Fantasy Acting League 2016 – The End

Here we are. There will be no intro, no personal statement of my life. None of this ‘Hope you had a good Christmas’ bullshit. We all know why we are here. We can cut the crap. For the last year, we have assembled, chastised and praised actors from across the world into this gruelling, friendship-destroying contest that has shattered hopes, cemented dreams and given birth to grievances we will carry with us to the grave. These emotions might be a normal Saturday morning to the likes of Abbi Osbiston, but to the rest of us bloggers, the Fantasy Acting League has given us a means to express our most competitive desires.

And what a finale! I always worry that the final round will be a bit dull. The summer blockbusters were over and with Star Wars in the cinemas, most other movies held fire until 2017 before releasing. But I was proven wrong. And what followed was one of the most exciting calculations of the year. About 70% of the teams make a go for the title. And a lot of them nearly make it. I have never seen the middle of the pack explode with such ferocity before and as I lost bearings with my notes, for a brief moment, I had no idea who the winner actually was. Then the dust settled, I saw the high scorer and… well done to that person. You have easily earned it. But let’s not give away the secret for a little while longer.

This Round’s Movies

Manchester By The Sea
Silence
Jackie
Why Him?
La La Land
A Monster Calls
Operation Chromite
Collateral Beauty
Assassin’s Creed
Office Christmas Party
The Young Offenders
Split
Monster Trucks
Ballerina
Passengers
Live By Night
Bad Santa 2
Lion
Rogue One

The Teams

Vinnieh – 14 (+16) = 30
Chris Pratt – 7
Henry Cavill – 0
Channing Tatum – 0
Julia Roberts – 0
Diane Lane – 0
Jennifer Lawrence – 7

What About Movies – Prudence – 8 (+37) = 45
Benedict Cumberbatch – 0
Michael Fassbender – 4
Emory Cohen – 0
Cara Delevigne – 0
Alicia Vikander – 0
Rooney Mara – 4

Ramblings of a Cinephile – 11 (+52) = 63
Idris Elba – 0
Ryan Reynolds – 0
Michael Fassbender – 4
Emily Blunt – 0
Margot Robbie – 0
Jennifer Lawrence – 7

What About the Twinkie – 7 (+58) = 65
Ryan Reynolds – 0
Chris Pine – 0
Tom Hiddlestone – 0
Margot Robbie – 0
Jennifer Lawrence – 7
Scarlett Johannssen – 0

Fairytale Pictures – 18 (+47) = 65
Michael Fassbender – 4
Michael Shannon – 0
Dane DeHaan – 3
Teresa Palmer – 0
Alison Brie – 0
Felicity Jones – 11

Drew – 12 (+60) = 72
Michael Shannon – 0
Jason Sudekis – 0
J.K Simmons – 5
Natalie Portman – 7
Scarlett Johannssen – 0
Chloe Grace Moretz – 0

Oracle of Film – 7 (+69) = 76
Tom Hanks – 0
Seth Rogen – 0
Idris Elba – 0
Alicia Vikander – 0
Maika Monroe – 0
Jennifer Lawrence – 7

Marked Movies – 8 (+68) = 76
Michael Shannon – 0
Tom Hanks – 0
Michael Fassbender – 4
Naomi Watts – 0
Rooney Mara – 4
Alicia Vikander – 0

Back To The Future – 12 (+68) = 80
Woody Harrelson – 0
Chris Pratt – 7
J.K Simmons – 5
Scarlett Johannssen – 0
Margot Robbie – 0
Kristin Wiig – 0

Mr Movie – 10 (+71) = 81
Bryan Cranston – 3
Will Smith – 3
Michael Fassbender – 4
Kristin Wiig – 0
Margot Robbie – 0
Jessica Chastain – 0

Movie Rob – 11 (+70) = 81
Ben Affleck – 3
Casey Affleck – 8
Chris Pine – 0
Scarlett Johannssen – 0
Anna Kendrick – 0
Kristen Stewart – 0

Debra Vega – 25 (+56) = 81
Tom Hanks – 0
Idris Elba – 0
Michael Fassbender – 4
Marion Cotillard – 3
Jennifer Lawrence – 7
Felicity Jones – 11

Abbi Osbiston – 11 (+71) = 82
Idris Elba – 0
Michael Fassbender – 4
Chris Pratt – 7
Tilda Swinton – 0
Scarlett Johannssen – 0
Alicia Vikander – 0

Verbal Spew – 4 (+79) = 83
Michael Fassbender – 4
Idris Elba – 0
Samuel L. Jackson – 0
Margot Robbie – 0
Scarlett Johannssen – 0
Anna Kendrick – 0

Slip/Through Movies – 15 (+69) = 84
Michael Fassbender – 4
Tom Hanks – 0
Idris Elba – 0
Felicity Jones – 11
Maika Monroe – 0
Scarlett Johannssen – 0

Views From The Sofa – 30 (+55) = 85
Michael Fassbender – 4
Ryan Gosling – 8
Idris Elba – 0
Margot Robbie – 0
Felicity Jones – 11
Jennifer Lawrence – 7

Sporadic Chronicles of a Beginner Blogger – 11 (+74) = 85
Michael Fassbender – 4
Michael Shannon – 0
Tom Hanks – 0
Jennifer Lawrence – 7
Anna Kendrick – 0
Scarlett Johannssen – 0

Rhyme And Reason – 20 (+66) = 86
Idris Elba – 0
Michael Fassbender – 4
J. K Simmons – 5
Maika Monroe – 0
Felicity Jones – 11
Scarlett Johannssen – 0

Cinema Parrot Disco – 9 (+82) = 91
Michael Shannon – 0
J.K Simmons – 5
Woody Harrelson – 0
Rooney Mara – 4
Teresa Palmer – 0
Kristin Wiig – 0

FIRST PLACE
What About Movies – Lily – 13 (+81) = 94
Michael Shannon – 0
Michael Fassbender – 4
J. K Simmons – 5
Alicia Vikander – 0
Kristin Wiig – 0
Rooney Mara – 4

How The Teams Scored
Felicity Jones – 11 (Rogue One – Lead Role: 3; Four Stars: 2; Empire compliments performance – 2/ A Monster Calls – Supporting Role: 2; Four Stars – 2)
Rooney Mara – 4 (Lion – Supporting Role: 2; Four Stars: 2)
Michael Fassbender – 4 (Assassin’s Creed – Lead Role: 3; Three Stars: 1)
Marion Cotillard – 3 (Assassin’s Creed – Supporting Role: 2; Three Stars: 1)
Will Smith – 3 (Collateral Beauty – Lead Role: 3; Two Stars: 0)
Bryan Cranston – 3 (Why Him? – Lead Role: 3; Two Stars: 0)
Casey Affleck – 8 (Manchester By The Sea – Lead Role: 3; Five Stars: 3; Empire compliments performance – 2)
Ben Affleck – 3 (Live By Night – Lead Role: 3; Two Stars – 0)
Ryan Gosling – 8 (La La Land – Lead Role: 3; Five Stars: 3; Empire compliments performance – 2)
J. K Simmons – 5 (La La Land – Supporting Role: 2; Five Stars – 3)
Chris Pratt – 7 (Passengers – Lead Role: 3; Four Stars: 2; Empire compliments performance: 2)
Jennifer Lawrence – 7 (Passengers – Lead Role: 3; Four Stars: 2; Empire compliments performance: 2)
Dane DeHaan – 3 (Ballerina – Supporting Role: 2; Three Stars: 1)
Natalie Portman – 7 (Jackie – Lead Role: 3; Four Stars: 2; Empire compliments performance: 2)

Round Analysis

And, at long last, we have our winner. Lily from What About Movies debuted with the Fantasy Acting League this year and saw fit to take the trophy from right under our feet. Ever since she broke into the top five, she has been an unstoppable presence, always hopping barely in the lead, then dropping back down, but never giving up the chase. When CPD knocked her out of the way, Lily was always on her heels, like a shadow you couldn’t get rid of. CPD fought valiantly, pretty much the most consistent scorer of the year, always gathering points from somewhere. But her ensemble grabbing fours and fives could only do so much. Out of luck, and probably out of breath, CPD had no choice but to succumb to Lily. There was only three points between them, probably something that has caused CPD no end of grief, but in the end, that is all it takes. Cinema Parrot Disco’s only weakness was being unlucky, meaning that I am hoping she returns with a ‘third time lucky’ attitude and puts us all in our place next year.

Accurate representation of CPD and Lily’s blogging relationship right now.

But in all honesty, it wasn’t even the top of the table that surprised me the most this round. The middle of the table, pretty much became the top. Poor Verbal Spew and Abbi Osbiston were swallowed up in the rush of desperate players bursting forwards for the win. Where did Rhyme and Reason’s third place come from? Debra Vega as well went from late bloomer to a very real threat in the final throes of the competition. Views from the Sofa scored so much we had to take him to one side to check for steroids. A lot of it came from Felicity Jones, who gathered points from both Rogue One and A Monster Calls. One of the quieter actresses of the year, but everyone banking on her could not complain with a whopping 11 points. As a result, I was treated to an incredible surge of mid-table points, meaning that for those with the quiet goal of securing a fifth place or sixth place title, might find themselves moderately surprised with their last minute success.

And that brings me to one more push to get you all to join in 2017’s Fantasy Acting Round. Please, please, please – if you haven’t already, consider rejoining the fun and signing up for next year’s competition. It is the easiest thing in the world to do. Lily, please defend your title! There are more details here, but the long and short of it is email three actors and three actresses to my email: luke.abbott@zanifare.co.uk and I will do the rest. Top tips for those wondering where they went wrong. You are looking for busy actors, not necessarily good ones. Empire’s reviews don’t always credit an outstanding performance, especially with the blockbusters, so aim for the actors who you think will crop up more frequently than the heavy hitters that might get one film per year. Also be wary of stars like Cumberbatch who also have TV or theatre commitments that might reduce your scoring potential. But that’s all the advice you will get from me. Just sign up and let the battle recommence!