2005 Calvins: Best Actor
By Reagen Sulewski
February 18, 2005
Although there's now zero chance that Paul Giamatti will be going home with an Oscar this year, he can console himself with the Best Actor award from the Calvins, for his brilliant turn in Sideways. Finishing third in last year's awards for American Splendor, Giamatti graduates to the head of the class in this year's field - for what a couple people here might call pretty much the same character. Hey, at least we're consistent fans of his work.
Portraying loveable(?) loser, quasi-alcoholic Miles, Giamatti brought poignancy to the role and the film, making what could have been a purely pathetic and unsympathetic character into something real and worthwhile. Quite frankly, I can't imagine anyone else who could have played this role.
Second place goes to Jamie Foxx, but probably not for the role you'd think. Instead of his role in Ray, his placement here is for Collateral, sliding in just behind Giamatti. A lower-key role and arguably more difficult with no real person to base his performance on, Foxx stole the film from Mr. Movie Star, Tom Cruise. Up for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, we saw through that little bit of Hollywood posturing and place the role where it really belongs, in the lead category.
Making his first appearance on our acting lists is Jim Carrey, finishing third for his role in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and narrowly missing out on second. Carrey continues to shine in his dramatic roles, with his comedic talent translating into every-man charm in serious fare.
In what might turn out to be an annual event, Johnny Depp places high in this category for the second year in a row. Fourth spot is his for Finding Neverland, a role nearly opposite to last year's Jack Sparrow in terms of gregariousness.
Count me among the people who never bought into the Leo backlash after Titanic. That's why Leonardo DiCaprio's fifth place finish here for The Aviator is no shock to me. Bringing to life notorious billionaire and OCD-sufferer Howard Hughes, DiCaprio was on screen in nearly every scene of the film and carried the whole thing on his back. He even managed to convince us, with his baby-face, that he could play Hughes in his forties.
Sixth place finds Jamie Foxx's other big role this year, playing Ray Charles in Ray. Almost channeling the late singer, this was the role that made the world notice that the former In Living Color alumnus was the real deal.
Seventh place belongs to long-time BOP favorite Don Cheadle for Hotel Rwanda, finally getting the sizable role he deserves. In the Schindler's List of Rwanda, Cheadle plays a hotel manager who connives and deals his way to save thousands of people during that country's 1994 genocide.
Clint Eastwood directs himself to an eighth place finish with his role in Million Dollar Baby. While the McGonigle voice proved a little distracting, Eastwood made the film something special with his performance.
Last year's Best Actor winner Bill Murray is just behind him in ninth.
The at times child-like and petulant ring-leader of Team Zissou in The
Life Aquatic, Murray continues his string of brilliant and heartfelt performances from the last few years.
With The Bourne Supremacy, Matt Damon does what he couldn't do with The Bourne Identity; break our top ten. Top-flight acting in an action film is often rare, but when it happens, like in this case, it can make for something really special.
Also-rans include Jamie Foxx's co-star in Collateral, Tom Cruise (take that!), Garden State's Zach Braff, Miracle's Kurt Russell, Ethan Hawke in Before Sunset, and Gael Garcia Bernal in The Motorcycle Diaries.
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Top 10
|
| Position |
Actor |
Film |
Total Points |
| 1 |
Paul Giamatti |
Sideways |
94 |
| 2 |
Jamie Foxx |
Collateral |
83 |
| 3 |
Jim Carrey |
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind |
82 |
| 4 |
Johnny Depp |
Finding Neverland |
73 |
| 5 |
Leonardo DiCaprio |
The Aviator |
66 |
| 6 |
Jamie Foxx |
Ray |
60 |
| 7 |
Don Cheadle |
Hotel Rwanda |
49 |
| 8 |
Clint Eastwood |
Million Dollar Baby |
42 |
| 9 |
Billy Murray |
The Life Acquatic with Steve Zissou |
41 |
| 10 |
Matt Damon |
The Bourne Supremacy |
39 |
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