Joaquin Phoenix - Joaquin Phoenix Is A Shoe-in For Oscar Glory

Joaquin Phoenix has seen some of his past performances garner him much praise from audiences and critics alike. However, it is in his new film The Master, in which he stars alongside an equally electrifying Philip Seymour Hoffman, that has made him the bookies' favourite already to take home the coveted golden statue.

It was in 2001 when Joaquin first got his glimpse of Oscar success, for his role in the Ridley Scott directed Roman epic Gladiator, and again in 2006 for his portrayal as the 'Man in Black' - Johnny Cash - in Walk The Line. Now, four years since his last role and after suffering a very public 'break down', during which he grew a mammoth-sized beard and declared he was to become a hip-hop artist, Joaquin is back with a bang and looks ready to take what's rightfully his.

The Paul Thomas Anderson directed flick has already seen Phoenix take home the Best Actor gong at the Venice Film Festival earlier this month, an award he shared with his co-star Hoffman. Meanwhile Amy Adams, who plays Hoffman's on-screen wife, has also gained much applause for what has been described as a 'career-defining' role for her. The film opens in New York and Los Angeles tonight (September 14, 2012) and throughout the rest of America on September 21. Audiences in the UK however will have to wait until November 9 until the film is brought out.