It’s possible he could pull off a “John Mills” this year. It’s definitely going to be him or Plummer. The fact that I have to check back to remind myself who else is nominated pretty much says it all – two-man race.
VA:F [1.9.17_1161]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
JP / February 4, 2012
Considering Plummer has this in the bag, the Academy should consider giving Von Sydow the honorary Oscar in the end of this year. If it was possible to see him and Liv Ullmann receiving this honor together, it would be fantastic.
@Ryan Adams: I just wanted to say, that I know your original intentions were good. I will just refrain from mentioning those controversial issues surrounding the Best Actress race because I already feel it is a lock anyway and I want the environment to become more positive. I respect that the site is being more even-handed about the awards race and contenders now. I am glad it is back to normal. I just wanted to say that so there will be no ill will directed towards me.
I personally feel the Best Supporting Actor race seems to be more of a “body of work” category excluding newbie dramatic ( former comedic actor) Jonah Hill who was in a BP contender.. I really do believe it is between Plummer and Max von Sydow. Plummer will probably sweep everything until the Oscars where we might get a possible surprise. Key word being might. Sydow had less screentime and his character/role was less developed but his performance was just as fine as Plummer’s. The Academy and the awards race in general ignored a lot of strong supporting work in other films so analyzing their choices, they seem to be going more for the body of work factor.
I am actually rooting for Max von Sydow whose career, I arguably feel, has been far more prolific than Plummer’s and will have less chances to win in the future. He was the stand-out in ELIC. He was the titular actor in so many titular Ingar Bergman movies as well as play characters in so many modern classics like The Exorcist. His career has been exceptional and if the Acadamy loves to dole out body of work nods, I wish they would give it to him. Plummer gave a workman-like performance and didn’t really stand out among the other contenders yet has been sweeping and I do think it is because he is overdue more than anything else. So is von Sydow.
Jonah Hill, as much as I liked his performance, doesn’t stand a chance of winning. I highly doubt Kenneth Branagh stands a chance either. Nick Nolte is the longshot dark horse. I think this race is between the two veterans Max von Sydow and Christopher Plummer. Plummer will be well-recognized with winning the Critics Choice, Golden Globe, SAG. He will probably win the BAFTA and Independent Spirit Award too. I think the Academy will be fairy predictable with its choices but I think the hypothetical situation of an upset/surprise is most likely to happen with Best Supporting Actor. There might be other surprises as well ( I hope so) but this one is the most plausible.
VA:F [1.9.17_1161]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Bette / February 4, 2012
Von Sydow does the best he can in a gimmick role in a virtually unwatchable film, possibly the worst Best Picture nominee since Crash (though War Horse is also often unwatchable, I know that’s not a popular opinion). Plummer is the best of the nominees, Brooks was robbed.
Where was the Academy when Von Sydow was giving truly great performances? Winter Light, Hour of the Wolf and Shame are three of my favorites, but remember this actor was also in some of the finest films ever made, whether supporting or lead, including The Seventh Seal (chess with death) and Wild Strawberries. And he gave the best performance in The Exorcist, far more effective than Oscar nominee Ellen Burstyn chewing the scenery to shreds.
So where was the Academy?? Nowhere, as usual. The nomination for Pelle the Conqueror was good, very good, and a far better performance than Dustin Hoffman’s one-note stunt in the manipulative wildly overrated Rain Man, but of course they didn’t even nominate the true best of 1988, NY Film Crix winner Jeremy Irons in David Cronenberg’s brilliant Dead Ringers.
VA:F [1.9.17_1161]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Marie / February 4, 2012
Also, I get the feeling the nine BP nominees have more leverage in terms of wins. The other categories, so far, have been dominated by actors/actresses who have been affiliated with a Best Pic nominee except for Plummer. Just look at most of the past winners, Plummer has been the big exception. I think Max von Sydow being in ELIC will work to his advantage but it will take a lot of votes for a turnaround since Plummer has been the clear frontrunner & favorite. I mean, the Academy rejected a bunch of better movies, to nominate ELIC, why not recognize with a deserving award for something?
As much as I would love to, I really don’t think it is down to Plummer and Von Sydow. The ONLY thing that helps latter, is that he is in a best picture nominee, BUT I firmly believe that won’t be enough, and it will come down to Plummer and Branagh : former is the frontrunner, and if latter wins the BAFTA, then he is a closer second than thought AND also a viable threat for the win…but even with the BAFTA-win, Plummer will probably take the Oscar.
VA:F [1.9.17_1161]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Dominik / February 5, 2012
“The nomination for Pelle the Conqueror was good, very good, and a far better performance than Dustin Hoffman’s one-note stunt in the manipulative wildly overrated Rain Man, but of course they didn’t even nominate the true best of 1988, NY Film Crix winner Jeremy Irons in David Cronenberg’s brilliant Dead Ringers.”
That´s exactly how I feel about the ´88 race. Beside that, I literally grew up with Ingmar Bergman-movies, and therefore I have nostalgic feelings about Max von Sydow. Honestly, if I were invited to this years show and were allowed to meet one person, I´d choose him, because he is very probably the best and most iconic of all 20 acting nominees.
Haven´t seen “Extremely Loud…”, but this man deserves a Lifetime Achievement Award!
Funny that someone with such a powerful, recognisable voice receives only his second Oscar nomijnation for a role in which he is silent. It seems the Academy has a thing for silence in the movies this year…
He ought to have been nominated many times before, but for me, his second nomination should have been for The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly.
VA:F [1.9.17_1161]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Simon Warrasch / February 5, 2012
Could he surprise at the Oscars? He could!
Will he suprise at the Oscars? I don’t know!?
Fact is, Max von Sydow or Christopher Plummer will win the Oscar! Both are great actors and both actors would deserve it! Mr. Plummer has the advantage that he has won the Golden Globe, the Screen Actors Guild Award and the Crtics Choice Award! But Mr. Von Sydow could win like James Coburn has won in 1999! So… we will see!
VA:F [1.9.17_1161]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
steve50 / February 5, 2012
I’m on board for giving MvS a life achievement award, for sure, regardless of the outcoe of this race. His contribution to cinema is almost unrivaled among actors – all you have to do is look at his filmography to see his range of characters and the number of true classics that would not have been the same without his participation.
VA:F [1.9.17_1161]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Yogsss / February 5, 2012
If one of them loses, it will probably come down to an Honorary Oscar in the coming years. Remember Robert Altman losing Directing for Gosford Park? Yeah, 4 years later they gave him an Honorary award. I’m damn sure it will be the same for either Plummer or Von Sydow, if one of them goes home with the award and the other goes empty handed this year.
VA:F [1.9.17_1161]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Gregoire / February 5, 2012
I just didn’t think Von Sydow was all that awards worthy, frankly. He has one scene on the bus that broke my heart, but other than that, it was a good — but hardly spectacular — performance, especially when compared to Plummer’s work. He’s simply not given enough to do, then becomes essentially irrelevant in the film’s third act.
If there was going to be an acting nomination from this movie, it should have been for Sandra Bullock. Her kitchen scene alone was brilliant — although that might be because she lashes out at the frustrating behavior of her son.
VA:F [1.9.17_1161]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Aubrey / February 5, 2012
My enjoyment of this scene was somewhat marred by the kid–bit irritating presence. Wish I could just watch Max, he filled the screen with his eyes.
Max’s face is so expressive, reveals many emotions so painful and traumatized.
VA:F [1.9.17_1161]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Nic V / February 6, 2012
Sydow is a brilliant actor and like someone else my association with Sydow goes back to Ingmar Bergman. But as the world began to take note of his presence on film he really established an incredible career with some amazing performances. My first experience with von Sydow was The Magician. He’s played some of the most interesting assassins in film history and even thought it’s a horrid film you can’t argue he was perfect for the Emperor Ming in Flash Gordon. His range hasn’t been touched by any other actor alive or even dead for that matter.
But with that said Plummer who doesn’t have a resounding a resume as von Sydow does indeed give what I think is the Best Supporting Actor performance. Plummer pulled off portraying a gay man without him coming across as the comedy relief or as a drag queen wannabe. Most gay characters are the stereotypical screaming effiminate “do my shoes match my khaki’s”. Plummer found dignity in his character and restrained the performance to me that’s key. For the first time I watched a gay character and didn’t wince when he spoke or walked. He’s earned this one.
VA:F [1.9.17_1161]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
steve50 / February 6, 2012
NicV – 100% agree on both points, especially on the “first time I watched a gay character and didn’t wince” remark. (God , I hate “gay blackface”)
Plummer deserves it, but I’m sensing an upset.
VA:F [1.9.17_1161]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Sam / February 6, 2012
I think the Best Supporting Actor is complete shit, other than Plummer’s nomination. Of those, he should win hands down. EL&IC was horrendous. Really bad. Worse than Crash. So Von Sydow shouldn’t win. Like someone said earlier, he should have been rewarded for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.
VA:F [1.9.17_1161]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Bud / February 6, 2012
This is the only race that I am really interested in this rather weak year. Is it too much to ask for a tie between Von Sydow and Plummer. Two very overdue actors giving incredible performances makes this the category to watch in my opinion.
VA:F [1.9.17_1161]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Reichdome returns / February 7, 2012
Max von Sydow was the voice of Elder Scrolls Skyrim’s central character ‘Esbern’ he should win an oscar for that too he naturally has a wise, commanding voice and has always been a joy to watch his turn in Minority report a film that so deserved to be an oscar contender as he played the initial hero, but in reality cover-up villain something.. shakespearan and aura and same can be said of Plummer too. There no doubt i respect the limited but important place of the one area that conservatism should remain i never said it has to be squashed i advocate balane between progressive and conservative i think it important to acknolwedge with oscars the older actors as they wont be making movies forever sadly and movies will feel for a point in time after their death quite an empty void without the great plummer and von sydow and so it great that they are.
And there litte doubt that Clooney deserves to win i a huge fan hey? the guys can get in on the act not for looks err.. sorry dont look that way;)
But he is a talented actor who i feared was beign abit typcast for a point in time but i had no doubt he had potential and he certainly overdue for a win. He win an oscar for directing one day too you see his ‘Good Night Good Luck’ should have been taken much more seriously than it did – he is and deserves all the respects and accolades that caption is powerful between 2 proven actors of similar yet different character a generatiobn or 2 apart both at their prime one well and truly well renowned the other as well btu fair to asay less established cos he younger but you go Cloons and von sydow how great it will be if those 2 win! I won’t decry oscar of that!
And just quickly i strongly feel esp if Von sydow or even the great Christopher Plummer- just as brilliant to dat as von sydow is to date and atm. That Streep shouldn’t be a automatic lock if there going to be something interesting when it comes down to it i thought oscar woudl award the one actor who had much more courage than it takes to depic the ‘iron lady’ and that is hollywood most revered and famous of figures from their golden era surely, surely Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe must surely be worthy of serious challenger to Streep.
OScar just cos the oldies are around for now doesn’t mean that you need to got all crazy about it this is what concerns me about your attitude oscar why not balance? a bit of youth with a bit of old not one over the other a bit of independent films winning with a bit of semi blockbusters simply very well made films and critically aclaimed different genres eaxh year and ones you ignored for too long is it really that hard to do? well oscar is it? that all me and others ask of you it not that much it never used to be did it?
It’s possible he could pull off a “John Mills” this year. It’s definitely going to be him or Plummer. The fact that I have to check back to remind myself who else is nominated pretty much says it all – two-man race.
Considering Plummer has this in the bag, the Academy should consider giving Von Sydow the honorary Oscar in the end of this year. If it was possible to see him and Liv Ullmann receiving this honor together, it would be fantastic.
Hope this one is a tie between Plummer and Von Sydow. Has that ever happened in the Supp. Actor race?
I have a feeling von Sydow is miles better than Plummer.
I mean their nominated performances this year.
Streaming of Annie Awards
http://annieawards.org/watch-it-live/
Nothing short of a living legend!
@Ryan Adams: I just wanted to say, that I know your original intentions were good. I will just refrain from mentioning those controversial issues surrounding the Best Actress race because I already feel it is a lock anyway and I want the environment to become more positive. I respect that the site is being more even-handed about the awards race and contenders now. I am glad it is back to normal. I just wanted to say that so there will be no ill will directed towards me.
I personally feel the Best Supporting Actor race seems to be more of a “body of work” category excluding newbie dramatic ( former comedic actor) Jonah Hill who was in a BP contender.. I really do believe it is between Plummer and Max von Sydow. Plummer will probably sweep everything until the Oscars where we might get a possible surprise. Key word being might. Sydow had less screentime and his character/role was less developed but his performance was just as fine as Plummer’s. The Academy and the awards race in general ignored a lot of strong supporting work in other films so analyzing their choices, they seem to be going more for the body of work factor.
I am actually rooting for Max von Sydow whose career, I arguably feel, has been far more prolific than Plummer’s and will have less chances to win in the future. He was the stand-out in ELIC. He was the titular actor in so many titular Ingar Bergman movies as well as play characters in so many modern classics like The Exorcist. His career has been exceptional and if the Acadamy loves to dole out body of work nods, I wish they would give it to him. Plummer gave a workman-like performance and didn’t really stand out among the other contenders yet has been sweeping and I do think it is because he is overdue more than anything else. So is von Sydow.
Jonah Hill, as much as I liked his performance, doesn’t stand a chance of winning. I highly doubt Kenneth Branagh stands a chance either. Nick Nolte is the longshot dark horse. I think this race is between the two veterans Max von Sydow and Christopher Plummer. Plummer will be well-recognized with winning the Critics Choice, Golden Globe, SAG. He will probably win the BAFTA and Independent Spirit Award too. I think the Academy will be fairy predictable with its choices but I think the hypothetical situation of an upset/surprise is most likely to happen with Best Supporting Actor. There might be other surprises as well ( I hope so) but this one is the most plausible.
Von Sydow does the best he can in a gimmick role in a virtually unwatchable film, possibly the worst Best Picture nominee since Crash (though War Horse is also often unwatchable, I know that’s not a popular opinion). Plummer is the best of the nominees, Brooks was robbed.
Where was the Academy when Von Sydow was giving truly great performances? Winter Light, Hour of the Wolf and Shame are three of my favorites, but remember this actor was also in some of the finest films ever made, whether supporting or lead, including The Seventh Seal (chess with death) and Wild Strawberries. And he gave the best performance in The Exorcist, far more effective than Oscar nominee Ellen Burstyn chewing the scenery to shreds.
So where was the Academy?? Nowhere, as usual. The nomination for Pelle the Conqueror was good, very good, and a far better performance than Dustin Hoffman’s one-note stunt in the manipulative wildly overrated Rain Man, but of course they didn’t even nominate the true best of 1988, NY Film Crix winner Jeremy Irons in David Cronenberg’s brilliant Dead Ringers.
Also, I get the feeling the nine BP nominees have more leverage in terms of wins. The other categories, so far, have been dominated by actors/actresses who have been affiliated with a Best Pic nominee except for Plummer. Just look at most of the past winners, Plummer has been the big exception. I think Max von Sydow being in ELIC will work to his advantage but it will take a lot of votes for a turnaround since Plummer has been the clear frontrunner & favorite. I mean, the Academy rejected a bunch of better movies, to nominate ELIC, why not recognize with a deserving award for something?
Is Thomas Horn short for Thomasina Horn? LMFAO.
Yeah, Sydow looks okay, whatever.
Winners of Annie Awards
http://www.cartoonbrew.com/awards/rango-tops-annie-award-winners.html
Love him but the performance is not nomination worthy. It also appears in a terrible film
As much as I would love to, I really don’t think it is down to Plummer and Von Sydow. The ONLY thing that helps latter, is that he is in a best picture nominee, BUT I firmly believe that won’t be enough, and it will come down to Plummer and Branagh : former is the frontrunner, and if latter wins the BAFTA, then he is a closer second than thought AND also a viable threat for the win…but even with the BAFTA-win, Plummer will probably take the Oscar.
“The nomination for Pelle the Conqueror was good, very good, and a far better performance than Dustin Hoffman’s one-note stunt in the manipulative wildly overrated Rain Man, but of course they didn’t even nominate the true best of 1988, NY Film Crix winner Jeremy Irons in David Cronenberg’s brilliant Dead Ringers.”
That´s exactly how I feel about the ´88 race. Beside that, I literally grew up with Ingmar Bergman-movies, and therefore I have nostalgic feelings about Max von Sydow. Honestly, if I were invited to this years show and were allowed to meet one person, I´d choose him, because he is very probably the best and most iconic of all 20 acting nominees.
Haven´t seen “Extremely Loud…”, but this man deserves a Lifetime Achievement Award!
Funny that someone with such a powerful, recognisable voice receives only his second Oscar nomijnation for a role in which he is silent. It seems the Academy has a thing for silence in the movies this year…
He ought to have been nominated many times before, but for me, his second nomination should have been for The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly.
Could he surprise at the Oscars? He could!
Will he suprise at the Oscars? I don’t know!?
Fact is, Max von Sydow or Christopher Plummer will win the Oscar! Both are great actors and both actors would deserve it! Mr. Plummer has the advantage that he has won the Golden Globe, the Screen Actors Guild Award and the Crtics Choice Award! But Mr. Von Sydow could win like James Coburn has won in 1999! So… we will see!
I’m on board for giving MvS a life achievement award, for sure, regardless of the outcoe of this race. His contribution to cinema is almost unrivaled among actors – all you have to do is look at his filmography to see his range of characters and the number of true classics that would not have been the same without his participation.
If one of them loses, it will probably come down to an Honorary Oscar in the coming years. Remember Robert Altman losing Directing for Gosford Park? Yeah, 4 years later they gave him an Honorary award. I’m damn sure it will be the same for either Plummer or Von Sydow, if one of them goes home with the award and the other goes empty handed this year.
I just didn’t think Von Sydow was all that awards worthy, frankly. He has one scene on the bus that broke my heart, but other than that, it was a good — but hardly spectacular — performance, especially when compared to Plummer’s work. He’s simply not given enough to do, then becomes essentially irrelevant in the film’s third act.
If there was going to be an acting nomination from this movie, it should have been for Sandra Bullock. Her kitchen scene alone was brilliant — although that might be because she lashes out at the frustrating behavior of her son.
My enjoyment of this scene was somewhat marred by the kid–bit irritating presence. Wish I could just watch Max, he filled the screen with his eyes.
Max’s face is so expressive, reveals many emotions so painful and traumatized.
Sydow is a brilliant actor and like someone else my association with Sydow goes back to Ingmar Bergman. But as the world began to take note of his presence on film he really established an incredible career with some amazing performances. My first experience with von Sydow was The Magician. He’s played some of the most interesting assassins in film history and even thought it’s a horrid film you can’t argue he was perfect for the Emperor Ming in Flash Gordon. His range hasn’t been touched by any other actor alive or even dead for that matter.
But with that said Plummer who doesn’t have a resounding a resume as von Sydow does indeed give what I think is the Best Supporting Actor performance. Plummer pulled off portraying a gay man without him coming across as the comedy relief or as a drag queen wannabe. Most gay characters are the stereotypical screaming effiminate “do my shoes match my khaki’s”. Plummer found dignity in his character and restrained the performance to me that’s key. For the first time I watched a gay character and didn’t wince when he spoke or walked. He’s earned this one.
NicV – 100% agree on both points, especially on the “first time I watched a gay character and didn’t wince” remark. (God , I hate “gay blackface”)
Plummer deserves it, but I’m sensing an upset.
I think the Best Supporting Actor is complete shit, other than Plummer’s nomination. Of those, he should win hands down. EL&IC was horrendous. Really bad. Worse than Crash. So Von Sydow shouldn’t win. Like someone said earlier, he should have been rewarded for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.
This is the only race that I am really interested in this rather weak year. Is it too much to ask for a tie between Von Sydow and Plummer. Two very overdue actors giving incredible performances makes this the category to watch in my opinion.
Max von Sydow was the voice of Elder Scrolls Skyrim’s central character ‘Esbern’ he should win an oscar for that too he naturally has a wise, commanding voice and has always been a joy to watch his turn in Minority report a film that so deserved to be an oscar contender as he played the initial hero, but in reality cover-up villain something.. shakespearan and aura and same can be said of Plummer too. There no doubt i respect the limited but important place of the one area that conservatism should remain i never said it has to be squashed i advocate balane between progressive and conservative i think it important to acknolwedge with oscars the older actors as they wont be making movies forever sadly and movies will feel for a point in time after their death quite an empty void without the great plummer and von sydow and so it great that they are.
And there litte doubt that Clooney deserves to win i a huge fan hey? the guys can get in on the act not for looks err.. sorry dont look that way;)
But he is a talented actor who i feared was beign abit typcast for a point in time but i had no doubt he had potential and he certainly overdue for a win. He win an oscar for directing one day too you see his ‘Good Night Good Luck’ should have been taken much more seriously than it did – he is and deserves all the respects and accolades that caption is powerful between 2 proven actors of similar yet different character a generatiobn or 2 apart both at their prime one well and truly well renowned the other as well btu fair to asay less established cos he younger but you go Cloons and von sydow how great it will be if those 2 win! I won’t decry oscar of that!
And just quickly i strongly feel esp if Von sydow or even the great Christopher Plummer- just as brilliant to dat as von sydow is to date and atm. That Streep shouldn’t be a automatic lock if there going to be something interesting when it comes down to it i thought oscar woudl award the one actor who had much more courage than it takes to depic the ‘iron lady’ and that is hollywood most revered and famous of figures from their golden era surely, surely Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe must surely be worthy of serious challenger to Streep.
OScar just cos the oldies are around for now doesn’t mean that you need to got all crazy about it this is what concerns me about your attitude oscar why not balance? a bit of youth with a bit of old not one over the other a bit of independent films winning with a bit of semi blockbusters simply very well made films and critically aclaimed different genres eaxh year and ones you ignored for too long is it really that hard to do? well oscar is it? that all me and others ask of you it not that much it never used to be did it?