THE FIVE NOMINEES
1/23/07
FOREST
WHITAKER
LEONARDO
DICAPRIO
RYAN
GOSLING
HALF NELSON
THE LAST KING
OF SCOTLAND
FOR HIM
FOR HIM
FOR HIM
While his
performance is
being singled
out for praise
more than the
film itself, he
seems like a
strong bet for
the ultimate
prize.
After a
post-"Titanic"
stumble, Leo's
been in a few
solid critical
hits.  His
Oscar-nom'd
"Aviator" turn
re-endeared
him to voters.
"Half Nelson" is
a very small
indie that
almost nobody
saw, but
Gosling got
some of the
best reviews of
the year -- and
his career.
AGAINST HIM
AGAINST HIM
AGAINST HIM
There was a lot
of buzz before
it opened, and
now Whitaker's
at a stalemate.
 He, more than
the others,
needs a lot of
precursor
attention.
Almost
everyone
recognizes his
turn in "The
Departed" as
the better of
the two; he
probably came
up just short in
supporting.
Like I said, it's
a very small
indie that
almost nobody
saw.  This nod
may come out
of left field a la
Ed Norton in
"American
History X."
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SACHA BARON COHEN, Borat
He's actually picking up precursor steam.  Cross your fingers...

LEONARDO DiCAPRIO, The Departed
He probably got votes in the supporting category for this.

KEN WATANABE, Letters From Iwo Jima
If voters fall for the film hard, he'll make it in.

JAMIE FOXX, Dreamgirls
On paper it makes sense, but he just won.

NICOLAS CAGE, World Trade Center
This is the type of thing voters usually go for.

EDWARD NORTON, The Painted Veil
It's a subdued turn in a season of big and loud.

AARON ECKHART, Thank You for Smoking
His film might be forgotten come nomination time.
MARCH 10
DEL TORO
PENN
DAMON
DICAPRIO
CAGE
NOV 29
WHITAKER
O'TOOLE
SMITH
DICAPRIO
GOSLING
DEC 12
WHITAKER
O'TOOLE
SMITH
DICAPRIO
GOSLING
JAN 9
WHITAKER
O'TOOLE
SMITH
DICAPRIO
GOSLING
Best Actor
The other contenders...
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JAN 16
WHITAKER
O'TOOLE
SMITH
DICAPRIO
GOSLING
PETER
O'TOOLE
VENUS
No one
deserves an
Oscar more
than this
"Lawrence of
Arabia" legend
who's in the
twilight of his
Hollywood
career.
AGAINST HIM
How many
legends of the
screen (Lauren
Bacall?!) have
thought it was
"their turn"
only to end up
with a loss on
Oscar night?  
Too many.
FOR HIM
2
WILL
SMITH
THE PURSUIT
OF HAPPYNESS
FOR HIM
He was
nominated
once before for
"Ali," and
"Happyness"
has all the
signs of being
a
crowd-pleasing
hit.
AGAINST HIM
Or will it be too
sappy?  Every
so often Oscar
likes its sugar
("I Am Sam"?!)
but does tend
to reject it from
time to time.  
We'll have to
wait and see.
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