OSCAR RACE 2007
commentary
by Nathaniel R
days
until OSCAR NIGHT
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Final NOMINATION Predictions 4/5. I missed Tommy Lee Jones. As did everyone in the known universe. More surprising than it probably should have been given the early frontrunner talk way back when the movie appeared.
Final WINNER Predictions Daniel Day-Lewis. (spoiler if there is one: there isn't)
My Preference I'm good with either Day-Lewis or Viggo
Readers Choice Daniel Day-Lewis won by a huge margin (full results) for There Will Be Blood
My Personal Ballot 2/5 similar though Clooney was a just-miss for me.(Film counts are rough totals. It can be hard to add since IMDB doesn't sort out short films or some TV efforts)
| George
Clooney Michael Clayton |
Daniel
Day-Lewis There Will Be Blood |
Johnny
Depp Sweeney Todd |
Tommy
Lee Jones In The Valley of Elah |
Viggo
Mortensen Eastern Promises |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
27
Films 2nd nomination / 1 win |
18
Films 4th nomination / 1 win |
35
Films 3rd nomination |
3rd
nomination / 1 win
|
38
Films 1st nomination! |
Other
Awards: NBR, critics orgs Release: Oct 5th Box Office: $45 Role: A corporate "fixer" suffering from personal failing and moral conundrums |
Other
Awards: GG, BAFTA, LAFCA, NYFCC, SAG, critics orgs Release: Dec 26th Box Office: $23 Role: Daniel Plainview, "an oil man". He has a competition in him |
Other
Awards: GG Release: Dec 21st Box Office: $51 Role: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. He will have vengeance |
Other
Awards: None Release: Sept 14th Box Office: $6 Role: Hank Deerfield, the father of a soldier gone missing after at tour in Iraq |
Other
Awards: None Release: Sept 14th Box Office: $17 Role: Nikolai, the Russian chauffeur to a crime family in London |
| How'd
They Get Nominated?
|
||||
37%
Anchoring a film that Oscar clearly enjoyed a heck of a lot 36% Role and performance. It's a tough role and he plays it with gravity, all sober and mopey. In some very minor way it's the "deglam" thing for men --they like it when stars can dampen their natural charisma in service of a heavier piece 23% He's George Clooney, reigning old school Hollywood star 4% Didn't he look great up there winning in Spring 2006? Good for the red carpet |
39%
Performance. It's showy and riveting whether it's loud or quiet and
controlled --it's both. 28% Role. P.T. Anderson writes such complex characters that great actors must get contact highs right from their first read throughs. 21% He's Daniel Day-Lewis and whenever he works it's an event since it's so rare. 9% "I drink your milkshake. I drink it up!" 3% Recent high profile loss for Gangs of New York |
33%
The role. One of the greatest in musical theater canon. 23% Everyone's current favorite actor. The media loves him, too . That makes Oscar traction much easier 15% Very serious Performance 12% "He can sing too?!" Never mind that it's not great. He can! 10% Timing. a fast fade with the media but it was positioned well 6% Spillover Sondheim prestige helped Burton and team to their best reviews in eons 1% Bonham-Carter |
49%
Performance. Those who saw it were uncommonly in agreement that it
was a superior effort from an already highly respected actor. 18% Role. Oscar loves a grieving parent and they respond to film's with important topics 16% No Country For Old Men 12% Critical support. Along with Viggo he was the earliest male lead to win Oscar worthy" accolades with great frequency 5% He's Tommy Lee Jones |
46%
Performance. Oscar caliber and, though quiet, it does contain Oscar
Bait 26% Role gives him an accent and accentuates his weathered masculinity (Oscar likes their men manly and with a few wrinkles) 15% full frontal in the bath house. Oscar doesn't favor men in the raw but the scene kept people talking 12% The growing acclaim and media appreciation for his two film partnership with David Cronenberg (A History of Violence) 1% Lord of the Rings |
I
Asked Readers Which Film Clip Oscar Should Show? |
||||
'end
credits' 'talking
about his brother in the car' |
"just
a bastard from a basket!" js "I've abandoned my child" john "draaaaiiiiiiinnage" rc "I'm going to come into where you sleep at night and cut your throat" brodie |
"Pretty
Women" Katey barber challenge mr ripley "A Little Priest" billy "at last my arm is complete again" pedro |
'the
phone call where he finds out his son is missing' anonymous "i wanna see his body now" mr ripley |
the
balcony --nikolai reveals his new tatoos 'ritual' |
Should
Win / Will Win |
||||
Should
Win: I'd be happy with a victory for either Daniel
Day-Lewis or Viggo Mortensen
who both handled difficult roles with true devotion to their craft and
inspired choices Will Win: Daniel Day-Lewis has this all locked up for There Will Be Blood |
||||
Who
Got Robbed? |
||||
In
terms of precursors the "snubs" are Emile Hirsch (Into
the Wild) and Ryan Gosling (Lars and the Real Girl)
but this lineup is so strong, the best in years surely... why complain
--even if my list is different? Unfortunately
the 2008 surprise nomination for Tommy Lee Jones
marks the first time in many many years that I've missed a future
big 6 nominee in theaters. |
||||
Statistics
and Trivia |
||||
| CLOONEY |
DAY-LEWIS |
DEPP |
LEE
JONES |
MORTENSEN |
Age:
45 Mostly worked in television until ER catapulted him to fame. Has only been a true movie player since 1996 with the double bill of One Fine Day and From Dusk Till Dawn but didn't quite ER till 2000. Made sure the film career was going to stick. Very smart guy. |
Age:
50 Doesn't act often. This is only his 18th film and he's been in features since 1971 (as a child) though his film career took off in 1986 with the double play of My Beautiful Laundrette and A Room With A View (watch them back to back and be astounded at the range!) |
Age:
44 Born in: Kentucky Height: 5' 9" 6th Film with Tim Burton |
Age:
61 Born in: Texas Height: 6' First Oscar nomination in LEAD category. He's also in the Best Picture nominee No Country For Old Men |
Age:
49 His
second film with David Cronenberg. It's only the second acting nomination
from a Cronenberg film, despite many acclaimed performances within
that filmography |
