Fantasy Acting League 2017: Round One

And we’re off! No sooner than the teams have been assembled, the first results came in. The first round is always an interesting one, because we are knee deep in OSCAR territory now. While a few teams have put more faith in the summer blockbuster season, therefore not leaving the starting grid for the moment, this is a great chance for a few bloggers to get ahead early. A few of their actors are about to drop their hit of the year, ranging from Joel Edgerton’s racial heartfelt drama, Loving, and Andrew Garfield’s war epic, Hacksaw Ridge. The next two rounds should be really interesting for a few teams and might inspire an early lead.

It might also inspire false confidence. A wise saying in the world of sports, or anything revolving a table system like this, is that the first few weeks are meaningless. Sure, you might have scored seven points breezing from that miserable zero spot, but no one this week has hit a comfortable lead. One week can change anything and no one on the starting grid, currently with zero, should feel worried. We’ve been doing this for two years now and we know how fast the tide can turn. But no more spoilers. Read on and experience the thrilling first chapter of this breath-taking race.

This Round’s Movies

Moonlight
Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk
Loving
Hacksaw Ridge
The White King
Denial
20th Century Women
Fences
Prevenge
Underworld: Blood Wars
Gold
Sing
Hidden Figures
Christine
Toni Erdmann
The Founder

The Teams

What About the Twinkie – 0
Dwayne Johnson – 0
Woody Harrelson – 0
Keanu Reeves – 0
Gal Gadot – 0
Brie Larson – 0
Charlize Theron – 0

Verbal Spew – 0
Gal Gadot – 0
Tilda Swinton – 0
Rebecca Ferguson – 0
James Franco – 0
Woody Harrelson – 0
J. K Simmons – 0

Sporadic Chronicles of a Beginner Blogger – 0
Michael Fassbender – 0
Idris Elba – 0
Tom Holland – 0
Emma Watson – 0
Brie Larson – 0
Kate Winslet – 0

Rhyme and Reason – 0
John Goodman – 0
Domhnall Gleeson – 0
J.K. Simmons – 0
Toni Collette – 0
Maika Monroe – 0
Chloe Sevigny – 0

Marked Movies – 0
Michael Fassbender – 0
Oscar Isaac – 0
JK Simmons – 0
Jessica Chastain – 0
Alicia Vikander – 0
Katherine Waterston – 0

Fairytale Pictures – 0
Domhnall Gleeson – 0
Oscar Isaac – 0
Rooney Mara – 0
Rebecca Ferguson – 0
Woody Harrelson – 0
Katherine Waterston – 0

Emma K Wall (Tells It All) – 0
Ryan Reynolds – 0
Daniel Radcliffe – 0
Tom Hiddleston – 0
Kristen Wiig – 0
Jennifer Lawrence – 0
Rose Byrne – 0

Debra Vega – 0
Oscar Isaacs – 0
J. K Simmons – 0
Woody Harrelson – 0
Charlize Theron – 0
Noomi Rapace – 0
Brie Larson – 0

Slip/Through Movies – 3
Dwayne Johnson – 0
Vin Diesel – 3
John Boyega – 0
Daisy Ridley – 0
Gal Gadot – 0
Emma Watson

What About Movies – Lily – 7
J.K. Simmons – 0
James Franco – 0
Woody Harrelson – 0
Rooney Mara – 0
Katherine Waterston – 0
Elle Fanning- 7

Oracle of Film – 7
Andrew Garfield – 7
Michael Fassbender – 0
Domnhall Gleeson – 0
Chloe Grace Moretz – 0
Maika Monroe – 0
Brie Larson – 0

Cinema Parrot Disco – 7
J.K. Simmons – 0
John Goodman – 0
Samuel L. Jackson – 0
Rebecca Ferguson – 0
Elle Fanning – 7
Brie Larson – 0

Abbi Osbiston – 7
Tom Hardy – 0
Ryan Gosling – 0
Jack O’Connell – 0
Elle Fanning – 7
Imogen Poots – 0
Dakota Johnson – 0

Movie Rob – 11
Andrew Garfield – 7
Michael Shannon – 4
Oscar Isaac – 0
Emma Watson – 0
Natalie Portman – 0
Jessica Chastain – 0

WINNER
Vinnieh – 15
Michael Shannon – 4
Michael Fassbender – 0
Joel Edgerton – 7
Natalie Portman – 0
Julianne Moore – 0
Rachel Weisz – 4

How The Actors Scored
Joel Edgerton – 7 (Loving – Lead Role: 3; Four Stars: 2; Empire compliments performance: 2)
Michael Shannon – 4 (Loving – Supporting Role: 2; Four Stars: 2)
Andrew Garfield – 7 (Hacksaw Ridge – Lead Role: 3; Four Stars: 2; Empire compliments performance: 2)
Vin Diesel – 3 (Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk – Supporting Role: 2; Three Stars: 1)
Rachel Weisz – 4 (Denial – Lead Role: 3; Three Stars: 1)
Elle Fanning – 7 (20th Century Women – Lead Role: 3; Four Stars: 2; Empire compliments performance: 2)

Round Analysis

And Vinnieh, last year’s under-achiever, makes sure he doesn’t retread old ground and storms to first place. Half of his team were scorers in Round One, Joel Edgerton’s Loving picking up most of his points with Weisz and Shannon sprinkling in some support to help him get ahead from Movie Rob, hot on his tail. Of course, an early first place position means very little in Week One, but is sure to give Vinnieh the encouragement he needs to continue. Shannon is bound to pick up several more films in the year and he still has the great Fassbender sitting on the bench, waiting for his time to shine.

But I wanna win too…

All across the board, early signs of winning streaks are cropping up however. Elle Fanning, while over-looked by me, turns out to be a wise choice, pushing last year’s winner, What About Movies, into a scoring position, alongside fan favourite, Cinema Parrot Disco (who I still picture as the villain from the 2011 Muppets movie). Oh, and a certain handsome Oracle is up there too. But, as I said in the introduction, these early leads mean little right now. A seven point lead is easy enough to skip over with the right team and while Vinnieh has a strong lead, even fifteen points is easy enough to catch up to. 2017 begins earnestly.