Best Supporting Actor

Career Oscar nominations for acting:

Robert DeNiro: The Godfather Part II (1974 – winner), Taxi Driver (1976), The Deer Hunter (1978), Raging Bull (1980 – winner), Awakenings (1990), Cape Fear (1991), Silver Linings Playbook (2012).

Philip Seymour Hoffman: Capote (2005 – winner), Charlie Wilson’s War (2007), Doubt (2008), The Master (2012).

Alan Arkin: The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming (1966), The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (1968), Little Miss Sunshine (2006 – winner), Argo (2012).

Tommy Lee Jones:  JFK (1991), The Fugitive (1993 – winner), In the Valley of Elah (2007), Lincoln (2012).

Christoph Waltz: Inglourious Basterds (2009 – winner), Django Unchained (2012).

I hate this race so much, I practically wish they would cancel the category this year.  For the first time ever, all five nominees in an acting category are former winners.  Not only does this offend my communist sensibilities when it comes to the Oscars, but -- unlike the Best Actor race – you can’t even say that anyone in this category truly deserves to win.  Arkin, DeNiro, and Jones were miles away from their best work; there’s no fault in any of their performances, but the roles just weren’t substantial enough to warrant a nomination.  Hoffman and Waltz were excellent, but both of them really belong in the leading role category.  As far as their chances, Waltz didn’t get a SAG nod, Hoffman is the only one not in a Best Picture nominee, Arkin has the most muted role in the bunch, DeNiro is a living legend slumming in the supporting category, and Tommy Lee Jones may have tanked his chances when he frowned his way through the Golden Globes.  It’s everyone’s race and it’s nobody’s race.  Jones has the edge only because of his SAG win.

Prediction: Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln

Personal Pick: I think all five of these guys should make a pact that whoever wins, they will affix the statuette to the grave of the recently-departed, never-won, ace character actor Charles Durning.