I will write an article about "Academy Awards 2019 Best Actress Race: The Bloodbath" (seriously, I've already started writing it and a study on Robert Downey Jr. too because of "Celebrating The Avengers", but TIFF and Oscar race are priorities now)... I was predicting all these actresses to enter the race and while I was pretty sure Layne would be a revelation (I trust Jenkins) and that Roberts would become an easy frontrunner after seeing Ben is Back teaser (seriously, her expression when she hugs Lucas Hedges is so moving it is Oscar-worthy alone), I was not expecting Moore and Davis to be these well-received!
Right now, for Best Actress, I'm considering: Glenn Close (The Wife), Olivia Colman (The Favourite), Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born), Kiki Layne (If Beale Street Could Talk, not many reviews yet, but early reactions are quite positive), Julia Roberts (Ben is Back), Viola Davis (Widows), Julianne Moore (Gloria Bell), Nicole Kidman (Destroyer), Thomasin McKenzie (Leave No Trace), Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?), Elsie Fisher (Eight Grade), Yalitza Aparicio (Roma) and Carey Mulligan (Wildlife) - we will be crying 2018 Oscar snubed performances for centuries to come!
Just have a look at the reviews:
- JULIA ROBERTS in Ben is Back
"Julia Roberts blasts through this family reunion drama-turned-thriller with one of the most forceful performances of her career." - Wendy Ide, Screen International
"It’s an uneven film, but a deeply passionate one that also features an A-list actress at the top of her game. (...) “Ben Is Back” is anchored by a stunning performance from Julia Roberts, her best in years, which shows the grieving frustration that a mother can feel when the son she loves goes down the deep end of addiction. There are moments in the film when Roberts’ face alone showcases a whirlwind of emotions in a single stare." - Jordan Ruimy, The Playlist
"Judging by the look on Julia Roberts’ face — a tangle of delight, concern, fear, and forgiveness that’s simultaneously universal and something only this one living actress could convey so well — his return is the best present any mother could hope for" - Peter Debruge, Variety
- KIKI LAYNE in If Beale Street Could Talk
"As in the novel, the action unfolds from Tish’s perspective, and the unknown Layne is electric as a young woman determined not to crumble in the face of a system that’s indifferent at best and cruel at worst" - Norman Wilner, NOW Toronto
"Layne’s voice sets a perpetual mood for the picture: touching, generous, sentimental, and purely innocent. She is incapable of enunciating anything but love, despite the at times unfair fate that befalls her and her lover." - J. Don Birnam, Splash Report
- JULIANNE MOORE in Gloria Bell
"A precision-engineered showcase for Julianne Moore" - Allan Hunter, Screen International
"Stepping into a role memorably originated by Paulina Garcia, Moore appears in almost every frame of Gloria Bell, and makes every one count with an utterly natural and quietly spellbinding star performance" - Stephen Dalton, Hollywood Reporter
"It is a flat-out showcase for Moore, and it’s simply invigorating to see an actress of her caliber capture a character so memorably." - Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com
- VIOLA DAVIS in Widows
"“Widows” largely belongs to Davis, whose character steps into her husband’s shoes when every other option runs out. The actress has never been more commanding: Veronica’s a stern, driven woman" - Eric Kohn, indieWire
"(...) her need for vengeance, comprehension and, ultimately, survival providing the most burning motivation of all the women. Stern, driven, unstoppable and haunted, Veronica is the axle around which the rest of the action turns, and Davis is reliably outstanding in the role" - Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter
"He’s fond of getting up and close on Davis’ face, and who can blame him – the actress is a powerhouse, and while her character is frequently cold and no-nonsense, we feel like we get to know her through Davis’ work here." - Chris Evangelista, Slashfilm
Comments