The Academy Award winners for Best Supporting Actor of the 1990s are a fine display of veteran Hollywood talent finally getting overdue recognition and a number of then upcoming stars who’ve risen to even greater roles since their victories.  More importantly, the emergence of older actors coming back into the spotlight and showing they still have what it takes to give an Oscar worthy performance comprises one third of our list.

More importantly, the 90s were a decade that predominantly gave the tip of the hat to classic tough guys over the more civilized, sensitive characters that often won for lead roles.  Over half of the decades winners came to prominence in films about war or the Wild West, nearly half of them played law men in several films of their career and one for playing a character with the same kind of bravado.  In a decade that gave you spine chilling suspense and vicious rivalries one year only to fill the theaters with sentimental stories and poignant drama the next, the Academy seemed to use the Best Supporting Actor award to highlight the best of both.  And, much like our staff’s choices for the Best Supporting Actors of the 2000s, the best heroes and villains are our favorites.

#10 (1998) James Coburn, Affliction 8.67

It has all the elements of a classic Western gun battle.  Robert Duvall sits behind his desk as town sherrif, his golden star still glimmering after showing Tender Mercies to the townsfolk some 15 years ago.  Next to him, Geoffrey Rush plays the traveling pioneer made deputy and has a star of his own to match, still showing quite a Shine after an impressive sharpshooting demonstration two years earlier at the Oscars, Tonys, and Emmys.  Hiding above the sherrif’s office is a disgruntled but determined man on the rifle, Ed Harris, who hasn’t managed to get a star of his own even though he’s a legendary law man known throughout the counties.  As they patiently wait for the gang to ride into town, an aged man strolls down the street unnoticed, smoking a cigar and lighting a stick of dynamite with it.  As he casually flings it at the sheriff’s office, the tremendous explosion leaves no sound but the dying screams of Hollywood’s A-list and the unmistakeable triumphant laugh of James Coburn.

Just as I can’t get away from James Coburn’s series of roles as a black hat wearing outlaw, I don’t think the Academy could either.  While his role as a drunk and abusive father shows the true talents that come from decades of refining one’s talent, Coburn’s award was a salute to being an incredible actor with a lifetime of memorable roles that somehow never garnished enough nominations to give him a victory.  Don’t worry, Ed, you’ll be older and more deserving in due time.

#9 (1991) Jack Palance, City Slickers 8.04

My #1 vote specifically intended to prevent him from coming in last, Jack Palance is another one of my favorite Western bad ass actors out there and really set the standard on how to do it starting with one of his first of two nominations some 40 years ago in Shane.  Since that time, he’d been given a number of roles both big and small that seemed to elude even so much a nomination and quickly gave him the stigma as a character actor.  Like Lloyd Bridges, Palance’s career required some redefinition when he became too old to play the leading roles and tough guys he’d grown accustomed to and this breakout comedy seemed to be the solution he’d been looking for.  Although he continued to play the battered old veteran in many films, it was his ability to bring comedy to a persona he’d cultivated for decades that gave him the Oscar nod as Curly Washburn.  He had a chance to do so a few years later when he took the role of his twin brother in a City Slickers sequel.  While the film falls short of the original’s charm, Palance has some hilarious scenes including being mistaken for dying in the same manner as his brother and ranting about his horrible job as “The Happy Pirate” at a seafood restaurant.

#8 (1996) Cuba Gooding, Jr., Jerry Maguire 7.05

Voted last by more than one critic, it’s hard to tell if Gooding’s victory is discredited due to dislike of the actor, the role, or the fact William H. Macy didn’t win for playing Jerry Lundergaard in Fargo.  Although a generation of men still curses itself by being tricked into seeing this “chick flick” cleverly disguised as a football film, Rod Tidwell’s classic line of “Show me the money” became a household phrase even before people saw him utter it on screen for the first time.  Gooding’s natural energy and comedic nature came out in the role and his athletic background made him a perfect reproduction of the best kept secret in the NFL.  Proving that life does in fact imitate art, he shouted over the music cued to send him off the stage during his acceptance speech in much the same manner he ignored the reporters barraging him with questions after playing the best game of his career at the end of the film.

#7 (1999) Michael Caine, The Cider House Rules 6.58

The year was 1999 and keeping The Green Mile from winning any awards was of critical importance to the film going public.  OK, maybe that’s not an official interpretation, but as much as the public wanted Haley Joel Osment to win for The Sixth Sense, it was obvious that the series of overly sentimental films, which seemed to creep into the awards were going to win something.  The Cider House Rules was in direct competition with The Green Mile for this award and Best Adapted Screenplay and beat it out both times.  Both films received very mixed reviews, and it may be the fact that Caine’s illustrious career as one of two actors (Jack Nicholson being the other) who’ve been consistently nominated for lead and supporting roles each decade for the past 40 years that helped ensure victory.

Goodnight my Prince Caine, you knight of Old England.

#6 (1994) Martin Landau, Ed Wood 5.73

Once again, an older actor pushes past a number of hopefuls and claims a long overdue Oscar.  The Oscars proved to be a breath of life for Landau’s career, who landed better roles in the 80s and 90s  thanks to attention which came after nominations for work in Crimes and Misdemeanors and Tucker: A Man and His Dream.  Although one could argue Landau’s victory is motivated much like Coburn’s and Palance’s, the contribution he made as Bela Lugosi is the glue that holds such an outrageous film like Ed Wood together.  Young audiences who didn’t know Landau beyond old television shows in syndication (or more commonly as the outspoken and opinionated angry old man to the press) suddenly found themselves fans… and I was one of them.

#5 (1997) Robin Williams, Good Will Hunting 5.19

If there’s any award I disagree with on the list, this would be the one, and I personally rated it last.  Although I’ve respected the decisions to give older actors an overdue Oscar nod, I just don’t think Robin Williams earned it with this one.  After having nominations overlooked in Good Morning, Vietnam, Dead Poets Society and The Fisher King, it was inevitable his next nomination would be his first victory.  To the Academy, it was a symbol of a body of work that demanded some official recognition.  What it meant for the rest of us was Robert Forster, Anthony Hopkins, Greg Kinnear, and Burt Reynolds were all there to make it look like a contest.

#4 (1993) Tommy Lee Jones, The Fugitive 5.11

Ralph Fiennes had a chilling breakthrough performance as a Nazi commandant in Schindler’s List and topped the nominee list beside John Malkovich’s equally chilling role as an assassin.  Adding Leonardo DiCaprio’s portrayal of a developmentally disabled youngster that was uncanny in it’s realism and you better bring your absolute best performance if you want to win.  All were considered favorites at the time but lost to Tommy Lee Jones, who brought a career of similar roles to his crowning achievement as Marshall Samuel Gerard in The Fugitive.  Jones somehow manages to upstage the great Harrison Ford from start to finish, even in scenes involving the both of them.  The role was so charismatic that it provided another role as a U.S. Marshall and series of similar leading roles in the coming years.

#3 (1992) Gene Hackman, Unforgiven 3.99

The most unsettling aspect of Unforgiven in comparison to other westerns is that there’s no good guy to be found, not even in the town’s sheriff, Little Bill Daggett.  When it was reviewed as a good western, droves of moviegoers who hadn’t seen a western since the 50s and 60s went back into theaters and came out appalled.  Their complaint does have some justification as Daggett’s first job as sheriff is to break up a dispute between the local whorehouse and how they’ll handle punishment of a violent customer who manages to mutilate one of the prostitutes with a knife.  Daggett will later face off against assassins trying to claim the “whore’s gold” and then somehow manage to win both the audience and the assassin’s biographer over by recounting tales of their mutual past back at his place.  In true Hackman fashion, Daggett remains unyielding and defiant until his last breath.

#2 (1990) Joe Pecsi, Goodfellas 3.39

Perhaps it was not getting the Golden Globe, or not getting that or the Oscar he was nominated for just over a decade ago in Raging Bull.  For whatever reason he thought he didn’t stand a chance of winning, which was his excuse for giving one of the shortest acceptance speeches in Oscar history.  It’s hard to believe such a statement considering the amount of high votes from our own staff and the finished product itself.  Goodfellas and Tommy DeVito is one of the most loved and most quoted gangster films of our age, right up there with classics like Scarface and The Godfather.  In an ironic twist, Pesci beat out Andy Garcia’s version of young mafioso Vincent Mancini-Corleone from The Godfather Part III to win this award and made a name for himself as the new face of the classic Italian mafia.  He’d make the most of the typecast, getting offered similar roles in Casino and Eight Heads In A Dufflebag. According to the real Henry Hill, whose life was the basis for the book and film, Joe Pesci’s portrayal of Tommy DeVito was 90% to 99% accurate with one major exception: Henry Hill was a huge hulk of a man, meaning someone like Joe Pesci could’ve easily heard those infamous Hollywood casting call words “Sorry, too short.”

#1 (1995) Kevin Spacey, The Usual Suspects 2.13

“The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist. And like that, poof. He’s gone”

As much as I loved this role, I was very surprised to see it win the Oscar.  James Cromwell, Ed Harris (again), Brad Pitt and Tim Roth all had noteworthy performances and any of them could easily have taken it without debate.  Each one of them left you with that feeling they’d be nominated halfway through the film, but somehow Spacey stood out just a bit more even amongst such tested talent.  He’d do the same thing again a few years later, winning the Best Actor award for American Beauty. What fascinates moviegoers in a film like The Usual Suspects is being given the villains as your main characters right from the opening frame.  Right away we know this story isn’t about a hero but the antihero, and what makes this particular film amazing is most of us aren’t even sure who that person is right up until the end.  “Verbal” Kint is our narrator, and we’re already sold on him as the victim of this tragic tale thanks to his meek but smart mouthed demeanor.  The kind of criminal we call harmless, barely able to light his own cigarette thanks to a series of physical handicaps most notable in his limp.

Bit by bit, the story unfolds, a tale of jagged alliances and impending betrayal.  We can’t help but admire each of them for their unique personality forged from their shady pasts.  We sympathize as we see them controlled by both the police and even greater criminals as they attempt not to simply get rich, but get rich and get out while they can.  The only reassurance we have that anyone survived at all is sitting there as he weaves the tale, quite content doing so in fact.  Pieces of the story are added from eyewitness reports, detective work, anything they can find to find some link to the most elusive man in the criminal underworld… someone has in fact seen Kaiser Soze.  As Kint tells his story, we’re given a glimpse into a man obsessed with power, whose thirst for wealth is only surpassed by a thirst for vengeance.  A devil among men, we’re sitting on the edge of our seats watching to see just who that devil was.  Perplexed until the very end, it isn’t until the final minute of the film that we find out what fools we’ve all been… and for that, Mr. Soze, we salute you.

Completed:

2000s Best Picture
2000s Best Actor
2000s Best Actress
1990s Best Picture
1990s Best Actor
1990s Best Actress
1980s Best Picture
2000s Best Supporting Actor
2000s Best Supporting Actress
1990s Best Supporting Actor

Up Next:

1990s Best Supporting Actress

At times brutally honest and poignant, at times forcefully contrived and maudlin, Rodrigo Garcia’s Mother and Child follows the lives of three women, connected to each other in some way through adoption, each one seeking escape from an emptiness that defines them. Solid performances carry the film through a script that wavers too often into melodrama and wraps up far too neatly for characters that are refreshingly chaotic.

Annette Bening portrays Karen, 37 years after she gave up her baby for adoption. Now saddled by a dying mother, a mediocre career and a lonely existence, her life is utterly consumed by thoughts of the daughter she gave up. Outwardly, she is frigid and often harsh, lashing out at those who dare try to penetrate her prickly veneer, including potential love interest Jimmy Smits. At a time when many actresses struggle to know how to handle playing their age, Bening is improving exponentially. In a lesser actress’ hands Karen might be relegated to a series of nervous ticks and neurotic outbursts that seem to define her. But Bening gives Karen an understated nuance, a glow behind her harsh eyes that betrays a deep longing within her. It is this vulnerability that makes the scenes between her and Smits so earnest, and carries the film through its weaker moments.

As Elizabeth, the daughter given up by Karen, Naomi Watts has never been better. At times simultaneously devilish, seductive, and genuinely fragile, Elizabeth is a study in blunt contradiction. A successful lawyer who refuses to settle, an aimless drifter with a pattern of returning to her hometown, a passionate lover with an icy affection, Elizabeth harbors a seething anger at the mother she never knew. Her seduction of her boss, played pitch-perfectly by Samuel L. Jackson is as sad as it is graphic. Like Karen, a new relationship has an unexpected affect on Elizabeth, bringing her closer her to her mother in a way that is subtle and surprising.

The film could rest entirely on the strength of these two characters and their mesmerizing connection. Instead, the filmmaker detours into all too familiar territory, by giving the audience yet another heavy handed story determined to force the audience to see connections that simply aren’t that interesting. The film tries to be an exploration of adoption and it’s affects, but overall doesn’t make any more or less profound statements than last year’s Orphan. Kerry Washington is miscast as the all too eager adoptive mother, who plays the role with a youthful vigor that makes her desperation for a baby feel implausible. S. Epatha Merkerson gives a solid performance as her all-knowing mother, and as the teen mother on the verge of giving up her unborn baby, Shareeka Epps proves she is a newcomer worthy of holding her own with these actresses.

Fresh off the heels of his success with Things You Can Tell Just By Looking at Her, Nine Lives and the HBO series “In Treatment”, director Garcia shines as a filmmaker adept at bringing audiences inside the most intimate moments of his characters’ lives. While he succeeds at bringing great performances out of his talented cast, he fails to execute his overall vision by relying too much on dramatic tricks best saved for soap operas. Bening has crafted a character that resonates with frightening realism, yet when forced into all-too convenient tear-jerker scenarios, the realness of her portrayal crumbles. (Karen’s relationship with the daughter of her mother’s caretaker is a corny plot device better suited for “Melrose Place”.) Forced into situations that frankly just don’t seem real, her transformation ultimately falls flat. The screenplay tries too hard make all the elements connect together, but the effect is more like pounding jigsaw pieces into a puzzle they just don’t belong in. The finale scene is so manipulative in it’s attempts to tug heartstrings you can quite literally hear birds singing.

Luckily, the acting is strong enough to make moments like that less eye-roll inducing. Watts and Bening are strong Oscar contenders, with Watts probably an early favorite in the Supporting Actress race. But the real contender here could be Jackson. It’s hard to remember a time when he’s looked so real, or seemed so vulnerable on screen, and his muted performance as a lovelorn, aging widower is haunting and powerful. All in all, the film is worth spending time with, if only for the chance to see great actors at their best.

The last decade of film has been competitive to say the least, but thanks the Internet before you even think of thanking the Academy for that.  Websites picked up where premium cable left off a decade ago, giving us more access to a wider range of film than ever before.  Not only that, but the technology necessary to actually see the same kind of high quality trailers we’re used to only seeing in a theater were finally made available to a broad audience.  More than anything, it gave the public a voice in determining nominees that made the term “public pressure” apply like never before.

You’ll find examples of that profound influence here in the choices that were made and in our votes as the favorites.  Although most of the winners were career actors with proven experience, the roles that granted them the Oscar were far from customary and seem to have influenced the votes.  Among the list’s two more conventional supporting roles, ones that brought sensitivity and humanity to the story, both came in last.  The middle of our list is a collection of characters that had more depth, often in conflict with the people surrounding them, and more than one angel with a dirty face.  But most amusing in the results of our votes were the top three choices: One a vicious and indomitable hitman, another a fanatical and wise officer dedicated to genocide, and our top choice… the purest example of an anarchist ever created in modern fiction.

10. Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby – 2004 (8.14)

Sorry Morgan, we love your work but clearly you made the bottom of the list because even casual moviegoers have seen this role about half a dozen times.  Your impressive and uncanny ability to be the voice of both narration and our very conscience started with Driving Miss Daisy and Glory before erupting into nearly every film you’ve made since then.  When you’re not the boss, you’re the officer in charge of the investigation, the highest ranked military officer in the room (including the President)… or you’re name and role in the script is “God.”  We have literally run out of anything bigger for you to play at this point.  By 2004 you were unstoppable, and an Oscar seemed the only way to appease your appetite.  In exchange, we’re not getting more than one Morgan Freeman narration movie a year.

9. Jim Broadbent, Iris – 2001 (8.11)

Jim’s near the end of the list, in my opinion, due to bitter feelings over the overwhelming competition he beat out nine years ago.  Big names such as Jon Voight as Howard Cosell in Ali, Ethan Hawke in Training Day, and a role that we still talk about in Ben Kingsley’s portrayl of sadistic aging gangster, Don Logan (Sexy Beast).   A classic character actor with a  lifetime of beloved supporting roles, seeing his humble expression as he accepted the award was almost enough to make you forget he beat out the overwhelming fanboy favorite: Ian McKellen’s Gandalf.

8. George Clooney, Syriana – 2005 (7.34)

“Intelligence work isn’t training seminars and gold stars for attendance.”  Bob Barnes shows us the absolute truth of that statement by stretching the boundaries and very definition of what it means to serve your government.  One of Clooney’s more political roles that raises questions you won’t find approved before a White House press brief, his appearances in hit comedy and action films gave him great notoriety amongst fans worldwide before the Oscar came along and gave credit to his skills as a dramatic actor.  Like many actors, he enjoys an elevated status and far more choices in his roles today as a result of his hard work then.

7. Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine – 2006 (6.94)

My #1 pick, albeit not the most popular one.  Alan Arkin is part of a rare group for getting nominated for his first film, The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming back in 1966.  His role as Edwin Hoover, a tactless and outspoken grandfather burning the candle at both ends, brought this small film critical acclaim.  Arkin’s comments on the award were “More than anything, I’m deeply moved by the open-hearted appreciation our small film has received, which in these fragmented times speaks so openly of the possibility of innocence, growth and connection.”

6. Tim Robbins, Mystic River – 2003 (6.42)

Overlooked entirely on his breakthrough supporting role in Bull Durham and then again with two outstanding leads in both The Shawshank Redemption and The Hudsucker Proxy in 1994.  After losing out on director nominations for Dead Man Walking one year later, chances seemed slim for Tim Robbins in the coming years.  Some considered both Sean Penn’s and Tim Robbins performances to get overlooked on the Oscars due to the disturbing nature of the film.  Both would prove them wrong that evening.

5. Chris Cooper, Adaptation – 2002 (5.01)

A successful actor with a number of well-known films, Chris Cooper was best known as a character actor, easily recognized but rarely mentioned.  His performance as John Laroche changed all that, earning him a stunning 11 awards from 15 nominations.  Success in the film gave Cooper the recognition he lacked in years prior and it paved the way for other supporting roles in Seabiscuit, Capote, and Jarhead, and Syriana.

4. Benicio Del Toro, Traffic – 2000 (4.59)

Early roles in Miami Vice and even as a James Bond villain, Benicio Del Toro was no stranger to “ethnic parts” considered degrading by some.  Traffic gave him the opportunity he needed to bring all of his skills as an actor to a mainstream audience and they responded to it well.  The role of Javier Rodriguez was both complex and one they could sympathize with, making it not just a step forward for Del Toro (who would be nominated three years later for 21 Grams) but for an entire community.

3. Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men – 2007 (3.67)

Arguably the most frightening killer since Anthony Hopkins gave us Dr. Hannibal Lecter, it was Anton Chigurh’s voice that made us cringe along with any character unlucky enough to get in this madman’s path.  After he showed us new and devious ways to use coin tosses and a compressed air gun to inspire fear, we see his simple but effective interrogation skills as he asks the same question over and over until he gets the answer he wants.  A man so deadly that even the hired gun compares him to the bubonic plague and questions either of their chances for survival.  In a world where bad guys usually win and heroes end up dead, such a performance made it very easy to “call it, Friendo.”

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2. Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds – 2009 (3.18)

Christoph Waltz made the far-reaching claim that his character was one of the most important in modern literature.  Regardless of your opinion against his, the serious work put into the role is obvious the moment Col. Hans Landa invites himself into the home of a harboring family’s living room.  Another classic character from Tarantino’s writing, many of his past lead and supporting roles received equal acclaim yet rarely got so much as a nomination.  No stranger to controversy, this would be the first Best Supporting Actor nomination since Samuel L. Jackson’s unforgettable performance as Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction 15 years ago.  Tarantino chose American, French, and German actors to play their respective roles and Waltz authenticity is evident with each perfectly pronounced and equally heartless word.

1. Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight – 2008 (2.39)

The last time I was so concerned about the choice of actor for a role was nearly a decade prior when I heard someone named Hugh Jackman was given the role of Wolverine in X-Men.  The first picture I found of him on the internet was his most recent work, Oklahoma! You really don’t want the first image of The Man Who Would Be Wolverine to be from that production, trust me.  But, much like Jackman, I couldn’t have been more wrong in my judgment.

The fact that Heath Ledger won this award for the Joker posthumously will end up a footnote, and rightfully so.  Certainly not in an attempt to diminish the tragedy of losing an actor at such a young age, but because the performance will be watched and remembered long after the events of the actor’s life are forgotten by most.  Kevin Kline’s introduction said it best: “A man with his face smeared in clown make up, gleefully sticking his head out of a speeding car, relishing the night wind and reveling in the chaos he has unleashed on the streets of Gotham City.  Menacing, mercurial, droll, and diabolical.”

The Joker is one of the most recognizable and beloved villains in comic books, outranking the likes of Lex Luthor, The Green Goblin, and Dr. Doom.  Once every generation, an actor makes the role his own.  The first was Cesar Romero who played him on the popular 60s television series, paying attention to the clown in the character and perfecting a maniacal laughter only Heath came close to replicating.

The other 99% was all Ledger, completely ignoring Jack Nicholson’s contribution in the memorable, but criticized role in the 1989 Tim Burton film.  Some say it was another case of Jack being Jack, but even those critics agreed it was the role he was born to play.  One trait Nicholson’s portrayal and Ledger’s both had in common was the fact they reached audiences in that bittersweet spot in their hearts for the villain they love to hate.  Ledger’s opening scene disguised as one of the bank robbers in the gang he organized is the irresistible bait.  He declares most proudly that the city deserves a better class of criminal and that he’s going to give it to them.  It was nothing less than iconic, seeing the unbridled destruction that can come from one man free from remorse and the delighted expression on his face as the cacophony of explosions resounded.

We marvel at the logic he displays when confronting the very mobsters he stole from as he casually explains business as usual won’t return until Batman is gone, and only a deranged criminal can stop a man turned to an obsessive vigilante.  Just when we think he’ll be torn apart by his rivals, a jacket full of grenades ensure his escape and again we’re hooked on his brilliant but terrifying intellect.  It isn’t until the Joker is captured that we see the full scope of Ledger’s grasp of the character, burrowing himself into the heads of the men holding him prisoner and flipping from one emotion to the next.  We practically want to watch the Joker escape and he doesn’t disappoint.  The film’s final showdown is absolutely spectacular, and many have regarded the film as the finest comic book film ever made.  Still, we wouldn’t have been nearly as close to the edge of our seats if we weren’t baited there so beautifully by the great Heath Ledger.

(NOTE: Voters included Paul Popiel, Steve Neumann, Bryce Van Kooten, Andrew Payne, Kit Bowen, Nate Freiberg, Michaela Zanello, Colin Campbell, Steve Gustafson, Adam Spunberg, and Jeremy Martin)

Oscar Decades Series

Completed:

2000s Best Picture
2000s Best Actor
2000s Best Actress
1990s Best Picture
1990s Best Actor
1990s Best Actress
1980s Best Picture
2000s Best Supporting Actor

Up Next:

2000s Best Supporting Actress

The nominees for Best Supporting Actor include portrayals of a rugby star, an army captain, a child rapist/murderer, a Nazi colonel, and Leo Tolstoy. Four of the nominees are fairly well-known to American movie buffs, but it’s an unknown actor who is heavily favored in this category.

First we have Matt Damon for Invictus. This is Damon’s second acting nomination, the first being for Good Will Hunting 12 years ago (he won the original screenplay Oscar with Ben Affleck). Damon plays South African rugby star Francois Pienaar, who was the captain of the World Cup champion 1995 team and became a friend of Nelson Mandela. Damon did a decent job of playing Pienaar, but his performance is completely overshadowed by Morgan Freeman’s portrayal of Mandela.

Perhaps, I’m not familiar enough with South African rugby players, but despite gaining considerable muscle for the part, Damon seemed to make Pienaar appear weak. He’s hardly the inspiring leader one would expect from an underdog champion, and his teammates don’t really seem interested in what he has to say. His manner in convincing the Springboks to buy into Mandela’s vision is, well, unconvincing. Still, I guess he had the accent down. In reality, Damon is nominated for the wrong role, as he should have earned a Best Actor nomination for The Informant!

Second, is Woody Harrelson for The Messenger. This is Harrelson’s second Oscar nomination, the first being for Best Actor in The People vs. Larry Flynt 13 years ago. 2009 has been a comeback year of sorts for Harrelson, who hasn’t done anything significant on the silver screen for most of the past decade. But the former Cheers star won fans with Zombieland and his role in The Messenger has won rave reviews.

Still, it’s hard to see Harrelson winning this category. Despite a series of more serious roles in recent years, he’s viewed as a goofball by much of the Hollywood establishment. Additionally, The Messenger was not widely seen, and given its few nominations in other categories, it’s highly probable that Academy voters won’t even bother to watch the DVD.

The third nominee is Christopher Plummer for The Last Station. It’s hard to believe, but this is Plummer’s first Oscar nomination and it comes at age 80. (He does have two Tony Awards though.) If Plummer has any chance, it’s because the Academy wants to honor this incredibly talented and well-respected actor while they have the opportunity. But unfortunately for Plummer, few people saw The Last Station, and while I’m sure his portrayal of Leo Tolstoy was excellent, he was considered a borderline nominee to begin with.

Next we have Stanley Tucci for The Lovely Bones. Surprisingly, this is also Tucci’s first nomination, and it comes at age 49. Many Oscar pundits I’ve spoken with believe that Tucci is nominated for the wrong part here, as he won plaudits for his role in Julie and Julia. In The Lovely Bones, Tucci offers a chilling performance as a child rapist/murderer. But unfortunately for Tucci, most critics felt his acting was the only good thing about the movie. Historically the Academy punishes good nominees in bad movies, and it looks like that will fell Tucci here.

Finally, we have Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds. Completely unknown in the U.S. just six months ago, Waltz quickly endeared himself to the Hollywood establishment for his portrayal of the viscous and opportunistic Colonel Landa. Waltz deftly switches between English, German, and French in the film, and remarkably adds tension to his every scene through his weirdly calm behavior.

Waltz does a perfect job of playing the film’s super villain Nazi, who is ultimately out for himself and cares little for others. Inglourious Basterds simply doesn’t work without him.  Just last year, Waltz was a struggling Austrian actor, who predominantly appeared in “B”-rate German television programs. But Quentin Tarantino unearthed a star when he found Waltz, and now he’s well on his way to appearing in multiple star-studded American films.

After winning the SAG, the Golden Globe, and the BAFTA, it’s hard to see anyone besides Waltz winning the Oscar. And quite frankly, he deserves it too.

Road to the Oscars series:

Podcasts – Kit Bowen, Nate Freiberg, Adam Spunberg, and Phil Wallace

February 4: Live Action Short – Kit Bowen

February 5: Animated Short – Kit Bowen

February 8: Documentary Short Subject – Christa Youngpeter

February 9: Documentary Feature – Nate Freiberg

February 10: Foreign Language Film – Paul Popiel

February 12: Animated Film – Nate Freiberg

February 15: Sound Mixing – Jeremy Martin

February 16: Sound Editing – Jeremy Martin

February 17: Original Song – Adam Spunberg and Savanna New

February 18: Visual Effects – Mallory Pickard

February 19: Original Score – Adam Spunberg

February 22: Makeup – Christa Youngpeter

February 23: Costume – Steve Neumann

February 24: Art Direction – Christa Youngpeter

February 25: Film Editing – Steve Neumann

February 26: Cinematography – Paul Popiel

February 27: Original Screenplay – Jeremy Martin

February 28: Adapted Screenplay – Jeremy Martin

March 1: Supporting Actress – Marla Seidell

March 2: Supporting Actor – Phil Wallace

March 3: Actress – Marla Seidell

March 4: Actor – Kit Bowen

March 5: Director – Adam Spunberg

March 5: Picture – Kit Bowen

March 7: The 82nd Annual Academy Awards!

The Oscar nominations out, the dresses purchased, tuxes fitted. It’s a joyous occasion here in Hollywood – excitement in the air like the fresh smog surrounding the rainy, new decade. It’s a pleasure just to be nominated, right!? What about the snubs! What about the dynamite performances that got left behind?  Its time to shed some light on the ‘almosts’ this season; the top ten…well, eleven.

Best Picture:
Star Trek – One would hope for a little respect for this innovative grassroots story in a year where the nominations go from five to ten! A large portion of Americans had their biggest smiles of 09’ as they left Star Trek. Purely, the movie was a total blast, and worthy of a nod in a year where the Best Pic category proved to love its dramas just a little too much…again.

Best Actor:
Sharlto Copley – District 9 – First time actor Sharlto Copley dominates every minute he’s on screen in this incredible portrayal of a dimwitted, nerdy government official assigned to evict aliens in the perilous District 9. Assisted by incredible special effects, Copley’s portrayal of Wikus Van De Merwe was top notch at the least. Give the man his nod.

Matt Damon – The Informant! – I knew I’d be in for a quirky ride alongside The Informant!, but it wasn’t until the halfway mark that I realized the razor-edge line that Damon had been walking for the past hour. His interpretation is genius, endearing and utterly depressing; perfect for the Academy, right?

Hal Holbrook – That Evening Sun – This small film made almost no waves around the nation until Hal Holbrook’s performance was discussed for early Oscar lists. Holbrook – the bitter, savvy old man, Abner Meecham – comes on the tails of his Oscar snub for Into the Wild and is dually as moving. If you haven’t seen That Evening Sun, see it. A splendidly small film by director Scott Teems and a true testament of Holbrook’s strength when left alone to his craft.

Best actress:

Zoe Saldana – Avatar – I get it, I get it; I know many believe Avatar doesn’t belong in the Best Actor/Actress category alongside some of the other nominees, but hear me out. Everyone always talks about the power of progress — Dustin Hoffman was nominated for Tootsie, Jaye Davidson for The Crying Game — it would only seem right that Saldana was given a fair shake for her pioneering vision of Avatar’s main female lead, Neytiri. Ha! She didn’t even wear a CGI bubble suit….

Samantha Morton – The Messenger – Again, if you haven’t seen this tiny, beautiful picture, you’re going to need to go out and rent it, if only for the kitchen scene between Alpha Dog’s, Ben Foster (who is also brilliant) and Samantha Morton. This epically long, intrinsically beautiful slow-zooming scene leaves you pondering…did I actually just watched real life? Its worth the price of admission and surely should have been worth an Oscar bid.

Best Supporting Actor
Zach Galifianakis – The Hangover – Call me crazy, because I probably am, but there’s got to be more room in this shindig for comedies, especially comedies with the power of The Hangover. Throw in Galifianakis as yet another comedic tragedy to be looked over. Are you listening Steve Carell (40-Year-Old Virgin)?

Best Director:
Tom Ford – A Single Man – I wasn’t a very big fan of A Single Man, but I can say that it was a remarkable film. Beautiful, poignant and horribly sad, Tom Ford marched well down the path to mastering his new craft in a few short moments on screen. The bedroom scene alone is staggeringly made, but it’s worth noting that without Colin Firth, Ford gets only half noticed. But as is, well done Tom – you can do far more than make amazing suits.

Neil Blomkamp – District 9 – A terrific movie and outstanding directing. A movie where the lead character becomesmore human as he becomes more alien…genius! District 9 created drama in simple situations and a dazzling story from dynamic characters. To be honest, its going to be real hard to take down Cameron or Bigelow, but hey, atta boy, Neil.

Best Original Screenplay:
500 Days of Summer – the more I sit back and think, the more this movie inches closer to the top of my 2009 top ten. The script was extraordinary– I read it – and the movie splayed the words out like a fine sushi chef. I loved 300, 12 Angry Men and 3 Ninjas, so maybe I just like movies starting with numbers…

Honorable Mention:
Best Documentary
Tyson – In a year where Food, Inc. and The Cove basically changed my life, its tough to say another doc should be included in the fray…then I watched Tyson. The single power of Tyson’s interviews demand respect and afford the viewer no ability to turn away: a broken, shattered, shell of a man pouring his heart to the world which tore him down for so long. I can’t describe the power of some of these talking-head interviews; I walked away utterly grateful for the life I had been given.

Several of our writers have come out with their nomination predictions, and I already offered my take on the Best Picture category. If there is one thing we can truly prognosticate, it’s that the question of tomorrow will be: “Who got snubbed?” And many, who were grossly off in their original picks, will take furiously to the keyboard like those valet guys in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off; ultimately, there are some who will never be satisfied with any outcome, so long as they have a sounding board for expressing their displeasure.

Snubs can be broken down into two categories: movies that were on a lot of people in-the-know’s lists, and movies that never stood a chance to begin with. If a movie gets a, “Wow, I can’t believe that got snubbed,” reaction, it’s in Group 1. Group 2 is more likely to elicit a, “The Academy is way too stuck up to consider a movie like that” response, or in some extreme cases, “That’s why I don’t watch the ***** Oscars!” (be rest assured…those people usually still do watch).
There will be plenty of time to discuss the travesties of Group 1, so I will cater here to a few candidates not on the Academy’s radar:

Best Actor:
1. Viggo Mortensen, The Road: Nobody seems to be mentioning him at all, which leads me to believe – as Phil Wallace astutely pointed out – that few people have actually seen The Road. Our favorite Aragorn-portrayer should have at least gotten some consideration for muddying around in the filth for a whole shoot. An understated film that genuinely illustrates the listlessness of Cormac McCarthy’s apocalyptic world, Viggo shines as the morally-conflicted father without answers. Mortensen deserves a shoeshine and a footprint on the red carpet.

2. Jesse Eisenberg, Adventureland: Eisenberg really seems to like movies with “land” in them (Adventureland and Zombieland in 2009), but that affinity won’t land him any Oscar love. I may be in the minority, but I thoroughly appreciated Adventureland for its good-natured spirit, compelling story, and perhaps most of all, the likeability of its main character. Eisenberg played his role perfectly, and for that he deserves to be on higher turf.

Best Actress:
1. Zooey Deschanel, (500) Days of Summer: While I was thrilled to see my former classmate (we even lived in the same dorm), Joseph Gordon-Levitt, get some attention at the Golden Globes, where was Zooey Deschanel? After all, the movie WAS about Summer, first and foremost, and Deschanel played the spellbindingly-unreachable temptress with almost as much nuance as Vivaldi in his Four Seasons.

2. Abbie Cornish, Bright Star: Cornish was entrancing in her portrayal of Miss Fanny Brawne, the open-to-the-world fashionista who fell hard for poet John Keats in the underappreciated Bright Star (see my earlier thoughts). I really can’t find fault with any aspect of her performance. This is one of those cases where her obscurity as an actress hurt her severely, whereas everyone knows Sandra Bullock and Meryl Streep. Let’s hope Carey Mulligan wins it on behalf of the unknown Brits.

Best Supporting Actor:
1. Jim Broadbent, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: This is a clear case of discrimination by genre. Broadbent absolutely steals the show in the latest installment of the Potter series, playing the flawed-but-jolly Professor Slughorn with a hilarious air. Throughout the film, Broadbent speaks the mind of his character with comic contortions of his face, and when he speaks, it always seems humorous. J. K. Rowling and her rabid constituents were all thrilled with his performance.

2. Paul Giamatti, Duplicity: Duplicity may have been a mediocre film, forgettable as another not-so-serious man-woman spy movie (although I still enjoyed it). Lost within the averageness was a gem of a performance by Giamatti, as the over-the-top CEO desperate to use any kind of espionage imaginable to show up his nemesis. In one scene, Giamatti is especially brilliant as he holds a stockholder’s meeting where he believes he has his triumph. In a more notable movie, Giamatti would get more recognition.

Best Supporting Actress:
1. Melanie Laurent, Inglourious Basterds: I don’t know how Diane Kruger can be considered for a nomination and not the mesmerizing Laurent. Laurent’s extraordinary performance as the victim-turned-femme-fatale, ever more intoxicating through each new eye-movement and cryptic smile, should not only garner a nomination, but an Oscar win (see Mallory Pickard’s piece on Inglourious Basterds). If all predictions turn out true, the Academy is really missing the boat here.

2. Olivia Williams, An Education: An Education featured a number of prominent actors in minor roles, such as Emma Thompson as the school headmistress and Rosamund Pike as the friend of Jenny’s (Carey Mulligan) suitor. None compared to that of Williams, whose stony countenance conveyed such disappointment and earnest hope in the slightest gestures. Williams will not be recognized at the Oscars, but those who value solid acting will not soon forget her fine contribution.

Best Director:
1. David Yates, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: In a franchise that has zipped through several directors and been subject to inescapable hype, it’s truly remarkable that Yates will be retained from No. 5 through the two installments of No. 7. What makes Yates’ directing so exceptional is how he delicately approaches each scene. At times, I thought the Half-Blood Prince was as much an art film as a fantasy adventure, with such attention to detail and Yates’ determination to reveal the beauty of Rowling’s magical world.

2. Sam Raimi, Drag Me to Hell: An unconventional choice, certainly, but one that deserves some serious mention. Considering the difficulty of the genre, especially among critics, how to explain the 92% Rotten Tomatoes that Raimi has staggeringly achieved? As someone who normally shuns horror films, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Raimi’s devilishly-good directing. More than just a scary movie, Raimi poked fun of the traditional components of the horror movie, all while providing a ghastly tale of his own. I laughed and gasped and laughed and gasped, and I imagine Hollywood would too if they looked at it under an unprejudiced lense.

I will be extremely surprised if even one of these 10 films snags an unexpected nomination, but I encourage you – the viewers – to rise where the Academy could not, and contemplate the valor of these efforts while others receive the call.

Note: The following review contains some spoilers on the film “Me and Orson Welles”

The real Orson Welles received only a single Oscar for his writing contributions to Citizen Kane, and the amount of his contributions as one remains a debatable topic. But now, even years after his passing, the Academy might still be reluctant to compromise and give posthumous credit to one of the most uncompromising figures in American cinema. However, giving an Oscar to the man that portrayed him, the Academy just might be ready for that. A new face on the screen by the name of Christian McKay has already received a number of nominations and awards for playing him like the leading man he was.

It’s 1937 and a young Orson Welles is putting together Broadway’s Shakespearean production of Julius Caesar. Boisterous yet charming, Orson is shown at his best and his worst from the moment he emerges from the Mercury Theater searching for a new actor to play Lucius. Zac Efron plays Richard, who manages to secure the role by agreeing to work for nothing and doing some boasting of his own. He’s quickly handed over by Sonja Jones, played by Claire Danes, who gives Richard a crash course in working for the theater and more importantly, working for Orson.

It isn’t long before his high standards are made clear when he demands Richard go home and learn his lines after hearing them on stage for the first time. Upon his return, Orson becomes more of a father figure and invites Richard along to watch him perform in a radio show, claiming he can teach him everything there is to know about radio in an hour.

In the back of Orson’s private car (which is actually an ambulance Orson uses to get around town easier), he reads out loud what he refers to as “American poetry” in a selection from The Magnificent Ambersons. Orson calmly adds it to the live broadcast before going back to the script. The actors and production crew alike applaud his boldness after they go to commercial. His boldness continues off the air as he approaches a lovely production assistant and uses slight of hand to light a match and transform it into a rose that he hands to her. Richard is as awe struck as the rest of the room, and it’s here where you see Orson at his absolute best. Charismatic, brilliant, and seemingly immune to failure.

Christian McKay’s performance captures the charm of Orson Welles like nothing else, and the charm alone would be enough to warrant a nomination. However, it’s McKay’s portrayal of Welles’ duality that borderlines on a split personality. Orson’s uncertainly is displayed brilliantly as he tells Richard of “the thing” that’s bound to happen, some horrible misfortune that occurs just before an opening. Richard mentions another actor who fell through the trap door and Orson swats down the very suggestion, insisting it just wasn’t sinister enough.

In the meantime, Richard manages to win the affections of Sonja, much to the dismay of many in the cast who failed at getting her interest. The production comes together and falls apart all at once, with problems ranging from scenes being added and cut to disputes among the cast, and usually against the “always right” Orson.

When Richard accidentally sets off the fire alarm sprinklers practicing the match trick, Orson goes mad and insists it was sabotage, demanding someone step forward and admit to it. Although he was accused, he manages to act his way out of it by convincing Orson it was probably just “the thing” he anticipated. All seems to be coming together for the production, but Richard’s world is shattered when Sonja very nonchalantly informs him that she’s staying with Orson the night before the premier.

Young and impulsive, Richard confronts Orson about Sonja the next morning and the fact he’s married with a child on the way. Orson is enraged by the confrontation and fires Richard instantly, giving the classic show biz promise of never working in this town again.

Opening night and the sudden loss of an actor rattles the cast, including Orson, who finds Richard on a park bench after leaving the theater. In a rare moment of humility he praises Richard’s abilities, claiming he’s the only natural actor in the production and that he sees moments of brilliance from him. Richard agrees to come back after giving some conditions, but we soon find Orson’s praise is hollow when George (who plays Marc Antony) gets a fierce case of stage fright. Orson uses the same quotations of praise on George, convincing him to go on stage as well just moments before the show begins.

As the production begins, cast and crew watch the audience eagerly from behind the stage, searching for that reaction that would mean the difference between a hit or a flop. The stage production is something to admire and is recreated with obvious attention to detail, and each member of the cast gives an incredible performance.

Despite the selfishness, the ego, and the audacity Orson puts on full display throughout the film, you can’t help but smile along with him upon hearing the crowd’s reaction. You almost begin admiring him again, right up until Richard is told by another cast member that Orson only intended to use him to ensure a good opening night. He’s told another actor had already selected to take his place despite several of the cast members standing up for Richard. In the end, Richard accepts defeat and goes back to school, entertaining the idea of becoming a writer instead.

I love a long shot, especially when it pays off. I once made $15 into $150 on a 10 to 1 bet at the wheel of fortune at Binion’s Horseshoe in Vegas. Just last year I cursed myself for not putting at least a $2 bet on “Stimulus Package” to show as I watched the 20 to 1 horse screw up my quinella at Hollywood Park.

In my opinion, some of the best films are gambles, and gambling on the Academy Awards has become an unofficial tradition in come circles. Bearing this in mind, if Christian McKay gets nominated for playing Orson Welles, I’m putting down some cash on him to steal the best supporting actor slot.

Man Made Movies is gunning for an Oscar nod for Sam Rockwell in Moon and has put up an online petition. With support from Slash Film and Jo Blo, they are reporting upwards of 1,000 signatures so far. They’re hoping for 1,000,000. The biggest problem here is that there aren’t enough much-needed reviews to back this up.

Unfortunately, these types of things, with the best of intentions, do not often result in Oscar nominations. This is as good a time as any to talk about Oscar voter psychology, which I think I’ve become quite good at over the years (read as: I have no idea what I’m talking about). Oscar voter psychology is not any different from general psychology of all people. But here are some things you should know if you’re hoping to sway votes.

1. Never strong-arm them into voting for someone or something. It doesn’t work at all. Matter of fact, it has the reverse effect nine times out of ten. The one time it does work, usually has to do with the person truly deserving to be nominated, in which case, they would have been noticed and nominated anyway. Psychology reasoning for this: people hate to be told what to do in general. No one wants to be thought of as stupid or out of touch. If someone suggests such a thing, a voter (or person’s) likely response is, to quote Anton Chigurh, “You don’t know what you’re talking about, do you.”

2. Make them think it’s their idea. Present all of the reasons a film or person is worthy without ever falling into the trap of saying “nominate them now because they deserve it!” A typical response to that would be, Chigurh again. You guessed it. Remember, they are the ones with all of the power. That means they can choose to wield it at any time, especially when others are insinuating that they don’t know what they’re doing.

3. Reverse psychology – it works quite well. The old “this is the best film of the year but no way will the Academy nominate it. It is the best film to come along in ten years but it’s too small, too dark, the genre isn’t right, no way will the Academy go for it.” That works ten times better than “of course they’ll nominate it. There is no way they can’t nominate it.”

4. Fans don’t get films or people nominated, if anything, publicists do. A good publicist can work magic. But usually if it is a crowded category, as Best Actor usually is, it’s tougher to squeeze in, what with all of those deserving candidates. Here are the best categories to work magic in, ie, it’s possible to jigger the results: Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Original Sound, Editing and occasionally Cinematography. By jigger the results, I mean that those categories aren’t always filled with the most proficient people/films, only the most popular – if they like the movie enough, those categories can reflect broad support.

5. There is no harm in trying but if you overplay your hand you hurt the contender’s chances. By the time the Oscars roll around, and all of the awards shows have spoken, everything and everyone feels stale. It’s a delicate line to walk — too much exposure can lead to an anti-climax. Not enough exposure and they’re left in the dust. The bottom line: it actually has to be not just a good performance, but an astonishing one. And if it isn’t, the person better be a popular star in Hollywood (like Clooney or Eastwood, etc.)
So there you have it. A quick and dirty, and quite lame attempt at deconstructing voter mentality. We will be keeping an eye on the Sam Rockwell Oscar Watch to see if it plays out. I haven’t seen his performance but I can tell you with a fair amount of certainty that if he is truly deserving, and better than the other Actor frontrunners, he will get in.

What do you think of grassroots Oscar campaigns? Success or fail?

Finally, let’s talk briefly about the Best Actor race. It is kind of impossible to talk about it since so many films have yet to be released with actors who may get noticed — Robert Downey, Jr., Morgan Freeman, Mark Wahlberg, etc. Still, we have Jeremy Renner (himself in a bit of a grass roots campaign by sites like this one and others), we have Matt Damon, we have Michael Stuhlbarg for A Serious Man, and we have Colin Firth for A Single Man. We should have Ben Wishaw for Bright Star but I’m not sure that is going to happen; his was among the most powerful performances I’ve seen this year. There is, of course, George Clooney and Viggo Mortensen.

It is more than possible for Sam Rockwell to get in there. But every year there are actors who give great performances but are in films no one ever sees. Remember Jeff Goldblum in Adam Resurrected? Frank Langella in Starting Out in the Evening? Jim Carrey in ….pick any movie. Oscar heat is Oscar heat, and sometimes there is nothing anyone, even the best publicist or most devoted fan can do about it.

By Chris Wu

It was almost exactly a year ago from today when I was working in Paramount Vantage’s publicity department, and the office was abuzz with Oscar frenzy for its two heavily nominated favorites There Will Be Blood and No Country for Old Men. We were in the middle of delivering on a milkshake publicity campaign (remember “I drink your milkshake!!”?) when a high-pitch scream emanated from the back room, followed by a quick, “Oh my god, look on TMZ! Heath is dead!”

The news of Heath Ledger’s sudden and untimely death was a shock to all. Answers to the questions of the where, why, and how slowly trickled in. But of course, the big question would continue to loom: What about his upcoming role in The Dark Knight? And as if the marketing quagmire of using his likeness weren’t enough, there was that even juicier and more mind-blowing possibility: What if he gets nominated for an Oscar?

Immediately, the online rumor-mills were ablaze with fan postings on the possibility of a posthumous Oscar for Heath, with the flames fanned even higher after the release of the film in July when the world witnessed his electrifying interpretation of Jack’s classic clown. Critics, like Leonard Maltin, chimed in with his psycho-techie explanations: “All this Oscar talk is a phenomenon of the internet age that I like to call ‘a wish-fulfillment rumor.’ If people say it often enough, they think it will happen.” And the “experts” pointed to the ever-so-statistically-significant historical Oscar stats to show that while there have been 73 posthumous Oscar nominations, only 13 have won, and only one actor has won an Oscar after death: Peter Finch for 1976’s Network. And according to Peter Sciretta of Slashfilm, over the last 20 years, only 55% of Golden Globe Supporting Actors went on to take the Supporting Actor Oscar.

Tom O’Neil of TheEnvelope.com, even remarked in his best Debbie Downer voice, “Like Heath, James Dean was a heartthrob star who was considered a serious actor, who died tragically young. He was nominated twice posthumously, for East of Eden and Giant, and he lost both times. That’s how reluctant Oscar voters are to hug the dead. These awards are all about hugs and there’s something creepy about embracing the dead.”

Now, believe me, I understand why critics would want to aim low with their predictions and argue against a Heath win. A surprise win always feels more satisfying than a sure bet. That’s the classic underdog truism for Hollywood. But like all the award shows, the Oscars are never a question of who’s the best, but of who, this year, is better than the others. And take a look at this year’s “others”: Josh Brolin (whose role in Milk was completely overshadowed by Sean Penn), Philip Seymour Hoffman (he’s already won a Best Actor Oscar, what’s he doing back here?), Michael Shannon (excuse me, who?), and Robert Downey Jr. (actually, I kind of hope he wins just for playing an actor playing Tobey Maguire’s gay monk lover).

To say the least, it’s not a crowded field this year, and conditions look ripe for Heath to make history as the first posthumous Best Supporting Actor win. I’ll be placing my money against the critics and with the fans. But if there’s one certainty with the Academy Awards, it’s that there’s no certainty. So, as last year’s Best Supporting Actor, Javier Bardem, said in his role as serial killer Anton Chigurh, “Just call it.”