My first blog post generated some interesting debate among those of you who were kind enough to read it, so I thought I'd keep the conversation going each month with a different category. By the end of the year things might get a bit tough, so cross your fingers!
This time out, we'll talk about the Best Actor Academy Award. In keeping with the initial post, we'll work backwards from 2019, since that's the last year completed. We won't consider 2019 itself, since it's still too fresh and I handled that in my previous post. So we'll start with 5 years ago, 2014 and work backwards from there, so strap in.
5 Years - 2014
Who Won? Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything
Admittedly I have yet to see this film because it sounds like a real downer. Redmayne is a tremendous actor, and I have no doubt that he was a fine choice for the award, I just have a sentimental favorite here that I refuse to give up on.
Who Should Have Won? Michael Keaton – Birdman
Before Redmayne's film was released, this was Keaton's award, and I still think it should have been. This was a phenomenal performance, it ran the gamut from comedy to pathos to fury. You found yourself pulling for this guy in one scene then being repulsed by him in the next. Plus, the guy has been doing stellar work for decades, and I would have loved to see him give an acceptance speech. Again, hard to argue with what I HAVE seen of Redmayne's performance, but I think you'd be hard-pressed to make an argument against Keaton being at least as worthy.
Who Should Have Been Nominated? Ralph Fiennes – The Grand Budapest Hotel and Miles Teller – Whiplash
Yeah, I cheated and listed 2 names here, what of it? I'm not the biggest Wes Anderson fan. Most of his films do nothing for me other than looking like adorable dioramas. However, The Grand Budapest Hotel is a story tailor-made for his style, and Fiennes was pitch-perfect in it. He was hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time. He's an actor of ridiculous range, but he never gets to play comedy very often, so I would have liked to see him recognized for it here. As for Teller, Whiplash was JK Simmons's film, he loomed large even in the scenes he wasn't in. That being said, the film doesn't work if the central character isn't strong, and Miles Teller knocked this one outta the park. Much like Keaton in Birdman, he was a character you didn't necessarily like, but you understood him, and you wanted to see him make the right decision and succeed. Did he? That depends on the viewer, but Teller was convincing as a world-class drummer and a world-class d-bag, and for that he should have been shortlisted.
10 Years - 2009
Who Won? Jeff Bridges – Crazy Heart
It's hard to argue with this one. One complaint I've heard is that Bridges isn't doing anything that we haven't seen him do a thousand times before. While that may be true, he hasn't ever won an Oscar for doing it, and he probably should have won this award at least once before now (I'll let you decide for which role **cough STARMAN cough**
Who Should Have Won? Jeff Bridges – Crazy Heart
Again, it's hard to argue here. The other nominees all did some of their best work, but Jeff Bridges wears the character of Bad Blake like a perfectly-fitted suit, so I won't quibble.
Who Should Have Been Nominated? Tom Hardy - Bronson
Seriously, have you SEEN this film? Probably not. I caught it on Netflix years ago. Hardy was rightly celebrated by critics. This film rests solely on his shoulders, and he gets to do a bit of everything: broad comedy (even some vaudeville-esque work), action, drama, you name it, he does it. His physical transformation is incredible, and his charisma is on full display. Go watch it and tell me he didn't belong on this list.
15 Years - 2004
Who Won? Jamie Foxx – Ray
This one was such a lock that the odds in Vegas were 1:5. Meaning you had to bet 5 dollars to win 1 dollar. That says it all for how foregone a conclusion it was. That doesn't mean it was the right choice. Foxx was great at Ray Charles, but it always felt like mimicry to me. That and the fact that he didn't do his own singing have always bugged me, especially since Foxx CAN sing very well. I thought his work in Collateral was much more interesting, and should have been in this slot instead of the Supporting Actor slot.
Who Should Have Won? Don Cheadle – Hotel Rwanda
I could also live with Clint Eastwood winning here, because his work in Million Dollar Baby is the best he's ever done (even better than Unforgiven), but he won Best Director so I'm good with this one going to Don Cheadle. His work in Hotel Rwanda was stellar. The problem with Don Cheadle is that he's so good that he never looks like he's acting, so he gets taken for granted, and that's a crime. Cheadle is one of my all-time favorite actors and he deserves some Academy recognition.
Who Should Have Been Nominated? Paul Giamatti – Sideways and Kurt Russell – Miracle
Yeah, I'm doubling up again, but this time it's legit. Giamatti was completely hosed by being left off of this list (again). This should have been his second nom after American Splendor, but that's a discussion for another time. He anchored Sideways. That film is great, and it doesn't work without him. Like Keaton and Teller above, his character was so layered that you had a hard time knowing how to feel about him. One character you had no such trouble with was Kurt Russel's Herb Brooks in Miracle. Russell is another actor that has been overlooked by the Academy his entire life, and hes' done remarkable work for far too long. His work in Miracle might be his most transformative (although his Elvis in the tv movie he made was excellent as well). I mentioned that Jamie Foxx felt like he was just mimicking Ray Charles. Russell nails Herb Brooks's accent and voice, but this is a character, one that he makes his own. You can see every one of the emotions that he refuses to show, and that is a feat worthy of mention.
20 Years - 1999
Who Won? Kevin Spacey – American Beauty
Yeah....I know. Cancel him and all he's done. It was a reasonable choice at the time. Spacey plays comedy as well as he plays drama, and he does both here. A guy in mid-life crisis is seen for who he really is. It was a surprise, but not an entirely unpleasant one.
Who Should Have Won? Denzel Washington – The Hurricane
Full disclosure: I have yet to see this film, but I've seen enough clips and have discussed it with people who's opinions I value enough to be able to state that Washington would have been a fine choice for the award, and according to many his work is far more complex and technical than what Spacey did in American Beauty
Who Should Have Been Nominated? Matt Damon – The Talented Mr. Ripley
I struggled with naming 1 person here. I didn't want another tie, and this one would have been a 3-way tie between Damon, Brad Pitt in Fight Club, and Nicolas Cage in Bringing Out The Dead. Damon, though, was actually my pick for Best Actor of 1999. The fact that the film got almost completely overlooked still astounds me, because it's a mesmerizing work. And Matt Damon plays a character that has no core, he's a blank slate, a sociopath, and Damon manages to make him sympathetic! You kind of want him to succeed! Who does that? Matt Damon, that's who. And he should have been among the nominees.
25 Years – 1994
Who Won? Tom Hanks – Forrest Gump
Another one that is hard to argue. Regardless of what you think of the film these days, Hanks is amazing in it. This was his 2nd of 2 Oscars in a row, which should tell you how strong the performance is. If the Academy could have given it to someone else, they would have. Which brings me to...
Who Should Have Won? John Travolta – Pulp Fiction
Another comedic performance that deserved the award. As everyone knows, this is the role that re-launched Travolta's career. Sadly, it wouldn't last, but the next time he does a movie directed by Fred Durst, go back to this film and remember just how wonderful an actor he CAN be when he has the right material and the right director. Vincent Vega is one of the great characters in film history, a hit man that you just want to thump on the forehead because he's such a dolt, but he keeps getting bailed out by others. Until, you know, he doesn't.
Who Should Have Been Nominated? Johnny Depp – Ed Wood
Ed Wood is easily my favorite Tim Burton film, and Johnny Depp at the center is what makes it work. Martin Landau received all the attention (which was deserved), but Depp's work as the titular director is heartbreaking and hilarious. He's broad, but never fake. That's a tightrope that few actors can walk, and Depp manages to make Ed both earnest and ridiculous, and it makes the audience root for him from the first frame. Give this one a watch soon. If you've seen it before, it's time to watch it again, and if you've never seen it, it will be worth your time. And you'll wonder why Depp's name wasn't among the nominees
30 Years – 1989
Who Won? Daniel Day-Lewis – My Left Foot
Another one that's hard to argue. Day-Lewis as Christy Brown is one of the great film performances of all time, and I'd have a hard time defending him NOT getting this award.
Who Should Have Won? Daniel Day-Lewis – My Left Foot
I could make an argument for Morgan Freeman in Driving Miss Daisy, but the fact is that the commitment that the role of Christy Brown required on the part of Daniel Day-Lewis is so intense that this award belongs to him, and it always will.
Who Should Have Been Nominated? John Candy – Uncle Buck
I know, I know, but hear me out: I mentioned above that Bad Blake was a role so suited to Jeff Bridges that it seemed criminal to ignore it. The same is true of Buck Russell and John Candy. This was a role that no other actor could play. We all know I have a propensity for promoting comedic peformances, and this is one that deserves to be celebrated. Candy plays subtle humor, he plays broad humor, he plays physical humor, and he even gets the chance to flex his dramatic chops several times throughout. And there's not a false note in any of these moments. This is a real person, a living, breathing character that we all know. If you don't understand how difficult it is to do what he did, and especially what he did in this role, then we are just on different wavelengths. But that doesn't change the fact that I truly believe this was John Candy's finest performance and one that deserves to be celebrated.
35 Years – 1984
Who Won? F. Murray Abraham – Amadeus
Yet another award that his hard to argue. Abraham's work as Salieri is easily the best work he's ever done, and it's astoundingly watchable on repeat viewings. I hate this character, but I feel sorry for him, too. He's not likable, and he isn't meant to be, and Abraham never asks for our affection, which is something to be recognized
Who Should Have Won? Jeff Bridges – Starman
Again, I have no problem with Abraham winning the award, but the work that Bridges does in Starman is so remarkable that it deserves to be considered. He plays an alien with a speech pattern that is obviously not of this earth, but it always feels real. His child-like reactions to the world he has landed on are a constant source of amusement, especially the interaction with the trucker in the bathroom (“Take it easy.” “Up yours!”) which sets up a great joke a few minutes later. It's one of John Carpenter's best films, and one of Bridges's best roles in a career filled with impeccable work. Give this one a(nother) watch, you'll probably agree with me.
Who Should Have Been Nominated? Eddie Murphy – Beverly Hills Cop
Am I becoming predictable with my comedic choices? I don't care. If the Academy valued comedy the way it should, then I wouldn't have to keep harping. But even if that weren't the case, I'd still make the case for this choice. Eddie Murphy IS Axel Foley. Everyone knows this started out as a vehicle for Sylvester Stallone (eventually that idea became “Cobra”) and Eddie Murphy came onboard and pretty much made it his own. This is Murphy at the peak of his comedic and improvisational powers. It's hard to tell where the character ends and the actor begins, and that is the sign of really wonderful work. You can say he was just playing himself all you want, but this character is real. His emotions are real, he has some moments of legitimate drama, and he manages to keep the whole film afloat with sheer force of will and charisma. This should have been his first nomination.
40 Years – 1979
Who Won? Dustin Hoffman – Kramer Vs Kramer
Yet another award that is hard to argue. Hoffman is so good and so real in this that you imagine he's been through every second of this experience himself. The french toast scene alone is worthy of an award.
Who Should Have Won? Peter Sellers – Being There
While Hoffman is a fine choice, Peter Sellers in Being There would have been a much more interesting choice. For one, it's a comedy, and we all know how I feel about that. For another, it's pretty much a precursor to the path traveled by Forrest Gump 15 years later (which DID win Tom Hanks an Oscar). And finally, it's Peter Sellers, who was never anything less than wonderful in anything he did. This would have been a wonderful tribute to not only this amazing performance but also for a body of work that brings joy to everyone to this day.
Who Should Have Been Nominated? Steve Martin – The Jerk
I'll never make the argument that Navin R Johnson is a real character. He's quite obviously a performance piece, he doesn't exist in the real world. However, that doesn't negate the impeccable work that Steve Martin did. What was it about 1979 that celebrated buffoonery (see the entry about “Being There” above)? This is another performance that resonates to this day. People still watch The Jerk and people still discover it. And people still love it. The scene with the shootout at the gas station is reason enough to put this one on the list.
45 Years – 1974
Who Won? Art Carney – Harry & Tonto
Even at the time this was seen as a tribute award instead of an actual award for the best work of 1974. Art Carney was a pro who had been giving wonderful performances for decades. A lifetime achievement award would have been more appropriate. I say all of this having never seen Harry & Tonto, only knowing it by reputation. So maybe I'm wrong. You tell me.
Who Should Have Won? Al Pacino – The Godfather Part II
It's hard to imagine this performance being overlooked. The possible explanation for this (and for Art Carney's win) is that Pacino, Jack Nicholson in Chinatown and Dustin Hoffman in Lenny split the vote, allowing Carney to win. I've never put much stock into that theory. What I DO put stock in is the fact that Pacino was asked to play so many different levels here and he nailed every single one of them. He anchors a film that is a true epic, and he should have been rewarded for his work.
Who Should Have Been Nominated? Cleavon Little – Blazing Saddles
I don't care what anyone says about comedy, Cleavon Little was a flippin' genius and his work in Blazing Saddles is quite simply some of the most amazing work every committed to film. He sings, he dances, his timing is perfect, his chemistry with Gene Wilder and Madeline Kahn is pitch-perfect, and he does it all without winking at the audience. Even when he does talk directly to us, he maintains a level of authenticity that makes us really worry for his safety from time to time. That is a feat that should most definitely be celebrated, so I'm here to celebrate it.
Any further back will be terrain that has already been trampled, so we'll end it here. I'll be back next month to discuss Best Actress. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on these discussions!