Best Leading Actor 2012

5. Denzel Washington - Flight
Denzel Washington just failed to create a good portrayal of an alcoholic. He never seemed to be drunk, even in the moments he should be, because it's said so in the script. He really had a grateful role to play, but he didn't use it, at all. I'm not saying he doesn't have any good scenes, of course he has, but most of the time he is just overshadowed by his co-actors (Kelly Reilly, John Goodman)...

4. Joaquin Phoenix - The Master
Phoenix, who is also playing alcoholic, gave better performance than Washington, but he had the opposite problem than Washington had. Phoenix seemed to be drunk all the time, instead. But I can't deny the fact that he had some effective scenes, especially at the beginning of the film and then some scenes with Philip Seymour Hoffman. I can see this performance being celebrated in about ten years, for it really is iconic...

3. Daniel Day-Lewis - Lincoln
I really didn't like Lincoln. It's very emotionless and cold and so I feel about Lewis's performance. He never showed Lincoln as a person and just like the film, his performance is emotionless. But though it's very subtle and minimalistic, it's very effective. Lewis has something inside of himself that made me unable to take my eyes of him. In many ways it reminded me of Gary Oldman's performance in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (but I would prefer Oldman a little bit)...

2. Bradley Cooper - Silver Linings Playbook
Cooper was perfect in reflecting the chaotic feelings his character Pat had from life into his performance. He had a great chemistry with all of his co-actors and I really liked his scenes he was supposed to be angry in. I would never expect such a complex performance from Cooper, but he really surprised me. And I was very close to giving him the win...

1. Hugh Jackman - Les Misérables
Jackman was really the only option for playing this role. He was perfect from the beginning and though he later is more supporting, when he appears on the screen he is always extremely enjoyable and effective. He never allows himself to be overshadowed by anyone from the cast and he is a worthy adversary to everyone. He only lost the points (or half the point), because the two most boring songs (Suddenly, Bring Him Home) of the film (that I loved) are sung by him... 

My Nominees:
1. Jean Louis-Trintignant - Amour
2. Hugh Jackman - Les Misérables
3. John Hawkes - The Sessions
4. Bradley Cooper - Silver Linings Playbook
5. Jack Black - Bernie

Best Leading Actor 2012: Joaquin Phoenix - The Master

This year we had two alcoholics between best leading actor's Oscar nominations. The first one, Denzel Washington for his performance in Robert Zemeckis's film Flight, didn't show the alcoholism very well. He didn't seem drunk, even in the scenes he should and was very forgettable. Another one is Joaquin Phoenix for his performance in Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master. Did he handle his alcoholic character better than Washington?
Yes, he did. But it doesn't mean his performance was flawless. Not at all, but his performance was much better better and if nothing else he made it at least interesting. Just like the whole film, it's love it, or hate it. In fact, Phoenix's performance reminded me of Jennifer Lawrence's performance in Silver Linings Playbook. It wasn't very realistic, both of the actors were overacting, but they're both very iconic and in about ten years, they'll be considered as an Oscar-worthy masterpiece (kind of Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront, or by me so many times mentioned Diane Keaton in Annie Hall).
I have to say I enjoyed Joaquin's performance. But I can't pretend I don't see the fact he wasn't very realistic, nor believable. He has the opposite problem than Washington has, actually. While Washington didn't seem drunk when he should, Phoenix seemed drunk when he shouldn't. It seemed to me as if he was drunk throughout the whole film, in every single scene, without an exception. And I doubt if he should do that.
But no matter he wasn't realistic, if he was enjoyable. And he was. His scenes with Philip Seymour Hoffman are really great. His best scene is also with Hoffman and that's the one, in which he is forced to not twinkle. He was very powerful in these scenes. Also his scenes at the beginning are perfect. But then in the end he tends to be really over the top.
The chances of winning an Oscar: After all he said about the Oscars they're very low. I think that this time the alcoholics are at the bottom of the list...

Next Year: Best Leading Actor 2012

The Nominees:
Bradley Cooper - Silver Linings Playbook
Daniel Day-Lewis - Lincoln (predicted winner)
Denzel Washington - Flight
Hugh Jackman - Les Misérables
Joaquin Phoenix - The Master

So, please, comment. Who was snubbed? How would your nominees look like? Who would you like to win? Who do you think I'll let win? And how do you think I'll rate these performances?
I'll try to do this year and the supporting actresses of this year very quickly, because I'd like to do them before the ceremony...