Killer Film’s 2009 Actor and Actress of the Year

Throughout the course of a year, movie goers come across thousands of actors. If they are good, we remember them. But sometimes an actor can appear in numerous films, and every time he or she pops up, we get excited. Throw away any Oscar talk, not because they don’t deserve it, but this list is to honor an actor and actress that wowed us in 2009 in terms of fun and powerful performances.

Each film, they not only impressed, but made us go to their IMDB page to see what they’re going to be in next. I think there is no higher honor, than that of the anticipation from a fan to an actor for they’ll do next. Before we get to their 2010 films, let’s take a minute to look back at their work in 2009 and give some props. And they are:

Killer Film’s Actor of 2009: Clifton Collins, Jr.

His 2009 Films: Sunshine Cleaning; The Perfect Game; Star Trek; Crank: High Voltage; Extract; Brothers; The Boondock Saints II: All Saint’s Day

Why: Collins has always been working for a good while now, whether it was features or television, but it wasn’t until Capote, when he first impressed me by delivering a performance that could match and rival Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Oscar winning turn. Since then, he has continued to pop up in a variety of projects, and this year, he impressed me with his diversity. In fact, that’s his MO. When I talked to Extract director Mike Judge about Collins, he concurred: “He’s a true chameleon.”

Throughout the year, he’s played a variety of characters, each different and unique. In Crank: High Voltage, he gives a loony villainous turn as El Huron, in Sunshine Cleaning, he gave a warm performance as Winston, the one-armed salesman, and in The Boondock Saints II: All Saint’s Day, he was the fun, wild, bumbling Chicano Romeo. Each performance is unique and fresh, each role equally as memorable. I remember when Selma Hayek made Frida, she stated on how Hollywood has a shortage of strong Latino roles, that didn’t coincide with cliches. He’s a good actor, with plenty of range, totally proving that statement wrong.

Ever notice that each role this year, he has a ‘one’ of something? In Extract, he has one testicle, in Sunshine Cleaning, he has one arm, in Star Trek, he was Nero’s number one, and in Crank: High Voltage, he was the number one head villain…okay, I might be a Collins fanatic, but I’ve enjoyed him in every film this year. Look for big things from him in the future.

Favorite Performance: Extract (original review here) as Step

Look for him in 2010: Freeloaders; The Experiment

Killer Film’s Actress of 2009: Zoe Saldana

Her 2009 Films: Star Trek; Skeptic; Avatar

Why: Her two key performances this year, in Star Trek as Uhara and in Avatar as Neytiri, proved one thing and why she’s one this list: she’s giving women a strong, positive symbol of an independence. What’s wrong with that? She’s sexy as any other starlet, yet that’s not her crutch. She took, along with the screenwriters, a character in Uhura, that was a secondary, minor character, and turned her into a strong lead character, with compassion, intelligence, and sass. Uhura’s arc in future Trek sequels is what I’m interested in, since she’s such a strong presence on the screen, and that can only be done with a great actress like Zoe.

Avatar is unique because Zoe wasn’t actually in the film, only digitally. But if not for her stirring turn as Neytiri, again, this would have been another film that would sink. Also, the role of Neytiri is that of a strong female character, that is independent, yet compassionate. What a great theme and position for Zoe to handle and deliver, especially this year when most female roles weren’t that strong. We don’t get a lot of these types of female characters, and I think it’s great that we do, and for someone like Zoe can do it so well. It’s easy to see why Sam Worthington’s character fell for Neytiri, because I did too. There’s so much life and love and pain in her eyes, and while the VFX team did a fantastic job, none of it would have been done, without Zoe’s superbly crafted performance. She has my vote for breakout star of 2009. Can’t wait to see more from her because she lights up the screen.

Favorite Performance: Star Trek (original review here) as Uhura

Look for her in 2010: The Losers; Death at a Funeral; possible untitled Star Trek sequel

What’s the connection between Zoe Saldana and Clifton Collins this year?

What are your favorite actor and actress from this year? Feel free to leave a comment!