5. Clint Eastwood, Best Actor – Gran Torino
Great, his last acting performance. He does a fine job mocking his Dirty Harry image and conveying drama from a sub-par screenplay and sub-par acting counterparts, but that DOES NOT mean he deserves an Oscar nom.
4. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Best Supporting Actor – Doubt
This was undoubtedly (see what I did there) a great performance, but simply not in the Top 5 supporting actor performances of the year. I’ll take Ledger, Downey Jr., Brolin (in Milk), Bill Irwin (in Rachel Getting Married) and James Franco in Milk OR Pineapple Express.
3. Gus Van Sant, Best Director – Milk
Have you seen Van Sant’s other flicks? This thing is amateur compared to the command of frame he’s shown in films such as My Own Private Idaho or even Good Will Hunting.
2. Meryl Streep, Best Actress – Doubt
Meryl Streep is perhaps the best actress in Hollywood (though Kate and Cate are giving her a run for her money) but her turn as an autocratic nun gets a little too ham-fisted for a film so grounded in social issues.
1. Milk, Best Picture
While it may be the RIGHT picture for the RIGHT time, it is certainly not the best of the year. Like too many biopics, it follows a formula that feels all too familiar now-a-days. But then, the Academy eats that stuff up.
What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? What’s your 5?