2007 best lead actor opinions

Michael Clayton – George Clooney

This is the first nomination for George Clooney in his continued quest to be nominated for an Academy Award in every category, he has already been nominated for Best Director (Goodnight and Good Luck), Best Actor in a Supporting Roll (Syriana) and Best Writer for an Original Screenplay (Goodnight and Good Luck).  I think he is a great actor and I have enjoyed him as a director and writer but this is not his time for this category, his performance was fine but not a winner (The nomination is questionable too IMO).

There Will be Blood – Daniel Day-Lewis

Daniel Day-Lewis is ruthless and terrifying.  His portrayal of Daniel Plainview is a shoe-in in this category.  This is his fourth nomination for this category and it will be his second win (his first win being My Left Foot).

Sweeny Todd; The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Johnny Depp

Just a quick word about this film because this is the first time I have written about it, it’s a musical.  It’s probably more of a musical than Chicago and it’s much more of a musical than Grease.  The film is also very gruesome.  Onward with Johnny Depp.  Depp is a charismatic and consistent performer and he keeps getting unlikely nominations (paring this with Jack Sparrow) he is good enough to get and Oscar but it’s not for this roll, much like Clooney this year Depp probably did not actually deserve this nomination.

In The Valley of Elah – Tommy Lee Jones

This is Tommy Lee Jones’s third nomination but his first for Lead Actor (he won for his roll in The Fugitive).  He’s a national treasure as an actor but he aint gonna win.

Eastern Promises – Viggo Mortensen

Viggo gave a paced and perfect performance in Eastern Promises and it gave me a lot of confidence in him as an actor.

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I just read the Entertainment Weekly write up on these nominations and they had pretty much the same position that I do which is Motensen, Jones, Depp and Clooney are fantastic actors but they are not going to win because they are up against  Daniel Day-Lewis.  Period.