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