I can not cease to express my joy for Javier Bardem's Academy Award's Best Actor nomination for his role in "Biutiful," Alejandro González Iñárritu's movie.
Many might criticize the simple way I look at things, but I do believe in awards. I believe a great writer deserves a prize, so does an actor and, in general, us all when we work hard at what we do, be it bake a cake, restore a piece of furniture or what ever.
Awards push us to give the best of ourselves.
I've been following Javier Bardem since 1993 when, watching Canal+ in Paris one late night, I was glued to the screen of my TV with a Spanish movie by Bigas Luna called "Los Huevos de Oro." Who was that guy with such presence and charisma?! After some research, I saw "Jamón, Jamón," also by Bigas Luna, were he had his first main role, next to who, many years later, would become his wife and mother of his son/daughter (the birth was actually today, but no comments yet as to the sex): Penelope Cruz.
And then I saw all the rest... "Antes que Anochezca,""Mar Adentro,""No Country for Old Men" (Academy Award Best Supporting Actor)... Till last September, a friend of mine in Paris took me to a private screening of "Biutiful." A tremendous movie, with an excellent performance of Javier, so real that you actually feel he is suffering, fighting, dying... I couldn't take him out of my mind for days...
And now, luckily, he is among the nominees, which for a Spanish-speaking actor is quite important.
There's only one tiny problem... I've also seen "The King's Speech" with Colin Firth, a fellow nominee and, I believe, a true competitor for Bardem's Oscar. I do not like Firth specially... but his work in this film is simply outstanding. The movie is so good it catches you and it has an amazing cast, with the likes of Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham-Carter.
We'll see who takes home the Oscar... Sure enough, the best one... as in all fairytales.
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