Amazing Performances that were NOT Oscar nominated

Joan Allen in "Pleasantville." This was a pretty competitive year and I don't think there was a "ridiculous counterpart nomination" but I probably would've bumped Brenda Blethyn ("Little Voice").

Linda Fiorentino in "The Last Seduction" (Miranda Richardson, "Tom & Viv."

Dennis Quaid in "Far From Heaven" - None. It was an excellent lineup that year as well.

Oh god, yes. Agree on those first two for sure, though I think 1994 Best Actress was even weaker than just Miranda Richardson. All FIVE of those nominees were undeserving. You had Susan Sarandon for The Client, Jessica Lange for Blue Sky, Jodie Foster for Nell and Winona Ryder for Little Women. None of those five women were more deserving over Fiorentino, Judy Davis for The Ref, Kathleen Turner for Serial Mom and Jennifer Jason Leigh for Mrs. parker and the Vicious Circle.

I thought Joan Allen should have been in for Pleasantville. Judi Dench did nothing in SiL other than NOT win the year before for Mrs. Brown. I also thought Toni Collette should have been in for Velvet Goldmine, Lisa Kudrow for The Opposite of Sex, Patricia Clarkson for High Art and Marisa Tomei for Slums of Beverly Hills.

Most recent ones I can think of - Johnny Depp for Black Mass and Taraji Henson for Hidden Figures.

Charlize Theron in Young Adult. How she didn't get nominated is beyond me. An even braver performance than in Monster, because she didn't have all that makeup and weight to hide behind. Her performance in this was hilarious, chilling, pathetic, disturbing, scary, and even heartbreaking.

Any of these ladies from 'Margaret'

Best Actress:

Anna Paquin

Supporting Actress:

Allison Janney

Jeannie Berlin

J. Smith-Cameron

2011, when the film was released (after being shelved for 6 years) was a notoriously weak year for supporting actress to. I think Octavia Spencer won for The Help that year.

Lisa Kudrow won the NY Film Critics Award for The Opposite of Sex. I figured she came in 6th that year in the Oscar balloting as not enough voters had seen the movie. It was the year Judi Dench won for her cameo in Shakespeare in Love. Had Kudrow made it into the 5, I bet she would have won.

Rebecca Hall, Christine Shelley Duvall, 3 Women Gena Rowlands, Another Woman Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky Isabelle Adjani, Queen Margot

[quote] Lisa Kudrow won the NY Film Critics Award for The Opposite of Sex. I figured she came in 6th that year in the Oscar balloting as not enough voters had seen the movie. It was the year Judi Dench won for her cameo in Shakespeare in Love. Had Kudrow made it into the 5, I bet she would have won.

Not to take anything away from Kudrow, but that was the same year Cameron Diaz won a NYFC award for There's Something About Mary (which may have been the even bigger reason Kudrow lost out on the Oscar nom).

Best Supporting Actress: Sandy Dennis, "Another Woman" (1988).

Sandy Dennis! YES! That's a good one. One of her best performances.

"Hey, R10. HEY! I'm your wife, not her."

Madeline Kahn for What's Up Doc and Maura Tierney for Scotland, PA are two of my favorite supporting actress performances of all times, but there was never any chance they would be nominated.

[quote] Madeline Kahn for What's Up Doc and Maura Tierney for Scotland, PA are two of my favorite supporting actress performances of all times, but there was never any chance they would be nominated.

I understand Tierney not having a shot, but why do you think Kahn didn't? She was in a very successful, very well reviewed movie, she got a GG nom for best Newcomer and great reviews. I'm shocked she didn't make the cut, especially over Page's wan performance in Pete & Tille.

Diane Keaton (Best Actress) and Dana Hill (Best Supporting Actress) for "Shoot the Moon" (1982).

Linda Fiorentino wasn't eligible for nomination as the film was shown on HBO before it was released in theatres. If eligible, I believe she would have been nominated and possibly won.

Fiorentino could've easily parlayed that whole "Last Seduction" situation into a makeup Oscar one or two years later if she had really wanted to. Maybe that wasn't such a thing in 1994?

For an example, see Renee Zellweger's win.

Christine Lahti for two movies: Running on Empty and Housekeeping

[quote] Linda Fiorentino wasn't eligible for nomination as the film was shown on HBO before it was released in theatres.

Which is complete bullshit when you see how many movies are eligible for both Oscars AND Emmys. But the Grammys used to pull that shit with Best New Artist, deeming someone ineligible if they appeared on ANY recording before their debut album. Whitney Houston was thrown out of consideration for BNA because she'd done duets on albums by Jermaine Jackson and Teddy Pendergrass the year before. Richard Marx was ineligible in 87 because he'd had one sound on a soundtrack the previous year, yet Jody Watley won that year despite the fact that she'd been the co-lead singer of Shalamar for a decade. Of course, then the Grammys relaxed the rule and you had Shelby Lynne win Best New Artist for her 10th album.

But I think it sucks that things liek OJ Made in America, 13th, Beasts of No Nation, etc. can be eligible for Oscars AND Emmys. Pick one.

Alan Rickman for Die Hard and/or Truly, Madly Deeply.

Joan Allen in "The Upside of Anger" was the best performance given by an actress that year and should have won. So unlike anything she did before or since.

Al Pacino in "Donnie Brasco." One of his best performance, but it opened early in the year and was forgotten. And his oscar was for one of his worst performances.

River Phoenix in My Own Private Idaho. It was easily one of the best performances of the 1990s. At least The National Board of Review recognized his amazing performance and awarded him best actor.

Rosalind Russell..."His Girl Friday." One of the greatest comedic performances of all time. And yet able to go to the dark places of the script. Those fast-talking scenes with Grant are like watching a high-wire act. Should have won...not just over winner Ginger Rogers ("Kitty Foyle") but also over the other great nominated performances like Bette Davis in "The Letter", Joan Fontaine in "Rebecca" and Katharine Hepburn in "The Philadelphia Story."

Another great comedic performance that should have been nominated was Kathleen Turner's in "Romancing the Stone." That was the year of the three farm wife movies. Bo-ring.

And, of course, Ms. High Riding Bitch herself, Judy Parfitt, should have been nominated and won for "Dolores Claiborne." That Oscar was wasted on Mira Sorvino.

Kitty Winn for The Panic in Needle Park.

The greatest crime of all: Alistair Sim not being nominated for his role as Scrooge in 1951's "A Christmas Carol". My favorite performance by an actor ever.

Shelley Duvall in The Shining. Amy Adams has five fucking Oscar nominations and people like Duvall have nothing.

Mimi Rogers in The Rapture

Crissy Rock in Ladybird, Ladybird

Gena Rowlands in Opening Night

I always assumed Anthony Perkins was nominated for his iconic turn as Norman Bates in Psycho

Dirk Bogarde as Best Actor For The Servant and Death in Venice.

John Huston for Best Supporting Actor for Chinatown.

Treat Williams for Best Actor and Jerry Orbach for Best Supporting Actor for Prince of The City.

Geraldine Page for Best Supporting Actress for I'm Dancing as Fast as I can

Willlem Dafoe for Best Actor and Susan Sarandon for Best Supporting Actress for Light Sleeper.

Ralph Fiennes for Best Actor and F. Murray Abraham for best Supporting Actor for The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Tovah Feldshuh as a stereotypical Jewish mother in Kissing Jessica Stein until her one shot, extended take, heartbreaking and heartwarming scene with her daughter on the swing. Glorious.

I always thought Rebecca Hall was so heartbreaking and grounding in the Prestige. The problem is she has no bravura scenes and is in a genre pic, two things the academy would never go for in Best Supporting. I'd happily take her over Abigail Breslin in Little Miss Sunshine or Adriana Barraza in Babel. I'd take her over J.Hud too. Keep the nominations for Blanchett and Rinko K. though.

Adriana Barraza should have won for Cake.

Funny. I'm not a Nicole Kidman fan and didn't care all that much for her nominated performances.

But I thought she was fucking amazing in Birth.

R2 I'm about to school you. You are right that the Best Actresses from 1994 were all undeserving, especially Lange for Blue Sky. But the ones you listed who were more deserving? Bitch, please.

The only person who was not only not nominated but should have WON Best Actress that year AND wipes the floor with ALL of the additional people you mentioned... Our QUEEN Janet Jackson for Poetic Justice. She won every major award for her captivating, raw, and heartbreaking performance as Justice. Of course she didn't get a nom because the Academy Members are all made up of racists.

But we all know the truth, Janet's performance is legendary and to this day considered one of the all time greatest in film history. And where the hell is that Jessica Lange now? HAHAHA.

Stay PRESSED Hunties!

Shelley Winters for Best Supporting Actress for Next Stop Greenwich Village.

"And, of course, Ms. High Riding Bitch herself, Judy Parfitt, should have been nominated and won for "Dolores Claiborne." That Oscar was wasted on Mira Sorvino."

Hear, hear! And Kathy Bates for lead actress and David Strathairn for Supporting Actor for the same film. Speaking of Strathairn, I would give him another supporting nom for EIGHT MEN OUT.

Thread closed, bitches!

Nice try, R32, except Jabba is not only Janbot, she's/he's Langebot and would never malign precious Jess.

Also, Poetic Justice came out the year before.

But you tried it.

R36 = PRESSED

Debbie Reynolds for "Mother" and Amy Adams for "Enchanted." I don't know what years or who was nominated those years, but Amy personified a Disney princess with her incredibly sincere performance and Debbie was spot on in that role.

Funny about Kathy Bates. I thought she won for Misery because the votes split between the more deserving Anjelica Huston in The Grifters and Joanne Woodward in Mr. and Mrs. Bridge. She was good in Misery, but she was extraordinary in Dolores Claiborne, (which I think came out the following year). Judy Parfitt was absolutely deserving of a nomination if not the win. But JJ Leigh was great, also.

I'd disagree, R39. Bates was the embodiment of Misery.

Madonna for "Dangerous Game" in place of any of the five nominees: Holly Hunter (The Piano), Angela Bassett (What's Love Got to Do with It?), Stockard Channing (Six Degrees of Separation), Emma Thompson (Remains of the Day), Debra Winger (Shadowlands).

Funny, when I think of the character of Annie Wilkes I sort of think that is exactly how Jabba would be if he were ever to capture his obsession, Madonna.

I like your taste in movies and performances, R22.

Molly Shannon in Other People

[quote]Dennis Quaid in "Far From Heaven" - None. It was an excellent lineup that year as well.

He could've easily taken John C. Reilly's spot, who did nothing but sing one truncated song and then act sheepish in his few scenes. Reilly is the definition of a 'coattail nomination.'

[quote]Which is complete bullshit when you see how many movies are eligible for both Oscars AND Emmys.

R18 Two years prior to "Last Seduction," "Enchanted April" premiered on British TV before being released in US theaters, and it was nominated for three Oscars (Supporting Actress, Adapted Screenplay, Costumes).

Then you have Liv Ullman's scenario in the '70s when she was disqualified for "Scenes From a Marriage" because it had been shown on Swedish TV first.

Groundhog Day was a middling hit and mostly dismissed when it was originally released. Looking back now, it's considered one of the greatest comedy classics of all time, (deservedly in my opinion).

It should absolutely have been nominated for Picture, Best Actor, Best Screenplay.

Paul Giamatti "Sideways"

Joaquin Phoenix "Her"

Dennis Quaid "Far From Heaven"

Donald Sutherland "Ordinary People"

Gene Wilder "Young Frankenstein"

Dirk Bogarde "Death in Venice"

Marlon Brando "Reflections of a Golden Eye"

John Huston "Chinatown"

Debbie Reynolds "Mother"

Shirley MacLaine "Postcards from the Edge"

Vanessa Redgrave "The Devils"

Mia Farrow "Alice"

Shelley Winters "Next Stop, Greenwich Village" and "Lolita"

Tuesday Weld "Play It As It Lays"

Barbara Harris "The Seduction of Joe Tynan"

Karen Black "The Day of the Locust"

Faye Dunaway "Mommie Dearest"

I could have sworn that Quaid was nominated for FAR FROM HEAVEN, but I was confusing that with the fact that he did get nominated by the GG and the SAG.

"Then you have Liv Ullman's scenario in the '70s when she was disqualified for "Scenes From a Marriage" because it had been shown on Swedish TV first."

The difference between her situation and Linda Fiorentino's (or with ENCHANTED APRIL) is that SCENES was a 5-part TV drama that was further edited down to just under 3 hours for theatrical release, so it's not like the full, original work was shown in theaters.

[QUOTE] Gena Rowlands in Opening Night

OMYES. This performance is one of my favorites. I love everything about it. Joan Blondell popped up as the playwright of the play-within-the-movie as I recall. Kathy Bates' version of Joan Blondell in FEUD would've been that one, timeline-wise.

[QUOTE] Geraldine Page for Best Supporting Actress for I'm Dancing as Fast as I can

I love Page, but even I thought she was awful in this. That whole dying poet thing - just no. Although, it might just be that everything about that movie makes me sick (including Nichol Williamson's beyond creepy performance).

[QUOTE] But I thought [Kidman] was fucking amazing in Birth.

That extended close-up when she's watching the opera is a master class of acting. That was a really interesting period in Kidman's career. There were some ill-advised bombs (The Stepford Wives), but also challenging fare such as Birth and Dogville where she's continually raped by an entire town.

DIane Keaton for Looking for Mr. Goodbar

Roy Scheider for Sorcerer

Donna Pescow for Saturday Night Fever

Donald Sutherland and Veronica Cartwright (especially over Penelope Milford and Dyan Cannon) for Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Christopher Plummer for The Silent Partner

Treat Williams for Hair or Prince of the City

John Savage for The Onion Field or Inside Moves

James Woods for The Onion Field

Cheryl Barnes for Hair. She comes in near the end, she sings one song, and we know exactly who that character is and why we should give a shit. This is the performance Jennifer Hudson should have given.

Donald Sutherland for ordinary People

Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall and Scatman Crothers for The Shining

Barry Miller and Anne Meara for Fame

Diane Lane for a little seen film called Touched By Love

Steve martin, Bernadette Peters and Christopher Walken, all for Pennies From Heaven

Kathleen Turner for Body Heat, Crimes of Passion, Serial Mom

Albert Finney, Diane Keaton and Dana Hill, all for Shoot the Moon

David Keith instead of Lou Gossett Jr for An Officer & A Gentleman

Charles Durning for Tootsie instead of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

Jennifer Jason Leigh for Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Last Exit to Brooklyn, The Hudsucker Proxy, Single White Female, Mrs. Parker and Margot at the Wedding.

Cher for Come Back to the Five & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean

Eric Roberts for Star 80 and The Pope of Greenwich Village

Steve Martin for All of Me

Gena Rowlands for Love Streams, Opening Night, Once Around, Light of Day (terrible movie but she was amazing), Unhook the Stars

Sharon Stone for Irreconcilable Differences (if Teri Garr can get a nomination for Tootsie and Mira Sorvino can WIN for Mighty Aphrodite, then this should have been in)

Paul Winfield for Mike's Murder

Miranda Richardson for Dance With a Stranger

Eric Stoltz for Mask

Leland Palmer for All That Jazz

[QUOTE]Albert Finney, Diane Keaton and Dana Hill, all for Shoot the Moon

Already mentioned above.

[quote] Already mentioned above.

So call a cop.

That guy with the backpack who walked across the background so many times in the final plaza scene in "Only You" (1994). He should have won for Best Extra.

Freeze.

Special Agent Don Nagler, DLPD. Someone called in an incident? Something posted twice?

[QUOTE]So call a cop.

It just shows that you're a thread-bomber and that you haven't gone through the posts. I'm not going to call a cop, but I will call you out.

Gena Rowlands was also already cited by two people before you.

[quote] It just shows that you're a thread-bomber and that you haven't gone through the posts. I'm not going to call a cop, but I will call you out.

Christ, what a fucking priss you are. I STARTED the fucking thread, you asshole. And I don't remember laying down a rule that once an actor was mentioned for a certain performance, doing so again would result in an immediate hysterectomy.

But if I may, I'd like to retroactively place one. All prisspots with sticks up their asses need to get the fuck out of here and stop wasting posts. That means you, sweets.

I think you need to take your meds today, R57. Wow.

[quote] I think you need to take your meds today, [R57]. Wow.

Someone already made that joke on Datalounge about someone, you site bomber.

In terms of modern days and modern actors and actresses: Leo in Basketball Diaries, Sean Penn in HurlyBurly, Matt Damon in The Good Shepherd, Downey Jr in Two Girls and A Guy (transcendent acting) ... to name a few.

Gary Oldman in State of Grace should have won best supporting actor. A volcanic performance and the greatest of his esteemed career.

Chloe Webb in "Sid and Nancy"

Lynn Redgrave in "Kinsey"

OP – Thank you for creating a such a great and enjoyable thread. But as a kindly reminder, I am posting this paragraph from settings:

“Please use the Flames and freaks, ignore poster and ignore thread features instead of engaging in pointless arguments with trolls. You are not going to change their minds. They do not care what you post. All they care about is the attention they receive. Don't give it to them."

If you are pent up with hostility and need to take it out on someone, I suggest you seek out a Political thread and take it out on a Deplorable. It’s why God gave them to us. By doing it here you are only encouraging the posters you wish to avoid, and alienating the posters you wish to attract.

(or perhaps you are attempting to replicate Miss Dunaway in Mommie Dearest? Possibly the greatest example of this thread’s theme!)

OP – I am posting with the best of intentions, and looking forward to less sniping and more great examples of under-Awarded performances.

Thank you for reading.

Hahahahaha. Fair enough.

Gary Oldman was also great and unrecognizable in TRUE ROMANCE. Worthy of a supporting nod, IMO.

Best Actress: Naomi Watts-Mulholland Drive Best Supporting Actress: Thandie Newton-Crash

Does anyone remember a very small Canadian movie from I believe 1986 called Dancing in the Dark? It's basically told all through narration by a woman who has murdered her husband. Wonderful performance by the lead, Martha Henry, who I've never seen in anything else. I ran into a stream of it on some video site whose name escapes me (wasn't YouTube), but it wasn't a very good copy so I stopped watching after a while. I initially saw it on VHS. Don't believe it ever got a DVD release.

Marlene Warfield - "Network"

[quote] Marlene Warfield - "Network"

I was about to say- Her role was a bit too small for a nomination, but then I remembered her castmate Beatrice Straight won that year for maybe 60 seconds more screen time.

Sean Penn gave some really great early performances that should have gotten attention, from Fast Times at Ridgemont High to The Falcon & The Snowman, At Close Range, etc. And I would have given him Best Actor the year he won for Mystic River, but not for that awful hambone performance, but for his much better one in 21 Grams.

Also, Melissa Leo was amazing in that film and should have gotten a BSA nom.

Ray Liotta in Something Wild, Dominick & Eugene and Goodfellas.

Daniel Day Lewis for My Beautiful Laundrette.

I was having breakfast with a friend this past weekend who said he had watched some horror movie and Audra Lindley had a small role in it. He expressed surprise at what a good actress she was. I'd asked him if he'd ever seen Desert Hearts. (He had not.) I thought Lindley should have gotten the Oscar that year for Supporting Actress over Dianne Wiest. She wasn't even nominated.

Mary Kay Place is another actress who has done some really good supporting work. Besides being the standout in The Big Chill, she should have gotten recognized for Smooth Talk and Manny & Lo. Treat Williams and Laura Dern both should have been recognized for Smooth Talk.

Naomi Watts for Mulholland Drive OWNS this thread.

"Mary Kay Place is another actress who has done some really good supporting work. Besides being the standout in The Big Chill, "

Could someone please explain why it was Glenn Close who was singled out for that film? Close has deserved most of the nominations she's gotten, but I never understood that one, (especially compared to Place). I guess maybe the shower scene, but really?

When I first watched THE BIG CHILL ten years ago, I knew it had been nominated for several Oscars, and afterward I thought for sure that Place was one of them.

Close's nod for The Big Chill might've been partly out of sympathy for not winning the year before for her first nomination (The World According to Garp).

Russ Tamblyn as "Riff" in WSS in place of Chakiris, who really was no more than Rita's dance partner.

JoBeth Williams for Poltergeist

There was actually Oscar buzz around her at the time

Let me clarify. I don't think Tamblyn was amazing, per se, but he was certainly more worthy than Chakiris, who was mainly Rita's dance partner. He didn't sing or say much.

I do think Close was the "hot" actress of the cast at the time. I wonder what the ads were like, if the producers decided to single out Close because they figured she was their best shot at an acting nomination. Perhaps back then, the politics of listing everyone on the ads weren't as in play.

[QUOTE]There was actually Oscar buzz around [JoBeth Williams] at the time

As there should've been.

Williams was fantastic as Reve Walsh in "ADAM" that year on television. I believe she was nominated for an Emmy for it.

Not only did Mia Farrow deserve an Oscar nomination for "Rosemary's Baby", she deserved to win. Her performance was perfection and it was an outrage that she was overlooked.

Robert Preston in "The Music Man"

Roma Maffia in "Disclosure"

Nicole Kidman in "Malice" - not always a fan or hers, but she was great in this

Ryan O'Neal in "Paper Moon"

I thought Mia Farrow deserved a nomination for Supporting Actress for Broadway Danny Rose and a lead one for Alice.

[QUOTE]Nicole Kidman in "Malice" - not always a fan or hers, but she was great in this

"Malice" also has the added benefit of GOOP's character being murdered in the beginning!

IMO, Mia in THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO, particularly for this scene:

Tillda Swinton was fucking amazing in We Need To Talk About Kevin - and remember being gobsmacked that she didn't score an oscar nom. Really felt something was wrong with the process that such a strong performance could be completely overlooked.

R85 she was nominated for Golden Globe, SAG, Critics Choice, and BAFTA and still didn't get a nod.

[QUOTE]Tillda Swinton was fucking amazing in We Need To Talk About Kevin - and remember being gobsmacked that she didn't score an oscar nom.

She was unbelievably good in that. The novel is quite something too.

Agreed re: Swinton. She should have easily taken the place of Glenn Close, who actually gave a rare BAD performance in a film in Albert Nobbs, and Rooney Mara, whose nomination for Dragon Tattoo was ludicrous.

Can't believe it took til r85 for someone to say it.

Tilda Swinton was amazing in "We Need To Talk About Kevin". The most egregious snub in recent years IMO.

Shelley Duvall in 3 Women

Sandra Bernhard in The King of Comedy

Jennifer Jason Leigh in Georgia, Miami Blues, and Last Exit to Brooklyn

Pam Grier in Jackie Brown

Miranda Richardson in Spider (and yes, also Dance with a Stranger as mentioned upthread)

Kirsten Dunst in Melancholia

Speaking of Bullock, I felt she did Harper Lee much better than Catherine Keener the same year, and yet the latter got the nod.

Sorry, I was wrong. INFAMOUS came out in 2006; CAPOTE was a 2005 release. But my opinion still stands.

r90 I agree. I have often found JJL charmingly rich and full-characterized at WORST, and award worthy at BEST. It wasn't until coming to DL that I found there is a good chunk of people who think she is an awful actress.

Although I cannot agree with the earlier poster who would have nominated her for her Dorothy Parker. She was fine, but it is such a nothing movie.

JoBeth Williams in Poltergeist Juliet Stevenson in Truly Madly Deeply Kathleen Turner in Crimes of Passion, Peggy Sue Got Married, and Serial Mom Essie Davis in The Babbadook Angela Bettis in May Shelley Duvall in 3 Women Jennifer Jason Leigh in Georgia Sandra Bernhard in The King of Comedy Charlize Theron in Young Adult

The best acting is when you can't even see the actor/actress. All you can see is the character.

Turner was nominated for Peggy Sue

96 posts and nobody said Jennifer Anniston for Cake?!?!?! You are slipping DL!

I have two, Patty Duke in Me Natalie, by the way which she won the Golden Globe for and of course Patty Duke in Valley of the Dolls

Mercedes Ruehl in Married to the Mob over Joan Cusack in Working Girl.

That latter's nomination baffled me. Same for Griffiths

R99 what about Sigourneys?

Anyone mention John Cameron Mitchell for "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"? Brilliant work. Should have gotten what I call "the Javier Barden spot" every year.

Sigourneys was fine but not great. I still prefer it over the other 2 though.

Sigourney messes up a major moment waiting for her cue when the nurse touches her gown and she slaps his hand. She even stumbles over a line there. The other takes must have been dreadful for them to just go ahead and use the one they did. (And I speak as a fan).

I'm a huge Mike Nichols fan. I think 5 of his movies easily qualify for my Top 10 of all time. But I never understood the love for Working Girl. I thought it was just okay, and downright mediocre compared to his other films. Just sayin'

[quote]Sigourney messes up a major moment waiting for her cue when the nurse touches her gown and she slaps his hand.

How did she mess it up?

She anticipates it a bit and stumbles over a line, not sure if it's the extra playing not the nurse not coming in soon enough or what... Sigourney/Katherine: "I know there's... I know I'm asking a lot but..." Watch it, it's pretty obvious. And it's not all one long take either so they could've done a pick-up and gotten it right somehow, cut to Melanie on the phone and then back again. But didn't. Which is odd for someone as slick as Mike Nichols.

Kathy Bates and Judy Parfitt in "Dolores Claiborne"

Glenn Close in "Reversal of Fortune"

Coral Browne "Dreamchild"

Burt Reynolds "Starting Over"

Warren Beatty "Bulworth"

Julianne Moore "Safe"

Tilda Swinton "Orlando"

JoBeth Williams in Poltergeist has got to be a joke. She was barely mediocre in that movie.

Sigourney in The Ice Storm for supporting actress. In fact the whole movie was snubbed at Oscar time. It should have received multiple nominations but got zilch.

JoBeth turns in a very moving performance in Poltergeist. The "she came through me" scene is particularly wonderful. If you wanna see just what a great job she did, watch the remake and see what it's like without her anchoring the story.

I really don't think performances in horror films get enough love. They're incredibly hard to pull off, but if done right, should seem easy (much like great comedy.) It's all about committing to being afraid of something that, on the surface, seems silly or, in some cases, isn't even in the same room as you (if they're green screened in later or shot at another date). A lot of people can't do it. Hell, I think Marilyn Burns in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre deserved a nod. I've never seen someone convey fear like she did.

Speaking of horror performances that should have been nominated - Dee Wallace in Cujo

Sophia Loren in A Special Day

Peter Weller in Of Unknown Origin

James Woods in Videodrome

Gong Li in Ju Dou

Edward Norton, Barry Pepper & Phillip Seymour Hoffman in The 25th Hour

Debi Morgan in Eve's Bayou should have had the nomination for Best Supporting Actress 1997 that was taken by Gloria Stuart from Titanic. Not sure if she would have won over Bassinger, but she should have had the nomination.

Marilyn Burns in the back of the pickup truck at the end of "Texas Chainsaw" is just unforgettable.

"I really don't think performances in horror films get enough love."

What about Jodie in Silence of the Lambs? I mean, technically, that was a horror film wasn't it? (and she won!)

Mabel Albertson in What's Up Doc

I'd have rather Gene Hackman won his second Oscar for The Chamber, than Unforgiven. He wasn't even nominated for The Chamber and that year's nominees were Cuba Gooding Jr. – Jerry Maguire, William H. Macy – Fargo, Armin Mueller-Stahl – Shine, Edward Norton – Primal Fear, and James Woods – Ghosts of Mississippi. IMO, Hackman was better than all of them. Whereas in the year of Unforgiven Hackman was chosen over Jaye Davison - The Crying Game, Jack Nicholson - A Few Good Men, Al Pacino -Glengarry Glenn Ross, and David Paymer - Mr. Saturday Night.

"Speaking of Bullock, I felt she did Harper Lee much better than Catherine Keener the same year, and yet the latter got the nod."

Disagree on that one - to me Bullock is refreshingly low-key, but I'm still aware of "Sandra Bullock". I will say that Toby Jones gives Philip Seymour Hoffman a serious run for his money as Capote. Jones certainly looks more like Capote did. Unfortunately, INFAMOUS isn't as strong a film as CAPOTE.

I will second the comment about Sigourney Weaver in THE ICE STORM. She did, however, win the BAFTA award for that role. And she's a lot of fun as Babe Paley in the above-mentioned INFAMOUS.

Two other strong Weaver performances were in A MAP OF THE WORLD (she got a GG nom for that) and in IMAGINARY HEROES.

Sigourney was strongly considered for her "A Map of the World" performance. I think that's also the year that Julianne Moore had several supporting roles (including in "Map") and didn't get cited for any of them. Might have been the "she's going to be nominated for 'Magnolia'!" year.

Catherine O'Hara in 'Heartburn'.

I'm shocked that Mia never got an Oscar nomination.

Someone mentioned Veronica Cartwright above. One of my favorite actresses! She gave one of the greatest performances I've seen in a horrible film called "Inserts" about a guy who made porno films in 1930's Hollywood. Of course, she wasn't nominated for it, but she was brilliant nonetheless.

Alistair Sim in both "A Christmas Carol" and "The Ruling Class"

Ida Lupino in "Junior Bonner"

Myrna Loy in "Test Pilot"

Bette Davis in "Of Human Bondage"

Marjorie Rhodes in "The Family Way"

Edward Arnold in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington"

Lily Tomlin in "Short Cuts"

Marilyn Monroe in "Bus Stop"

Rosalind Russell in "Picnic"

Edward G. Robinson in "The Sea Wolf"

Donald Sutherland in "Day of the Locust" and "Ordinary People"

R117 - I agree with you about Hoffman vs Toby Jones as Capote. Jones didn't get as much praise as he was due, since he is physically closer to Capote's size and more believable as a gay man. It also helped that the Infamous screenplay demonstrated the sexual component to Capote's relationship with Perry Smith, which Dan Futterman's Capote did not. Hoffman performance was seen to be more 'acting' and therefore was more rewarded.

Geraldine Page in "The Day of the Locust"

More on PS Hoffman. I would have liked to have seen him nominated for Happiness. This was a far more daring performance than his Truman Capote, IMO, but considering the character was such a perve that wasn't going to happen.

Amazing Performances that were NOT Oscar nominated?

Bela Lugosi owns this thread. OWNS.

No, Christine Lahti in "Running on Empty" owns this thread.

Lahti reminds me of M Streep in that in the work I have seen her do, she is always attempting to upstage the other person in the scene. It puts me right off her.

R118 Moore was nominated that year for Best Actress in THE END OF THE AFFAIR.

[quote] I agree. I have often found JJL charmingly rich and full-characterized at WORST, and award worthy at BEST. It wasn't until coming to DL that I found there is a good chunk of people who think she is an awful actress.

A bit OT, but I started the thread, so fuck it. Last night I sat down and started watching the new Netflix series Atypical, about a family with an autistic son. Jennifer Jason Leigh plays the mom in it. First, the series really took me by surprise by how good it is, but even more surprising is how good JJL is. JJL is one of my favorite actresses and I think she should be the recipient of at least 5 oscar nominations, but I have noticed that whenever she plays a "normal" person, she's either completely forgettable and just not there or downright awful. Her best performances have always been damaged people or larger than life characters.

But for some reason, JJL really inhabits this very normal mother and makes her achingly real. Made me really happy to see as I have been missing JJL's talent. Hateful 8 aside, the work she's done in the past decade has been painfully mediocre and quite frankly, beneath her.

I loved JJL's appearance on "Twin Peaks: The Return" this season.

I loved Mia in Rosemary's Baby and now that it's near Halloween I watch the dvd religiously. She was the victim of Sinatra's posy spreading the word to deny her a nom. Nothing else could explain it. My God she was a helluva lot better than Katharine Hepburn or Babs Streisand.

Also agree about Keaton in Looking for Mr. Goodbar. She could have easily won for that instead of Annie Hall.

And since Twin Peaks has been in the news lately Sheryl Lee's performance in Fire Walk With Me which was a bomb at the box office should have still garnered her a nom.

[QUOTE]And since Twin Peaks has been in the news lately Sheryl Lee's performance in Fire Walk With Me which was a bomb at the box office should have still garnered her a nom.

Yes X1,000. Sheryl Lee was just brilliant in that movie. I also loved her reappearance in the final episode of "Twin Peaks: The Return." Her final moment was absolutely chilling.

James McAvoy in Filth

James McAvoy in Atonement

James McAvoy in The Last King of Scotland

Yup. Sheryl Lee was totally worthy. As was Laura Dern for WIld at Heart. I HATED Wild at Heart, thought it was the worst film of 1990, but Dern was so fucking good in it that she should have won the Oscar. I still think Kathy Bates was overrated and only won because of a mediocre year. Of the nominated performances, Streep was the best.

Kristen Stewart in Still Alice

Reese Witherspoon in Election

Reese Witherspoon in Election

Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde

Rebecca Hall, Christine

Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky

Tilda Swinton "Orlando"

Hackman's second win (for the most basic Hackman performance we have seen over and over) over Jaye Davidson, a true original, still annoys the fuck out of me. Same for Tommy Lee Jones over Leo's amazing work in "Gilbert Grape". I think they were back to back injustices, if I'm not mistaken.

(And Sally Hawkins' work in "Happy Go Lucky" annoyed me so much I have trouble watching her in anything since. I want to go see "Maudie", which is playing nearby., but I have to brace myself to take her on new terms and not that manic weird "Happy" memory).

Donald Sutherland in Klute.

Donald Sutherland whose expression never changes once the entire film.

R140 if they had been female, Davidson and Leo would've won. The Academy loves to reward young starlets, but waits until they're middle-aged to award actors.

I think Donald Sutherland was much more deserving of a nod for either "Don't Look Now" or "Ordinary People" (the latter for which he was criminally ignored that year).

I'd never heard of the movie "Little Children" so I looked it up on wiki and found the understatement of the year in to description:

"They seem to get on well, but the date ends badly when he has her drive by an elementary school playground so he can masturbate next to her in the car."

[QUOTE]"They seem to get on well, but the date ends badly when he has her drive by an elementary school playground so he can masturbate next to her in the car."

And Jackie Earle Haley got an Oscar nomination for doing that!

George C. Scott & Sterling Hayden - "Dr. Strangelove"

Andy Griffith & Patricia Neal - "A Face In The Crowd"

Anthony Perkins - "Psycho"

Sigourney Weaver - "Infamous" and "Alien"

Sean Penn - "The Assassination of Richard Nixon"

Heath Ledger & Peter Boyle - "Monster's Ball"

John Cazale - "Godfather Part 2" and "Dog Day Afternoon"

[quote] I'd never heard of the movie "Little Children"

Terrible movie, but a towering performance by Phyllis Somerville as JEH's mom and should have won.

Margaret Hamilton in her iconic dual role as Ms. Gulch and The WWotW

Another vote for John Cazale - "Godfather Part 2" and "Dog Day Afternoon"

Dog Day Afternoon had three male performances that were worthy of a Supporting Actor nomination - John Cazale, Charles Durning and Chris Sarandon (the only one of the three who actually got nominated).

Tom Hardy in either Legend or The Drop

R153, no love for Tom Hardy in Bronson?

[quote] Dog Day Afternoon had three male performances that were worthy of a Supporting Actor nomination - John Cazale, Charles Durning and Chris Sarandon (the only one of the three who actually got nominated).

There was a documentary about a gay singer from the 70s called Jobriath. Dennis Christopher was interviewed for it because they knew each other. They had a larger chunk of the interview in the deleted scenes extras and Christopher talked about how the final three actors in consideration for Leon, Pacino's lover, were him, Sarandon and Jobriath, and that they all screen tested for Lumet. Pretty interesting. I didn't even know Christopher was acting that early.

R154 - didn't see it

Gillian Anderson, The House of Mirth

Tom Hardy is wildly overrated.

Disagree. Tom Hardy is great.

It was funny watching "The Revenant", Leo was desperately trying to get his Oscar and he still got easily out acted by Hardy.

Tom Hardy, Legend? lol what for? for the worst accent ever?

couldnt understand half of his mumbling in The Revenant either . and that accent lol. didn't deserve the nod for his hammy performance in The Revenant.

Tom Hardy was horrible in Legend. Seriously awful.

Eddie Redmayne, Les Miserables

Eddie Redmayne, My Week with Marilyn

Ben Whishaw fro Paddington

[quote] Eddie Redmayne, Les Miserables Eddie Redmayne, My Week with Marilyn

There was a difference between performances? Eddie Redmayne does the same faux twinkle thing in every role he's ever played. I didn't watch the tranny movie, because I don't glorify those loons, but I imagine it was Twinkle Twinkle Little Shenis up in there, too.

Ben Whishaw - Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

[quote] Ben Whishaw fro Paddington

Perfect role for him, as we didn't have to look at his dirty, greasy, emaciated body. I imagine the bear smelled better than Whishaw.

Benedict Cumberbatch - Third Star

[QUOTE]Eddie Redmayne, My Week with Marilyn

Um, no.

Paul Dooley in "Breaking Away" - a great comic supporting performance as the Dad of Dennis Christopher.

Somebody has a crush on Eddie Redmayne.

Tatiana Maslany for "Eastern Promises"

[quote]Eddie Redmayne does the same faux twinkle thing in every role he's ever played.

How do you mean by this?

Ian McKellen as Sherlock in Mr Holmes

Michael Caine in Youth

[bold]Robert Carlyle in "Trainspotting"[/bold]

Robert Carlyle in "The Full Monty"

This scene is better than anything Jackman and Hathaway did in Les Miserables . and Jackman's singing was bad and he had the wrong type of voice for Jean Valjean.

[quote] How do you mean by this?

It's the bullshit coquette thing he does. His little half smile, the look, then look away, the fake blush, the eye lowering. He's HORRIBLE

'Tommy Lee Jones over Leo's amazing work in "Gilbert Grape".'

Ralph Fiennes should have won for Schindler's List

Eddie Redmayne is just not attractive. I mean, he has freckles on his lips!

Rebecca Hall and Pete Postlethwaite, The Town

False r160.

Hardy was excellent in The Revenant and his nomination was well deserved. You don't need to understand every line of dialog, the performance wasn't about that.

He probably has freckles on his COCK!

Sissy Spacek aka Billy Mumy.

R180 Yes the performance was about shitty accent and overacting

R176 oh, yeah, he does that a lot. haha

Girls, girls! Neither of your OPINIONS is wrong.

John Hurt in 'An Englishman in New York'

John Hurt in 'The Field'

John Hurt in 'Alien'

John Hurt in 'The Naked Civil Servant'

John Hurt in '10 Rillington Place'

I saw Eddie Redmayne onstage in "Red," where he won the Tony for playing Mark Rothko's assistant. Alfred Molina should have also won the Tony that year (Denzel took it for Fences), but Redmayne was nothing like the stereotype the above poster describes.

[quote] John Hurt in 'The Naked Civil Servant'

Television

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

And I should add, Tom Hardy scored that nomination even though he didn't campaign for it at all, which is more impressive.

Hardy and Fassbender are the favourites among actors so not surprising he was nominated

Tilda Swinton for The Last Splash, Bruce Dern for Nebraska off the top of my head.

Eddie Redmayne playing Richard II

Bruce Dern WAS nominated for Nebraska, R192.

Vanessa Redgrave in "Foxcatcher"

Vanessa Redgrave in "Atonement"

Vanessa Redgrave in "Coriolanus "

Romola Garai in "Atonement"

Maggie Smith in "The Lady in the Van" / "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel " / "Quartet "

R195 for what? She was only in it for 3 minutes tops and didn't do much of anything. Same with Sienna Miller. The female characters were practically nonexistent.

Surprised on a gay site no one's mentioned 2 of the biggest snubs in my memory, James Wilby for Maurice and Linus Roache for Priest. Maurice came out when Merchant/Ivory films were at the height of their popularity with audiences and critics, but it was crickets at awards time. Priest came out when British cinema was having a major renaissance and it was written by the author of the highly praised Cracker series. No one nominated for Best Actor came close to Roache's performance.

Another actor who had a tremendous launching pad in his breakthrough performance but never got another star turn like that was Richard E Grant for Withnail and I. Both those actors have worked steadily since so I guess that's its own reward.

Cloud Atlas is one of those movies like Inception or The Usual Suspects that's extremely high concept amd ambitious but was poorly marketed and got ignored at the time of its release (the ads made it look like a time travelling romance between Halle Berry and Tom Hanks). It's gotten momentum thanks to Netflix and YouTube but too bad for Ben Whishaw, as it has one of his best, most moving performances and one where he's at his most personally appealing.

Others who wuz robbed: Pam Grier for Jackie Brown.

Sara Polley for My Life Without Me.

Willem Dafoe for To Live and Die in LA and /or Last Temptation of Christ.

Ralph Fiennes for playing Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter series

Toby Kebbel for playing Koba in "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes "

Andy Serkis for playing Gollum in "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers"

Bert Lahr in "The Wizard of Oz"

James Cagney in "White Heat"

Ben Whishaw - Perfume / Cloud Atlas / Lilting

Matthias Schoenaerts - Bullhead / Rust and Bone

Marion Cotillard - Rust and Bone

Gaspard Ulliel - Saint Laurent / It's Only the End of the World

Emmanuelle Devos - Read My Lips

Ben Whishaw's Different Roles in Cloud Atlas

Michael Rooker in HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER

Dana Hill, "Shoot the Moon."

I actually think Little Children is a wonderful but supremely difficult film, but I agree Phyllis Sommerville gives the best performance.

It's the opposite of the point of this thread, but Jane Adams gives one of the worst supporting actress performances in a movie that otherwise has great performances in Little Children. She's atrocious in it (not that she's particularly good in anything else).

Most memorable about Little Children that I can't believe hasn't been mentioned: Patrick Wilson's full frontal.

(hmm, are a bunch of completists now raising it on their lists?)

CLOUD ATLAS suffers from a lot of miscasting (chiefly Tom Hanks) and the fact that a feature-length film adaptation couldn't really work.

Speaking of Sarah Polley, her film AWAY FROM YOU got Julie Christie a well-deserved nomination, but Gordon Pinsent deserved one as well for his superb performance as her husband. In some respects, he had the more difficult role of a man losing his wife to Alzheimer's and having to adjust to a new kind of relationship with her.

I didn't realize till they rolled the credits he was also "Georgette" R205. I thought he was brilliant as a certain kind horsey, post menopausal Englishwoman.

Michael Rooker wasn't going to get nominated for that in a million years, R206. This is the Academy we're talking about, where Philadelphia is a controversial film.

R212 it's still an amazing performance that should've been nominated.

[quote] CLOUD ATLAS suffers from a lot of miscasting

Honey, that's just the tip of the iceberg of what Cloud Atlas suffers from.

Rooker in HENRY gave me more nightmares than Hopkins in LAMBS.

R209 I don't remember any full frontal. I only recall his glorious ass twice, while fucking Winslet atop the washing machine and while staring out a window.

Jake G several times, eg Nightcrawler; Paul Dano, John Cusack, Love & Mercy; Casey Affleck, Gone Baby Gone; Ty Sheridan, Mud.

I'll probably get a lot of grief on this one, but I thought Meryl deserved a nomination for The Hours. Even more so than Nicole.

Charlene Tilton in The Fall of the House of Usher.

That's funny. I just recognized Charlene Tilton in the original Freaky Friday. It played on TCM last week.... which reminds me. Barbara Harris gave a brilliant comic performance in that movie, definitely Oscar-worthy. I recall she did get a GG nomination.

[quote] I recall she did get a GG nomination.

But did she win?

ScarJo, Under the Skin; Daniel Auteil, Hidden / Cache; Hugh Jackman, Prisoners; Ralph Fiennes, Coriolanus; agree Dennis Quaid Far From Heaven, and Linus Roache, Priest.

Patrick Wilson does not show full frontal in LITTLE CHILDREN.

Jean Simmons for "Elmer Gantry." Myrna Loy for "The Best Years of Our Lives." And another vote for Donald Sutherland, "Ordinary People."

Jess Lange and Joan Cusack in "Men Don't Leave."

I will join in on R218 and say I thought Meryl should have been nominated over Diane Keaton in "Marvin's Room". Keaton got in on the "dying" card (her character, not her). But Streep is pretty amazing playing a normal schlub woman. No accents, no tricks. And she and Leo are great together. Both far better than the movie itself, especially with Gwen Verdon chewing up the scenery.

Verdon was nominated for a SAG for MARVIN'S ROOM.

Yet another reason I pay no attention to the SAG awards, only the Oscars. :)

[quote] Verdon was nominated for a SAG for MARVIN'S ROOM.

Well, they don't always get it right.

R220 Jamie Lee Curtis was also GG nominated for the 2003 remake and she even had Oscar buzz right up to the end. Both she and Johnny Depp in PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN were considered quirky long shots, but in the end he got his and she was snubbed. Honestly, she should've taken Diane Keaton's spot who I thought was terrible in SOMETHING"S GOTTA GIVE.

R226 I was gonna add Marvin's Room to my comment but I didn't want to push my luck. Thanks!

Meryl was rightfully nominated for the Golden Globe over Diane Keaton for MARVIN'S ROOM.

I also pretend that Keaton's Oscar is for LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR. I do the same for Kate Winslet (REVOLUTIONARY ROAD instead of the awful THE READER).

Robert Walker - STRANGERS ON A TRAIN

Walter Huston, Ruth Chatterton and Mary Astor for DODSWORTH

Walter Huston *was* nominated for DODSWORTH. Maria Ouespenskaya received a supporting nomination.

Jim Carrey should have been nominated for The Truman Show.

Ruth Chatterton is especially terrific in DODSWORTH playing the role that really shakes things up and gives impetus to the whole film.

R236 I agree, Jim Carrey should have been nominated for The Truman Show. And he should have won for Man in the Moon.

I remember reading at the time when he was snubbed for TRUMAN that the reason was because he apparently mocked the Academy when he received another award, like he pretended he had won an Oscar when he went to accept and even started his speech with, "I'd like to thank the Academy..." which caused laughter. in the audience.

That was when he won the Golden Globe. But I think the Oscar votes had already been in, just not revealed yet. I could be wrong.

"Working Girl" was perfect for that moment in time and resonated very powerfully with women in their twenties and thirties.

Lili Taylor should have an Oscar, or at least a nom. Dogfight, I Shot Andy Warhol Girls Town, A Slipping Down Life and/or supporting for Say Anything.

R240 the 56th Golden Globes were held on January 24, 1999.

The 71st Academy Awards were held on March 21.

Nominees were announced on February 9 -- or 16 days after the GGs.

r171 What are you talking about ? They only used her voice for like a few minutes.

Has anyone mentioned Kristin Scott Thomas in I Have Loved You for so Long? And Maggie Smith for the Lonely Passion of Edith(?) Herne?

Definitely Jerry Orbsch for "Prince of the City."

R245 I second Maggie for Judith Hearn. She was devastating.

Dear God, Carrey's Truman looked he knew he was on a TV show from minute one. He is a truly awful dramatic actor. One reason I respect the Academy is that they have always ignored him, even in "Sunshine..." He's at his worst in "The Majestic" for the record.

Thank you, R248. If anyone deserved to be nominated from "The Truman Show," it was Laura Linney anyway. Jim Carrey is the definition of trying too hard.

"The Majestic" was designed to appeal to sentimental, elderly Academy voters nostalgia for the wonder of the old movie houses. And it failed miserably in thanks to a treacly script and a complete lack of originality. I think at the time, it was widely assumed that Martin Landau would coast to an easy nomination for it. Then, of course, it opened.

That might've been the first time I encountered Laurie Holden.

I just never believe he is connected to another human being -- even when he is staring into their eyes. Not the only comic I feel that way about but once of the worst (even Sandler has his work in "Punch Drunk Love" to prove he was capable of more, even for just a second.)

James Spader and Maggie Gyllenhaal for Secretary in 2003. Maggie got a Golden Globe nod, I believe, but that's it.

Surprised no ones mentioned Björk in Dancer, although she got a nom for best original song. Don't care for Von Trier but she was phenomenal in that. Who won that year?

Catherine Deneuve should have gotten in for supporting.

Also, Joseph Cotton, Teresa Wright, and Patricia Collinge for Shadow of a Doubt

Kathy Baker in Street Smart

Robert De Niro in the underrated/underseen Mad Dog and Glory

Ivan Dixon, Abbey Lincoln, and Gloria Foster in Nothing But a Man

Someone above mentioned Daniel Day Lewis in My Beautiful Laundrette. Rita Wolf often goes unsung as Tania, the daughter in search of her own identity. Not sure if it's an AMAZING performance, but her characters defiance always stuck with me.

Despite the sudden dislike for Jim Carrey, I thought he was terrific in I Love You, Phillip Morris. I would have nominated him for that.

Chow Yun Fat and especially Michelle Yeoh in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

They convey a deep sense of longing underneath the reserve demanded by tradition and their roles throughout the film - until near the end with a death scene that had tears streaming down my cheeks in the theater.

They were earned.

Gael Garcia Bernal in Bad Education

Barbara Harris for a number of films, including the aforementioned Freaky Friday.

I would add her supporting performances in Robert Altman's Nashville and Coppola's Peggy Sue Got Married.

But especially as the deceptively clever fake psychic in Hitchock's Family Plot.

She has a deft comedic touch and an onscreen charm that might make her seem too light for Oscar nominations, but her performances are part of what makes these films classic.

[quote]Surprised no ones mentioned Björk in Dancer, although she got a nom for best original song. Don't care for Von Trier but she was phenomenal in that. Who won that year?

Our Julia finally won that year for "Erin Brockovich." (But if you ask me, the Oscar should've gone to Ellen Burstyn for "Requeim for a Dream."

All the leads in Y Tua Mama Tambien, but especially Maribel Verdu.

Ava Gardner only got one nomination, but she should have been in the running for several films later in her career: Night of the Iguana, On the Beach, and the trippy Tam Lin.

She is too often written off as a beauty rather than an actress, but she only got better as she got older and her beauty faded.

R258, I think the depth of Maribel Verdu's performance doesn't strike the viewer until a revelation about her character after she is no longer in the film.

I agree. She is fantastic and moving, especially for a second showing.

How can we forget Carmen Maura in Almodovar's "Law of Desire"? (Or is it mentioned up thread?) She was a force of light in that movie and many more later but never a nod.

Brilliant.

I was amazed at how good Doris Day was in "The Man Who Knew Too Much". I always think of her in her lighter comedies, but she was great in TMWKTM, more than holding her own with Jimmy Stewart.

Another vote for Pam Grier in Jackie Brown.

Tarantino presents her as a tired goddess, and she understands the character perfectly.

Pam Grier really was an egregious omission that year. Wasn't that the Helen Hunt/As Good As It Gets year?

Best Actor: Christopher Walken in 1983's "The Dead Zone"

Best Actress: Carol Burnett in 1972's "Pete 'n' Tillie"

Best Supporting Actor: Pruitt Taylor Vince in 1994's "Nobody's Fool" (for which the nominated Newman should've won; it's his best late-career performance)

Best Supporting Actress: Anya Taylor-Joy in 2015's "The Witch"

Barbara Hershey in "Hannah and Her Sisters." She has this brilliant moment when she's meeting Mia Farrow and Dianne Wiest for lunch and asks Mia how her own boyfriend, Frederick, is doing, meaning of course Elliot (Farrow's husband) who she's having an affair with. I love Hershey in that film and thought she was really missing from that line-up. Surely she merited a place over Tess Harper (Crimes of the Heart).

Yup [R265]

I wonder if her blaxploitation past hurt her prospects at a nomination. Forster's slide into B-movie oblivion didn't seem to affect him.

Paul Dano in Love and Mercy

Forster didn't win, but I think I would have given it to him.

He and Pam Grier make one of my all-time favorite movie couples.

Who would have thought understatement and romance would be the highlights of a Tarantino film?

Sylvester Stalone in Stop Or My Mom Will Shoot. Best performance since Tom Hanks in Turner & Hooch.

[quote]Pam Grier really was an egregious omission that year. Wasn't that the Helen Hunt/As Good As It Gets year?

Helen Hunt was the It girl of the moment. The year before she'd starred in the 2nd highest grossing film of the year, and that year she was nominated for the 6th movie of the year. Then, of course, there was her hit show and that she'd just won two Emmys in a row.

[quote]Sylvester Stalone in Stop Or My Mom Will Shoot. Best performance since Tom Hanks in Turner & Hooch.

I've a feeling you're just kidding, but to me it sounds believable. Makes a better opening than that car chase scene.

Two Michelle Williams performances.

Me Without You from 2001. I was only vaguely aware of her as an actress from Dawson's Creek, but she had my full attention in this film about British friends/frenemies that spans several years. She's wonderful in it. I immediately wondered how she would get out of TV teen roles, and I am quite glad she made the jump. She deserved at least a nomination for this film. If they're doling them out to starlets, let's send one out for a really stunning performance.

Ten years later she starred in Sarah Polley's unbelievably underrated film, Take This Waltz. As in Me Without You, her character goes through some massive changes over time, but in this one, she comes through even stronger, following her passions, for better or for worse. Her final scene, dialogue-free, is one of the more heartbreaking of this millennium.

Roxana Zal, "Testament" (1983). A truly incredible performance. Jane Alexander, of course, was nominated in lead that year.

Zal won an Emmy that same year for playing a tennager being molested by her father (played by Ted Danson) in "Something About Amelia."

R273 I'm totally kidding. Although, I do love Estelle Getty

What a great thread.

I never knew there was so much love for Dolores Claiborne. I'll echo the nominations for Judy Parfitt and Kathy Bates. THIS is the Stephen King role that should have gotten Bates her Oscar.

I thought Jennifer Jason Leigh was quite good as well in a less demanding role, but holy fuck, Parfitt and Bates were off the charts.

"An accident, Dolores, can be an unhappy woman's best friend."

R271 I know you're kidding, but Tom Hanks actually gives a brilliant comic performance in Turner and Hooch. I have a Mastiff so I'm a big fan of that movie. But for what it is, I think it's genuinely good. And I found Hanks more convincing in that, then say, Road to Perdition.

Best Actor: Emile Hirsch for Into the Wild. One of the greatest performances to be captured on film.

Philip Seymour Hoffman in Boogie Nights.

Burt Reynolds got a deserved nomination - and I kind of wish he'd won - but Hoffman gave the awkward, overweight, misfit gay character had such a disarmingly sad-sack but sympathetic presence that I felt he must have been playing himself.

Most people agree that Art Carney should never have won his Oscar for Harry and Tonto in 1974 over four performances that have turned out rather iconic, so I imagine the voters attempted to rectify the error by ignoring his great performance in Robert Altman's The Late Show. He and Lily Tomlin have a wonderful chemistry, and it's pretty much impossible not to root for this low-rent private detective on his last legs.

Full disclosure: I love Art Carney.

R281 I will give you PSH for Boogie Nights, but go one better and say Synecdoche, NY. If you, (or anyone), have never seen this masterpiece, I can't urge strongly enough.

Call it a career killer, a gay man's fever dream, or a future peerless meme-generator, but Faye Dunaway's take-no-prisoners performance as Joan Crawford is one of the most throttling and commanding I have ever seen.

It goes beyond camp and sails into some unexplored zone of intensity that defies caricature. It's fearless when Dunaway might have been professionally served with a degree of fear, but I can't unglue my eyes from her for even a second.

R283, at this very moment I am about to get high and have two PSH films I'd like to see: Boogie Nights and Synechdoche, NY. I love them both, and I love him in the roles.

Stockard Channing in "The Girl Most Likely to..." ineligible but still worthy.

Many from Dolores Claiborne.

The thread is too long for me to check if someone else has mentioned her. Maybe not an amazing performance, but a good solid one from Bonnie Bedilia in Heart Like a Wheel.

I have a funny story (or not) about TURNER & HOOCH. It was July 1990. It was our third summer as a family, and my adoptive parents were taking my siblings and me to Nova Scotia for vacation. (We were from Massachusetts.) We took a ferry from Bar Harbor (I think) that was showing several films. We watched the first one, FIELD OF DREAMS, as a family, which was a rare treat because we weren't allowed to watch non-G rated stuff, if anything.

Afterward, they announced that they were showing TURNER & HOOCH and gave a brief description. When we heard it was about a dog, we wanted to watch, because we were huge fans of the BENJI movies. My Dad heard that it was rated PG, so he was hesitant, until two old ladies said they'd seen it with their grandsons who loved it. So he let us stay, while he and Mom left. They were not movie/TV lovers. In fact, we didn't have a TV at home. When we wanted to watch something, we just used the TV/VCR in the church, which was within walking distance from the parsonage where we lived (my adoptive dad was a minister).

Anyway, after we docked, we settled into our bed & breakfast and went to some restaurant that was run by some religious cult. All I can tell you is that they dressed old time, and they weren't costumes. After we ordered, my little brother was relating the plot of T&C to our dad, who bent ballistic when the mention of guns (he was a pacifist) and dogs being shot and injured was brought up. He really had a fit. Like, he was clenching his teeth and fisting his hands, breathing hard and getting up. Finally, my mom took him outside until he settled down 'cause people were looking in our direction and wondering aloud what was going on.

BTW: That was normal for him. He also almost had a heart attack when his parents and baby sister (who was living with them at the time) invited us to watch THE BEAR, which had just been released on home video, and my dad really went off on his sister for exposing us to violence and animal abuse. haha

Simone Simon for Cat People.

Jada Pinckett Smith in Bamboozled

And agree with above mentioned main characters from The 25th Hour - haunting film.

My post at R289 was meant for R279.

Samuel L. Jackson in Jungle Fever

Ziyi Zhang in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Ruby Dee in Do The Right Thing

r274 MARY! SHE IS ON A RIDE, GETTING WHIRLED AROUND... Beige Basic bitch Michelle Williams. I dont know what you gaggle of gays and critics find appealing about her. Boring!

Joan Chen in The Last Emperor - you know, the movie that acted itself.

Pauline Collins in "Shirley Valentine"

Collins was nominated, I am pretty sure.

r296 Awards and nominations Academy Award for Best Actress (Pauline Collins, nominee)

Hangs my head in shame

Jeff Goldblum in The Fly

Patricia Clarkson in Far From Heaven Glenn Close in Cookie's Fortune Julianne Moore in Maps to the Stars which was far more deserving of a nomination and win than Still Alice which was the same year, right? Maybe not.

Don't know what happened to my punctuation.

Michael Shannon in Take Shelter.

Actually, Michael Shannon in anything. He's superb.

Anthony Perkins - Psycho. Donna Reed Its A Wonderful Life Uma Thurman Kill Bill volume 2. Dianne Keaton Godfather 2. Guy Pearce Memento.

Val Kilmer for Tombstone (Doc Holliday).

What fucking injustice.

Jean-Pierre Leaud for "The 400 Blows"

Kevin Hooks for "Sounder"

Robert Mitchum, Steven Keats, and Richard Jordan for "The Friends of Eddie Coyle"

R292 But did you see the movie?

Charlotte Rampling in "Under The Sand." It was a crime against humanity that such a magnificent performance didn't get nominated.

Tilda Swinton in "We Need To Talk About Kevin", "I Am Love", and "A Bigger Splash."

R307 yes, we children were allowed to stay and watch it, which is why my little bro was able to relate the plot to my dad afterward.

Damn, so many great performances here I wonder who was left snare the actual nominations!

A few we might have left out-

Angela Lansbury in "Death on the Nile"- What can one say?

Dom Deluise in "Fatso"- it's a very sad and true performance, he was never better.

Frank Morgan in "The Wizard of Oz". I think he's almost the best thing in it.

Barbara Harris in "Family Plot", and "Peggy Sue Got Married"- Magical.

Mary Astor and Judy Garland in "Meet Me in St. Louis". Judy is sublime of course, yet Astor is quietly wonderful in her quite a few scenes.

Annabeth Gish in "Desert Bloom", I cannot believe how underestimated this film and especially her performance are.

Joan Crawford in "Humoresque". She doesn't hit the screen for an hour and then MOPS UP the movie. Perhaps her best role, maybe better than "Mildred Pierce".

Gena Rowlands in "Another Woman". Better every time. Haunting, real and beautiful, the same as always.

Gene Hackman in "Superman: The Movie". I mean.....come ON!!!

Kevin Costner in "Hidden Figures". He's been mocked for so long, but turned in the quintessential "Kevin Costner" performance and was really perfect.

Jennifer Jason Leigh in "Georgia". Incredibly good.

Claire Danes blew me away in "Little Women", but she's always so good.

Betty Hutton, Eddie Bracken, William Demarest and Diana Lynn for "The Miracle of Morgan's Creek" - but the Academy really undervalues great comic acting of the highest order - Hutton relatively underplays it here, and Demarest's pratfalls are to die for

Rita Moreno was pretty phenomenal in Carnal Knowledge. I would have nominated her alongside Ann Margret.

Charlotte Rampling and Sally Hawkins are sublimely good in Never Let Me Go. They would of course submit Keira for supporting and the true supporting cast would get shut out. (Keira was ok, but Andrew Garfield was so awful, she didn't have much to act against).

Johnny Depp for "Dark Shadows"!

"How dahre you kiss me with your WICCKED LipS!" . . . "Stoned? No, they failed."

Has anyone ever seen the Alan Alda (I know) film "Sweet Liberty"? In two remarkable scenes Lillian Gish plays Alda's mother and she is incredible! You get the feeling the scenes are pure improv, but they can't be, right? Miss Gish wasn't into all of that, right? She's unbelievably funny and daft as an old coot losing her marbles.

Veronica Cartwright in Alien

John Pankow in To Live and Die in L.A.

Cathy Tyson in Mona Lisa

Akosua Busia in The Color Purple

Kimberley Elise and Thandie Newton in Beloved

Rutger Hauer in Blade Runner and The Hitcher

Marília Pêra in Mixed Blood and Pixote

Darrell Larson in Mike's Murder

Bruce Davison in Short Eyes

Geraldine Chaplin in Remember My Name

Miranda Richardson and Forest Whitaker in The Crying Game

Ted Levine in The Silence of the Lambs

Debra Winger in Mike's Murder, Everybody Wins and Rachel Getting Married

Nick Nolte in Q&A

John Lone in Year of the Dragon and The Last Emperor

Mieko Harada in Ran

Bill Paxton in One False Move

Danny Glover in To Sleep With Anger

Lili Taylor in The Addiction

Kathy Burke and Ray Winstone in Nil By Mouth

Eddie Marsan in Happy Go Lucky

Lady Catherine Zeta Jones, "Entrapment"

Goop's performance in Proof and Hard Eight.

She may be annoying with her brand, but she gave amazing performances in those two great movies. Philip Baker Hall also deserved a nomination for Hard Eight as did Anthony Hopkins for Proof.

Sam Rockwell for Moon and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.

Aaron Ruell, "Napoleon Dynamite"

Viivian Blaine had a lifelong association with the plum role of Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, but no Tony or Oscar nominations for her work creating this favorite character from the Broadway canon.

Leading roles, the '20s, '30s and '40s (I tried to list only performances which haven't been mentioned yet)

Lillian Gish, The Wind Edward G. Robinson, Little Caesar Greta Garbo, Queen Christina Beulah Bondi, Make Way for Tommorow Cary Grant, Holliday Cary Grant, His Girl Friday Rosalind Russell, His Girl Friday James Stewart, The Shop around the Corner t Margaret Sullavan, The Shop Around the Corner Wendy Hiller, Major Barbara Claudette Colbert, The Palm Beach Story Joel McCrea, Sullivan's Travels t Carole Lombard, To Be or Not to Be Fred MacMurry, Double Indemnity Edward G. Robinson, The Woman in the Window Roger Livesey, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp Ingrid Bergman, Notorious Wendy Hiller, I Know Where I’m Going Deborah Kerr, Black Narcissus James Mason, Odd Man Humphrey Bogart, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre Joan Fontaine, A Letter from an Unknown Woman James Cagney, White Heat Ralph Richardson, The Fallen Idol

Leading roles, the '50s, '60s and '70s

Jean Simmons, The Actress Robert Mitchum, Night of the Hunter Paul Newman, Somebody Up There Likes Me Keye Kendall, Les Girls Robert Mitchum, Heaven Knows Mr. Burt Lanchester, The Sweet Smell of Success Ingrid Bergman, The Inn of the Sixth Happiness James Stewart, Vertigo Wendy Hiller, Sons and Lovers Robert Mitchum, The Sundowners Jean Simmons, Elmer Gantry James Cagney, One, two, Three Deborah Kerr, The Innocents Richard Burton, The Night of the Iguana Dirk Bogard, The Servant James Garner, The Americanization of Emily Lee Remick, Baby, The Rain Must Fall Burt Lanchester, The Swimmer Gene Hackman, I Never Sang for My Father Dustin Hoffman, Little Big Man Dirk Bogard, Death in Venice Jessica Walters, Play Misty for Me Joanne Woodward, The Effect of Gamma Rays… Claire Bloom, Dolls House Richard Dryfuss, The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz Gene Hackman, The Conversation Sissy Spacek, Badlands Michael Caine, The Man Who Would Be King Sean Connery, The Man Who Would Be King t Glenda Jackson, The Romantic Englishwoman David Caradine, Bound for John Wayne, The Shootist Glenda Jackson, Stevie Lee Remick, The Europeans

Leading roles, the '80s and '90s

Judy Davis, My Brilliant Career Paul La Matt, Melvin and Howard Bob Hoskins, The Long Good Friday Robert De Nero, The King of Comedy Harry Dean Stanton, Paris, Texas Clint Eastwood, Tightrope Cher, Mask Jeff Daniels, Something Wild Melanie Griffith, Something Wild Chris Cooper, Matewan Gary Oldman, Prick Up Your Ears Alfred Molina, Prick Up Your Ears Jack Nicholson, Ironweeds Jeff Bridges, Tucker: The Man and His Dream William Hurt, The Accidental Tourist Jeremy Irons, Dead Ringers Susan Sarandon, Bull Durham Forrest Whitaker, Bird Jeff Bridges, The Fabulous Baker Boys Andie MacDowell, sex, lies, and videotapes Clint Eastwood, White Hunter, Black Heart Paul Newman, Mr. & Mrs. Bridge Jeff Bridges, The Fisher King Tim Robins, The Player Alfre Woodard, Passion Fish Jeff Bridges, American Heart Kevin Costner, A Perfect World Daniel Day Lewis, The Age of Innocence Anthony Hopkins, Shadowlands Michelle Pfeiffer, The Age of Innocence Bill Murray, Groundhog Julianne Moore, Safe Bruce Willis, 12 Monkeys Chris Cooper, Lone Star Vincent D’Onofrio, The Whole Wide World Cate Blanchett, Oscar and Lucinda Ralph Fines, Oscar and Lucinda Mark Wahlberg, Boogie Nights Jeff Bridges, The Big Lebowsky Hope Davis, Next Stop Wonderland Holly Hunter, Living Out Loud Jim Broadbent, Topsy Turvy Terrance Stamp, The Limey Sigourney Weaver, Map of the World

Leading roles, the new millennium

Michael Douglas, Wonder Boys Thora Birch, Ghost World Gene Hackman, The Royal Tenenbaums Guy Pearce, Memento Billy Bob Thoronton, The Man Who Wasn’t There Tilda Swinton, The Deep End Edward Norton, The 25th Hour Sam Rockwell, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind Peter Dinklage, The Station Agent Frances McDormand, Laurel Canyon Charlotte Rampling, Swimming Pool Uma Thurman, Kill Bill, Vol. 1 Jeff Bridges, The Door in the Floor Liam Neeson, Kinsy Damian Lewis, Keane Bill Murray, Broken Flowers Maggie Gyllenhaal, Sherry Baby Chris Cooper, Breach Gordon Pinset, Away from Her Michael Fassbender, Hunger Andrew Garfield, Boy A Joaquin Phoenix, Two Lovers Tilda Swinton, Julia Jim Broadbent, Another Year Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine Lesley Manvile, Another Year Ruth Sheen, Another Year Leonardo DeCaprio, J. Edgar Michael Fassbender, Shame John Hawkes, The Sessions Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips Oscar Isaac, Inside Llewyn Davist Joaquin Phoenix, Her Ralph Finnes, The grand Budapest Hotel Marion Cotillard, The Immigrant Joaquin Phoenix, The Immigrant Timothy Spall, Mister Turner Adam Driver, Paterson Joel Edgerton, Loving Tom Hanks, Sully

R321-R324 is exactly why the Academy keeps it down to 5 nominations. They can't ALL be Oscar-worthy (Michael Douglas and his usual schtick in "Wonder Boys?" Thora giving the exact same performance Ariel Winter would have in "Ghost World"? please...)

I dread the day when the Academy expands their acting categories to 7 or 8, like the Emmys.

Peter Greene in Clean, Shaven

Martha Plimpton in Eye of God

Christopher Walken in King of New York

David Thewlis in Naked

Datalounge and its endless fucking lists with no commentary.

Gays, if you are going to present an endless list devoid of ideas or opinion, at least hit return twice between items to make it legibile.

R329 what are you, prejudiced or something?

Another barely seen Michelle Williams performance, Wendy and Lucy, directed by Kelly Reichardt, one of those under-the-radar directors who'd probably be on track to be another Ethan Coen if she didn't stay in the Northwest,and sadly, even in this day and age, was a man.

Matt McConaghey in Mud. Best performance he gave in his big comeback year, and hardly anyone saw it. The kids were excellent, too, and Reese Witherspoon gave one of her best performances ever. Last time I saw Sam Shepard onscreen, RIP, Sam.

Rita Wolf and Gordon Warnecke in My Beautiful Laundrette. I thought I'd see much more of them in the future, but I only ever saw him in some mystery thing on PBS and never saw her again. Ethnicity probably played a factor, but this was at a time when opportunities for ethnic actors were really going wide. Shirley Anne Field was really moving in her handful of scenes, it was like seeing the future of her character from The Entertainer.

Hugh Grant in An Awfully Big Adventure, punctured the the stammering romantic fool roles he kept playing in the 90s. It also had the funniest football scene I've seen on film. Maybe audiences were put off by the admittedly off putting plot twist at the end.

Judy Davis in The Winter of Our Dreams, made a not particularly appealing character nonetheless totally watchable.

Couldn't agree more with the poster who mentioned Pankow in To Live and Die in LA. It was the least flashy performance in the film but made the whole thing cohere. He's one of those actors who consistently does great, undertstated work in everything, but one big, starring role, might have pushed him up to the next level like Sideways did for Paul Giamatti.

[quote]Matt McConaghey in Mud

Really, I thought he was awful in that, the guy is just slight variations of the same character in every damn movie.

I agree with you on Michelle Williams though, she was amazing in Blue Valentine and My Week with Marilyn (although I think she was nominated for both) She also had a small role in The Station Agent (lovely little indie) where she was amazing too.

" exactly why the Academy keeps it down to 5 nominations."

No offense, but I would think it obvious to everyone here except you. How often are all 5 wothy of nomination? There is almost always anywhere from 1 to 3 names that don't belong, and at least 8 worthier replacements.

Michelle Williams really amazed me in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN. I was one of those who bitched and moaned about her casting. In film, I only knew her as that indie chick with the pixie cut. Though I'm gay, I never found her sexy or sexual, as I do Marilyn, so I was skeptical, to say the least. But she really impressed me in that film. No, she didn't look exactly like her, but she did convey her mannerisms and personality -- from what I'd read and seen/heard in personal and professional interviews. But more importantly, she really captured Marilyn's innocent sexiness, IMO. Also her wide-eyed stare and cadence.

Furthermore, since she was playing the private Marilyn most of the time, I understood why she didn't sound like the dumb blond bombshell from her films. But I remember people picking her performance apart for this. Anyway, I was completely sold on her performance. She really deserved her nomination. I only wish her film had been a lot better. There was great potential, too.

We're gonna have to agree to disagree, R332. Always been a McBongo fan, ever since Lone Star. I don't get the hate. He seems like a nice enough guy, albeit one who looks like he wears the same pair of jeans with no drawers for 2 weeks straight. The Lincoln commercials were a bit much.

R335 a bit much of what?

A bit of "Oh Dear," R336.

Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby owns this thread.

I'm the poster who mentioned John Pankow above. I also mentioned Rita Wolf. Glad someone else appreciates them.

When TLODILA goes off the rails during the car-chase scene, I find myself losing it just as much as Pankow in the back seat. So visceral.

The last shot of Wolf on the train platform at the end of Laundrette has haunted me a bit over the years. I can't decide if Frears was taking liberties with magical realism like the curse put on the Rachel mistress character at the end or maybe suggesting something sadder as a commentary on the hand that is dealt to individualistic first generation Pakistani women versus the men like Omar, who by contrast, thrive. The look of resignation Roshan Seth gives as he looks away, possibly suggest the latter. It reminds me a bit of the uncertainty I felt for the Thora Birch character in Ghost World (another strong willed) as the bus crossed the bridge at the end.

I wrote this elsewhere, R333, but one thing I love about the Oscars is that they still do their own thing, go rogue, don't just nominate what the world is expecting. Sometimes it risks major fallback -- no Spielberg for "Jaws" -- but in the end we all just accept the nominees on their own terms. And it's fun to speculate just why,m for example, Beresford got no nod for directing "Miss Daisy" (it was just too by the book?) No love for "War of the Roses"? On and on. Why these threads exist.

Terence Stamp in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. His performance is stellar. I think homophobia was to blame.

R341 he's not gay.

I know, R342. I meant the subject matter.

His character was the dose of reality, R339. A lot of movie cops engage in behavior that makes for great cinema but would land their actual counterparts in jail or the unemployment line. Vukovich stands as a contrast to the Hollywood maverick cop played by Petersen, nor wanting to be the Florence Nightingale by the book guy which he instinctively is, and finds himself crossing an unacceptable line before he knows it. He's also a much better detective--he's the one who tracks down Masters' studio. Watching him become corrupt almost against his own will feels so real, you think this is how it must happen in real life. I wish Training Day had been about Vukovich 20 years later, instead of another implausible Hollywood Cop. I wasn't convinced for a minute by Washington in this, I felt it was payback for previous snubs. He was way better in Fallen. I went to see Training Day for Scott Glenn, who of course was never in the running for any awards.

I'm curious what your take was on the fate of Wolf's character in MBL--I was never sure if she jumped, like her mother, or just got on the train and never returned.

R343 his character wasn't gay, either.

R345, brilliant, Holmes.

[R339] here

That's a great reading of the Pankow character. I agree 100% though you articulated it better than I could have.

I wrote briefly about Wolf in the same comment. Not sure if you saw it or just want me to expound on what I said.

I'm not quite sure myself. The whole curse on Rachel thing at the end throws me off, adding a last minute magical realism bent that isn’t apparent in the film up until that point, although a playful obscuring of reality is hinted at through films soundtrack with those bubble effects. The additional element of the fantastical certainly blurs the interpretation of that final train scene. Without that element, I would be inclined to think she did jump onto the tracks but it’s more likely she jumped onto the train in a bit of dreamlike Godardesque French new wave surrealism.

Also, I’m pretty sure Omar’s mother jumped onto the tracks, not Tania’s mother, but the parallel still stands. Tania just happens to end up on the same train platform Omar’s mother jumped off. It’s too much of a coincidence for it not to be substantial in some way.

Something that’s never really discussed in the film is the fact that Omar is possibly biracial. I have to watch the film again, but in the scene where we are introduced to Omar and his father, on the mantel is photo of Omar’s deceased mother and I’m 90% sure she’s White English. In a film so concerned with identity and race, I always thought it was curious that this is glossed over.

SYdney Pollack in Tootsie.

Arguably a better actor than director.

Michelle Williams was AMAZING in My Week with Marilyn!

Pawl O'Maully, who played the bear in The Revenant. Very little screen time to work with (like Bearatrice Straight in Network), yet he built such a big hairy moment, you couldn't take your eyes off him, his presence alone paralyzed any moviegoer who happened by. O'Maully simply commanded the screen, stealing all focus away from Leo the Oscar thief. That was the only scene people crowed about, the rest of the movie went into hibernation when Pawl's character left the story.

Sadly the big lug appeared on The View where Whoopi, looking so meaty and charbroiled, asked him about the cruelty of awards season, particularly his Oscar snub, and all Pawl could do was shake his head, sigh through his nicotine & blood-stained teeth and just say "Unbearable". Poor guy, how he had to sit there on the couch with those four bitches clucking away like hens and not get a meal out of their otherwise useless bodies.

Another vote for Jake G in "Nightcrawler" and Ruth Chatterton in "Dodsworth"

Kathy Bates in "Dolores Claiborne" and Eve Arden in "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs"

Viggo Mortensen - The Road

Ha! I misread the OP as mentioning Phyllis Hammerow.

Can you imagine?!

Ben Kingsley - "Schindler's List "

Ben Kingsley - "Shutter Island"

Alfre Woodard in PASSION FISH. Her co-star, Mary McDonnell, got a Best Actress nod, and it's inconceivable to me that Woodard didn't get one for Supporting, because their performances rely so much on each other, especially McDonnell's. Woodard should've been put in Joan Plowright's place. She was just doing her usual British grand dame routine. And HBC should've been nominated for HOWARDS END instead of Vanessa Redgrave. What a wasted nomination that was. She was barely in it and didn't do much of anything.

Toby Kebbell in "Dead Man's Shoes"

Sam Riley, Samantha Morton and Toby Kebbell in "Control"

Toby Kebbell in "RocknRolla"

Tom Hanks, Bridge of Spies and Captain Phillips

Tom Hanks wasn't great in Captain Phillips.

R358 that's your opinion, which doesn't make it wrong, either.

Sure, I agree, we can agree to disagree.

I always loved Guy Pierces performance in "Priscilla"

R349, R355

Could you both please read the title of this thread?

R362 what was wrong with mine? I said Alfre Woodard in PASSION FISH and HBC in HOWARDS END. They weren't nominated, but they gave, IMO, excellent performances.

R362 I apologize and stand corrected, (but not about R349). I must have been thinking of Cross Creek for Alfre.

Al Freeman, Jr. (Supporting Actor) and Angela Bassett (Supporting Actress) in MALCOLM X. Today, they would get a nod, no questions asked, and they would have deserved it.

R355 you’re telling me.

Sacha Baron Cohen for Borat

I would like to switch out Goldie Hawn's Oscar win for Cactus Flower and replace it with at least a nomination for The Sugarland Express.

Samantha Morton in "Morvern Caller"

Samantha Morton in "Under the Skin"

Samantha Morton in "Enduring Love"

Toni Collette in Muriel's Wedding, Little Miss Sunshine , About a Boy, The Black Balloon, In Her Shoes, Japanese Story, Lilian's Story, The Hours and Glassland

Oh, yes! Toni Collette in Muriel's Wedding, one of my favorite films!

Evan Rachel Wood in Thirteen.

Samantha Morton in THE MESSENGER

Harriet Walter should have gotten a nomination for Sense and Sensibility instead of Kate Winslet. The character of Fanny had more depth to it and Walter played it to perfection. It's too bad that Alan Rickman's role was so thin because he could have gotten a nomination as well.

R373 I agree. I couldn't believe it. They nominated that 11yr old Australian chick from Whale Rider instead. I had never even heard of that fucking movie. And where is that actress today? A real head scratcher.

R376 she got knocked up at 16.

Keisha Castle-Hughes was only good in that one scene in WHALE RIDER when she's dressed up in tribal attire and presenting something on stage. In fact, it was her Oscar clip. But she was really meh for most of it. I didn't understand that nomination nor Diane Keaton's for that horrid rom-com. If they wanted to nominate a light performance, they should've gone with Jamie Lee Curtis in FREAKY FRIDAY.

Dolores Claiborne is a great movie that was ignored because Hollywood’s sad little men who run the business loath movies about powerful women taking revenge. See also Linda Fiorentino in The Last Seduction.

Jennifer Jason Leigh is criminally undernominated, and should easily have an Oscar by this point in her career.

Alfre Woodard should have been nominated for Passion Fish, R355, but as lead, along with Mary McDonnell. The fact that she played the black help to a rich white woman shouldn't relegate her to support. Apart from the first few minutes of this 130+ minutes film which set the premise of it, the rest of PF is equally about these two characters. They are as co-leads as Sarandon and Davis were the year before in Thelma & Louise.

R380 I realize that, but in the real world she would be put in Supporting. Davis and Sarandon both had star power and headlined movies. Woodard not so much. She was always seen as a supporting character actress. Back then, it was hard for black actresses to be nominated at all, let alone in Lead.

Sophie Thompson should have been nominated for Emma. She was so moving as Miss Bates. The scene where Emma insults her is hard to watch, because she's so hurt but both her social station and her kindness won't allow her to fight back. She has to play it off like she deserves it and it's heartbreaking.

Fred Astaire in "On the Beach"

Julie Harris....was she nominated for The Haunting? I loved her in that.

Dolores Claiborne was most likely ignored because it came out in February of it's year and made no money. Roger Ebert heavily praised it but few others payed attention. And I believe the studio spent no money during Oscar season placing ads or sending out dvds.

It's a shame because I think it might have been Kathy Bates greatest performance, (and she's had many). I found the movie and her performance far superior to Misery. I felt Misery committed the same crime as Fatal Attraction and really let it's artistic audience down in it's final third. Both movies created a complicated, sympathetic 3-dimensional woman, then abruptly turned her into a one-dimensional killing machine who is thought dead then magically springs back to life. Obviously by proof of it's grosses, the commercial audiences loved it. But it's like each director sold his soul.

Dolores Claiborne, in contrast, was very slow but deliberate and nuanced. If you could check your attention span at the door and pay full rapt attention, you were rewarded with a tremendous emotional payoff. I'm surprised but happy at all love it gets on DL. Yet we must be the only ones because I never see it listed on any cable network, and living in LA, I never see any special screenings or it's inclusion in any kind of tribute. For me, it's as close to a 5-star film as any movie could be. (not to mention it's amazing cinematography).

^^paid, not payed.

R385, I agree on the Fatal Attraction count (as did Glenn Close, who didn't want to do the re-shoots for the new ending), but not on the Misery parallel.

If you read the book, Stephen King made Kathy Bates' Misery character completely insane and murderous. I seem to recall her driving a riding mower or something similar over a hapless state trooper. I actually envisioned Faye Dunaway while I was reading the book.

But I concur that Dolores Claiborne was and is Kathy Bates' best performance (and I, like you, think there's plenty of great ones).

R387 did you read MISERY before you saw the movie?

Yes. Hence, the Faye Dunaway imagery in mind as I read.

I didn't think Kathy Bates was all that fantastic in it, but I was knocked for a loop by her as Dolores Claiborne.

R385 here. I also did not read the book, Misery. I was thrilled Bates was nominated for Misery as I always thought she was underrated, but I was really pushing for Angelica Huston in The Grifters. I thought that was an example of a 3-dimensional villain that stayed 3-dimensional, and Huston was perfection. Still one of my all-time favorite performances, (up there with Bates in DC).

Sorry if this has already been posted and I missed it, but:

Ann Wedgeworth, Best Supporting Actress, SWEET DREAMS, 1985

Jessica Lange was nominated for Best Actress, lost to Geraldine Page. I don't think Wedgeworth would have won since it was Anjelica Huston's year, but she deserved a nomination over Margaret Avery or Amy Madigan.

Everyone deserved a nomination over Margaret Avery. Even actresses who didn't appear in any films that year. She ruined the best character in that movie. I blame here for Whoopi not winning best actress that year which she very much deserved.

Remember her "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret Avery" Oscar campaign?

Consider her, God

That scene is so perfect R382, because it is verbatim from the book. It is absolutely perfectly written by Austen. I agreee it’s helped along by the actors. I remember in the theater everyone gasped out loud.

Carey mulligan in never let me go(She was subtlety wonderful)

Andrew garfield in the social network(He out acted eisenberg&timberlake which i know isn't hard to do,But he did it so casually.)

Anthony Hopkins was cheated out of the best actor award for his role in Magic. He then won for his cornball performance in Silence of the Lambs when it should have went to Nick Nolte for Prince of Tides.

^ Oh crap, I didn't read the title close enough, these performances were Oscar Nominated...I'll save my above comment for the "Performances cheat out of a win" thread.

[R373] I agree. I couldn't believe it. They nominated that 11yr old Australian chick from Whale Rider instead. I had never even heard of that fucking movie. And where is that actress today? A real head scratcher.

Still working steadily, dear. It must be your dandruff.

Good one!

R397 Hopkins wasn't Oscar-nominated for MAGIC. He did receive a BAFTA and Golden Globe nod.

R395, I agree Austen's writing makes the scene, but Sophie Thompson is excellent through the whole film. Miss Bates is very sweet and pitiable but also hapless and you can see why she can get annoying. Thompson played her perfectly, and her interactions with the main characters give you a lot of insight about them. A textbook perfect supporting performance.

People find Miss Bates annoying?

Cliff Robertson in "Autumn Leaves"; he's pretty terrific playing opposite Ms. Crawford.

Margaret Avery's campaigning and the letters taken out as ads in the trades were an embarrassment, but I still think she was wonderful in the role.

Actually, I thought Oprah was deserving of the nomination as well.

Tom Noonan and Karen Silas as co-workers on an awkward first date in the barely-released indie "What Happened Was...". Noonan was also great (and overlooked) as the serial killer Francis "The Tooth-Fairy" Dollarhyde in the original "Manhunter".

Wow, R382, Sophie Thompson was outstanding in that clip — thank you for sharing! Heading to Netflix now to watch “Emma”, which I’ve never seen!

Russell Crowbar got the nomination for The Insider but I thought Al Pacino was pretty wonderful.

R407 it also featured a lovely, Oscar-winning score by Rachel Thompson.

What was the modern equivalent of Miss Bates in CLUELESS? In the scene at R382, Emma was 'Cher,' Mr. Knightly was 'Josh,' Harriet Smith was 'Tai,' and Mr, Elton was, of course, 'Elton.'

There was no Miss Bates in Clueless. Cher's comeuppance is a lot more mild and Josh's rebuke of her isn't nearly as harsh as Mr. Knightly's to Emma.

Rebecca Hall - Christine

Sally Hawkins in "Made in Dagenham"

James McAvoy - "Filth"

Bríd Brennan as Miss Kelly, Brooklyn

Jamie Bell, Billy Elliot

Edward norton in 25th Hour

Debbi Morgan supporting actress nod for the vastly underrated Eve's Bayou

Shelley Winters in “Lolita”. Hilarious, touching and yes, almost understated.

Madonna in EVERYTHING.

Eve's Bayou deserved all kinds of nominations, including for writer/director Kasi Lemmons. Folks here probably know her best as Ardelia Mapp in Silence of the Lambs.

Jamie Bell really was a ridiculous oversight. Even worse, he was in town for the Oscars and there (I saw him in the restroom of the Four Seasons bar, no less, but didn't tell him how great his work was until we were out so I wouldn't look like a perv) -- and the Oscars didn't use him at all, even though the film was up for several. A dance number with him would've been great and pertinent. I didn't get that at all.

Whoppi was the best part of Ghost. Sometimes I rewatch just to see her scenes. Shirley overacted in Postcards just like she did in Terms Of Endearment. I don't think she deserved the Oscar for that either.

R422 Jamie Bell should at the very least been nominated for an Academy Award. In the UK he won the BAFTA award for best lead actor.

Fassy in Shame. Yeah, yeah, everybody talks about his dick, but it really was a great performance. There are several scenes where he doesn't or barely speaks and they are so effective.

I just saw Crimes and Misdemeanors again for the first time in years. Martin Landau was nominated for supporting. I think Landau should have been in the lead category and Alan Alda absolutely deserved a nod for Supporting.

Coincidentally, it ended with a scene featuring Joanna Gleason, daughter of Monty Hall. I shut it off, turned on the news, and saw that Monty Hall died.

Beyonce in Dreamgirls.

I know we hate him now and I agree but Mark Wahlberg really should have been nominated for "Boogie Nights". He was perfect. Talk about an arc. And I love that spit that comes from his mouth when he is crying at his mom (Joanna Gleason, again) being mean to him. Great work and iconic too.

This might be considered a weird comment/observation, but I always thought Leonardo DiCaprio was miscast in Titanic. He looked too babyfaced and just didn't have that rebel thing going. I always thought Mark Wahlberg would have been the most perfectly cast at that time.

(However, I do feel it was DiCaprio's appeal to 13yr old girls that was most responsible for it's massive financial gross. They were the ones paying admissions to see it 10 to 15 times).

Interesting also that it was the same year -- and NEITHER DiCaprio nor Wahlberg was nominated for Best Actor. That Academy is one tough bitch to crack.

[quote]Interesting also that it was the same year -- and NEITHER DiCaprio nor Wahlberg was nominated for Best Actor.

That's because the Academy already had 27-year-old Matt Damon in GOOD WILL HUNTING, which was better

[quote]That Academy is one tough bitch to crack.

For younger actors, maybe. Both were in their early to mid twenties at the time. The Academy rarely nominates twentysomethings for Best Actor. In the '90s there were only three: RDJ in CHAPLIN (aged 27) , Matt Damon in GOOD WILL HUNTING, and Edward Notron in AMERICAN HISTORY X (aged 29).

I meant to say GOOD WILL HUNTING was better received by critics and was a commercial hit in its own tight. Domestically it was #6 and worldwide it was #16.

My favorite Wahlberg performance was in the low-budget indie Fear opposite Reese Witherspoon . He was hot as hell!

Alyssa Milano was also pretty good and showed promise she could have a decent film career. It never happened.

Veronica Cartwright, The Witches of Eastwick

Alicia Vikander, "EX_MACHINA"

I think Alicia's win included her work in "Ex Machina". She couldn't be nominated against herself so they chose the other one. Same way Diane Keaton really won for "Annie Hall" AND "Goodbar" the same year.

Vikander could have been nominated for both if she'd correctly been put in Best Actress for THE DANISH GIRL. I don't understand how she was supporting in that. It was just as much her story.

Vikander didn't deserve anything for The Danish Girl whether she was Lead or Supporting. One of the blandest and most uninspired Oscar wins ever.

Vikander was the Hot Actress of the moment. 20 years from now we'll all be going, "who"?

Andy Serkis as Gollum in the LOTR series. Folks thought it was all CGI, but he's shown us on various talk shows how he did the voice and the movements, and I would guess it's more than 85% him. A brilliant performance capturing a difficult character. Should have been nominated for Best Supporting Actor.

imho

Mary Badham (Scout) in To Kill A Mockingbird

Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey, and James Cromwell in LA Confidential

John Cusack in The Grifters

Laurence Harvey in The Manchurian Candidate

Tony Curtis in Some Like It Hot

Tony Curtis in Sweet Smell Of Success

Badham was nominated in Supporting for MOCKINGBIRD. She lost to DL fave Patty Duke in THE MIRACLE WORKER.

Martin Stephens (Miles) in The Innocents

Ted Danson and Mickey Rourke in Body Heat

Pamela Franklin in Prime of Miss Jean Brodie--she holds her own against Dame Maggie.

Kimberly Elise in Beloved--yes, Oprah wasn't good, and the film is bad, but Elise is heartbreaking.

This is really fucking amazing!

Actor John Cazale appeared in just 5 movies before he died of brain cancer in 1978. EVERY SINGLE MOVIE was nominated for Best Picture: The Godfather, Dog Day Afternoon, Godfather II, The Conversation, and The Deer Hunter.

He was great in all 5, and could easily have made the top 5 list of supporting Actor in at least 3 of those. (I think Dog Day might have been his stand-out).

R445 He also appeared in Godfather III in flashback. It was also nominated for Best Film, so it's technically 6 films.

When people talk of careers cut tragically short, no-one compares to Cazale. If he'd lived, I think he'd be a multiple Oscar winner.

OMG r446 so much real shit is happening in the world and you are mincing away about actors and oscars. Shallow fuck of a puddle!

R447 Oh I'm sorry. I didn't realise my ability to entertain multiple trains of thought while also keeping up with world events would bother you so. Brace yourself, but I'm also cleaning up after dinner and organising to walk my dogs.

The humanity!

433, Yes! Wahlberg was terrific in Fear. I'm not sure I knew him at all then, except for the underwear ads, and I thought, wow!

I also think Keanu was uncharacteristically excellent in The Gift as a scary redneck.

Jean Simmons---Home Before Dark

James Mason--Lolita

Nicole Kidman and Joaquin Phoenix, To Die For

James McEvoy in "Atonement"

[quote]When people talk of careers cut tragically short, no-one compares to Cazale. If he'd lived, I think he'd be a multiple Oscar winner.

And we would've been spared the Gummer spawn.

R448 one-track minded people can't multitask, so they assume the rest of us are as impaired.

R441 And I gather most of Badham's vocal performance had to be redubbed by another actress as her accent made her dialogue unintelligible.

R455 ?

The movie itself was uneven as hell, but Forrest Whitaker in THE BUTLER was so awesome. It was awful that he was ignored by the Academy.

Michelle Pfeiffer for Batman Returns

Sharon Stone or Lindsay Lohan for Bobby

any supporting actor from over the cuckoos nest especially Danny DeVito and whoever played chief. Michael Keaton for the Founder and Batman.

Gary Oldman for playing Lee Harvey Oswald flawlessly in JFK and Amy Adams for Big Eyes

Jean Simmons - Elmer Gantry

Deborah Kerr, Jean Simmons, Kathleen Byron - Black Narcissus

Ralph Richardson - The Fallen Idol

Malcolm McDowell, Rachel Roberts - O Lucky Man!

Glenda Jackson, Mona Washbourne - Stevie

Malcolm McDowell for A Clockwork Orange. Plus a few supporting nods, namely Aubrey Morris and Michael Gover.

David Warner in Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment

Dame Judi in Skyfall

Charlotte Gainsbourg in "Melancholia"

Sally Hawkins, “Happy-Go-Lucky”

Julie Andrews in "Duet for One."

Géza Röhrig - Son of Saul

Ralph Fiennes, The Grand Budapest Hotel

He should have won Globe for best musical/comedy actor too instead of Keaton

Gugu Mbatha-Raw, “Belle”

Mads Mikkelsen, The Hunt

James McAvoy, Filth

Rachel Weisz in The Deep Blue Sea

Olivia Colman - 'Tyrannosaur'

heartbreaking performance

Kristen Stewart, “Clouds of Sils Maria”

Any love for Mimi Rogers in "The Rapture"?

R476 Yes. A TREMENDOUS amount. And I think The Rapture is one of the most underrated movies of all-tme. I equally loved Michael Tolkin's follow-up, The New Age with Judy Davis. Did you see that one? It also contained an amazing performance from a very surprising source: Adam West. Truly deserved a nomination for Supporting Actor.

Kirsten Dunst in All Good Things

Brian Cox in L.I.E

Good one, R278 — Brian Cox was outstanding in “L.I.E.”!

Brian Cox is awesome in almost everything, even otherwise bad movies. Why doesn't he have like 10 oscars already?

I'd push for Dano and Billy Kay too in "L.I.E." Though it's one of the few indie movies where its trailer is actually better than the film itself. The use of "Hurdy Gurdy Man" is amazing.

[quote] Why doesn't he have like 10 oscars already?

They bumped him to make room for people like three time AA nominee Bradley Cooper and multiple nominee and award winner Leo DiCaprio.

R482 when did that happen?

Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone, Emily Watson, Danny Huston and David Wenham in The Proposition. All could have received a nod but I don't believe it was widely seen in the US.

[quote] [R482] when did that happen?

I wasn't speaking in literal terms.

R465, I really think that Dench was probably a very close 6th place that year. Or 7th if you factor in Ann Dowd ("Compliance").

How Paul Giamatti was overlooked for Sideways while Thomas Hayden Church got a nom is beyond me and shows the game is either rigged or not genuine.

I think the snub might've actually helped Giamatti's career. Didn't he get the lead in American Splendor shortly after that whole fiasco.

And it most certainly helped him get the supporting nod for Cinderella Man a couple years later.

I am pretty sure "American Splendor" put him on the map and came first. Or maybe it was the Howard Stern movie that did it for him.

Oh wait, you're right, R489. Nevertheless, I think the snub was ultimately a career helper for him if for no other reason that literally everyone in the industry was talking about it at the time. He definitely received some sympathy for it at the time (and I'm sure more high profile roles).

Yeah and I remember both he and Hope Davis were considered major snubs for "Splendor" at the time. The "Cinderella Man" one almost seemed bizarre coming off of two high profile overlooks. And he hasn't been back since.

Giamatti was the best thing in “Saving Mr. Banks”.

R487 they were both aiming for different categories. I don't see your point. THD got lucky in supporting, and Giamatti, well, didn't.

Meant to say Giamatti didn't get lucky in Best Actor.

I remember that year. It was kind of odd. Ray was released and Jamie Foxx all but had Actor sewn up. Giamatti wasn't even part of the conversation, nor Sideways for Picture. Then , surprise!, Giamatti wins the NY Film Critics, then two days later placed 2nd in the LA behind Liam Neeson. Sideways is suddenly winning almost everything. Jamie Foxx picked up most of the others leading up to the Oscars, but Giamatti was right behind him. So it was kind ofshocking when he didn't make the final five.

I felt bad for him. Kind of the Catherine O'Hara character in For Your Consideration, (who I think has already been mentioned at least 3 times upthread). He had no expectations whatsoever, then out of nowhere he starts winning Awards and everybody convinces him he's an Oscar shoo-in, then he's shut out! Poor guy!

I was strongly rooting for him to win supporting for Cinderella Man. Not so much because he was good, (although he was), but because he was the one ugly guy nominated among four really hot, handsome hunks (Matt Dillon, Jake G, William Hurt, George Clooney).

Interesting, who do you think squeezed him out? Cheadle? (I finally saw -- and loved -- that film and performance). Personally I think Depp could go but he was on a roll. Not anymore!

Emma Thompson in "Saving Mr. Banks".

I thought she was remarkable, and that her performance was better than anything I've seen her in. It seems like it is going to be a craptastic maudlin film, but I found it excellent and very nicely constructed all around.

Denzel playing the homophobic lawyer in Philadelphia. Natural, nuanced, believable. He warms to Hanks' character and plight but never completely accepts him. And, the courtroom scenes are great.

I thought Denzel was better than Hanks.

R496 Yeah, I think Cheadle was the surprise of the 5. I was very happy for him, and I would have taken Depp out.

Thought that might be you, MS. Sophie was great in that film too. Captured the horrors perfectly while still managing to end with some hope somehow.

Still have not gotten through "Finding Neverland" from start to finish. Hate the title. :)

Don't waste your time.

I think you and I have exchanged a few times this past week. Just kept forgetting to moniker, (but figured you'd know it's me).

You just posted, I'm on my first cup of coffee. Timing is right today.

I've been watching a lot of TCM this week. May start a thread or two.

William Hurt?

Wasn't Clint Eastwood (Million Dollar Baby) viewed as the "surprise" nominee in that Paul Giamatti/Jaime Foxx year? Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman were way out ahead in their respective categories, but I seem to recall no one really expecting he would get a nomination and then he popped up that morning.

Maybe. God, Eastwood looked like that action hero made of rocks in that movie. Not just craggy but Ancient.

I didn't realize until recently that it was cutie Jay Burachel playing the wimpy boxer who has the best scene -- that retreat down the street. So fucking sad in a movie that was more than a bit nuts -- the boxer on a televised fight sitting alone in a hospital room with no press or flowers or anything? And a machine that one can turn off and kill someone that doesn't set off an alarm? Alternate universe stuff. And the Margot Martindale character, dear God...

I think it also helped Jamie Foxx tremendously that Ray Charles died unexpectedly in the summer of 2004. four months before the film's US release. I remember he had been planning on touring again. No doubt Foxx's win was also a sentimental win.

Jamie Foxx was the actor of the moment. Nothing was gonna stop his win.

Britney Spears in Crossroads

[quote]Michael Douglas, Wonder Boys

I thought he was the weakest part in that movie, RDJ deserved a nomination.

Celia Johnson in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Wonderful actress and underplayed the role so the contrast between her and Smith's Brodie was even more lethal.

An obscure British film, Woman in a Bathrobe (or dressing gown - I can't remember). Anyway, Yvonne Mitchell. She was terrific. Never had a big career. I think she did a lot of stage, though. Not sure.

Agree about Johnson in Miss Jean Brodie, but also Pamela Franklin

Wendy Hiller and Dean Stockwell in "Sons and Lovers"

Cathy Moriarty should have at least been nominated for Soapdish......she made that movie.

Except every line of hers was LOOPED so something went wrong.

[quote]every line of hers was LOOPED

What does this mean?

She had to re-record them all again in a sound booth after the film was done so they sound crackly and a bit weird (technology still hasn't improved looping). Which is often done to correct noise but also to improve a performance -- as they looped Andie McDowell with Glenn Close's voice in "Greystoke" long ago. In any case, it's always weird when it is happening an entire movie (and I love Moriarty myself, including in that performance).

Why did she have to re-record her entire lines? Why only her?

My question too and you're right, it seems to be only her. Microphone problem? Maybe. Garbled lines? Maybe. Melanie Griffith had to be looped a lot on "Bonfire..." for mumbling, according to that book about the film. Who knows but it's usually a sign that something is amiss so might have hurt her at Oscar time.

Watch "Body Double" and see the pretty lead starlet being looped with a whole other voice and it's weird (Helen Shaver, a much better actress so that is why. I'm sure the original's voice was flat and dull).

Angie Dickenson was looped in Dressed to Kill. It's Rutanya Alda's screams you hear in the elevator, (and moaning during the sex scene as well).

It's why Angie is NOT a choice of mine for Amazing P that wasn't nominated, although I absolutely thought so at the time.

Btw, is that you, BS?

O' course, MS. :) If it involves Cathy and her pizza factory...

Typo

Madonna for Evita and Meg Ryan for when harry met sally

Madonna for Evita ? 😮

R524 she almost won, but she lost to the chick from English Patient. Or was it Fargo? I forget. But she got the best reviews of her career.

It was Frances McDormand she stole Dame Emily Watson's Oscar

Frances McDormand was clearly supporting in FARGO. William H. Macy had more screen time and was inexplicably deemed and nominated in Supporting Actor, but he's pretty much the main character. McDormand is the female character with the most screen time, but it still pales in comparison to Macy.

Liam Dunn for a brilliant comedy bit in "What's Up Doc", not to mention Madeline Kahn in the same film

Bruce Jenner's portrayal of a man in "Can't Stop The Music"

I think it's been mentioned before, but there's too many postings to read, so I'll just save what I feel. Half kidding but somewhat being serious, Patty Duke in Valley of the Dolls and most serious, Patty Duke in Me, Natalie