Monday, October 13, 2008

Who SHOULD Win an Oscar(r) Someday?

10 Actors and Actresses Whom I Believe are Oscar(r)-Worthy

I've been reading blogs, prognostication sites and industry pages and got to thinking about whom I'd like to see win an Oscar(r) at some point in their career. Some of my choices have been nominated before, but haven't won. Others have had buzz for roles, but haven't broken through yet. And others are those whom I simply respect and see that bright(er) future for. Here's my picks, in alphabetical order, along with brief explanantion:

Actors:
Jamie Bell - Amazing growth over time; risk taker; oozes talent. See Defiance or Chumscrubber.
Russell Crowe - Yes, he's won before, but he was especially good in earlier films like The Insider; needs to get away from Ridley Scott so his career revitalizes. And, come on...Gladiator was his best performance? He needs to win for a truly meaty role. (Don't get me wrong - he was great in Gladiator, but he can do and has done much better work)
Johnny Depp - an amazing character actor who needs to get away from Disney & Tim Burton...branch out, man.
Leonardo DiCaprio - fantastic actor who only needs to do a film where he's not overshadowed by another powerhouse like Nicholson, Day-Lewis or a sinking ship.
Robert Downey, Jr. - Long overdue. Ever see Chaplin or Zodiac?
Jake Gyllenhaal - Has amazing potential and is best when directed well...see Brokeback Mountain and Zodiac.
Ed Harris - What does he have to do to win one? Exceptional, solid and brilliant. See Pollack.
James McAvoy - Hitting his stride with Last King of Scotland (underrated) and Atonement. If he keeps choosing correctly, he'll score one eventually.
Peter O'Toole - Don't give him one out of pity. Give him one because he has deserved one for almost every screen appearance; his next one will be just as good as his many past films. See Lawrence of Arabia and My Favorite Year.
Will Smith - A commercial and critical favorite who can amuse us, entertain us and act his ass off. See Ali and Pursuit of Happyness.

Actresses:
Amy Adams - A brilliant spitfire. See Enchanted and Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day.
Patricia Clarkson - One of those actresses who is just good in everything. See Station Agent, for example.
Anne Hathaway - Taking a long, smart road to get there. See Brokeback Mountain and Rachel Getting Married.
Felicity Huffman - Another who's good in everything. See Transamerica for a tour-de-force performance. An actor's-actor.
Catherine Keener - Quirky, and utterly believable. See Being John Malkovich and Capote.
Keira Knightley - Some may disagree, but I think she's damn talented. See Atonement or Pride & Prejudice.
Laura Linney - The third who's good in everything. See The Savages and You Can Count on Me.
Julianne Moore - Someday she'll get it. After a run of smashing performances, she's chosen odd and inconsistent projects. For high quality Moore, see The Hours and Far From Heaven.
Samantha Morton - Always interesting and always solid. See In America and Sweet & Lowdown.
Kate Winslet - Literally, one of my all-time favorite actresses. See ANYTHING she's done. From drama (Little Children, Iris) to fantasy (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Heavenly Creatures) to spectacles (Titanic) to period pieces (Sense & Sensibility, Hamlet), she is always brilliant.

Agree? Disagree? Have your own ideas? Let me know!