Fantasy Acting League 2018 – Round Two

Round Two! The second round seemed to have come around faster than I expected, on us before I could so much as blink. We are still in that exciting early phase of the competition, where every team scrabbles for a high-ranking place, aware that their lead is superficial. Nothing is ever decided this early. Especially with the double point system, a massive lead is surprisingly easy to close. Hopefully, this will make the leader-board constantly shift and change, creating an exciting experience. For now, let’s just use these opening rounds as a starter to the carnage that will come in a few months.

This Round’s Movies

Black Panther
Sweet Country
A Fantastic Woman
You Were Never Really Here
The Nile Hilton Incident
Erase and Forget
Mom and Dad
Peter Rabbit
The 15:17 to Paris
The Valley
Gook
Dark River
12 Strong
Birth of the Dragon
Fifty Shades Freed
Finding Your Feet
Winchester
The Cloverfield Paradox

The Teams

Film Grimoire – 6 (+0) = 4
Oscar Isaac – 0
Chris Pratt – 0
Ryan Reynolds – 0
Oprah Winifrey – 0
Jennifer Jason Leigh – 0
Lupita Nyong’o – 4
Movie: Wrinkle in Time (OW)

Views From The Sofa – 5 (+0) = 5
Cate Blanchett – 0
Helen Mirren – 5
Olivia Munn – 0
Chris Pratt – 0
Adam Driver – 0
Johnny Depp – 0
Movie: The Kid (CP)

Fairytale Pictures – 0 (+7) = 7
Tessa Thompson – 0
Clare Foy – 0
Michelle Williams – 0
Joel Edgerton – 0
Benedict Cumberbatch – 0
Armie Hammer – 0
Movie: Annihilation (TT)

Sporadic Chronicles of A Beginner Blogger – 0 (+10) = 10
Paul Rudd – 0
Colin Firth – 0
Samuel L. Jackson – 0
Vera Farmiga – 0
Rosamund Pike – 0
Jennifer Lawrence – 0
Movie: Ant Man 2 (PR)

Movie Reviews 101 – 12 (+0) = 12
Josh Brolin – 0
Woody Harrelson – 0
Simon Pegg – 0
Elizabeth Deblicki – 7
Tessa Thompson – 0
Gugu Mbatha-Raw – 5
Movie: Soldado (JB)

Random Musings of The Female Mind – 11 (+4) = 15
Martin Freeman – 4
Eddie Redmayne – 0
Chadwick Boseman – 7
Lily James – 0
Cate Blanchett – 0
Emily Blunt – 0
Movie: Fantastic Beasts (ER)

Movie Rob – 5 (+10) = 15
Samuel L Jackson – 0
Michael Shannon – 5
Sam Rockwell – 0
Elle Fanning – 0
Nicole Kidman – 0
Vera Farmiga – 0
Movie: I Think We’re Alone Now

Rhyme and Reason – 6 (+14) = 20
Paul Rudd – 0
Jason Clarke – 4
Colin Firth – 0
Elle Fanning – 0
Judy Greer – 2
Michelle Williams – 0
Movie: Ant Man 2 (PR)

Oracle of Film – 3 (+17) = 20
Chris Pratt – 0
Eddie Redmayne – 0
Steve Carrell – 0
Alicia Vikander – 0
Margot Robbie – 3
Cate Blanchette – 0
Movie: Fantastic Beasts (ER)

What About the Twinkie – 14 (+7) = 21
Chris Pratt – 0
Chadwick Boseman – 14
Josh Brolin – 0
Jessica Chastain – 0
Anya Taylor Joy – 0
Soarise Ronan – 0
Movie: Black Panther (CB)

What About Movies – 17 (+7) = 24
Tessa Thompson – 0
Cate Blanchett – 0
Elizabeth Deblicki – 7
Colin Firth – 0
Chris Hemsworth – 6
Michael Pena – 6
Movie: Infinity War (CH)

Debbie Vega – 11 (+14) = 25
Cate Blanchett – 0
Elle Fanning – 0
Gugu Mbatha-Raw – 5
Colin Firth – 0
Adam Driver – 0
Forest Whitaker – 6
Movie: The Mercy (CF)

Cinema Parrot Disco – 12 (+14) = 26
Benedict Cumberbatch – 0
Josh Brolin – 0
Joaquin Phoenix – 7
Helen Mirren – 5
Cate Blanchett – 0
Soarise Ronan – 0
Movie: Lady Bird (SR)

Abbi Osbiston – 8 (+21) = 29
Ben Mendelsohn – 0
Michael Shannon – 5
Tye Sheridan – 0
Nicole Kidman – 0
Emily Blunt – 0
Margot Robbie – 3
Movie: Shape of the Water (MS)

Marked Movies – 19 (+14) = 33
Joaquin Phoenix – 14
Michael Shannon – 5
Christian Bale – 0
Katherine Waterson – 0
Soarise Ronan – 0
Cate Blanchett – 0
Movie: You Were Never Really Here (JP)

FIRST PLACE
Vinnieh – 8 (+35) = 43
Margot Robbie – 3
Rosamund Pike – 0
Sally Hawkins – 0
Michael Shannon – 5
Oscar Isaacs – 0
Richard Jenkins – 0
Movie: Shape of the Water (SH)

How The Actors Scored

Chadwick Boseman – 7 (Black Panther – Lead Role: 3; Four Stars – 2; Empire compliments performance – 2)
Forest Whittaker – 6 (Black Panther – Supporting Role: 2; Four Stars: 2; Empire compliments performance – 2)
Martin Freeman – 4 (Black Panther – Supporting Role: 2; Four Stars: 2)
Lupita Nyong’o – 4 (Black Panther – Supporting Role: 2; Four Stars: 2)
Chris Hemsworth – 6 (12 Strong – Lead Role: 3; Three Stars: 1; Empire compliments performance: 2)
Michael Shannon – 5 (12 Strong – Supporting Role: 2; Three Stars: 1; Empire compliments performance: 2)
Michael Pena – 5 (12 Strong – Supporting Role: 2; Three Stars: 1; Empire compliments performance: 2)
Gugu Mbatha Raw – 5 (The Cloverfield Paradox – Lead Role: 3; Two Stars: 0; Empire compliments performance: 2)
Elizabeth Deblicki – 7 (Peter Rabbit – Supporting Role: 2; Three Stars: 1/ The Cloverfield Paradox – Supporting Role: 2; Two Stars: 0; Empire compliments performance: 2)
Margot Robbie – 3 (Peter Rabbit – Supporting Role: 2; Three Stars: 1)
Helen Mirren – 5 (Winchester – Lead Role: 3; Two Stars: 0; Empire compliments performance – 2)
Jason Clarke – 4 (Winchester – Supporting Role: 2; Two Stars: 0; Empire compliments performance – 2)
Judy Greer – 2 (The 15:17 To Paris – Supporting Role: 2; Two Stars: 0)
Joaquin Phoenix – 7 (You Were Never Really Here – Lead Role: 3; Four Stars: 2; Empire compliments performance: 2)

Final Analysis

Black Panther was always going to be a game-changer, wasn’t it? There is something about Marvel that is great for this competition. They dependably get four stars in Empire magazine and very rarely does the lead actor phone in a performance. It’s not like DC movies, where it is pot luck whether the project will land. The only downside shown here is that Black Panther is so crammed full of actors that it is hard to give everyone the correct amount of focus in a review. Martin Freeman and Lupita Nyong’o disappointingly just thrive off of the afterglow of such a strong movie.

Helen Mirren grieving the Empire review of Winchester.

Outside of Panther, everyone got a small smattering of points. Marked Movies uses his double pointer to jump into second place, perfectly poised to make a dent in the competition. Elizabeth Deblicki hasn’t got the strongest movies, but doubles up with both Peter Rabbit and Cloverfield Paradox. Sometimes quantity beats quality. It is hard to pick a clear winner yet, understandably at this early phase, but we are definitely leaning in, eager for more.