BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
1. Viola Davis, Doubt-This category is very kind towards newcomers, and diversity could be the ticket to her success--especially with 2007's all-white winners.
2. Amy Adams, Doubt-The lovely Adams will surely become an Oscar winner someday...I just hope the Academy is smart enough to wait a while. Still, there's no denying that she's a huge threat.
3. Catherine Keener, The Soloist-After very strong performances in Being John Malkovich and Capote, you could kind of say that she's overdue. My guess is that either this or Synecdoche will get her the nod.
4. Scarlett Johansson, Vicky Christina Barselona-Woody Allen will not rest until she becomes a superstar, and this sounds like a classic pretty-young-thing Allen role. The only problem is that so many people hate her (for some reason).
5. Renee Zellweger, Appaloosa-I'd like to see her make a mini-comeback, but this film could go either way for me.
2. Amy Adams, Doubt-The lovely Adams will surely become an Oscar winner someday...I just hope the Academy is smart enough to wait a while. Still, there's no denying that she's a huge threat.
3. Catherine Keener, The Soloist-After very strong performances in Being John Malkovich and Capote, you could kind of say that she's overdue. My guess is that either this or Synecdoche will get her the nod.
4. Scarlett Johansson, Vicky Christina Barselona-Woody Allen will not rest until she becomes a superstar, and this sounds like a classic pretty-young-thing Allen role. The only problem is that so many people hate her (for some reason).
5. Renee Zellweger, Appaloosa-I'd like to see her make a mini-comeback, but this film could go either way for me.
IN THE RUNNING
6. Kathy Bates, Revolutionary Road-I love her and she's got tons of buzz, but I've heard her character's role in the novel is very small. That didn't hurt Ruby Dee, but I remain skeptical.
7. Cate Blanchett, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button-Lead or supporting? Either way, Cate could easily get a nomination somewhere this year just because she's Cate, but I have my doubts about this film. But, dare I say, she may get a nomination for her allegedly incredible work as the villain in Indy 4. Well...no she couldn't, but I can dream.
8. Amy Ryan, Changeling-I'm still mad she didn't win the Oscar (though Swinton is a good alternative), and I would love to see her win or at least get a nomination, but you know my feeling about the film. Why am I predicting Jolie, again?
9. Samantha Morton, Synecdoche, New York-The Academy seems to like her, and she is a very good actress, but she has a lot of competition against her own co-stars.
10. Tilda Swinton, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button/Burn After Reading-I think both of these films will be only a modest success, and even if they're huge, that could cause some vote-splitting. But who knows?
7. Cate Blanchett, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button-Lead or supporting? Either way, Cate could easily get a nomination somewhere this year just because she's Cate, but I have my doubts about this film. But, dare I say, she may get a nomination for her allegedly incredible work as the villain in Indy 4. Well...no she couldn't, but I can dream.
8. Amy Ryan, Changeling-I'm still mad she didn't win the Oscar (though Swinton is a good alternative), and I would love to see her win or at least get a nomination, but you know my feeling about the film. Why am I predicting Jolie, again?
9. Samantha Morton, Synecdoche, New York-The Academy seems to like her, and she is a very good actress, but she has a lot of competition against her own co-stars.
10. Tilda Swinton, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button/Burn After Reading-I think both of these films will be only a modest success, and even if they're huge, that could cause some vote-splitting. But who knows?
