Oscar - Best Actor List

The first Oscar grand slam winner! How can you not love Clark Gable? An iconic role for him. He is mesmerizing. Claudette Colbert is sweet and charming. Frank Capra's nonexistent optimism and the funny dialogues make this film the first ever immortal comedy.

Pretty intriguing and exhilarating especially during wartime isn't it? Great performance from the entire cast, especially Bette Davis and Paul Lukas.

The reason I give it such a low rating is mainly because of time difference: it's now more than 60 years after it's filming! Just like Rebel Without a Cause, alcoholism is no longer a grave concern in the 21st century, though Billy Wilder should have shocked the people in 1940s. Indeed, Ray Milland just keeps irritating me in this movie!

If you really want to appreciate this movie thoroughly, I guess you will have to explore the post-WWII history of the USA. But anyway, you will be moved by Harold Russell. The social messages behind, like the pain the war brought, the psychological change on US people and the hard life the veterans led, are well depicted. But, just slightly dated anyway......

Laurence Olivier is excellent. He can show the pith of Shakespeare's characters with ease. But where are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?

Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. This film is not my favourite genre, but that message behind is thought provoking, especially for politicians!

A breathtaking adventure though it is somehow forseen that Bogart and Hepburn would finally get through it. Beautiful scenery. The 2 greatest American screen legends unite here and therefore you should not miss it.

A good approach with show duration equals to story's length. The theme song is nice too. I'm furious at the people - how come they don't help Marshal Kane even there are only 4 villains?

Very inspiring for Brando's performance and the ending. The whole cast acts very well. I particularly like Karl Malden's role. He is charismatic.

The plot is fine enough. It deals with daily routines we must deal with. But the ending is somehow too rush......

The story is quite boring in general. But for the ending, it is just simply classic! Starting from the set up of the bomb and the discovery of the wire build up the tension. The climax is reached when general Colonel Nicholson discovered Joyce, followed by the quick killing of the chief Japanese commander. Then Shears quarreled with Nicholson and make him realised he should be loyal to the host country. But Nicholson wanted to show the soldiers were superior, so it was great to arrange him to become fainted and bombed the bridge down. I cannot get relieved before the bridge collapsed!

Set in a simple hotel, but the messages behind are profound. My best moment comes from the friendship of David Niven and Deborah Kerr. The ending which Major Pollack wins over suspicion and prejudice, being accepted by the residents is moving. Yet I don't quite get Burt Lancaster and Rita Hayworth's storyline.

Ridley Scott's Gladiator has adapted this story's main idea (staying alive to seek revenge) and an unfair competition with the weaker one wins. But gladiation is replaced by an excellent chariot racing. Also, Ben-Hur is far more religious, by adding Biblical characters (Jesus and Pilate) and incidents (discrimination against leprosy patients and miracles). Belief to God is always mentioned too.

I haven't read the novel, so I find the part relating Robert Duvall quite mystic. The court scene is not lengthy, but definitely one of the greatest. The racial injustice is well depicted. Gregory Peck's performance is intriguing. He represents justice and fights against the whole society. Well-deserved for the reputation, "best courtroom drama" and "greatest hero" cannot conclude it. It's about innocence, courage and many more......

Oh my god! Hepburn is really "loverly" here! Another wonderful and enjoyable musical! The songs and the melody are memorable.

Lee Marvin deserves the Oscar. He is more than secured when competing in the supporting category. But Best Actor? Only Jane Fonda is the leading actress! The film appears to be a comedy, but I don't find it very laughable. Some scenes are crap to me instead.

Another story concerning Henry VIII's marriage. Paul Scofield is magnificent here, for both his acting and character. Great score.

A perfect detective story with racism as its subplot. The twists are out of your expectation and imagination! Breathtaking to watch. Sidney Poitier is excellent and even better than the award-winning Rod Steiger to me. But the 2 are inseparable or the chemistry cannot be catalyzed!

A wonderful WWII biography of a top class general. George C. Scott's portrayal is excellent! How can one possibly forget that long opening speech?

The part starting from the long chase approaching to the end is marvellous!

Best movie ever! Flawless.

McMurphy cares his friends and wants to bring hope to them, but he sacrifices himself at the end. This is very tragic and sad. But luckily,"The Chief" is inspired by him and seek for freedom aftewards. This tells us that our future is still held in our own hands.

Not only is Peter Finch as mad as hell, but also the entire TV network!

An all-you-can-know-the-plot movie, but the leading cast just shines and makes me fall in love with it. Don't miss the song at the very end!

Just like Deer Hunter, Coming Home reveals the physical and mental destructions of Vietnam War on Americans. Jon Voight's performance is great here.

Dustin Hoffman is excellent portraying a perfect father here! The court scene and the ending are really touching.

Excellent cinematography and graceful jazz music score. Robert De Niro's Oscar is well deserved. We ought to witness our weaknesses before seeking redemption right?

I doubt why couldn't it win those technical awards in Oscar. The scenery is marvellous. But Henry Fonda's performance is superb also. He tells you what people need most in their old age. His relationship with Billy is interesting and sentimental. Katharine Hepburn's performance is slightly less powerful than Fonda to me, but she still portrays an adorable decent old lady vividly. The ending is heartwarming to watch.

A wonderful biographical movie doesn't require an unforgettable plot. As long as it can tell the life of the protagonist accurately and make audience agree with him (or hate him in the case of villains) and have a clear image, it will be a masterpiece. Gandhi is one of them. Comparing with Milos Forman's Amadeus, Mozart will just be a talented and pitiful man in our eyes; Gandhi is, however, an adorable and memorable hero. We can observe his charisma and immortal spirit here. So once again, it's just amazing! Maybe together with Amadeus, they are the best and most deserved Oscar Best Picture winner for the 80s!

A classic movie of music opera! Wonderful rhythm and palace set up. Mozart is pathetic and we all criticize Salieri, but who knows if Mozart not died that early, could he write those wonderful music? God is usually quite fair. A tradeoff is unavoidable.

The story should be quite intriguing but I am not deeply moved. It's just William Hurt lifts this piece to another height. His performance as a homosexual figure is even greater than Philip Seymour Hoffman and Sean Penn to me.

Paul Newman is great. A pretty good sequel. Could have been better if Tom Cruise overacts less.

Is greed good? Let Michael Douglas give you a real-life lecture here!

Dustin Hoffman is excellent. Very touching for the ending.

The story itself is already inspiring and moving. But Daniel Day-Lewis's performance is just speechless. His portrayal as a handicap, to me, is even better Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man and Robert De Niro in Awakenings.

Did Claus do it? We will never know. May Sunny rest in peace anyway. Jeremy Irons gave a convincing performance here as his kind sides just confuse us! Still, his Oscar is a little bit controversial when I compare it with De Niro in "Awakenings".

The psychological competition between Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lecter will be quite memorable. But except Lecter's escape, the story lacks surprises.

This movie is enlightening. Even if you think you have run out of goals to stay alive, there will always be an unique role tailored for you. We have the right to moan, but we shouldn't overlook the beauty near us. Al Pacino gives another one of his greatest performances, the Oscar is well-deserved. Just taste how he portrays a blind person and you will fall in love with this movie!

The whole story is stuffed with sadness and grief. I bet everyone will be sympathetic to the poor Andrew. The theme song is brilliant!

Tom Hanks's finest performance and one of the masterpieces of the 1990s! Gary Sinise is awesome also. Many people criticize this movie of winning the Oscar Best Picture by beating The Shawshank Redemption and Pulp Fiction. Yet, it deserves the Oscar in all ways! Just look at the American History depicted and the American spirit revealed, why can't it be the winner of 1994? I'm a fan of Pulp Fiction as well, but in my opinion, it can and even should not win the Best Picture for the massive bloody violence and drug abuse content. I mean, how can a movie treating crimes as routine be the best picture of the year? In 1994, the social influence of Forrest Gump is much more than that of The Shawshank Redemption. It is therefore unquestonable that Forrest Gump, a politically correct movie, is the winner! Actually, it is just the same case for Rocky beating Taxi Driver and Network in 1976. I cannot agree that this film is "overrated", at least one should pay tribute to Tom Hanks and its storyline!

Both Ben and Sera are pitiful, but I don't agree with self-destruction. Nicolas Cage is brilliant in delivering the hopeless mood.

Beautiful music!

A nice artistic creation as a whole. Jack Nicholson is once again powerful.

Generally quite humurous. The plot stores grief inside joy. Optimism, love, faith and life in concentration camp are very well depicted. But it's quite unexpected that Guido died at the end.

It's very subtle in meaning. Freedom costs a price. One should always be responsible for what he has done. But we are all troubled by all sorts of things and want to get rid of them, and don't want to pay for it either. However, this will bring grief to us. So what should we do? Should we just accept the fate? Also, deceiving is not a good way to release pressure too.

Wonderful ancient Rome atmosphere! The sword fights are bloody but superb! I guess everybody cannot help cursing Commodus and being sympathetic to the loyal Maximus. The ending is still positive as Commodus is killed as well and the Roman Empire is going to be republicanized. Most importantly, Maximus's will and soul will last forever, at least in my own mind.

It's the real world! Everything is blurred and sometimes we just have to act like Denzel Washington. Again, a very realistic story!

The plot is divided into 2 parts. The first part is about the pathetic life of the Jews under the rule of Nazism. Jews can only live without dignity and basic safety. The scene that the Germans threw an old man out of the window and they asked a row of Jews to lie on the floor and shot them afterwards are very shocking. The other part is the exile life of the pianist. The act of the German general doesn't bring him a good ending is quite sad actually.

Another movie holding my breath from the opening till the end. The plot is twisted and stuffed with unexpectancy. Although there are quite a lot details, the development is still smooth and easy to follow. For casting, Sean Penn somehow acts well, but Tim Robbins is just speechlessly excellent! His role reminds me of Edward Norton in "Primal Fear", and this time the character is a tragic good guy instead.

For a biography, it is quite good. Ray Charles is a man with flesh here. Jamie Foxx's portrayal is excellent (comparable with Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman, perhaps even better) and deserves the Oscar. But for a drama, its opening part is a little bit slow-paced. For the remaining, it is touching but somehow too similar to "Walk the Line".

Philip Seymour Hoffman's portrayal is excellent. You just think he is Truman Capote. The story itself is slow, but all in all it's a good biography.

Too loose in structure, and too bloody.

Many people says There Will Be Blood is too long. But to be an epic, that length is fine. Daniel Day-Lewis is brilliant here and deserves the Oscar. He portrays Daniel Plainview, whose character is a mix of Michael Corleone and Charles Foster Kane. His business is as successful as the 2's. He is greedy, cruel and ruthless like Michael, yet lonely and pathetic like Kane and late Michael. One another thing I find in common between Daniel and Michael is that both of them do stress how important family is meant to them, yet neither has a normal family relationship. Just look at how Daniel treats his son at the end, how awful and sad it is! Greed leads to destruction and regrets only. What's the use of money when you lose faith and humanity? For cinematography, the movie is very artistic. I love the long takes, scenery and the superb music! The scene which the oil platform burnt to collapse is really intriguing. Paul Dano is not bad, at least his false prophet role provides a funny platform for us to perform. But most memorably, Daniel drinks our milkshake, right?

I start to like it very much when it is around half an hour remaining. It is a story about justice and fairness. They are costly to protect, especially for the discriminated groups. The ending is heartbreaking but bright as we see progress is being made. Sean Penn is excellent in portraying Harvey Milk - a homosexual character. Just look at his body language, eyesight and accent! You will think he is just Harvey Milk himself! The villainous Josh Brolin keeps reminding me of his reversed role in No Country for Old Men.

The film itself is a nice mix of Walk the Line and The Wrestler. When it comes to Jeff Bridges, he is just like Mickey Rourke, playing "Bad Blake", portraying Blake's decadency, despair, attempts to get back to life and fails, and finally succeeds. His performance is almost flawless. His Oscar is well deserved. Maggie Gyllenhaal is good here as well, so as the theme song.

A perfect recapture of My Fair Lady. Colin Firth is excellent in his role. Well deserved for the Oscar.

Such nostalgia is a perfect tribute to the old silent Hollywood era. An excellent movie doesn't have to be piled up by special effects, it could just move the audience by an insightful script, sounding performance from the cast (even without dialogues!) and involving music score. The Artist is a gift for film lovers, and I can see it's going to sweep through the Oscars. P.S. I love the dog!