Based on some of the comments I received last week regarding my article on great acting, I took the suggestion of a young lady and am kicking off a series of articles, one per week, that will explore the best performances ofeach year, beginning today with 1995. So let’s go back and work our way towards 2008 and discover the great film performances we know about, and maybe a few we do not.
The Academy did a pretty fine job in 1995 when it came to the acting nominees. Sure there was some shock when John Travolta was snubbed for his superb work in “Get Shorty,” and those hoping for a three-peat with Tom Hanks missed it when the actor was not nominated for his solid work in “Apollo 13.” I personally would like to have seen Clint Eastwood nominated for his wonderful work in “The Bridges of Madison County,” but there are just five slots open, and so many fine pieces of acting.
One could also argue for Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt, both excellent in David Fincher’s “Seven,” or Bruce Willis, who was nobly brilliant in “Twelve Monkeys,” and perhaps even Jack Nicholson in “The Crossing Guard.”
Nobody could argue with Nicolas Cage in “Leaving Las Vegas,” Sean Penn in “Dead Man Walking” or Anthony Hopkins for “Nixon” as Best Actor nominees. And frankly I believe Penn gave the best performance of the year, one for the ages in fact. However, Richard Dreyfuss in “Mr. Holland’s Opus?” Seriously? I love Dreyfuss and I think he’s even been short-changed in the past, but come one. He does fine work and it’s not his fault the script asks him to be mushy and sentimental, but I have struggled with his nomination over Hanks, Travolta and Eastwood for many years.
Massimo Troisi in “Il Postino?” He was a good actor who gave many great performances, but this was not among the top five leading turns of the year. I know the man died right after making the film, but let’s call it as it is.
For the ladies, one has to wonder why Julianne Moore missed the cut for her haunting performance in “Safe,” one of her best performances, and Todd Haynes’s breakthrough feature. The nominees that year — again, Oscar called them pretty good — were Susan Sarandon in “Dead Man Walking,” Elisbaeth Shue in “Leaving Las Vegas,” Meryl Streep in “The Bridges of Madison County,” Emma Thompson in “Sense and Sensibility” and, are you ready for it, Sharon Stone in “Casino.” Now Stone did not ruin the film, nor did she look out of place in the film, Scorsese is much too fine a director to allow that, but come on.
How about Nicole Kidman, who gave her first great performance in Gus Van Sant’s black comedy “To Die For?” Kidman won the Golden Globe for comedy (as did Travolta) but neither wins turned into an Oscar nod. Jennifer Jason Leigh also gave a soul-shaking performance in “Georgia” that won her the New York Film Critics prize for Best Actress, but no nomination from the Academy.
Perhaps the Best Actor category might have been Cage, Penn, Hopkins, Travolta and Eastwood, while the ladies might have been Moore, Streep, Shue, Sarandon and Leigh. Those 10 performances, for me, were the finest lead performances of 1995.
As far as supporting work goes, the Academy honored Kevin Spacey in “The Usual Suspects” and Mira Sorvino in “Mighty Aphrodite,” both brilliant performances, both deserving.
I felt bad for Ed Harris, who did stunning work in “Apollo 13 “ in one of his best roles in years, and for Joe Pesci, who was terrifying again in “Casino” and to his credit gave a very different performance than he did in “Goodfellas.” Pesci was not nominated but might have been a stronger choice than James Cromwell in “Babe,” one of the more bizarre nominations of the year.
Are the we really supposed to believe that Cromwell, a reliable old character actor, did stronger work than Kevin Bacon in “Murder in the First” or Don Cheadle “Devil in a Blue Dress?” The Supporting Actor nominees might have been Bacon, Harris, Spacey, Tim Roth in “Rob Roy” and Cheadle, and that would have been just fine by me.
For the women in the Best Supporting Actress category, this is where Stone might have fit in much better. Though it is hard to argue with the nominees: Joan Allen in “Nixon,” Kate Winslet in “Sense and Sensibility,” Kathleen Quinlan in “Apollo 13,” Mare Winningham in “Georgia” and the winner, of course, Sorvino.
Stone might have bumped Quinlan, or perhaps Anjelica Huston could have squeezed in for her heartbreaking work in “The Crossing Guard,” but no one else, as the Academy nailed that category, in my opinion.
Next week we’ll tackle the performances of 1996.
What were your favorite performances of 1995? Have your say in the comments section below!
Comments
72 responses to “The Great Performances: 1995”
Some fine performances here, but how could you leave off Kathy Bates in Dolores Claiborne?
Not a single foreign language performance bares mentioning in an entire year? I can’t even fathom that possibility. I get why the Academy can do it, the great foreign work isn’t as widely seen. But for a film buff who I know from his writing watches plenty of foreign films to not mention a single one is baffling to me. Isabelle Huppert for La Ceremonie? Vincent Cassell in La Haine? Someone.
To be honest, I’d find it a flaw to start off with the Academy’s lineups and say who is deserving of being there. If I look at the traditional 5 lineup, usually at least 3 are worthy enough performances but if I actually analyze all of the films I see in a year and all of the work, its extraordinarily rare for more than 1 or 2 to make my lineups. Too much great work in any year for the average person to find a committee of 1000s reflects their tastes exactly or even close to it.
I was just gonna mention that when Andrew chimed in (i was googling how to spell the film’s name right just in case).
Next week isn’t that interesting. I’m just sad they snubben Ian Holm for the Sweet Hereafter.
The week after should be rage-inducing (Nobody was nominated for the Ice Storm? The only nominee for L.A. Confidential was Kim Basinger? And she beat Julianne Moore for the win?? And did they really have to nominate Gloria Stuart?!? I could go on for a while)
Brad Pitt in Twelve Monkeys? No mention?
Nothing bizarre about James Cromwell’s nomination. Tricky role — playing off special effects for the most part — executed with absolute conviction, without ever resorting to mugging. The Academy is rarely that perceptive or imaginative with their acting selections.
Glad to see you highlight Moore’s work in “Safe,” which is astonishing. I’d add two female pairs: Isabelle Huppert and Sandrine Bonnaire in “La Ceremonie,” and Toni Collette and Rachel Griffiths in “Muriel’s Wedding.” Emma Thompson, meanwhile, was nominated for the wrong film: “Carrington” tested her far more.
As for the men, I disagree strongly with your dismissal of Massimo Troisi’s work, but I would add that Philippe Noiret is his equal in the film. Harvey Keitel deserved more notice for “Smoke” and Ian McKellen gave his best onscreen work to date in “Richard III.”
I’ve always thought the Academy somehow reversed the winners for the lead categories — Penn should have won for “Dead Man Walking”, while I preferred Shue for “Leaving Las Vegas”.
I’m somewhat amazed you left off Robert De Niro for “Heat” (I’d probably mention Pacino as well).
I’d also add Mel Gibson for “Braveheart” and Tom Hanks … for “Toy Story”.
Bing: Snap! Glad to see someone else mention Huppert.
Julianne Moore is the one snub I think was criminal. I also would have nominated Todd Haynes and the film.
You’re a tad harsh on Sharon Stone :-P
As great as Pesci was, I thought he was much more terrifying in Casino. Like most, I find Goodfellas to be a far superior film, but Pesci stands out more in Casino.
Sharon Stone was the best Lead Actress performance that year.
Emma Thompson was absolutely wonderful in Sense and Sensibility. She nailed the part of Elinor Dashwood, no small feat considering she was wayyy too old for that role. Her last scene in the film where she breaks down in front of Edward was heartbreaking. I actually think the top 5 best actress nominees were pretty spot on, although I haven’t seen Julianne Moore’s performance in Safe.
I’ve seen 4 out of the 5 nominees in the lead actress category (not Sharon Stone). I loved them all. It’s really hard to choose. I think I would place Streep and Sarandon at thje top and Thompson at the bottom but it was one of these times I don’t really believe it matters who takes the Oscar. I haven’t seen all of Cage’s competition but I loved his performance. It was Oscar-worthy even if it wasn’t worthy in that year. (I said if)
Moore and Shue would have been great winners in my book, by I can’t argue that Sarandon wasn’t also impressive.
I’m torn between Winslet and Joan Allen that year, though I think had Winslet won so early her career would be vastly different.
And sue me, but I loved James Cromwell in Babe.
Very simple;
Johnny Depp shoud nominated for Ed Wood and he should win his first deserved for this movie.
His second oscar for Pirates of the Caribbean.
But he is too handsome to be a Oscar winner.
Very simple;
Johnny Depp shoud nominated for Ed Wood and he should win his first deserved oscar for this movie.
His second oscar for Pirates of the Caribbean.
But he is too handsome to be a Oscar winner.
clint eastwood has to win a best actor before hes done, hes just so great on screen. also mel gibson for braveheart
Where is the excellent cast of Muriel’s Wedding – Toni Collette, Bill Hunter and Jeanie Drynan were all nomination-worthy and many people liked Rachel Griffiths performance as well.
Question, John: Do you consider ‘Muriel’s Wedding’ to be a 1994 film or a ’95 film (since it was then it received a USA release, in addition to Toni Collette scoring her Golden Globe nod then)? If you consider it ’95, I’d hope you’ll mention it in the article =). I usually consider foreign releases in the year they were released in my own country.
Sandrine Bonnaire and Isabelle Huppert were stunning in La Ceremonie, but the film would have been eligible for Oscar nominations in 1996. I quite liked Jean-Pierre Cassel from that film, as well. He has a fireball confrontation scene with Huppert’s character.
I have a weak spot for the flawed but touching “Reckless” which has great performances from Mia Farrow and Stephen Dorff.
“Georgia” wins for me in both of my actress categories, however.
And “expert”: Why are you talking about Depp? ‘Ed Wood’ is from 1994.
Although, I would’ve started these lists with at least 1994, which was perhaps the greatest year of the ’90s decade (Quiz Show, Heavenly Creatures, Bullets Over Broadway, and I’m too tired to list them all). Oh yeah, and Serial Mom, too–flove that movie.
Expert: “Ed Wood” was released in 1994. I know because I remember Martin Landau winning Best Supporting Actor instead of Samuel L. Jackson (for “Pulp Fiction”). I don’t remember much after that because I immediately gouged my eyes out with a ballpoint pen. (Worst Oscar decision ever? It’s at least top five, right?)
That said, I agree with you that Depp deserved to win the Oscar for “Pirates of the Caribbean” in 2003. But hey, at least he was nominated.
ya 1994 did dominate, shawshank,gump, pulp, enough said?
Sean Penn takes the gold for me. Dead Man Walking, for me, still contains Penn’s best performance. I believe Brad Pitt deserved a double nomination in 1995 for his screen burning cocky rage in Se7en and the Cuckoo’s Nest turn in 12 Monkeys. I remain in love with Braveheart and Mel Gibson’s performance in it and believe he, Nicolas Cage, and Bruce Willis (12 Monkeys) would fill out my lead male ballot. In supporting I’d nominate Kevin Spacey, Robert Downey Jr. for Home for the Holidays, Gary Sinise for Apollo 13, and Val Kilmer for Heat.
The Performance of the year goes to Nicole Kidman for To Die For. Hilarious/Terrifying/Sexy. I can’t put my thoughts into words on this one. Elisabeth Shue, Susan Sarandon, and Alicia Silverstone for Clueless round out my lead ballot. I’m actually fairly content with Oscars supporting ladies in 96
Depp DEFINITELY should’ve won the Oscar for Pirates. Love that performance. I haven’t seen LIT yet, but Murray winning would’ve been nice, too. Penn didn’t deserve to win that year, ugh. His ’08 win was magnificent, but I would’ve been doubly happy if it was his first time.
You’re wrong about Il Postino. Dead or alive, he deserved that nomination.
Also, I just saw the Crossing Guard recently and the performances aren’t that exceptional. I love Nicholson and Huston, but their work here is just adequate. And overall, it’s kind of a forgettable film.
I would like to throw Heather Matarazzo into the mix. She was great in Welcome to the Dollhouse. But I guess it depends on how you feel about Solondz.
Kids has some strong performances as well, though maybe not Oscar worthy.
And Kenneth Branagh in Othello was quite good.
And Ron Perlman’s simpleton in City of Lost Children.
Welcome to the Dollhouse = 1996.
Emma Thompson, Kathleen Quinlan, Ed Harris, Mel Gibson, and my favourite KATE WINSLEt
I didn’t even think Massimo Troisi gave the best performance in Il Postino. If he hadn’t died right after production, it probably would have been Philipe Noiret among the nominees for Best Actor.
And this was the SECOND year that they overlooked Jennifer Jason Leigh! Okay, so maybe some Dorothy Parker fanatics ruined her chances of winning in an astonishingly weak year for leading actresses last year. But how can you nominate Mare Winningham and not her (or at least place her high enough to make the cut)? At least Nicole Kidman and Julianne Moore eventually got some attention from AMPAS, but Leigh is still nomination-less.
And I would certainly argue with the winner of Best Supporting Actress. Mira Sorvino was cute, sure, but nothing in her performance was amazing like Joan Allen or Mare Winningham’s work that year.
@ Jeremy: You should watch Ed Wood again to see why Martin Landau’s win was NOT one of the worst Oscar decisions ever. He was outstanding in that film. If there was any injustice regarding Samuel L. Jackson, it was that he was nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category for what was clearly a leading role. If Miramax had campaigned for him in that category, he probably would have won. Who would you have voted for, “And you will know my name is the LORD, when I lay my vengeance opon thee!”, or “Life ius liuke a box a cho-co-lutes, ya never know what yer gon get.”?
Johnny Depp in Dead Man.
Chris Tucker in Friday.
Jean-Paul Belmondo in Les Miserables.
Oh, and John, aren’t you forgetting someone else who might have been a good Supporting Actor nominee? Ted Levine, perhaps?
Robert: I thought Martin Landau was just fine in “Ed Wood”, but it was Johnny Depp’s movie, and in my mind, Landau’s work didn’t compare to Jackson’s. As for the category issues, given that Travolta had more screentime than Jackson, I can’t fault the “Pulp Fiction” campaign for placing Travolta as lead actor and Jackson as supporting, especially since the “Holy shit, John Travolta is back!” angle was a key point of its marketing.
Also, I’m kicking myself for neglecting to mention Ethan Hawke in “Before Sunrise”.
Perhaps it makes sense from a campaign standpoint, but to me, placing Samuel L. Jackson as the supporting nominee is no less category fraud than Jake Gyllenhaal being considered a “supporting actor” in Brokeback Mountain or Haing S. Ngor winning Best Supporting Actor in The Killing Fields. There are such things as co-leads, and if any film deserved to have two Best Actor nominations (à la Amadeus and Sleuth), it was Pulp Fiction and its immortal duo.
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Nicolas Cage – Leaving Las Vegas
Johnny Depp – Dead Man
Guillermo Diaz – Stonewall
Ian McKellen – Richard III
Sean Penn – Dead Man Walking
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Toni Collette – Muriel’s Wedding
Catherine Keener – Living In Oblivion
Nicole Kidman – To Die For
Alicia Silverstone – Clueless
Emma Thompson – Sense and Sensibility
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Don Cheadle – Devil In A Blue Dress
Harold Perrineau – Smoke
Peter Ratray – Stonewall
Alan Rickman – Sense and Sensibility
Kevin Spacey – The Usual Suspects
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Jennifer Elise Cox – The Brady Bunch Movie
Illeana Douglas – To Die For
Rachel Griffiths – Muriel’s Wedding
Mira Sorvino – Mighty Aphrodite
Kate Winslet – Sense and Sensibility
Wow, John. Thanks for writing this! I enjoyed the article so much, and I do agree–Eastwood should have been nominated for Best Actor. He was very subtle in this, and coming from the actor who plays in-your-face, unsentimental ‘bad-ass’ characters, this was a welcome departure from the usual.
Looking back now, 1995 was a pretty good year, one of the best in the decade in terms of acting performances, if I can say so. It’d be revealing my age, but I’d just have to say that the only Oscar-nominated performance I saw at the time it was shown was James Cromwell’s in “Babe.”
I also agree with Freeman and Pitt in “Seven”. That movie still scares me to death every time I see it. It’s gripping and the level of intensity and involvement that these two men put into the film is just amazing.
Of course, I’d agree with Streep being nominated for that year. It was one of her best works of the decade, if not the best. ‘Bridges’ was a perfect mix of director, actor, and material.
Looking forward to the rest of the series. :)
I think Morgan Freeman’s work in “Se7en” was his most deserving nomination. But I agree that Sean Penn should have won Best Actor.
I just randomly thought of another:
Elizabeth Perkins, “Moonlight and Valentino”
She was incredible in this.
William Hurt and Stockard Channing gave great performances in Smoke… Best Actress race was extremely competetive that year. I can’t find place in my ballot for both Streep and Sarandon’s fine works, but Kidman gave one of her best performances of her career in the underappreciated To Die For. And Muriel’s Wedding is just a magical movie… :)
My personal ballot for 1995 is…
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE:
Nicolas Cage, Leaving Las Vegas
Morgan Freeman, Seven
William Hurt, Smoke
Sean Penn, Dead Man Walking
Jonathan Pryce, Carrington
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE:
Toni Colette, Muriel’s Wedding
Nicole Kidman, To Die For
Elisabeth Shue, Leaving Las Vegas
Sharon Stone, Casino
Emma Thompson, Sense & Sensibility
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
James Cromwell, Babe
Brad Pitt, Twelve Monkeys
Tim Roth, Rob Roy
Alan Rickman, Sense & Sensibility
Kevin Spacey, The Usual Suspects
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
Joan Allen, Nixon
Stockard Channing, Smoke
Jeanie Drynan, Muriel’s Wedding
Rachel Griffits, Muriel’s Wedding
Kate Winslet, Sense & Sensibility
my 95 ballot * wins
actor
mckellen – richard the third
de niro – casino
dreyfuss – mr holland’s opus
cage – leaving las vegas
penn – dead man walking*
actress
stone -casino
kidman – to die for
streep – the bridges of madison county*
sarandon – dead man walking
shue – leaving las vegas
supp actor
spacey – seven
phoenix – to die for*
cheadle – devil in a blue dress
bacon – murder i nthe first
leguizamo – to wong foo
supp actress
sorvino – mighty aphrodute
parfitt -dolores clainborne
winslet – sense and sensibility
allen – nixon*
winningham – georgie
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Nicolas Cage, Leaving Las Vegas
Anthony Hopkins, Nixon
Robert De Niro, Heat
Sean Penn, Dead Man Walking ***
Bruce Willis, 12 Monkeys
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Nicole Kidman, To Die For ***
Meryl Streep, The Bridges of Madison County
Susan Sarandon, Dead Man Walking
Elisabeth Shue, Leaving Las Vegas
Emma Thompson, Sense & Sensibility
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Patrick McGoohan, Braveheart
Joe Pesci, Casino
Brad Pitt, Seven
Tim Roth, Rob Roy
Kevin Spacey, Seven***
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Joan Allen, Nixon
Mira Sorvino, Mighty Aphrodite
Sharon Stone, Casino ***
Marie Winningham, Georgia
Kate Winslet, Sense & Sensibility
This is so Anglocentric.
Isabelle Huppert and Sandrine Bonnaire gave two of the best performances not only of 95, but the entire 90s. If you haven’t seen it, watch La Ceremonie stat.
Jaqueline Bisset and Jean-Pierre Cassel should have been nominated for supporting as well.
Depends on whether you consider it 1995 or 1996, but Maborosi (Maboroshi no Hikari) by Hirokazu Kore-eda is one of the greatest films ever made. The film debuted in Japan in 95, America in 96 – the year in which I give my best actress prize to Makiko Esumi for her work in the film.
For me, it’s absolutely KATHY BATES and JENNIFER JASON LEIGH in DOLORES CLAIBORNE. Criminally overlooked performances in a truly great melodrama.
I still think Angus MacFayden deserved a Best Supporting nom for “Braveheart”. Especially considering how um, well he’s been doing since then.
That you Guy and the others who mentioned Ian McKellan. His non-nomination is still one of the great head-scratchers for me.
I haven’t seen much from 1995 in terms of Oscars, but I think Ian McKellan probably deserved to get in over Richard Dreyfuss. Also…
I haven’t seen any of the Best Actress nominees (I saw about half of Casino), but I think it is almost criminal that Nicole Kidman didn’t make the cut for To Die For. Certainly better than her work in The Hours and her best performance aside from Moulin Rouge! One of the finest female performances EVER if you ask me
Also if I could add, I loved Alicia Silverstone in Clueless
Sharon Stone in “Casino” is hands down one of the greatest female performances of the 90s. She owns that movie.
Kidman puts everyone else to shame in 1995.
I meant to say of Freeman: His work in “Se7en” was better than any of his nominated performances. And Spacey’s work there was equally memorable.