CANCELLED: WACKY WORLD OF WISEAU: Oscar Nominees Edition

And They Are:

Nicolas Cage in Deadfall

Nicolas Cage in The Wicker Man

John Travolta in Battlefield Earth

Jon Voight in Anaconda

Eddie Redmayne in Hick

Now for prediction purposes they should be ranked from most Wiseaus worthy to least Wiseaus worthy.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2007: Results

10. Morgan Freeman in Gone Baby Gone - Freeman has good moments, but gives a little too many indications about his character's duplicitous nature early on.

Best Scene: His confrontation with Patrick,.

9. John Travolta in Hairspray - Travolta nicely gives a surprisingly earnest and sometimes moving portrayal of his character.

Best Scene: Edna revealing her insecurities.

8. Ed Harris in Gone Baby Gone - Harris nicely brings his usual acerbic style that works quite well for his character.

Best Scene: Remy's confession.

7. Tommy Lee Jones in No Country For Old Men - Jones gives a moving, yet also somehow funny portrayal of a man's confusion and exasperation in face of a violent world.

Best Scene: Bell visits Ellis.

6. Sam Rockwell in The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford - Rockwell gives a terrific example of a pure supporting performance, that adds so much to the film, despite only ever briefly being the focus of it.

Best Scene: The Assassination.

5. Albert Finney in Before the Devil Knows You're Dead - Finney gives a powerful portrayal of the rage and heartbreak that comes from a horrible loss.

Best Scene: The Last Scene.

4. Steve Zahn in Rescue Dawn - Zahn gives a haunting portrayal of a prisoner of war being worn away by his captors and nature.

Best Scene: After the failed signal.

3. Timothy Dalton in Hot Fuzz - Dalton gives a hilarious performance by creating the most obviously evil character who ever existed.

Best Scene: Skinner listens to Angel's theory.

2. John Carroll Lynch in Zodiac -  Lynch gives an outstanding performance, brilliantly realizing his unnerving enigma of a man all in one scene, well and a reaction shot. I have to admit that it was absurdly difficult just to rank my top and I'll admit I'm still not sure of my winner. I feel that I could switch out to any one of performances in the top five. This is an unbelievably great year for the category, it has to be to leave the likes of Bardem and Rockwell out of the top five.

Best Scene: His first scene. Although that reaction shot is also amazing.

1. Ben Foster in 3:10 to Yuma - Foster gives a wildly entertaining as well a rather chilling portrayal of a man who takes loyalty very seriously.

Best Scene: Finding the decoy wagon. 

Overall Rank:

1. Ben Foster in 3:10 to Yuma
2. John Carroll Lynch in Zodiac
3. Timothy Dalton in Hot Fuzz
4. Steve Zahn in Rescue Dawn
5. Albert Finney in Before The Devil Knows You're Dead
6. Javier Bardem in No Country For Old Men
7. Sam Rockwell in The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford
8. Garret Dillahunt in The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford
9. Charles Fleischer in Zodiac
10. Tommy Lee Jones in No Country For Old Men
11. Armin Mueller-Stahl in Eastern Promises
12. Josh Brolin in No Country For Old Men
13. Robert Downey Jr. in Zodiac
14. Josh Brolin in American Gangster
15. Jim Broadbent in Hot Fuzz
16. Jeremy Davies in Rescue Dawn 
17. Kurt Russell in Grindhouse 
18. Jimmi Simpson in Zodiac
19. Gene Jones in No Country For Old Men
20. Paddy Considine in Hot Fuzz
21. Dillon Freasier in There Will Be Blood
22. Woody Harrelson in No Country For Old Men 
23. Karl Marcus Franklin in I'm Not There
24. Robert Duvall in We Own the Night
25. Paul Dano in There Will Be Blood
26. Ben Whishaw in I'm Not There
27. J.K. Simmons in Juno
28. Nick Frost in Hot Fuzz
29. Ed Harris in Gone Baby Gone
30. Anthony Edwards in Zodiac
31. Titus Welliver in Gone Baby Gone
32. Peter O'Toole in Ratatouille
33. Edward Woodward in Hot Fuzz
34. Sam Shepard in The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford
35. Richard Gere in I'm Not There
36. Brian Cox in Zodiac
37. Paul Schneider in The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford
38. Elias Koteas in Zodiac
39. Paul Freeman in Hot Fuzz
40. Barry Corbin in No Country For Old Men
41. Chris Evans in Sunshine
42. Thomas Haden Church in Spider-Man 3
43. Garret Dillahunt in No Country For Old Men 
44. Raymond J. Barry in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story 
45. Toby Jones in The Mist 
46. Jeff Daniels in The Lookout
47. J.K. Simmons in Spider-Man 3
48. Peter Fonda in 3:10 to Yuma
49. Jeremy Renner in The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford
50. Mark Strong in Stardust
51. Jerzy Skolimowski in Eastern Promises
52. John Travolta in Hairspray
53. David Wenham in 300
54. Tom Wilkinson in Michael Clayton
55. Brian F. O'Brien in Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
56. Mark Strong in Sunshine
57. Hal Holbrook in Into the Wild
58. Timothy Spall in Enchanted
59. Benedict Wong in Sunshine
60. Philip Seymour Hoffman in Charlie Wilson's War
61. Alan Tudyk in 3:10 to Yuma
62. Stephen Root in No Country For Old Men
63. James Marsden in Enchanted
64. Josh Brolin in Grindhouse
65. Rafe Spall in Hot Fuzz
66. Ricky Gervais in Stardust
67. Tim Meadows in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story 
68. Michael Parks in Grindhouse
69. Bill Nighy in Hot Fuzz
70. Peter Vaughn  in Death at a Funeral
71. Gary Oldman in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
72. Peter O'Toole in Stardust 
73. Matthew Goode in The Lookout
74. Forest Whitaker in The Great Debaters
75. Michael Biehn in Grindhouse
76. Cliff Curtis in Sunshine  
77. Ian Holm in Ratatouille
78. Bill Nighy in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
79. Willem Dafoe in Mr. Bean's Holiday 
80. Ciaran Hinds in There Will Be Blood
81. Christopher Walken in Hairspray
82. Michael Wincott in Seraphim Falls
83. Philip Baker Hall in Zodiac 
84. Michael Fassbender in 300
85. Michael Shannon in Before the Devil Knows You're Dead 
86. Albert Brooks in The Simpson Movie
87. Kevin J. O'Connor in There Will Be Blood
88. Paul Giamatti in Shoot 'Em Up
89. Christian Bale in I'm Not There
90. Hiroyuki Sanada in Sunshine 
91. Alan Rickman in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
92. William Sadler in The Mist
93. Vincent Cassel in Eastern Promises
94. Philip Bosco in The Savages
95. Donal Logue in Zodiac
96. Peter Cullen in Transformers
97. Karl Johnson in Hot Fuzz
98. Peter Dinklage in Death at a Funeral 
99. William Hurt in Into the Wild
100. Matt Besser in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story 
101. Michael Gambon in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
102. Chris Parnell in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story 
103. James Franco in Spider-Man 3
104. Timothy Spall in Sweeney Todd
105. Waris Ahluwalia in The Darjeeling Limited
106. Dallas Roberts in 3:10 to Yuma
107. Morgan Freeman in Gone Baby Gone
108. Kevin J. O'Connor in Seraphim Falls
109. Peter Fonda in Ghost Rider
110. Danny Hoch in We Own the Night
111. Kevin Eldon in Hot Fuzz
112. Robbie Coltrane in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
113. Ned Beatty in Charlie Wilson's War
114. Jon Voight in Transformers
115. James Cromwell in Spider-Man 3
116. Jason Bateman in Juno
117. Lam Suet in Mad Detective
118. Sam Elliot in Ghost Rider
119. Bruce Davison in Breach
120. Mark Wahlberg in We Own the Night
121. Timothy Olyphant in Live Free or Die Hard
122. John Ashton in Gone Baby Gone  
123. Terrence Howard in August Rush
124. Tom Hollander in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
125. Benedict Cumberbatch in Atonement 
126. Alan Tudyk in Death at a Funeral
127. Alan Rickman in Sweeney Todd
128. Heath Ledger in I'm Not There
129. Gordon Lam in Mad Detective 
130. Justin Long in Live Free or Die Hard
131. Dennis Haysbert in Breach
132. Sacha Baron Cohen in Sweeney Todd
133. Alex Veadov in We Own the Night
134. Geoffrey Rush in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End 
135. Rupert Grint in Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix 
136. Nate Parker in The Great Debaters
137. Michael Cera in Juno
138. Toby Huss in Rescue Dawn
139. Kevin Smith in Live Free or Die Hard
140. Rupert Graves in Death at a Funeral
141. Chow Yun-Fat in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End 
142. Logan Lerman in 3:10 to Yuma 
143. Vince Vaughn in Into the Wild
144. Robert De Niro in Stardust
145. Robin Williams in August Rush
146. Jamie Campbell Bower in Sweeney Todd
147. Chris Evans in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
148. Michael Chiklis in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
149. Josh Duhamel in Transformers
150. Julian McMahon in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
151. Anthony Anderson in Transformers 
152. John Turturro in Transformers 
153. Topher Grace in Spider-Man 3 
154. Rodrigo Santoro in 300
155. Wes Bentley in Ghost Rider

Next Year: 1989 Lead

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2007: John Travolta in Hairspray

John Travolta did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite being nominated for a Golden Globe, for portraying Edna Turnblad in Hairspray.

Hairspray is a musical I did not mind watching, I guess, about an overweight teen Tracy Turnbald who makes it on a local dance TV show who then becomes a proponent for the racial integration of the show.

John Travolta plays Tracy's mother as the part originated by the drag queen Divine, and then having a man play the role continued on stage, so that's why. It seems fitting enough as a musical dance movie with Travolta's two earliest hits being the musical Grease and the dance centric Saturday Night Fever. Despite the set up, and perhaps the make up being a bit over the top Travolta actually plays the role relatively straight. The voice he uses is a fairly minor adjustment so to speak, and Travolta kinda goes about trying to make Edna a believable enough character actually. It would be easy enough to see the part played in a pretty over the top way, where the whole character could simply be seen as a joke. Travolta takes this fairly unassuming approach to the part and there really is not made much of him playing the part really. He's simply in the role and all of the mannerism and the like he employs all fairly simply though as well being effective in making Edna Turnblad feel like an actual character in the film.

Edna's story is relatively simple as she is hesitant to support Tracy's intentions to become a dance star because of her own issues with her own poor self-esteem. Travolta actually fairly moving in portraying the vulnerability of Edna as she expresses her concerns about Tracy's prospects. The film though kinda ping pongs Edna though as she'll be down quickly brought back up, then have something else to challenge her self-esteem once again. These are all fairly abrupt and to the point in the turnaround, and in typical musical fashion many are handled through a musical number. Travolta both ends admirably enough though in giving an honest to the hesitations then the right earnest passion whenever Edna gains her self respect again. In addition Travolta brings a certain sweetness to the role that works quite well as Edna becomes more supportive of her daughters efforts, particularly late in the film when she has to become particularly active to help her daughter succeed.

As a musical there are of course musical sequences, and if one where expecting the sort of energy shown by Travolta in Grease they be a bit disappointed. Travolta's delivery and even dancing in the numbers he takes part in he again stays rather modest in his performance. This is not a criticism though because Travolta very much stays with his character when he does this, and in his performances Travolta does get across the feeling of each number that Edna is a part of. Really I'd say Travolta gives a good performance here entirely by trying to realize Edna as more than a caricature, which the part very easily could have been all things considered. I suppose my only complaint, and not a real complaint so to speak, is that I suppose to love this performance by any means. I do like him here, particularly because he does succeed in making more out of the part than being a simple gimmick. It's a fine performance I'm not going to call it a great performance, but I certainly had no problems with it.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2007

And the Nominees Were Not:

Albert Finney in Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

Timothy Dalton in Hot Fuzz

Tommy Lee Jones in No Country For Old Men

Ben Foster in 3:10 to Yuma

Steve Zahn in Rescue Dawn

Predict those five or these five:

Sam Rockwell in The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford

John Carroll Lynch in Zodiac

Morgan Freeman in Gone Baby Gone

Ed Harris in Gone Baby Gone

John Travolta in Hairspray

Or both

Best Actor 1994: Results

5. Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump- Hanks keeps his character consistent. Allow I do not think his character is amazing by any means, has grown on me quite a bit since my first viewing of the film.

4. Paul Newman in Nobody's Fool- Newman gives a charming performance that overcomes the weakness of the film in some respects, but unfortunately not all. 

3.John Travolta in Pulp Fiction- Travolta has the right naturalism with his dialogue, and effectively and memorable portrays his character. His performance shines the most though do to his strong chemistry with his co-stars.

2. Nigel Hawthorne in The Madness of King George- Hawthorne manages this very difficult part with a firm degree of naturalism, and dignity. Hawthorne makes George a likable, commanding monarch, and brings his insanity to life especially well.

1. Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption- This one was actually fairly close for me between Hawthorne, but I will go, at the moment, with Freeman. Freeman's performance is a quite, but extraordinary performance. He goes for subtlety and creates a truly powerful moments. 

Deserving Performances:
Tim Robbins in The Shawshank Redemption

Best Actor 1994: John Travolta in Pulp Fiction

John Travolta received his second Oscar nomination for portraying Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction.

Pulp Fiction interweaves several stories, with several character relating to crimes in Los Angeles.

John Travolta is a rather interesting actor, because personally he is not one of my favorites at all, and he can easily be an actor who overacts quite terribly. The interesting thing about Travolta as an actor is that he is one of the most perfectly Oscar nominated actors ever. For one he was nominated for his two most memorable and iconic roles of this and Saturday Night Fever, and he was also nominated for his two best performances. Some actors can be described as properly nominated but for the wrong role or roles, not Travolta both times Oscar got him completely right.

Travolta portrays Vincent Vega a hit man who since he is in a Quentin Tarantino film enjoys his share of long stylized dialogue (not realistic as critics of the time for some reason thought it was). The long stylized dialogue can work at times, but it can also fall flat at times. I think two aspects of the dialogue is yes how well written a particular portion of the dialogue is, but also how well the actors deliver it. Travolta is actually particularly good at this in the film, and knows how to make it sound natural and quite smoothly. Even in some of the most forced sounding dialogue Travolta handles carefully, and keeps it all pretty natural.

It is interesting to note that Travolta was very cast a bit against type. He certainly was not known as an actor who ever portrayed a tough character like Vincent Vega. Yet Travolta completely fulfills the role, and in fact it is hard to see anyone else in the role. He has the perfect smoothness and charisma in the role, of this rather smooth criminal. I never at all questioned Travolta in the role as Vega, he was just right in the role, and utterly natural. He made Vega a likable hit man well enough, and I did actually find I cared about what he was going through particularly the wrenching last moments of his performance.

Something particularly effective about Travolta's performance is his terrific chemistry with Uma Thurman as Mia the wife of his boss (Ving Rhames) and Samuel L. Jackson as his fellow hit man Jules. His scenes with Thurman are well handled because the two start at a distance with Travolta being properly avoiding, and awkward trying not to be too close to his bosses wife. Their relationship quickly grows and they both make this convincing because how nicely and naturally they talk and react with one another. I think they very effectively grow their relationship, but Travolta very carefully handles this because he shows Travolta grow a connection with Mia, but also always carefully showing his resistance to show anything more than just liking her as a friend.

I think his chemistry is just a strong with Samuel L. Jackson. They are excellent together as the two philosophizing hit man. Their conversations together are generally regarded as the best or at least the most memorable of the film and there is reason these two have a certain casual chemistry that just works wonders really. I find their interactions are made interesting and especially effective by these two actors with their pitch perfect tone with one another. I also found these two were able to be also properly humorous and worked well in that regard as well. Overall Travolta performance is a strong natural and effective performance, which is well helped by his ability to connect with his main co-stars.

Best Actor 1994

And the Nominees Were:

Paul Newman in Nobody's Fool

John Travolta in Pulp Fiction

Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump

Nigel Hawthorne in The Madness of King George

Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption

Best Actor 1977: Results

5. Woody Allen in Annie Hall- Woody Allen does his usual routine, but this is certainly one of his better variations, since the character fits his standard character more, and gives a little more depth to his persona that usual.

4. Richard Burton in Equus- Richard Burton does his best as he can without the very bad film he is in. He makes the monologues powerful despite the fact that the writing is so bad.

3. Richard Dreyfuss in The Goodbye Girl- Richard Dreyfuss wins you over thoroughly with his performance. 

2. Marcello Mastroianni in A Special Day-Mastroianni is very good here creating a fascinating portrait of a very much repressed man who, slowly breaks open. Mastroianni is terrific all the way through.

1. John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever- Travolta really is great in his star making performance. Travolta gives a strong charismatic performance. I will admit this year is incredibly close for me. It was incredibly hard for me to chose between these top two performances, since they are both strong in fairly different ways.

Best Actor 1977: John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever

John Travolta received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever.

Saturday Night Fever actually is a very good film if a bit uneven that paints a very interesting portrait of a specific time and place.

Here is a film and a performance that I certainly sort of watched many times, but it is funny because this seems to be the first time I really honestly watched it, and perhaps the first time I watched the R rated version which is rather different. I never thought overly highly of it when I barely watched it but I finally really saw it and it really is something. I felt somewhat the same way about Travolta's performance, I never really though all that much about it my semi watching, but this time I finally saw what his performance really is.

This is quite clearly a true star making performance from John Travolta, now that I really watched it I had no trouble knowing why he became a star after this film. He really has all the proper charisma, and energy to make this a star performance. He is instantly watchable as soon as he struts down that sidewalk in the opening film. Travolta performance though really is even more than that which could have already been enough, but he actually creates a rather interesting and deep character with Tony, than you might expect. He makes Tony a fairly likable if sometimes slow Italian kid from New York City. Travolta is always believable and absolutely authentic throughout the film. I think he did a good job by keeping Tony realistic, but adding a right amount of humor along with it. Such as I making Tony's sometimes dimwitted nature amusing without seeming odd or incorrect, even when the thing he most complains about being hit by his father is that he touched his hair.

He shows something very interesting about this working class young man. He is a guy who is not exactly not confidant, but still rather simple in his life. He is never all that imposing, being very calm and grateful for even a small raise at his hardware store job. His life usually is that of just a simply guy never that imposing. He does though try to model himself into to something else always thinking of looks of other people, and trying to match them. His dreams and wants are well shown but carefully shown by Travolta. He shows that he clearly has a good amount of ambition, but that he sort of keeps it to himself except for when he is on the dance floor. I really like how he becomes not another person but one that seems to be bigger than himself. He shows the right confidence and strength on the dance floor. Travolta really is strong because he shows that this is part of Manero's expression and his chance to really be noticed.

These scenes are great but perhaps are the strongest in which Tony has to deal with his every day relationships, with his friends, his girl friends, and his family. First his family, as I said Travolta fits perfectly in as the authentic family, but he powerfully shows that he feels somewhat slighted by his family for their sometimes lack of affection, and their fairly lowly view of him. He really is especially great when he tells off his mother saying that all her children at bad basically, then though his sudden change in sadness since he does love his mother, and did not want to hurt her is really honestly portrayed, and pretty powerful.

He also is equally strong in his moments involving his relationships with his two love interests. He again always conveys the right emotions in his frustrations due to expectations of others, and that he really wants to do the more honest thing than the popular thing with first Annette. I really though he played spot on first trying to love her, than being frustrated by her sexual demands of him and sometimes her treatment of her. He shows that Tony is not always right, but really is a confused young man who tries to do what he can but that even he can be sometimes cruel, such as Travolta, is almost chillingly cold, when he shows Tony's disgust about Annette after she had been dated raped by his friends. Travolta though shows that Tony is a decent if not good guy but even a descent guy can sometimes can sometimes be cruel if pushed into the circumstances.

Travolta is equally good in Tony's relationship with Stephanie, who he clearly loves, but is too rough with and he himself tries to force himself on her. Again he does not make himself a bad person, but just a normal man, these scenes could have been portrayed all wrong but Travolta always handles them the right way. Finally Travolta is simply excellent in the final scenes where he grieves of his dead friend he feels somewhat responsible for, and tires to make up his behavior with Stephanie. Travolta ends his performance just about perfectly in his final scene, in showing how Tony has changed and honestly wants to make up for his wrongs, and his final apology is just the perfect ending to this very strong performance.

Best Actor 1977

And the Nominees Were:

Richard Burton in Equus

Woody Allen in Annie Hall

Richard Dreyfuss in The Goodbye Girl

John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever

Marcello Mastroianni in A Special Day   

I won't make any potential jokes about certain actors playing themselves, and just ask who do you pick who do you predict?