The Ultimate Walt Disney Company Performances Bracket -- Round One, Day Twenty
Take her to the moon for me.
I hope you’re approaching the back half of the weekend with the same ferocity and confidence as T’Challa is. (I’m typing these words a week and a half before you read them, so who’s to say if I am, but let’s hope so.)
I envision at least one very lopsided matchup today, and the photo above is a pretty solid hint as to its victor. But enough talk — let’s vote!
(5) Chadwick Boseman, Black Panther vs. (60) Lynn Collins, John Carter: I know there are some folks — or, at least, there used to be some folks — who are big John Carter fans. I saw it in theaters, I wanted to like it a lot (and a lot more than I did), but…I mean, come on. Chadwick Boseman wins this easily. I don’t even have to ask what you’re going to vote for.
(28) Rick Moranis, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids vs. (37) Ed Harris, The Rock: When it comes to le cinema du Joe Johnston, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is obviously not my favorite. (As I type these words, I am wearing my Super Yaki “A Joe Johnston Film” Rocketeer shirt. I am not a crackpot.) But Rick Moranis is one of the great comic performers of the last 40 years — even though his work in Honey is more in the straight-man variety, I’ll back it over Ed Harris’ bad-guy role in The Rock. How about you?
(12) Mel Gibson, Signs vs. (53) Laurence Fishburne, What’s Love Got to Do With It?: I appreciate that separating the art from the artist is challenging. And separating the art, in this case, from the artist can be very challenging. In real life, Mel Gibson seems real gross! For a lot of reasons! But if I limit myself specifically to the performances, I will say that I think Mel Gibson’s work is more impressive than that of Laurence Fishburne as Ike Turner. Yet I do not, in the slightest, blame you if you recoil at the very thought of ever voting for Mel Gibson, for anything. So have at it.
(21) Richard Kind, Inside Out vs. (44) Julia Stiles, 10 Things I Hate About You: I like 10 Things I Hate About You a lot, and definitely think highly of Julia Stiles’ performance as Kat. But Richard Kind is just the best as Bing Bong. I realize that his character can seem a bit twee or precious, yet I would argue his voice work navigates the balance extremely well. Will you send Bing Bong to the next round or is he about to vanish into thin air?
There's no way in Hell racist ass Mel Gibson is better than Laurence Fishburne. Hell, Joaquin Phoenix is the true star of "Signs." I liked John Carter more than you did, but I'm still voting for Chadwick.
I can’t believe you made me pick between Richard Kind and Julia Stiles. So unfair.