Sunday, February 04, 2007

There Are No Small Parts

One of the things I love most about movie-going is the private ecstacy of a public experience. You can be sitting in the theater and what you're feeling or focusing on can be totally different than the people around you. I sometimes can't shake a single person or a single element from my mind even when other stuff has faded away. I already shared that cat purring scene from Children of Men that lodged itself in my movie-addled brain. That's the kind of thing I'm talking about.

There were two actors this year who are totally stuck in my thoughts who don't fit any acting category --not even "limited or cameo" -- they're in a good portion of their respective movies but their roles are so backgrounded that you might not have even noticed them.

I'm talking about Elizabeth Rodriguez as Detective Gina Calabrese in Miami Vice and David Oyelowo as Dr. Junju in The Last King of Scotland. Nick wrote a nice piece on the supporting cast of Scotland so I'll just direct you there and add "yup, what he said" rather emphatically. Aren't I so eloquent? As for Ms. Rodriguez. All that Miami Vice really asks her to do is fill a space in a team that movie stars work with. She does that as well as anyone might have but, for all of the film's furious visual beauty she, an actual furious beauty, was the unexpected takeaway. Detective Calabrese is always in the background, looking like someone you just don't want to mess with. She projects formidable laser focus and maybe chronic seriousness... probably not fun at office parties. But I just love how she held the frame, held the gun, held her own all while the movie asked so very little of her.

Egads, even with all these extra categories I don't have enough room! Posted Updates to the Film Bitch Awards include: Best Actor and Actress in a Limited or Cameo Role, Best Action Sequence, Best Character Intro and Best Credit/Titles and Best Opening Scene. Almost done with this insanity.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Awesome including the Hammy on speed sequence from Over the Hedge. Hands down the best comedy sequence of the year. Dreamworks CGI is definitely best when it lays off the pop-culture references.

Anonymous said...

Hooray! Marylouise Burke and Adam Brody were two of my favorites this year!

Her work is too big for this category, but I also loved Mona Hammond in Manderlay--even though that film is a mess.

Anonymous said...

Awesome call on the "accident" scene in The Descent. I got a kick out of your mentioning it.

That scene has been replaying in my mind since late summer. I can't remember the last time I was so genuinely shocked by a horror movie.

Anonymous said...

It's true; one's experience of a film can often be so much different than one's neighbours. Take tonight, for example, when I finally get to see Dreamgirls for the first time, and the entire audience was made up of kids who snickered every time anyone sang a line of dialogue. I mean... did they not get the memo about it being a musical?

I'm sitting there trying to have a religious experience as Jennifer Hudson belts out And I Am Tehhhhlling You... but all I can hear is unnecessary chatter.

Liked the film. HATED the audience!

Rob

Javier Aldabalde said...

Loving, loving these categories. 'Action' scene is so crowded this year; those 'Descent' and 'Pale Man' mentions are also terrific.

And I adore the actress in a bit role category. Lumpreave, Zabriskie... wow.

NicksFlickPicks said...

The way you felt about Elizabeth Rodriguez in Miami Vice was how I felt about the sleek, sexy, and three-dimensional Maggie Q in Mission: Impossible III. Totally dug her.

Anonymous said...

If you're going to short "Shortbus" on opening scene, fine, but it better at least get a nomination for best ending.

"Boy, I didn't see that one coming. You never know what's going to happen in this neighborhood."

Glenn Dunks said...

Haha, I'm glad you mentioned that the Limited/Cameo male category was weak this year, but nice to see Brody there.

I was surprised to not see Viola Davis in for the women though, not even as an alternate. She was the single best thing about that movie. I had to watch her scene several more times once the movie was over.

Happy about most of the others (i can't agree on the ones I haven't seen)

Glenn Dunks said...

OH! I didn't realise you had started giving out Gold/Silver/Bronze yet. Totally agree with most of them (again, I haven't seen some)