We're already halfway through 2017 and I still haven't finished my year-end lists for 2016. I'm putting the final touches on the Top 10, which will hopefully be up within the coming days if my schedule permits it. But for now, enjoy my favorite performances of last year! Behold:
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Annette Bening (20th Century Women) - Communicates a million shades of hilarity, resentment, openness, and reticence within single reaction shots and line-readings.
Sonia Braga (Aquarius) - Who appears 30+ years/30+ minutes post-prologue and achieves a sense of enduring ease necessary to survive.
Viola Davis (Fences) - Backgrounding Rose with attentive care in first-half scenes and wearily finding her voice in the second.
Sandra Hüller (Toni Erdmann) - Sustains and brazens through Ade’s precarious comedic tone/setpieces, fluidly transitioning from chagrin, amusement, self-containment, and self-abasement.
Isabelle Huppert (Elle & Things to Come) - Two specific women, equal forms of restraint and nerve, both confounded and intrigued by their reactions.
Matches with Oscar: 1/5. (Viola nominated in Supporting; Bening M.I.A.)
Runners-Up: Portman (Jackie), Stone (La La Land), Steinfeld (The Edge of Seventeen) Adams (Arrival), Negga (Loving), Field (Hello, My Name is Doris), Beckinsale (Love & Friendship), Hightower (The Fits)
