Oscar Index: Does America Want True Grit to Win Best Picture?

oscar_index_spp_actr_010511.jpg

The Leading 5:

1 [tie]. Melissa Leo, The Fighter

1 [tie]. Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit

3. Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom

4. Helena Bonham Carter, The King's Speech

5. Amy Adams, The Fighter

Outsiders: Mila Kunis, Black Swan; Dianne Wiest, Rabbit Hole; Barbara Hershey, Black Swan; Sissy Spacek, Get Low

Notes: Karger's reservations aside, I think Steinfeld's category push-pull only benefits her here. The reality is that True Grit is Bridges's film [spoiler alert]: He's the one rescuing Mattie Ross in the end, carrying her to all the way to Bagby's trading post -- not the other way around. She's the narrator, but it's Cogburn's eventual passing that ultimately motivates the recollection of their "lively times." Both display the titular quality, but Cogburn is the exemplar. Not that I necessarily care where Steinfeld is nominated, but hey. The consideration applied to decisions like these is an advantage in this category; look at Julianne Moore. Had Focus not insisted on campaigning her for Actress -- where she barely stood a chance -- she could be vying for a not only a Supporting Actress nomination today, but also the win that many prognosticators envisioned during Kids' summer run last year. Paramount hasn't budged, and now, even if Steinfeld isn't nominated here, the studio still has a 90 percent chance of winning an Oscar in this category. Developing...

Meanwhile, Team Jacki earned roundabout endorsement from Quentin Tarantino and a nice, public bump from the sweeping Village Voice critics poll, which elected her wellllll above her likely Oscar competition. Oh, and Mila Kunis broke up with Macaulay Culkin. Will this be her Norbit? Christ, never mind.

oscar_index_spp_actr_010511.jpg

The Leading 5:

1. Christian Bale, The Fighter

2. Geoffrey Rush, The King's Speech

3. Andrew Garfield, The Social Network

4. Jeremy Renner, The Town

5. Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right

Outsiders: John Hawkes, Winter's Bone; Michael Douglas, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps; Armie Hammer, The Social Network; Ed Harris, The Way Back

Notes: Yup, still over. Ruffalo lands where he should have been last week, and the outsiders fall further and further behind in the rearview mirror. And then this: "Might the academy nominate Pete Postlethwaite posthumously for Oscar this year?" Uh, no. Good try, though, Warners!

Pages: 1 2 3



Comments

  • Nerd says:

    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!!!

  • Marshall says:

    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.

  • john ross says:

    The Way Back is infact the best film of the Year. It should have been nominated 🙁