1. James Gandolfini - Killing Them Softly
Killing Them Softly is undoubtedly one of the most underrated films of the year - it was politically astute, brilliantly acted and wonderfully well written, and it had the kind of swagger that made The Town so exceptional, despite its grim central universe and its cynical view of the world. The best part of the entire cast - which also featured very good performances by Ben Mendelsohn and Ray Liotta (who'd have guessed?!) - was Gandolfini's recession-friendly portrait of a broken mob hitman. He was the walking, talking Goodfellas hangover, the stark realisation of what happens to wise guys when they get access to every excess they ever wanted and their lives go down the drain as a result. Far from the bravado of other gangster roles, and even minus the confidence of Tony Soprano, Gandolfini was irresistible in Killing Them Softly, and though he was only on screen for a relatively short amount of time, he completely owned the movie.
Why The Snub? It shouldn't be snubbed at all, but perhaps the role was too insubstantial, and the genre just too controversial for the Academy to reward it - his lines may have been delivered impeccably, but when they are so dark and in such a grim film, you get the feeling that the nomination makers will look elsewhere. What do you think? Did we miss any other great performances of 2012 that will inevitably not get nominated today? Share your thoughts below.