Friday's Best Actor

Abigail Breslin

This week ,I would like to highlight the brilliant performance in the sister's keeper a film adaptation of the Jodi Picoult novel of the same name.She plays Anna Fizgerald who is brought into the world just for being a back-up so that her sick sister can live.It was a okay film but with very almost perfect characters but the performance of the cast especially from Oscar Nominee Abigail was brilliant.She carried the film  and all the scenes involving with Cameron Diaz and the other adult actors ,she outshone all of them giving a mature performance.Her chemistry with co-star Sofia(who plays the sick sister) works and she manages to change her character personality from being vulnerable with her siblings and outspoken and bold towards her parents in convincing way.

Friday's Best Actor

Bryce Dallas Howard

This week I would like to highlight Bryce Dallas Howard performance as Hilly in the film adaptation of  the novel  The Help by Kathryn Stockett.While  Viola Davis,Octavia Spencer and Jessica Chastain got most the attention from the critics and audience,I felt Bryce's performance was  the best thing in the film.She can really play a mean character while being charismatic at the same time.And her southern accent was at top notch too.It was her superb portrayal of Hilly made the comedy scene between Minny worked.

Friday's Best Actor

Winona Ryder

In the film adaptation of the  novel The Age of Innocence directed by Martin Scorsese,Winona Ryder played the innocent May Welland who loves trusts and love a lawyer(Daniel Day Lewis)  sincerely.She exudes innocence through her expression even though when you realise she is manipulating her husband and she knew about the her husband other love.No wonder Winona was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for this role.My favourite scene was the scene where she places her head on her husband lap and announced that she is pregnant.She was so good in that scene that makes the audience wonder whether she is really pregnant or not.

She is a very unique actress and its a sad thing she doesn't do many films.However she will appearing in a film opposite James Franco about a paranoid splay director.

Friday's Best Actor

Kate Winslet

In the film adaptation of the novel Little Children  by Tom Perotta saw Kate Winslet playing a mom in a failing marriage where her husbands starts addicted to porn and  finding some peace by starting an affair with her  a man(Patrick Wilson) a stay at home father.Kate Winslet as usual was great playing the character who get lost due to her failing marriage and tries to overcome it by affair and sex until to a point forgetting her own daughter.We do feel the pain and pity this  character Sarah played Kate and in a weird way ,even though we realise what Sarah is doing is wrong, we want the best for her.Out of the topic:Jennifer Connelly was equally good playing Patrick Wilson wife.

Friday's Best Actor

Jake Gyllenhaal

The film Jarhead based on the memoir of Anthony Swofford,saw Jake Gyllenhaal playing the titular character.what so different about this film compared to other war film is that while most war film focuses on the war itself and some films focus on the mental state after the war ,Jarhead explores the mental state of the soldier waiting for the war and during the war itself.its more on the soldier worrying about their girlfriends at home might be cheating them,the dehydration,the frustration and many more.Jake Gyllenhaal was so good in the role and the audience can feel his character's wearing down by his convincing portrayal.My favourite scene would be when Anthony(Jake) tries to shoot his friend,fellow soldier due to a metal breakdown and his phone call to his girlfriend who confides to him that she has moved on and have a new boyfriends.Another scene that is so shocking would be the 'deer hunter tape 'scene where one of the soldier's wife sends him a sex tape of her and his neighbour in order to show her frustration as a army wife toward him .Seeing him yelling and crying and Jake who is now so fed up of life still sitting there wanting to watch the tape shows how affected are the soldiers even before the actual war.

Friday's Best Actor

Michelle Pfeiffer

In the film adaptation of the novel Stardust by Neil Gaiman saw Michelle Pfeiffer as the eldest witch who craves for youth and immortality.Stardust is actually an underrated film.It is not like the LOTR films but it is not a bad film either .I loved the novel and the film did live up to the expectation and Michelle performance as Lamia was one of pluses in film.Another interesting actor/character in the film would be Robert De Niro as a effeminate captain  and a young Henry Cavill with a moustache.

Friday's Best Actor

Michelle Williams

In the  film adaptation of the novel Shutter's Island by Dennis Lehane,the character Dolores Canal played by Michelle Williams appears in a visions , flashback and in a almost ghostly character.Although appearing  for a small time onscreen ,Michelle Williams does manage to leave impact playing the melancholic victim and make us wonder what really happened to her,and the scene where it was revealed that even though she's a victim,she herself  murdered her two child by drowning them was one of the  scene that gives goosebumps  in the movie.I also loved  the scene when Michelle Williams after murdering her children,almost having no regret and kissing her husband(Leonardo DiCaprio)

Friday's Best Actor

Stanley Tucci

Stanley Tucci portrayal of Mr Harvey in the movie adaptation of the novel The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold is this week best actor.Playing a paedophile who murdered the 14 year old Susie Salmon(played by Saoirse Ronan) in the film received many accolades from the critics  including a best supporting actor nod for the Oscars. Stanley Tucci body language and even the way he talks in the film(as though his mouth is full) was amazing.I loved all the scenes involving Tucci in this film especially the scene where he is in the water tub after he murdered Susie almost giving  satisfied ,on high look towards the camera and the scene where Susie's father realises it was Harvey that killed his daughter.

Friday's Best Actor

Taraji P.Henson

Taraji P.Henson portrayed Queenie in the film adaptation of the short story(only some parts of the short story are retained in the movie), The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button by F.Scott Fitzgerald.Taraji P.Henson portrayal of Queenie,the black woman who begins to raise Benjamin ,the baby she found outside the nursing home received critical acclaim from both the critics and audience.Her character Queenie is a warm character and probably a living meaning to say physical appearance had nothing to do with true love. Even though being a white in race and having a weird look,Queenie sees Benjamin as a normal kid and shower him with love as her own.Although  having small screen time,Taraji manages to shine in all the scenes she were in.The church scene and the scene where she bathes Benjamin are some of my favourite.You see the love she had for Benjamin and Taraji was nothing but superb in those scenes.A well deserved Academy nomination for Taraji.

Friday's Best Actor

Andy Serkis

Andy Serkis as the Smeagol(Gollum) in The Lord Of The Rings trilogy the adaptation of the J.R.R. Tolkien masterpiece trilogy of the same name and he would be be reprising his role in the upcoming  Hobbit film.His portrayal as Smeagol was one of the highlight of the film especially the voice.His body language as smeagol was perfect.My favourite scenes of Gollum would be when the transformation of Gollum is explained ,the day he and his friend found the ring.The fish eating scene remains clear in my mind and the scenes where he tries to steal the ring from Frodo during the third film where he speaks in both personality.Andy Serkis definitely raised the bar for the future  CGI voice actors.

Friday's Best Actor

Gabourey Sidibe

Gabourey Sidibe played Clarice 'Precious' Jones in the film Precious, the adaptation of the novel Push by Saphire.She played the character of the sixteen year old obese African American girl who is now pregnant carrying her father's child  and also faced physical abuse from her mother.Anyone who had watched Gabourey Sidibe interviews or at a event  will agree that Gabourey is the complete apposite of the Precious.It is shocking to see the sweet and girly Gabourey Sidibe transforming into the tortured Precious.Her performance in the film was amazing.She managed  give range of performances in the film from the girly personality in the dream Precious created,to a single teen mother,to a daughter who is abused ,to a mother who wants to change herself in order to provide a better life for her children.Unlike all the other characters  that appeared in the film ,Gabourey spoke very less but managed to deliver with a extraordinary performance.The stare she gave to her mother when her mother hits her or the blank look she had during the first half of the movie is amazing.My favourite scene would be the scene Precious breaks down to Ms Blu Rain that nobody lover her and love had done nothing  good to her.It was moving.The shoplifting scene and the scene where you see Precious reading her first essay is some of my favourite too.However, I had to mention the staircase fight between Gabourey and Mo'nique  and the scene where Mo'nique breaks down to Mariah Carey's character is immaculate.Gabourey didn't speak much during both of these scenes but the  facial expression and the body language is amazing.All of this in her debut film......BRAVO!!

Friday's Best Actor

Andrew Garfield

The adaptation of the novel by Ben Mezrich ,The Accidental Billionares: The Founding Of Facebook,A Tale Of Sex,Money,Genius And Betrayal saw Andrew Garfield potraying the co-founder Facebook ,Eduardo Saverin.Andrew Garfield performance as the co-founder won him praises from  the critics.We had seen him in the film Boy A and Never Let Me Go before this.Although it was Jesse Eisenberg stole almost all the scenes in the movie,Andrew Garfield managed to shine too especially in those scenes in the boardroom during the private trial.The scene where he asks Jesse Eisenberg "you told them about chicken too?" was one of them.The scene where he was confronted by Justin Timberlake character during the end of the film was one of the Oscar worthy scene.I felt he was snubbed last year for a Oscar nod,but he did earn a Golden Globe nomination.

Anyways, he seem to have some interesting projects in the future like the Spiderman Reboot.

Friday's Best Actor

Mia Wasikowska

Mia Wasikowska portrayal of Jane Eyre in the recent adaptation of the novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte had been described as the best portrayal of the classical character so far.From the first scene where you see her crying and walking to the last one,Mia played Jane  so well.Her pale complexion seems to bring the plain Jane Eyre to life and Mia channels  emotion well from the start of the film where she ran from Mr.Rochester  till the end.If YOU didn't catch the film just checkout the trailer below.

Friday's Best Actor

Sophie Turner

Sophie Turner played Sansa Stark in the HBO's Games of Thrones.Sansa Stark is  a typical teenager character of those days who only sees boys as her main priority admist all the problems going on in the Games of Thrones.Sansa is a quiet character  and Sophie Turner being a complete opposite in her real life, played the character so well that  some people who watched the series actually hated her ,due to her  Sansa character in the series .The scenes where she begs to Joffrey for her father's life and  after finding out that Jofferey is an animal despite his external attractive appearance and tried to push him was so good  and it is shocking to learn this is her first time in front the camera.I'm looking forward to see how Sansa's character changes in the season 2 and Sophie portraying it.

Friday's Best Actor

Imelda Staunton

When the character Dolores Umbridge is introduced in the novel Order of the Phoenix,she is described as a short woman ,with a toad face looks,short limbs in pink clothes and a annoying smile.I was so doubtful how the casting would take place ,but when i saw Imelda Staunton,it was perfect except she didn't look like a toad.She managed to portray a cold psychotic woman with a sweet feminine looks on the exterior.Imelda nailed the part so well that she was the highlight of the film even though it's a small role.

Friday's Best Actor

The novel Atonement by british author Ian McEwan published in 2001 is considered one of the best novel of the decade.His protagonist Briony Tallis is a character with grey shades and alters the life of all the other characters by telling a single lie.The movie adaption of the novel by Joe Wright saw three actress playing Briony in different stages of life.However it is Saoirse Ronan who plays the role of the 13 year old Briony remains in the hearts of those who watched the film.

Saoirse Ronan

Saoirse's portrayal of Briony surprised critics and audience as it was her first big film role.Her pale look,short hair,piercing blue eyes and with those amazing acting chops won great reviews.She was briony in flesh.Saoirse was so amazing  where she glances at Robbie(James Mcavoy) and the library scene where she stumble upon her sister(Keira Knightly) and Robbie making love.The scene where she accuses Robbie was so intense and proved even though she is young she can play serious roles too.Saoirse Ronan was nominated for the Oscars in the Best Supporting  Actress category and making her one of the youngest actress to get nominated for the Oscars.

Saoirse Ronan had definitely proved that she is no one time wonder when it comes to acting .She gave consistent good performance in all her subsequent films especially the film The Lovely Bones,The Way Back and Hanna.I am 100% sure that Saoirse Ronan will have a promising career as an actress in the future and will definitely win an Oscar one day.

Friday's Best Actor

Noomi Rapace

Noomi Rapace played the bisexual anorexic Lisbeth Salander in the sweedish adaptation of the Stieg Larsson's best seller  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.Her potrayal of the  computer hacker with photographic memory recieved critical aclaim and she was nominated for many award including a BAFTA leading actress nomination.Noomi has a great future ahead her in Hollywood ,so all the best for Noomi Rapace ,the girl with the dragon tattoo.

Friday's Best Actor

Its friday today and I want to start a tradition here in Memonisma every friday.I have decided to pay a tribute to  actor and actress who was born to play certain character from the pages of a book  and excels in it.

 Anthony Hopkins



Anthony Hopkins was born to play the role of the canibalistic serial killer, Hannibal Lecter in the film Silence of the Lambs based on the novel of the same name by Thomas Harris.His  facial expression and that smile was so scary and cold that even after many years now when we see him in a event show,we dont see Anthony but Hannibal.Anthony scored a nomination for Academy Best Actor for this role in the year 1991.