Welcome to the 2023 SiftPop.com Sifties!
This year, the SiftPop writers came together to nominate five ensembles for Best Film Ensemble. An acting ensemble is often an important ingredient to a successful film, and we wanted to recognize that with this award!
Remarkably, three performers can anchor an outstanding ensemble cast. Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Dominic Sessa (IN HIS FIRST ROLE NONETHELESS) each offer dynamic characteristics in The Holdovers. Giamatti’s Paul Hunham is a company man for Barton, and a talented teacher, who does so much by the book. Randolph’s Mary encourages Paul to be human, though, and taking care of Sessa’s character, Angus, requires some bending of the rules. When Angus gives Mary some grief, Paul comes to her defense by reminding him that we don’t know what someone else is going through, so being kind doesn’t require a lot of effort. Angus’ free spirit helps Paul to loosen up and see how he can truly be there for a student in a way he never has before. The friendship between Mary and Paul blossoms throughout the movie as well, with Mary showing him what it means to put his hair down, and Paul showing her it’s okay to grieve and be strong at the same time. Alexander Payne sure got the most out of this talented cast and The Holdovers is a shining example of how talented performers can make all the difference in the world.
When you watch a Martin Scorsese movie, you aren’t surprised when you see Leonardo DiCaprio or Robert De Niro give amazing performances like they do in Killers of the Flower Moon. But when you look down the credit list and can think of a standout scene by looking at each name, you know that the movie had a great ensemble. After the obligatory DiCaprio and De Niro mentions, the first shoutout of course has to go to Lily Gladstone, who was a newcomer to most people watching Killers. With relatively few lines and overall focus, Gladstone still manages to be the beating heart at the center of the film. Cara Jade Myers, too, who plays Gladstone’s sister in the film. She only has a couple of scenes, but you can’t look away from her for a second. Tantoo Cardinal gives a wonderfully and heartbreakingly understated performance as Lizzie Q. William Belleau gets a few scenes to shine and break our hearts as well. On top of the deeply empathetic Indigenous performances, there is a long line of character actors who give excellent scummy performances, including Jason Isbell, Louis Cancelmi, Scott Shepherd, Steve Witting, and Steve Routman. Add on the recognizable faces of Jesse Plemons as an F.B.I. agent, John Lithgow as a prosecutor, and Brendan Fraser’s deliciously over-the-top lawyer, and you’ve got one of the best ensembles of the year!
When the cast of Barbie was announced, there was a sense of confusion mixed with optimism. The main question is, how on Earth can Greta Gerwig effectively showcase all these performers? The real trick that Gerwig pulled, though, was giving most of the other Barbies and Kens enough time in the spotlight, while allowing Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling to really shine. America Ferrera and Ariana Greenblatt play the driving force that brings Robbie’s Barbie to the real world. Ferrera’s speech about women is an all-timer, with many people pointing out how moved they were hearing that. Everyone got to flex their comedic muscles, while allowing others to tug on the heartstrings. A sneaky valuable addition to the cast is Michael Cera’s Allan, one of the only male characters who is willing to learn what women go through. The contrast between the real world and Barbieland allows each of the performers, specifically Robbie and Gosling, to showcase two different sides to their character. These are two performers at the absolute height of their powers, and without them leading a strong ensemble cast, Barbie doesn’t work. Thankfully, Barbie catapulted to the top of the 2023 box office crown, thanks in large part to the outstanding cast.
Jason Schwartzman is one of Wes Anderson’s earliest and most prolific collaborators, and he’s yet again great as the lead in Asteroid City. But it’s the long list of stars that Anderson continues to get that makes the overall ensemble so impressive. Scarlett Johansson stands out in her first foray into Andersonian live action, Jeffrey Wright continues to fit right in, Bryan Cranston and his voice are perfect as the host, and Edward Norton shines in his couple of scenes. Tom Hanks and Steve Carell collaborated with Anderson for the first time in Asteroid City, and they each bring their unique presence, while still fitting in to the house style — and they’re both hilarious, with Hanks adding on some heart. Jake Ryan sneakily steals the movie; Hope Davis, Rupert Friend, Steve Park, Liev Schreiber, Matt Dillon, and Maya Hawke all have their moments; and Aristou Meehan, Sophia Lillis, Ethan Josh Lee, and Grace Edwards make for a great group of teens being recognized for their scientific achievements. It’s par for the course at this point for a Wes Anderson movie to have an amazing ensemble, but, as Asteroid City continues to prove, they’re each special in their own way.
Apart from Inception, Christopher Nolan’s movies aren’t really known for their ensembles. From the Dark Knight movies, to Interstellar, to The Prestige, they usually have between one and three notable performances, with a slew of supporting characters that aren’t as highly discussed. And while Oppenheimer has an all-timer from Cillian Murphy, ask 10 people and they’ll probably give you 10 different answers to their favorite supporting actor. There’s Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Alden Ehrenreich, Jason Clarke, Macon Blair, Kenneth Branagh, David Krumholtz, Josh Hartnett, Florence Pugh, Matthew Modine, David Dastmalchian, Dane DeHann, Benny Safdie, Rami Malek, and so, so many more. And the crazy thing? They’re all excellent! Somehow Nolan managed to get all of these notable performers to come in and buy in for sometimes just a couple of scenes. It’s an impressive collection without a single weak spot in the entire group. Just the fact that the list could keep going and going speaks to the entire ensemble’s quality.
Make sure to check out the previous 2023 Sifties winners, and don’t forget to check back on Monday for the winner of Best Audio Experience!
You can also listen to the SiftPop writers’ top five movies of the year on the SiftPop Writers’ Room Podcast!