Let's do it.
Christian Bale - American Hustle
Bale won his Oscar for best supporting actor in 2011. And while I love him as an actor, his role in American Hustle was pretty understated. He plays the epitome of a used car salesman type schmucko who somehow gets in over his head. However, the movie itself feels clunky. I never feel like he is in over his head. I don't care if he is. And I can't figure out why beautiful women keep throwing themselves at his comb-over. I don't blame Bale for any of this. He does give a solid performance, but it's lost in a turd of a movie.
Bruce Dern - Nebraska
Jack Nicoholson called Bruce Dern the finest actor of his generation. So why has no one in my generation heard of him? For me he was the military neighbor in The Burbs. Not exactly a shining bullet point on a resume. Apparently, Bruce Dern shot John Wayne. In the back. In a movie of course, but everyone saw him as a bad guy, and his career was supposedly never the same after that. But enough about that, Dern was really good in Nebraska. He had a 1,000 yard stare that I believed. You could never quite tell if he was a rattled stubborn old man, or he was really just playing us all. In the end it was a heartwarming performance. I fell in love with this goofy old bastard, maybe because he reminded me a little of my own dad? But not really - this guy is no Howard, but the simple understated quality of a guy who just wants to matter and take care of people, and a son who wants to help feel like he does - that was a sweet story. The academy does like to have make-up calls for past wrongs and snubs. This could be Dern's chance for redemption. I would welcome it, as it was a great performance, but there is another actor this year who might finally get his make-up Oscar.
Leonardo DiCaprio - Wolf of Wallstreet
I am going to confess right here right now, I am late to the DiCaprio bandwagon. While most of my friends were loving him in Romeo and Juliet, and weeping over him in Titatnic, I did not get it. The dude look like a whimpy elf-man to me. I didn't take notice until Blood Diamond. I know, I'm weird. "But Jo", you're saying "What about Gangs of New York, and Catch Me if You Can?" And I say - meh. Like I said, I am late to this party. I LOVED him in Inception. That was the first time, I got it. And he scared the living poop out of me in Django Unchained. To me that's where the Oscar should have come from. When you look back at his career, and all the accolades he's gotten, you think, this guy has to have won an Oscar before, and yet he hasn't. Leo has been the bridesmaid a lot of years. Many are saying, this is his year. People want him to have an Oscar, and as I said earlier, the academy is totally ok with make-up calls. So he could win this year, but I don't think he should. Wolf of Wallstreet was not a bad performance. But if you ask me, he played this role twice this year. Wolf of Walstreet was just Jay Gatsby in the late 80's with no broken heart, and a shit ton of coke. And I feel like he plays this role a lot. Enigmatic play-boy who can't be told no, and as a result is a little coo-coo. While I don't dislike him anymore, and do feel he is a great actor, I don't think this is the role he should win for, but he might anyway. All I am saying in, if not this year, this role - he'll get his chance again.
Chiwetel Ejiofor - 12 Years a Salve
And if you're looking for a drinking game while watching the Oscars, I think a good option might be to drink every time someone mispronounces Chiwetel's name. But Jo, how will I know what the correct pronunciation is? Who cares - DRINK! Ok - that aside, you will not forget his performance. This was a performance, in a movie that will stay with you long after you've seen it. He was fantastic. I am talking hair on the back of your neck standing up type performance. I could totally see him winning an Oscar for this role, and it would be justly deserved, but as I said - we've already go two contenders looking for make-up calls.
Matthew McConaughey - Dallas Buyers Club
I think this is McConaughey's year. Not only did he turn out a stellar performance in Dallas Buyers Club, his 5 minute stint in Wolf of Wallstreet, was totally memorable too. By all the play that chest-beating scene has gotten, you'd assume he was a bigger role in that movie - but he wasn't. That was it. In Dallas Buyers Club he plays a macho ladies man. A cowboy mans-man, who gets AIDS in the 80's. A disease that had a huge stigma at the time, and with terrifying consequences. McConaughey is playing what he plays best; a Southern good-old-boy, who's just loving life. But it's more than that this time. He was given a really fantastic role in a well-told story, and he delivered his end of the bargin as an actor. I think everyone is taking notice of the pretty boy, playing an ugly boy. The Academy loves nothing more than someone pretty making themselves ugly for the part. A bonus in my mind is MacConaughey actually deserves it. I think he could upset, Leo and Dern and get his Oscar first.
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