Paul Giamatti in Sideways
|
|
|---|
Showing posts with label Leonardo Dicaprio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Leonardo Dicaprio. Show all posts
Best Actor 2004: Results
Paul Giamatti in Sideways
Best Actor 2004: Leonardo DiCaprio in The Aviator
Leonardo DiCaprio received his second Oscar nomination for portraying Howard Hughes in The Aviator.
The Aviator is a very good biography picture of Howard Hughes because it focuses on specific moments of Hughes' life rather trying to fit his whole story, which I find is a failing of many similar films.
Leonardo DiCaprio is usually a charming, and very energetic screen presence. This is true for his performance as Howard Hughes which is an incredibly challenge role. He uses his usually charm in the right way though, and does adjust it to fit Hughes' personality, which makes him change it to a sort of a quiet charm. He is never obviously trying to be charming in his romantic scenes at all, DiCaprio makes it clear that Hughes simply just asserts himself in command, even when he looks like he is not trying to do this. DiCaprio is perfect in showing Hughes' quiet determination in a fashion that fits Hughes perfectly.
DiCaprio properly loses his charm though throughout the film though as Howard Hughes' obsessive compulsive disorder slowly gets the better of him. DiCaprio handles the disorder very well, and how it causes Howard's disintegration. DiCaprio handles the small indications at first, as something clearly effecting Hughes inside, but outwardly it seems just an odd quirk that Hughes does. Later though a minor dirty spot can cause Howard just to stare at it until it is gone, and DiCaprio makes this a really problem that effects Hughes so much he is almost unable to function because of something so minor.
DiCaprio handles this whole part of Hughes expertly, because he does not only ever focus on the direct effects of the disorder, but also the other effects. DiCaprio slowly loses Hughes charm, very realistically as he becomes more paranoid about just about anything around him. He loses all of his positive aspects slowly, as his disorder becomes worse. All the mannerisms that Hughes slowly gains such as his injury, and his obsessive repeating of sentences are well handled by DiCaprio not all making them seem forced but completely natural to the Howard Hughes.
DiCaprio does something interesting in his performance which is show his possible recovery since he slowly loses what he has but never completely during this film, even though it is quite clearly suggested at the end that he is going to lose everything. It is fascinating because DiCaprio shows him at the brink when he sits naked in his room urinating in bottles, which DiCaprio actually makes it believable that he is doing it, because he showed that Hughes disorder slowly brought him down to this point. But at the same time DiCaprio manages to show that Hughes partially pulls himself up to face his war profiteering charges. DiCaprio is particularly strong in these moments because he shows his pain in performing the slightest task because of his disorder, but also shows that Hughes is not completely gone, and still has his quiet persuasion, and charm left in the hearing scenes, which DiCapario handles simply brilliant.
I really do not want to sound negative because this is a great performance but I never fully saw him as Howard Hughes I did in a way someone rather just like Howard Hughes. Being completely Howard Hughes though is something no actor probably could do entirely, and DiCaprio became very close which is incredible achievement considering the incredible challenge of Howard Hughes.
Leonardo DiCaprio is usually a charming, and very energetic screen presence. This is true for his performance as Howard Hughes which is an incredibly challenge role. He uses his usually charm in the right way though, and does adjust it to fit Hughes' personality, which makes him change it to a sort of a quiet charm. He is never obviously trying to be charming in his romantic scenes at all, DiCaprio makes it clear that Hughes simply just asserts himself in command, even when he looks like he is not trying to do this. DiCaprio is perfect in showing Hughes' quiet determination in a fashion that fits Hughes perfectly.
DiCaprio properly loses his charm though throughout the film though as Howard Hughes' obsessive compulsive disorder slowly gets the better of him. DiCaprio handles the disorder very well, and how it causes Howard's disintegration. DiCaprio handles the small indications at first, as something clearly effecting Hughes inside, but outwardly it seems just an odd quirk that Hughes does. Later though a minor dirty spot can cause Howard just to stare at it until it is gone, and DiCaprio makes this a really problem that effects Hughes so much he is almost unable to function because of something so minor.
DiCaprio handles this whole part of Hughes expertly, because he does not only ever focus on the direct effects of the disorder, but also the other effects. DiCaprio slowly loses Hughes charm, very realistically as he becomes more paranoid about just about anything around him. He loses all of his positive aspects slowly, as his disorder becomes worse. All the mannerisms that Hughes slowly gains such as his injury, and his obsessive repeating of sentences are well handled by DiCaprio not all making them seem forced but completely natural to the Howard Hughes.
DiCaprio does something interesting in his performance which is show his possible recovery since he slowly loses what he has but never completely during this film, even though it is quite clearly suggested at the end that he is going to lose everything. It is fascinating because DiCaprio shows him at the brink when he sits naked in his room urinating in bottles, which DiCaprio actually makes it believable that he is doing it, because he showed that Hughes disorder slowly brought him down to this point. But at the same time DiCaprio manages to show that Hughes partially pulls himself up to face his war profiteering charges. DiCaprio is particularly strong in these moments because he shows his pain in performing the slightest task because of his disorder, but also shows that Hughes is not completely gone, and still has his quiet persuasion, and charm left in the hearing scenes, which DiCapario handles simply brilliant.
I really do not want to sound negative because this is a great performance but I never fully saw him as Howard Hughes I did in a way someone rather just like Howard Hughes. Being completely Howard Hughes though is something no actor probably could do entirely, and DiCaprio became very close which is incredible achievement considering the incredible challenge of Howard Hughes.
Best Actor 2004
Don Cheadle in Hotel Rwanda
Clint Eastwood in Million Dollar Baby
Jamie Foxx in Ray
Johnny Depp in Finding Neverland
Leonardo DiCaprio in The Aviator
Best Actor 2006: Results
James McAvoy in The Last King of Scotland
Daniel Craig in Casino Royale
Best Actor 2006: Leonardo DiCaprio in Blood Diamond
Leonardo DiCaprio received his third Oscar nomination for portraying a white mercenary born in Rhodesia in Blood Diamond.
I am not sure what to make out of Blood Diamond, like many of Edward Zwick films, it certainly has a story that moves along, and good action scenes, yet his morals many times seem heavy handed, forced, or inappropriate simply due to how most of the film is directed.
Leonardo DiCaprio in this plays a diamond smuggling opportunist mercenary, who is a White Africa, therefore he has a white African accent. I will say his accent was a little distracting the first time I watched the film, but I felt it worked well enough this time, so I really I just needed to get use to it. In many ways this performance type of performance is the type of leading man performance that is nominated less and less these days. Although there is much of the past, and conflict in his performance, much of the purpose of his performance is to be able to follow through Africa during a very extreme and brutal conflict. As that sort of performance in its simplest form Leonardo DiCaprio excel greatly with his performance. He is certainly a man who easy to follow throughout the film. His screen presence is always strong in the same vein as the best leading men of the big screen. This ability to be almost a perfect tour guide through the film for the audience is usually underrated but to do it truly well as DiCaprio does here is an achievement.
This not a simple leading man performance though, since Archer is not all that simple of character. He is not exactly a "good guy" at the beginning and at first mostly aims all his actions for his own benefit. Archer though soon to get a rare diamond, partners with a black African Solomon (Djmon Honsou) who is searching for his family amidst the violent civil war. DiCaprio does a very good job in showing Archer as a man who is very much energized to get the diamond, and possibly get out of Africa, but at the same time he shows a little bit different side of the character. He also shows a man who is tired of doing this, but that does not at all discourage his search for the diamond. He establishes Archer's history, his history with Africa, and the life he lives, perfectly, but incredibly carefully, never fully pushing Archer's history to the forefront but always carefully suggesting it. As the two men journey Archer does grow as a better person, and DiCaprio handles this transition well without over doing it. He leads it to his final scene where Archer becomes a truly noble man. This works incredibly well because in his last scene DiCaprio simply is fantastic, and gives an absolutely brilliant end to his performance.
DiCaprio's performance is not perfect but that almost entirely comes from the problems in the script. DiCaprio just plainly has some very poorly written lines to say, such lines as in America its bling, bling, but here it is bling, bang. I mean what are you suppose to do with a line like that anyways. DiCaprio does his best but it certainly hinders his performance a little bit. Also there are lines that are strange for the character that just seem wrong for the character such as when Archer calls Solomon a "Kaffir". It just seemed wrong in more ways than one for Archer to say that, DiCaprio tries his best to work, but it is impossible to fully compensate for such a poorly written scene. Another weakness caused by the film is the romance with the American Photojournalist (Jennifer Connelly). The romance always seems a little forced and again DiCaprio tries his best, but cannot fully get around the weakness of the script. Despite these flaws resulting from the script, DiCaprio still gives a strong leading man performance, that smartly adds complexity when it can and when it makes sense to.
Leonardo DiCaprio in this plays a diamond smuggling opportunist mercenary, who is a White Africa, therefore he has a white African accent. I will say his accent was a little distracting the first time I watched the film, but I felt it worked well enough this time, so I really I just needed to get use to it. In many ways this performance type of performance is the type of leading man performance that is nominated less and less these days. Although there is much of the past, and conflict in his performance, much of the purpose of his performance is to be able to follow through Africa during a very extreme and brutal conflict. As that sort of performance in its simplest form Leonardo DiCaprio excel greatly with his performance. He is certainly a man who easy to follow throughout the film. His screen presence is always strong in the same vein as the best leading men of the big screen. This ability to be almost a perfect tour guide through the film for the audience is usually underrated but to do it truly well as DiCaprio does here is an achievement.
This not a simple leading man performance though, since Archer is not all that simple of character. He is not exactly a "good guy" at the beginning and at first mostly aims all his actions for his own benefit. Archer though soon to get a rare diamond, partners with a black African Solomon (Djmon Honsou) who is searching for his family amidst the violent civil war. DiCaprio does a very good job in showing Archer as a man who is very much energized to get the diamond, and possibly get out of Africa, but at the same time he shows a little bit different side of the character. He also shows a man who is tired of doing this, but that does not at all discourage his search for the diamond. He establishes Archer's history, his history with Africa, and the life he lives, perfectly, but incredibly carefully, never fully pushing Archer's history to the forefront but always carefully suggesting it. As the two men journey Archer does grow as a better person, and DiCaprio handles this transition well without over doing it. He leads it to his final scene where Archer becomes a truly noble man. This works incredibly well because in his last scene DiCaprio simply is fantastic, and gives an absolutely brilliant end to his performance.
DiCaprio's performance is not perfect but that almost entirely comes from the problems in the script. DiCaprio just plainly has some very poorly written lines to say, such lines as in America its bling, bling, but here it is bling, bang. I mean what are you suppose to do with a line like that anyways. DiCaprio does his best but it certainly hinders his performance a little bit. Also there are lines that are strange for the character that just seem wrong for the character such as when Archer calls Solomon a "Kaffir". It just seemed wrong in more ways than one for Archer to say that, DiCaprio tries his best to work, but it is impossible to fully compensate for such a poorly written scene. Another weakness caused by the film is the romance with the American Photojournalist (Jennifer Connelly). The romance always seems a little forced and again DiCaprio tries his best, but cannot fully get around the weakness of the script. Despite these flaws resulting from the script, DiCaprio still gives a strong leading man performance, that smartly adds complexity when it can and when it makes sense to.
Best Actor 2006
Leonardo DiCaprio in Blood Diamond
Ryan Gosling in Half Nelson
Forest Whitaker in The Last King of Scotland
Peter O'Toole in Venus
Will Smith in The Pursuit of Happyness
So who do you pick, or predict? The mercenary, the teacher who has some problems, the Dictator with very severe problems, the old Actor, or the man who goes from rags to riches.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
