How the Hell Did That Guy Win?

I just read something interesting on the website Awards Circuit.com. It's a really good site that tracks potential Oscar nominees throughout the year. Usually they are spoon, but of course the tables can turn really quickly. An example: I think George Clooney gives the best performance of his life in the brilliant Up in the Air (coming out on March 9 on DVD). It's very stellar and wonderful performance as Clooney brings so much charm and charisma to his character. To me, Clooney seems like a likable guy. He's the type of guy that you can have a beer with with. However, Crazy Heart comes out and Jeff Bridges steals Clooney's buzz. Bridges gives a good performance also, and is now poised to win.

Anyway there is an article on the website that talks about dumb Oscar wins for Best actor/actress. It's a very interesting article and for a while I see some actors and actresses who win for which is sometimes one of their weakest performances. The academy is very infamous for giving out awards to the wrong people (IMO). This also applies to Best Picture.

Best Actor wins:

Sean Penn - Milk (2008)...Penn is one of the best actors working today. Any other year this performance should have won, but this was clearly Mickey Rourke's year for his work in the Wrestler. A film specially made for Rourke who is a good actor that started off with promise, but outside factors hampered his success. This Rourke's comeback role and the Oscar should have been his. He basically won a lot of critics awards, but the Oscar snubbed him.

Roberto Benigni - Life is Beautiful (1998)...Fuck! This was a fucked up decision. Why? Yes, it was a decent performance. At the time I thought Tom Hanks gave a much better performance in Saving Private Ryan. Then, I saw American History X and realized the trophy should have gone to Norton. Benigni? Really? Jumping over chairs to accept his awards in one of the most energetic Oscar speeches. Even my mom was in shock. The last time I heard Benigni is when he made and starred in some kind of live action remake of Pinocchio are something. Anyway it has a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes and that is bad. Haven't from him since. Norton will get his Oscar someday.

Al Pacino - Scent of a Woman (1992)...I haven't seen this film, but accordingly it's a good movie, but obviously not his best performance. I think Denzel Washington gave his best performance in Malcolm X, which is Spike Lee greatest film IMO. Denzel Got his gold for Training Day, but definitely not his best performance.

Jamie Foxx - Ray (2004)...Jamie Foxx was really good, but Hotel Rwanda is a better film and I feel Don Cheadle gave a better performance. Simple as that.

Adrien Brody - The Pianist (2002)...Daniel Day-Lewis owned this. The best part of the uneven Gangs of New York is Lewis. However, I saw Adaptation several months ago and Nicolas Gage was brilliant playing Charlie Kaufman, which is the same name of the screenwriter, which is some kind of pseudo-character of himself. Okay, I don't know what I just said. Anyway Cage can pick some shitty roles. However, when he's hot he takes it to the highest plain.