The Best Dressed, Part One

Marion Cotillard, passing the Best Actress trophy on with more style than her successor.

Marisa Tomei, a HUGE improvement.

Natalie Portman, making bubble gum fashionable.

Freida Pinto (in stunning blue John Galliano- I will find a better picture later) with Dev Patel. Man, they look great together (the understatement of the year).

Taraji P. Henson in (I called it) the best necklace of the night.

Meryl Streep, pwning her fellow nominees.

They really turned it up for the Big Dance, three cheers for Angie showing some gorgeous skin and Brad switching up his mustache for a goatee.

Images found via InStyle.com.

My Pick for Best Actor

This contest is, for me, by far the most difficult to choose a winner. My top two are so good in their respective movies that I have to say I will be fine if either wins, and I do think it comes down to them- the other three are probably just happy to be nominated.

5. Richard Jenkins- The Visitor

Richard plays Professor Walter Vale, an isolated man who pretends to be busy but is in fact just drifting along in life without any real passion until he finds two immigrants living in his apartment. It is a wonderful role, and it was written especially for Richard, who has been a character actor in supporting roles for his whole career. It is really nice to see an older actor get the respect he finally deserves, and hopefully this nomination will help him see more leading roles. Unless my #1 and #2 split the vote evenly, I think it is very unlikely for him to win but I am happy he was recognized.

4. Frank Langella- Frost/Nixon

Frank plays Richard Nixon during the most famous political interviews of all time that take place after his resignation while he is on the lecture circuit "reducing the presidency to a series of witty anecdotes." Nixon loved money, and when British talk show host David Frost (as played by Michael Sheen) comes along and offers $600,000.00 to interview him, Nixon agrees, thus forgoing the other major interviewers of the time (Mike Wallace, etc.) in the hopes that Frost is a "puff piece" interviewer. Because Nixon is such an indelible figure with an easily recognizable look and accent it is hard to get passed those flaws in the movie if they are not done in such a way where you can ignore them and just enjoy the performance. Frank looks nothing like Nixon, and the voice is almost right, but those two things can be a bit distracting when watching the film. Frank projects a seriousness and a sadness onto Nixon that resonates, but I do not think the role is flashy enough for him to win the big prize.

3. Brad Pitt- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Brad plays the title character, a man born dying who goes out an infant, aging backwards throughout his life. It is such a joy to see him get recognized by the Academy after being woefully ignored in Seven and (especially) Fight Club. Like Langella as Nixon, the role of Benjamin is not flashy; rather, he observes throughout the whole movie- life moves in spite of him instead of around him. I happen to enjoy observing roles which is why he is so high on my list, as well as the fact that he carries an almost three hour movie heavy on visual effects. Brad's skill is not in his quietness as Benjamin (though he is superb in that), but his ability to play an old seven year old, and other phases of his life where his looks and age clearly do not match up. Some Academy voters, however, may not be able to separate the unbelievable visual effects from his performance, which will probably result in his loss.

2. Sean Penn- Milk

Sean plays Harvey Milk, the first openly gay official ever elected in the United States (as city manager for a part of San Francisco) who is brutally murdered by a jealous and failing rival manager. Sean is simply extraordinary in the part, and is especially impressive considering the only major physical changes he goes through to play Harvey are a change of clothing (it was the '70s and Harvey liked tight clothes) and a change in hairstyle. He still looks like Sean Penn, but in an instant he transforms into this incredibly charismatic and warm human being who did so much for so many. This may be shallow, but the only reason I am not picking him as my number one actor is because he already won an Oscar for Mystic River a few years ago. If he had not, I would myself write a letter to the Academy pleading for him to win. That being said, he is certainly a genius enough actor to be awarded with double Oscars, so I will certainly be cheering if he wins.

1. Mickey Rourke- The Wrestler

Mickey plays Randy "The Ram" Robinson, an aged wrestler who is desperate for a comeback and down on his luck and his health. Mickey has both the charisma to pull off being a former famous pro wrestler, entertaining huge crowds, and the sensitivity to play a man who has been broken and battered but refuses to give up. It is an incredible role and I cannot even imagine another actor even thinking about playing it. The fact that this movie has yielded both his first Oscar nomination and his comeback from years of self-destruction makes the movie even sweeter, but in no way is Mickey playing Mickey. There is no mistaking that he is The Ram, as the audience feels every punch he takes, no matter how staged or metaphorical it was.

All images found via Google Images.

Most Underrated Performances of the Year

5. Emma Thompson- Brideshead Revisited

She is in total command of her character and even though she is in just precious few scenes she leaves a lasting impact that causes the audience to wish there was a prequel just about her.

4. Aaron Eckhart- The Dark Knight

Heath Ledger stole the show in the movie, but Eckhart's transition as a good but flawed District Attorney seeking to fight corruption at any cost into a monster is as believable as anything else in the film.

3. Cate Blanchett- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

I can't believe that her performance isn't getting its due this year; usually she's an awards show favorite. While this part does perhaps not have the likability nor the character arc of Benjamin Button, Cate brings something pure into the part; and she matches Brad and proves to be the perfect love for him; indeed, it is easy to why he was in love with her for all those years as the audience comes to be as well.

2. Brad Pitt- Burn After Reading

He lights up the few scenes he's in with a jolt of electricity that's different from any other part I've seen him in, even Thelma & Louise so long ago, and when he leaves the screen were it not for Frances McDormand's brilliance, Burn After Reading would not be as well received as it has been.

1. Emile Hirsch- Milk

I had just watched him in Into the Wild about two weeks before I saw this movie and man has he proven himself to be a brilliant actor just in these two performances. Totally different in almost every way, he puts life and charisma into each and has all the qualities of a young actor about to explode. Shia be damned, Emile is far more talented and deserves all the attention he gets.

Breakout of the Year:
Hayley Atwell for Cassandra's Dream, starring Ewan MacGregor and Colin Farrell and directed by Woody Allen; and Brideshead Revisited, starring Matthew Goode and Ben Whishaw and directed by Julian Jarrold.

Fresh out of drama school, this young and uncommonly beautiful British actress has had one crazy year. Getting to star with actors the caliber of Michael Gambon, Emma Thompson, Colin and Ewan would be a dream for one's lifetime, but not twice in one year. When she bursts onto screen in Cassandra she is so luminous and fresh that it seems ridiculous that she's done so few movies and is only now being discovered, but it seems that Atwell has hit at just the right time.

She plays the desired woman in both movies and creates an erotic tension that vibrates off of the screen with barely a kiss to be seen. For such a young actress, it is genuinely exciting to watch her and see the incredible career that she has ahead of her.

Photo found on Google Images