*Because I really don't want to order these (Way too hard) I'm going by the year of the film and performance in question.*
1994 - Johnny Depp - Ed Wood - Ed Wood - Johnny Depp really does get lost in his characters and creates off the wall and memorable ones at that. But he really does his best work in Ed Wood. Wood was a real man and if he was like he is depicted in the film or not isnt the point. Johnny Depp creates such a memorable character ten times better than anything the performances he ended up getting nominations for. I do not understand why the academy thought to nominate and give the oscar that year to Martin Landau but not even recognize Depp's work in the film.
1995 - Tom Hanks - Jim Lovell - Apollo 13 - What I really don't understand here is why the academy thought Tom Hanks was good enough to award him the Oscar two years in a row (93 and 94) but didn't even give him a nomination in 95 for his best performance ever. Apollo 13 had 9 nominations including best picture! Tom Hanks couldn't be better here.
1996 - Mel Gibson - Tom Mullen - Ransom - Say what you want about Mel Gibson, but the son of a bitch can act. Gibson is so believable in this film and when he gets frustrated or overwhelmed I get shivers. This is ten times better than Billy Bob Thorton's fucking performance in Sling Blade.
1999 - Jim Carrey - Andy Kaufman - Man On The Moon - There is never love for comedians at the oscars. Also there is never love for Jim Carrey. His Truman Show performance also failed to get a nom. But here is his best dramactic work. Man On The Moon is quite possibly the best bio pic ever. Carrey's performance is scary good. He sounds, looks, and IS Andy Kaufman.
1999 - Bruce Willis - Malcolm Crowe - The Sixth Sense - Speaking of actors who the academy hates...... Bruce Willis who is usually known for tough guy roles plays a somber and broken child psychologist. There is no hint of John McClain or any of the other tough guy action roles he is famous for. Willis can do comedy. He certainly can do action. The Sixth Sense proved he can do drama.
2002 - Tom Cruise - John Anderton - Minority Report - Part of the reason Minority Report is so good is Tom Cruise. His character's evolution in the film is extraordinary and the scene where he finally confronts the man he is supposed to kill is perfect. Minority Report has it all. Cruise is one of my favorite actors. In Minority Report Tom Cruise serious actor and Tom Cruise action hero came together and it couldn't be better.
2002 - Edward Norton - Monty Brogan - 25th Hour - Norton had countless great performances in a row and with Monty Brogan he hit his peak. Brogan's monologue to himself in the mirror is one of my favorite moments in film. Add that to the opening scene or the countless other scenes in this perfect film. You have a perfect performance that the academy thought wasn't good enough. I might add that Daniel Day Lewis was nominated that year for Gangs Of New York.............. a role i feel is worthy of a supporting nomination.
2004 - Christian Bale - Trevor Reznik - The Machinest - A lot of people say that Bale's performance is all looks and thats it. I disagree. True. Bale looking litearlly like a walking skeleton does add to the performance but he could have looked like that and not acted the way he did as the character. Bale is incredible the way he gets so into this role. You are not looking at Christian Bale the actor who is crazy for doing this to himself. You are looking at Trevor Reznik. Who you wonder why he has done this to himself. One of my fav neo noir mystery movies.
2005 - Aaron Eckhart - Nick Naylor - Thank You For Smoking - Michael Jordan plays ball. Charles Manson kills people. I talk. Everyone has a talent. So Says Nick Naylor. Thank You For Smoking is so smart, funny, and original. It needed a guy who could play a slimeball but also be funny and sympathitic. Eckhart puts everything into this role. I recently saw him in Rabbit Hole and hope the Academy sees the error of their ways and gives this great actor some credit.
2006 - Leonardo DiCaprio - Billy Costigan - The Departed - Leo was nominated for Blood Diamond this year and don't get me wrong he's great in that too. But William Costigan is his best work ever. His best performances in one of his best films. The Globes got it. They nominated him for both. But the Academy thought they would only nom him for Blood Diamond. Than they gave the award to Forrest Whitaker who should have won that year for supporting role........ God Damn Academy.
That's all folks.
