Best Leading Actor 1994

5. Tom Hanks - Forrest Gump
This is not a very favourite performance of mine. Hanks' acting choices are rather strange, as he tries to deliver jokes as jokes and he doesn't identify with them. He has got some fine moments, we care about Forrest and easily sympathize with him, but I simply missed the dedication to the character from Hanks...

4. Paul Newman - Nobody's Fool
This is another one of those technically flawless, but boring as fuck performances. Newman is realistic (he was probably playing himself), but in the bad, boring way. There is nothing wrong with this performance, but then nothing particularly memorable...

3. Nigel Hawthorne - The Madness of King George
This is more of a caricature than a realistic portrayal of a human being, but it's working this way. Even though over-the-top, he's still very charming and some of the scenes are so emotional that you pity the character. It is a very well done performance, with a few easily forgivable flaws (such as occasional overacting, or dullness).

2. John Travolta - Pulp Fiction
So much has been said and written about it performance that it seems useless now. Travolta is wonderful in this iconic character. Sometimes he is too realistic for such crazy character, but it's just a small complaint. He makes a great lead of fantastic cast...

1. Morgan Freeman - The Shawshank Redemption
A few years ago I wouldn't have believed that Freeman would win this year. He's got a brilliant chamistry with Robbins and create a believable and great friends with him. Freeman is also a believable and respectable leader of the co-prisoners, which I found a bit surprising, but Freeman was able to achieve this.

My Nominees:
1. Tim Robbins - The Shawshank Redemption
2. Morgan Freeman - The Shawshank Redemption
3. Jean Reno - Leon: The Professional
4. Johnny Depp - Ed Wood
5. Kenneth Branagh - Frankenstein

Best Leading Actor 1994: Paul Newman - Nobody's Fool

It's not a secret that I don't like films without a plot. Nobody's fool has got a very weak storyline. It's about Sullivan (played by Paul Newman), who...lives in a small village. And that's it. There's nothing more about this film. The script focuses on Sully's relationships with some of the other residents of the village. The biggest problems with it is that most of the supporting performances are pretty bad. In fact, Newman's performance (along with Jessica Tandy's) is the only watchable performance of the film.
When I say 'watchable' I really mean watchable. Not great, nor extraordinary. The leading character of Sully is not a boring character. His storyline just isn't interesting enough to set an entire film around him. It seems to me, as if the film was made just to allow Newman shine in a leading role.
Newman is fine. He is very realistic in his portrayal and he has definitely got enough charisma to lead to film. No matter with whom does he have a scene with, he is the centre of our attention.
It's all very fine, but the fact is, that it's a pretty forgettable performance. You know I don't like performances (or films) that are so authentic, that they are boring. And this is exactly that case. I even think that it's always better to watch a bad performance that you'll remember, than a good performance that you'll easily forget.
This is such a boring performance that I don't even know what to write about it. Because the only two things that are worth mentioning are, that it is realistic and that it's forgettable. You want me to point out one scene that is the standout of his performance? There's no chance I could do it. There is simply not a single scene that would even have a potential to be such. And a nomination for best original screenplay seems to be a very bad joke...
The chances of winning an Oscar: There must have been high I think. It's a film about him, as he is the centre of it and it was a long time since he had won before. He was the second or the third, at the very least...

Next Year: Best Leading Actor 1994

The Nominees:
John Travolta - Pulp Fiction
Morgan Freeman - The Shawshank Redemption
Nigel Hawthorne - The Madness of King George
Paul Newman - Nobody's Fool
Tom Hanks - Forrest Gump

So, what is your ranking? What is your prediction for my ranking? What are your nominees? What are some notable performances that were snubbed? Comment!