Best Actor 2018: Results

5. Viggo Mortensen in Green Book - Mortensen gives one of the least impressive turns of his career as he's stuck as a broad comedic caricature between two jarring tones of a buddy comedy, and a serious drama.

Best Scene: Writing the final letter.

4. Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody - Malek does his best to enliven the film's surface depiction of Freddie Mercury, as he manages to realizes the power of the man's personality and stage presence, even though not his voice.

Best Scene: Telling the band about his diagnosis.

3. Christian Bale in Vice - Although he's in a terrible film, Bale manages to give a convincing realization of the personal style of Dick Cheney, and manages to find at least some depth to the character even though this is limited by the terrible script he's working with.

Best Scene: Comforting his daughter.

2. Bradley Cooper in A Star is Born - Cooper, despite a few missteps and missed opportunities, gives an effective realization of the rock star personality and presence of his character, while also powerfully expressing the inner demons that haunt him.

Best Scene: Telling his brother the truth.

1. Willem Dafoe in At Eternity's Gate - Good prediction Matt Mustin, Dafoe easily wins this lineup for me in his heartbreaking yet also in some ways inspiring portrayal of Vincent van Gogh as a man who experiences reality in a different form.

Best Scene: Confession about cutting his ear.

Next: 2018 Supporting

Best Actor 2018: Viggo Mortensen in Green Book

Viggo Mortensen received his third Oscar nomination for portraying Frank "Tony Lip" Vallelonga in Green Book.

Green Book tells the story of piano virtuoso Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali), and his new driver Tony Lip, as they undergo a tour in the deep south.

Viggo Mortensen is one of the very best working actors today. Even in small roles like Carlito's Way, Witness, and Crimson Tide, Mortensen manages to make an impression. His work in the LOTR films is of a proper leading man. Even when the film doesn't work, like A Dangerous Method, Mortensen is always on point with such a considerable range as a performer. His performance in The Road is all time great, his last Oscar nominated in Captain Fantastic turn was a brilliant nuanced depiction of a character that could've easily become one note in the wrong hands. Sadly that Mortensen I write of, is not all that evident in his turn here as Italian stereo...I mean Italian American Tony Lip. Now given Mortensen's prior work I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt in terms of being steered into the wrong direction by his director, Peter Farrelly, who is better known for his broad comedies than the prestige drama Green Book aspires to be. I say this because in many ways Mortensen's work here would be far more fitting to such a comedy than a serious realization of the man Tony Lip was.

This stems from a problem with the film, as I mentioned in Ali's review, which it really is broken into that attempt at prestige, with Farrelly falling unto his comfort zone in the world of the buddy comedy films. In fact one can argue it has as much in common with Dumb and Dumber, as it does with say Driving Miss Daisy, as perhaps a more accurate name, given the titular green book plays little into the overall narrative, would've been Dumb and Proper. Mortensen's performance is to mak em rilly Italian, you know, what'che I'm sayings here? His accent would be right at home as the overblown Italian character of a wacky comedy. I would say kind of like Peter Seller's accent as Inspector Clouseau in A Shot in the Dark, that ridiculous French accent, while Mortensen's really isn't far off from that. This isn't an instance though where I feel that Mortensen just decided to go rogue and troll the film. This is rather Farrelly's incompetence when it comes to controlling the tone of the film. This is as Mortensen's work in this way is attuned, by how Farrelly depicts nearly all the Italian material. Everybody's a loud talking, big eating goodfella, or proper workin class fella, whose also big eating. There's not a lot of subtlety given to anything in between, it's a big loud and brash, which in turn is Mortensen's performance, for the most part.

It is easy to see why Mortensen is on this path as a lot of his scenes, especially his early ones, emphasize Tony as this big broad caricature. As we see him punching out punks, eating the largest meals possible, usually comically large, and just espousing himself in a way one describe as lacking a great deal of dignity. Mortensen's work in turn tries to bring this to life I suppose, as I would ask how does one deliver the line "titsburg" when wondering about the size of women's breasts in Pittsburgh, in a particularly subtle way. The character of Tony Lip very much exists within the confines of the broad comedy roots that Farrelly does not shed. Mortensen's work really does just play along with that in his boisterous line delivers, and swaggering around like he's a leaning tower of pizza (wocka wocka). He is an extreme desired to be the extreme odd couple pairing with Ali's Shirley who is a proper, sophisticated individual, who prefers to speak softly. Mortensen plays it up as to be desired, to create the what one would be to assume is the "comedy" of the situation. As I mentioned in Ali's review, the best thing to come out of these scenes, though are just the most casual interactions due to Ali and Mortensen having chemistry with one another. They can carry a conversation even if it isn't always worth having. Again though their depiction of growing warmth between the two isn't half bad, and does depend on both actors.

Sadly though the film has much higher ambitions than its odd couple pairing, which is a problem for Mortensen when he's playing a broad character in what suddenly tries to be a serious drama. He's essentially stuck with the over the top mannerisms, and voice, throughout, though I guess I do have to give him credit for his consistency in his mannerisms. Of course this I suppose is the way to approach as the film just jumps back and forth in these moments with no real rhyme or reason in its tone. There are even some slight indications of a desire for a more dramatic narrative in a few of the Tony only scenes, though only hinted at. These being moments where he is offered jobs, that obviously are criminal in nature, that Tony turns down, and Mortensen, does covey the reservations of such a life. This isn't focused upon in the slightest, and it is a potentially interesting detail just left hanging there. The even worse example of this is the racism of the character that we see initially when he throws away two of his own glasses that black workers drank out of. This essentially never really even comes up. It frankly seems like something from an earlier draft of the script, since there is no point in which it is dealt with. I guess the film just wants you to assume his casual racism went away once he started working with Shirley, however the idea of it isn't really even touched upon in his interactions with Shirley.

That whole component of the film is just a mess as written, therefore Mortensen can't do anything with it, because there's nothing there to work with. There's no transformation in Tony, because they wrote a point A (throwing the cups away) to point Z (telling a relative not to call Shirley by a derogatory term), and no stops in-between. As even the sort of distance between the two shown in their "buddy road movie" scenes, are written based upon their difference in personalities not their races. It is just a mind boggling moment to introduce than to barely even hand wave it away by the end of the film. The film clearly is far more comfortable with its personality based dynamic, which again there is a nice chemistry between Mortensen and Ali there. Now although his overarching performance is broad, the talent of Mortensen can be seen in fits and bits, sort of outside the stricture of the character. These in some purely reactionary moments, hey look at the chosen screen capture, that is a face of some nuance, as he looks upon Ali's dramatic in the rain speech. There are other moments of some nuance mainly in reaction, however they sadly don't add up within the character who from his first scene is a broad caricature, and remains as such to the very last scene. Mortensen almost seems to throw those into just remind us of the great actor he typically is. Mortensen's performance here is essentially sabotaged by a film that wants two completely incompatible elements of a broadly comic character at the center of film that is a self-serious story. Mortensen tries his best to try to do something that fulfills that impossible request, I don't hate it, nonetheless, from what I've seen in his typically very impressive oeuvre, this is the worst performance he's ever given.

Best Actor 2018

And the Nominees Are:

Viggo Mortensen in Green Book

Christian Bale in Vice

Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody

Bradley Cooper in A Star is Born

Willem Dafoe in At Eternity's Gate

Best Actor 2016: Results

5.Ryan Gosling in La La Land - Out of these five I'd say Gosling gave the performance that offered me the most joy. This is the type of performance that looks easy, but it deserves praise. Gosling brings such charm, has some impeccable comedic timing, and finds some of the best chemistry in years with his co-star Emma Stone. While being a great old school romantic leading turn he also does offers much more poignancy to the role than you might expect.

Best Scene: The dinner fight. 

4. Casey Affleck in Manchester by the Sea - I might not like the film all that much, but Casey Affleck gives a great performance. Affleck manages to give a powerful portrayal by so effectively realizing a man who has come to terms with his grief by trying to become dead to the world.

Best Scene: The Police station.

3. Andrew Garfield in Hacksaw Ridge - Garfield pulls off a difficult role, not only do the the thick accent required but also the overly pure nature of the role. Garfield though manages to make it work giving such an earnest and honest depiction of an unbelievable individual. 

Best Scene: "I hear you"

2. Denzel Washington in Fences - Washington delivers his career best by giving us a theatrical man in grand way, yet not without nuance. He buttresses his larger work not only by offering subtly within the grandeur, but also by showing where it stems from within his quiet moments as well.

Best Scene: The tale of his father.

1. Viggo Mortensen in Captain Fantastic - Good prediction GM. A job well done by the Academy in this category. They managed for once to choose five great performances. If the Oscars go to any one of these men I will be more than happy with it. My favorite for the time being, it's particularly close between the top two for me, is Viggo Mortensen. Mortensen, as per usual, gives a great performance. He goes further than that delivering such a powerful portrayal of this character that in the wrong hands could have gone very badly. Mortensen makes us understand this man, never going for the cheap shots, instead offering a complex and believable portrait of this man.

Best Scene: Arguing with Jack. 

Next Year: 2016 Supporting

Best Actor 2016: Viggo Mortensen in Captain Fantastic

Viggo Mortensen received his second Oscar nomination for portraying Ben Cash in Captain Fantastic.

Captain Fantastic tells the story of a man being forced to take his six children out of their sheltered existence in a forest and into the real world in order to attend their mother's funeral after she commits suicide.

Viggo Mortensen is an actor I've always considered underrated since he's really one of the best working today. I have to say though there seems to be a strong contingent though that do seem to fully agree in terms of Mortensen's talent. I say this because Captain Fantastic marks the second time Mortensen's received an Oscar nomination without his film receiving a single other nomination, which means the man has support. I have to say it seems likely that if he ever gets a meaty role in a film the Academy loves beyond him, he'll probably be a shoe in for a win. But enough about how great Viggo Mortensen is, let's get onto talking about how great Viggo Mortensen is in this film. Mortensen plays Ben Cash a man who is a bit like a far less paranoid and sinister Harrison Ford from The Mosquito Coast. We come into the film with Mortensen who essentially plays an old hippie who actually took the initiative along with his wife to go off and live in the forest away from society, going so far as to raise their children right within the forest with little contact with the outside world.

Mortensen is already rather great from the first scene of the film where we see Ben take down a buck with his oldest, son Bodevan (George MacKay), where he proceeds to treat it like a coming to manhood ritual for Bo. Mortensen strikes this rather interesting balance between his performance given that Ben is half loving father and half survivalist technically speaking. Frankly it would have been very easy to overplay the role, which would not have fit the fairly down to earth tone of the film, given the strange nature of it. Mortensen though is able to pull it off, and makes sense of Ben's style of parenting. In these early moments where he has his children practice hand to hand combat, or has all his children scale the side of a mountain, Mortensen brings this certain intensity of a man who believes this to be a necessary teaching. Mortensen balances it so well though with his manner of delivery which is that of a strict yet caring teacher, rather some sort of psychopathic drill sergeant.

There is also something very important that Mortensen does as he sets up Ben's real nature. As we see him teaching the kids he does have that intensity and he brings the certain fire one would expect from someone who absolutely believes in what it is that he is teaching. That's not all Mortensen gives us to him though such as when we see him look upon some of his children's work, or when he receives a verbal lashing of sorts from his own son for misidentifying what type of communist he is. Mortensen is excellent in these moments as he shows us when Ben is not in teacher mode, he does have the insight of a man who has not always lived like this. Mortensen reveals this by portraying the way Ben is a bit taken aback whenever one of these moments happen with the children. Mortensen even echoes just a slight bit of how someone from the outside would react, as he reveals some early doubt in his performance. In that by showing the way Ben is a bit taken aback, Mortensen suggests an understanding in Ben that perhaps he has not given his children every thing they truly need.

Ben soon gets a more severe wake up call though when he is told that his wife, who was away supposedly for mental health reasons, has committed suicide. Mortensen's is very moving in the moment as we see his sadness, though there is even more there. Mortensen suggests perhaps Ben's later days with her as there is also a certain guilt that seems to reveal itself within his face as he attempts to understand what has happened. Ben reveals the news to his children and Mortensen is excellent as he does not do so as a the hippie survivalist mentor, but rather as just a father who cannot really explain the news to his children. Mortensen shows that Ben is actually rather lost as he cannot comfort his children nor deal with his middle son Rellian who lashes out in anger against his father. After this moment of grief though Mortensen attempts to get his kids back on track, and even seems to find a new "mission" for them by attempting to "save" their mother from the burial her parents attend to give her. Mortensen in this suggests kind of an old spark coming out of Ben, as he brings out that real fire again as he rallies his children to his cause.

As they go on the trip it ends up being the Cash family interacting with the "normals" in various ways, thankfully not with the typical misanthropy you'll find in some similarly minded films. Mortensen's terrific here in that he sometimes gives us the Ben as he was when he probably just met his wife and they decided on their specific course of living. In that Mortensen brings the attitude of a firebrand hippie who is all ready to debate with anyone in attempt to prove he is right. Mortensen offers the needed passion to this and in these scenes Mortensen gives us almost the default setting for the man whenever his way of life is questioned or tested by others. Mortensen is not one note in this such as in a pivotal scene where Rellian questions his father's choice of celebrating "Noah Chomsky Day". Mortensen initially breaks into Ben as the excessively sure of himself outsider snarkily asking him to defend Christmas as an alternative. When Rellian reacts like a son whose father is acting like a bit of a jerk rather than a debate opponent though, Mortensen in his quiet reaction powerfully shows the unease in Ben as senses that while he might be supporting his personal philosophy he isn't being a good father.

Mortensen's work here is brilliant as he captures this nuanced conflict in Ben as he attempts to reason out every aspect of his life. Mortensen never undercuts any aspect of this. In his "eulogy" for his wife Mortensen gives the conviction in Ben's almost vicious attack of sorts at the parents' choice of a funeral. Mortensen does carry a bit of the smugness of a man so sure of atypical ways, yet he also in the moment delivers in revealing an almost desperate love as he attempts to prevent his wife from being buried. Mortensen doesn't make it so simple again as in his pleas are not just a support for the wishes of her will, but also it conveys still this guilt in Ben over him possibly contributing to her death by wishing to hold onto their way of life. Eventually his ideas are directly confronted by his wife's father, Jack (Frank Langella), and the problem for Ben is Jack makes some good points. Mortensen is outstanding in the scene as he brings the attempt at passion of a father defending his choices yet within this he exudes the painful sense of doubt in this attempt. Mortensen shows this doubt grow all the more when one of his "missions" leave one of his kids severely injured. Mortensen, because of that, makes Ben's initial decision to leave his children with the grandparents believable, and also incredibly heartbreaking particularly through that palatable sadness he reveals as he drives away alone. Of course what I have not mentioned enough is Mortensen's chemistry with every one of the kids. It is all there, and he is pitch perfect in making you have a real sense of the history between them all. Even when Ben's on his highest of horses Mortensen still is able to give life to the connection between a father and his children. They feel like a real family even with their very unusual ways, and Mortensen is the center of it all. Mortensen here gives such a fantastic performance as he manages to craft this arc of Ben's so effectively to create such a poignant and complex portrait of  man coming to terms with what he has done right for his family, but also what he has done wrong. It's phenomenal work from a phenomenal actor.

Best Actor 2016

And the Nominees Are:

Andrew Garfield in Hacksaw Ridge

Casey Affleck in Manchester By The Sea

Denzel Washington in Fences

Ryan Gosling in La La Land

Viggo Mortensen in Captain Fantastic

Alternate Best Actor 2009: Results

5. Nicolas Cage in Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans - Nicolas Cage is at his mad best here giving a wildly entertaining depiction of the corrupt and drug addicted bad Lieutenant.

Best Scene: The Lieutenant watches the soul dance.

4. Sam Rockwell in Moon - Rockwell gives two great performances here and creates a genuine moving depiction of two men who have more in common than they would like.

Best Scene: Old Sam tells New Sam to go instead.

3. Tom Hardy in Bronson - Hardy gives an amazing and incredibly magnetic performance that brings to life his very strange and violent character in a compelling fashion.

Best Scene: Bronson's "performance" in regards to the sanitarium.

2. Sharlto Copley in District 9- Sharlto Copley gives one of the greatest feature debut performances of all time in his complex, poignant and surprisingly believable depiction of the transformation from a bureaucrat to a half alien freedom fighter.

Best Scene: Wickus is used as a guinea pig by his own company.

1. Viggo Mortensen in The Road- This was a great year for leading performances and it is real shame that the academy could not be bothered to drift out of traditional baity fair to recognize any of these performances. Although I loved all five of these performances the one that left the most lasting impact on me was Mortensen's performance. He gives his best performance with his heartbreaking and almost painfully realistic portrayal of a single man trying to save his son in the horrible conditions of a post-apocalyptic world.

Best Scene: The man says goodbye to the boy.

Overall Rank:

1. Viggo Mortensen in The Road
2. Sharlto Copley in District 9
3. Tom Hardy in Bronson
4. Ricardo Darin in The Secret in Their Eyes
5. Tahar Rahim in A Prophet
6. Sam Rockwell in Moon
7. Michael Stuhlbarg in A Serious Man
8. Nicolas Cage in Bad Lieutenant
9. Ben Foster in The Messenger
10. Stephen McHattie in Pontypool
11. Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Nowhere Boy
12. Michael Sheen in The Damned United 
13. Philip Seymour Hoffman in Mary and Max
    
14. Ben Whishaw in Bright Star
15. Filippo Timi in Vincere
16. Jean Dujardin in OSS 117: Lost in Rio
17. Patton Oswalt in Big Fan
18. Hal Holbrook in That Evening Sun
19. Alex Descas in 35 Shots of Rum
20. Colin Firth in A Single Man
21. Paul Giamatti in Cold Souls
22. Mark Ruffalo in The Brothers Bloom
23. Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart
24. Matt Damon in The Informant!
25. Vincent Gallo in Tetro
26. Alden Ehrenreich in Tetro
27. Luis Tosar in Cell 211
28. Alberto Ammann in Cell 211
29. Sébastien Huberdeau in Polytechnique
30. Song Kang-ho in Thirst
31. Aamir Khan in 3 Idiots
32. Robin Williams in World's Greatest Dad
33. Michael Caine in Harry Brown
34. Maxim Gaudette in Polytechnique
35. Adrien Brody in The Brothers Bloom
36. Jake Gyllenhaal in Brothers
37. Kodi Smit-McPhee in The Road
38. Ranbir Kapoor in Wake Up Sid
39. Jared Leto in Mr. Nobody
40. Vincent Lindon in Mademoiselle Chambon
41. Willem Dafoe in Antichrist
42. Benno Fürmann in Jerichow 
43. Robert Downey Jr. in Sherlock Holmes
44. Tony Leung Ka-fai in Bodyguards and Assassins
45. Johnny Depp in Public Enemies 
    
46. Joseph Gordon-Levitt in 500 Days of Summer
47. Tony Leung Chiu-wai in Red Cliff Part 2
48. Christopher Plummer in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
49. Max Records in Where The Wild Things Are
50. Barry Humphries in Mary and Max
    
51. Bruno Campos in The Princess and the Frog
52. Russell Crowe in State of Play
53. Ed Asner in UP 
54. Michael Nyqvist in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
55. Wyatt Cenac in Medicine for Melancholy
56. R. Madhavan in 3 Idiots
57. Sharman Joshi in 3 Idiots
58. Edgar Flores in Sin Nombre
59. George Clooney in Fantastic Mr. Fox
    
60. Zachary Quinto in Star Trek
61. Evan McGuire in The Secret of Kells
62. Jesse Eisenberg in Zombieland
63. Chris Pine in Star Trek
64. Chiwetel Ejiofor in 2012
65. Lluís Homar in Broken Embraces
66. Jason Palmer in Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench
67. Bill Hader in Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
68. Daniel Day-Lewis in Nine
69. Adam Sandler in Funny People
70. Daniel Radcliffe in The Half-Blood Prince
71. Hugh Jackman in X-Men Origins Wolverine
72. Morgan Freeman in Invictus
73. Rupert Friend in The Young Victoria
74. James McAvoy in The Last Station
75. Tobey Maguire in Brothers
76. Colin Hanks in The Great Buck Howard
77. Bradley Cooper in The Hangover
78. Nicolas Cage in Knowing
79. Jim Carrey in A Christmas Carol
80. Mark Wahlberg in The Lovely Bones
81. Seth Rogen in Funny People
82. George Clooney in Up in The Air 
83. John Cusack in 2012 
84. Zac Efron in Me and Orson Welles
85. Tom Sturridge in The Boat That Rocked
86. Zach Galifianakis in The Hangover
87. Ed Helms in The Hangover
88. Sam Worthington in Avatar
89. John Krasinski in Away We Go
90. Quinton Aaron in The Blind Side

Next Year: 2009 Supporting

Alternate Best Actor 2009: Viggo Mortensen in The Road

Viggo Mortensen did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite getting a few critical mentions, for portraying the man in The Road.

The Road is an effective film about a man and his son trying to survive after the apocalypse.

Viggo Mortensen is no stranger to playing heroic characters but in The Road his character is a far cry from the wandering King Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings. Mortensen here only plays a man known as simply the man as formal names are never given. Mortensen seems like the perfect fit for such moniker considering he has a definite everyman quality to him, and this is further helped by his naturalistic style of acting. This average man though is not in any average situation though as some cataclysmic event occurs suddenly throwing the world into a post-apocalyptic landscape where few people survive, the plant life and most of the animals seem dead, and many of the human who still survive are cannibals who hunt down other survivors and sometimes even use them as if they were cattle.

There are a few scenes set before the man must wander the world with his son, the boy (Kodi Smit-McPhee). These are shown a few times early on in the film as we the Man and his wife, the woman (Charlize Theron), are first dealing with the event while the woman has to give birth to the boy. Mortensen is excellent in these few scenes by showing a different man than we see in the scenes set in the present. Mortensen portrays the Man much gentler and is exceptional in the way he suggests the lack of the current experience in the man. Mortensen properly gives us the man before the end where we see perhaps the man who had been living a good life. The scenes could have easily seemed unnecessary to the film as a whole but Mortensen uses them brilliantly as establishes so well the man who was of the old world and not the horrible one we see him existing in for the majority of the film.

Mortensen also powerfully creates though the beginning of the deterioration through his personal loss in one scene where the woman basically resigns herself from life and decides to leave the man and the boy just to go out into the darkness and just die somewhere. Mortensen is absolutely heartbreaking in the scene as the man tearfully asks her not to go. What makes the most so particularly moving is because Mortensen gives us the futile nature of the man's pleading. Mortensen plays it as the man knowing she is going to leave and that there isn't anything he will be able to do about. In the moment Mortensen makes the loss completely palatable despite the brevity of these scenes. We get very little of the relationship between the woman and the man and the scene comes relatively quickly. Mortensen is able to put forward that love the man shares with the woman and realize the better times while barely seeing making the loss something truly felt.

The rest of the film takes place in the bleak present where the man moves from place to place with his son in attempt to try to find food and some sort of refuge. Mortensen is excellent in these scenes as we see the years in this environment in his face and every physical mannerism of the man. Mortensen's eyes are absolutely haunting in every scene as we basically see what the man has seen within them. There is the history of loss in his expression as we see happiness is something far from what has every been found within his face. The man is slowly dying throughout the film from an unknown lung related ailment that only worsens as the film proceeds. Mortensen's portrayal of this as well as simply the ravages of starvation is harrowing to witness. There never seems to be any acting seen here, Mortensen manages to bring us this man in this situation.

Mortensen very importantly creates a very effective dynamic with Smit-McPhee as the son as he makes the man have a very particular relationship with his son, particular because of the world they must live in. On one hand Mortensen brings the needed warmth in the role and it always makes it obvious that the man loves his son deeply, even though Mortensen does well in often subtly suggesting than always coming out with it in a needlessly overt fashion. The reason that is so important is because the man is suppose to betraying to make it so the son will be ready to face what's left of the world even after the man's death. Mortensen does not make it a distance but rather very honestly portrays the attempts to make the son ready like any good father making his son ready but with far different circumstances. There is no coldness in it, but Mortensen gives the right bluntness in the father's attempts at teaching his son.

Mortensen never wastes a moments in their interactions as he brings such complexity to the relationship. Two of the most heart wrenching scenes are one slightly calmer and one more intense due to the predicament they find themselves in are when the father is trying to show the son how to commit suicide with a gun. The first time Mortensen shows it to be an unfortunate somber remainder to his son, and there is always that extra effort that Mortensen suggests in his performance, which exemplifies that the father does not want to do this, but he simply must. The other is when they believe themselves to be possibly caught by cannibals, and the man for a moments believes he must mercy kill the boy. It is an unforgettable scene because Mortensen makes the horrible nature of the moment only ever ring truthfully as his performance only reflects what any good man would be going through in such a moment.

Mortensen is incredible in realizing a man who tries to hold onto a decency even though it is extremely difficult to do so. Mortensen is fantastic in any moment where the man must set aside his morals for the moment due to the fact he must protect his son. This includes an early encounter with an encounter with an obvious cannibal. Mortensen gives a very moving portrayal by so authentically creating the desperation in the man as he must basically force himself to kill the man as there is no other way. When trying to avoid this Mortensen is so great at showing that the man tries every ounce to handle the man in a peaceful way, and once again shows that extra effort he must put forward to deal with the situation. Mortensen never makes the man an otherworldly hero, but rather very powerfully making him a man who is giving every ounce himself to protect his son and be one of the good guys. 

The film thankfully has a reprieve of sorts where the man and the boy happen upon a survival bunker that is stocked with supplies. The scene allows them to leave their current situation and sort of return what would likely be their normal relationship. Mortensen is terrific in this scene because we briefly see many of the fears and paranoia that had been slowly growing rest. It is a wonderful moment as Mortensen let's even more of the warmth and love the father has to give come out. Mortensen in this scene shows even more that has been lost by showing what has been gained by this comfort. Mortensen again carefully does not overplay the optimism instead beautifully suggesting but never going too far as the man's unfortunate suspicions come to play once again when they hear people who seem to be following them.

This is a complete triumph by Viggo Mortensen as he carries the film upon his shoulders. Although John Hillcoat's direction realizes the apocalypse in all its cryptic detail it is Mortensen that makes the story resonate through his depiction of the man. Even though the story may take place in a fictional time and place this will never be found in Mortensen almost unbearably honest performance. Even though he is only a man and is named so simply as man there is nothing simple about Mortensen's man. He completely realizes every facet of this man's struggle with his son and the final moments of the man's life are devastating to witness because there is not a false breath in Mortensen's work. This is monumental performance by the great Viggo Mortensen and I have no hesitations with calling it his very best performance.   

Alternate Best Actor 2009

And the Nominees Were Not:

Nicolas Cage in Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

Tom Hardy in Bronson

Viggo Mortensen in The Road

Sam Rockwell in Moon

Sharlto Copley in District 9

And since I'm a man of my word BONUS REVIEWS:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt in 500 Days of Summer

Tobey Maguire in Brothers

The prediction contest will just be for the first five.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2001: Results

5. Steve Buscemi in Ghost World- This is an entirely solid performance by Steve Buscemi, but for me it is just that.

4. Viggo Mortensen in The Fellowship of the Ring- Mortensen gives a strong performance balancing well both the strength and underlying weakness in his character. He never becomes the highlight of any of the individual films, but his Aragorn is a highlight of the trilogy as a whole.

3. Brian Cox in L.I.E- Brian Cox plays a very risky role to say the least and Cox maybe plays it too well being a complete creep, but still a charming and very down to earth sort of creep.

2. Jude Law in A.I. Artificial Intelligence- Law is very effective here being quite artificial in his showman's manner. but still having a decent amount of humanity that brings out in his character's warmth and wisdom.

1. Sean Bean in The Fellowship of the Ring- When I watched this film for the first time over ten years ago Bean probably would not have been the first actor I would have mentioned when speaking about the strengths of the film. It was not that I did not like him, I liked him but I took what he did in the role for granted. Bean goes beyond his call of duty here in his portrayal of Boromir who could have easily just been a prideful dupe. Instead he brings a great deal of honest emotion to the role and turns Boromir's folly into the tragic portrait of a patriotic career soldier whose emotions slowly overwhelm and get the best of him.

Overall Rank:

1. Anthony Hopkins in Hearts in Atlantis 
2. Ian McKellen in The Fellowship of the Ring
3. Sean Bean in The Fellowship of the Ring
4. Jude Law in A.I. Artificial Intelligence
5. Brian Cox in L.I.E.
6. Ben Kingsley in Sexy Beast
7. Alan Cumming in Josie and The Pussycats
8. Paul Bettany in A Knight's Tale
9. James Gandolfini in The Mexican
10. Ian Holm in The Fellowship of the Ring
11. Luke Wilson in The Royal Tenenbaums
12. Michael Caine in Last Orders
13. Teruyuki Kagawa in Devils on the Doorstep
14. Justin Theroux in Mulholland Drive
15. Tsutomu Yamazaki in Go
16. Viggo Mortensen in The Fellowship of the Ring
17. Ben Stiller in The Royal Tenenbaums
18. Tony Shalhoub in The Man Who Wasn't There
19. Mark Addy in A Knight's Tale 
20. Tom Courtenay in Last Orders
21. Héctor Benjamín Alterio in Son of the Bride
22. Mark Pellegrino in Mulholland Drive
23. Steve Buscemi in Ghost World 
24. Timothy Spall in Intimacy
25. Ed Harris in A Beautiful Mind
26. Geoffrey Rush in Lantana
27. Monty Montgomery in Mulholland Drive 
28. Sean Astin in The Fellowship of the Ring
29. Robbie Coltrane in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
30. Paul Bettany in A Beautiful Mind
31. Clive Owen in Gosford Park
32. Kenya Sawada in Devils on the Doorstep
    
33. Ian McShane in Sexy Beast
34. Christopher Lee in The Fellowship of the Ring
35. Martin Landau in The Majestic
36. David Hemmings in Last Orders 
37. Ricky Jay in Heist
38. Peter Boyle in Monster's Ball
39. James Gandolfini in The Man Who Wasn't There
40. Mickey Rourke in The Pledge
41. Yuan Ding in Devils on the Doorstep
    
42. Heath Ledger in Monster's Ball
43. Jim Broadbent in Moulin Rouge!
44. Danny DeVito in Heist 
45. Ray Winstone in Last Orders
46. Zhijun Cong in Devils on the Doorstep
    
47. Patrick Fischler in Mulholland Drive
48. Richard Harris in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
49. Owen Wilson in The Royal Tenenbaums
50. Delroy Lindo in Heist
51. Federico Luppi in The Devil's Backbone 
52. Alan Tudyk in A Knight's Tale
53. Aries Spears in Josie and the Pussycats
54. Cast of Black Hawk Down
55. Bill Murray in The Royal Tenenbaums
56. Hugh Bonneville in Iris
57. Jon Polito in The Man Who Wasn't There
58. Andy Garcia in Ocean's Eleven
59. John Lone in Rush Hour 2
60. Holmes Osborne in Donnie Darko
61. John Rhys-Davies in The Fellowship of the Ring
62. Nick Stahl in In The Bedroom
63. Carson Daly in Josie and the Pussycats
64. Peter Falk in Made
65. William Hurt in A.I. Artificial Intelligence
66. James Whitmore in The Majestic
67. Hugo Weaving in The Fellowship of the Ring
68. Angelo Badalmenti in Mulholland Drive
69. Alan Rickman in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
70. John Hurt in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
71. Patrick Swayze in Donnie Darko
72. Kurt Russell in Vanilla Sky
73. Gene Hackman in The Mexican
74. Alan Bates in Gosford Park 
75. Marlon Brando in The Score 
76. Lindsay Honey in Last Resort
    
77. Seth Green in Josie and the Pussycays
78. Breckin Meyer in Josie and the Pussycats
79. Donald Faison in Josie and the Pussycats
80. Billy Boyd in The Fellowship of the Ring
81. Noah Taylor in Vanilla Sky
82. David Duchovny in Zoolander
83. Mario Van Peebles in Ali 
84. Sam Rockwell in Heist
85. Seymour Cassel in The Royal Tenenbaums
86. Eduardo Noriega in The Devil's Backbone
87. Paul Reubens in Blow
88. Moni Moshonov in Late Marriage
89. Ed Harris in Enemy at the Gates
90. Pete Postlethewaite in The Shipping News 
91. James Gandolfini in The Last Castle
92. Simon Cowell in No Man's Land
93. Sam Rockwell in Made
94. Richard Jenkins in The Man Who Wasn't There
95. Brendan Gleeson in A.I. Artificial Intelligence
96. Christopher Plummer in A Beautiful Mind
97. Scott Glenn in The Shipping News
98. Will Ferrell in Zoolander
99. Richard Griffiths in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
100. Tom Noonan in The Pledge
101. Owen Wilson in Zoolander
102. José Dumont in Behind the Sun 
103. Cavan Kendall in Sexy Beast
104. Carl Reiner in Ocean's Eleven
105. Jason Lee in Vanilla's Sky
106. Michael Gambon in Gosford Park
107. Kumar Pallana in The Royal Tenenbaums
108. Bob Balaban in Gosford Park
109. Benecio Del Toro in The Pledge
110. Michael Badalucco in The Man Who Wasn't There
111. Gabriel Mann in Josie and the Pussycats
112. Don Cheadle in Swordfish
113. Paul Blackthorne in Lagaan
114. William Mapouther in In The Bedroom
115. Christopher Walken in Joe Dirt
116. Elliot Gould in Ocean's Eleven
117. Danny Glover in The Royal Tenenbaums
118. Stephen Dillane in The Spy Game
119. Jon Voight in Zoolander
120. Ron Silver in Ali
121. Michael Jeter in Jurassic Park III
122. Ian Hart in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
123. Ryan Phillipe in Gosford Park
124. Jerry Stiller in Zoolander
125. Orlando Bloom in The Fellowship of the Ring
126. Bran Renfro in Ghost World
127. Bernie Mac in Ocean's Eleven
128. Bob Balaban in Ghost World
129. J.K. Simmons in The Mexican
130. Aaron Eckhart in The Pledge
131. Tom Felton in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
132. William H. Macy in Jurassic Park III
133. Steve Buscemi in Domestic Disturbance
134. Eddie Murphy in Shrek
135. Cuba Gooding Jr. in Pearl Harbor
136. Hayden Christensen in Life as A House
137. Rupert Grint in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
138. Matt Damon in Ocean's Eleven
139. Dominic Monaghan in The Fellowship of the Ring
140. Don Cheadle in Ocean's Eleven
141. Oded Fehr in The Mummy Returns
142. Vince Vaughn in Domestic Disturbance
143. Joseph Fiennes in Enemy At the Gates
144. Mark Ruffalo in The Last Castle
145. Paulo Costanzo in Josie and The Pussycats
146. Alec Baldwin in Pearl Harbor
147. Sam Robards in A.I. Artificial Intelligence
148. Rufus Sewell in A Knight's Tale
149. Jon Voight in Ali
150. Arnold Vosloo in The Mummy Returns
151. Jamie Foxx in Ali
152. Jon Voight in Pearl Harbor
153. Iain Glen in Tomb Raider
154. Richard Roxburgh in Moulin Rouge!
155. Alessandro Nivola in Jurassic park III
156. John Hannah in The Mummy Returns
157. Trevor Morgan in Jurassic Park III
158. Freddie Boath in The Mummy Returns
159. John Leguizamo in Moulin Rouge!

Next Year: 1975 Supporting

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2001: Viggo Mortensen and Sean Bean in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Viggo Mortensen did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Aragorn/Strider in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy despite being nominated for best picture each time only received one Oscar nomination for acting that went to Ian McKellen in this film despite the large ensembles of the films. Apparently if the Academy is going to nominate someone from a fantasy or a science fiction film they better be the old wise mentors of the character like McKellen as Gandalf or Alec Guinness in Star Wars. The two performances I am looking at here though don't fall in those categories though they are important to the success of the film. I'll start with Mortensen who plays Aragorn who in most stories would be the main character of the film though he is not.

Frodo played by Elijah Wood is actually the lead of the film but Frodo is not physically imposing and his main method is to avoid danger rather than face it. Aragorn comes along as their guide some time in their film and tries to help them best he can. In McKellen's review I said that he made the character exactly as I pictured him when I read the book, Mortensen's Aragorn is not exactly how I pictured the character, but nevertheless his take on the character still is successful. Mortensen plays Aragorn quite effectively as most certainly a hero in the film yet not a perfect hero which is essential for his character's path that moves across all three films.

Mortensen's quite good showing strength well at the same time concealing greater strength. One of the biggest aspects of his character is the shame he feels due to the actions of his ancestors, and Mortensen brings this into his performance by showing a certain distance in his heroics. Yes Aragorn is a completely heroic character literally throwing himself into danger to save others, but still his manner with others withdrawn and hesitant. Mortensen makes a nice balance showing exactly how he became the ranger in that he does not have the strength to fulfill his destiny yet will still will do whatever good he can in his own way.

Mortensen delivers a very important need in terms of the film is that he stands as certain support to Frodo and the others. He is strong but far from perfect. When he shows up he is able to help the hobbits but he does not really act as a comforting factor which properly keeps the intensity of those that threaten the hobbits. Mortensen is a strong presence and always believable in the action scenes honestly showing an effort in them. His work adds nicely to the tapestry of this film as well the whole trilogy where his character arc lies. He may not quite be the highlight of any of the films, but is one of the highlights of the epic trilogy.

Sean Bean did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Boromir in Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

I have to admit this is a performance that I really took for granted for the longest time. I certainly thought he applied himself admirably, but he was not the performance I took away from the film. Really looking critically at this performance though there is a great deal to be admired by Bean's portrayal of Boromir. Boromir easily could be a throwaway role and could be seen just as part of the background then eventually an obstacle that needs to be overcome by the other characters (as he basically is in the Ralph Bakshi animated version, he's also viking for some reason but the less said about that the better). Bean though very much invests himself fully in the character and does his best to bring humanity to Boromir.

Boromir easily could be just a bully frankly whose want for power is pretty blunt, but Bean does not portray him as such. Bean has him very close to Aragorn actually, but with the key difference being that Boromir is a far more emotional man whose pride can override his better judgment. Bean importantly in any of the moments where he speaks of his homeland has a great intensity in this pride. We can even sense his feelings of both accomplishment and even sadness in what he and his people have been doing and what they have lost to protect the rest of the world from the forces of evil. Bean is great in honestly creating a history in the man, a man who has faced the evil directly for so long on the front lines, and cannot forget that.

Whenever Boromir speak of the ring and his own ideas for it, it never is of evil or greed. Bean is quite effective in the way Boromir seems drawn to in such a primal way, but is almost poetic in the manner in which he speak of the ring. Although he may be wrong about the ring Bean never shows his fallacy to come from evil. Instead Bean has such a genuine passion in what he speaks about, he shows him as a man who honestly believes that the ring will save his land and his people he cares so much for. When Boromir does finally betray his pledge to help Frodo in an attempt to steal the ring for himself Bean is excellent portraying it as an act of desperation above else, and importantly afterwards allows us to see the sadness in Boromir that comes when he realizes what he does.

Bean's absolute devotion in the part when it comes to realizing that underlying motivation of the man humanizes Boromir beautifully and even manages to show just how it was his overpowering emotions rather than evil that drives him to attempt to steal the ring. Bean finds a truth in the character that makes his final scene far more powerful than it would be otherwise. I personally love his reactions in his last stand as he fights on even it becomes quite clear he is losing the fight. Bean's has such heart in his expressions showing the last stand of a man who will try to his last breath. Bean makes Boromir's final moments quite poignant in creating this man who deep down inside only did desire good in his soul. In close examination this is great work that turns what could have been just a simple display of a prideful idiot, into a tragic portrait of a true patriot.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2001

And the Nominees Were Not:

Sean Bean in The Fellowship of the Ring

Viggo Mortensen in The Fellowship of the Ring

Jude Law in A.I. Artificial Intelligence

Brian Cox in L.I.E

Steve Buscemi in Ghost World

Alternate Best Actor 1991: Results

5. River Phoenix in My Own Private Idaho- Phoenix gives a good performance even if it is somewhat muted by the film's direction and his co-star.

Best Scene:  Mike thinks about his mother.

4. Raul Julia in The Addams Family- Julia gives an entertaining enjoyable performance which shows that an actor can overplay and underplay a role.

Best Scene: The Mamushka.

3. Viggo Mortensen in The Indian Runner- Mortensen gives an effective intense performance that brings to life the unpredictable nature of his character.

Best Scene: Joe tries to convince Frank to turn his life around.

2. Val Kilmer in The Doors- Kilmer gives an excellent performance by becoming the role of Jim Morrison through his brief highs and his considerable downs.

Best Scene:  Any of Morrison's performances.

1. John Turturro in Barton Fink- Although Kilmer was great my favorite of year goes to John Turturro's portrayal of Barton Fink. Turturro leads through his incredible film in a brilliant fashion in both realizing his particular character but as well stands as an honest humane portrait of a normal man in this strange world as well.

Best Scene: The Life of the Mind.

Overall Rank:

1. John Turturro in Barton Fink
2. Val Kilmer in The Doors
3. Utpal Dutt in Agantuk
4. Viggo Mortensen in The Indian Runner
5. Gary Oldman in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
6. Raul Julia in The Addams Family  
7. John Gielgud in Prospero's Books
8. Kevin Costner in JFK 
9. River Phoenix in Dogfight
10. James Woods in The Hard Way
11. Robby Benson in Beauty and the Beast
12. Hugo Weaving in Proof
13. Joe Mantegna in Homicide 
14. Michael J. Fox in The Hard Way
15. Alan Rickman in Closet Land
16. Albert Brooks in Defending Your Life
17. Denis Lavant in Lovers on the Bridge 
18. William Hurt in The Doctor
19. David Morse in The Indian Runner
20. River Phoenix in My Own Private Idaho 
21. Kevin Kline in Soapdish
22. Stellan Skarsgard in The Ox
23. Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2  
24. Dipankar Dey in The Stranger
    
25. Maury Chaykin in The Adjuster
26. Wesley Snipes in New Jack City
27. Jeff Bridges in The Fisher King
28. Peter Weller in Naked Lunch 
29. Christopher Eccleston in Let Him Have It 
30. Chang Chen in A Brighter Summer Day
    
31. Elias Koteas in The Adjuster
32. Christopher Lloyd in The Addams Family
33. Richard Dreyfuss in What About Bob  
34. Jeremy Irons in Kafka
35. Robert Duvall in Rambling Rose
36. Dominique Pinon in Delicatessen
37. Nick Nolte in Cape Fear
38. Steve Martin in L.A. Story
39. Leslie Nielsen in Naked Gun 2 1/2
40. Lukas Haas in Rambling Rose 
41. Ethan Hawke in White Fang
42. Keanu Reeves in Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey
43. Alex Winter in Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey
44. Steve Martin in Father of the Bride 
45. Robert Arkins in The Commitments 
46. Michel Piccoli in La Belle Noiseuse
47. Tim Roth in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
48. Kevin Kline in Grand Canyon 
49. Clive Owen in Close My Eyes
50. Kenneth Branagh in Dead Again
51. Billy Crystal in City Slickers  
52. Jason Patric in Rush
53. Al Pacino in Frankie And Johnny
54. Adrian Dunbar in Hear My Song
55. Harrison Ford in Regarding Henry
56. Woody Allen in Shadows and Fog
57. Bill Campbell in The Rocketeer 
58. Robin Williams in The Fisher King 
59. Jacques Dutronc in Van Gogh
60. Damon Wayans in The Last Boy Scout
61. Charlie Sheen in Hot Shots!
62. Bill Murray in What About Bob
63. Robin Williams in Hook 
64. Jean-Marc Barr in Europa
65. Mel Brook in Life Stinks
66. Bruce Willis in The Last Boy Scout
67. William Baldwin in Backdraft
68. Robert De Niro in Cape Fear
69. William Shatner in Star Trek VI
70. Edward Furlong in Terminator 2 
71. Keanu Reeves in My Own Private Idaho
72. Wesley Snipes in Jungle Fever  
73. Nick Nolte in The Prince of Tides
74. Steven Waddington in Edward II
75. Loren Dean in Billy Bathgate 
76. Jason Foster in The Man in the Moon
77. Christopher Lambert in Highlander II
78. Chevy Chase in Nothing But Trouble
79. Jim Varney in Ernest Scared Stupid 
80. Keanu Reeves in Point Break 
81. Ice-T in New Jack City 
82. Warren Beatty in Bugsy
83. Sylvester Stallone in Oscar 
84. James Caan in For the Boys
85. Kevin Costner in Robin Hood: The Prince of Thieves

Next Year: 1991 Supporting

Alternate Best Actor 1991: Viggo Mortensen in The Indian Runner

Viggo Mortensen did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Frank Roberts in The Indian Runner.

The Indian Runner is a moving story, although Sean Penn perhaps tries a little to hard to make a stamp with his direction at times, about the relationship between brothers one a rebellious criminal named Frank the other an officer of the law named Joe.

Mortensen doesn't just go for one tone as Frank, there is a furry of different elements to this man and he is amazing the way he is able to reflect them. In his first scene he seems to be a reasonable sort having just gotten out of the army, and at least for the moment seems to be able to get along just fine as man. Mortensen is very effective though because he suggests what makes him a man who never really can be his brother in this early scene. There is a spontaneity in his performance that is perfect in showing that Frank can never be like his more reserved brother Joe (David Morse). In this early scene Mortensen portrays it something harmless enough, but has still has it something so instinctual that he can't help but do it.

We Frank later on now looking far more the rebel than he did before in his army uniform having no qualms about his behavior. Mortensen is excellent in conveying basically Frank in his natural state which is rather odd, but entirely fitting. Mortensen makes Frank seem to be a series of contradictions, he is charming to a certain degree, he seems to be enjoying himself as well, but at the same time he seems to be hating himself in just the same way. When his brother informs him of their mother's death Mortensen's reaction is spot in the way he shows that Frank is in some way hurt by this revelation in an understated sadness portrayed by Mortensen, but still he never loses the rebellion in him that forces him to almost shrug it off as nothing.

As the film progresses Frank goes in and out of seeming like he could get over his steak as a troublesome sometimes quite violent streak with his behavior that he moves from seeming reasonable enough but it never seems to stay that way. Even when he seems to be going about a normal life there are moments where he becomes truly reprehensible and irresponsible. Mortensen gets this dynamic across so well by making it always the same man. It is something almost primal in a way as Mortensen never shows Frank as fully one way or the other way he is able to get across the wildness of this personality. Mortensen has Frank fly in all directions at once it would be wrong for Frank to always be wild or to not be at all when trying to be controlled he can never be just one way.

Viggo Mortensen very importantly has terrific chemistry with David Morse through just how understated they are together. The two mostly suggest their relationship through glances but the two get across both the disconnection between the two thanks to their natures but as well their connection due to their history as children together. It is a testament to the strength of their performances that they are able to make the relationship of the brothers the central theme of the film despite the fact that the two actually have a very little dialogue between each other, and most of it is fairly simple except for the point where Joe finally confronts Frank. Due to their underplaying beforehand when the conflict between the two finally comes out it is particularly powerful by the way they so effectively established their relationship beforehand.

This is a strong performance by Mortensen that succeeds in creating this distinct type of personality. Mortensen is very good because he does not go about an easy route for Frank which would be just being a rebel all the time or being black and white in the way Frank can change so easily. Mortensen gets across the instability and the impossibility of such a man to just rest for a moment though by instead being as unpredictable as Frank should be as character. The final result that comes from Frank is made by Mortensen an eventuality even though it seems so sudden sense builds the nature of Frank so well throughout his story. This is not Viggo Mortensen's greatest performance, but it is a great early indication of his considerable talent as an actor. 

Alternate Best Actor 1991

And the Nominees Were Not:

John Turturro in Barton Fink

River Phoenix in My Own Private Idaho

Val Kilmer in The Doors

Viggo Mortensen in The Indian Runner

Raul Julia in The Addams Family

Alternate Best Actor 2005: Results

5. Robert Downey Jr. in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang- Downey finds just the right sardonic tone for his performance that fits his film like a glove.

4. Tommy Lee Jones in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada- Jones perfectly cast himself portraying the complex motivations of his character brilliantly.

3. Guy Pearce in The Proposition- Pearce gives a strong understated performance that is particularly effective in portraying the complex relationship that motivates his character.

2. Viggo Mortensen in A History of Violence- Mortensen is terrific in his depiction of the slow dissolution of his character.

1. Ray Winstone in The Proposition- The underrated Ray Winstone wins this year with his powerful performance as a man trying to bring the law to the lawless. Winstone succeeds far more than anyone would expect creating a poignant depiction of a character that could perhaps have been a throwaway in lesser hands.

1. Ray Winstone in The Proposition
2. Viggo Mortensen in A History of Violence
3. Byung-hun Lee in A Bittersweet Life 
4. Barry Pepper in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
5. Mickey Rourke in Sin City
6. Damian Lewis in Keane
7. Philip Seymour Hoffman in Capote
8. Guy Pearce in The Proposition
9. Tommy Lee Jones in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
10. Issey Ogata in The Sun
11. Robert Downey Jr. in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
12. Daniel Auteuil in Caché
13. Matthew Macfadyen in Pride and Prejudice
14. Brendan Gleeson in Six Shooter 
15. Bill Murray in Broken Flowers
16. Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain   
17. Romain Duris in The Beat That My Heart Skipped
18. Jeff Daniels in The Squid and The Whale 
19. Ralph Fiennes in The Constant Gardener   
20. Cillian Murphy in Breakfast on Pluto 
21. Russell Crowe in Cinderella Man 
22. Daniel Day-Lewis in The Ballad of Jack and Rose
23. Brady Corbet in Mysterious Skin
24. Nicolas Cage in Lord of War
25. Pierce Brosnan in The Matador
26. Jake Gyllenhaal in Brokeback Mountain
27. Colin Farrell in The New World 
28. Anthony Hopkins in The World's Fastest Indian 
    
29. Christian Bale in Batman Begins 
30. Ioan Fiscuteanu in The Death of Mr. Lazarescu
31. Jake Gyllenhaal in Jarhead
    
32. Eric Bana in Munich
33. David Strathairn in Good Night and Good Luck
34. Ali Suliman in Paradise Now 
35. Johnny Depp in The Libertine
36. Lou Pucci in Thumbsucker
37. Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Mysterious Skin
38. Greg Kinnear in The Matador 
39. Jonathan Rhys Meyers in Match Point 
40. Elijah Wood in Everything is Illuminated
41. Bob Hoskins in Mrs. Henderson Presents
42. Presley Chweneyagae in Tsotsi
43. Nathan Fillion in Serenity
44. Tony Leung Ka-Fai in Election 
45. Tom Cruise in The War of the Worlds 
46. Martin Freeman in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy 
47. Peter Sallis in Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
48. Kais Nashif in Paradise Now
49. Joaquin Phoenix in Walk the Line
50. Orlando Bloom in Kingdom of Heaven
51. Owen Wilson in Wedding Crashers
52. Vince Vaughn in Wedding Crashers 
53. Will Smith in Hitch
54. Eugene Hutz in Everything is Illuminated
55. Johnny Depp in Corpse Bride 
56. Heath Ledger in The Brothers Grimm
57. Adrien Brody in King Kong 
58. Jesse Eisenberg in The Squid and the Whale  
59. Michael Angarano in Sky High
60. Ewan McGregor in The Revenge of the Sith
61. Matt Damon in Syriana 
62. Daniel Radcliffe in The Goblet of Fire 
63. Josh Hutcherson in Zathura
64. Simon Lam in Election
65. Ioan Gruffudd in Fantastic Four
66. William Moseley in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe  
67. Terrence Howard in Hustle and Flow   
68. Bernie Mac in Guess Who
69. Matt Damon in The Brothers Grimm
70. John Robinson in Lords of Dogtown
71. Victor Rasuk in Lords of Dogtown
72. Emile Hirsch in Lords of Dogtown
73. Johnny Depp in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
74. Jonah Bobo in Zathura 
75. Jim Carrey in Fun With Dick and Jane
76. Will Ferrell in Bewitched
77. Ashton Kutcher in Guess Who
78. Adam Sandler in The Longest Yard
79. Hayden Christensen in Revenge of the Sith

Next Year: 2005 Supporting