2. Joaquin Phoenix
As the emotionally distant and scarred World War II vet Freddie Quell, Joaquin Phoenix is mesmerizing in The Master. He plays a man with no compass in his post-war life, and he passes through in a drunken mess, causing unwanted trouble wherever he goes. He doesn't feel he has direction until he discovers Lancaster Dodd (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), his extended family, and The Cause, Dodd's self-made belief system that is more a religion than a cult. Phoenix gives one of the best performances of his career as Quell, a slow-witted pervert with a talent for making one hell of a home-made cocktail. For any other actor, this challenging and complex performance would certainly solidify a Best Actor Oscar win. Upon the release of The Master - when asked about the film's Oscar buzz and his chances at nabbing the Best Actor award - the always outspoken Joaquin Phoenix responded by stating "I don't believe in it. It's a carrot, but it's the worst-tasting carrot I've ever tasted in my whole life. I don't want this carrot. It's totally subjective. Pitting people against each other ... It's the stupidest thing in the whole world." Although he may be correct in his observation that the Oscars are at best, Hollywood's version of the Prom, the Academy does not take comments like that easily. Phoenix, who caused a lot of heads to stir a few years ago with his "retirement" from acting to pursue a music career (which was all a clever hoax and the subject of the mock-doc I'm Not There) has always looked controversy straight ahead. The Academy, who always want a safe bet - especially during the billion viewer strong telecast - will have presumably taken Phoenix's comments to heart.