The other day I saw Kevin Bacon’s new film "Rails and Ties," which is set to open later this fall and I was once again struck by what an incredible actor he has become. I feel that he is still not given enough respect for his work.

Perhaps people just can’t let go of the image of him dancing angrily through "Footloose," but everything he has done recently has been spot-on. No one can convey pain, anguish and conflict in his face as ably as he can.

Even in mediocre fare, such as the recent "Death Sentence," it is his grief that engages us early in the story. His face then registers subtle changes from grief and hopelessness, to steely resolve, as he decides to take fate into his own hands…to robotic killing machine at the end. He has said that he wanted to take that role just to do an action shoot ‘em up flick, but I think his performance delivers more depth than the script can do justice.

"Rails and Ties" is directed by Alison Eastwood, daughter of Clint who directed Bacon in "Mystic River"…one of my favorite Bacon performances of late. Sean Penn may have won the Oscar for his flashier role of the grieving, vengeful father, but it was Bacon’s face again that registered the horror of what they were dealing with. And then there was that ‘look’ at the end of the film that had us all debating the meaning of the last scene.

Why he was not nominated for that role, or for his frighteningly honest portrayal of a pedophile in "The Woodsman" escapes me. Perhaps his acting is too nuanced for the Academy?