My Favorite Performances of 2015
Oscar night is right around the corner so I decided to highlight some of my favorite performances of the year. The Academy does a decent job every year of representing the best performances each year, but it's inevitable that some actors are left out. Many call it a snub, but that's kind of a tricky word.
To me, snub implies being left out on purpose. Of course, this is not the case. Actors aren't nominated for many different reasons (least of which is race, despite what Spike Lee and Jada Pinkett Smith want you to think). Sometimes it's just a strong year for a particular category, and sometimes it's because the Academy still clings to old philosophies. They don't like to honor horror films, comedies, most Sci-fi and they usually lean towards the uplifting stories over something that's a little more hard-hitting. Thankfully, I don't have to adhere to any rules or political leanings.
My Favorite Performances by an Actor
Matt Damon - The Martian
Matt Damon has been one of my favorite actors ever since I saw him in Good Will Hunting. He’s easily one of the more versatile actors in Hollywood. He’s believable as a badass assassin in the Bourne films, or a creepy murderer in The Talented Mr. Ripley or just a pure slimeball in The Departed. Like his massively important role in Saving Private Ryan, if we didn’t care for Mark Watney, we certainly wouldn’t want to spend the entire film stranded on Mars with him. Thankfully, like Tom Hanks in Cast Away, Matt Damon is so damn likeable. He truly carries the whole film. His humor in the face of adversity really is contagious and you can’t help but root for him. Of all the films I saw last year, The Martian is the one that is almost impossible to dislike, and a majority of the credit goes to Matt Damon.
Johnny Depp - Black Mass
In 2003, Johnny Depp stole the hearts of audiences everywhere as Captain Jack Sparrow. Since then, it seems almost impossible for him to star in a film where he’s not wearing some kind of weird costume. His career seemed to hit rock bottom with his role as Tonto in The Lone Ranger. His performances in films like Donnie Brasco seemed like a thing of the past. Enter Black Mass, where Depp plays real-life Boston gangster turned FBI informant Whitey Bulger. Sure, Depp is still wearing a lot of makeup, but he truly embodies this character. All signs of Depp melts away in a performance that outshines the somewhat uneven film. I really hope Depp starts to play more normal characters. He truly is one of the best actors of all-time.
Leonardo DiCaprio - The Revenant
It’s time. Sometimes an actor can be so good for so long that he’s taken for granted. I think that’s what’s happening with Leonardo DiCaprio. It’s not just the Academy either, I think audiences in general forget what a fantastic career the man has assembled. DiCaprio’s performance in The Revenant might be the most acting he’s ever done. Ironically, his performance is mostly non-verbal. What Leo does with just his eyes and facial expressions is pretty amazing. I’m not sure how many actors working today could match his work in The Revenant. It’s Leo’s year. Hands down.
Joel Edgerton - The Gift
Joel Edgerton has been turning out strong performances for years now. He was great in Animal Kingdom, as well as in the underrated Warrior opposite Tom Hardy. Edgerton also gave a strong performance opposite Johnny Depp in Black Mass. That being said, he’s still not a household name. That should change soon enough. With The Gift, Edgerton has proven that he’s not only a great actor, but a strong writer and director. Without giving too much away, Edgerton’s performance is multilayered. We’re not quite sure if we should be scared of him or feel bad for him. The Gift is one of the more underrated films of the year and Edgerton is a true triple threat talent to be reckoned with.
Idris Elba - Beasts of No Nation
Beasts of No Nation is the first original film made by Netflix. Unfortunately, most theaters boycotted the film, making it very difficult for people, Oscar voters included, to see it. In essence, this is the true reason Elba was probably not nominated this year, yet people ignore this fact and just want to turn it into a race issue. Anyway, it’s a shame more people didn’t get to see Beasts because it’s a great film featuring a powerhouse performance from Idris Elba. He plays a wolf in sheep’s clothing that is part father figure, part ruthless tyrant to a bunch of innocent young boys turned cold-blooded killers. Beasts of No Nation isn’t an easy watch, but it deserves to be seen for Elba’s performance alone.
Samuel L. Jackson - The Hateful Eight
Some things just go perfectly together. Example: peanut butter and chocolate. In this case, Quentin Tarantino and Samuel L. Jackson. There aren’t many actors tailormade for Tarantino’s brand of dialogue. Jackson’s performance in Pulp Fiction is possibly the best of his career and it’s great to see him back in a lead capacity. In The Hateful Eight, you can tell Jackson really is relishing his role. He pretty much grabs ahold of the second half of the film and doesn’t let go. Thankfully, the audience is the one that benefits. It’s a shame that The Hateful Eight was largely ignored by the Academy this year because it’s a great film filled with some memorable performances.