Best Supporting Actor 2012

5. Robert De Niro - Silver Linings Playbook
De Niro has got a fine character in a very good film, but he fails to bring anything into it. There's nothing he did with this character. It's hard for me to even say something about it, for I've seen the film six days ago, and yet I don't remember anything about him. He wanted to play it realisticly, but he was boring and forgettable, instead. I'm sad, because he took place some better supporting performance...

4. Alan Arkin - Argo
Yes, he was there just to be there. His character doesn't have a big purpose, but who cares. He was very nice and likable in all of his scenes, but the truth is he never tried to do something with his role, so that he would be just a little bit memorable. It's also true that he didn't have enough space to shine, but didn't bring much effort to it, either. Another forgettable performance between this year's nominees, but this one was at least funny...

3. Tommy Lee Jones - Lincoln

Right now I can't think of anyone, who'd handle this role better than Jones did. It's written as another of the thousands of supporting players that are in Lincoln, it means it's written forgettably. Jones makes this character interesting and pleasure to watch. Though his last scene is destroying his character, he never allows to fully do it and handles it very gently. That's probably what De Niro and Arkin should do with their characters...

2. Philip Seymour Hoffman - The Master

Playing Lancaster Dodd, the master of scientologic church, Philip Seymour Hoffman should be charming and authoritative. We all knew he can handle that. But his character also should be full of doubts. Why is he doing all this? He's a normal husband, which loves his family and friends, but why is he doing all of this? Does he really believes in everything he says and does? Should we believe in that? These are the questions his performance makes us ask, but we never get a satisfactory answer...

1. Christoph Waltz - Django Unchained

Django Unchained is one of the best films of 2012 and Waltz's performance is one of the best performances of the year. He obviously enjoys playing this character and if an actor enjoys playing his character, so do we enjoy watching his performance. He is funny, charming and adorable. He can be a worthy adversary to the co-stars of the film and the naive simplicity his character handles all of the problems and the way he portrayed it, gives him bonus points...

My Nominees:
1. Christoph Waltz - Django Unchained
2. Javier Bardem - Skyfall
3. Dwight Henry - Beasts of the Southern Wild
4. Matthew McConaughey - Magic Mike
5. Leonardo DiCaprio - Django Unchained

Best Supporting Actor 2012: Tommy Lee Jones - Lincoln

I usually start my review with an extremely short review of the film. But I'm not going to do it this time, because it'll be important to say in Daniel Day-Lewis's review and I don't want to repeat myself. The only thing you need to know is that it's definitely technically great, but I didn't enjoy it very much.
Tommy Lee Jones plays a congressman Stevens in Lincoln. The truth is that if this character wasn't played by Jones, it would very probably not be even nominated. The first reason is, that the film wants him to be nominated, so it always tries to remind us, that he's there, even in scenes, where he's there to do nothing. When he's supposed to just sit in the background. But there always is shot or two, so that we wouldn't forget his presence.
The other reason is, that Jones handles this character very well and in the hands of anybody else this character would be as forgettable, as the most of the supporting players in Lincoln. (Everyone was playing very good in Lincoln, but I will forget some characters and performances a two days after watching it, e.g. John Hawkes or James Spader.) Jones with his way of portraying this character will always be remembered, when think of Lincoln.
There is not a single scene he would fail. Not even his last scene (*SPOILER*), where we find out that he is living and is in love with a black woman. This scene completely destroys his character, but it's not Jones's fault. This scene, in my opinion, shouldn't absolutely be in the film. But Jones does what he is able to, to help his character not to be completely destroyed, but it's almost impossible to succeed. But he did the best he could in this situation... (*Spoiler ends*)
His best scene, though, is the one, where is forced to completely control himself and say that he doesn't believe in equality of everyone. That's actually going to be his Oscar clip, I guess.
The chances of winning an Oscar: It's either him, or Waltz winning...

Best Supporting Actor 2012: Christoph Waltz - Django Unchained

Django Unchained is one of the best films released the previous year. It's extremely funny and entertaining and in my opinion it's the best Tarantino's film (from what I've seen from him). There probably isn't a single boring scene, which I wouldn't enjoy. Christoph Waltz plays Dr. King Schultz, the bounty hunter. It is the matter of many discussions, if Waltz is leading or supporting here. I don't usually care about this, especially not if the leading performance is to be in the supporting category.
The first time we see his character is in the first scene after the opening subtitles and it stays there almost till the end. Therefore I'd say it's rather co-leading performance, than supporting, but it doesn't absolutely matter.
From this first scene we know Waltz is going to rule the film. He's really funny and entertaining in this scene (and throughout the entire film) and it's obvious he greatly enjoys playing this character. Waltz adorably shows the wonderful simplicity King handles all the problems, which is almost bound to naivety.
As I said, he really is the King of the film. This fact is changing after an hour of the film, when Leonardo DiCaprio appears in the film. It's not Waltz's fault, his character is just shifted in the shadow of DiCaprio's character. And the fact that DiCaprio is playing as greatly and passionately, as Waltz, just singles that out. But it's not a big deal, because Waltz plays wonderfully every moment he has. This 'overshadowing' ends in the last half an hour of his performance.
Many people compare this performance with Waltz's creation in Inglourious basterds. He handles both of them really excellently, but here he plays a positive character. And if I had to choose, I would probably go for his affirmative side, for it fits Waltz a little more, that we can sympathize with him.
It's almost impossible to choose his best scene, because he is perfect in every second on the screen. No way I could say just one...
The chances of winning an Oscar: They are quite solid, actually. It's either him, or Jones I think. Right now I think it's going to be him (yes, I changed my mind), because I think Harvey it really going to root for him...

Best Supporting Actor 2012: Alan Arkin - Argo

Argo is quite and enjoyable political thriller about a man called Tony Mendes (Ben Affleck) trying to rescue six hostages from Teheran. He uses the way of pretending to be a part of a film crew. To make it all look more realistic, he invites some real filmmakers to it, for example makeup artist John Chambers (John Goodman) and famous producer Lester Siegel played by Alan Arkin.
Many people blame Arkin here for playing the same character as he did in his previously Oscar-nominated (and winning) performance in Little Miss Sunshine. It's really undeniable that his performances are similar. But it's not his fault, these characters just are similar and there's nothing Arkin could do with this fact. The only thing he could do is just play it the best way he was able to, and that's not exactly what he did.
He succeeded to be funny and likable, but failed to be remarkable. He really isn't the first thing that will come to your mind when you think of Argo. And he's not even the second, not the third thing. The fact that he doesn't have much screen-time also doesn't help him much.
His presence in his scenes is certainly nice, but I think this character offers him more options to do with it, than he actually did. In my eyes he was a little bit overshadowed by John Goodman, which also wasn't somehow remarkable, but at least he did something with his role. But that's another story...
When I was thinking about Arkin's best scene, I realized there is no best scene of his performance. It's because his performance consists of many extremely short moments. There's no scene, where he would shine, or be even able to shine. Therefore it's not just him, who I blame for making this character so lackluster. But I was forced into telling you one moment, I would go for the scene he's getting the rights for shooting sci-fi Argo.
So, to sum it up: Arkin plays a nice and likable character in Argo, which just didn't get enough space to shine. But Arkin didn't bring much effort to it, either...
The chances of winning an Oscar: The lowest from all of the nominees. I would be extremely surprised, if he won.

Best Supporting Actor 2012: Robert De Niro - Silver Linings Playbook

In Silver Linings Playbook Robert De Niro plays a father of Bradley Cooper's leading character Pat. As I wrote in my review of Jennifer Lawrence, I really liked Silver Linings Playbook. It is quite strange romantic comedy, but it doesn't mean it's bad.
The first time we see De Niro's character is at the beginning of the film, when Pat returns from the hospital. I must say I was a little bit disappointed after it. I've been expecting something really outstanding, something close to De Niro's best performances. When I understood, it's not going to be very juicy part, I was ready to fully enjoy his subtle performance. But somehow I didn't enjoy it very much.
You may say he didn't have many things to do in Silver Linings Playbook. And you'd be definitely right. The only thing he's there to, is to complain about Pat and talk about football. But he has got some scenes, he could use and be more than just 'decent'. For example, the scene he's crying in. It wasn't bad, but I felt as if he was playing a different character in this scene. It doesn't correspond with the rest of his performance.
Even his best scene, in my opinion, is not Oscar-worthy. It's the scene the picture above is from.
I understand what De Niro wanted to do with this character. He wanted to play it realisticly. But it just isn't. Mostly because the script just isn't realistic, but also because of him. Instead of being realistic, he was just lackluster. You really won't remember his performance two weeks after watching the film. And I'm not even talking about the fact, that the chemistry between him and Weaver is really bad.
The chances of winning an Oscar: He's the third. I would be very surprised (and upset), if he won.

Best Supporting Actor 2012: Philip Seymour Hoffman - The Master

Paul Thomas Anderson has always been a very self-conscious director and writer. And though I prefer his previous film There will be blood, I can't say I didn't like The Master. It's a very solid film with a great message. It doesn't have to - and probably even doesn't - fit everyone. But everyone must admit its undeniable qualities, for instance its performances.
Philip Seymour Hoffman plays the master of The Cause who persuaded Joaqin Phoenix's character to join them. It's a very backhanded character, which makes it more difficult to play. We never know, if it's positive, or negative. We doubt about him and we never know, if he's talking right, or not. The Master actually reminds me of Doubt. You may say I'm crazy, but there is a similarity: we never know, whether we should trust Hoffman's character and whether we should stand on his side. These kinds of characters suit Hoffman greatly and he can handle them with ease, though they are very hard to play.
Hoffman's first mention-worthy scene is the first dialogue between Phoenix and him. They're on Hoffman's boat and he's detecting what Phoenix is doing there and how did he get there. Hoffman is very subtle in this scene, but certainly not boring. His charm is palpable.
The contrast that makes this character so backhanded is in the way he behaves and the way he speaks. The rational part of ourselves says that the things he speaks are bullshits. But the instinctive part of ourselves feels he's a nice likable guy.
Hoffman wonderfully portrayed Lancaster Dodd as a loving and beloved husband and also very manipulative and authoritative man. Every aspect of this performance may be flawless. The three of his best scenes are in my opinion the best scenes of the film: in the prison, the scene he's singing in and the scene of the first interrogating. Especially in the last mentioned scene wonderfully mirrors the contrast of this character. Well done, Mr. Hoffman!
The chances of winning an Oscar: Unfortunately, they are not very big, in my opinion. In fact, he is the fourth after Jones, Waltz and De Niro. But what can I do with that?

Next Year: Best Supporting Actor 2012

The Nominees:
Alan Arkin - Argo
Christoph Waltz - Django Unchained
Philip Seymour Hoffman - The Master
Robert De Niro - Silver Linings Playbook
Tommy Lee Jones - Lincoln (predicted winner)

So, please, comment. Who was snubbed? How would your nominees look like? Who would you like to win? Who do you think I'll let win? And how do you think I'll rate these performances?