Leonardo di Caprio and the Oscars

ViveLaVie · 10-01-2013 3:49pm #1

Why hasn't he won an Oscar yet? I think he's one of the great actors of his generation but despite this and his selection of interesting roles and great films he never seems to be recognised for it. If a film stars him I usually go to see it because he's never really made a mistake in my opinion and I can be fairly certain the film will be good and he'll have a great performance.

Thoughts?

Rabidlamb · 10-01-2013 3:59pm

His time will come, one of the finest actors working today & still relatively young.

celica00 · 10-01-2013 4:48pm

just thought the same, his time will come. i think hes one of those who have to get a bit older first.

Sleepy · 10-01-2013 4:49pm

Didn't he get a nomination for Gilbert Grape?

Jimdagym · 10-01-2013 4:59pm

ViveLaVie wrote: »

Why hasn't he won an Oscar yet? I think he's one of the great actors of his generation but despite this and his selection of interesting roles and great films he never seems to be recognised for it. If a film stars him I usually go to see it because he's never really made a mistake in my opinion and I can be fairly certain the film will be good and he'll have a great performance.

Thoughts?

What roles do you think he should have won for, and what won that year?

johnny_ultimate · 10-01-2013 5:01pm

Does it matter though? His filmography and performance speak for themselves surely, not the reward of Hollywood circle-jerk statuettes. If greatness was measured in Oscars, countless numbers of the most important films, directors and performers would be unfairly demoted, while reams of mediocre awards-fodder would be unjustly celebrated.

Galwayguy35 · 10-01-2013 5:06pm

I went to see Titanic when it came out and like every other fella in the cinema would have willingly pushed him overboard if I could but in fairness he is turning out good solid preformances over the last few years.

latenia · 10-01-2013 5:06pm

He's never really convinced me in any of his recent big roles in Scorsese movies where he's played supposedly tortured characters-his method seems to consist largely of squinting and grimacing. He was good as Calvin Candie in Django Unchained but I suspect a lot of actors could have done just as well or better with the part.

blade1 · 10-01-2013 5:18pm

He is no Daniel Day-Lewis

krudler · 10-01-2013 5:31pm

He should have won for The Aviator, I've no doubt he will win one at some point but it'll probably be a "career" oscar, like Scorcese's.

dark crystal · 10-01-2013 5:44pm

krudler wrote: »

He should have won for The Aviator, I've no doubt he will win one at some point but it'll probably be a "career" oscar, like Scorcese's.

I agree, his performance in The Aviator was great.

I also thought he could have won for Catch Me If You Can - although being an actor in a Spielberg picture probably cursed him there! I don't think any actor has ever won an Oscar for starring in a Spielberg film...

Da Shins Kelly · 10-01-2013 5:55pm

I think his best performance was The Aviator, but for the most part I'm not completely convinced by this 'best actor of his generation' talk. I often find that the films he's in are bigger than him, if you get me. He never really makes a film, for me, or elevates it above and beyond anything it couldn't have already been. I've never really seen him play a character where I couldn't imagine anyone else doing it as well. He's not like someone like Daniel Day Lewis, for example, who is just completely captivating and is capable of completely owning and steering a film.

I think he's good, but a teensy bit overrated sometimes.

Littlehorny · 10-01-2013 5:59pm

I know he was young and playing a young fella but when he starred with Daniel Day Lewis in Gangs of New York all everyone was talking about was Lewis's charactor, he is watchable and solid but brilliant he's not.

Anniebell · 10-01-2013 6:03pm

I think he'll get one when he's in his 60's or something ridiculous like that. He's a fantastic actor IMO & should have won for Blood Diamond at the very least. His performances in What's Eating Gilbert Grape & This Boys Life are superb.

Titanic was a mere blip in his otherwise fantastic range of diverse roles in his career.

Would love to see him win one but I can't see it happening anytime soon unfortunately.

Mocha Joe · 10-01-2013 6:45pm

I don't think it's fair to be comparing him to Day Lewis. Compare nearly anyone to him and they're going to look average.

I thought he should have won for Blood Diamond in 2006 when Forest Whitaker won for The Last King Of Scotland.

And 2004 he was nominated for The Aviator and Jamie Foxx won for Ray. I definitely think he should have won there. Ray was the definition of awards-fodder though.

Da Shins Kelly · 10-01-2013 7:24pm

Mocha Joe wrote: »

I don't think it's fair to be comparing him to Day Lewis. Compare nearly anyone to him and they're going to look average.

I don't see why that's unfair. If you're go on about how great he is, then you have to compare him with his contemporaries.

And for the record, I don't think Daniel Day Lewis is the only working actor better than Di Caprio. I'd put both Philip Seymour Hoffman and Cate Blanchett ahead of him too. Ed Norton would be there or thereabouts also.

blade1 · 10-01-2013 7:37pm

Even though I only used Day-Lewis as an example, I still think it is fair to compare.
They are both actors.

Mocha Joe · 10-01-2013 7:39pm

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

I don't see why that's unfair. If you're go on about how great he is, then you have to compare him with his contemporaries.

And for the record, I don't think Daniel Day Lewis is the only working actor better than Di Caprio. I'd put both Philip Seymour Hoffman and Cate Blanchett ahead of him too. Ed Norton would be there or thereabouts also.

I would put a good few actors ahead of DiCaprio myself, aswell as those you've mentioned. Leo has definitely done some work that was worthy of winning an Oscar was my point. I dont think he's the best actor of his generation but he is a great actor. Day Lewis is a phenomenon that I don't think anyone can match. They shouldn't have to be at his level to be considered great because no-one is at his level.

blade1 · 10-01-2013 7:44pm

Ok, is leonardo better than Robert Downey Jr.?

Mocha Joe · 10-01-2013 7:50pm

blade1 wrote: »

Ok, is leonardo better than Robert Downey Jr.?

Bit of a weird question but I think so. His body of work is better.

Whether he's better or worse than anyone doesn't change my opinion that he deserves to have won an Oscar by now.

Da Shins Kelly · 10-01-2013 8:35pm

Mocha Joe wrote: »

I would put a good few actors ahead of DiCaprio myself, aswell as those you've mentioned. Leo has definitely done some work that was worthy of winning an Oscar was my point. I dont think he's the best actor of his generation but he is a great actor. Day Lewis is a phenomenon that I don't think anyone can match. They shouldn't have to be at his level to be considered great because no-one is at his level.

I think the only role he maybe should have won an Oscar for by now is The Aviator, but even then it would be close as I don't think he was so much better than Jamie Foxx. No way should he have won for Blood Diamond ahead of Forest Whitaker. Whitaker's performance is scarily good. It would have been a travesty had Di Caprio won instead.

But anyway, as someone said before, you can't really judge someone's worth based on the Oscars. After all, Peter O'Toole has never won despite having an immense back catalogue and Stanley Kubrick and Alfred Hitchcock got nothing for directing from them.

ERPR · 10-01-2013 8:38pm

Mocha Joe wrote: »

I don't think it's fair to be comparing him to Day Lewis. Compare nearly anyone to him and they're going to look average.

I thought he should have won for Blood Diamond in 2006 when Forest Whitaker won for The Last King Of Scotland.

And 2004 he was nominated for The Aviator and Jamie Foxx won for Ray. I definitely think he should have won there. Ray was the definition of awards-fodder though.

Good call on Blood Diamond - decent popcorn flick that

Temaz · 10-01-2013 8:56pm

In think his best performance in his younger years was in 'The Basketball Diaries'

Well worth watching but it's pretty grim.

ERPR · 10-01-2013 9:01pm

Temaz wrote: »

In think his best performance in his younger years was in 'The Basketball Diaries'

Well worth watching but it's pretty grim.

Yeah that is a great film but not crappy Oscar fare

JP Liz V1 · 10-01-2013 9:09pm

Anniebell wrote: »

I think he'll get one when he's in his 60's or something ridiculous like that. He's a fantastic actor IMO & should have won for Blood Diamond at the very least. His performances in What's Eating Gilbert Grape & This Boys Life are superb.

Titanic was a mere blip in his otherwise fantastic range of diverse roles in his career.

Would love to see him win one but I can't see it happening anytime soon unfortunately.

+ 1

I think he deserved to win from his first nomination for What's Eating Gilbert Grape over Tommy Lee Jones

He has only had three nominations so far I thought it was more tbh, no doubt he will win in the future

mix_up · 10-01-2013 9:59pm

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

I think his best performance was The Aviator, but for the most part I'm not completely convinced by this 'best actor of his generation' talk. I often find that the films he's in are bigger than him, if you get me. He never really makes a film, for me, or elevates it above and beyond anything it couldn't have already been. I've never really seen him play a character where I couldn't imagine anyone else doing it as well. He's not like someone like Daniel Day Lewis, for example, who is just completely captivating and is capable of completely owning and steering a film.

I think he's good, but a teensy bit overrated sometimes.

i think his best performance was catch me if you can, followed by blood diamond

Tipsy McSwagger · 10-01-2013 10:41pm

blade1 wrote: »

Ok, is leonardo better than Robert Downey Jr.?

He's probably on the second tier of very good actors along with the likes of Downey Jr., Mickey Rourke, Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender.

The top tier would be Daniel Day Lewis & Philip Seymour Hoffman. This is just based on actors working today.

Da Shins Kelly · 10-01-2013 11:48pm

Meryl Streep would be in the top tier too.

Outkast_IRE · 10-01-2013 11:54pm

Leonardo di Caprio will win an oscar, the following are reasons i see why .

1. He seems to pick roles very carefully, never going for the easy roles for big money etc.

2. He is well respected by big directors and producers.

3. He clearly has the ability.

4. Even next year alone i would fancy his chances looking at the films hes due to release . The Great Gatsby and The Wolf of Wall Street, 2 very big films.

The Great Gatsby has Baz Lurman Directing , and Wolf of Wall street is Scorcese .............. Seems a possibility for next year already. Actually i would love to see the odds on a sneaky bet this early.

Da Shins Kelly · 11-01-2013 12:18am

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

The Great Gatsby has Baz Lurman Directing , and Wolf of Wall street is Scorcese .............. Seems a possibility for next year already. Actually i would love to see the odds on a sneaky bet this early.

The Great Gatsby looks utterly awful from the trailers, to me. Di Caprio is too old for that role too.

Outkast_IRE · 11-01-2013 12:27am

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

The Great Gatsby looks utterly awful from the trailers, to me. Di Caprio is too old for that role too.

I dont watch trailers for anything this far in advance, you know yourself a bad trailer can make a great movie out to be ****e, and the other way round too.

Im not familiar with the source material so cant make a judgement of the choice of him in the role. I wont judge until its out .

EDIT i just watched the 2nd Great Gatsby trailer that was released and i thought it looked good except for the music choices in the trailer , they were so out of context/style with what the trailer was showing it was bizarre and distracting.......... im assuming they wont be in the movie, i dont see how the hell that music would fit in..................... Still shaking my head here, no music and just the narration would of made a better trailer.

SteelyDanJalapeno · 11-01-2013 12:29am

He's fantastic in The Basketball Diaries

Da Shins Kelly · 11-01-2013 12:34am

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

I dont watch trailers for anything this far in advance, you know yourself a bad trailer can make a great movie out to be ****e, and the other way round too.

Im not familiar with the source material so cant make a judgement of the choice of him in the role. I wont judge until its out .

EDIT i just watched the 2nd Great Gatsby trailer that was released and i thought it looked good except for the music choices in the trailer , they were so out of context/style with what the trailer was showing it was bizarre and distracting.......... im assuming they wont be in the movie, i dont see how the hell that music would fit in..................... Still shaking my head here, no music and just the narration would of made a better trailer.

Just having read the novel myself, I can't reconcile the trailers I've seen with the book at all. Obviously the trailers can be misleading, but I just don't trust Luhrmann with it at all. The novel suggests that Gatsby is around 22 or thereabouts, which makes DiCaprio almost 20 years too old.

As far as the music, Jay-Z is doing the score. As much as I enjoy Jay-Z's music, it's all kinds of wrong.

Alpish · 11-01-2013 11:28pm

I think the idea with the music for Gatsby is like Romeo and Juliet. A modern twist on a classic, could be horrible could work well. I for one am excited to see how it works.

InchicoreDude · 11-01-2013 11:44pm

Just went through his list of films over on imdb. Of the films I have seen him in, I thought Inception was one of his stronger performances. Was very impressed with him in that. He had a difficult part to play in that film and he did it very well. Strangely, I dont think Day Lewis could ever play a character like that (I'm a huge fan of Day Lewis and he is the best actor out there) but there are some characters that wouldnt suit him.

Marty McFly · 12-01-2013 6:57am

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

I went to see Titanic when it came out and like every other fella in the cinema would have willingly pushed him overboard if I could but in fairness he is turning out good solid preformances over the last few years.

Titanic was a blip in his career in terms of it made him a teen heart throb which kind of took away from him as an actor, before Titanic his earlier work was fantastic.

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

I think his best performance was The Aviator, but for the most part I'm not completely convinced by this 'best actor of his generation' talk. I often find that the films he's in are bigger than him, if you get me. He never really makes a film, for me, or elevates it above and beyond anything it couldn't have already been. I've never really seen him play a character where I couldn't imagine anyone else doing it as well. He's not like someone like Daniel Day Lewis, for example, who is just completely captivating and is capable of completely owning and steering a film.

I think he's good, but a teensy bit overrated sometimes.

Agree completely, he is a solid actor and always gives a good performance but he never really shines and makes a film his own really, for me his two best films were in his early years in The Basketball Diaries and my This Boys Life which I love, as for The Great Gatsby for me it looks a mess, over stylized and the music in the trailer as other have said is so distracting and wrong it puts me off all together.

Lemonperv · 12-01-2013 9:10am

blade1 wrote: »

Ok, is leonardo better than Robert Downey Jr.?

I think I might be the only person that hates RDJ.

I think DiCaprio was brilliant in The Aviator and Blood Diamond and believe he will be awarded at some point.

He'll have to do a biopic or something.

For example, IMO, Colin Firth's A Single Man was a far more powerful performance than The King's Speech but he won for the latter. Ok, different years, or whatever, and was nominated twice, but still...

Lemonperv · 12-01-2013 9:12am

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

Just having read the novel myself, I can't reconcile the trailers I've seen with the book at all. Obviously the trailers can be misleading, but I just don't trust Luhrmann with it at all. The novel suggests that Gatsby is around 22 or thereabouts, which makes DiCaprio almost 20 years too old.

As far as the music, Jay-Z is doing the score. As much as I enjoy Jay-Z's music, it's all kinds of wrong.

EXACTLY!!!

Da Shins Kelly · 12-01-2013 2:22pm

Alpish wrote: »

I think the idea with the music for Gatsby is like Romeo and Juliet. A modern twist on a classic, could be horrible could work well. I for one am excited to see how it works.

Romeo and Juliet is different though in that it's completely timeless. The plot can be plucked out and set at any time in any place and can still make sense. There's nothing about the story that demands it be set in a certain time period in a certain place. The Great Gatsby is quite explicitly a novel set in the 1920s, centering on the debauchery and materialism of that time. It's still relevant today, but we don't need to be beat over the head with that fact. Having the costumes and everything in a 1920s style and then having Jay-Z playing over it is not an effective juxtaposition, it's just jarring and distracting. Doing it in such a way that it's a bit more understated would do more justice to the novel and the message it sends.

As far as the Titanic, I didn't think he was particularly awful in that film. I thought he was out-done by Kate Winslet, but I still think he did an alright job. The script was quite horrible, some of the lines he had to say are embarrassing, but I didn't think his performance itself was so bad.

JP Liz V1 · 12-01-2013 11:37pm

I hope he continues to branch out more and work with other directors besides Marty like Paul Thomas Anderson who apparently he is a big fan of and I believe he turned down Boogie Nights

Gamb!t · 13-01-2013 8:03pm

ViveLaVie wrote: »

Why hasn't he won an Oscar yet? I think he's one of the great actors of his generation but despite this and his selection of interesting roles and great films he never seems to be recognised for it. If a film stars him I usually go to see it because he's never really made a mistake in my opinion and I can be fairly certain the film will be good and he'll have a great performance.

Thoughts?

Yeah,I thought he was fantastic in the Aviator.
Only a matter of time.

Leonardo di Caprio and the Oscars

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