OSCARS ARE HERE
By Josh Marks
OSCAR NOMINEES
PERFORMANCE BY ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
George Clooney in “Michael Clayton”
Daniel Day-Lewis in “There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp in “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of
Fleet Street”
Tommy Lee Jones in “In the
Viggo Mortensen in “Eastern Promises”
In this strike-scarred awards season, the best anecdote to speculating about the spectacle of Oscars is focusing on the nominated performances, in this case the Lead Actor category.
This year’s contenders are as diverse as the films they star in. Academy voters chose a corporate fixer with a conscious, a prospecting oilman without a conscious, a musically murderous barber, a retired military police officer searching for his missing son and a driver for the Russian mafia with a secret identity.
So, whether they walk the red carpet to the Kodak Theatre or
watch the WGA-picketed Oscars from the comfort of home, one of these five men
on Feb. 24 will be announced as the heavyweight champion of
George Clooney
The 46-year-old actor and social activist has been receiving high praise for his understated performance in the Tony Gilroy-directed legal thriller “Michael Clayton.” Clooney once again shows his wide acting range by using restraint -- saying volumes with a simple facial gesture. Audiences are lucky this actor has taken the risky road instead of just starring in blockbuster hits. The Academy has taken notice, presenting Clooney with a Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in “Syriana” and now recognizing him with a Lead Actor nom for “Clayton.”
Daniel Day-Lewis
Critics have been blown away by Daniel Day-Lewis’ furious performance as oil entrepreneur Daniel Plainview in Paul Thomas Anderson’s masterful historical drama “There Will Be Blood.” Getting into character is an understatement as the 50-year-old actor consumes the screen and transfixes audiences for the entire 158 minute running time. Day-Lewis’ performance in “Blood” evokes comparisons to another film about an ambitious and ruthless loner -- Orson Welles in “Citizen Kane.”
Johnny Depp
Depp once again shows his versatility as an actor and singer in “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” Teaming up with his frequent collaborator Tim Burton (the sixth Depp-Burton film so far), the 44-year-old thesp has received rave reviews for his role as the vengeful barber Benjamin Barker. Before his successful acting career, Depp was a rock musician and his musical background shows in “Sweeney Todd” as he hits all the right notes. The New York Times states that "his performance as captured on screen is stunning in every dimension."
Tommy Lee Jones
Jones is no stranger to the Oscars, having won for “The
Fugitive” and nominated for “JFK.” Both these films were box office successes,
unlike “In the Valley of Elah,” which has performed poorly in theaters. That’s
a shame because audiences missed out on one of the year’s finest performances
by the 61-year-old actor. In director Paul Haggis’ story of a father trying to
unravel the mystery behind his son’s disappearance after returning from
Viggo Mortensen
While a longshot to claim Oscar victory, Mortensen’s
performance in David Cronenberg’s “Eastern Promises” is fascinating to watch.
From the tattoos to the accent, the 49-year-old actor nails his part as a
driver for a
Pick: There will
be an Oscar for Daniel Day-Lewis this year. The reclusive British thesp doesn’t
do movies often and when he does he throws everything he has into it. “There Will Be Blood” marks his greatest
achievement yet as an actor and is one of the greatest performances in the
history of cinema.