The sad things about award shows is that there are only so many nominations available for all the great performances in a given year. Despite being integral parts of their respective movies and providing excellent examples of acting, some exceptional performances will still be left out for a multitude of reasons. Some will be shut out because they appear in movies that a lot of critics didn't care for, or in other cases were overshadowed by even better performances in the same movie. Other smaller or "less important," but no less impactful roles that weren't "major" enough to warrant awards consideration will also find themselves on the same heap, no matter how well executed. It also happens that actors and actresses who appear either in very small indie movies, or in massive blockbusters, generally have no shot at even a nomination, never mind a win. With the Oscar nominations announcement coming later today, and with a number of great performances that have no chance of winning again about to be forgotten during awards season, it's time to look back at some of the best performances that, for whatever reason, just weren't quite up to Oscar standards. Luckily, the Oscars aren't the final judgement of cinematic talent, and many of these performances will be looked upon fondly in the years to come, whether or not they end up with an gold statue.
I love movies, literature, history, music and the NBA. I love all things nerdy including but not limited to Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, and Firefly. My artistic idols are Dylan, Dostoevsky, and Malick and my goal in life is to become like Bernard Black from Black Books. When I die, I hope to turn into the space baby from 2001: A Space Odyssey.
