Next Year: Best Leading Actor 1969

The Nominees:
Dustin Hoffman - Midnight Cowboy
John Wayne - True Grit
Jon Voight - Midnight Cowboy
Peter O'Toole - Goodbye, Mr. Chips
Richard Burton - Anne of the Thousand Days

So, who do you think will I pick? Will it be someone from Midnight Cowboy? Or will I agree with life achievement award for John Wayne? Or will that be Henry VII.? Or will I give my win to O'Toole? Write your predictions for my pick and ranking in comments. ;)

Best Supporting Actress 1939

5. Hattie McDaniel - Gone with the Wind
The first Afroamerican to ever win an Oscar. That's the fact many people remember more, than her performance itself. McDaniel is really effective in the film, her performance is funny and entertaining, just as it should be. But I still wasn't fascinated by her so much. Though she tries and does everything needed, she still doesn't have very much to play. It's not her mistake, because she really is very good, but I was expecting something more...

4. Geraldine Fitzgerald - Wuthering Heights
Wuthering Heights is a legendary and a wonderful film in which everything works as it should and all the performances in it are just brilliant. And Geraldine Fitzgerald's is just lovely. Her Isabella is probably the most likable character of the film and she is aware of this fact and uses it perfectly. She doesn't have many scenes, but she uses even the little she has. A very good perfromance in a great picture...

3. Olivia de Havilland - Gone with the Wind
Havilland has much more to play than McDaniel and she uses it. She gives a depth into this character and her performance is probably the most realistic from the whole film. Her best moment is (probable spoiler) the moment Vivien Leigh kills a man in her house. But throughout the whole film she gives us very good performance...

2. Maria Ouspenskaya - Love Affair
What a lovely performance! Though she doesn't spend very much time on the screen she's perfect in every second. I really loved her portrayal of a sympathetic grandmother and she shines in the film. The scenes she plays in are the best of the film (for me). She's so charming and lovely that I just wanted more and more of her. And that's a proof of her great performance...

1. Edna May Oliver - Drums Along the Mohawks
Oliver's portrayal of an energic and funny old lady is just adorable. We can see that she is really enjoying this character and if any actor enjoys his character, the audience also enjoys it. In every scene she is in, the screen is full of her. This is a very entertaining performance that you will remember a long time after watching the film...

Next Year: Best Supporting Actress 1939

The Nominees:
Edna May Oliver - Drums Along the Mohawk
Geraldine Fitzgerald - Wuthering Heights
Hattie McDaniel - Gone with the Wind
Maria Ouspenskaya - Love Affair
Olivia de Havilland - Gone with the Wind

So, what do you think will be my ranking? Write in comments. ;)
I am sorry, but to make this year will take me some time. I haven't seen any of the nominated films and I have some school responsibilities, so please, be patient. Thank you. :) 

Best Leading Actor 2011

5. Demián Bichir - A Better Life
What a beautiful year. Filled with so many wonderful performance, just like Bichir's was. His portrayal of an exilic father is just extraordinary. It is really difficult performance to play, but he never fails to brings us a realistic and convincing performance that is not seen very often. He is the most important thing of the film. If e didn't play it so greatly, it would almost destroy the film. I really have nothing against this performance...

4. Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The most complex and one of the best subtle performances I have ever seen. Oldman never fails to give us a wonderful performance of an ordinary man. The fact that he is so ordinary makes him so interesting. This is a character any other actor would play too lackluster and we would not remember this performance a week after the film. But Oldman is too good actor to choose this way. He makes this extremely ordinary character remarkable. Great, great performance...

3. George Clooney - The Descendants
Clooney's performance is not perfect. It has got a lots of mistakes and many actors would play it technically better. But it think that it's the faultiness that makes this performance so adorable. This film is full of mistakes. From the direction to the screenplay and performances. But that's what makes this film so beloved. The naivety. And Clooney's performance wonderfully applies into this film. Everything of it. The fact that he is unconvincing sometimes and the fact that he's himself sometimes and even the fact that he's playing the same character like in Up in the air. And he's got many great scenes, too...

2. Jean DuJardin - The Artist
What a lovely performance! DuJardin completely shines in his role and does everything he should. He is charming and entertaining throughout the whole film and all of the other actors are overshadowed by him. The fact that it's a silent film means that he has to overact extremely and he does it as much, as it's needed. I'm a little bit sorry for his last scenes in which he speaks and his French accent is just terrible and it completely destroys his performance. But it's not a big deal...

1. Brad Pitt - Moneyball
I can't even describe the brilliantness of this performance. It has got the depth, it's funny where it has to be and it's just simply perfect. I'm kind of speechless, because you just have to see it. Who still didn't believe that Pitt is a spectacular actor here is another proof that will completely persuade you...

My Nominees:
1. Brad Pitt - Moneyball
2. Jean DuJardin - The Artist
3. Geroge Clooney - The Descendants
4. Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
5. Demián Bichir - A Better Life

Next Year: Best Leading Actor 2011

The Nominees:
Brad Pitt - Moneyball
Demián Bichir - A Better Life
Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
George Clooney - The Descendants
Jean DuJardin - The Artist

What will be my ranking? What will be my pick? What is your ranking and pick? Write in comments. ;)

Best Supporting Actor 2008

5. Josh Brolin - Milk
Josh Brolin definitely is a talented actor and in Milk he has showed us a performance he doesn't have to be ashamed for. But I still think that this character could have been played much much better. He is so lackluster that he gets overshadowed by everyone and everything in the film. Not even by the other actors, but even by the makeup in it. And the worst thing is that I really didn't see his motivation for (is it a spoiler? I think everybody knows) killing Milk. This is not completely his fault, because the screenplay doesn't really give him a chance do to something, but he doesn't even try in my opinion. Poorly written and acted character...

4. Michael Shannon - Revolutionary Road
Michael Shannon has actually a very limited role in Revolutionary Road, but it has its potential. And we can't say that Shannon doesn't use this potential. He does, but he does even something more. Sometimes he is very showy. On purpose I'm not saying he's overacting, because nobody can undoubtably say he is, because this character is mentally disabled and I don't think he played it this way, because he couldn't play it differently or more convincingly. I think he just chose this way to play his character. And I think he was very good. At least he gave us very interesting performance...

3. Robert Downey Jr. - Tropic Thunder
The Academy doesn't often nominate comedic performances, but when it does, it really is a worthy performance. In Tropic Thunder Robert Downey Jr. gives a wonderful, funny and entertaining performance that can either have conviction and parody inside. Playing an Australian who plays an Afroamerican Downey Jr. gives the funniest performances of the year (next to Cruise's). And the scene he has to cry in is just perfect...

2. Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
Really a strong performance. This is a terribly difficult character to play, because you have to seem convinced, but your performance must be even doubtful. And Hoffman achieved this. But he also never fails to show us the portrayal of a priest. We actually don't know whose truth do we believe in, but we don't want to find out that this kind priest is a sexual deviant. I can't even say which of his scenes was the best, because he was fantastic in all of them...

1. Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
This performance doesn't need any words...

My Nominees:

1. Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
2. Ralph Fiennes - In Bruges
3. Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
4. Emile Hirsch - Milk
5. Robert Downey Jr. - Tropic Thunder

Next Year: Best Supporting Actor 2008

The Nominees:
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Josh Brolin - Milk
Michael Shannon - Revolutionary Road
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
Robert Downey Jr. - Tropic Thunder

So, who do you think will be my pick? Will it be Ledger as everywhere, or someone completely different? Write your predictions for my ranking or pick in comments. ;)

Best Leading Actress 2006

5. Kate Winslet - Little Children
This is such a strong year. All the performances are just excellent and so Kate Winslet's is. Her portrayal of a suffering middle-aged woman that finds another reason to live is just wonderful. Kate never fails to give us absolutely convincing performance and we completely understand her. We can greatly feel and almost touch her emotions through her fantastic performance. Someone just has to be the fifth...

4. Penelope Cruz - Volver
Volver though is a comedy says about very serious things, like murder, incest or rape. Penelope Cruz stands in the middle of many supporting characters and gives a great performance of a young but strong-minded woman, just like we are used from films by Pedro Almodovar. We sympathize with her character, even though it's not actually innocent. This performance just proves how fabulous actress Penelope Cruz is...

3. Meryl Streep - The Devil Wears Prada
This is the most entertaining and even most likable performance this year. Her Miranda is so funny character that we can easily forgive Meryl her overacting throughout the whole film. But it absolutely doesn't matter. This character shouldn't even be played with character acting, because it wouldn't work. Meryl just exactly knows what she's doing. And in the end she lets us to get under Miranda's specious steeliness. Meryl just can't play badly...

2. Judi Dench - Notes on a Scandal
This year though all the performances were really fantastic for me is about Helen Mirren and Judi Dench. Dame Dench's performance really is her best I've seen so far (still have to watch Mrs. Brown). The way she acts that she's a good friend of Cate Blanchett and then just soles and mentally harries her is just magnificent. Great, convincing and nipping performance...

1. Helen Mirren - The Queen
Helen Mirren didn't play the queen. She somehow became the queen. Her performance is convincing and authentic and she never fails to show us the queen as a human being not just someone more than anyone from us. She decided to play the queen as any other person that just happened to be the queen. In her specious calm she shows us as many emotions, as possible. Really deserving win...

My Nominees:
1. Helen Mirren - The Queen
2. Judi Dench - Notes on a Scandal
3. Meryl Streep - The Devil Wears Prada
4. Ivana Baquero - The Pan's Labyrinth
5. Penelope Cruz - Volver

Next Year: Best Leading Actress 2006

The Nominees:

Helen Mirren - The Queen
Judi Dench - Notes on a Scandal
Kate Winslet - Little Children
Meryl Streep - The Devil Wears Prada
Penelope Cruz - Volver

Who do you think will be my pick? Will I give a win to unbeatable Helen Mirren? Or will I give it to legendary Meryl Streep? Or will it be someone else? Write your predictions for my ranking in comments. ;)

Best Leading Actor 1974

5. Albert Finney - Murder on the Orient Express
In Murder on the Orient Express Finney has a famous and iconic character to play and he's surprisingly lackluster as Hercule Poirot. He's just overshadowed by supporting actors in the film and this only changes in the end of the film, where the other actors only sit and listen to him. I have to confess that I didn't actually enjoy the film (except from the end) and so didn't I enjoy Finney's performance. He wasn't bad and he did what was needed to do, but nothing more...

4. Dustin Hoffman - Lenny
I haven't seen Lenny's original performances so I can't compare it with them and all I know is Hoffman's exhibition. I say exhibition, because this really is not a performance, but an exhibition. I never really saw Lenny in this performance. All I saw was Dustin Hoffman playing. He has chosen to play Lenny Bruce rather than just be him. I enjoyed some scenes from the judge, but they also were a little bit overacted...

3. Al Pacino - The Godfather: Part II.
Excellent and iconic performance given by a legendary actor. He gives a great performance in which he uses the right way of subtlety that makes this performance memorable. I like the way he shows us the difference between Michael Corleone in the first film and Michael Corleone in the second film, but we still see it's the same Michael, but he changed. Performance, you will remember...

2. Art Carney - Harry and Tonto
Some people hate this performance, because it's not as iconic as Nicholson's or Pacino's, but it certainly is great. I'm satisfied with this winning, but there still was a little bit better performance this year. Carney is really charming in his character and he's done everything what was needed. I believed him almost everything, except from some scenes he's angry in. In them he uses a thing I call "old-fashioned overacting". But all the other scenes were really really wonderful...

1. Jack Nicholson - Chinatown
Performances in Chinatown are all really great. Nicholson as detective Jake Gittes gives a wonderful and memorable performance that never fails to be convincing. His chemistry with Faye Dunaway is just excellent. Another thing I really appreciate about his performance is that he is never overacting. For example the scene where he is telling to Faye how much he likes his nose. Many actors would overact this scene, but that's not Nicholson's case. It's not one of Nicholson's best performances, but it definitely is really great...