By Scott Beedy
Staff Writer
Special To Channel 3000

The five nominees for Actor in a Leading Role include a pair of first-time nominees, a pair of legendary names and one of the biggest box-office draws in all of Hollywood.

If I were writing the name on a card and sealing it into an envelope only to be opened on Oscar night, I would choose Morgan Freeman for his portrayal of former South African President Nelson Mandela in the movie "Invictus". Mandela saw the ability to heal racial divide in the country through success in the sport of rugby. Freeman has starred in countless movies over the years, but when you watched this movie you didn't see any other role. It felt like you were watching the real Mandela. Freeman captured the regal qualities and the human compassion of this character and he commanded complete attention on screen. Freeman has previously been nominated twice in the category of Actor in a Leading Role. He has only won one Oscar for a supporting role in 2004 in the movie "Million Dollar Baby".

Jeff Bridges role as Bad Blake in "Crazy Heart" will likely continue to earn him recognition. He already won the Golden Globe and is the favorite to win the Oscar Sunday night. Bridges played a washed-up country singer who turned his life around after meeting a journalist and falling in love. At first, the relationship felt bizarre, but Bridges, despite his vices, was likeable. The film's storyline didn't feel overly original, but Bridges acting carried the film. His singing was also entertaining with catchy tunes that stick with you beyond the credits. This is Bridges first nomination since 2000 in the movie "The Contender", his fifth overall. Bridges has never won an Academy Award.

Colin Firth played George, a gay man in the 1960s that was forced to keep his grief inside after his lover died in a car crash. Firth was on camera for essentially the entire film. He alone carried the storyline as he struggled and prepared to end his life. You couldn't help but to connect with the struggles and sadness of Firth's character as he worked through his emotions, but the movie was slow moving at times and other than a nice connection to Julianne Moore's character and one of George's students, there just wasn't enough interaction and range to warrant an Oscar win. Firth has never been nominated for an Academy Award before this year.

George Clooney played Ryan Bingham in the movie "Up in the Air". Clooney made a living firing people and selling a theory that relationships only drag a person down. The storyline was very interesting and Clooney's persona had you as a viewer, rooting for his theory to be proved wrong. Unlike most movies, Clooney's range was from calm to passionate, but he came through for his family when they needed him and that's when he had his revelation, that is might actually be a good thing to bond with other people. Unfortunately, when he let down his guard, he got sucker-punched. Clooney was very good in this film, but the movie's pacing won't help carry him up on stage on Oscar night. Clooney has been nominated by the Academy as a writer, director and actor, but the only Oscar win came for his supporting role in Syriana in 2005.

Jeremy Renner played Staff Sergeant William James, a soldier that defused bombs in Iraq. He thrived on the risk and danger of his job. Renner was terrific in his role and fully deserving of a nomination, and I really liked this movie as a whole. Renner's character was portrayed very well, but the film was filled with interesting characters doing jobs that many of us could never imagine and I'm not sure his role stand out much more than some of the others in this film. This is Renner's first Oscar nomination.

Deciding on the rankings for the Actor in a Supporting Role category was by far the most difficult of any of the other categories. I think any of the five nominees would be perfect choices for the Oscar. But, I am choosing a sentimental favorite. Woody Harrelson has come a long way since schlepping beer to Mr. Peterson on "Cheers". His range of acting has never been questioned over the years, from comedy to drama, but his role as Captain Tony Stone in "The Messenger" was so impressive. Stone is a fun-loving, skirt-chasing military man who is on call day and night, waiting to give the worst possible the news to military families, that a loved one has been killed. Harrelson was the rigid, by the book soldier who felt obligated to his country and the U.S. Army, but inside he was on the brink of a breakdown. His life issues seemed to be worn like an onion. He had so many layers to his character that I think he deserves the Oscar nod.

But, I have a hunch that the person that will accept the Oscar will be Christoph Waltz. He played a Nazi Colonel in "Inglorious Basterds". This movie was intriguing because I loved the storyline, but hated the gruesome violence. That said, I thought Waltz role was tremendous. He was playing a serious role, in fact his character was evil, credited with being able to find hunt down and kill Jewish people hiding in an occupied France. In the end, it appeared the Colonel treated his duty as a job and he was willing exchange his loyalties for an easier life. As heavy and serious a role as this was, Waltz was funny. He was clever and witty and always seemed to be in control of the scene. I found myself watching him and trying to figure out if he was playing coy or if he was going to be fooled.

Speaking of pure evil, Stanley Tucci played a role in "The Lovely Bones", a movie that still has me creeped out. I cannot imagine reading the book for fear it would extend the thought of how disturbed Tucci's character was. He played a serial killer that targets mostly young girls, but his last victim, a neighbor who was 14-years-old, did not go to heaven after he murdered her. Instead stayed she stayed in an area between heaven and earth, almost willing her sister and father to hunt down her killer. Tucci was stellar as the twisted neighbor who seems a little weird on the surface. I think of Tucci for roles such as a helpful friend in "The Devil Wears Prada" or the loving husband in "Julie and Julia". This was a completely different character and one that makes him very deserving of what would be his first Oscar.

Matt Damon has earned his first Academy Award nomination since 1997 when he co-wrote and starred in "Good Will Hunting". Damon's return role is as the captain of a rugby team in a divided South Africa. Damon's character, Francois Pienaar, is hand-picked by Nelson Mandela to help motivate a country facing severe racial divides. Damon started out as a humble athlete in the presence of a respected world leader, but as his character grew that modesty turned into passion as he relished the role he was given. Pienaar's passion shined on the big screen, but I don't think Damon's performance will be enough to get him an Oscar.

Christopher Plummer plays the role of Russian author, Tolstoy, who is torn on how to live the final years of his life. Should he listen to his loyal followers or his wife played by Helen Mirren? If there was an Oscar for best on screen couple, Plummer and Mirren would win hands down. The two had terrific chemistry on camera and I thought Plummer's reflective tone and relaxed, whimsical way of talking to his admirers was captivating. He was just your average, sometimes grumpy, sometimes reflective, sometimes romantic man nearing the end of his life. Christopher Plummer has never been nominated for an Academy Award until this year. Plummer is also one of the animated voices in the movie "Up", which is nominated for Best Picture and Animated Feature Film.