Comments on: Top 10 Performances Robbed of Oscars

By: getgueti

getgueti — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:42:00 +0000

I’m 16 and I so agree with what you said about Miss Michelle Pfeiffer. I loved her in that film. I’ve never seen an actress as classy as her. She totally deserved that Oscar.

By: Marco's

Marco's — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 11:07:27 +0000

That’s a pretty good list but as others have already pointed out, the biggest travesty in Oscars’ recent history is definitely Julia Roberts winning over Ellen Burstyn in 2000. Roberts was the flavour of the month at that time, Hollywood’s big star and all, that’s why she won (besides, RfaD is anything but mainstream). Don’t get me wrong: her performance in EB was pretty good. Burstyn was in a class of her own though. Simply stunning.

By: Pop Culture Nerd

Pop Culture Nerd — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 20:54:01 +0000

Hi John, and welcome to PCN.

Michael Sheen not being nominated for The Queen makes no sense. He was also brilliant as David Frost in Frost/Nixon but was overshadowed by Frank Langella. I also got to see Sheen in the title role in a stage version of Amadeus; that man can do no wrong. One day, he will get his due.

Your defense of Mirren is persuasive and you make very good points. I evaluate performances from an emotional place—how much they move me/creep me out/inspire me, etc. And Dench did that: she creeped me out one moment, then made me feel sorry for her the next. I was less moved by Mirren’s performance, though I could appreciate its high level of difficulty.

By: John Bell

John Bell — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 11:34:10 +0000

I still think the only reason Russell Crowe lost for “A Beautiful Mind” is because he slugged out that director at the BAFTA’s the SAME WEEK that Academy voters were turning in their ballots.

By: John Bell

John Bell — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 11:26:38 +0000

I completely agree with you about the Oscar losses of Jackie Earle Haley and Julianne Moore.

Michael Sheen actually gave the greatest supporting actor performance of 2006 as Tony Blair in “The Queen”, IMO, but wasn’t even NOMINATED (WTF??). However, Haley gave the most powerful and complex performance of the actors who WERE nominated. It ain’t no easy feat making me feel sorry for a pedophile but Haley pulled it off beautifully. Alan Arkin gave a decent but not Oscar-worthy performance. And, Eddie Murphy and Mark Wahlberg shouldn’t have even been nominated.

Julianne Moore gave the most riveting performance in “The Hours” – no small accomplishment considering her co-stars (Meryl Streep, Ed Harris, Nicole Kidman, etc.) And, will someone please take the week off and explain why Kidman was nominated as best LEAD actress when both Streep and Moore had twice as much screen time as she did?

However, I have to vehemently disagree with you about the performances of Helen Mirren and Judi Dench. Dench certainly had the more showy (and overwrought) role in “Notes on a Scandal”. But Mirren not only displayed more complexity in her role as “The Queen” (witness the wide range of varying emotions she conveys(with complete credibility) in the deer scene alone but had a higher degree of difficulty as well. I think it is much easier to convey complex, turbulent emotions when you are betraying a histrionic character than when you are playing one as restrained and iconic as QEII.

By: Pop Culture Nerd

Pop Culture Nerd — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 05:30:16 +0000

Another friend of mine just recently jumped down my throat for not having seen RFAD. I think I’m going to have to see it before you all revolt against me!

By: Julien

Julien — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 03:44:20 +0000

I’m a doppel-doppelganger of Christian and Mark Vincent then!
As written before, I’m also a true admirer of Huffman and Burstyn’s performances in respectively “Transamerica” and “Requiem for a dream”. These two movies are among my favorite ones.
PCN, try at least to watch “Transamerica” if you get a chance (“RFAD” is brilliant too but harsher and much more disturbing, I’m not sure it would be your cup of tea!).

By: Pop Culture Nerd

Pop Culture Nerd — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 04:15:45 +0000

Hi Mark,

I think you’re a doppelganger of my friend Christian. He’s still miffed about the exact two snubs you mentioned–Burstyn and Huffman. I’m ashamed to say I haven’t seen either one. Perhaps after I will, I can jump on the wagon with you.

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you’ll visit often.

By: mark vincent

mark vincent — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 05:24:05 +0000

I must contend that Felicity Huffman’s performance in Transamerica was a definate snub. Reese Witherspoon’s performance in Walk the Line was a token gift due to her outstanding body of work. However, Walk the Line was hard to finish watching, and will probably be forgotten. As a native NYer and a San Franciscan, Huffman’s performance makes you think you are really watching a man who became a woman. It is the BEST LGBT performance ever, and probably lost the Oscar due to negative stigma. Ellen Burstyn in ‘Requiem for a Dream’ was also amazing, and on IMDB the movie is listed as one of best films ever as voted on the site. I encourage all diversity seeking fans to watch both of those films as we all know that those who are different or stuck in adversity deserve respect too.

By: le0pard13

le0pard13 — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:57:15 +0000

Great list, PCN. I’m very much in agreement in the 5 – 9 slots. Crowe should also have at least been nominated for L.A. Confidential, too. Osment should have easily won this–if he’s not as great as he is in the film, do we care about Sixth Sense? No, and it’s one of my all-time haunting favorites. Same goes for DiCaprio’s performance.

I have a soft spot, though, for Cher in Moonstruck. She still is quite good (but the consolation thing is a valid one) in that film–and it’s one of those date films I enjoyed with wife when we were courting. That likely means I should disqualify myself on emotional grounds .

Glad you pointed out this link, PCN. This was pre-Festival of Books. Thanks.