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By Sean Boelman and the disappointment media Staff
Last Updated: 2/25/2021
Note: Commentary does not include films not yet screened. 
One of the safest bets right now seems to be Chloe Zhao’s road movie Nomadland (Searchlight). Gaining support in the directing, screenplay, and Best Actress categories, in addition to a slew of below-the-line plays, the film seems likely to pick up a lot of nominations, and likely even win a few trophies. However, it is possible that the Academy may go for something a little less subtle for its highest honor. Additionally, the push to Hulu means that it lost its position as one of the few major studio releases in contention.
Also a major player is Regina King’s feature directorial debut One Night in Miami (Amazon). The film picked up a lot of initial steam in the acting categories after its festival debut but seems to have lost most of it since, apart from supporting actor Leslie Odom Jr. and a long-shot nomination for Kingsley Ben-Adir. However, we can expect this to easily lock in a Best Picture nomination, in addition to directing and screenwriting nods (and possibly wins). Netflix has a sure-fire nominee in David Fincher’s Mank, if only from goodwill for the director and the industry-centric nature of the film. That said, this seems like the type of film that will rack up a bunch of nominations but strike out with the exception of one or two minor wins. And since Netflix has such a robust awards slate this year, this is one of the tougher sells for the big win. Other Netflix titles that seem pretty likely to get a nomination are The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Aaron Sorkin still has plenty enough goodwill for his newest film to get a nod, even if there are also other films about civil rights in play this year. As for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, love for the work of playwright August Wilson in addition to support for the late Chadwick Boseman’s performance make it a likely contender. Perhaps the most unlikely frontrunner is Emerald Fennell’s darkly comedic thriller Promising Young Woman (Focus). At first glance, one wouldn’t expect this to make that much of a splash, but it is gaining a lot of support from the screenwriting and acting branches. It may not have enough buzz to win, but with the preferential ballot system, it should get the required mentions to get a nomination. Those six films seem like the most likely to be in play for the big honor. However, with the way the category is set up, there could be anywhere from five to ten nominees. In this unorthodox year, it’s possible that there is a diverse enough crop of films to get a full slate, but it seems more likely that there will only be eight or nine players. But what will get those last few spots? There seems to be a lot of support for Spike Lee’s latest, Da 5 Bloods. Delroy Lindo is becoming quite the underdog in the Actor race. Yet with an early summer release date, and the fact that Netflix has a bunch of other releases that they seem to be pushing harder, it’s entirely possible that this one gets lost in the shuffle. Warner Bros. has their strongest contender in Shaka King's Judas and the Black Messiah. Although the Academy is likely to go for one of the more palatable films about the Civil Rights to come out this year, this extremely unorthodox biopic is more than good enough to pick up a nomination. However, with the decision widely-maligned by the industry to release their films on HBO Max at the same time as theaters, it's not quite the lock that it should be. The sole contender from Sony Pictures Classics, who has been one of the few studios supporting theaters during the pandemic, is Florian Zeller’s The Father. It’s all but guaranteed to get a nomination in Actor, Supporting Actress, and Adapted Screenplay, but will that be enough to push it towards the top of the pack? Another studio with only one player is STX. Unfortunately for the political thriller The Mauritanian, though, STX is pretty new to the awards game. Last year, there seemed to be a campaign for Jennifer Lopez ramping up for Hustlers, but it lost steam at the last minute. The Mauritanian is good, maybe enough so to get that ninth or tenth spot, but that inexperience could let the film down. Indie studio A24 has two contenders after sitting out most of the year, but both seem to be fighting for a tenth spot that probably won’t exist. Lee Isaac Chung’s Minari and Kelly Reichardt’s First Cow are both very good films that have gotten a lot of critical praise, but they seem to be too low-key to really connect with voters, especially when another quiet film (Nomadland) is getting more buzz. Other possible contenders include Amazon’s Sound of Metal, which will pick up some technical and acting nods but doesn’t have the widespread support to get a spot, Universal’s News of the World, which is one of the few contenders from a major studio but is utterly forgettable, and Disney’s Soul, which has a lot of support but isn’t likely to get much attention outside of the Animated and Score categories. Netflix also has two long shot contenders that could be in the running, but have a better chance in other categories. Sam Levinson's Malcolm & Marie seems like a contender in the acting categories and possibly Original Screenplay, but may not be able to squeeze in to the main race. Ramin Bahrani’s The White Tiger is pretty excellent and has a small chance of making it in should the right people connect with it. Its best shot is likely in Adapted Screenplay. As for non-starters, Netflix has quite a few. Ron Howard’s Hillbilly Elegy is not a very good film and will be fighting for a sole Best Supporting Actress nod for Glenn Close. The Dig is surprisingly good, but too slight to make much of a splash above-the-line. Pieces of a Woman may pick up nominations for Vanessa Kirby and Ellen Burstyn, but had its overall hopes quashed by controversy. And The Midnight Sky and The Prom are both entertaining, but don’t seem to have the praise that they’d need to make a showing. Apple TV+ has three films that feel like awards bait, but will likely be ignored in this socially-conscious year. The best chance for Sofia Coppola’s On the Rocks is a Supporting Actor nod for Bill Murray, but even that seems unlikely as it is her worst film in years. The Justin Timberlake-starring Palmer is good, but little more than a sentimental crowd-pleaser. Still, it deserves to be in the conversation more than Hillbilly Elegy. The Russo Brothers' Cherry wants to be great, but it's ultimately very mediocre. Hulu hoped to get their foot in the race when they picked up The United States vs. Billie Holiday from Paramount, but Lee Daniels's newest film (his first in eight years) is pretty messy. There's still a chance for the film to pick up a Best Acting and/or a Best Original Song nomination, but it's dead-on-arrival in the main competition. NEON will almost certainly be completely absent from the Best Picture race this year after bringing Parasite to a win. Their only legitimate contender is Ammonite, a pretty but otherwise mediocre period piece that is unlikely to turn any heads. Palm Springs (co-distributed with Hulu) is fun, and might be a long-shot for Original Screenplay, but doesn’t seem like a serious player. Of course, there are also films submitted for consideration that everyone knows won’t have a shot. Warner Bros. is mounting campaigns for Tenet and Wonder Woman 1984, but their chances are virtually nonexistent outside of some spare below-the-line nods. The Little Things (also WB) will be a dud above-the-line, but Thomas Newman's excellent score could make it in. Other films, like Lionsgate’s Antebellum and Fatale seem to be getting FYC campaigns out of contractual obligation. Yes, it is shaping up to be one of the more predictable Best Picture races in recent memory. At this point, it’s starting to become relatively clear what will and won’t be in contention after all is said and done. After those last few wild cards end up screening, it should be easy to call where everything is going to land. Sean Boelman's Picks
Locks:
1. One Night in Miami 2. Nomandland 3. The Trial of the Chicago 7 Likely: 4. Mank 5. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom 6. Promising Young Woman Possible: 7. Judas and the Black Messiah 8. Da 5 Bloods 9. The Father 10. The Mauritanian 11. Minari 12. Sound of Metal 13. Malcolm & Marie 14. News of the World 15. First Cow Camden Ferrell's Picks
Locks:
1. Nomadland 2. Mank 3. The Trial of the Chicago 7 Likely: 4. One Night in Miami 5. Minari 6. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom Possible: 7. Promising Young Woman 8. Da 5 Bloods 9. Soul 10. First Cow 11. Sound of Metal Dan Skip Allen's Picks
Locks:
1. Nomadland 2. One Night in Miami 3. The Trial of the Chicago 7 4. Promising Young Woman Likely: 5. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom 6. Minari 7. The Father Possible: 8. Soul 9. Pieces of a Woman 10. News of the World 11. Sound of Metal 12. First Cow 13. Mank
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By disappointment media Staff
Note: Due to repeated infractions against disappointment media's strict anti-gatekeeping policy, all Netflix titles have been blacklisted from coverage on the site for a period of 30 days. This includes mentions in this article.
Sean Boelman's Pick: Mercedes Hernandez, Identifying Features
A scene from Identifying Features, courtesy Kino Lorber.
Oftentimes, the performances that get the most attention on end-of-year lists like these are those which are big, flashy, and command the screen. However, it is just as important to recognize those turns which have a quiet power to them, and that is exactly what Mercedes Hernández brings to her role in Identifying Features. As a mother looking for her lost son who went missing while emigrating to the United States, Hernández doesn’t have a ton of dialogue, but when she does, she delivers it in a way that is entirely subtle. Instead, it is the emotion of her performance that she is able to convey through her smaller mannerisms and movements that is more impressive. In a year full of great performances from seasoned veterans and newcomers alike, Hernández’s is one that could be overlooked, but certainly deserves the attention.
Camden Ferrell's Pick: Sidney Flanagan, Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Sidney Flanigan stars as Autumn in NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features.
Sidney Flanigan's lead performance in Never Rarely Sometimes Always is one of the most profound and moving experiences of the year. Playing Autumn, a teenage girl traveling to New York after an unintended pregnancy, Flanigan is able to speak volumes without much dialogue. Every pause, breath, and action she performs is meaningful, and she does it with such grace and ease. Her role is more subdued than her peers this year, but it is one of the most brilliant performances you may ever see. She plays the role so convincingly that it will simply tear you apart into pieces with its authenticity and emotional power. Flanigan's debut performance will leave you speechless and in desperate need of a tissue. It is an awe-inspiring exhibition of her raw talent as an actress, and it shows the promise of a star in the making.
Dan Skip Allen's Pick: Frances McDormand, Nomadland
Frances McDormand in the film NOMADLAND. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2020 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.
Frances McDormand has had a pretty good career if I do say so myself. Her two Oscar-winning performances couldn't be more different, though. One was this happy go lucky police chief who fell into a murder investigation, and the other was a no-nonsense woman who would take any crap from anybody. Once again, McDormand changes it up for her turn as Fern, a woman with nowhere to turn after the plant she worked at and the town it was in both shut down. She is forced to become a nomad traveling from place to place and town to town looking for work just to survive. She lived in her van and eventually finds a community she can feel at home with. Chloe Zhao used a similar style to her previous films with Nomadland. It was semi-nonfiction because of the people Fern comes across, but the character of Fern is fictional. The world she resides in is all too real. This is a much more subdued performance from McDormand than her ones in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Fargo.
Sarah Williams's Pick: Kate Lyn Sheil, She Dies Tomorrow
She Dies Tomorrow is a surreal oddity, made more real with Kate Lyn Sheil playing a version of director Amy Seimetz. Sheil is an actress who many say is an acquired taste, but her tactile, on-edge acting style and distinctive voice work wonders to bring the psychological horror to life. For every flashing neon light and dramatic tearful closeup, there is a distant moment of monotony, one of acceptance and forced emotionless. Between these, there's a sweet spot where her performance shines brightest, these raw cracks in the masks her character puts on, whether it be one of acceptance or hysteria, shown in her relationships to one of the year's finest ensembles, scenes with Sun Don't Shine co-star Kentucker Audrey perfectly encapsulating the alienating chemistry of a toxic relationship on the outs.
Adam Donato's Pick: Elizabeth Moss, The Invisible Man
Two of the best performances last year were Lupita Nyong’o in Us and Florence Pugh in Midsommar. There’s just something so satisfying about watching a character navigate their way through a horror movie to come out a badass by the end of it. Elisabeth Moss was so good that she made her co-star seem invisible. Usually, performances torpedo when an actor has to act opposite a green screen, but seeing all the effort behind the scenes in how it was made to work is impressive. After mostly being known for the hit series The Handmaid's Tale, it’s nice to see Moss in a leading role for a blockbuster-type movie. It’s been months since this movie came out and Moss’s face at the end of the movie is still ingrained in the audience's heads. Moss is so good in The Invisible Man that she’s not just the final girl, she’s the only girl and that deserves some recognition.
What are your favorite performances of 2020? Let us know!
By disappointment media Staff
Note: Due to repeated infractions against disappointment media's strict anti-gatekeeping policy, all Netflix titles have been blacklisted from coverage on the site for a period of 30 days. This includes mentions in this article.
Sean Boelman's Pick: Kingsley Ben-Adir, One Night in Miami
Kingsley Ben-Adir stars in ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI. Photo: Patti Perret/Amazon Studios.
Audiences probably thought that they had seen the definitive Malcolm X performance when they saw Denzel Washington’s turn in Spike Lee’s biopic, but Regina King and Kingsley Ben-Adir would like a word. Ben-Adir’s performance as the iconic Civil Rights leader in One Night in Miami doesn’t feel like an impersonation, but rather, an embodiment of the qualities that made him who he was. The entire ensemble is great (Leslie Odom Jr. also shines in his supporting role as singer Sam Cooke), but it is Ben-Adir’s presence that brings the whole thing together. And even though Ben-Adir has been a relative unknown up to this point, expect this performance to bring him a level of notoriety that will allow him to do big things in the future.
Camden Ferrell's Pick: Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal
SOUND OF METAL. Courtesy of Amazon Studios.
Sound of Metal succeeded in exposing and educating a wider audience about the deaf community, but this message was boosted significantly by the strongest leading actor performance of the year. Riz Ahmed gets a chance to shine in the spotlight as a lead actor, and he doesn't waste any time in proving how talented he is. From the start, Ahmed's performance as Ruben is engaging, but it slowly becomes mesmerizing to watch as the narrative progresses. Faced with a spiritual dilemma when he loses his hearing, Ruben's story is equal parts frustrating and heartwarming. This journey is one that isn't without challenge, and Ahmed does an astounding job of taking the audience along for the ride and to learn with his character. It's an extremely emotional performance that solidifies Ahmed's place in the future of film.
Dan Skip Allen's Pick: Anthony Hopkins, The Father
Anthony Hopkins as Anthony in THE FATHER. Photo by Sean Gleason. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
Sir Anthony Hopkins has been acting for quite some time now. His career spans over fifty years, not including his stage work. A lot of his work has been of the dramatic fare, but he has been known to take a role for its comedic elements. Being knighted by Queen Elizabeth has shown what his career has meant to the English people and monarchy. His latest film, The Father, might arguably be the best of his career to date. In The Father, Sir Anthony plays a man who is dealing with dementia. His daughter is dealing with him and her at her wit's end. She doesn't know what to do. Director Florian Zeller puts the person watching the film in both the shoes of the main character and his daughter at various points in the film. We feel the disorientation Anthony is going through as well as what his daughter feels like dealing with a man with this debilitating disease. It's not a good feeling being in either person's shoes. Sir Anthony makes the viewer believe he has this disease at every point in the film. It's not an easy thing to digest, having a loved one go through this.
Sarah Williams's Pick: John Boyega, Red, White and Blue
While best-known for Star Wars, John Boyega's strength as a serious actor has been made more clear than ever with this year's Small Axe. Red, White and Blue is the story of a young man who chooses to join a police force that actively works to keep him down, and he learns the corruption and unchanging nature of a police state through the inside. Boyega embodies the two poles here, from hopeful, young belief, to the quick descent into a seasoned man who's learned too soon how corrupt his world can be. His journey from realizing that what he wants for the police is not a mission of doom, but one not possible for this system is a deeply human portrayal of a young man who just wants better, and his inner turmoil is clear, making a tricky story to tell nuanced.
Adam Donato's Pick: Sacha Baron Cohen, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. Courtesy of Amazon Studios.
The Academy has yet to recognize Sacha Baron Cohen for his acting, despite a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2007 for Borat. Some movies are better if you know the behind the scenes of what went into making the movie, and Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is definitely one of them. The fact that he had people tweeting about a KKK member walking through a Republican event over a half year ago before the world even knew it was getting a sequel to Borat is amazing. Just think about how much improvisation goes in this performance as Borat is interacting with actual people who are unaware of the celebrity that lies before them. He didn’t consume actual raw bison liver like former Best Actors, but he did quarantine with some old fools for days during a pandemic. This performance gives life to an iconic character that can only be pulled off by one man and the world is lucky it got to see it a second time.
What are your favorite performances of 2020? Let us know!
By disappointment media Staff
Note: Due to repeated infractions against disappointment media's strict anti-gatekeeping policy, all Netflix titles have been blacklisted from coverage on the site for a period of 30 days. This includes mentions in this article.
Sean Boelman's Pick: Catherine Deneuve, The Truth
Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda’s first film not in the Japanese language, The Truth, may be more about the phenomenally talented Juliette Binoche’s character, but it is Catherine Deneuve’s performance as her mother that absolutely steals the show. Playing an aging actress dealing with her own mortality while experiencing family struggles, this is a shining performance in an otherwise low-key film. However, Deneuve’s turn still has all of the subtlety and grace of which audiences know her to be capable of. In terms of supporting roles, Deneuve’s is on the meatier side, giving her plenty of both time and material to deliver something completely powerful. Also impressive is the way in which she lights up the screen with co-star Binoche, embodying the mother-daughter relationship in a way that is both completely believable and entirely empathetic.
Camden Ferrell's Pick: Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. Courtesy of Amazon Studios.
When news of a new Borat movie surfaced, it was no surprise that it ended up becoming a cultural event that spoke volumes about the state of America. However, few expected to see a surprise breakthrough performance in Maria Bakalova. Playing Borat's daughter, Tutar, Bakalova fits perfectly into the chaotic and funny environment of the film. She holds her own extremely well alongside Sacha Baron Cohen, and she even tends to outshine him in some of the film's scenes. She has amazing chemistry with her co-star and a natural talent for the shock comedy in the film. Her performance also serves as the emotional core of the film, and she provides a heart to the film that wasn't expected but much appreciated. After her hilarious performance in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, it's safe to say we'll be seeing her plenty in years to come.
Dan Skip Allen's Pick: Saoirse Ronan, Ammonite
Saoirse Ronan came onto the acting scene with a bang in 2007 with her star-making performance in Atonement. She would later receive three more Academy Award nominations for Brooklyn, Lady Bird, and Little Women. In Ammonite, she teams with the also prolific actress, Kate Winslet, a six-time Academy Award nominee and one-time winner (for The Reader). The pair play two women who are forced to live together because of melancholia. Romans character is not feeling good so her husband leaves her with Winslet's character to see if she can somehow get her out of the doldrums she is in. They go for walks on the beach and look for fossils. They start becoming closer as the film moves forward. This is a little different for Ronan because she usually plays more upbeat characters. The solemn nature of her character requires a lot of subtlety, taking full advantage of her range as an actress.
Sarah Williams's Pick: Vasilisa Perelygina, Beanpole
Vasilisa Perelygina in a scene from Beanpole, courtesy Kino Lorber.
Released in the dead of January before chaos broke out, Beanpole is still one of the finest films, even if this had been a less odd year. Vasilisa Perelygina's role as a former soldier and mother who has lost her child and been sterilized to fight is one with a deep humanity within it, even with every twisted desire her character has to try to fill that hole left by the death of her young son. Perelygina fills the character of Masha with life. A sequence in which she tries on a new green dress and spins to see the light hit the fabric is one of the most moving in the film. As Masha spins faster and faster, she laughs, gleeful, like a child. It's a small moment of pure humanity in a film that is otherwise so brutal, one that humanizes all the suffering around it.
Adam Donato's Pick: Anne Hathaway, The Witches
ANNE HATHAWAY as Grand High Witch in Warner Bros. Pictures’ fantasy adventure “THE WITCHES,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photograph Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures
Flying under the radar due to its straight to streaming release, The Witches was surprisingly good and Anne Hathaway carries the movie. In terms of fun villains, Hathaway channels her inner Streep from The Devil Wears Prada. It’s easy to tell how much fun she is having. Also, it’s nice to see Zemeckis not have his own ambition get in the way of her performance. Hathaway is truly terrifying in this movie, while also being so over the top evil that the audience can laugh at her. For anyone that read the book, it’s as faithful of an adaptation that fans could ask for. The ballroom scene alone sells the movie. Hathaway gives the most terrifying speech about her resentment for children, and it is at the edge of your seat material. It’s almost difficult calling this a supporting performance as she is front and center. Still, what a fun villain to hate.
What were your favorite performances of 2020? Let us know!
By disappointment media Staff
Note: Due to repeated infractions against disappointment media's strict anti-gatekeeping policy, all Netflix titles have been blacklisted from coverage on the site for a period of 30 days. This includes mentions in this article.
Sean Boelman's Pick: Kyle Marvin, The Climb
Left to Right: Kyle Marvin as Kyle, Michael Angelo Covino as Mike, Gayle Rankin as Marissa Photo by Zach Kuperstein. Courtesy Sony Pictures Classics.Left to Right: Kyle Marvin as Kyle, Michael Angelo Covino as Mike, Gayle Rankin as Marissa. Photo by Zach Kuperstein. Courtesy Sony Pictures Classics.
Michael Angelo Covino’s lovely and darkly hilarious buddy comedy The Climb is one of the best depictions of friendship to grace the screen this year, largely thanks to the chemistry between real-life friends Covino and Kyle Marvin. And while Covino is great as the eternal screw-up who drags everyone around him down, Marvin steals the show as his lovably goofy and endearingly forgiving best friend. Whether struggling to cycle up a steep incline or failing to seduce his girlfriend with an embarrassingly funny dance, Marvin is absolutely wonderful in his role. He holds his own against his more experienced co-stars, turning a role that easily could have been little more than a vector of development for the flawed protagonist into something far more enjoyable and memorable. As he wrote the film with Covino, it’s clear that these roles were written for themselves, but we can expect great things from him in less specific roles too.
Camden Ferrell's Pick: Daveed Diggs, Hamilton
Daveed Diggs is Marquis de Lafayette in HAMILTON, the filmed version of the original Broadway production.
Hamilton, the live stage recording of the hit Broadway musical, was one of the best movies of the year, in part due to its outstanding supporting actor performance from Daveed Diggs. He delivers an undeniably energetic and vibrant dual turn as Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson. He radiates joy and has a lively stage presence in many of his numbers while also proving to be a formidable foe to Hamilton in act two. He especially shines in songs like "Guns and Ships" and "Washington on Your Side". Playing two fundamentally different roles is a challenge, but Diggs effortlessly adopts both characters and creates some truly engaging turns. He gracefully handles the rapid-fire raps, the witty banter, and the show's enjoyable choreography. There is phenomenal chemistry between Diggs and his co-stars, and his palpable charisma is one of the shining moments in film this year.
Dan Skip Allen's Pick: Leslie Odom Jr., One Night in Miami
LESLIE ODOM JR. stars in ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI. Photo: Patti Perret. Courtesy of Amazon Studios.
Leslie Odom Jr. is best known as one of the stars of the hit Broadway play Hamilton. But since his fame on Broadway, he has ventured out into the medium of film, starring opposite Cynthia Erivo in Harriet as William Still, and that was just dipping his toes in the water. His role as Sam Cooke in One Night in Miami is one he really could sink his teeth into. Odom Jr. starred opposite Kingsley Ben-Adir as Malcolm X, Aldis Hodge as Jim Brown, and Eli Goree as Muhammad Ali/Cassius Clay. He stood toe to toe with Ben-Adir and the others from the very beginning of the film. Like Sam Cooke, his discussions with Malcolm X opened up some new avenues of thought for him, making him think about all the aspects of being a black man in America during the civil rights movement. He even had some conscious thought-provoking moments of his own. Odom Jr. has started coming into his own as a character actor to reckon with in the future.
Sarah Williams's Pick: Orion Lee, First Cow
Orion Lee as First Cow's King-Lu is a large part of what made that movie so genuine. Amidst the rugged landscape, his character is soft-spoken and steady, with this articulate charm that stands out among a landscape of men either silent or gruff. Lee's performance isn't a flashy one, but it has the sort of heart that adds so much warmth and depth to a character, one that quietly blends, hardly telling actor from character, that is noteworthy for how it lingers. First Cow is quite accuracy-centric as a period film, with the actors taking on survival training and fully loving and breathing as their frontiersmen for a bit, and the comfort in their characters shows. Without being showy, Orion Lee makes a simple foil for our lead, John Magaro's Cookie, memorably heartfelt, and it's the kind of simple, subtle, warm acting role that's overlooked.
Adam Donato's Pick: Jim Carrey, Sonic the Hedgehog
Jim Carrey in SONIC THE HEDGEHOG from Paramount Pictures and Sega. Photo Credit: Courtesy Paramount Pictures and Sega of America.
Remember Jim Carrey from the ’90s? Well, he’s back in a big way. One of the reasons Ron Howard's version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas works so well is that Carrey is very animated and over the top. So seeing him flex this strength again as another animated villain is perfect. Sonic the Hedgehog works as a movie, but without Carrey as Robotnik, it would have been painfully generic and bad. His relationship and chemistry with his henchman, Agent Stone, is absolutely hilarious. Not to mention, the "Where Evil Grows" dance number is one of the greatest scenes in any movie ever. What happened to the cartoonish villain who revels in being evil despite their goofiness? Seeing as the film was a success at the box office, it’s exciting to see where Carrey will get to go in the sequel, especially after where his character is at the end of the movie. It’s just really nice to see Jim Carrey harnessing what made him so great in the past. Thanks for coming back.
What were your favorite performances of 2020? Let us know!
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