Power Rankings: Sports Movies (Other than the Big 3 and Boxing)

The majority of the most popular sports movies of all time are about basketball, football, baseball, or boxing. So, after recently watching a pretty good track and field movie called Prefontaine, I thought a list of the best sports movies not in the Big 4 would be interesting. For the sake of this list, it is a sport if it is played or shown highlights of on ESPN. So, the list of qualifying sports includes but is not limited to hockey, soccer, wrestling (pro, MMA, or Greco-Roman), rugby, tennis, volleyball, cheerleading, Olympic sports, poker, bowling, rodeo, billiards, golf, racing (horse or auto), chess, and even the Spelling Bee. That is still a lot of movies, but it narrows it down by about half. Without further ado, here is the list…

Notable movies I have not seen: Bend It Like Beckham, Endless Summer, The Greatest Game Ever Played, Miracle, National Velvet, Searching for Bobby Fischer

Others receiving votes: Redbelt, Seabiscuit, Slapshot

10. Spellbound (Spelling Bee; 2003)

This movie, directed by indie filmmaker Jeffrey Blitz, is one of the most unique and surprising documentaries I have ever come across. It follows 8 kids on their path to the 1999 National Spelling Bee. I have no idea how Blitz came to choose the kids that he did, but his selection turned out to be more interesting than anyone could have expected. In that way, it is not too far removed from Hoop Dreams in the director’s vision. He chose them from several different walks of life, and their stress-filled journey through the regional rounds to the nationals is intriguing and at times breathtaking to watch. It is an amazing story about the most unlikely of topics, and it as suspenseful and unpredictable as any great sports film.

9. Invictus (Rubgy; 2009)

This Clint Eastwood crowd-pleaser is about South Africa’s unlikely run to the 1995 Rugby World Cup on their home turf. The movie is does a brilliant job of getting into the matches, showing the game from the ground level and really authentically letting the audience know what it is like on the field when everything is on the line. The movie is about much more than just rugby too. President Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) was using the underdog rugby team as a way of uniting his nation, which was torn apart by apartheid. It is a brilliant, inspiring, and somehow quite underrated and underseen movie.

8. Offside (Soccer; 2007)

This Iranian movie from director Jafar Panahi is one of the most original and intense sports movies of the last 10 years. It is about a group of women who disguise themselves as men in attempt to gain access to a World Cup qualifier game in 2006. In Iran, women are not allowed to attend men’s sporting events, so this was a very serious issue. The women are found and held outside of the stadium during the game. It takes place in slightly quicker than real time, making each and every moment in it even more essential and breathtaking. You may not see a single shot of the game in the movie, but you feel like you lived it. It is an incredible movie.

7. Rounders (Poker; 1998)

Director John Dahl fashioned what has become the quintessential movie about poker. The movie is about a reformed former poker player/current law student Mike (Matt Damon) who gets mixed up in high stakes poker games again when his buddy Worm (Edward Norton) gets out of jail and has to pay back huge debts to loan sharks. The movie is the smartest poker movie that I have ever seen, and it basically started the huge craze around Texas Hold ‘Em. There are some scenes that are just instant classics, and as we see Mike make his way to his final opponent and nemesis Teddy KGB (John Malkovich), the audience is one the edge of their seats and glued to the screen like any great underdog story.

6. Breaking Away (Cycling; 1979)

Peter Yates directed his masterful coming-of-age tale about four friends who just graduated high school and are struggling to break out of their small-town life and image. Dave (Dennis Christopher), one of the friends, is an accomplished bicycle racer who idolizes the Italian cycling team. He takes up the Italian culture, poses as an Italian to win over a college girl, and one day wants to race against the Italian team. The four friends, in attempt to feel some sort of accomplishment in their lives and stick it to the rich college kids who look down them, set out to win the Little Indy team cycling race. There are a few scenes in this that will go down among the greatest in any sports movie. It is a classic, widely-appealing, and inspirational movie that everyone should see.

5. Dogtown and Z-Boys (Skateboarding; 2002)

Stacy Peralta, one of the subjects in the film, directs this masterpiece of a sports documentary. The movie accounts the skateboarding culture in the 1970s. In Dogtown (around Santa Monica, California), the Zephyr skating team revolutionized the sport. Previously, it was just a way for the local surfers to ride when not in the water, but this group of local skaters had a vision of something greater. The movie chronicles the skateboarding heyday in the 70s, to the decline in the 80s, to its triumphant return in the 90s. I am someone who could not care less about skateboarding, but this movie (later made into a dramatic feature as Lords of Dogtown) is so interesting and involving that I could not help but get caught up in it. It is a capsule that will take you back to that time. These guys are legendary in the boarding community now, and their story is important and just astonishing to learn about.

4. The Cincinnati Kid (Poker; 1965)

This film by Norman Jewison is a brilliant character study of a man in 1930s New Orleans moving up the poker ranks. Eric Stoner (Steve McQueen), aka The Cincinnati Kid, wants to face “The Man” (Edward G. Robinson), the best stud poker player in the world. As the long-awaited and hyped match approaches, the Kid faces a variety of distractions and offers from gangsters to help him cheat, since his odds of winning are minimal. The final poker game is filled with as many twists and turns as any great sports match. This movie deserves a wider following.

3. Murderball (Paralympics; 2005)

This documentary from directors Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro is a brutally honest and inspiring movie about a team of quadriplegics who play full-contact rugby games on their way to the 2004 Paralympics in Athens. The movie centers on the rivalry between the American and Canadian teams, a relentless and brutal rivalry that has stemmed hatred between them. We get to know a lot about the team, including their personal lives and their candid feelings about their spinal injuries. These guys have a ton of pride. Their sport is as harsh as any sport in existence, shattering the image of what one can do with those “limitations”. Watching this movie was a tense experience. It does not play like a documentary. It is a sports movie through and through, and the heartbreak and thrill of these games reminds us of the possibilities of sports films when they are treated with the utmost authenticity and feeling.

2. The Hustler (Billiards; 1961)

Robert Rossen directed this masterpiece about “Fast” Eddie Felson (Paul Newman; a character revisited in The Color of Money), a local pool hustler with a world of talent but without the discipline or attitude to be great. In a marathon game against the legend Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason), Felson loses not only the match but his confidence. With the help of his manager (George C. Scott) and his own pride, Felson avoids hitting rock bottom by beginning to play again. His girlfriend threatens to leave, and the grind of playing such high stakes may be more than Felson is willing to pay to regain confidence and meaning in his life. Everything about this movie is just about flawless. There is an inevitable buildup to a rematch with Fats, but it is getting to that point that makes this movie so special. Felson’s quest for redemption is complex and gripping. This is an emotional character study, a compelling sports drama, and one of the best movies ever made.

1. The Wrestler (Wrestling; 2008)

Director Darren Aronofsky’s masterpiece centers on Randy “The Ram” Robinson (Mickey Rourke), a pro wrestling sensation about 20 years past his prime. His heart begins to give out, but wrestling is the only thing that The Ram knows. He cannot relate to his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood) or his prospective stripper girlfriend (Marisa Tomei). He begins working at a grocery store on days when he is not wrestling in meaningless bouts for minimal pay. The ring is the only place where The Ram feels like he belongs and he cannot be hurt, though. This movie documents his struggle to find meaning in life and repair his broken relationships. The wrestling scenes are brutal and difficult to watch. If anyone had any doubt about whether pro wrestling was a sport of just a glorified performing art, that debate is settled in this movie. This is a film that will spark the deepest emotions in its audience, especially in the final scenes, which are as perfect and devastating as any sports scenes in history. When thinking up this list, there was little doubt what would end up at the top. This movie is one-of-a-kind, and a movie-going experience that I will never forget.

So, I know I must have missed some good ones. What are your favorites? What do you think of this list? Let me know. Also, do not forget to participate in the Oscar Challenge.

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2012 Oscar Challenge

2012 Oscar Challenge Home Page

2012 Oscar Challenge Home Page

With a little over 2 weeks left until the Oscars, it is time to make your predictions on who you think is going to win all the golden statues.  See if you can beat our experts.  All three parts must be filled out to be eligible.  To play, click the link below.

2012 Oscar Challenge Home Page

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46 Super Bowl Facts (and Zach's Super Bowl Prediction)

46 Random Facts about the Giants and the Patriots:

1. The Giants and Patriots are a combined 6-4 in Super Bowls. In spite of this, if you add up the composite box scores from each of those Super Bowls, the Patriots have been outscored in every quarter and the Giants only outscored opponents in one (the third quarter).

2. Since 2001, every Super Bowl team from the AFC has played New England over the course of the regular season. Well, except 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2007 when the Patriots were the AFC representative.

3. Since 2006, every Super Bowl team from the NFC has played New England over the course of the regular season.

4. In his 21 playoff games as a starter, Tom Brady has a quarterback rating of 87.6

5. In his 10 playoff games as a starter, Eli Manning has a quarterback rating of 87.5.

6. The Patriots have not played a single game indoors all season. The Giants most recent defeat on the road was their last indoor game, when they lost to the Saints 49-24 in Week 12. It was their biggest margin of defeat for the season.

7. The Patriots played only one road game against a team with a record above .500 (Pittsburgh). The combined record of their road opponents was 61-67 (.477).

8. The Giants played only one road game against a team with a record below .500 (Washington). In fact, including their two road playoff games, the combined record of teams they played on the road was 104-56 (.650).

9. The Giants will be the Patriots ninth road opponent with 9 or fewer wins.

10. The Patriots will be the Giants’ sixth road opponent with 13+ wins.

11. If the Giants win, they will be only the second Super Bowl champ to have a record of .500 or lower at home during the regular season. The first team? The 2007 Giants.

12. In his four games against the Giants, Tom Brady has thrown 5 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, and has a quarterback rating of 83.8.

13. In his three games against the Patriots, Eli Manning has thrown 8 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, and has a quarterback rating of 93.1.

14. The Patriots scored 30 or more points in all but five games this season. In those games they are 12-1.

15. The Giants have scored 29 or under points in all but five games this season. In those games, they are 8-6.

16. Against their regular season opponents, the Patriots allowed a combined quarterback rating of 86.1.

17. Against their regular season opponents, the Giants allowed a combined quarterback rating of 86.1.

18. When Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin were both coaches on the Giants, New York played the Patriots one time: Week 17 of 1990, when the Giants beat the Patriots by three, 13-10.

19. When Bill Belichick coached the Browns and Tom Coughlin coached the Jaguars, the two teams played once: Week 17 of 1995, when Coughlin’s Jaguars beat Belichick’s Patriots by three, 24-21.

20. The next season, the Patriots beat the Giants 23-22 Week 17 of 1996. By this time, Belichick was an assistant head coach for New England, and just a few weeks later, the Patriots beat Coughlin’s Jaguars 20-6 in the AFC Championship game.

21. The first time Tom Brady played Eli Manning, the teams played Week 17 of 2007, when the Patriots beat the Giants by three, 38-35.

22. In the last four years, Belichick’s former team, the Cleveland Browns, have only two victories of 20 points or more: October 13, 2008, when they beat the Giants 35-14, and November 7, 2010, when they beat the Patriots 34-14.

23. Both teams must have understandably felt pretty bad following those defeats: The Giants won their next 7 games and the Patriots won their next 8.

24. All right, back to more immediately relevant facts. The Giants committed 24 turnovers this season. The Patriots have committed 27 turnovers over the last two seasons (it may be worth remembering, however, that this postseason, the Giants have turned the ball over one time in three games, while the Patriots have turned the ball over five times in two games).

25. Similarly, Eli Manning threw 16 interceptions in 2011. Tom Brady has thrown 16 interceptions over the past two seasons. Along those same lines, Eli Manning, who in his eighth season, has thrown 129 interceptions in the regular season, including five seasons with 16 or more. Brady, in his 12^th season, has thrown just 155 interceptions, never having thrown more than 14 in a single season.

26. There have been only 13 times in NFL history where a quarterback has completed a 99-yard pass. Two of them happened this year: Week 1, when Tom Brady threw a 99-yard TD pass to Wes Welker, and Week 16, when Eli Manning threw a 99-yard TD pass to Victor Cruz.

27. Wes Welker, who was undrafted, had 1,569 yards receiving and 9 touchdowns this season. Victor Cruz, who was undrafted, had 1,536 yards receiving and 9 touchdowns this season.

28. Maybe you’ve heard this stat, but it needs to be repeated: BenJarvis Green-Ellis has never fumbled. Not in his professional career or his college career. Unbelievable.

29. In 2010, each team won one more regular season game (14 and 10, respectively) than they did this year in 2011 (13 and 9). Despite this, last season saw the Patriots lose their only playoff game while the Giants missed the playoffs altogether.

30. The Giants surrendered 400 points this season. Only four other teams have ever made the playoffs giving up 400 points. The Giants had nine games where they gave up 21 or more points.

31. The 1986 Giants and 1990 Giants (which each took home New York’s first two Lombardi Trophies) gave up a combined 447 points. Together, they had only three games where they gave up 21 or more points.

32. The Patriots surrendered 6,577 yards this season, third-worst all time. They had nine games where they gave up 400 or more yards.

33. The 2001 Patriots and 2003 Patriots (which each took home New England’s first two Lombardi Trophies) had a combined total of five games where they gave up 400 or more yards.

34. Before the season, the most yards given up by a Super Bowl defense was the 2009 Saints, who gave up 5,724 yards. No team had ever made the Super Bowl with a negative point differential. When the Patriots and Giants met in Super Bowl 42 four years ago, both teams surrendered under 5,000 yards on defense; this season, both have given up over 6,000.

35. Brady and Manning combined for 10,168 passing yards this season. The previous record to dueling Super Bowl quarterbacks was in 2009, when Drew Brees and Peyton Manning combined for 8,888 passing yards. Leading up to Super Bowl 1, Bart Starr and Len Dawson combined for 4,784 yards. Both Brady and Manning individually had more yards in 2011.

36. The Patriots have never lost a Super Bowl where they allowed a 300-yard passer (3-0). They’ve never won a Super Bowl where they’ve held the opposing quarterback to under 300 yards (0-3).

37. The three quarterbacks the Giants have beat in Super Bowls? John Elway (Hall of Famer), Jim Kelly (Hall of Famer), and Tom Brady (future Hall of Famer). The one quarterback who defeated the Giants in a Super Bowl? Trent Dilfer.

38. New England hasn’t won a game in Indianapolis since 2007, and the Giants haven’t won there since 2002. When Belichick and Coughlin were coaches on the Giants, New York beat the Colts 24-7 in Indianapolis on Week 9 of 1990.

39. Both Stephen Gostkowski and Lawrence Tynes were perfect in extra points this season. They each missed a total of five field goals, and had longs of 50. They attended college at Memphis and Troy, respectively, which are both names of fabled cities from the ancient Near East.

40. Tom Coughlin and David Tyree both went to college at Syracuse, which is also a fabled city from ancient civilization.

41. In Week 15 of 2007, the Giants suffered an embarrassing home loss to the Redskins, 23-10. They played excellent the rest of the season, with their only remaining loss coming against the Patriots.

42. In Week 15 of 2011, the Giants suffered an embarrassing home loss to the Redskins, 22-10. They’ve played excellent the rest of the season, with their only remaining loss coming against the Patriots (don’t worry, I’ll cross off those last nine words if they win the Super Bowl).

43. Tom Coughlin is the oldest head coach in the NFL, at 65 years old. Bill Belichick is the third-oldest active coach, at 59.

44. Including the Super Bowl, Tom Brady has started in more playoff games (22) than any active player in any position.

45. Super Bowl 46 will be Eli Manning’s 11^th playoff game as a starter. In his 11^th playoff game as a starter, Tom Brady suffered his first playoff loss, to the Denver Broncos in 2005.

46. Eli Manning will be 31 years, 33 days when he plays in Super Bowl 46. When Tom Brady was 31 years, 35 days old, he faced the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1 of 2008. In the first quarter, Brady injured his left knee and was lost for the season.

OK, so maybe that last statistic was a bit of a downer, and honestly, I don’t want Eli to get injured. Seriously, with all the buildup, suspense, and anticipation, Eli busts his knee in the first quarter and leaves the game? How horrible would that be? No one in their right minds – Giants fan or not – wants to hear the words, “And off the bench hoping to lead the Giants to a Super Bowl victory is David Carr . . .”

The bottom line is we want a good game, and we’ll very likely get one. The Patriots don’t get blown out, and the Giants don’t blow out teams not named the Atlanta Falcons. On the other side, I don’t think there’s any way that Patriots secondary makes a Manning aerial attack irrelevant even with a large lead. As long as Eli’s not facing the Redskins or Seahawks, the Giants will always be in the game.

I’m going to try to be brief with my prediction because (a) I could probably write an 8,000 page book on this game alone, (b) compiling that list of 46 facts took way too much time out of my life, and (c) if you look carefully at the list, you may actually see some key reasons for my prediction (actually, not really). I’ll also try to steer clear of excessive statistics because (cue the cliché police) with a game like this, you have to throw out all statistics.

But you really do. Besides the known facts that the game will be close, the NFC will win the coin toss (for the 15^th straight time), and Chris Collinsworth will exclaim the words “WHHHOAAA did you see that?” at least seven times, there are no certainties about Super Bowl 46. It may be the first overtime Super Bowl; it may be the first time since the 80s that football fans in Indianapolis are driven to suicide. What’s worse – your franchise quarterback’s precocious younger brother winning more Super Bowls than your QB, or your team’s mortal enemy over the past decade celebrating its fourth title on your home turf?

There’s been a lot of discussion this week about why the Patriots are favored. Their pass defense is still abysmal, Brady was outplayed by Joe Flacco in Foxboro, Rob Gronkowski’s condition is unknown, and they lost to the G-Men in the regular season. As for New York, you could make the argument that their past two playoff games (at Green Bay and at San Francisco) were tougher matchups than this one. People are still too focused on the difference between 13-3 and 9-7; but if you look at numbers 7 and 8 on my list above, you’ll see that it’s a more complex debate. If these two teams are both 11-5 or 12-4 (and like I said, you have to throw out all stats going into this game), the Giants are 3½ point favorites.

There are basically three factors that will determine the game: (1) If Rob Gronkowski is healthy and plays well, (2) Which pass rush can get to the quarterback more, and (3) Which defense can force more turnovers. Now, I don’t see Gronkowski being at 100 percent; you don’t hobble around in a cast the week before the Super Bowl and play at a high level. The Pats lose a ton without Gronkowski. Advantage Giants. It’s hard to predict the second factor, but I think both defensive lines will make an impact. The Giants have a terrific formula for applying pressure with JPP, Osi Umenyiora, and Justin Tuck; but it is hard to ignore a defense which has forced eight sacks in the last two games. Eli was sacked six times in the San Francisco game. Without Gronkowski as a viable target for Brady when he’s under pressure, the Patriots’ previous slight advantage with their monster offensive line disappears and the teams are even.

So it comes down to turnovers, like in so many of the past few Super Bowls. I will throw out one interesting stat: In four of the last five Super Bowls, the winning team has scored a defensive touchdown. Now the Patriots’ secondary may be lousy, but let’s not forget that they forced 23 interceptions during the regular season. The Giants’ secondary has only forced one interception in the postseason. Look at numbers 24, 25, and 28 on my list. New England’s defense makes enough big plays to take care of games late. New York’s piss-poor ability to run the ball (not improving in the playoffs) will cost them.

The biggest factor, though, is Brady and his legacy. If they lose this game, his image is forever tarnished. At this point, how do you not call Brady the greatest QB of all time? Three Super Bowl rings, basically no receivers in his first seven seasons, most TDs for a single season, most consecutive attempts without an interception, beautiful model girlfriends, blah blah blah. You’ve heard it all. But if they lose to the Giants, you can’t say that Brady is the greatest ever – Eli was always able to outplay him in Super Bowls. The best historical pop culture corollary is Tom Hanks. Here’s a guy that wins consecutive Best Actor Oscars in 1993 and 1994, and then gives tremendous performances in Apollo 13, Saving Private Ryan, The Green Mile, and Cast Away . . . and loses each time. Now in 2012, people aren’t going to readily list Tom Hanks when they say the greatest actors ever. They may say De Niro, Pacino, Hoffman, Brando, or Ryan Gosling, but Hanks is just too lightweight or comic maybe. But in his heaviest, deepest roles at the top of his game, he never won the big one – maybe not so much because his performances weren’t worthy, but because he already won two Oscars. Some of those losses are inexplicable (how does he lose to Roberto Benigni in ’98?) but they do quite a bit in diminishing his unstoppable 1990s aura. Two Oscars made Hanks great, but three would have made him immortal.

Will Brady allow this to happen? We’ve seen him still crying about being drafted in the 6^th round. You saw the anger in his eyes against the Broncos a few weeks ago (you don’t think he’ll be angry after that 0 TD, 2 interception performance against the Ravens?) The games Brady has blown weren’t the games where we didn’t believe he could win, but the games everyone was overconfident about the Patriots. Brady’s best games? 2001 in the Super Bowl against St. Louis (no way they beat the Rams); 2004 in the AFC Championship (no way they beat the Stealers); 2006 in the AFC Divisional Round (no way they beat the Chargers; Brady’s impact doesn’t show up in the stats). The facts stack up showing that the Patriots will have serious problems against this team. Brady knows the stakes. If they win, he’s the best quarterback of all time; if they lose, he can never be seriously considered in the running ever again. Just like in 2007, the Patriots are up against history, and have more to lose if they blow it; but this time, they have a chip on their shoulder, and more to prove.

Prediction: New England 31, New York 27 (Do I seriously believe the Patriots are better than the Giants? I’m still not sure. But it is easier picking against the Giants than against Tom Brady. And I’ll never be able to live with myself if I honestly go against my team in the championship.)

(Side note: Here are my five favorite statistics from my list in ascending order: 22, 16 and 17, 36, 37, and 28. I mean, how has this guy never fumbled? Is this remotely possible? And he’s on the same team as the guy who set the record for pass attempts without an interception? As far as I’m concerned, I’ll take no fumbling over the ability to run for 50 yards on any given play.)

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Power Rankings: Best living actors, never nominated for an Oscar

With Gary Oldman finally getting his long-overdue Oscar nomination, we can all cross him off the top our list of the best actors who have never been nominated. This list is taking into account living actors, specifically ones that are still working, otherwise the list would just be filled with the likes of Maureen O’Hara, Shirley Temple, Jerry Lewis, and so on. So, this is a list of people who we may see get a nomination in the near future, since the Academy has been recognizing overdue actors in recent years (Christopher Plummer, Mickey Rourke, etc.). I also decided not to include actors who are primarily in television (Kelsey Grammer, Michael C. Hall, etc.), since they are not really trying to get nominated for Oscars. This power ranking is the most difficult one I have ever written, having to decipher between favorite actors, best actors, and those who most deserve a nomination. It was interesting, and a ton of amazing talent is left off. Check it out:

Others receiving votes: Ben Foster, Colin Farrell, John Cusack, Mia Farrow, Steve Martin

10. Tony Leung

I felt like I should include at least one international actor on this list, so I went with one that has been extremely popular in America. Tony Leung is one of the best actors in the world, and his filmography is esteemed and varied. He is an astonishing talent, and given the right role, I could definitely see him ending up a nominee someday. Several of his co-stars have gotten some serious looks from the Academy and HFPA, but in those films, it is always Leung that is most impressive.

Most deserved to be nominated for: In the Mood for Love

Other notable snubs: Lust, Caution, 2046, Infernal Affairs, Hero, Happy Together, Ashes of Time, Chungking Express

Promising upcoming title: The Grandmasters (2012). Directed by Wong Kar Wai (Chungking Express), about the martial arts master who trained Bruce Lee. Co-starring Zizi Zhang.

9. Robin Wright

Robin Wright is one of the most respected supporting character actresses in the business, and it is a shame that she has never gotten an Oscar invite. How did she not at least ride the unstoppable Forrest Gump wave back in 1994? Robin Wright is one of the most sincere and grounded actresses working today, and I really do feel that she is getting close to getting that elusive Oscar nom.

Most deserved to be nominated for: Forrest Gump

Other notable snubs: The Conspirator, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, Sorry, Haters, Nine Lives, A Home at the End of the World, She’s So Lovely

Promising upcoming title: The Congress (2013). Directed by Ari Folman (Waltz with Bashir), a sci-fi drama about an aging, out-of-work actress. Co-starring Paul Giamatti.

8. Sam Rockwell

Sam Rockwell is one of those actors that it is hard to understand why he has not broken through yet. He is one of the most intriguing and talented actors of his generation, and he does amazing work almost every time out. He just lives in his characters, not really trying to win an Oscar or anything. He is subtle and brilliant in all of his roles. Academy, please give this guy an Oscar. He deserves it.

Most deserved to be nominated for: Confessions of a Dangerous Mind

Other notable snubs: Conviction, Moon, Choke, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Snow Angels, Matchstick Men, The Green Mile, Lawn Dogs

Promising upcoming title: Seven Psychopaths (2012). Directed by Martin McDonagh (In Bruges), about a screenwriter who gets caught up in a kidnapping plot. Co-starring Colin Farrell.

7. Jim Carrey

Isn’t it hard to believe that Jim Carrey never got an Oscar nomination? He has gotten 6 Golden Globe nominations and two wins. He has gotten a BAFTA nom. He was one of the most popular actors in the world during his heyday. I will never forgive the Academy for snubbing him back in 1998 for The Truman Show. That is just inexcusable. He is not just a funny guy. When he wants to be serious, he can be as dark and emotional as any actor. He needs to finally get that Oscar nomination, even though now it seems like his interest in that has floundered. Hopefully one of his upcoming projects works out, or he may need to go the Alan Arkin route and have a scene-stealing supporting part in a movie and hope it hits. But honestly, when is he ever not the undisputed lead?

Most deserved to be nominated for: The Truman Show

Other notable snubs: I Love You Phillip Morris, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Majestic, Man on the Moon

Promising upcoming title: The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013). Directed by Don Scardino (30 Rock), about a jaded magician trying to remain relevant when a new popular magician bursts onto the scene. Co-starring Steve Carell.

6. Brian Cox

Brian Cox is an actor who is just always around successful movies. He is a fantastic supporting character actor, and it is always his co-stars who are getting the recognition. Cox has done so much great work and put in so much goodwill, I cannot believe that he has never gotten any serious Oscar attention. He will be nominated at some point. I am almost certain of that.

Most deserved to be nominated for: 25^th Hour

Other notable snubs: The Good Heart, The Escapist, Zodiac, Troy, L.I.E.,

Promising upcoming title: Blood (2013). Directed by Nick Murphy (The Awakening), about two cop brothers and their struggle to break out of the shadow of their former police chief father. Co-starring Paul Bettany.

5. Guy Pearce

Guy Pearce is one of the most talented actors around. He is in some of the most prolific and celebrated movies of the late 90s-early 00s. He is about as versatile of a performer as I have ever seen on screen, rivaled only by the chameleon himself Gary Oldman for being the most unrecognizable and underrated character actor in the business. He gets lost in every role that he takes, and it is just insane that he was not nominated for any of the astonishing work in his career.

Most deserved to be nominated for: The Proposition

Other notable snubs: The King’s Speech, Animal Kingdom, Factory Girl, The Count of Monte Cristo, Memento, L.A. Confidential

Promising upcoming title: Wettest County (2012). Directed by John Hillcoat (The Road), about a Depression-era bootlegging gang. Co-starring Tom Hardy.

4. Kevin Bacon

Kevin Bacon has perhaps one of the most decorated filmographies of his generation, and yet he is never singled out in his cast. Even in the greatest of ensembles, he is always among the best but forgotten. Even in the most Oscar-friendly material, his co-stars get all of the love. I am not sure why that is, but I cannot always agree with it. He brings a great deal of humanity to his characters, and it is inexcusable that he has never gotten an Oscar nom (only one Globe nom too). He needs to get nominated soon. After nearly sweeping the TV awards for his movie Taking Chance a couple years ago, it appears that the industry has finally warmed up to him. Now he just needs that Oscar.

Most deserved to be nominated for: The Woodsman

Other notable snubs: Mystic River, Digging to China, Sleepers, Apollo 13, Murder in the First, The River Wild, A Few Good Men, Diner

Promising upcoming title: Jayne Mansfield’s Car (2012). Directed by Billy Bob Thornton (Sling Blade), about culture clash between two families in the 1960s. Co-starring Robert Duvall.

3. Donald Sutherland

Donald Sutherland is going to be the only leg of the tripod (along with Michael Caine, Christopher Plummer) to not be an Oscar-winner. Somehow, through all of the Oscar-friendly movies that Sutherland has been involved in, he has never gotten nominated. Not even Ordinary People, which rode Judd Hirsch to the ceremony with his ultra-limited screen time. It is ridiculous to think that Sutherland’s career could end without him being a nominee.

Most deserved to be nominated for: Ordinary People

Other notable snubs: Aurora Borealis, Pride and Prejudice, Without Limits, JFK, Threshold, Don’t Look Now, Klute, MASH

Promising upcoming title: none

2. Jennifer Jason Leigh

I could never understand how such a critical darling like Jennifer Jason Leigh could never break through to getting any serious awards attention. She is amazing in almost every movie appears in. In the early to mid 90s, she had a run where each one of her performances was good enough to be nominated or win Oscars. She is one of the most authentic actors out there, and now she just does not work enough. In my books, she should have won two Oscars with at least 3 more nominations. I am astounded that she has never gotten at least invited to the ceremony.

Most deserved to be nominated for: Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle

Other notable snubs: Margot at the Wedding, The Machinist, The Anniversary Party, Georgia, Dolores Claiborne, The Hudsucker Proxy, Short Cuts, Single White Female, Miami Blues, Last Exit to Brooklyn, Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Promising upcoming title: none

1. Steve Buscemi

Steve Buscemi is one of the best actors in the world. He has played so many supporting characters, each of which were done with the amazing awkwardness and realism that only Buscemi can bring to them. He has stated that he played so many supporting weird characters that filmmakers doubted whether he could be a lead. I think Boardwalk Empire silenced those critics. Now, he just needs to get an Oscar. I cannot think of an actor who has had to climb up the ranks quite like Buscemi has, and now actors playing roles like he did at the start of his career (John Hawkes, for instance) are getting the recognition that Buscemi never got. He may not be the most deserving actor, but it is a shame that he has gone this far without a nomination. Hopefully in the coming years and coming off the success of his hugely-popular television series, he can finally get that elusive Oscar nom.

Most deserved to be nominated for: Ghost World

Other notable snubs: The Messenger, Interview, Delirious, Paris, je Taime, The Grey Zone, Trees Lounge, Fargo, Living in Oblivion, Reservoir Dogs, Mystery Train

Promising upcoming title: On the Road (2012). Directed by Walter Salles (The Motorcycle Diaries), based on the Jack Kerouac book about Beat generation writers searching for “It”. Co-starring Sam Riley.

So, what do you think? I know that I must have missed someone. I went through about 50 possibilities to narrow it down to these 10. Who would be on your list? A Golden Globe darling like Cameron Diaz or Scarlett Johansson? An indie star like Parker Posey or James Spader? A longtime veteran like Christopher Lee or Christopher Lloyd? A relatively young actor like Evan Rachel Wood or Emile Hirsch? A largely comedic actor like Will Ferrell or Steve Carell? A standout Coen brothers collaborator like John Turturro or John Goodman? A blockbuster actor with occasional dramatic brilliance like Bruce Willis or Val Kilmer? A rising star like Tom Hardy or Michael Fassbender? A foreign star like Gong Li or Chow Yun-Fat? A wrongfully typecast character actor like Jeff Daniels or Daniel Stern? Each and every one of these actors was on my longlist of contenders. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

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