Willem Dafoe: Early Oscar Contender?

It's only April, I know. But after watching Willem Dafoe's splendid performance in The Hunter, I can't help thinking about the 2012 Oscar race. If Dafoe isn't nominated for Best Actor, I will be very disappointed. Yes, he's been nominated twice before -- for Platoon and for Shadow of the Vampire. Those were both supporting actor nominations. This time, he deserves recognition in the Best Actor category.

In The Hunter, Dafoe seems to transform himself into Martin Davis, a mercenary hired by a bio-tech company to find a supposedly extinct animal. He excels at drawing us into this secret mission and makes Martin a likeable character despite the nature of his job. It's one of Dafoe's best performances ever! Although released on a limited basis this month, The Hunter will probably be available on DVD later this year. So if you're a Dafoe fan, be sure to watch for the DVD.