Top 10 Supporting Actors of 2014

Not my favorite category this year but it has a couple of performances that I really love.

1

JK Simmons as Terence Fletcher

Whiplash

He's going to win the Oscar and it's very deserved. So intense, deceptively fun and thoroughly entertaining. We'll never refer to JK Simmons as Spiderman's boss ever again.

2
Edward Norton as Mike Shiner
Birdman

Thank God for his role in Birdman because we've never seen such a complex character Norton played ever since Fightclub. The level of douchebaggery of his character made room for Norton to address the rumors about him being hard to work with and I think it paid off. Mike Shiner is my favorite character in the film.


3
Ethan Hawke as Mason Evans Sr.
Boyhood

Sometimes I wonder if Ethan Hawke just played himself as the father of Mason Jr. Because he acted so naturally with so much charisma that you can't help but wish you have the same father as jolly as him despite his imperfections. Either way, it's a performance that's very likable that there's no way you'd put him out of this year's suppporting actors list.


4
Stellan Skarsgård as Seligman
Nymphomaniac

If only Nymphomaniac is a bit friendlier to the masses, Skarsgård will definitely be commended. His role as Seligman in Nymphomaniac is so subtle yet shocking and creepy.


5
Willem Dafoe as J.G. Jopling
The Grand Budapest Hotel

In a film with a huge ensemble and has lots of small roles, Willem Dafoe stands out as this bulldoggish character that is comically endearing in an ironic way. I love Willem Dafoe in this.

6
Josh Brolin as Det. Christian F. "Bigfoot" Bjornsen
Inherent Vice

It is appreciated when a serious actor like Josh Brolin acts in a silly way like Bigfoot in Inherent Vice. The film is definitely not for me but Brolin is one of the bright spots of this bleak and funny film and I would probably have not finished it if not for him.

7
Robert Duvall as Judge Joseph Palmer
The Judge

Robert Duvall, who is known for portraying bad ass, serious and grumpy characters actually made me a little teary eyed in this film. He's got some Vilma Santos in Anak skills.


8
Ben Schnetzer as Mark Ashton
Pride

In a sea of supporting male actors in this film, Ben Schnetzer definitely stood out. Of course he's got one of the flashiest role, but he disappeared in it. When I found out that he's the one who played Max in The Book Thief, I was shocked. He's a chameleon.


9
Mark Ruffalo as Dave Schultz
Foxcatcher

This is perhaps Ruffalo's second best performance to date, his first in The Normal Heart. Who knew Ruffalo got some depth? Here in Foxcatcher, he's so subtle and calm, no big scenes but he's so good nevertheless.


10
Logan Lerman as Pvt. Norman "Machine" Ellison
Fury

I don't think the role suited Logan Lerman in Fury, but his effort was highly appreciated. He showed some of his range and you just know that he's one of the actors to watch out in the future. He reminds me of a less intense young Christian Bale.

Top 5 Original & Adapted Screenplays

Original > Adapted obviously.

ORIGINAL

1.

Richard Linklater
Boyhood

2.

Alexander Dinelaris, Nicolás Giacobone, Alejandro González Iñárritu & Armando Bo

Birdman

3.
Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness
The Grand Budapest Hotel

4.
Jennifer Kent
The Babadook

5.
John Carney
Begin Again

ADAPTED

1.
Graham Moore
The Imitation Game

2.
Damian Chazelle
Whiplash

3.
Gillian Flynn
Gone Girl

4.
Kelly Masterson & Bong Joon-ho
Snowpiercer

5.
Dean DeBlois
How To Train Your Dragon 2

Top 10 Cinematography of 2014

Cinematography of 2014 films is insanely stacked that I feel guilty including only 10 in my list. There's Under the Skin, The Homesman, Enemy, The Immigrant, Noah, Fury, Foxcatcher and the list goes on... some of these made my initial list, but eventually cut coz there's just so many amazing work last year. Hey, at least I consider these honorable mentions. :)

1.

Ryszard Lenczewski & Lukasz Zal

Ida

2.

Emmanuel Lubezki

Birdman

3.

Robert Yeoman

The Grand Budapest Hotel

4.

Fredrik Wenzel & Fred Arne Wergeland

Force Majeure

5.

Mandy Walker

Tracks

6.

Hong Gyeong-Pyo

Snowpiercer

7.

Hoyte van Hoytema

Interstellar

8.

Dick Pope

Mr. Turner

9.

Robert Elswit

Nightcrawler

10.

Roger A. Deakins

Unbroken

Top 10 Scores of 2014

3 Alexandre Desplat but outside the top 5, no Mr. Turner and a couple of randos that weren't even nominated anywhere. Here are my top 10 favorite scores of 2014.

1.

Marco Beltrami

The Homesman

2.

Joe Hisaishi

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

3.

Mica Levi

Under the Skin

4.

Jóhann Jóhannsson

The Theory of Everything

5.

Ilan Eshkeri

Still Alice

6.

Alexandre Desplat

The Grand Budapest Hotel

7.

Hans Zimmer

Interstellar

8.

Alexandre Desplar

The Monuments Men

9.

Alexandre Desplat

The Imitation Game

10.

Ola Fløttum

Force Majeure

That Thing Called Tadhana (2015, Jadaone)

Director: Antoinette Jadaone

With: Angelica Panganiban, JM de Guzman

Glad that this got a nationwide release since I didn't catch this during the CinemaOne Originals festival last year. I am sort of shocked that people dug this since it's a talky film, but not so much since we Filipinos are hopeless romantics and one reason why this got raves is because this film is about, well not necessarily "love", but it's more of about "moving on". We are emos and most of us have been through that so it's definitely identifiable. I can see why people love this but I also know that this won't be received well by some. Aside from its subject, it didn't really expand to other areas so we're stuck with these two strangers whom we only found out their names at the end, talking about their exes and heartbreaks, trying to cope up and falling sort of in love with each other before fate surprises them with a twist. Many people have compared this to Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise, and I guess, I can see why. It's talky, it involves beautiful places and it also involves two strangers embarking in a "journey". I also see it going the Before trilogy route with the help (or not) of Star Cinema. I say, Ms. Antoinette Jadaone, stick to your guns and don't let film companies hinder you to express your filled-with-profanity-and-realness feelings.

I'm amazed that I did not like it so much but I sort of understand why since I think the film really communicates more to those who just recently had a break up, or had exes they cannot forget. Yes, funny Angelica Panganiban and charming JM de Guzman have undeniable chemistry, and Jadaone's witty and inspired script earned a few chuckles from the audience but it's also a bit contrived sometimes, and some circumstances were exaggerated. Either that or I just didn't really connect with the film.

I do appreciate its value for intimacy though. The film focused only with these two characters, shot closely together most of the time and I found that cute. Uneven sometimes but it captured some pretty establishing shots of Manila, Baguio and Sagada that kind of redeems some of it's bad shots. It kind of made you want to travel along with those two characters and I find that pleasurable especially for a traveler like me.

Still, I don't think the film is about filmmaking. It's more about the message, and the story, and the journey and the feeling rather than the cinematography, or the acting, or the direction, or the writing. Just like how we should view One More Chance according to Angelica Panganiban's Mace. Plus, it's the love month and I think it's perfect for the season so don't think your money would be wasted if you watch this. I got relaxed, entertained and discovered a new talented scriptwriter and director in town. Yeah I know, this is my first Antoinette Jadaone film and I look forward to seeing more of her in the future. Her short story "The Arrow With The Heart Pierced Through It" is incredibly well written and some of the most interesting, heartfelt and original things I've seen in this film. Very impressive.