It's time for another best of 2018 list! This week we look at the best performances of the year. And there will be quite a lot of surprises on that list. So here we go:
Honorable mention: QUEEN Olivia as her fabulous self in Widows and Game Night
10. Melissa McCarthy as Lee Israel in Can You Ever Forgive Me?
McCarthy has been one of my favorite actresses for a while now. While she is best known for her comedy performances she always adds so much heart to her work - Bridesmaids' most wonderful moment was when she was lifting Annie's spirits, in Spy she managed to make us feel her heartbreak over unrequited love and in The Heat over how much she cared about her family and her new co-worker (the film's ending is so lovely!). In Can You Ever Forgive Me?Melissa gets to play a more serious part but she does it with her usual bravura. She is the best in the quiet moments - like when she is heartbroken after her cat passes away or when she is enjoying the music in a bar, on her own, with a smile on her face. Because of how sincere and natural she is in her work her characters never feel like caricatures.
9. Christian Bale as Dick Cheney in Vice
Christian Bale's insane antics when it comes to him gaining and losing body mass are way past worrying and are now horrific but damn it, if we don't get some amazing performances as a result. Bale is absolutely diabolical and shamelessly entertaining as cold, calculating Cheney and in spite of everything this man has done, he even manages to give his character the semblance of humanity at times. And he is far more horrifying here than he was in American Psycho.8. Sam Elliott as Bobby Maine in A Star is Born
Here's the thing about supporting work - it doesn't lead the movie but it adds to it, creating rich background. The best actors make their characters feel like real people, no matter how little screen time they have. And that is exactly what Sam Elliott does playing Jackson Maine's older brother Bobby. You can see his heartbreak over being unable to help his little brother. And that look on his face when he is so touched by the words of someone he loves but he knows he will inevitably lose to his demons is unforgettable and shattering. It may just be the most memorable acting moment in entire 2018.7. Emma Stone as Abigail in The Favourite
Emma Stone was hugely surprising in Yorgos Lanthimos' latest. Her Abigail is the most fascinating character of the year - was she always devious or was it the side affect of the power she gained? Stone adds a lot of nuance to a character that could easily be a caricature - a single tear when she burns the letter, suggesting remorse, a genuine look of devastation when she hears about Anne's tragedy. She makes Abigail so hard to figure out and in that so hugely entertaining to watch.
6. Lady Gaga as Ally in A Star is Born
For a long time people thought Bradley Cooper's A Star is Born is going to be a disaster, even assuming Lady Gaga will win Razzie for it. And here we are, with Gaga who would be sure to win major awards had it not been for Glenn Close's "overdue" narrative. Gaga, who is anything but shy in real life, makes her Ally into slightly sheepish on the outside but very confident on the inside person, who we watch grow, become happy and then heartbroken. Gaga's Ally always feels like someone real, someone we both admire and like. And despite some of the script's shortcomings her transformation from shy girl who was too afraid to perform as herself into a superstar who is unaware of betraying her own identity and then finding it at last in the end is believable thanks to Gaga's acting.
5. Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock in Venom
Hardy is one of the greatest actors we have working in films these days. The thing is though, that he is usually either menacing, sad or straight up crazy. The last time Hardy was in something that wasn't a really serious drama or thriller was This Means War. So it was delightful to see him in Venom - a goofy, silly comic book movie. His line delivery of nearly every single line he has in this film is some of the most fun things we saw in movies in 2018. And I cannot remember when is the last time an actor simply MADE the film worth seeing. Take Hardy's performance away and it's not much, but with him there Venom is hugely entertaining.4. Olivia Colman as Queen Anne in The Favourite
Olivia Colman is one of the best British actresses around. She has given wonderful roles in countless movies and TV series (if you have a chance check out the lovely Rev with her and Tom Hollander). It's wonderful to see her get all that well deserved acclaim for her work here. Colman does the most incredible thing - she communicates her character's emotions wordlessly, showing them change one to another, time and time again in this film. And even though her character has numerous violent outbursts she never looses Anne's humanity in the process. In the end, our heart breaks for her.3. Blake Lively as Emily Nelson in A Simple Favor
Blake Lively managed to give the most surprising performance of the year. She was decent in The Town and - while overshadowed by a bird - also quite good in The Shallows. And here she stole the spotlight from everyone. Emily would be a decent match for Amy Dunne. Lively can be both sympathetic and evil and she clearly has so much fun playing the part(s) and it's incredible how effortlessly she makes her performance fit comedy, thriller and in one scene quite intense drama, while also making Emily into quite a realistic villain who while cunning, makes mistakes. And she looks absolutely fabulous doing it. This is already such an iconic performance for me.2. Ethan Hawke as Ernst Toller in First Reformed
Ethan Hawke is the aching heart and the torn apart soul of the remarkable First Reformed. As excellent as the script is the whole movie depends on Hawke's ability to make his character both likable and suspicious to the audience. We feel for him, we want him to be all right but we are also never sure what he is doing to do and in spite of our knowledge that this is a good man - Hawke entirely succeeds in convincing us of that - we never know what he will end up being capable of.
1. Bradley Cooper as Jackson Maine in A Star is Born
Bradley Cooper has been giving wonderful performances for a while now, capturing the audiences with his natural charisma. But he was never better than he was here - as broken Jackson. Cooper makes his character likable and desirable but he doesn't shy away from showing the ugly side. Cooper changed his walk and his voice for this role but it never feels like a gimmick. Then there's also the fact he genuinely has a great voice and gave us so many wonderful songs here AND that he directed the movie. But even if you take all of that away, what he did here is he created a performance that is memorable and touches your heart. You care about him. And you feel just like Bobby did, because you know he won't be saved.