Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2002: Results

5. Richard Gere in Chicago- Gere throws himself completely into the role which certainly offers some entertainment even if he over does it at some points.

Best Scene: Give em the old razzle dazzle.

4. Dennis Quiad in Far From Heaven- Quiad is somewhat restricted by the writing of his character but he excels in his portrayal of a very repressed man.

Best Scene: Frank tells his wife about his early vacation.

3. Andy Serkis in The Two Towers- Serkis creates a unique and very interesting character through his portrayal Gollum and his multiple personalities.

Best Scene: Smeagol and Gollum face off.

2. Robin Williams in Insomnia- Robin Williams gives probably his best performance giving a chilling performance as a killer who seems absolutely genuine in his innocence even while admitting he is completely guilty.

Best Scene: Walter Finch tells why he murdered the girl. 

1. Bernard Hill in The Two Towers- This is another very personal choice but I love Bernard Hill's work in the Two Towers. He takes a character that could have been a complete throwaway but instead brings such humanity and power into his role of King Théoden.

Best Scene: King Théoden mourns his son.

Overall Rank:

1. Bernard Hill in The Two Towers
2. Christopher Walken in Catch Me If You Can
3. Robin Williams in Insomnia
4. Paul Newman in Road to Perdition
5. Andy Serkis in The Two Towers
6. Brendan Gleeson in 28 Days Later
7. Jude Law in Road to Perdition
8. Daniel Craig in Road to Perdition 
9. Brendan Gleeson in Gangs of New York 
10. Chris Cooper in Adaptation
11. Thomas Kretschmann in The Pianist
12. Sean Astin in The Two Towers
13. Tom Hanks in Catch Me If You Can
14. Dennis Quiad in Far From Heaven
15. Barry Pepper in 25th Hour
16. Christopher Lee in The Two Towers
17. John C. Reilly in Gangs of New York
18. Stephen Dillane in The Hours
19. Eric Tsang in Infernal Affairs
20. Brian Cox in 25th Hour
21. J.K. Simmons in Spider-Man
22. Philip Seymour Hoffman in 25th Hour
23. Anthony Wong in Infernal Affairs
24. Brian Cox in Adaptation
25. Liev Schreiber in The Sum of All Fears
26. Brad Dourif in The Two Towers 
27. George Clooney in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
28. Ian McKellen in The Two Towers 
29. Cliff Robertson in Spider-Man 
30. Sean Bean in The Two Towers
31. Willem Dafoe in Spider-Man
32. John C. Reilly in Chicago
33. Dennis Haysbert in Far From Heaven
34. Max von Sydow in Minority Report
35. Joaquin Phoenix in Signs
36. Philip Seymour Hoffman in Punch-Drunk Love 
37. Denzel Washington in Antone Fisher
38. Liam Neeson in Gangs of New York 
39. Michael Byrne in The Sum of All Fears
40. Stanley Tucci in Road to Perdition 
41. Richard Harris in The Count of Monte Cristo
42. Ciarian Hinds in The Sum of All Fears
43. Jim Broadbent in Gangs of New York 
44. Billy Boyd in The Two Towers
45. Richard Harris in The Chamber of Secrets
46. Frank Finlay in The Pianist
47. Noah Huntley in 28 Days Later
48. Kenneth Branagh in The Chamber of Secrets
49. Rutger Hauer in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
50. Christopher Lee in Attack of the Clones
51. Richard Gere in Chicago
52. Luiz Guzman in Punch-Drunk Love
53. Michael Wincott in The Count of Monte Cristo
54. Jason Isaacs in The Chamber of Secrets 
55. Colin Farrell in Minority Report 
56. Alfred Molina in Frida
57. James Cromwell in The Sum of All Fears
58. John C. Reilly in The Hours
59. David Wenham in The Two Towers 
60. Rupert Grint in The Chamber of Secrets
61. Morgan Freeman in The Sum of All FEars
62. John Rhys-Davies in The Two Towers
63. Jeremy Irons in The Time Machine
64. Peter Stormare in Minority Report
65. Alan Bates in Sum of All Fears 
66. Orland Bloom in The Two Towers 
67. Dominic Monaghan in The Two Towers
68. Karl Urban in The Two Towers
69. Tom Wilkinson in The Importance of Being Earnest
70. Guy Pearce in The Count of Monte Cristo
71. Gary Cole in One Hour Photo
72. Tim Blake Nelson in Minority Report 
73. Henry Cavill in The Count of Monte Cristo
74. Christopher Eccleston in 28 Days Later
75. James Franco in Spider-Man
76. Henry Thomas in Gangs of New York 
77. Luis Guzman in the Count of Monte Cristo
78. Rory Culkin in Signs
79. Orlando Jones in The Time Machine
80. Martin Sheen in Catch Me If You Can
81. John Noble in The Two Towers
82. Geoffrey Rush in Frida 
83. Ed Harris in The Hours
84. Rip Torn in Men in Black 2
85. Tony Siragusa in 25th Hour
86. Dermot Mulroney in About Schmidt
87. Dylan Smith in One Hour Photo
88. Michael Madsen in Die Another Day
89. Howard Hesseman in About Schmidt
90. Toby Stephens in Die Another Day
91. Eric Lloyd in The Santa Clause 2
92. Johnny Knoxville in Men in Black 2
93. Rick Yune in Die Another Day
94. Rob Schneider in Mr. Deeds

Next Year: 1950 lead

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2002: Robin Williams in Insomnia

Robin Williams did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Walter Finch in Insomnia.

Insomnia is about a homicide detective under investigation by internal affairs Will Dormer (Al Pacino) who is sent to Alaska to investigate the murder of a local teen while he plagued by guilt and the inability to sleep due to the midnight sun. It's an effective thriller even though it unfortunately has Hillary Swank in it who should only be cast in very rare circumstances. 

In 2002 Robin Williams rejected his standard on screen persona with his startling but sympathetic turn in One Hour Photo and in Insomnia. Williams again is playing against his usual type once again, and like One Hour Photo he does not even give a hint of his comedic work. As with many films where the killer is a mystery at least at first, and a famous actor has yet to make his appearance it is fairly safe to assume that he is going to be the killer. Insomnia actually pretty much takes this as a given as the first we even know of Williams it is hearing his voice revealing that he is the killer to Pacino's character. This actually is a pretty interesting way to introduce the character that might have not worked if it wasn't Williams's familiar voice over the phone.

Even though it is only his voice Williams makes a strong impact to begin with with his eerily calm delivery as he speaks. Finch isn't calling Dormer to turn himself in nor is he calling in the often used villain calling the hero routine but rather to make a deal as Finch was a witness to Dormer shooting and killing his partner. William's performance is very interesting in that even his voice is strangely calm there is nothing overtly evil about it either. He finds such startling tone for just his manner in which Finch talks that instantly makes him a fascinating character before we have even met him as Williams opens up with a mystery of this man only leaving us to what to know exactly what is behind the man who speaks in such a gentle way about his murder.

When Dormer finally meets Finch face to face Williams does not disappoint. His Finch is very different from his Sy in One Hour Photo even though it might seem like Williams might tread a little water in his performance but he does not. As Finch there is not anything that would make you instantly pinpoint him as a murderer at least in his style. He is again technically a lonely man, but in this case a very different sort of lonely man. Unlike in his leading work from this year Williams portrays the man who is all alone with a great degree of contentment most of the time. Williams doesn't make Finch seem desperate in any way, and part of what makes this performance so effective is that Williams does not plays Finch as the aggressive killer instead creates a more complex portrait.

When Finch lays out his plans to Dormer which involve framing somewhat else for the murder there is something so strange yet absolutely brilliant about Williams's performance. Everything that Finch lays out he words so nicely and puts it together like a set of plot points they both need to follow to make sure that they both escape any judgment. Why this is brilliant is that Finch himself is a mystery writer and Williams does two things by taking this approach. Firstly he shows that Finch has a certain ego in his writing so much that he will even keep using the writer's lingo and keep a distance even though he is the killer. Secondly though he suggests the way Finch has become since the murder and although it is his very first and now that he can view himself away from it that he could very easily become a serial killer due to his changed nature.

A particularly interesting thing that Williams does here is dominate his scenes with Pacino even though Dormer is the far more volatile one of the two. What Williams does though is basically create the dominance through an odd complacency. As they set up the plan Finch always urges on Dormer one way or another to follow his plan exactly. Williams does this with this odd charisma as even when he is insulted he barely bats an eye always gently pushing his ideas over Dormer's objections. There is also something else there as Finch consistently praises Dormer and his profession as well as trying to convince Dormer to go along with him as a way to do the right thing. Williams is amazing because it is impossible to tell whether he is being genuine in this praise and it comes off as just the easiest way for Finch to control Dormer all the more.

Williams's very best scene is when he tells Dormer about what exactly happened when he killed the girl. Williams lets go ever so slightly of the writer making his own story in this scene, although only ever so slightly. It is a very strange scene but testament to how good Williams is here as he makes you actually sympathize with Finch even though all he is doing is admitting he killed the girl. Again there is something else though as Williams brings just the smallest hint of a seething emotion under neath Finch's almost cherub like smile, and lets onto to where the extreme hatred came from that came when he killed the girl. This scene is incredible moment for Williams because even as he makes Finch seem like a man who did kill by accident what he actually is doing at the same time is showing how Finch is truly reprehensible as he has become a man who can completely rationalize his brutal murder. 

I think Robin Williams probably should contractually obligated to play a potential psychopath as he quite good at it, and it is quite an achievement that he doesn't repeat himself at all in his two portrayals of that sort from 2002. Williams pretty much makes every move you would not expect from Robin Williams playing a psychopathic murderer. In that he downplays everything evil about his character even though it is something that always within his characterization nevertheless. One of my favorite scenes that I think sums up the effectiveness of Williams's performance is late in the film as he and Dormer seem to have fixed everything up just right for themselves. Finch once again plays the nice man saying everything Dormer did was the right thing to do, and Williams is able to be honest with this sentiment even while he actually is not. That dynamic though makes Walter Finch such a chilling character though when he says that he will wrap everything up. Williams in his face gives the face of a man just giving a little bit of comfort, but in his eyes he is man who leaves the possibility that this wrap up probably will mean at least writing just one more murder in to end his story.

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2002

And the Nominees Were Not:

Andy Serkis in The Two Towers

Bernard Hill in The Two Towers

Dennis Quaid in Far From Heaven

Robin Williams in Insomnia

Richard Gere in Chicago

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Alternate Best Actor 2002: Results

5. Edward Norton in 25th Hour- Edward Norton gives a solid performance, but never one that stands above his film.

Best Scene: Monty speaks with his father.

4. Ralph Fiennes in Spider- Fiennes gives an uncompromising performance delving into the instability of a deranged man.

Best Scene: Cleg tries to reenact his mother's murder.

3. Robin Williams in One Hour Photo-Williams reigns in himself completely giving an nerving yet sympathetic turn as a lonely man with an unhealthy obsession.

Best Scene: Sy's outburst at the police.

2. Tony Leung Chiu-Wai in Infernal Affairs- Leung gives an endearing and moving portrayal of a cop worn away by pretending to be criminal for far too long.

Best Scene: The two moles meet.

1. Ray Liotta in Narc- My win goes to Ray Liotta surprisingly heartbreaking turn as efficient cop who is willing to break too many rules to do what he believes is the right thing. 

Best Scene: Oak recounts what really happened in the tunnel.

Overall Rank:

1. Ray Liotta in Narc
2. Adrien Brody in The Pianist
3. Tony Leung Chiu-Wai in Infernal Affairs
4. Jack Nicholson in About Schmidt
5. Nicolas Cage in Adaptation
6. Daniel Day-Lewis in Gangs of New York 
7. Andy Lau in Infernal Affairs 
8. Cillian Murphy in 28 Days Later 
9. Robin Williams in One Hour Photo
10. Ralph Fiennes in Spider
11. Leonardo DiCaprio in Catch Me If You Can 
12. Adam Sandler in Punch-Drunk Love
13. Sam Rockwell in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
14. Tom Hanks in Road to Perdition
15. Tom Cruise in Minority Report
16. Viggo Mortensen in The Two Towers
17. Al Pacino in Insomnia 
18. Michael Caine in The Quiet American
19. Mel Gibson in Signs
20. Jason Patric in Narc
21. Edward Norton in 25th Hour
22. Derek Luke in Antwone Fisher 
23. Elijah Wood in The Two Towers
24. Tyler Hoechlin in Road to Perdition
25. Song Kang-Ho in Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
26. Rupert Everette in The Importance of Being Earnest
27. Shin Ha-kyun in Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
28. Ben Affleck in The Sum of All Fears
29. Guy Pearce in The Time Machine
30. James Caviezel in The Count of Monte Cristo 
31. Colin Firth in The Importance of Being Earnest
32. Daniel Radcliffe in The Chamber of Secrets 
33. Tobey Maguire in Spider-Man
34. Leonardo DiCaprio in Gangs of New York
35. Richard Gere in The Mothman Prophecies
36. Kevin Bacon in Trapped
37. Nicolas Cage in Windtalkers
38. Colin Farrell in Hart's War
39. Robin Williams in Death to Smoochy
40. Ewan McGregor in Attack of the Clones 
41. Edward Norton in Death to Smoochy
42. Mike Myers in Goldmember
43. Stuart Townsend in Trapped
44. Pierce Brosnan in Die Another Day
45. Tim Allen in The Santa Clause 2
46. Will Smith in Men in Black 2 
47. Adam Beach in Windtalkers
48. Adam Sandler in Mr. Deeds
49. Hayden Christensen in Attack of the Clones

Next Year: 2002 Supporting

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Alternate Best Actor 2002: Robin Williams in One Hour Photo

Robin Williams did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite being nominated for a few critic awards, for portraying Seymour "Sy" Parrish in One Hour Photo.

One Hour Photo is an effective thriller about a worker at a one hour photo who becomes obsessed with the family of one of his customers who he sees as ideal.

Robin Williams has not been a preferred performer for me, and it is not that I don't think he has talent. He is funny comedian but his style of comedy rarely works within a character, and it can be especially distracting when he throws in a comedic bit in an otherwise straight performance and really breaks cahracter just to have a moment for Robin Williams the comedian. Robin Williams performance here is the first time, out of his performances that I have reviewed, where I can say that he doesn't once fall onto his abilities as comedian, and instead stays with his character for the entire film.

Williams is very much against his usually lively type portraying Sy the man who runs a photo booth in a large department store. Sy is a very lonely man who only seems to take solace in that he is good at his job as well as in the photos of a life he dreamed he had. Williams really reigns himself in as he portrays Sy as a very introverted, and at least at first quiet man. As the worker at the booth Williams puts on a smile to the customers as a good employee should but as well as man trying to be happier than he is. Within his eyes Williams suggests appropriately an anguish and deep seeded sadness in the man that is something almost always prevalent in some way.

Sy is a disturbed man although not disturbed in the way you might expect. He makes copies of the happy photos for himself, but technically speaking his intentions for this are not evil. He has no sinister plans for the father, the mother, or son all he really wants to be is part of their life and apparently would be happy just to be their friend. Williams does well not to try to make Sy any psychopath in this regard and his obsessions with the family are handled in just the right way. Williams most certainly is unnerving in his portrayal as Sy tries to get just the slightest connection with any of the family, but Williams is genuine in Sy's desires which although are off putting are understandable in that it is a lonely man looking for someone to love.

Williams is very good in his creation of Sy as a character because he allows sympathy for the man while at the same time building the unease by establishing that Sy definitely has problems that go even beyond his loneliness. In every attempt just to work his way into his good graces we see the genuine desire just for friendship in Williams's performance so we do feel for him. At the same time Williams though does bring across the unpleasantness of the situation in the way Sy both comes on too strongly each time as well as never seems to be able to connect with them. This dynamic that Williams creates makes every scene where Sy tries to befriend any of the family members particularly effective as they heartfelt while being off putting.

Sy's mental state quickly begins to deteriorate when he fired from his job for making all the copies of the photos, and to only further his distress he learns that his ideal family is less than perfect with the husband being an adulterer. Robin Williams is pent up for most of the film so when he unravels it might have been an easy time to overact, Williams though stays within the character of Sy and is very effective as Sy begins to come up with a very strange plan.Sy slowly begins to unravel to the point he finally seems to snap as he enacts his bizarre plan. Williams is very good because he is careful not to make Sy just an evil psychopath even though he is brandishing a knife. He's quite frightening to be sure because Williams still makes it the same old Sy who has finally let loose his rage.

Throughout the film it is apparent that something in Sy's past has brought him not only to his introverted state, but as well in his obsession with the family. Williams certainly gives subtle hints throughout, but it is more apparent in his last scene as Sy's explains why he did what he did. When Sy opens up this time about himself it is a powerful scene and Williams is heartbreaking as we see exactly what happened to Sy. Although it is not fully explained actually it is made obvious by Williams's flawless delivery of Sy's final speech on how exactly how father's should treat their sons. This is a very strong performance by Robin Williams that drives the film exceedingly well. I won't say Williams's turn even surprised me, as I always thought he had talent, instead this is just a great example of how good he can be when he reigns himself in.

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Alternate Best Actor 2002

And the Nominees Were Not:

Tony Leung Chiu-Wai in Infernal Affairs

Robin Williams in One Hour Photo

Ray Liotta in Narc

Ralph Fiennes in Spider

Edward Norton in 25th Hour

I apologize in advance if I left off any of your favorites, but this year was packed.

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