Welcome to the 2023 SiftPop.com Sifties!
This year, the SiftPop writers came together to nominate five vocal performances for Best Voice Performance. This is a category that is woefully underrepresented at awards shows, so we sought to remedy that!
Nimona’s name may be on the film, and Chloë Grace Moretz’s voiceover may indeed provide the narration, but for a large chunk of the movie, our main character is actually Riz Ahmed’s Ballister Boldheart. His ascension to knighthood after coming from nothing spits in the face of a millennia of tradition. But on his night of triumph, tragedy strikes and forces Boldheart on the run and at odds with his love, and champion of the realm, Ambrosius Goldenloin (Eugene Lee Yang), descendant of the realm’s mythic hero, Gloreth. However, Nimona is at the center of what makes the movie sing — and Moretz deserves a lot of credit for that. Her introduction provides shots of pure adrenaline into proceedings. The shapeshifting nature of the character, and the endless possibilities it offers, spices up the action scenes. Her punk demon personality adds pure chaos to any subsequent scenes, and that fun can’t help but translate through the screen. On a deeper level, it’s through her character that much of the thematic work is done, namely what constitutes a “monster,” and the negative impacts of societal prejudices. As more and more of her story is unveiled, it’s also clear that she’s the pure heart of the movie, and those moments are almost universally moving. Without Moretz’s critical performance, the movie wouldn’t work nearly as well as it does.
It may have been just over a year in-world since Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, but the Miles Morales(Shameik Moore) in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has grown quite a lot. In the sequel, Miles must confront his place in the multiverse, what it means to be Spider-Man, and how to write his own story. The characterization does a fantastic job of giving the audience a hint Miles that has grown a bit in his role since they last saw him, while still being able to see how this version relates to the earlier version of the character — all thanks to Moore’s performance. There’s a bit more swagger and confidence from him, as he’s gotten more used to his role as Spider-Man, but (particularly when interacting with other members of the Spider Society) a bit of the old Miles is allowed to shine through. Moore oozes charisma, but also displays a harder edge as needed. Particularly with where the narrative takes him, with this latest performance, Moore continues to put his own unique stamp on one of the most iconic superheroes around.
At first glance, this could be surprising. Embedded amongst four other performers that outwardly appear to be more straightforward cases for this award, there is Jack Black in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. On the simple fact that when we think of the billion-dollar Illumination juggernaut featuring a voice cast teeming with household names, it’s Black as Bowser that we think of first. To voice a character as legendary as Bowser, and attempt to honor the character while forging a path of his own, is a monumental task. It’s a skill that talented voice actors work for. Black clearly put his all into filling Bowser with an energy that will not soon be forgotten. It helps that he has an ear worm comedy song that sneaks its way into our lives. But all the more, we know who is playing Bowser. We have our preconceived opinions on the actor and the character. Black rises to the occasion, delivering a genuinely fun and unique take on the iconic character, becoming more than the movie he was in, more than the iconography of the character he was playing, and more than the person we have grown to know and appreciate on our big screens.
Perhaps no performer has monopolized voicing tragic heroines in absolutely stunning animated works quite as much as Hailee Steinfeld over the past couple of years. Reprising her role as Gwen Stacy for the sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, while Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) is confronting his place in the multiverse, what it means to be Spider-Man, and how to write his own story, Gwen is on a similar path. Steinfeld gets a lot more to do in this sequel. She is basically the co-lead of the film, and provides some of the most emotionally striking moments of the story. The audience gets to see not only how her relationship with Miles grows, but the struggles she has with the events of her past, and what it could mean for her future. It’s heart-wrenching, and it’s no mistake that she’s the one who bookends the movie, as it’s her arc that we get to see throughout — going from a disillusioned drummer dropping out of one band, to the leader that helps form her own by the end of the film.
It’s no secret at this point. While Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 is an outstanding conclusion to the journeys of several beloved characters, it also ended up being a stealthy Rocket Raccoon origin story. It has been clear from the first outing that there is a tremendous amount of pain under the surface of Bradley Cooper’s prickly portrayal of Rocket. Various quips, comments, and interactions from previous films have teased the heart-wrenching story that plays out. This harrowing tale allows Cooper’s acting prowess to shine, despite the fact that he never even appears on screen. His ability to disappear into the role has been celebrated since the original volume, but it still merits being mentioned. It is truly shocking how distinct and unrecognizable this role is from any other characters in Cooper’s catalogue. And the way Rocket evolves from comic relief to emotional linchpin is genuinely something to be studied. This film serves as proof that there is still gold to be mined from the Marvel Cinematic Universe when talented performers give it their all and bring these characters to life.
Make sure to check out the previous 2023 Sifties winners, and don’t forget to check back tomorrow for the winner of Best Film Ensemble!
You can also listen to the SiftPop writers’ top five movies of the year on the SiftPop Writers’ Room Podcast!