The Kiddo Awards - Day 3 (The Extras - Part 1)

These extra categories are a little offbeat, but that makes them all the better, really. Part one (or two), for extras will include the following:

Best Male Cameo

Best Female Cameo

Body of Work Award

Best Character

Best Villain

~~~

Best Male Cameo Performance

Tom Noonan, Synecdoche, New York – Steals two scenes, where Noonan becomes totally engrossing. He’s funny, heartfelt and totally weird in that span of like seven minutes on screen. He’s also pretty good in Snow Angels.
Nonso Anonzi, Happy-Go-Lucky – He was the chiropractor (or something along those lines) and seemed to show pretty good chemistry with Hawkins as she’s in hysterics, finding humor in her back being cracked.
Josh Pais, Synecdoche, New York – He was the doctor who argues with Caden whether or not eyes are apart of the brain. He’s cringe-enducingly awkward and grumpy.
Charlie McDermott, Frozen River – Verges on an actual supporting role, playing Ray Eddy’s son. He’s complex and truly a good kid, cutting a “deal” with his friend to buy his five year-old brother a Hot Wheels set for Christmas.
William Fichtner, The Dark Knight – The bank manager during the first scene of TDK, he’s a brave soul willing to stand up to the Joker. In his few minutes, he contributes a great deal of drama to the scene.

Bronze

William Fichtner, The Dark Knight

Silver

Charlie McDermott, Frozen River

Gold

Tom Noonan, Synecdoche, New York

Best Female Cameo Performance
Allison Pill, Milk – Really contributed every time she came into the frame. What struck me the most, was how genuine she came across when Harvey died in the end.
Amy Sedaris, Snow Angels – Like Kate Beckinsale’s character said about Sedaris’ Barb in Snow Angels, “There are good people. Barb is one of them.” And she really comes across that way, as maybe the most likable character of the year.
Caroline Martin, Happy-Go-Lucky – She plays Poppy uptight younger sister who is already married and pregnant. Her characters sense of self-consciousness and uncertainty with her decisions, makes her one of the high-lights of the movie.
Deidre O’Connell, Synecdoche, New York – The lady from the last scene in Synecdoche, with whom Caden sits. She’s, like, a saint. When I’m slowly slipping away, I want to rest my arm on her shoulder.
Anisa George, Rachel Getting Married – The original bridesmaid. One of Kym’s many antagonists, you can sense the disdain she has for Kym so truly.

Bronze

Caroline Martin, Happy-Go-Lucky

Silver

Amy Sedaris, Snow Angels

Gold

Deidre O'Connell, Synecdoche, New York

Body of Work Award
Richard Jenkins – An Oscar-worthy performance (The Visitor), a likeable supporting turn (Burn After Reading), the best part of a pretty shitty movie (Step Brothers). Now we know who Richard Jenkins is.
Robert Downey Jr. – One hell of a comeback. Had The Soloist been released in ’08, he’d have this category, walking away.
Phillip Seymour Hoffman – I was extremely close to giving him a double nomination. He was incredible in Synecdoche and pretty great in Doubt as well.
Josh Brolin – Was a spot away from making my Lead Actor line-up and was a shoe-in (and medalist) for Supporting Actor. Great actor; great year.
Meryl Streep – Continues to break the rules being a plus-50 summer box office hit (and will be again in ’09), while turning in great work in Doubt.

Bronze

Josh Brolin

Silver

Richard Jenkins

Gold

Phillip Seymour Hoffman

Best Character Award
Harvey Milk, Milk – There wasn’t a "character" I rooted for more this year. Contagiously hopeful and optimistic, while earning bonus points for being totally relevant today.
Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson, The Wrestler – He’s a good guy, yet so self-destructive. His wrestling is a pain he inflicts upon himself. I was so heartbroken when his life began to unravel again at the end of the film.
The Joker, The Dark Knight – Has his eye on the prize (anarchy) the whole film. He comes across as not being layered at all – just a terrorist with catchy lines – but, really, he is the most layered and complex character of the year. God, I could write an essay on him.
Caden Cotard, Synecdoche, New York – A severe hypochondriac. A pessimist. A depressed soul. A narcissist, above all things. Rarely do we see someone this messed up on screen.
Jamal Malik, Slumdog Millionaire – There’s something so refreshing and moving about Malik. Rags to riches is such a done-to-death theme, yet Jamal just embodied so pitch-perfectly, that you couldn’t help but smile.

Bronze

Harvey Milk

Silver

Caden Cotard

Gold

The Joker

Villain of the Year
Adele Cotard, Synecdoche, New York – From far away in Berlin, she taunts Caden indirectly. She lets his daughter become a prostitute for the sake of art. She is interviewed as saying she only wants to be around joyous people. Most of the crap in Caden’s life is a result of her inner-evil. Played perfectly by Catherine Keener.
The Joker, The Dark Knight – I couldn’t leave him out of this, could I?
Dan White, Milk – SOOO insecure and conflicted. Brolin plays the mannerisms of stiffness and lack of confidence incredibly. The fact of the matter is that he is the polar opposite of Harvey, setting the stage for a great good vs. evil narrative.
Anita Bryant, Milk – I loathed this bitch. God, was she awful. I especially hated when she said something along the lines of that she really likes gay people and that she’s trying to protect them from God. Shut up.
Kym, Rachel Getitng Married – Her self-destruction is so frustrating to watch, yet you realize she has most of it coming, and it’s deserved. Her encounter at the salon with a former mate at rehab made you truly realize that this woman is an attention-whore and her behavior will make her and people around her unhappy forever.

Bronze

Dan White

Silver

Anita Bryant

Gold

The Joker