12 Days of Christmas Catch Up, Day 5: VICE and Best Actor

When "The Big Short" came out a few years ago, it was a surprise for many of us covering the Oscar race. People had been talking about it, but when it won the Producers Guild Award, everyone took sharp notice.

Before "The Big Short," Adam McKay had directed the likes of, "Talladega Nights" and "Step Brothers," two films I have not seen but carry a reputation. Everyone, I mean EVERYONE I have come into contact with for an extended period of time eventually brings up "Step Brothers" to me.

Perhaps these films are more than broad comedies, I don't know, but I was completely surprised with heart and humanism McKay infused into to "The Big Short." McKay was not only nominated for Best Director that year, he took home the win for Adapted Screenplay.

This time, he takes on Vice President Dick Cheney and it's a misfire.

I couldn't even begin to tell you if the writing is any good, because I was so disarmed by the terrible direction - of McKay's actors, his cinematographers and his editor.  First off, cinematographer Greig Fraser absolutely knows how to frame a shot. He lensed the incredible "Zero Dark Thirty" (Side note...I just realized that I didn't consider ZDT in my Best Films of All Time...might need to remedy that!) as well as "Rogue One" and "Foxcatcher." He was nominated for an Oscar for "Lion."

Editor Hank Corwin was nominated for editing "The Big Short" and was able to assist Terrence Malik in creating a visual masterpiece with "The Tree of Life." From what I have heard about the amount of footage Malik shot for "The Tree of Life," this was no easy feat.

I saw someone on Twitter say something along the lines that people are saying Amy Adams and Christian Bale can't win Oscars for playing the Cheneys because their film is divisive, citing Kate Winslet ("The Reader"), Eddie Redmayne ("The Theory of Everything"), Alicia Vikander ("The Danish Girl") and Anne Hathaway ("Les Miserables") as arguments.

I would also add Charlize Theron ("Monster"), Sandra Bullock ("The Blind Side") and Meryl Streep ("The Iron Lady") to that list.

There is, however, a difference with almost all of those. They gave great performances. I still hate that Kate Winslet won for "The Reader" instead of "Revolutionary Road," but she had Harvey Weinstein behind the performance. Same with Meryl. How much better would it have been for her to win for something like "The Devil Wears Prada," "Julie and Julia" or August: Osage County." Alas, Meryl wanted a third Oscar and Harvey delivered.

Then you have Sandra Bullock in "The Bind Side." It's a fine performance and she really didn't have any major competition that year. Although had they given it to Meryl for "Julie and Julia" maybe Viola could have won for "The Help" and Naomie Harris could have won for "Moonlight." But...I digress.

The truth of "Vice" is that the acting is bad. Christian Bale is not good in this role. At best it is merely an impression. The performance, like the film is inconsistent and all over the place. As the older Dick Cheney he has moments of stillness that really terrify, but the majority of the film he relies on physical gestures and his weight gain with absolutely no depth to back it up.

Amy Adams fares a bit better (she could still win, although it would be an injustice) but still, she has almost nothing to do. Same with the other women. Naomi Watts and Lily Rabe in particular. There are hints of sexism in "The Big Short," but the way these actresses are underutilized in "Vice," gives me pause.

The worst are Tyler Perry and Steve Carrell. Carrell was fantastic in "The Big Short" and "Foxcatcher" but 2018 has not been his year. In both "Beautiful Boy" and "Vice" he needed to be honed in and he wasn't.

The only actors who come out unscathed are Sam Rockwell and Justin Kirk. Somehow they seem to create truth in the midst of mess.

So, does "Vice" have a shot at Best Picture? Who knows? I'm seeing "Marry Poppins Returns" tomorrow and will write about BP then.

What I'm most interested in is Best Actor.

Someone deserving will be left off the list for Bale, and it's infuriating. Everyone knows that I prefer real truth when it comes to acting. Although I have like Bale in the past, I haven't enjoyed his acting in quite some time. I also thought he was overrated in "The Fighter" although I understood the appeal and the win.

Take last year's Gary Oldman win over Timothee Chalamet for example. Everyone knows how I felt about that. But "Vice" puts the Churchill performance into perspective for me. There are actors who can pull this sort of thing off. Phillips Seymour Hoffman (RIP), Meryl and Oldman. Not Bale, not this role.

So...who doesn't get in if this is your top 6?

Christian Bale, Vice
Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born
Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody
Viggo Mortensen, Green Book
John David Washington, BlacKKKlansman
Ethan Hawke, First Reformed

Sadly, it's probably John David Washington or, most likely, Ethan Hawke. 

The Christmas Catch Up will continue! Tonight I hope to watch 2 films...but we will see!! You'll notice I may have added another film to the list. I'm going to do my best to watch them all.

Paddington 2
Happy As Lazzaro
A Kid Like Jake
Vice
Three Identical Strangers
Free Solo

Marry Poppins Returns

Burning

We the Animals
Vox Lux
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Ben is Back
You Were Never Really Here
Colette