Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1996: Results

5. Gene Hackman in The Birdcage- Hackman steals the film with his hilarious dead pan performance.

Best Scene: Senator Keeley talks about foliage.

4. Pete Postlethwaite in Brassed Off- For most of the film Postlethwaite gives a very enjoyable performance in bringing such a conviction and pride in something so seemingly small, and then he successfully transitions to a true emotional poignancy at the end of the film.

Best Scene: Final speech.

3. Robert Carlyle in Trainspotting- Carlyle gives a very entertaining and intense portrayal of man who gets his kicks out of kicking a certain something out of any unlucky fellow in his way.

Best Scene: Begbie's final bar breakdown.

2. Derek Jacobi in Hamlet- Claudius easily could have been a throwaway role but Jacobi gives an excellent portrayal of Claudius as both an imposing villain but as well an honest the portrayal of guilt.

Best Scene: Claudius asks for forgiveness.

1. Steve Buscemi in Fargo- Good Prediction koook160.  Steve Buscemi gives a great portrait of idiotic criminal and is terrific in every one of his scenes, and it's only better due to his perfect chemistry with his partner in crime played by Peter Stormare who is also my very close number two for this year.

Best Scene: Carl negotiates with Wade.

Overall Rank:

1. Steve Buscemi in Fargo
2. Peter Stormare in Fargo
3. Edward Norton in Primal Fear
4. Derek Jacobi in Hamlet
5. Robert Carlyle in Trainspotting
6. Pete Postlethwaite in Brassed Off
7. Gene Hackman in The Birdcage
8. Charlton Heston in Hamlet
9. Paul Scofield in The Crucible
10. Harry Belafonte in Kansas City
11. Clifton James in Lone Star 
12. Tony Jay in The Hunchback of Notre Dame 
13. Matthew McCounaughey in Lone Star
14. Edward Norton in The People vs. Larry Flynt
15. Bain Beohlke in Fargo
16. Bill Murray in Kingpin
17. Kevin McKidd in Trainspotting
18. Gary Sinise in Ransom
19. Dwight Yoakam in Sling Blade
20. Armin Mueller-Stahl in Shine
21. Harve Presnell in Fargo
22. Robert Duvall in Phenomenon
23. Lucas Black in Sling Blade
24. Kevin Pollak in That Thing You Do  
25. Pete Postlethwaite in Romeo + Juliet 
26. Robert De Niro in Sleepers
27. Samuel L. Jackson in A Time To Kill
28. James Cromwell in Star Trek: First Contact 
29. Matthew McCounaughey in Larger Than Life
30. Christopher McDonald in Happy Gilmore
31. Stephen Rea in Michael Collins
32. Robert Duvall in Sling Blade
33. Brian Blessed in Hamlet
34. Willem Dafoe in The English Patient
35. Brent Spiner in Star Trek: First Contact
36. Kevin Spacey in A Time To Kill
37. Dave Chapelle in The Nutty Professor
38. Ian Holm in Big Night
39. Kevin Bacon in Sleepers 
40. Stephen Tompkinson in Brassed Off
41. Jonny Lee Miller in Trainspotting
42. Steve Park in Fargo 
43. Alan Rickman in Michael Collins
44. Tom Hanks in That Thing You Do
45. Carl Weathers in Happy Gilmore
46. Nicholas Farrell in Hamlet
47. Scott Wilson in Shiloh
48. Richard Attenborough in Hamlet
49. Forest Whitaker in Phenomenon
50. Chris Cooper in A Time to Kill
51. Vince Vaughn in Swingers
52. James Woods in Ghosts of Mississippi 
53. Kris Kirstofferson in Lone Star
54. Ed Harris in The Rock
55. J.T. Walsh in Sling Blade
56. Steve Zahn in That Thing You Do
57. Robert Musgrave in Bottle Rocket
58. Peter Vaughan in The Crucible
59. John Astin in The Frighteners
60. James Caan in Eraser
61. Ewan Bremner in Trainspotting
62. Jon Voight in Mission: Impossible
63. Larry Brandenberg in Fargo
64. John Ritter in Sling Blade 
65. Ron Canada in Lone Star
66. Johnathon Shaech in That Thing You Do
67. Billy Crystal in Hamlet
68. Jeff Goldblum in Independence Day 
69. James Caan in Bottle Rocket
70. Ewan McGregor in Brassed Off
71. Kevin Kline in The Hunchback of Notre Dame
72. Bruce Davison in The Crucible
73. John Carroll Lynch in Fargo
74. Larry Miller in The Nutty Professor
75. Ving Rhames in Mission: Impossible
76. Andre Braugher in Primal Fear
77. Tony Denman in Fargo
78. Pete Postlethwaite in Dragonheart
79. Jim Carter in Brassed Off 
80. Brad Renfro in Sleepers
81. Timothy Spall in Hamlet
82. John Ales in The Nutty Professor
83. John Gielgud in Shine
84. Philip Seymour Hoffman in Twister 
85. Richard Briers in Hamlet
86. Delroy Lindo in Ransom
87. Aidan Quinn in Michael Collins
88. Philip Jackson in Brassed Off
89. Robert De Niro in Marvin's Room
90. Ron Livingston in Swingers
91. Brad Pitt in Sleepers 
92. Treat Williams in The Phantom
93. Bill Murray in Space Jam
94. Jonathan Pryce in Evita
95. Phil Hartman in Sgt. Bilko
96. Michael Moriarty in Shiloh
97. Michael Douglas in The Ghost and the Darkness
98. David Arquette in Scream
99. Ben Stiller in The Cable Guy 
100. Dustin Hoffman in Sleepers   
101. Dan Hedaya in Marvin's Room
102. Steve Buscemi in Kansas City
103. Viggo Mortensen in Daylight
104. James Cromwell in The People vs. Larry Flynt
105. Donald Sutherland in A Time to Kill
106. Danny DeVito in Matilda
107. Rob Campbell in The Crucible
108. Patrick McGoohan in The Phantom
109. Paul Reubens in Dunston Checks In
110. Dan Aykroyd in Sgt. Bilko
111. Wayne Knight in Space Jam
112. Stan Shaw in Daylight 
113. Leonardo DiCaprio in Marvin's Room
114. James Coburn in The Nutty Professor
115. Keith David in Larger Than Life
116. Rufus Sewell in Hamlet
117. Owen Wilson in The Cable Guy
118. James Rebhorn in Independence Day
119. Hank Azaria in The Birdcage
120. Richard Paul in The People vs. Larry Flynt
121. Gerard Depardieu in Hamlet 
122. Gary Busey in Black Sheep 
123. Christopher Lee in The Stupids
124. Matthew Lillard in Scream
125. Phil Hartman in Jingle All The Way
126. Jack Black in The Cable Guy 
127. Colin Firth in The English Patient
128. Michael Murphy in Kansas City
129. Robin Williams in Hamlet
130. Joe Morton in Lone Star
131. David Thewlis in Dragonheart
132. William Atherton in Bio-Dome
133. Cary Elwes in Twister
134. Skeet Ulrich in Scream
135. Randy Quiad in Independence Day
136. Harold Gould in Killer: A Journal of Murder
137. Tim Matheson in Black Sheep
138. Bob Odenkirk in Cable Guy
139. Paul Sorvino in Romeo + Juliet
140. Emilio Estevez in D3
141. Peter Dobson in The Frighteners
142. Brian Dennehey in Romeo + Juliet
143. Cuba Gooding Jr. in Jerry Maguire
144. Judd Hirsch in Independence Day
145. James Belushi in Jingle All The Way
146. Bill Cosby in Jack
147. Ruper Everett in Dunston Checks In 
148. Beau Bridges in Jerry Maguire
149. Robert John Burke in Killer: A Journal of Murder
150. James Naughton in First Kid
151. Eugene Levy in Multiplicity
152. Glenn Shadix in Dunston Check In
153. Jack Lemmon in Hamlet
154. Dash Mihok in Romeo + Juliet
155. Brian Kerwin in Jack
156. Robert Guillaume in First Kid
157. James Acheson in Kazaam
158. Harold Perrineau in Romeo + Juliet
159. Jerry O'Connell in Jerry Maguire
160. Dan Futterman in The Birdcage
161. Sinbad in Jingle All The Way
162. Crispin Glover in The People vs. Larry Flynt 
163. Kiefer Sutherland in A Time to Kill
164. Michael Maloney in Hamlet
165. John Costelloe in Kazaam
166. Bug Hall in The Stupids
167. John Leguizamo in Romeo + Juliet
168. Jake Lloyd in Jingle All The Way

Next Year: 1986 Lead

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1996: Steve Buscemi in Fargo

Steve Buscemi did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Carl Showalter in Fargo.

Steve Buscemi actually did manage to get himself a few citations on the awards season for 1996, but all chances for a nomination were probably squashed when the male lead of the film William H. Macy was put in the supporting category. Buscemi plays one of the two men that Jerry Lundegaard (Macy) hires to kidnap his own wife to allow him to extort money from his rich father-in-law. The last time I reviewed Buscemi was his portrayal of the criminal who put professionalism above all others in Reservoir Dogs as the unfortunately titled Mr. Pink. Carl Showalter is no Mr. Pink although he probably would like to be evidenced by his very first scene where Jerry comes to give them their advanced in the form of a stolen car from the used car where Jerry works.

In his very first scene Buscemi is excellent as he plays Carl as coming on very strong against Jerry trying to be the tough criminal he is suppose to be as he inquire what the logic is behind Jerry's plan exactly. Buscemi in this scene shows Carl as a man very trying to put up the front that he is quite hardened and much more of a man than he actually is in his treatment of Jerry. Buscemi though nicely brings that underlying weakness to Carl from the first scene as you never feel a strong confidence here, nor any of the suggested intelligence that was in his earlier performance. One of my favorite moments in his first scene is how he ends the scene as Carl tries to keep on pushing Jerry but then suddenly stops and just suggest taking a look at the car. Buscemi transition is perfect in showing just how easily Carl loses his tough guy act.

After that point we get a series of scenes between Carl and his other criminal associate Gaear Grimsrud (Peter Stormare). Buscemi and Stormare's chemistry is one of the greatest aspects of the film with Stormare playing it ridiculously dead pan and Buscemi playing up Carl as more talkative and animated sort of guy. They are hilarious together with Buscemi playing up Carl trying basically to carry on as a man would on a business trip or something with Grimsrud who clearly is not the same type of man. Every bit of dialogue is handled perfectly by Buscemi because he handles it so casually even though the men are on track to commit crime. They're especially hilarious together though in the back and forth between the two. Buscemi is great in showing Carl trying to make some sort of conversation but always being taken aback by Grimsrud's stoic demeanor.

One of the best scenes in the film takes place after the kidnapping has taken place and the two men find themselves in an awkward situation when they are pulled over for a foolish mistake on Carl's part. Buscemi is extremely entertaining in the scene as it begins particularly in his threat to their victim where he tells her to be quiet or they'll have to shoot her. The reason that particularly moment is so funny is all in Buscemi's delivery. He does not make it like a psychotic or even a hardened crook even, but rather Buscemi has Carl say it like he's just some normal guy handling a situation he obviously does not have much sense for. This only continues for the men though as Carl bungles his attempt to speak to the police officer. Buscemi makes Carl's incompetence completely believable, but also so very amusing because of just how he handles every moment of it with his performance.  

As he showed in Reservoir Dogs, Buscemi is great in bringing a very visceral power in his reactions to intense situation. Well he apps that up to another level as Carl who must undergo many intense situations throughout his time in dealing with Jerry's foolish plan. Buscemi is absolutely on fire in every scene because he plays every scene with such expert precision which is always works as such an interesting portrayal of a man who is in way over his head but tries to act like he's not. Another terrific scene Buscemi comes in with the exchange of money which becomes problematic when Jerry's father-in-law handles it. Buscemi's actually makes it pretty easy to sympathize Carl a bit in the moment as his exasperation, and complete bewilderment of the moment is just so brilliantly played by him. Of course things only get worse for Carl as things proceed.

Carl of course takes a gunshot to the face, although he does manage to survive, his face obviously won't quite be the scene. Although the makeup in the scene is more than solid Buscemi's whole physical reaction in the moment really sells the moment in such a brutal way. The way he changes his speech from the wound, and every one of his cries of pain are handled so well that it becomes pretty hard to watch his performance. This is the case throughout the film for Buscemi and it is treat to watch him in any scene he is in because it is always true to his honest depiction of such a foolish criminal. Buscemi can even make a gem out of a scene where Carl argues about the cost of a parking ticket because every reaction every delivery on Buscemi's part just rather flawless. Buscemi gives a great performance in a role that in the wrong hands could have fallen pretty flat as the humor of the moment is often in the delivery, or maybe they might have tried to hard on the humor and undercut the criminal part. Buscemi has such a tight grasp on the character and the material that he makes Carl one of the best parts of this film.

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1996

And the Nominees Were Not:

Steve Buscemi in Fargo

Pete Postlethwaite in Brassed Off

Derek Jacobi in Hamlet

Robert Carlyle in Trainspotting

Gene Hackman in The Birdcage

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1992: Results

5. Samuel West in Howard's End- West handles his part well, but he fails to leave that much of a lasting impression.

Best Scene: Bast first meets the Schlegel sisters. 

4. Steve Buscemi in Reservoir Dogs- Buscemi gives a good performance by giving a realistic depiction of a man who strives to be professional above all else.

Best Scene:  The Mexican standoff.

3. Richard Harris in Unforgiven- Harris gives a strong performance by nicely building up his character's prim pompousness just to have it cut down.

Best Scene: English Bob and Little Bill meet once again. 

2. Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross- Just one great monologue and he delivers it flawlessly.

1. Paul McGann in Alien 3- Good Predictions Michael McCarthy and Psifonian Although it was never in question who would take this year overall, it should be noted that McGann gives a great portrayal of uncontrollable madness.

Best Scene: Golic apologizes for a killing.

Overall Rank:

1. Gene Hackman in Unforgiven
2. Paul McGann in Alien 3
3. Al Pacino in Glengarry Glen Ross
4. Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross
5. Richard Harris in Unforgiven
6. Charles Dance in Alien 3 
7. Morgan Freeman in Unforgiven 
8. Charles S. Dutton in Alien 3
9. Fred Gwynne in My Cousin Vinny
10. Ed Harris in Glengarry Glen Ross
11. Kevin Spacey in Glengarry Glen Ross
12. Steve Buscemi in Reservoir Dogs
13. Jaye Davidson in The Crying Game
14. Kevin Kline in Chaplin
15. Saul Rubinek in Unforgiven
16. J.T. Walsh in A Few Good Men
17. Robin Williams in Aladdin
18. Tom Hanks in A League of Their Own
19. Alan Arkin in Glengarry Glen Ross
20. Michael Madsen in Reservoir Dogs
21. Jonathan Pryce in Glengarry Glen Ross
22. Samuel West in Howard's End
23. Lawrence Tierney in Reservoir Dogs
24. Anthony Wong in Hard Boiled
25. Pete Postlethwaite in Alien 3
26. Jeff Goldblum in Deep Cover
27. West Studi  in The Last of the Mohicans
28. Dana Carvey in Wayne's World
29. Chris Penn in Reservoir Dogs
30. Anthony Hopkins in Dracula
31. Ray Walston in Of Mice and Men
32. Tim Curry in Home Alone 2
33. Sidney Poitier in Sneakers
34. Russell Means in The Last of the Mohicans
35. Oliver Platt in Beethoven
36. Stanley Tucci in Beethoven
37. Al Freeman Jr. in Malcolm X
38. Fred Ward in The Player
39. James Earl Jones in Sneakers
40. James Woods in Chaplin
41. Jim Broadbent in The Crying Game 
42. Rob Campbell in Unforgiven
43. Kevin Bacon in A Few Good Men 
44. Stephen Tobolowsky in Sneakers
45. Delroy Lindo in Malcolm X
46. Billy Bob Thornton in One False Move
47. Tom Waits in Dracula
48. Philip Seymour Hoffman in Scent of a Woman 
49. Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men
50. Anthony James in Unforgiven
51. Rob Lowe in Wayne's World
52. Danny Webb in Alien 3
53. Joe Pesci in Home Alone 2
54. David Strathairn in Sneakers
55. Gilbert Gottfried in Aladdin 
56. River Phoenix in Sneakers
57. David Paymer in Mr. Saturday Night
58. Ralph Brown in Alien 3
59. Ian Watkin in Dead Alive
60. Philip Chan in HardBoiled
61. Eddie Bracken in Home Alone 2 
62. Edward Bunker in Reservoir Dogs
63. Eric Schweig in The Last of the Mohicans
64. Ben Kingsley in Sneakers
65. Vincent D'Onofrio in The Player
66. Jonathan Freeman in Aladdin
67. Richard E. Grant in The Player
68. Philip Kwok in Hard Boiled
69. Forest Whitaker in The Crying Game 
70. David Strathairn in A League of Their Own
71. Lance Henriksen in Alien 3
72. Robert Prosky in Far and Away
73. Mako in Sidekicks
74. Wayne Knight in Basic Instinct
75. James Rebhorn in Scent of a Woman
76. Richard E. Grant in Dracula
77. Peter Gallagher in The Player
78. Dan Aykroyd in Sneakers
79. Harvey Keitel in Sister Act
80. Brian Doyle-Murray in Wayne's World
81. Daniel Stern in Home Alone 2
82. Anthony Hopkins in Chaplin
83. Cary Elwes in Dracula
84. Christopher Walken in Batman Returns
85. George Dzundza in Basic Instinct
86. Michael Beach in One False Move
87. Wolfgang Bodison in A Few Good Men 
88. Jaimz Woolvett in Unforgiven 
89. James Wilsby in Howard's End
90. Kevin Pollack in A Few Good Men
91. Ralph Maccio in My Cousin Vinny
92. Ralph Brown in The Crying Game 
93. Maurice Roeves in The Last of the Mohicans
94. Billy Campbell in Dracula
95. Dean Jones in Beethoven
96. Dan Aykroyd in Chaplin
97. John Heard in Home Alone 2
98. Jonathan Brandis in Ladybugs 
99. Ron Silver in Mr. Saturday Night
100. Bradley Whitford in Scent of a Woman
101. Danny DeVito in Batman Returns
102. Casey Siemaszko in Of Mice and Men
103. Kiefer Sutherland in A Few Good Men
104. Chuck Norris in Sidekicks
105. Beau Bridges in Sidekicks 
106. Gregory Sierra in Deep Cover
107. Thomas Gibson in Far and Away
108. Quentin Tarantino in Reservoir Dogs 
109. Spike Lee in Malcolm X
110. Pauly Shore in Encino Man
111. Charles Martin Smith in Deep Cover
112. Michael DeLuise in Encino Man
113. Joe Piscopo in Sidekicks
114. Keanu Reeves in Dracula

Next Year: 1945 Lead

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1992: Steve Buscemi in Reservoir Dogs

Steve Buscemi did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite winning an Independent Spirit Award, for portraying Mr. Pink in Reservoir Dogs.

Mr. Pink is the only jewel thief who is not compromised in some way Mr. White (Harvey Keitel) becomes too much of a mentor to Mr. Orange, which is a problem because Mr. Orange (Tim Roth) spoiler is very compromised because he is a cop,  Mr. Blonde(Michael Madsen) might know how to get things done but he is very problematic because of his psychotic behavior, Mr. Blue (Eddie Bunker) is too busy being a red herring, and Mr. Brown is very compromised not because not only does he die soon after the robbery he's also unfortunately played by Quentin Tarantino. That leaves Mr. Pink, the non-tipper, as the only man who really wants to be a professional even after the job has gone seriously wrong.

Steve Buscemi is an actor who does not really need to convince you that he is criminal through any sort of performance technique, he just naturally has that shady look about him. Well Buscemi does not toy with this in anyway for sure and fits together will the very well cast array of crooks in the film. Buscemi though has the right demeanor in his performance during the various flashbacks in the films that reveal what the men were doing before they went to the robbery. Buscemi even here carries the right relaxed approach that suggests Pink's calmer nature. How Buscemi does this though is portray Pink as a man rather relaxed in his circumstances who treats the upcoming proceedings as just a thing he does from day to day being a professional and all.

Buscemi is very good and even rather enjoyable by taking this approach in the flashbacks and does well not to oversell the more humorous lines he has. In his own monologue about his preference not to tip Buscemi plays it very to the point in a realistic fashion. In doing so he is very effectively setting up Pink as a naturally calculating sort, and looking at things too much is just his way of doing things. The same goes for when they are assigned the name and he is forced to take exception with the color choice given to him. Buscemi makes the reaction appropriately amusing by once again delivering it naturally as possible making basically the reaction that most men would have after being given the unfortunate name he is given.

His demeanor of course changes quite severely though once they make it to the warehouse after the botched robbery. Buscemi is extremely effective in bringing the needed intensity to the situation. He plays Pink very well by giving the right agitation as well volatility in his performance that sums of the feelings of man who does not know what's going on but wants to. Buscemi's best moments are when Pink reacts to the more extreme behavior by some of his cohorts. Buscemi's reactions are perfect in expressing the disbelief of the others, and reinforces always the fact that Pink is a professional above else. My favorite moment of his has to be his strained plea during the Mexican standoff that sums up how a sane man would view the insane situation quite nicely.

Buscemi's work is all together a solid work that adds to the film nicely and fulfills Pink's part of the dynamic of men incredibly well. I would not describe this as one of those supporting performances that steals the film though. He is indeed my favorite out of the cast, but that is not to say he always makes the strongest impression in every scene, I would say he makes the strongest in many scenes but not all. I don't want to sound like I am really criticizing Buscemi in anyway though as he handles the material just as he should, and really the only thing that really holds him back is the nature of the film. It's a very good performance by Buscemi although his best portrayal of a criminal would come as a less professional sort.

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1992

And the Nominees Were Not:

Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross

Paul McGann in Alien 3

Richard Harris in Unforgiven

Steve Buscemi in Reservoir Dogs

Samuel West in Howard's End

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2001: Results

5. Steve Buscemi in Ghost World- This is an entirely solid performance by Steve Buscemi, but for me it is just that.

4. Viggo Mortensen in The Fellowship of the Ring- Mortensen gives a strong performance balancing well both the strength and underlying weakness in his character. He never becomes the highlight of any of the individual films, but his Aragorn is a highlight of the trilogy as a whole.

3. Brian Cox in L.I.E- Brian Cox plays a very risky role to say the least and Cox maybe plays it too well being a complete creep, but still a charming and very down to earth sort of creep.

2. Jude Law in A.I. Artificial Intelligence- Law is very effective here being quite artificial in his showman's manner. but still having a decent amount of humanity that brings out in his character's warmth and wisdom.

1. Sean Bean in The Fellowship of the Ring- When I watched this film for the first time over ten years ago Bean probably would not have been the first actor I would have mentioned when speaking about the strengths of the film. It was not that I did not like him, I liked him but I took what he did in the role for granted. Bean goes beyond his call of duty here in his portrayal of Boromir who could have easily just been a prideful dupe. Instead he brings a great deal of honest emotion to the role and turns Boromir's folly into the tragic portrait of a patriotic career soldier whose emotions slowly overwhelm and get the best of him.

Overall Rank:

1. Sean Bean in The Fellowship of the Ring
2. Jude Law in A.I. Artificial Intelligence
3. Ian McKellen in The Fellowship of the Ring
4. Brian Cox in L.I.E.
5. Ben Kingsley in Sexy Beast
6. Justin Theroux in Mulholland Drive
7. Tsutomu Yamazaki in Go
8. Viggo Mortensen in The Fellowship of the Ring
9. Luke Wilson in The Royal Tenenbaums
10. Ben Stiller in The Royal Tenenbaums
11. Tony Shalhoub in The Man Who Wasn't There
12. Steve Buscemi in Ghost World
13. Ed Harris in A Beautiful Mind
14. Sean Astin in The Fellowship of the Ring
15. Robbie Coltrane in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
16. Paul Bettany in A Beautiful Mind
17. Clive Owen in Gosford Park
18. Ian McShane in Sexy Beast
19. Christopher Lee in The Fellowship of the Ring
20. Peter Boyle in Monster's Ball
21. James Gandolfini in The Man Who Wasn't There
22. Mickey Rourke in The Pledge
23. Heath Ledger in Monster's Ball
24. Jim Broadbent in Moulin Rouge!
25. Richard Harris in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
26. Owen Wilson in The Royal Tenenbaums
27. Basically the cast of Black Hawk Down
28. Bill Murray in The Royal Tenenbaums
29. Hugh Bonneville in Iris
30. Jon Polito in The Man Who Wasn't There
31. Andy Garcia in Ocean's Eleven
32. John Lone in Rush Hour 2
33. John Rhys-Davies in The Fellowship of the Ring
34. Nick Stahl in In The Bedroom
35. William Hurt in A.I. Artificial Intelligence
36. Hugo Weaving in The Fellowship of the Ring
37. Patrick Swayze in Donnie Darko
38. Kurt Russell in Vanilla Sky
39. Alan Bates in Gosford Park
40. Billy Boyd in The Fellowship of the Ring
41. Noah Taylor in Vanilla Sky
42. David Duchovny in Zoolander
43. Mario Van Peebles in Ali
44. Seymour Cassel in The Royal Tenenbaums
45. Ian Holm in The Fellowship of the Ring
46. Alan Rickman in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
47. John Hurt in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
48. Ed Harris in Enemy at the Gates
49. Richard Jenkins in The Man Who Wasn't There
50. Brendan Gleeson in A.I. Artificial Intelligence
51. Holmes Osborne in Donnie Darko
52. Christopher Plummer in A Beautiful Mind
53. Will Ferrell in Zoolander
54. Richard Griffiths in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
55. Tom Noonan in The Pledge
56. Owen Wilson in Zoolander
57. Cavan Kendall in Sexy Beast
58. Carl Reiner in Ocean's Eleven
59. Jason Lee in Vanilla's Sky
60. Paul Bettany in A Knight's Tale
61. Michael Gambon in Gosford Park
62. Kumar Pallana in The Royal Tenenbaums
63. Bob Balaban in Gosford Park
64. Benecio Del Toro in The Pledge
65. Don Cheadle in Swordfish
66. William Mapouther in In The Bedroom
67. Christopher Walken in Joe Dirt
68. Elliot Gould in Ocean's Eleven
69. Danny Glover in The Royal Tenenbaums
70. Jon Voight in Zoolander
71. Ron Silver in Ali
72. Michael Jeter in Jurassic Park III
73. Ian Hart in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
74. Ryan Phillipe in Gosford Park
75. Jerry Stiller in Zoolander
76. Orlando Bloom in The Fellowship of the Ring
77. Bran Renfro in Ghost World
78. Bernie Mac in Ocean's Eleven
79. Bob Balaban in Ghost World
80. Aaron Eckhart in The Pledge
81. Tom Felton in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
82. Michael Badalucco in The Man Who Wasn't There
83. William H. Macy in Jurassic Park III
84. Steve Buscemi in Domestic Disturbance
85. Eddie Murphy in Shrek
86. Rupert Grint in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
87. Matt Damon in Ocean's Eleven
88. Dominic Monaghan in The Fellowship of the Ring
89. Don Cheadle in Ocean's Eleven
90. Oded Fehr in The Mummy Returns
91. Vince Vaughn in Domestic Disturbance
92. Joseph Fiennes in Enemy At the Gates
93. Sam Robards in A.I. Artificial Intelligence
94. Rufus Sewell in A Knight's Tale
95. Jon Voight in Ali
96. Arnold Vosloo in The Mummy Returns
97. Jamie Foxx in Ali
98. Iain Glen in Tomb Raider
99. Richard Roxburgh in Moulin Rouge!
100. Alessandro Nivola in Jurassic park III
101. John Hannah in The Mummy Returns
102. Trevor Morgan in Jurassic Park III
103. Freddie Boath in The Mummy Returns
104. John Leguizamo in Moulin Rouge!

Next Year: 1975 Supporting

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2001: Steve Buscemi in Ghost World

Steve Buscemi did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite being nominated for a Golden Globe and being nominated for and winning several awards from critical awards including the NYFCC and NSFC, for portraying Seymour in Ghost World.

Ghost World is an enjoyable enough quirky film about social outside Enid (Thora Birch) who after playing an anonymous prank on a a middle aged man she strikes up a friendship with him.

The still never nominated Steve Buscemi must have been close to being nominated for this performance considering his Golden Globe nomination and great number of awards he received for his performance. He certainly was the closest of the five I have chosen to review as Law played an android in a science fiction film, the Fellowship was apparently covered by Ian McKellen only, and despite the critical love Brian Cox was never going to be nominated for his performance in that film. Putting all that aside though just what is so great about Buscemi's performance in this film.

Well nothing especially comes off great about this performance. Steve Buscemi plays Seymour a middle aged man who loves his record collection and has a hard time connecting with anyone or finding himself in a romantic relationship despite wanting one. Buscemi goes about making a particular characterization than sticking with it. He makes Seymour a likable enough fellow though one who always seems to have a certain malaise due to his loneliness yet Buscemi doe portray him as being able to compensate for it well enough due to his little joys that gets from listening and collecting vintage records.

When the other younger outsider Enid starts spending time with him Buscemi stays consistent in his portrayal. In their relationship Buscemi shows Seymour to certainly like the fact that she is interested in his interests yet still has a certain unease about the whole thing suggesting properly that Seymour does not exactly know how to deal with the attention she is giving him. He continues on in this fashion pretty much throughout the film, and even when Seymour has some changes like getting a girlfriend, or getting frustrated when learning that how he met Enid was due to a cruel prank he still stays pretty much the same man.

Buscemi handles the highs and lows of Seymour's personal journey pretty well and is believable in the way he shows him as he'll spike one way or another but can easily settle to his usual self. It's a good performance because he finds just the right characterization for Seymour to make the fact that Seymour does not really learn anything both seem natural and even satisfying as he shows that is simply the way Seymour is. This is solid from Buscemi, enjoyable with a certain charm and realizes exactly who Seymour should be. At the same time though this never feels like a great performance in anyway, and it is far from Buscemi's best work.

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2001

And the Nominees Were Not:

Sean Bean in The Fellowship of the Ring

Viggo Mortensen in The Fellowship of the Ring

Jude Law in A.I. Artificial Intelligence

Brian Cox in L.I.E

Steve Buscemi in Ghost World

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