-by-One: Supporting Actor

Post by Mister Tee »

On the premise that every category rates a thread, a few words about one of my 99% slots.

The nominees:

Mahershala Ali (GREEN BOOK)
Adam Driver (BLACKKKLANSMAN)
Sam Elliott (A STAR IS BORN)
Richard E. Grant (CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?)
Sam Rockwell (VICE)

I daresay Sam Rockwell would be embarrassed if he were to, by some miracle, win. This seems as clear a case of hangover-nomination as we've ever seen.

For Adam Driver, this is the first step of a possible journey to an Oscar, not the culmination.

Sam Elliott -- on sentiment -- and Richard E. Grant -- on achievement -- are waiting in the wings should the front-runner falter.

But, so far, Mahershala Ali has not faltered. He's the only performer to sweep the TV awards, and no one who's done that has ever been denied the Oscar. (Eddie Murphy seemed to be a case in 2006, but that was before we understood that BAFTA had joined the run-up.) By all accounts he's a respected actor, with a prominent TV role people can watch during the voting period. And he's the least controversial element of his film -- even non-fans of Green Book, like me, can concede he's the best thing about it.

So, with all that, why do I say 99% rather than 100? The glaring fact that Ali won this category just two years ago, and there might be voters a bit more chary about dispensing seconds.

Don't throw Christoph Waltz at me. He was competing with an all-winner field; that was as close to a jump-ball as any race of recent years. Here we have serious competition who've never been awarded -- notably Grant, who was far more feted by critics groups than Ali.

I know: the repeat factor hasn't hurt him so far this year. But, of course, two of his TV wins (Globe/BAFTA) were at places he didn't win in 2016. The SAG win is his best argument that the race is over, but I don't find that 100% persuasive. Just 99%. Which is fine: it means I can muster interest while the envelope is being opened.
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