Here are the five nominees: (Winner in Bold)
Biggest Snub:
Misty Upham – Frozen River
My Overall Thoughts:
This is another year with 5 very deserving women nominated in this category. Two of them stand out the most tho even if the award season was a bit muddled by the inclusion of Kate Winslet in the category (She won the Oscar for Best Actress)
My Rankings:
Supporting Actress
5. Taraji P. Henson
4. Amy Adams
3. Viola Davis
2. Penélope Cruz
1. Marisa Tomei
Movies
4. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – Interesting story that says so much about the way relationships can shift over small spans of time. Excellent cast helps make this quite an enjoyable film because we get to see some great interactions that all seem quite plausible and realistic throughout. Allen’s dialogue is written really well and it adds numerous layers to the way the story unfolds especially since this film feels very different from many of his previous stories. Cruz won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in this film.
3. Doubt – Excellent portrayal of an accuser and suspect situation where we never know the truth and either side can be successfully argued. Amazing cast led by Streep, Adams and of course the wonderful Hoffman who does a great job trying to profess his innocence in the midst of high suspicion. Dialogue is impeccable and it gives us even more depth to the characters and storyline.
2. The Wrestler – Excellent character study. Powerful and moving story. Rourke was robbed of an Oscar for this role and Tomei was also great in a very different kind of role than she is usually known for.
1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Great story told in a great way. Excellent script that really makes us feel for and understand many of the characters and their actions. Pitt is amazing as the lead character. Unbelievable use of special effects that make us truly wonder how it was all done. I’m still baffled that the Academy chose Slumdog over this one….
Do I agree with the Oscar winner? – Yes and No! Cruz does a really nice job with the role she is given in VCB and definitely stands out in the film among a very talented cast, but Tomei is still slightly better with a role that is so very different from the kind of roles she usually is given.
Let me know what you think about these films and my rankings!
