The Ultimate Walt Disney Company Performances Bracket -- Round One, Day Six

A Cosby sweater!!

Happy Sunday, friends! As we all continue to marvel — see what I did there? — over the extended box-office success of another James Cameron film, it’s time for us to keep voting in the extended first round of the Ultimate Walt Disney Company Performances bracket. (Remember, never bet against Cameron! Because movie studios just clear the runway for him and then act amazed that his new film does well!)

Who’s ready to vote? I know I am. Let’s go!

(7) Robert Downey, Jr., Iron Man vs. (58) Elissa Knight, WALL-E: You can think that Elissa Knight’s work as Eve in Pixar’s WALL-E is very good, because it is! But…I mean…we all know that Robert Downey, Jr.’s winning this one. As he should. An easy layup of a victory for him, I think.

(26) Bruce Willis, Unbreakable vs. (39) David Tomlinson, Bedknobs and Broomsticks: I enjoy David Tomlinson’s work in the 1971 family film Bedknobs and Broomsticks, largely because it’s nice to see him not play a truly stuffy Brit for once. (He’s a British scoundrel this time, the type that George Banks would loathe.) But I think Bruce Willis’ somber and delicately emotional performance as David Dunn in Unbreakable is one of the more underrated in his career. A real shame that we never, ever got to have another film featuring David Dunn! Ahem.

Anyway. Vote!

(10) Richard Farnsworth, The Straight Story vs. (55) Gene Hackman, Crimson Tide: The Straight Story is one of David Lynch’s finest films, and it is in no small part because of Richard Farnsworth’s amazing performance as Alvin Straight. I realize that some of you are likely more familiar with Gene Hackman’s performance in Crimson Tide, but I am telling you: Richard Farnsworth should win this. Now do your thing.

(23) Jack Black, High Fidelity vs. (42) Paul Newman, Cars: Paul Newman, just like his co-star Owen Wilson, will have his moment in the sun later in the first round of this matchup. Jack Black’s wild and manic comic performance in High Fidelity is just too powerful to ignore, not just because it vaulted him into stardom with just a few well-timed leers, one-liners, and more. I vote for Black. You?