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Penny Glen’s Rants
2012: True Doom and Gloom?
Or an Excellent Incoming Year for Film and Technology?
Part 3 (Mostly ‘Impressive Actors’)  - Continued
.... Yet even more so, as we said,...  stick with it...
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*Michael Fassbender
I have a few favourite, consistent actors who I admire and follow throughout their careers, and this man is one of them. I adore his committed attitude to roles, his risks when picking them and his complete dedication to see the most accurate portrayals of characters onscreen. Sometimes determination to do anything it takes to make a great film is better than anything else an actor can bring to the screen. I completely loved his role in low budged horror Eden Lake, where his character is terrorised and eventually murdered by a group of youths before the eyes of his fiancée. He gave the character such likability –that made me realise I didn’t want him to be killed off, which differs from my normal ‘kill em all’ attitude to horrors. I get inexplicable enjoyment out of watching the special affects department go to work in horror films, so to actually care about a victim made me question why I love horror so much.
He is much better in poignant dramas such as ‘Hunger’, about the Irish republican hunger strikes in an Irish prison in the 80’s, and ‘A Dangerous Method’ about Carl Jung, his mentor Sigmund Freud and his lover, a patient at the hospital he works at. I’m also looking forward to ‘Shame’, his Golden Globe nominated performance as a sex addict (the gong was stolen by George Clooney!). it is a downright travesty that Fassbender was not nominated for a BAFTA or an Oscar for that performance, but that wouldn’t leave enough room for multiple winners Clooney or Brad Pitt huh? Whatever happened to spicing up the business? Appreciating new talent? I’m hoping that Fassbender will be recognised, but that he won’t have long to wait like poor Mr. Scorsese for the best Director award! FINALLY winning one in 2007 for the Departed was deserving of a standing ovation. Don’t worry Michael, there is time!
Other than Christoph Waltz’s brilliant, Oscar winning portrayal of Hans Landa in Inglorious Basterds, Fassbender was the only other good thing in that film. Despite only getting a short amount of screen time, he proved he had as much, if not more presence than the star of the film – Mr. Pitt himself. Perhaps he’ll do a (Hannibal Lecter) Hopkins one day and win an award for 20 minutes of acting. The next thing I’m excited to see him in is Prometheus, but in this instance I’m just pleased he’s part of the cast, along with another personal favourite, Idris Elba (the Wire, the Losers, Thor). The film in this one instance overshadows anyone cast in it, which is most definitely no-one’s fault. It is just the way it is when it comes to an Alien film and Sir Ridley Scott.

*Viggo Mortensen
Another actor who puts everything he has into a role, Mortensen is a fantastic method actor who can be anything you want him to be – and more. Although not appearing in anything very recent, he stars alongside Fassbender in ‘A Dangerous Method’ as Sigmund Freud.
Now, if you know anyone else who can play Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings and Sigmund Freud, and do it convincingly – you let me know. Like Michael Sheen, he is in this list because I adore his commitment to the shot e.g. when he screams onscreen after he loses the hobbits in LOTR: The Two Towers, kicks a metal helmet in frustration, delivers a perfect shot and Peter Jackson realises Mortensen has broken his toe after he yells cut.
If that isn’t dedication, I’m not sure what is.

*Mila Kunis
Until her passionate performance in Black Swan, this woman was almost completely under my radar. She provides her voice for the popular adult animated series ‘Family Guy’, she was in the underrated comedy ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ (and made me smile quite a bit with her perky personality), she was a tough assassin in the film adaptation of Max Payne (which was abysmal by the way, but she was ok as Nina Sax) and she was in a television series that I cannot remember for the life of me. Although she has been on the scene for a bit, I really didn’t care to be honest. However, her performance in Black Swan created a place for her in my top actresses to keep an eye on. She is expected to do more in the next few years and had quite a good turn in hit comedy ‘Friends with Benefits’ recently with ex-popstar Justin Timberlake – yet it is still her performance as the rival ballerina/love interest that really impresses me no end. Without Kunis’s performance to bounce off of, Natalie Portman would not have won the Oscar for her role in Black Swan.

*Paul Giamatti
Last, but certainly not least is my own personal dark horse of the acting world. This man is consistently great in everything he’s been in – and can even make Lady in the Water look good. He can be the bad guy (Shoot ‘em Up, The Ides of March, The Hangover Part II), he can be the good guy (Win Win, Cinderella Man) and he can do the downright unexplainable (Planet of the Apes, Thunderpants, Sideways). He is a lovable enigma, an extremely likeable person and an actor who will be around for a long time to come. Awesome.

In the next part of my epic 2012 saga – I’ll be reviewing the films on the shelves and coming soon to a living room near you (the Penny way) as well as giving you a quick rundown on what ‘going digital’ really means.

See you soon guys!