Anyone who's bold/stupid/bored/interested enough to predict the Academy Award nominees for best actor has a list that looks so cut and dry, as if it's already been decided.
- They choose either Denzel Washington or Russel Crowe for American Gangster.
- Then they choose Daniel Day Lewis for There Will Be Blood.
- They choose Goerge Clooney for Michael Clayton.
- They choose Jaoquin Phoenix for Reservation Road.
- And then they express their doubts over Tom Hanks in Charlie Wilson's War, and chose Johnny Depp for Sweeney Todd or do the opposite.
Come on! With so many movies coming out let's hope it's not already cut and dry in May:
How about...
Gordon Pinsent, Away from Her
Christian Bale or Russell Crowe, 3:10 to Yuma
Adrien Brody, Manolete
James McAvoy, Atonement
Jared Leto, Chapter 27
John Cusack, Grace Is Gone
Khalid Abdalla, The Kite Runner
Javier Bardem, Love in the Time of Cholera
Tommy Lee Jones, In the Valley of Elah
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, The Savages
Richard Gere, The Hoax
Jake Gyllenhaal, Rendition
Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises
Robert Redford or Tom Cruise, Lions for Lamb
Don Cheadle, Talk To Me
Something different in the top 5 Oscar contenders please! Each of this commonly chosen 7 possibilities listed about have been nominated for multiple awards, and each has won an academy award, with the exception of Johnny Depp. Can you really see it playing out so squarely so early on in the game. Sure some of these easy choices may make it, but it can't be so cut and dry.
I will post my top 5 best actor predictions soon. And it's going to be a little different. Who would we release from the typical list above? Who would you add??? I will release my predictions soon.
Related Tags: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, American Gangster, Daniel Day Lewis, There Will Be Blood, George Clooney, Michael Clayton, Jaoquin Phoenix, Reservation Road, Tom Hanks, Charlie Wilsons War, Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd, Academy Awards, Best Actor, Award Buzz, Film
9 comments:
I reckon Bale's got a chance. It's about time he got something from the Academy, really. Some people think he's got a chance for Rescue Dawn, no idea on 3:10 To Yuma.
I've got high hopes for Leto in Chapter 27 though. Apparently the movie was so-so but he was brilliant ... so long as he doesn't let me down :D
I know what you mean about seeing the same people time after time. However, I think it's inevitable, given the fact that these gents are far more gifted that most in their profession.
I think Viggo might also have a chance with Eastern Promises, or Benicio Del Toro, with Things We Lost in the Fire. Who knows, maybe even Tony Leung for Lust, Caution or Robert Downey Jr for Poe. And a possible long shot with Brad Pitt (Assassination of Jesse James).
I think it's still a little early for a short list, although I always enjoy these predictions. I think one thing is clear: we can pretty much bank on good performances from the guys you singled out. But who will turn in the best of the year? Time will tell.
I think it's safe to say you can take Gordon Pinsent off the list of alternates. Though I loved him in Away From Her, the focus has been entirely on Julie Christie. She has a strong chance for a nomination, but nobody has been tooting Gordon's horn enough for people to recognize him in December.
it's also worth noting that most early bird prognosticators read each others articles and thus the group think sets in early... but we all know it never turns out the way it looks far in advance
but yeah. no way on Pinsent. He's great in the movie but it's the Julie Christie show.
There's a reason certain actors, like Russell Crowe are always on everybody's lists. He's damned good in everything he does. I can think of at least two recent roles where he deserved but didn't get the nomination, for Cinderella Man and Master and Commander. So lets not assume the lists are slam dunks.
RC!
Nothing is "locked" in May. Especially when nobody has seen it.
I'm hoping McAvoy finally gets some Academy recognition, with at least a nomination. He was outstanding alongside Forrest Whittaker in the Last King of Scotland, so I'm hoping he gets a nomination if he equals that performance in Atonement. Or maybe he'll get a nod in the Supporting category with Becoming Jane.
Obviously way early for a short list but I did get a chance to see
"Grace is Gone" at Sundance this year and can confirm that John Cusack is worthy of a nomination this year. In fact, it was the first thing that went through my mind as the credits rolled. I hope it works out for him. Also so "Away From Her" at Sundance and thought Gordon Pinsent wonderful, but agree that he's probably just not strongly enough on anyone's radar at this point. He was magnificent, though.
I chose: Day-Lewis, McAvoy, Phoenix, Washington and, if memory serves, Benicio Del Toro for Things We Lost in the Fire. So I only had three of the ones you mentioned. Do I get a gold star?
:P
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