It’s OSCAR Week!!!
And in honor of this joyous time of year, leading up to the telecast on March 2nd, I will be positing a series of rankings of the nominees for Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Lead Actor, Lead Actress, and Best Picture. I will also share my prediction of who will win and who I felt was the biggest snub in each category.
As always, feel free to agree, disagree and/or rank your own nominees in the Comment Box below
Next up:
Best Actor
(5) Christian Bale (American Hustle)
So, is it even possible to typecast him? He can go from playing Batman, to an underweight drug addict, BACK to Batman, and then to an overweight con-artist. The audience doesn’t just buy into it, and they feel like they’re watching another actor. That’s something special. Bale was fantastic in this movie, and it’s a shame that he’s in an extremely competitive category this year.
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(4) Bruce Dern (Nebraska)
This is a case of artistic serendipity; the actor finding the right role, at the right time, with the right director, in the right movie. He may have not had the most powerhouse performance and he didn’t necessarily have to carry the movie, but no one plays sweet and cantankerous like Dern. SHOUTOUT: If you haven’t seen The Burbs with Dern and Tom Hanks, do yourself a favor and Netflix it. I know a few people who will back me up on this one!
https://youtu.be/UT5tqPojMtg
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(3) Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street)
OK, I struggle with this one. Although I was not a fan of this movie (and I really wasn’t), I have to appreciate how committed he was to the role. When I say he went for it, he WENT for it, and I need to give credit where credit is due. He carried this movie on his shoulders (and it was a LONG one) and although his character was pretty despicable and unlikeable, his charm almost wanted you to root for him. Also, he had a great chemistry with Jonah Hill, and I’m a sucker for good chemistry.
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(TIE-1) Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)
Alright Alright Alright…the “McConaughnaissance” is alive and well. I’ve always liked McConaughey (Yes, even in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past), but his work of late is showing what a true talent he is when he has the right script. Shocking physical transformation aside, he delivers a nuanced performance that is also raw and harrowing. The movie simply wouldn’t work without his commitment. SHOUTOUT: Please Please PLEASE checkout True Detective on HBO.
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(TIE-1) Chiwetel Ejofir (12 Years a Slave)
BRILLIANT. (Does anything else need to be said?)
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WHO WILL WIN:
Matthew McConaughey
WHO SHOULD WIN:
Chiwetel Ejofir and Matthew McConaughey should BOTH win. There have been ties before, right? (Six times).
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WILDCARD:
Leonardo DiCaprio
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BIGGEST SNUB:
Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips)
I realize that he’s far from an underdog and that there are a few actors that I could easily put here (Joaquin Phoenix for Her, Michael B. Jordon for Fruitvale Station, and Robert Redford for All is Lost) but this was his best performance since Philadelphia. Hanks plays Phillips in a subtle and quite way that speaks volumes. The movie is a wild ride, and we’re plugged into his mind the entire time. His last scene alone deserves the nomination.
https://youtu.be/Sp6jpeDeQmE
LINKS
Matt’s Movie Rank Tank – ‘Special Oscar Edition-Part 1: Best Supporting Actor by Matt Baughman.
Matt’s Movie Rank Tank – ‘Special Oscar Edition-Part 2: Best Supporting Actress by Matt Baughman.
Watch the Academy Awards on ABC on Sunday, March 2, 2014 at 8 PM.
The Oscars website.
