Seeing that the Academy Awards are this weekend, I thought we would take a look at some of the nominees. Yesterday I gave my thoughts on Best Picture. Today I am going to ruminate on the actors.

I have a lot of respect for actors and actresses because I think this is exactly what they do. And the good ones do it so well you don’t even realize it.

We haven’t been able to see all the movies with Best Actor/Actress and Best Supporting Actor/Actress nominees, but we have seen several.

Best Actress

Glenn Close – Hands down my favorite performance was Glenn Close in ‘Albert Nobbs’. I completely and utterly forgot it was her.  It wasn’t just about her transforming into a man, though that helped, it was much more about her physical self.  She transformed her face, her voice, her body, her posture, her eye movements even. I didn’t recognize the usual tell-taled gestures, head movements, voice methods that one usually sees in a star no matter the role.  I didn’t see anyone but Albert Nobbs. It was an amazing performance.

Meryl Streep in ‘The Iron Lady’ was also magnificent but the movie was lousy. Thatcher was also played by a different actress, Alexandra Roach, to depict her younger years. I actually liked the Roach quite a bit, she was a revelation.   Streep was best when she played Thatcher as a very old and forgetful woman, still talking to her deceased husband and thinking she was still Prime Minister.

Viola Davis in ‘The Help’ was good but didn’t have to transform and become a completely different persona as did Close and Streep. The performance doesn’t compare in my mind.

I did not see Rooney Mara in ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ and Michelle Williams in ‘My Week with Marilyn’

Best Actor

George Clooney plays a variation on Clooney in ‘The Descendants’. It’s a good performance, but not Oscar worthy.

Brad Pitt plays a variation on Pitt in ‘MoneyBall’. It’s a good performance, but not Oscar worthy.

Jean Dujardin is fantastic in ‘The Artist’. He has to do what the silent screen stars did, act only through face, body and gesture. And he does it amazingly.  He’s my choice of the three.

I did not see Demian Bichir in ‘A Better Life’ or Gary Oldman in ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’.  I am always intrigued when someone is nominated from a complete obscure movie like ‘A Better Life’. I suspect his performance is over the top amazing and I might very well think he deserves if I ever see the movie.

Best Supporting Actor

Jonah Hill –  An ok performance in ‘MoneyBall’ but not worthy of an Oscar nod in any way.

Christopher Plummer – A recent widower who decides to come out as gay in ‘Beginners’. It’s a very nuanced performance and is filled with humor and wisdom. I wouldn’t put it as #1 but it is very good.

Max von Sydow – I am hoping von Sydow wins for his role as a mysterious man who can’t (or won’t) talk in ‘Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close’.  He helps a young boy on his quest to find the lock that belongs to a key.  He, like Jean Dujardin in the Best Actor category has to play it all with face, body and gestures, no talking at all. I think that is worth the Oscar.

I did not see Nick Nolte in ‘The Warrior’ (we have it from Netflix, will probably see it tonight) or Kenneth Branagh in ‘My Week with Marilyn’.

Best Supporting Actress

Berenice Bejo – A confession – I fell in love with her the second I saw her on the screen in ‘The Artist’.  And I think she was chosen for the role because the producers knew that would happen, not just from me, but from most every person watching the movie.  She illuminated and sparkled, she had pathos and doubt, she had enthusiasm and joy. It was a great performance it would be fine with me if she won.

Jessica Chastain – She was a fish-out-of-water homemaker in ‘The Help’.  In turn confident, funny, pathetic, sexy, drunk, caring, and lost.  She gave a great performance in her role and wouldn’t mind seeing her win as well.

Melissa McCarthy – Are ya kidding me?  No, this was NOT a performance worthy of a oscar nomination just because she ran to a sink and sat in it to take a dump in ‘Bridesmaids’.

Octavia Spencer – In my mind she was nominated for one scene in ‘The Help’. It was a great scene, but I just didn’t think it was enough. Without it, the performance would not stand out and get the nomination.

Janet McTeer – As a macho, hard-ass house painter in ‘Albert Nobbs’ she appears to be the type of bullying, overbearing man that would take advantage of the housekeepers and other young women.  In truth she exposes herself to be an extremely sensitive and caring soul. A great performance that also deserves the Oscar and I hope she gets it.

Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman, who has yet to win an Oscar.

Quote by Rosalind Russell, who was nominated for Best Actress 4 times between 1943 and 1959. She never won.