Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2013: Results

7. Colin Farrell in Saving Mr. Banks- Farrell hits the right notes but his film weakens his impact.

Best Scene: Death bed scene.

6. James Gandolfini in Enough Said- Gandolfini gives a sweet natural performance that finding the depth of an average man.

Best Scene: Albert drives Eva home after their awkward dinner.

5. Sharlto Copley in Elysium- An absurd villainous performance by Copley to be sure but a most enjoyable one to watch.

Best Scene: Kruger comes to stop the hijack. 

4. Matthew McConaughey in Mud- McConaughey in his larger supporting role gives a naturally charming and moving portrayal of a desperate but good man.

Best Scene: Mud explains his murder. 

3. Matthew McConaughey in The Wolf of Wall Street- A great one scene wonder by McConaughey that you remember even after the almost three hour film is over. 

Best Scene: Mark Hanna has lunch with Jordan Belfort.

2. Ben Foster in Ain't Them Bodies Saints- Foster gives an extremely moving performance by being absolutely genuine in his character's goodness.

Best Scene: Ruth talks to Patrick about the day he was shot.

1. Ben Foster in Lone Survivor- The year actually came down to the two  performances by the same man. At least at the moment I think I'll give the win to the supporting performance that I feel benefited his film the most during the year. Foster in Lone Survivor gives the intensity and visceral punch needed for the story of soldier's trying to survive that would have otherwise been lacking. It is a moving work that shows the gambit of emotions of the soldier who must fight for his life.

Best Scene: Axe tells Luttrell to send a message for him. 

Overall Rank:

1. Ben Foster in Lone Survivor
2. Ben Foster in Ain't Them Bodies Saints
3. Barkhad Abdi in Captain Phillips
4. Michael Fassbender in 12 Years a Slave
5. Matthew McConaughey in The Wolf of Wall Street
6. Ed Harris in Snowpiercer
7. Jared Leto in Dallas Buyers Club
8. Matthew McConaughey in Mud
9. Ben Foster in Kill Your Darlings
10. Sharlto Copley in Elysium
11. James Gandolfini in Enough Said
12. Woody Harrelson in Out of the Furnace
13. Eddie Marsan in Filth
14. Jeremy Renner in American Hustle
15. Javier Bardem in The Counselor
16. Colin Farrell in Saving Mr. Banks
17. Eddie Marsan in The World's End
18. Casey Affleck in Out of the Furnace
19. Richard Armitage in The Hobbit
20. Donald Sutherland in Catching Fire
21. Choi Min-sik in New World
22. Kyle Chandler in The Wolf of Wall Street  
23. Paul Dano in Prisoners
24. Hwang Jung-min in New World
25. Jean Dujardin in The Wolf of Wall Street 
26. Luke Evans in The Hobbit
27. Tom Hanks in Saving Mr. Banks
28. Robert De Niro in American Hustle
29. Paul Dano in 12 Years a Slave
30. Tom Hiddleston in Thor 2
31. Sharlto Copley in Oldboy
32. Chris Cooper in August Osage County
33. John Hurt in Snowpiercer
34. Ben Mendelsohn in The Place Beyond the Pines
35. Ben Kingsley in Iron Man 3
36. Stacy Keach in Nebraska
37. John Goodman in Inside Llewyn Davis
38. Song Kang-ho in Snowpiercer
39. Jacob Lofland in Mud
40. Paddy Considine in The World's End
41. Park Sung-woong in New World
42. Chris Evans in The Iceman
43. Rob Reiner in The Wolf of Wall Street
44. Benedict Cumberbatch in The Hobbit 
45. F. Murray Abraham in Inside Llewyn Davis
46. Nick Frost in The World's End
47. Willem Dafoe in Out of the Furnace
48. Jamie Bell in Filth
49. Keith Carradine in Ain't Them Bodies Saints
50. Ian McKellen in The Hobbit
51. Woody Harrelson in Catching Fire
52. Jim Broadbent in Filth
53. Ray Liotta in The Iceman 
54. James Badge Dale in Parkland
55. Jamie Bell in Snowpiercer
56. Andrew Dice Clay in Blue Jasmine
57. Benedict Cumberbatch in Star Trek Into Darkness
58. Sam Shepard in Mud
59. Stanley Tucci in Catching Fire
60. Bobby Cannavale in Blue Jasmine
61. Gary Lewis in Filth
62. Bob Odenkirk in Nebraska
63. Chris Chalk in 12 Years a Slave
64. Faysal Ahmed in Captain Phillips
65. Ruben Blades in The Counselor 
66. Jon Bernthal in The Wolf of Wall Street
67. Benedict Cumberbatch in 12 Years a Slave
68. Ray McKinnon in Mud
69. Terrence Howard in Prisoners
70. Ken Stott in The Hobbit
71. Jack Huston in Kill Your Darlins
72. Kevin Costner in Man of Steel
73. Harrison Ford in 42
74. David  Oyelowo in The Butler
75. Paul Giamatti in 12 Years a Slave
76. Jonah Hill in The Wolf of Wall Street
77. Samuel L. Jackson in Oldboy
78. Jeffrey Wright in Catching Fire
79. Dwayne Johnson in Pain & Gain
80. Jonathan Pryce in G.I. Joe
81. Michael Shannon in Man of Steel
82. Garret Dillahunt in 12 Years a Slave  
83. Louis C.K. in American Hustle
84. Russell Crowe in Man of Steel
85. Aidan Turner in The Hobbit 
86. Ron Perlman in Pacific Rim
87. Tony Shalhoub in Pain & Gain
88. Michael C. Hall in Kill Your Darlings
89. Ray Liotta in The Place Beyond the Pines 
90. Simon Pegg in Star Trek Into Darkness
91. Zhang Jin in The Grandmaster
92. Liev Schreiber in The Butler
93. Geoffrey Rush in The Book Thief 
94. Dwayne Johnson in Fast & Furious 6
95. Ed Harris in Pain & Gain
96. Karl Urban in Star Trek Into Darkness
97. Josh Gad in Frozen
98. Ron Donachie in Filth
99. Paul Giamatti in Saving Mr. Banks
100. Edward James Olmos in 2 Guns
101. Peter Weller in Star Trek Into Darkness
102. Michael K. Williams in 12 Years a Slave
103. B.J. Novak in Saving Mr. Banks
104. Paul Giamatti in Parkland
105. Idris Elba in Pacific Rim
106. Jim Caviezel in Escape Plan
107. Anthony Mackie in Pain & Gain
108. Chang Chen in The Grandmaster
109. Josh Hutcherson in Catching Fire
110. Bradley Whitford in Saving Mr. Banks
111. Luke Evans in Fast & Furious 6
112. Philip Seymour Hoffman in Catching Fire
113. Jason Schwartzman in Saving Mr. Banks
114. Fred Ward in 2 Guns
115. Michael Imperioli in Oldboy
116. Dean Norris in The Counselor
117. Sam Shepard in August Osage County
118. Don Cheadle in Iron Man 3
119. Robert Patrick in Lovelace
120. Garrett Hedlund in Inside Llewyn Davis
121. John Leguizamo in The Counselor
122. Nico Liersch in The Book Thief
123. Benedict Cumberbatch in August Osage County
124. Robert Davi in The Iceman
125. Bill Paxton in 2 Guns
126. Tony Danza in Don Jon
127. Justin Timberlake in Inside Llewyn Davis
128. Peter Sarsgaard in Lovelace
129. David Soul in Filth
130. Jonathan Groff in Frozen
131. Ewan McGregor in August Osage County
132. Billy Bob Thornton in Parkland
133. Bruce Greenwood in The Place Beyond the Pines
134. Ben Schnetzer in The Book Thief
135. Sam Claflin in Catching Fire 
136. John Cusack in The Butler
137. Charlie Day in Pacific Rim
138. Taylor Kitsch in Lone Survivor
139. Michael Shannon in Mud
140. Sam Neill in Escape Plan
141. Walton Goggins in G.I. Joe
142. Eric Bana in Lone Survivor
143. Brad Pitt in The Counselor
144. George Clooney in Gravity 
145. Ty Simpkins in Iron Man 3
146. Paul Walker in Fast & Furious 6 
147. Yuen Woo-ping in The Grandmaster
148. Peter Stormare in The Last Stand
149. James Franco in Spring Breakers
150. Martin Freeman in The World's End 
151. Anthony Hopkins in Thor 2
152. Diego Luna in Elysium 
153. Andre Holland in 42
154. Len Cariou in Prisoners 
155. Emile Hirsch in Lone Survivor
156. Christian McKay in Rush 
157. Peter Sarsgaard in Blue Jasmine
158. Jack Huston in American Hustle 
159. Alec Baldwin in Blue Jasmine
160. Bradley Cooper in American Hustle
161. Stephen Fry in The Hobbit
162. Max Casella in Inside Llewyn Davis
163. James Marsden in 2 Guns
164. David Thewlis in The Fifth Estate
165. Forest Whitaker in The Last Stand
166. Chad Michael Murray in Fruitvale Station
167. Guy Pearce in Iron Man 3
168. Mahershala Ali in The Place Beyond the Pines
169. Griffin Dunne in Dallas Buyers Club
170. David Cross in Kill Your Darlings
171. Vincent D'Onofrio in Escape Plan
172. Kevin Durand in Fruitvale Station
173. Channing Tatum in Side Effects
174. John Cho in Star Trek Into Darkness
175. Alan Tudyk in 42 
176. Scoot McNairy in 12 Years a Slave
177. Lee Pace in The Hobbit
178. James Marsdan in The Butler
179. Will Yun Lee in The Wolverine
180. Taran Killam in 12 Years a Slave
181. Pierce Brosnan in The World's End
182. Robin Williams in The Butler
183. Toby Huss in Enough Said 
184. Robert Kazinsky in Pacific Rim
185. Hiroyuki Sanada in The Wolverine
186. Liam Hemsworth in Catching Fire
187. William Fichtner in Elysium
188. Rob Brown in Jon Don
189. Cuba Gooding Jr. in The Butler
190. Shea Whigham in American Hustle
191. Lenny Kravitz in The Butler
192. James Ransone in Oldboy
193. Peter Hermann in Philomena
194. Ben Falcone in Enough Said 
195. Alan Rickman in The Butler
196. Clifton Collins Jr. in Pacific Rim
197. Forest Whitaker in Out of the Furnace
198. Christopher Eccleston in Thor 2
199. Zac Efron in Parkland
200. Rafael Gareisen in The Book Thief
201. Brad Pitt in 12 Years a Slave
202. Burn Gorman in Pacific Rim
203. James Franco in Lovelace
204. D.J. Cotrona in G.I. Joe
205. Eduardo Noriega in The Last Stand
206. Curtis Jackson in Escape Plan
207. Bruce Willis in G.I. Joe
208. Jeremy Luke in Don Jon
209. Anton Yelchin in Stark Trek Into Darkness
210. Orlando Bloom in The Hobbit
211. Emory Cohen in The Place Beyond the Pines
212. Terrence Howard in The Butler
213. Wagner Moura in Elysium
214. Alex Pettyfer in The Butler

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2013: James Gandolfini in Enough Said

James Gandolfini did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite receiving a posthumous SAG nomination, for portraying Albert in Enough Said. 

Enough Said is a good enough film about a divorcee Eva (Julia Louis Dreyfus) who begins a romance with another divorcee although complications ensue when she finds out her other new friend is the man's ex-wife.

The late James Gandolfini plays the other divorcee Albert, and although he has the largest male role in the film I would not put him in lead. Where Daniel Bruhl shared importance and perspective as Niki Lauda in Rush, Gandolfini's character never is given any perspective and he does not have a single scene that is not through Dreyfus's view so I can pretty easily put him in supporting. Anyway Gandolfini's Albert meets Eva at a part where they begin dating each other, although both being people who have been around for quite awhile they proceed with the whole thing in a fairly casual and particularly understated fashion. This is definitely not the usual romantic comedy style romance.

Gandolfini, who is probably best known for his tough guy roles, plays a particularly average guy here. Part of the film really is about just how average Albert has, and there is not anything that makes him a particularly notable individual. Gandolfini though pretty much goes with this idea, and tries to make Albert just a pretty average guy who has lived a pretty average life. That does not sound like an especially compelling character when you like right at it, but Gandolfini makes the most of it by just realizing fully exactly who Albert is. Gandolfini goes about making Albert interesting by simply being the best Albert he can be. Sure Albert's a normal guy but Gandolfini makes him a very real normal guy.

Gandolfini has an unassuming charm about himself here through just showing that Albert is a pretty gentle sort. Most importantly though he has great chemistry with Julia Louis Dreyfus in the film and you can always believe their relationship in the film. Gandolfini handles himself particularly well in his portrayal of Albert's various little quirks that we discover that he has. The whole idea of the quirks seems primed for Albert to become a wacky character who is more about his quirks than himself. Gandolfini never allows this to happen though making his slightly slovenly behavior completely natural to the man himself. There does not in fact seem anything odd about because Gandolfini shows it to be entirely who Albert is.

Gandolfini is very effective with Dreyfus as they both show the certain awkwardness of their whole situation with the underlying affection that slowly grows between the two. They honestly create a quiet romance that builds up to be quite winning through various small moments, rather than any broad gestures. Gandolfini's performance is enjoyable one to watch because it honestly feels like you are watching someone just be themselves. It is a nice sweet performance, that never feels though he is trying too hard. Albert does have some problems because of his wife and daughter, and Gandolfini is very subtle in showing that these problems press on Albert in the quiet sadness he shows, but never shows him to be a man overwhelmed by his problems.

A major problem arises though when Eva starts becoming critical of Albert because of what she hears about him from his ex-wife. In the scene where she offers endless criticism Gandolfini is great in portraying Albert's reaction. He does not loud or extremely confrontational in the scene. Gandolfini instead is far more moving by conveying the just how disheartened Albert is to hear the exact same things that ruined his original marriage with his wife. Above else Gandolfini's work here is based on sheer honesty, and by that he gives a endearing portrait of a man just making his way through life. This is a very good performance and it is a shame that the academy felt they had to give Jonah Hill and Bradley Cooper their second nominations rather then honor Gandolfini with one.

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2013

And the Nominees Were Not:

Ben Foster in Ain't Them Bodies Saints

Ben Foster in Lone Survivor

James Gandolfini in Enough Said

Colin Farrell in Saving Mr. Banks

Sharlto Copley in Elysium

Matthew McConaughey in Mud

Matthew McConaughey in The Wolf of Wall Street

For the prediction contest the honors go to:

Foster in Lone Survivor

McCounaughey in Wolf

(And just for Koook and RatedRStar, I picked the best troll face Sharlto Copley has to offer. Advanced apologies to both of you.)

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