The Strangelove (Best Actor in Movie)

Previous Winners:  James McAvoy (Split), Denzel Washington (Fences), Bryan Cranston (Trumbo), Michael Keaton (Birdman), Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips), Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln), Ryan Gosling (Drive), Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody), Joaquin Phoenix (Joker), Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom), Andrew Garfield (Tick, Tick…Boom)

We have ten actors on the list for 2022. All of them have done great work and deserve the recognition.

#10. Jonathan Majors (Devotion). Jonathan Majors is on his way to superstardom and this performance will be pointed at as a gem when he is dominating the discussion as Kang and in Creed 3.

#9. Nic Cage (The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent). Playing Nic Cage had to be more difficult than it seemed. Nic Cage is really into the joke as he brought an excellent version of himself to the screen.

#8. Mark Rylance (The Outfit). This is one of those films this year that snuck under the radar, but Rylance was exceptional in his one setting film. He showed how clever his character was with every step taken.

#7. Daniel Craig (Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery). Our Southern gentleman detective, Benoit Blanc, returned to the screen in a new Knives Out story and entertained us thoroughly once again.

#6. Jeremy Pope (The Inspection). A black gay man trying to make it in the Marines is filled with drama and tension and Pope’s performance showed every bit of that feeling.

#5. Daniel Radcliffe (Weird: The Al Yankovic Story). When you think of who could play Weird Al in a biopic, Daniel Radcliffe does not immediately come to mind. Yet, the former Harry Potter star was brilliant in bringing to life the master of the parody in one of the funniest performances of the year.

#4. Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin). Colin Farrell had a great year and he ended it with this amazing performance of a lonely man who does not understand why his friend has deserted him.

#3. Austin Baker (Elvis). This casting was weird. Austin Baker was a young guy and who thought he could be Elvis Presley? Well, anyone who doubted him has to now eat those words as Austin Baker was brilliant as The King of Rock and Roll.

#2. Ralph Fiennes (The Menu). Ralph Fiennes anchored this wonderful entourage and absolutely dominated every scene he was in. The Menu was such a great surprise and Ralph Fiennes made every moment count.

And the Number One and winner of the Strangelove is…

Brendan Fraser (The Whale). This movie made me feel uneasy and, even at times, depressed and I did not give it a positive review, but there is no denying that Brendan Fraser was utterly transcendent as Charlie. The screenplay may not have treated Charlie well, but Brendan Fraser took every second of the role and made it more than just an actor in a fat suit. Fraser absolutely overcame the cruelty of the film and gave the best performance of the year.