Best Actors of the Year...So Far

Since I'm on a roll with 2011 overviews, I decided to discuss about the actors who brought the absolute best in movies this year.


Best Actor

Oh man, this is going to be hard. Not to say that there were no great acting in main male roles all year, far from it. It's just that there is a rare few who stood completely out. Not a lot of big star-making roles, besides of course Chris Hemsworth in Thor, nor any clear locked-on favorites for myself. Michael Fassbender in X-Men: First Class was a sheer joy with his gray morality and menacing gaze, so he probably will be my top contender for now. Brad Pitt was also exceptional in The Tree of Life, but he could have been a little better. Paul Giamatti in Win Win, like the movie, is a true dark horse in the competition. Rutger Hauer shouldn't be excluded for his performance in Hobo With a Shotgun, nor should Abhishek Bachchan in Dum Maaro Dum. Though others may disqualify him, Andy Serkis deserves special mention for his performance as the motion captured Caesar in Rise of the Planet of the Apes.


Best Actress

Kristen Wiig in Bridesmaids, hands down. This is the first performance that came to mind that also has stayed on my mind this year. She is going to face heavy competition in the next four months but I suspect there might be a surprise Oscar nomination down the road. Her other tough opponents: Jessica Chastain's earthy mother, or is she the representation of Gaea?, in the surreal and moving The Tree of Life. Elle Fanning as the public pariah tomboy in Super 8. Amy Ryan as the no-nonsense matriarch in Win Win. Jennifer Lawrence's take as the future Mystique in X-Men: First Class. Also, Amber Heard's underrated badass role in Drive Angry.


Best Supporting Actor

One of the hardest working and constantly under the radar, William Fichtner was the absolute man as The Accountant in Drive Angry. Competing in scenery-chewing but slightly losing to Fichtner is Kevin Bacon's brilliantly hammy role in X-Men: First Class. A fellow comic book player, Tom Hiddleston handled his role as Loki very well in Thor.


Best Supporting Actress

Like her fellow co-star, Melissa McCarthy was the best and the true show-stopper as Megan in Bridesmaids. She is currently the unstoppable queen in this department.