For Best Actor nominee–Robert Redford.
He was terrifically convincing as a desperate, but hopeful yachtsman in All Is Lost. What was most incredible about his strongly empathic performance is that it was 99% a silent one, in which you can clearly read his emotions, thoughts, and spirit in his face, gestures, behaviors, and actions. Though 77 now, he also did many of the physically demanding stunts. Only a consummate actor could have pulled off that performance which makes the movie. It is hard to imagine Leonardo di Caprio or any other Hollywood actor pulling off that risky role.
All Is Lost is an excellent ‘little’ movie, but a very simple, basic one at the same time. Although Redford had won a Best Director award for the ground-breaking Ordinary People and received a Lifetime award for his work, he was definitely snubbed for a fine, surprising, nomination-worthy performance.