Categories One-by-One: Supporting Actor

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Precious Doll
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Supporting Actor

Post by Precious Doll »

I certainly share the 'don't understand what's so great about Ali's performance' sentiment and like Italiano felt that Andre Holland gave the best performance in the film. To be honest I have never heard of Mahershala Ali before the Moonlight acclaim and when watching the film I had know idea who he played. Anyway, he looks fairly locked and I suppose Dev Patel could sneak in for pretty ordinary work.

I would vote for Jeff Bridges easily. His 7th nomination and an actor that has earned every one of those nominations (even if most of the nominations and win are for the wrong films).
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CalWilliam
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Supporting Actor

Post by CalWilliam »

This is an interesting category, but I think this is Ali to lose all the way. It's a beautiful performance that stays in the viewer's mind for quite a while after the film's end, at least in my case, and, as say, Patricia Neal in Hud, Jason Robards or Vanessa Redgrave in Julia, one can feel his presence and actually miss him whenever he's absent. He's the heart of Moonlight. Last year Mark Rylance and now Ali would be a wonderful change of tendency after Waltz (x2), Bale, Leto or Simmons. For me, that's a best supporting actor.

If not him, why not a second one to Jeff Bridges? Who would complain given his performance in Hell or High Water? Because I can't fathom the alternative is Dev Patel. He's fine, but the sempiternal category fraud stuff really annoys me. Best Supporting Actress Alicia Vikander giving the Oscar to Best Supporting Actor Dev Patel. It must not happen, for consideration towards the other four. A Hedges or Shannon spoiler wouldn't be unwelcomed either, for that matter.
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Bog
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Supporting Actor

Post by Bog »

ITALIANO wrote: While most seem to focus on Best Actor as a potentially surprising race, Best Supporting Actor is actually the one which COULD surprise.
Oh man you made me realize...the thought of Denzel and Dev both being announced winners is something I'd personally consider an Oscar travesty for next Sunday....yikes
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Supporting Actor

Post by Sabin »

Interesting little time-waster that I did...

In the past twelve years, the SAG, Globes, and Baftas split three times:

2015: the Globes went with Stallone, SAG with Elba, Baftas with Rylance.
2007: the Globes went with Blanchett, SAG with Dee, Baftas with Swinton.
2005: the Globes went with Clooney, SAG with Giamatti, Baftas with Gyllenhaal.
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ITALIANO
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Supporting Actor

Post by ITALIANO »

anonymous1980 wrote:
I'm surprised Mahershala Ali didn't sweep through the major precursors.
I am not. He is certainly a good actor, and his is a good performance. But trust me - in ANY other year, let's say a more competitive year, or a year with less emphasis on race, he wouldn't win. Absolutey not. He wouldn't even be considered a front-runner (which at this point he undeniably is). Don't get me wrong - I won't be sad when he wins, especially because the most probable alternative seems to be Dev Patel in Lion.

But let's be honest - nothing in his pleasant and admittedly very human performance makes one think instantly of Oscar. The role itself, while interesting, isn't showy enough (and it feels - intentionally of course - truncated). And while Moonlight is generally well-acted, it's not the kind of movie that seems actor-centered. (By the way, the best performance in it according to me is by an actor called Andre Holland).

While most seem to focus on Best Actor as a potentially surprising race, Best Supporting Actor is actually the one which COULD surprise. Of course, after last year's black protest, this possibility is quite remote, but who knows? One thing is sure - and the precursors kind of signal it - Ali is far from a 100% safe choice.
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Supporting Actor

Post by nightwingnova »

I found Ali delivers a characterization deeper, complex and more persuasive than the usual archetype of the drug dealer with a conscience. It felt human and less of a performance than the other actors.

Reza wrote:
anonymous1980 wrote:The nominees:

Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
Dev Patel, Lion
Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals

I'm surprised Mahershala Ali didn't sweep through the major precursors. He won SAG and Critic's Choice but lost the Globe to an un-nominated Aaron Taylor-Johnson and the BAFTA to Dev Patel. I still think Ali is going to win but he's not a lock. I think a Dev Patel upset is possible since Lion apparently is starting to pick up steam and Uncle Harvey is behind it.
Don't understand what's so great about Ali's performance. Bridges and Shannon are the best in this bunch.
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Supporting Actor

Post by Sabin »

Part of me thinks that Dev Patel won because he's a British actor. The BAFTAS like honoring British actors. So it shouldn't be taken too seriously. But I think that ignores the fact that Mahershala Ali would be an unusual winner in this category. He has no big emotional scenes. He's just consistently fascinating. I think the reason it's easy to underestimate his contributions is because his role is so stereotypical and he creates such a three-dimensional character. But he vanishes after the first third of the movie. On the other hand, Dev Patel appears after the first third of his movie and his role is all emotional scenes. I think something else going in Dev Patel's favor is that if there is a past snub to correct, it's him. Lucas Hedges is too young, Jeff Bridges already has his Oscar, and this is Michael Shannon's second out-of-nowhere weirdo nomination. In fact, if Shannon took a nomination from somebody in 2008 it was probably Dev Patel. He was the slumdog millionaire from Slumdog Millionaire. In almost identical circumstances he was pushed to support despite having a leading role (although the BAFTAS nominated him for lead) and sharing screen-time with a younger version of himself. If he were to win for Lion, it would feel as much of a make-up win as any we've seen.

I haven't decided who my choice would be. For the most part, I look at this list and I think they're all roughly in the same avenue of very good. I think it's easy to underrate Lucas Hedges' contributions. He does an incredible dance of casual antagonism with Casey Affleck. I wish Jeff Bridges got his career win for Hell or High Water. He has probably the best acting moment of the year when he gets his revenge (and he does it with his back to the camera). But Michael Shannon's nomination probably made me the happiest because while I don't like Nocturnal Animals, he was the only one who truly understand the movie that Tom Ford was trying to make...maybe more so than Tom Ford.
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mlrg
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Supporting Actor

Post by mlrg »

Reza wrote:
anonymous1980 wrote:The nominees:

Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
Dev Patel, Lion
Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals

I'm surprised Mahershala Ali didn't sweep through the major precursors. He won SAG and Critic's Choice but lost the Globe to an un-nominated Aaron Taylor-Johnson and the BAFTA to Dev Patel. I still think Ali is going to win but he's not a lock. I think a Dev Patel upset is possible since Lion apparently is starting to pick up steam and Uncle Harvey is behind it.
Don't understand what's so great about Ali's performance. Bridges and Shannon are the best in this bunch.
I totally agree with you
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Supporting Actor

Post by Big Magilla »

I think we're seeing a groundswell for Dev Patel.
Reza
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Re: Categories One-by-One: Supporting Actor

Post by Reza »

anonymous1980 wrote:The nominees:

Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
Dev Patel, Lion
Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals

I'm surprised Mahershala Ali didn't sweep through the major precursors. He won SAG and Critic's Choice but lost the Globe to an un-nominated Aaron Taylor-Johnson and the BAFTA to Dev Patel. I still think Ali is going to win but he's not a lock. I think a Dev Patel upset is possible since Lion apparently is starting to pick up steam and Uncle Harvey is behind it.
Don't understand what's so great about Ali's performance. Bridges and Shannon are the best in this bunch.
anonymous1980
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Categories One-by-One: Supporting Actor

Post by anonymous1980 »

The nominees:

Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
Dev Patel, Lion
Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals

I'm surprised Mahershala Ali didn't sweep through the major precursors. He won SAG and Critic's Choice but lost the Globe to an un-nominated Aaron Taylor-Johnson and the BAFTA to Dev Patel. I still think Ali is going to win but he's not a lock. I think a Dev Patel upset is possible since Lion apparently is starting to pick up steam and Uncle Harvey is behind it.
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