In the spirit of the "best picture" thread ...

I'll kick things off. Al Pacino in all of the Godfather films. His best performance was most certainly in Part II, if any, the Academy should have at least awarded him for that. Three scenes in particular stick out for me:


These are just some examples of the memorable and powerful Pacino moments that went unrewarded by the Academy.

This one is the worst: Ian McKellen losing to that clown Roberto Benigni in 1998.

While it was a VERY tough choice, given that the winner did a hell of a job, too, I've always felt that Tom Hulce should have won for his role in Amadeus, rather than F. Murray Abraham for his.

And part of me thinks that Andy Serkis should have at least been nominated for his role as Gollum.

Robin Williams for Dead Poets Society

Tom Hanks losing to Russell Crowe for Cast Away

Russell Crowe losing to Denzel Washington for A Beautiful Mind

I would have given Best Actor to Crowe for The Insider over Spacey.

How about actress?

Ellen Burstyn's performance in Requiem for a Dream losing to Julia Roberts' Erin Brokovich

A travesty of historic proportions

I know it says actor but
Ellen Burstyn for Requiem for a Dream losing to Julia Barbaro Roberts for Erin Brockavich.

The only reason I didn't post the exact same time as zooiiks is because I looked up how to spell Brockovich but still spelled it wrong.

That's first thing come to my mind.

Dennis Christopher in 'Breaking Away'

I say Al Pacino for The Godfather Part II.

And, Robin Williams for Good Morning Vietnam (vs. Michael Douglas for Wallstreet)

Ralph Fiennes for Schindler's List ("lost" to Tommy Lee Jones for The Fugitive)

Tom Hanks for Cast Away

How many actors carry an entire movie?

Bill Murray, Bill Murray, Bill Murray!!! for "Lost in Translation"

also, Jim Carrey for "The Truman Show"...to not even get nominated was a high crime.

I'll second Hanks for Cast Away and Carrey for Truman. Both were amazing and should have been rewarded as such.

I think Heath Ledger in 2005 as well, even though I have seen and do appreciate Phillip Seymour Hoffman's performance in Capote. I just feel more credit should be given to those who create and deliver a believable character from ink printed on paper rather than those who mimic a character with years and years of video footage to guide them. Too often in recent times has the Oscar gone to somebody impersonating a famous figure.

As much as I like Ian McKellan in Gods and Monsters, I was and still am very happy the award went to "that clown" Roberto Benigni. I am one of those people who bitch every year about comedic actors never getting nominated.

I understand Life is Beautiful is a divisive movie. I was one of the people who really liked it. I thought Benigni was very funny and moving and deserved the award. (Though I will grant you that his behaviour at the awards ceremonies was embarassing).

Dustin Hoffman (The Graduate) to Rod Steiger (In the Heat of the Night) in 1967.

Rod Steiger (The Pawnbroker) to Lee Marvin (Cat Ballou) in 1965.

Richard Burton, Peter O'Toole, Dustin Hoffman and John Voight to John Wayne in 1969. How could that have happened, even by thinking of it as a lifetime award?

I concur with Benigni. Ugh!

I disagree with Burstyn. How much does it take to play the stupidest life-form in the universe? Horrid performance in a wretched movie. I wouldn't have given it to Roberts either but the field was weak. The great Joan Allen in her worst movie (and who had been robbed twice before); Juliette Binoche in a piece of fluff (that I admittedly like, but really), and Laura Linney, very good in a decent film but still not up to Academy standards. I guess of that bunch I give it to Linney.

Which does remind me of a couple more.

Joan Allen (The Crucible) to Juliette Binoche (The English Patient) in 1996.

And Joan Allen (Nixon, although I don't like the film) to Mira Sorvino (Mighty Aphrodite) ijn 1995. Sorvino was very good though.

There are many more.

I thought Linney should have won, too.

Denzel Washington for Malcolm X. In my eyes this was the greatest robbery in Oscar history.

Not only was it the best performance of that year, but it was one of the best performances of all-time. It's one of the many mysteries that I'll always remember and never understand.

I loved Training Day, but Denzel should not have won best actor for it.

Another agreement here.

I'll toss in Iam Holm for The Sweet Hereafter. Incredible he didn't get an Oscar for this performance... mind-shatteringly ridiculous that he didn't even get a nomination.

Are you calling mothers the dumbest life-form in the universe? Her performance was fantastic.

But taking this outside the Burstyn debate, the only reason Julia Roberts won is because she's so popular. Her performance in Brokovich was workmanlike. Any artist who has worked long enough could have done easily as well. It was a travesty that she beat out anyone, ever, for her performance in that film. Roberts has never given an Oscar-worthy performance, and for her to win just cements the Oscar's reputation as Hollywood's popularity contest.

Liam Neeson in Kinsey... not even a nomination.