Oscar Index: Does America Want True Grit to Win Best Picture?
The Leading 5:
1. Natalie Portman, Black Swan
2. Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
3. Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Bone
4. Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine
5. Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Outsiders: Lesley Manville, Another Year; Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit; Julianne Moore, The Kids Are All Right; Hilary Swank, Conviction; Tilda Swinton, I Am Love
Notes: Apart from the speculation that Nicole Kidman may sneak through for a major Oscar-night upset (which she won't, but we've got to talk about something), the most-discussed development in both Actress and Supporting Actress at the moment is where, exactly, the Academy wants Steinfeld. Dave Karger's been at the front of this discussion, citing previous nominees whom voters have plucked out of Supporting despite their studios' wishes (e.g. Keisha Castle-Hughes for Whale Rider, Kate Winslet for The Reader), and the uncertain status of Williams, Moore and Manville -- the latter of whom has been subject to some category-fraud considerations of her own. "My only fear," Karger writes, "is that Steinfeld will get as many votes as her competitors but that they'll be so evenly divided between Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress that she'll end up getting nominated for neither." Eek! Stay thy tongue, heathen! Don't make the 'Feld come after you with her blingatude.
The Leading 5:
1. Colin Firth, The King's Speech
2. Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
3. Mark Wahlberg, The Fighter
4. Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine
5. James Franco, 127 Hours
Outsiders: Jeff Bridges, True Grit; Javier Bardem, Biutiful; Robert Duvall, Get Low; Paul Giamatti, Barney's Version
Notes: More stasis, with Bridges's boat creeping ever-so-upward on True Grit's rising tide and Bardem relegated to afterthought status once again, with only Julia Roberts and virtually all of the nation's critics cheerleading while disinterested voters file toward the exits. Anyway, fine. What is awards season without a little vile injustice?
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Comments
That's very interesting about Ms. Steinfeld. Until I read this article, I didn't understand or agree with her being considered for Supporting instead of Lead Actor. Your explanation totally convinced me though. It really is Jeff Bridges film. I would like to see her stay in the supporting category. Mostly because by not being in the same category as Natalie Portman, her chances of winning are much, much better. Melissa Leo's performance in The Fighter was not very impressive to me (at least not Academy Award impressive) so Im putting my money on Hailee.
Go True Grit!!!
The video of "True Grit" shows fans of the ORIGINAL movie, NOT the new one. It's nostalgia, not necessarily as bright of enthusiasm as you declare.
The point is that The Social Network isn't the only film entitled to a slice of the American zeitgeist and imagination. And nostalgia or not, the lines are repeated verbatim in the new film as well.
The Way Back is infact the best film of the Year. It should have been nominated 🙁