We told you that you'd see the name 'Ian McKellan' again and again in this list, and 'Gods and Monsters' is his third appearance so far. It's also arguably the most dramatic and prestigious of the three. 'Gods and Monsters' is a biography of movie director James Whale, and follows him during his final years.
Whale was a complex character in real life, never truly recovering from his experiences serving for the military in the First World War. McKellan is helped out immeasurably by the performances of co-stars Brendan Fraser and Lynn Redgrave. Bill Condon served as director, and legendary British horror writer Clive Barker was a surprising choice to assist as the executive producer. Given the quality of both the script and the cast, nobody was surprised to see it take home the Oscar for 'Best Adapted Screenplay,' along with nominations for 'Best Actor' and 'Best Actress in a Supporting Role.'