Best ActorHeath LedgerWhile I would have liked to see Jeff Daniels get recognition for his work in “”The Squid and the Whale,”” the five nominees all give knockout performances. Philip Seymour Hoffman was fantastic and will probably win, but Ledger’s nuanced portrayal of Ennis was subtly affecting.
Best ActressReese WitherspoonEven though this category is as thin as Lindsay Lohan, it’s our best chance to see someone cry when she wins. With no Gwyneth Paltrow-like guarantee among the nominees, my guess is that Reese would bawl in her acceptance speech. Too bad “”Walk the Line”” wasn’t her best work this year. How did she manage to play a ghost … when she was still actually alive?
Snubbed””Me, You and Everyone We Know”” Miranda July’s first feature had a unique and original voice in a year full of crappy remakes and Hollywood schlock. It’s not a perfect film and I wouldn’t expect the arthritic Academy to give it a Best Picture nod, but an original screenplay and acting nomination would have been thoroughly deserved.
Best ActorPhillip Seymour HoffmanIt’s about time Seymour Hoffman was nominated for his exceptional acting. He should have won for his performance as Dean Trumbell, the mattress man in “”Punch-Drunk Love,”” but his portrayal of Capote was as flawless as it gets.
Best ActressReese WitherspoonAs if she wasn’t cute enough already, she had to go and portray June Carter-Cash to perfection. I’m just glad that they didn’t overdo her “”dos”” throughout the years like Anne Hathaway in “”Brokeback Mountain.””
Snubbed””The Constant Gardener””This was the most beautifully shot film this year, and although it received nominations in other categories, Fernando Meirelles’ film deserves the best picture nomination because it is complex, complete and controversial.
Best ActorPhilip Seymour HoffmanPSH is one of the most underrated-yet-deserving-of-our-love actors of his generation. His portrayal of Truman Capote was absolutely seamless. Plus, not once did he complain to the press about how hard it was or how brave he was to play a gay character. Cough* Heath Ledger *Cough.
Best ActressFelicity HuffmanTwo words: prosthetic penis. Felicity Huffman played a man struggling with his sexual identity in “”Transamerica.”” Hopefully she will win because she was amazing, not because she made herself ugly. Cough* Charlize Theron *Cough.
SnubbedOwen Kline””Squid and the Whale”” star Owen Kline, who played the young brother Frank, should have been nominated for a supporting actor nod. He drinks beer, plays with condoms and masturbates in the film. And aren’t those the exact behaviors of a Hollywood golden child?
Best ActorJoaquin PhoenixDid you see the Oscars last year? “”Ray”” took home the big money. Pretty much any time you portray a dead legend, it means a nice little statue to take home with you. Plus, Phoenix went above and beyond “”Ray”” and actually sang the songs himself instead of lip-synching along.
Best ActressReese WitherspoonWitherspoon did a phenomenal job playing a woman in love with someone she knew couldn’t work. Her chemistry made the relationship with drug-addicted Cash believable. I really felt for her and realized the relationship wasn’t as easy as just giving in or walking away.
SnubbedSteve CarrellWhat’s the only other thing that male actors avoid like Kryptonite besides playing gay cowboys? Playing a 40-year-old virgin. Carrell’s movie was at the top of the box office for ages raking in the dough, but gets absolutely no love? It just isn’t right.