"Memo to the Academy"

(in tribute to Roger Ebert)

With today's announcement of the Screen Actors Guild nominations (see link below), now is a good time to continue the tradition started by Siskel & Ebert and spotlight the films and performances that usually get overlooked come Oscar time. In general, the SAGs did a better job than the Globes (Ryan Gosling in Half Nelson is a great example). But how can the SAGs consider Leonardo DiCaprio a supporting actor in The Departed? He clearly had more screen time than ANY other actor in the movie; plus, his nomination bumps any one of his three co-stars from a well-deserved nomination: Mark Wahlberg-Jack Nicholson-Matt Damon.

To The Academy:

First, two films that (inexplicably) are absent from most year-end lists, but would be worthy Best Picture nominees are Running With Scissors and Stranger Than Fiction. The screenplays for both films should be shoe-ins. Two Oscar-worthy performances from the first film are Annette Bening's tour de force lead (which rightly dominates the film) and Jill Clayburgh's unglamorous supporting turn as the downtrodden psychiatrist's wife and foster mother of Augusten Burroughs, who somehow holds that twisted family unit together. And I wouldn't mind seeing Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson, or Dustin Hoffman recognized for Fiction.

* The soundtrack to Robert de Niro's The Good Shepherd is impressive. Since John Williams did not deign to treat us to another of his tediously ponderous film scores this year (that I know of!), the Academy MAY seek out less heralded film scores, like this one and Terence Blanchard's exceptional work on Inside Man. (I'm not holding my breath).

My other recommendations are all supporting performances:

* From Hollywoodland, the early buzz surrounding Ben Affleck's affecting portrayal of George Reeves has died down, even though it is his best work ever. He is so good because of who he acts with: his dynamite co-star, Diane Lane, who brings such gravity to her character that you care what happens to the desperate Reeves.

* In two movies, former child star Jackie Earle Haley (the original Bad News Bears) makes his acting comeback in a big way. In All the King's Men, he plays Sean Penn's loyal driver; but he gives the bravest, most uncompromising performance of the year in Little Children.

* Finally, Michael Sheen should not be overlooked in The Queen. He doesn't attempt an impersonation of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, but, as with his co-star Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth, you never doubt for a moment that he IS Tony Blair.

13TH ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS® NOMINATIONS

Important Dates:
Monday, January 15th - Golden Globe Awards on NBC
Saturday, January 20th - Broadcast Film Critics Awards televised on E!
Tuesday, January 23rd - Academy Award nominations announced (8:35am ET)
Sunday, January 28th - SAG Awards on TNT
Sunday, February 25th - Oscar* Night!