HOFFMAN
LEDGER
STRATHAIRN
PHOENIX
HOWARD
& GOOD LUCK
FLOW
it? After nearly
a decade of
coming so
close to a nom
(and win), it
finally looks
like the stars
are aligned for
Hoffman.
definitely win
the award for
Most Startling
Transformation
Into a Serious
Actor. But is
that enough to
give him the
edge here?
embodies
Edward R.
Murrow in style
and tone. It's
the epitome of
a great
performance --
as well as
Oscar bait.
nominee, and
Oscar loves the
musical biopic
(see: "Ray,"
"What's Love
Got to Do With
It," "Coal
Miner's
Daughter").
gave Eminem
an Oscar. Will
they reward a
fictional rapper?
If the critics'
accolades
mean
anything, then
yes.
of Oscar-giving
has grown
tiresome in
recent years. I
bet AMPAS
mixes it up
this year -- but
in which
category?
go from
mediocre films
to an Oscar so
quick. Voters
may think
others deserve
it more -- and
he has a long
career ahead.
character is
sometimes the
death knell for
actors seeking
Oscars,
regardless of
how true-to-life
the
performance is.
comparisons to
"Ray" is no
good just one
year after the
fact. His film
doesn't have
the weight of
the other
nominees'.
seems more
like a
"welcome to
the club" from
the Academy.
But we all can't
wait to see
where he's
headed next.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
The thrown phone (and so-so box office) loomed large.
JEFF DANIELS, The Squid & the Whale
He got some career-best reviews, and was on the bubble.
RALPH FIENNES, The Constant Gardener
There were too many contenders this year.
VIGGO MORTENSEN, A History of Violence
Only Maria Bello and William Hurt got early buzz.
TOMMY LEE JONES, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
No precursor love; shoulda released the pic sooner.
ERIC BANA, Munich
The film snuck in, but he didn't.
CILLIAN MURPHY, Breakfast on Pluto
This Neil Jordan pic got mixed reviews, though Murphy was praised.
