Our Kind of Voting Pt. 2
Tuesday, November 6, 2012 at 6:32PM 
image shamelessly grabbed from My New Plaid PantsI'm feeling anxious today -- everyone around me is too.
We won't know who won the Presidential Election until late tonight but since all I can think of today is voting, we'll continue with our actual favorite kind of voting: Oscar voting.
Or, rather, retroactive hypothetical Oscar voting. See part one if you missed it or enjoy this exercize
So tell me who wins your vote in some of the most famously divisive, contentious, or just plain fabulous categories ever! Explain your choices in the comments.
2003 BEST ACTOR
SEAN PENN (Mystic River) vs. BILL MURRAY (Lost in Translation) vs. JOHNNY DEPP (Pirates of the Caribbean) vs JUDE LAW (Cold Mountain) vs BEN KINGSLEY (House of Sand and Fog)
1974 BEST ACTRESS
ELLEN BURSTYN (Alice Doesn’t…) vs. DIAHAN CARROLL (Claudine) vs. FAYE DUNAWAY (Chinatown) vs. VALERIE PERRINE (Lenny) vs. GENA ROWLANDS (A Woman Under the Influence)
1939 BEST PICTURE
GONE WITH THE WIND vs DARK VICTORY vs GOODBYE MR CHIPS vs LOVE AFFAIR vs MR SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON vs NINOTCHKA vs OF MICE AND MEN vs STAGECOACH vs THE WIZARD OF OZ vs WUTHERING HEIGHTS
2007 BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
CATE BLANCHETT (I’m Not There) vs. AMY RYAN (Gone Baby Gone) vs. SAOIRSE RONAN (Atonement) vs. RUBY DEE (American Gangster) vs TILDA SWINTON (Michael Clayton)
Ready? Set. Go!
Reader Comments (87)
2003: Ben Kingsley
1974: Faye Dunaway
1939: The Wizard of Oz
2007: Tilda Swinton
2003 BEST ACTOR
Such a great great year!!!! My choice is SEAN PENN (Mystic River) with JOHNNY DEPP (Pirates of the Caribbean) a close second. Truly marvellous what Depp accomplished in that movie but the "I Can't Even Cry For Her" scene of Penn beats everything. A stunning, truly award deserving, performance.
1974 BEST ACTRESS
GENA ROWLANDS (A Woman Under the Influence). Just plain WOW!!!
1939 BEST PICTURE
GONE WITH THE WIND
2007 BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
SAOIRSE RONAN (Atonement) in a heart beat. OMG that kid is an amazing actress. The first half of Atonement is a work of art because of her. TILDA SWINTON (Michael Clayton) a close close second.
I'm in love with this huge response to Gena Rowlands in A Woman Under the Influence. I always thought the movies was criminally underseen, but this post makes me realize that love is growing and it's stronger by the day. This movie was my first contact with John Cassavetes and I was astonished by Gena and by the movie itself, a masterpiece that must be included in any top 10 of the 70's. I hope that all of you that haven't already done that, go and see all movies by Cassavetes, specially Opening Night (in which Gena come this close to top her own work in AWUTI) and Love Streams, the best movie by Cassavetes.
2003 BEST ACTOR
BILL MURRAY (Lost in Translation)
1974 BEST ACTRESS
DIAHAN CARROLL (Claudine)
1939 BEST PICTURE
OF MICE AND MEN
2007 BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
CATE BLANCHETT (I’m Not There)
2003 Best Actor
Bill Murray, Lost in Translation
1939 Best Picture
Gone with the Wind
2007 Supporting Actress
Saoirse Ronan, Atonement
All three among my favorite films of all time.
2003 Actor - Kingsley. He's soooo good.
1974 Actress - They all deserve the V.
1939 Picture - Dark Victoy is so amazing (but it isn't everyone's cup of tea). OMG. Was Wuthering Heights really nominated that year? It's really not very good. Merle Oberon ... hahahaha!
2007 S. Actress - Meh.
2003: Bill Murray, Lost in Translation
1974: Gena Rowlands, A Woman Under the Influence
1939: Wizard of Oz
2007: Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There (Judging JUST on quality, I'd easily go with Saorise, but my instincts tell me that that performance is lead and it was category fraud, so I have to go with the best actual SUPPORTING performance that got nominated.)
Kingskey
Rowlands
Gone with the Wind
Tilda Swinton
2003 Best Actor: Ben Kingsley, as has always been my preference for that year. While we're at it, you can throw in Shohreh Aghdashloo as Best Supporting Actress for good measure.
Troy -- they really were both marvelous in that movie, weren't they? Shame that the movie isn't very good though (i don't think)
2003 Best Actor - Honestly, I don't think Penn holds up that well on repeat viewings. I always though Murray was overrated. Kingsley and Law were good, but neither was even the high point of their film. Peter Saarsgard should have been correctly placed here, but even with him in the race, Johnny Depp should have taken it. Penn was my choice at the time, but Depp truly was a marvel in his film. Not only did he drive a hugely profitable franchise (that went downhill fast), he created an iconic and fascinating character. I actually like when the Academy awards turns that are so good they bring in the box office - for instance, I wish Meryl had won for The Devil Wears Prada (and we can have back last year's Oscar).
1974 Best Actress - I need to do my homework before commenting.
1939 Best Picture - I've only seen a few of these, and I definitely need to watch the whole list. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington is one of the most fantastic movies I've seen on politics and corruption. Gone With the Wind is a deserving winner, a sweeping tale of history woven with my favorite Actress win to date for its bratty, self-absorbed, surviving heroine. Above these two for me, though, is one of the all time greats. The Wizard of Oz is littered with wonderful performances, heartfelt themes, and quite frankly it's one of the first films that comes to mind when we talk about the history of cinema. I can only imagine the rest of the competition in this category - if The Women couldn't find a slot, it must undoubtedly be as amazing as everyone claims.
2007 Supporting Actress - Boy, it's hard to take it from Tilda. That was really a wonderful moment of everything coming together for one the Academy's most interesting winners. She was also the only thing I liked Michael Clayton, and I would put her above Blanchett and leagues higher than Ryan or Dee. With all that said, only one nominee made my top five for the year, and that was Saoirse Ronan. I have no problem with Tilda taking it, but Ronan would have had my vote in 2007, and she still has it now. Should have been here: I still don't understand why Jennifer Garner didn't WIN for Juno, and she would have been joined by Taraji P. Henson's hilarious turn in Talk To Me (her best to date), Allison Janney for Juno (bonus points for Hairspray) and Michelle Pfeiffer for Stardust (bonus points for Hairspray), along with Ronan.
2003 BEST ACTOR - SEAN PENN (Mystic River)
1974 BEST ACTRESS - I've only seen Faye Dunaway's performance.
1939 BEST PICTURE - The Wizard of Oz. What a classic.
2007 BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - All fantastic. My vote goes to that little bitch Briony (Saoirse Ronan).
2007 Best Supporting Actress: I really wasn't in love with any of these performances, but there is something about Saoirse Ronan's that still remains in my mind, so I guess I'd have to go with her.
Nathaniel: The bigger shame is that Aghdashloo hasn't done more film work. Where she at?
2003 BEST ACTOR
SEAN PENN (Mystic River)
1974 BEST ACTRESS
GENA ROWLANDS (A Woman Under the Influence)
1939 BEST PICTURE
GONE WITH THE WIND
2007 BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
CATE BLANCHETT (I’m Not There)
2003: As much as I love me some Sean Penn, I'm going to have to go with BILL MURRAY.
1974: FAYE DUNAWAY. Please.
1939: THE WIZARD OF OZ holds up better than any of the others, I think.
2007: CATE BLANCHETT. Absolutely no one else on the planet could have played that part. No one.
2003: I love both Law and Kingsley's performances, but I have to go with Murray. So bittersweet, so straightforward. I actually think Penn did not deserve an Oscar for his strained, stilted performance. He was much better that year in 21 Grams, for which he should have been nommed instead.
1974: This one tears me apart. I love Ellen's win, I love the film, I love her in this. She accomplishes that rare feat--she creates a fully realized human being. But Gena's astonishing, harrowing portrayal can't be denied. I can't choose, but I could give this one to Gena if Ellen had won the year before for The Exorcist, which she most certainly should have. This year was a great race--all the ladies were phenomenal.
1939: Has to be Gone With the Wind. It's a benchmark of classic cinema. But I have a soft spot for both Goodbye Mr. Chips (Donat deserved his Oscar and Greer Garson has one of cinema's most stunning debuts) and Dark Victory (Bette said it was her favorite of all her performances).
2007: I've only seen Swinton and Ryan, so I need to catch up before I decide.
Nathan, thank you for all this election fun!
ACTOR 2003 - Tough choice between Murray and Depp, both genius performances of completely different colors. I'd give it to Murray, only because I think the nomination was enough for Depp's performance (and Lost in Translation is a better film than Pirates of the Caribbean, which isstill better than most people give it credit for).
ACTRESS 1974 - I haven't seen any of these... (sheepishly backs away)
PICTURE 1939 - I get Gone With the Wind's win, I really do... but this was such an incredible year that I wish they had spread out the wealth a bit more. I would probably go with Wizard of Oz for BP (that film IS magic), Vivien Leigh for Best Actress, Jimmy Stewart for Best Actor, Mr. Chips for Screenplay and Fleming for Director (for Gone With the Wind).
SUPPORTING ACTRESS 2007 - Great line-up of five (mostly) equally worthy performances. If I could have, I would have expanded the category and nominated Jennifer Garner for her beautiful, subtle work in Juno and had Vanessa Redgrave share Saoirse Ronan's nom for her stunning short turn in Atonement as well. I can't begrudge Tilda this win and I was rooting for her hardcore at the time (she is PERFECTION in Michael Clayton, and since I had no clue who she was when I saw it, she blew me away), but I find it hard to deny Cate Blanchett's demented/genius turn in I'm Not There, one of the biggest acting gambits in history, which pays off in spades. (Ronan/Redgrave are a VERY close third)
I have to add, though, that I kind of like the idea of Blanchett winning for a very Swintonian performance. Can't you just see Tilda in that role?
Murray, Rowlands, Stagecoach, Ronan.
2003 - Toss up between Depp and Murray, but i'm leaning more towards Murray. Wasn't 2003's best actor one of the best ever?!
1974 - Ellen Burstyn, although Faye Dunaway is a very very close second. Am i the only who does not love Gena Rowland's performance that much? i thought she was excellent, but i'm not crazy about her as i am for Burstyn and Dunaway this year.
1939 - THE WIZARD OF OZ. Probably the most enjoyable rewatchable movie of all time! And I didn't even see it as a kid!
2007 - Tilda Swinton hands down. How she won still amazes me. It's very outside the Academy's realm of what they like to award in this category.
2003: Jude Law. This one is very hard. I even typed out Bill Murray's name before changing it, but I have to go with Jude Law's under-appreciated (though apparently not quite as underrated as I thought) work in Cold Mountain.
1974: Dunaway. Love her in everything.
1939: Gone with the wind. Not even close. Oz and Mr. Smith are great but cannot touch GWTW.
2007: Saoirse Ronan. Best film of that year. Filled with so many incredible performances and Ronan's dominates the first half of the film.
2003 BEST ACTOR
Well, if we've already straightened out the 1993 Best Actor award, giving it to Bill Murray for Groundhog Day, then I'd say Johnny Depp. If not, Murray.
1974 BEST ACTRESS
Gena Rowlands, Faye Dunaway, Diahan Carroll, Ellen Burstyn and Valerie Perrine, in that order.
1939 BEST PICTURE
Gone With The Wind -- a classic romance, and the most iconic film of the era.
2007 BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Ryan, but Tilda Swinton is A-okay with me.
2003: Johnny Depp
1974: Gena Rowlands
1939: Gone with the Wind
2007: Tilda Swinton
Billy Murray
Gena Rowlands
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Tilda Swinton
2003 BEST ACTOR I was happy with Sean’s win
1974 BEST ACTRESS Some years are so weak, I don’t feel this was one of them. I would have loved Faye to have won, but she was compensated two years later and I think Ellen deserved it.
1939 BEST PICTURE One of the best years for films, all the nominated pictures had something going for them, but in the end GWTW had that little bit more.
2007 BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Tilda all the way!
2003 BEST ACTOR - SEAN PENN (Mystic River) all the way!
1974 BEST ACTRESS - GENA ROWLANDS (A Woman Under the Influence), but Ellen Burstyn was a great choice too (both Rowlands and Burstyn were great). Plus, I love Faye Dunaway in "Chinatown"
1939 BEST PICTURE - GONE WITH THE WIND, with NINOTCHKA in my second place
2007 BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - I'm perfectly fine with TILDA SWINTON (Michael Clayton) winning this race, but I also loved Cate Blanchett in I’m Not There
2003: Kingsley
1974: Gena
1939: Gone with the Wind
2007: Tilda
2003- I always forget what an awesome year that was, five (well four- not too high on Jude in Cold Mountain) excellent performances, I would actually go with BEN KINGSLEY, I'm intensely moved by him in that film.
1974- GENA ROWLANDS, for my money the best performance in a film EVER. That's how strongly I feel about Mabel Longhetti
1939- Toughie but THE WIZARD OF OZ
2007- TILDA SWINTON, goddess of time and space, far above the other four
1.- Sean Penn.
2.- Faye Dunaway.
3.- Gone with the wind.
4.- Saoirse Ronan.
2003 BEST ACTOR
SEAN PENN / JUDE LAW tie
1974 BEST ACTRESS
ELLEN BURSTYN - If I had my way they would give her a statue every time she agreed to get in front of a camera.
1939 BEST PICTURE - Amazing year but I'm riding the cyclone with Dorothy and THE WIZARD OF OZ
2007 BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
CATE BLANCHETT
2003 BEST ACTOR
MURRAY (Lost in Translation)
1974 BEST ACTRESS
ROWLANDS (A Woman Under the Influence)
1939 BEST PICTURE
GONE WITH THE WIND
2007 BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
BLANCHETT (I’m Not There)
Jamie -- that's a lot of statues!
Mythical Monkey: If things are, really, squared away, BRUCE CAMPBELL wins Lead Actor in 93. Why? Perfect physicality that completely OWNS the screen every single moment and one line delivery after another that, more and more, convey just how CRAZY Ash Williams has become after the ordeal he went through in the first two films. Also: After 1993's squared away, I'd toss the 2003 win at Daniel Bruhl, with Bill Murray getting '98 Supporting Actor and Depp getting 1990 Lead.
Johnny Depp. It was one of those rare occasions where Oscar could have rewarded a unique and universally-beloved star turn in a mainstream film. Not saying Penn wasn't good, but it was a safe pick. I think he split votes with Murray. Two light performances in BA in one year, how often does that happen?
Burstyn. Very deserving.
Come on. Gone with the Wind.
Tilda! The blackmail set up scene with Cloonely = one of the best movie scenes of the past decade. I love this film, and all 3 main players deserved to win.
Sean Penn should have been nominated for 21 Grams. He was so much better there
Gena Rowlands
Gone with the wind
Eehh since my very two favs actresses Blanchett and Swinton were nominated in the same cathegory, I will say a tie between these two. Ronan is INCREDIBLE wheras Dee was not really that good. Why was she even nominated??? . Amy Ryan was good as well
Murray
Rowlands
Ninotchka
Swinton
2003: Ben Kingsley
1939: Ninotchka
2007: Tilda Swinton