Best actor Nominees for Oscar 2011

Javier Bardem for Biutiful:
Bardem's inclusion is something of a surprise here, he didn't have much buzz going in and this is otherwise a pretty strong category. Still it's nice to have him recognized here even if he has no realistic chance of beating the likes of Jesse Eisenberg, James Franco, or Colin Firth.


Jeff Bridges for True Grit:
Arguing tit for tat on whether Bridges surpassed John Wayne's Oscar-winning role is a conversation for another paragraph. In some ways, it's not even relevant. Bridges was wonderful as Rooster, and when measuring it against the other nominees, talk of Wayne should be excluded. Alas, there's no keeping the Duke down and most voters will likely shy away from voting for the same character they already honored once. Still, this is nomination number 6 for Bridges, one year removed from his victory in the same category for Crazy Heart.



Jesse Eisenberg for The Social Network:
Perhaps penalized a bit because some audience members found it hard to relate to his character, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Jesse Eisenberg still secured his first nomination and arguably has the only real shot at taking down Colin Firth. As pronounced as Firth's performance was in The King's Speech, Eisenberg's was mostly understated. No less impressive but perhaps a bit less memorable.



Colin Firth for The King's Speech:
Two years, two Best Actor nominations for Colin Firth. The affable British actor had quietly built himself a reputation in supporting roles for years, but with a likely Oscar win coming for The King's Speech on top of last year's nomination for A Single Man, we may well see him become one of the more classy and reliable actors working today. I wouldn't mortgage the house on impending victory, but I would certainly take him against the field.



James Franco for 127 Hours:
Before 127 Hours, Franco was largely known as a pretty good, not great actor that could seamlessly vault between dramatic and comedic roles. One only has to look to his recent cameo in The Green Hornet to see that whimsical side, but this nomination propels Franco into another category. He's now more than just a likeable face. Only time will tell whether this was a one-off shot at greatness or a sign of things to come.

List of Oscar Nominated films for 2011

The 83rd annual Academy Award nominations are being announced this morning by President Tom Sherak and last year's Best Supporting Actress winner Mo'Nique, from the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Los Angeles, California. The winners, chosen from these nominees, will be announced on February 27th on ABC in a ceremony hosted by Anne Hathaway and, 2011 nominees James Franco.

Best Picture Nominees


Black Swan:
Only Darren Aronofsky could have taken this much emotional turmoil and turned it into a surprise holiday hit. Not that I'm complaining. With one brilliant acting performance, at least three other very good acting performances and a brilliant score that samples heavily from Tchaikovsky, Black Swan is, by all accounts, too sadistic and weird for most of America; yet, the whole thing somehow caught on to the point of a Best Picture nomination. Stranger things have happened, but barring two independent, out of nowhere epic scandals for The Social Network and The King's Speech, it's unlikely Black Swan has any real hope of winning. Still, it's got a better shot than seven other films, and something tells me no one involved is complaining about those odds.


The Fighter:
The Fighter has rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. The complaints have ranged from questionable handling of the boxing scenes to overacting to lack of a charismatic main character, but those who truly got on board, me included, found plenty of reasons to root for David O. Russell's film. There's a certain charm amidst all the haymakers and crack smoking. Like its hero, The Fighter languished in development for years, but when it did emerge, it was with the right director and the right cast. It may very well clean up in the acting categories, but it's pretty behind on points in the Best Picture race.


Inception:
Even though pundits have been predicting a Best Picture nod for months now, most of us well aware of the academy's propensity to bypass summer blockbusters can finally breathe a sigh of relief. It's not just that Inception delivered in a way most big budget action films don't, it's that it was every bit as careful, thought out and interesting as it was fast-paced, exciting and spectacular. If the people had a say, we could go ahead and knock up Inception into legitimate contender status, but as it stands, the nomination itself is the cause for celebration.


The Kids Are All Right:
Not quite a real contender but far from a surprise this morning, The Kids Are All Right recently took home the Golden Globe for Best Musical or Comedy, as well as an acting statue for star Annette Bening. She has a better chance of repeating at the Oscars than the film itself, but for a four million dollar flick about a lesbian couple, their sperm donor and two upperclass kids, it's hard to find any disappointment here.


The King's Speech:
The most realistic of all the contenders, The King's Speech may currently sit in second place, but it is a clear second place. If anyone can mount an assault on Mark Zuckerberg, it's King George V's stammer-ridden speech patterns. Never underestimate Harvey Weinstein's aggressive Oscar campaigns. Even if he fails to gain any traction though, the movie's numerous nominations and almost 100 million in worldwide grosses have to be considered a coup for a British art film made on a measly fifteen million.

The Social Network:
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, it would be a shock if The Social Network didn't take home the ultimate prize at this year's Academy Awards. Many initially questioned whether the film had been released too early, but with buzz still as strong as when David Fincher's film first hit theaters in early October, most of the naysayers are fast re-evaluating their early slanders. The Social Network won't sweep the top categories like Silence Of The Lambs, but as far as sure things go, this category is probably the closest.