Fandango Awards Watch
Fandango Film Commentator
Fandango Film Commentator
Best Actor
Stacie Says:
Maybe it’s me, but does it seem like more actors turned in powerhouse performances in ’07 than in previous years? Awards givers didn’t have to plumb the indies for standouts this year, either; a lot of big-studio movies offered plenty of worthy acting, in some cases by more than one performer in the same film.
Some actors even have multiple (if long) shots at nominations: Russell Crowe for 3:10 to Yuma (Best Actor)/American Gangster (Supporting) , Josh Brolin for No Country for Old Men (Best Actor)/American Gangster (Supporting), Philip Seymour Hoffman for The Savages (Best Actor)/Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (Best Actor)/ Charlie Wilson’s War (Supporting).
There Will Be Blood.
© Paramount Vantage
I’m going to bet Daniel Day-Lewis will be the winner this year for There Will Be Blood. Critics are going crazy for his performance as a slick, misanthropic oilman; he hasn’t won since 1990; and the film, releasing the day after Christmas, will be fresh on voters’ minds. His character was as unlikeable as they come, which some say could hurt his chances.
© Paramount Pictures
Personally, I’d love the talented, good-looking, seriously eccentric Johnny Depp to finally win this year. He’s been nominated twice and starred in diverse roles in so many notable big-budget and indie movies. Playing the demon barber in Sweeney Todd is the capper on a brilliant career. Awarding him would be a long overdue gesture and a warranted one. He did just get nominated for a Golden Globe—albeit in the musical/comedy category.
© Warner Bros. Pictures
Other obvious contenders…George Clooney gave Michael Clayton’s troubled, back-room-dealing lawyer tremendous depth and complexity. He’s both vulnerable and world-weary as the go-to guy for lawyers in need of damage control, at the same time looking for his own misplaced moral compass. Critics loved the film—but it didn’t really catch fire with the general public.
Perennial nominee Denzel Washington did a great job in a good movie (American Gangster) and I think he’ll get a nomination for sure. But the win? I don’t think so. Same with Russell Crowe (3:10 to Yuma); besides, he’s got competition in that movie with Christian Bale’s lauded performance. James McAvoy got one of Atonement’s seven Golden Globe nominations, but even though this is the kind of epic period drama the Academy loves, I doubt he’ll win the Oscar.
It’s gonna be a good, close race!
Chuck Says:
Best Actor (and Best Actress) at the Academy Awards is usually the safe bet. I also think it's the one award the Academy almost always gets right. Forest Whitaker for The Last King of Scotland, Philip Seymour Hoffman for Capote and Jamie Foxx for Ray were all great, recent picks, and this year should be no different.
The final showdown, in my opinion, will be George Clooney in Michael Clayton vs. Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood. As with so many categories this year, it's not a guaranteed home run for either actor, but I think that's the sure-fire match-up.
Both are big names. Both movies are prestige showcases for the actors. Both actors have previously won Oscars for their performances. And both guys are well-respected, veteran players who consistently align themselves with A-list talent and A-list projects that deliver.
Clooney's turn as a corporate fixer may trump Day-Lewis’ rotten oil digger, perhaps because “Clayton” is more watchable, palatable and entertaining than the superbly crafted "Blood."
But if the Academy checks their conscience, Day-Lewis' performance is the more fearless. Unlike Clooney's turn, Day-Lewis ventures into dark territory without regard to audience sympathy. He dares you to keep watching, and no matter how corrupted his soul, it's impossible to turn away. He's that riveting.
© MGM
There are other fairly predictable nominees (Ryan Gosling's sure to be nominated for the second year in a row for his committed performance as the affable, impaired lead in Lars and the Real Girl), but besides Day-Lewis as the rightful winner, here are some other "for your consideration" candidates. Hopefully, there's still room for one of these two picks on the list.
Will Smith carries the world (and December's box office) on his shoulders in I Am Legend and delivers, both as movie star and first-class actor. Watch for his last scene. I've seen it twice with a full crowd, and everyone, from the film buffs to the casual moviegoer, becomes personally entangled in his character's emotional ordeal.
© MGM
The other actor who should be getting more attention is Christian Bale in Rescue Dawn. Bale's developing into a mainstream movie star with the Batman franchise, but he's continuing to surprise and inspire with his choices in the independent arena. He's fascinating as the real-life war hero in Werner Herzog's Dawn, and he was fantastic this year, too, alongside Russell Crowe in 3:10 to Yuma, and as one version of Bob Dylan in I'm Not There. Bale is also that type of high-caliber, versatile performer, and if he could somehow come from behind (as Adrien Brody did a few years back in The Pianist), it would make the race infinitely more interesting.
