With the holidays approaching and 2019 winding down to a close, it is once again time to reflect on the films of this past year. As with any year, there were a lot of movies out there that I did see and an even more amount of films that I didn’t get a chance to see. There were also some that I saw that I haven’t had a chance to review yet. There were many fantastic films that came out this year, and there were a lot that weren’t so good. I’ve already covered some of the more disappointing films this year in a previous post, so it could only go up from here. At least, that’s my hope. So, for this post, I want to look at some of my favorite performances of the year. Some were expected, others were not. So, let’s see who really delivered as an actor/actress.
Seann William Scott – Bloodline
It’s really refreshing to see normally comedic actors take on more serious roles. Robin Williams and Jim Carrey come to mind for that sort of thing and they have been fairly successful. Seann William Scott of American Pie fame, is one of those actors that I normally never see in a film like Bloodline. The film is about new father who, during the day, is a high school counselor but moonlights as a serial killer at night. I’ve never been a huge fan of Scott’s. His brand of humor usually doesn’t work for me. So, color me surprised to see him tackling a serial killer role in a fairly ultra-violent movie. Bloodline itself is a pretty solid effort, but the material is given more weight because of Scott’s performance. Scott is known for playing fairly dim-witted characters. In Bloodline, though, he’s dropping the comedy entirely. He delivers an incredibly blood-chilling performance as a brutal serial killer. The fact that the film is violent as hell, makes it even more shocking that Mr. Scott would even consider being a part of it. The funny thing? It works. He’s really damned good here. I want to see more of Seann William Scott taking on more serious roles, because he’s clearly capable of it.
Florence Pugh – Midsommar
Midsommar is a film that really goes off the deep end….in a good way. It was directed by Ari Aster, the guy who brought us last year’s chilling Hereditary. Midsommar has a huge Wicker Man-vibe to it as it deals with a really bizarre cult. The film really takes a turn for the strange about 30-40 minutes in, but it opens with a massive gut-punch. Florence Pugh, who plays Dani, deals with a horrific family tragedy and is invited by her boyfriend to travel with them to Sweden to observe this cult. Florence Pugh delivers a knock-out performance in this film, especially towards the beginning of the film when her character is devastated by tragedy. Her performance is equal parts tragic and incredible. She just throws herself into this role and the results are absolutely amazing. Midsommar is a strange-ass movie, but it’s anchored by Florence’s performance.
Veronica Ngo – Furie
Yeah, Furie is a straight-up action movie in the same vein as Taken, but what sets it apart from the other films like it is Veronica Ngo. She plays a former gang member who is the mother of a little girl who is kidnapped by a trafficking ring. While the story is nothing new, it does have a lot of heart to it and that’s due to Veronica’s performance. She brings a huge amount of soul and depth to what many could consider to be a typical “desperate parent” role. She’s absolutely fantastic here. Not only is she great with the action, but the non-action sequences are where she really delivers. The action is fueled by the character’s rage and desperation which gives the fight scenes more power, especially in the ending battle sequences. Come for the action, but stay for Veronica’s performance.
Scott Adkins – Avengement
I’ve been an enormous fan of Scott Adkins for years, because he’s helped deliver some of the best action movies. I’ve never really thought too much of him as an actor, though, at least not until films like The Debt Collector. I think his best performance, however, is as Cain Burgess in the British crime/action thriller, Avengement. Now, most people who have seen this film would probably point to the moments where he goes absolutely ape-shit. They’re not necessarily wrong, as Adkins is pretty much let off the leash here. But, I have to admit, that some of the more effective scenes are where he’s not actually throwing punches. I really like the scenes where his character spends some time with his mother, as those are pretty effective. You see Adkins go from this kind of naive wannabe gangster to a full-blown rage-driven maniac. The evolution(or de-evolution, if you will) over the course of the film feels natural, and Scott really sells it.
Joaquin Phoenix – Joker
I didn’t put this one at the top of the list for one reason: It’s too obvious. I wanted to give others a chance to shine before I got to this one. Well before Joker was released, there was a lot of talk about Phoenix being nominated for an Academy Award. If he doesn’t get at least a nomination, any chance of the Awards being taken seriously will get thrown out the window. Joker is Joaquin’s movie. I’m not going to compare Joaquin’s performance to Heath Ledger’s because these are two very different interpretations, and both are excellent in their own way. What makes Phoenix’s performance so special is that Phoenix gives the character a more sympathetic angle, which is not what you would expect from a character called “The Joker.” We are actively rooting for Arthur Fleck to NOT go off the deep end, which eventually he does, making this film a tragedy of sorts. This is a film that tackles mental illness in a realistic fashion, and Joaquin Phoenix really delves into the character so much that he disappears.
Rosa Salazar – Alita: Battle Angel
I know what you’re thinking: “Really?” Let me explain: Motion capture performances have been improving steadily over the past decade, with James Cameron evolving the technology in Avatar. Alita: Battle Angel is just another step in creating almost life-like CGI characters. I’ll be the first to admit that putting a CGI character on this list would seem…..odd. The thing is, is that I’m looking at the performance behind the character. The character is really nothing if the performance isn’t there, whether it’s live-action, cartoon or motion capture. Thankfully, Rosa Salazar steps up to the plate as Alita. Yeah, the character’s features are exaggerated(the eyes in particular), but that’s part of the charm here, and Rosa gives the cyborg a very human quality and you generally don’t see that from characters like this. Rosa makes Alita a uniquely innocent character that has no idea who or what she is until she’s forced into a fight. Say what you will about the rest of the film but you really can’t fault Rosa for delivering a strong performance.
Naomi Scott – Aladdin
I’m not going to sugar-coat it: The new Aladdin sucks. It really does. It takes everything that made the original animated feature work and throws most of it out the window. The sets are weak and the costumes even more so. So why am I putting it on this list? Naomi Scott. While I think that Will Smith did pretty good, it was Naomi Scott as Jasmine that stole the show. Ms. Scott is obviously beautiful, but she’s also very talented. Her character of Princess Jasmine is feisty and fiercely independent, and Ms. Scott nails every aspect of her character. Not only is she a fantastic actress, she’s got a great voice for the parts where she’s required to sing, and she’s absolutely wonderful. It’s just a shame that the rest of the film doesn’t deserve that kind of performance.
Those are some of my favorite performances of the year. What are yours? Tell me down in the comments below.