2013 Calvin Awards: Best Cast
By Kim Hollis
February 19, 2013
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Our winner in this category is Silver Linings Playbook, and this is truly an example of a film where every single performer, from the smallest role to the key parts, stands out as impressive. Bradley Cooper has never been better, and Jennifer Lawrence continues to prove that she is one of the most talented rising young stars today. As for the major supporting roles, Robert De Niro finally reminds us of why we all thought he was so fantastic in the first place, while Jacki Weaver comes in with a solid follow-up to her previous Academy Award nominated role in Animal Kingdom. Other critical roles belong to Chris Tucker, who is immensely likable in a limited appearance and Anupam Kher (a surprisingly relatable psychiatrist). We invest in these characters because this group is working so hard to invoke our passion.
This race wasn't a runaway, though, because Django Unchained finished not far behind in second place. A tour de force where a ridiculously talented cast is able to chew scenery without being over the top in a bad way, this group is anchored by Jamie Foxx as Django. His performance is actually quite subtle, as his reserved take on the character allows other, brasher roles to take center stage. Christoph Waltz should pretty much do everything Quentin Tarantino ever creates, because the director clearly has a propensity for writing roles for the talented Austrian. On the other hand, it's the first time Tarantino has ever worked with Leonardo DiCaprio and he fit his part like a soft kidskin glove. Samuel L. Jackson is practically unrecognizable as a loyal-to-a-fault senior house slave, while Kerry Washington has some terrific line delivery near the end of the film.
Just barely behind Django is 2012's biggest box office success, The Avengers. Look, let's be honest. This film could easily have been a disaster. Basically, it brings together a bunch of heroes who, for the most part, have been mostly unknown to the majority of movie-goers until Marvel started releasing standalone movies featuring them individually (including Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and a couple of Hulk projects). Somehow, this group of actors has come together to deliver a truly delightful film experience. The repartee is natural, the villain (Tom Hiddleston's Loki) is far better than he was in his first film, and a lovable supporting player (Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson) captures the comic book nerd hiding deep inside every one of us. Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson and continued to build on already established characters, while Jeremy Renner brings Hawkeye to life. And of course, we'd be remiss to omit Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner/Hulk, because at long last, that character is exactly what we'd always hoped he would be.
We go a different, quieter direction for our fourth place film, as Moonrise Kingdom captured our attention for a stellar combination of young performers aligned with talented veterans. Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward take center stage as teenage loves Sam and Suzy, and their interaction is simply preternatural. Bill Murray and Frances McDormand are suitably controlling and concerned parents, Ed Norton is a sympathetic scout master and Bruce Willis is a kindly police captain. A solid group of youngsters portray the other scouts in Sam's troop, while Jason Schwartzman and Tilda Swinton also have key roles.
Fifth place goes to Lincoln, which is essentially a who's who of topline talent combined with practically every talented character actor you've ever seen. Of course, the film hinges upon Daniel Day-Lewis's interpretation of our 16th president's personality, but he's interacting with such highly regarded talent as Sally Field (as Mary Todd Lincoln) and Tommy Lee Jones (as Republican congressman Thaddeus Stevens). Key support is provided by such worthy players as Joseph Gordon-Levitt, David Strathairn, Hal Holbrook, Michael Stuhlbarg, Walton Goggins, James Spader, John Hawkes, Jackie Earle Haley and Jared Harris. Note that these names include four Academy Award nominees, three Academy Award winners, one Emmy nominee and two Emmy winners amongst them, yet there is never a moment when it feels like someone is needlessly trying to steal the show. I also have to note the brief but effective work by David Costabile, who gives a quiet, almost background performance as Republican representative James Ashley. Costabile is an actor to watch - he's previously appeared in recurring roles on such TV shows as The Wire, Breaking Bad and Suits, but it's time for him to be center stage in something.
Two movies that are pretty much diametrically opposed to each other take our sixth and seventh spots. The Dark Knight Returns returns all of the core performers who survived the second film (Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman) and brings along a solid group of supporting performers to play both villains and good guys. Anne Hathaway is a terrific Catwoman, while Tom Hardy gives Bane an entirely unique personality. Also critical to the film's success are Marion Cotillard and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. That film's darkness is counterbalanced by the lighthearted nature of Pitch Perfect, which features Anna Kendrick in the starring role, but she's given glorious support from performers such as Skylar Astin, Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, Elizabeth Banks and John Michael-Higgins (Banks and Higgins carry on the tradition of hilarious commentators established by people like Fred Willard in Best in Show and Jason Bateman and Gary Cole in Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story). Credit must be given to Rebel Wilson (whose comic timing is perfect as Fat Amy) and Adam DeVine, who makes a character that should be over-the-top despicable (Bumper) into something more fun (and less easy to define).
Closing out our top ten are Les Miserables, The Hunger Games and Argo.As a sweeping musical drama, Les Miserables relies heavily on all its parts to come together for a moving experience. Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried, Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen all contribute to making this an unforgettable movie-going experience. It would have been so easy for the cast of The Hunger Games to be a massive disappointment. A lot of the performers were untried, but with Jennifer Lawrence at the forefront and key roles being played by Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Stanley Tucci, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks and Donald Sutherland, some level of gravitas was lent to the proceedings. Finally, Ben Affleck brings together a terrific group for Argo. Besides Affleck, who has the role of the protagonist, he's also interacting with such fantastic players as Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Victor Garber and Kyle Chandler, not to mention the people who played the Americans who were trying to escape.
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Calvins Intro
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Album
Best Cast
Best Character
Best Director
Best Overlooked Film
Best Picture
Best Scene
Best Screenplay
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best TV Show
Best Use of Music
Best Videogame
Breakthrough Performance
Worst Performance
Worst Picture