I know that when it comes to scoring an Oscar nomination, it helps to be fresh in voters’ minds, but this is a little ridiculous. In the past few weeks, Oscar-qualifying runs were announced for The Last Station, with Helen Mirren, and The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond, starring Bryce Dallas Howard. And now comes word of a one-week release for the festival drama London River, featuring Brenda Blethyn (who gave what I still believe is one of the best performances ever in Secrets & Lies). Clearly these last-minute moves speak to how sparse the Best Actress race is this year—Julie & Julia’s Meryl Streep, An Education’s Carey Mulligan, and Precious‘ Gabourey Sidibe are likely in, leaving two slots for the taking. But can any of these 11th-hour entries actually make it into the final five? Off the three, I’d give Mirren the edge; her performance as Leo Tolstoy’s wife, Sophia, is fiery and intense, and she’s got Sony Pictures Classics releasing the film. But with other promising contenders yet to be seen (Nine’s Marion Cotillard, The Lovely Bones‘ Saoirse Ronan), scoring a nomination as a last-minute contender is definitely going to be an uphill battle.
Image credit: Stephan Rabold
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How about Eva Green or Juno Temple in “Cracks”? Long shot?
I couldn’t agree more with you, Cracks is so amazing!! Eva Green, Juno Temple, Imogen and Maria (last name?) are brilliant!! BRILLIANT!!
I was just about to say that. It would be great to see her nominated. Perhaps if Jordan Scott got some attention.
Jordan Scott and Eva Green discuss characters and film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OPFNBspfoE&feature=related
Trailer in hd: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeJ9×6qsNUM
Agree with you about Brenda Blethyn and Secrets and Lies. Brilliant!
Brenda Blethyn in Secrets & Lies was like watching a raw nerve being picked at for two hours. A truly brilliant and heartbreaking performance.
sweethawwwwt!
I’m still kind of bitter that she didn’t win the Oscar for that movie.
Ditto!
Am I the only one that thought Amy Adams was fantastic in Sunshine Cleaning? Not the best movie, but I thought her performance was great.
Yeah, I forgot that ‘Amy Adams’ was fantastic in ‘Sunshine Cleaning’ and deserves a nomination!
Possible but not sure, movie was a while ago and not a wide release. Do see Adams maybe scoring a supporting nod for Julie and Julia as a makeup for last year.
Amy Adams was terrific in Sunshine Cleaning, but I think Emily Blunt was just as good.
I thought that technically came out last year.
You don’t think Maya Rudolph could still surprise come nom time, Dave?
http://moviemartin.blogspot.com
I would be so happy if that happened. She is sooooooo underrated. She says more with an eyebrow raise than most actresses say screaming. Nominate Rudolph (even if the last line of that movie sucks and ruins the moment they built)
I just rented “Away we go” last weekend and while I didn’t love the whole movie, Maya should be nominated. She’s incredible. After the first few minutes I never once felt like I was watching an actress portraying a character–just the character.
I would be thrilled if Maya got a nom for Away We Go! Great emotional performance!
I’d be happy to see Away We Go nominated period. one of the best comedies I’ve seen all year.
Man, did I love Maya Rudolph in “Away We Go.” It came completely out of left field for me. Who knew she could act that well? I also thought John Krasinski gave an exceptional performance.
What about Abbie Cornish in “Bright Star”? I think she is definitely a sure bet for a nomination.
I don’t think she is a sure bet at all. In fact, I think her performance is overrated, as is the movie. She was fine, but nothing award worthy going on there.
I thought Abbie Cornish gave a lovely, humane, interesting performance in Bright Star–the scenes where she’s stricken with grief over being parted from Keats capture the raw feelings of first love so well, without going overboard into melodrama. But I worry that the movie didn’t make enough of an impression at the box office for her to have a real shot at a nomination. Too bad… she definitely feels like a star in the making to me.
yeah, I was surprised she wasn’t mentioned in the article either. Every Oscar site I’ve seen has her up there in the top 5 right now.
If Sony Picture Classics hurrys up and releases Mother & Child, Annette Bening can also be tossed into the mix… otherwise, the Oscar is hers in 2011!
I think if that is the case, then they should wait to release it so she has the oscar.
at least we know she wont be losing to Hilary Swank this year– Amelia did HORRIBLE
All fine actresses. But one thing is true. Meryl. Meryl. Meryl.
Barring an upset, I could see Julie and Julia being the movie/role where the Academy just finally says “Enough already! Just give it to Meryl!”
Meryl has nt won an oscar yet???
She’s won 2- one best actress and one supporting. But considering how amazing she is and how many times she’s been nominated, thats a crime.
What about Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side. The movie looks promising and hopefully the movie is awesome. I love those kind of movies. Who knows who well be nominated we’ll have to see.
It wouldn’t be bad if it got nominated, but it seems like these movies don’t get nominated anymore.
Tilda Swinton in ‘Julia’ was riveting.
Isabelle Fuhrman in ‘The Orphan’.
Meryl Streep should be ’supporting’ and she’d win, but not for Best Actress in “Julia and Julie”.
I’d love to see a nom for Melanie Laurent from “Inglourious Basterds,” but they’ll probably stick her in the Supporting category.
I kinda hope the studio does campaign her in SUPPORTING….she might sneak in for that category…but it would be a very long uphill battle for a nom in the LEAD actress race. She was wonderful though, wasn’t she?
Oh, what about Gwyneth Paltrow in ‘Two Lovers’. I thought she was exceptional as the dysfunctional troubled heartbreaker to J. Phoenix.
Agreed, but this movie is so forgotten! Too bad, I thought it was an unusually serious picture about the psychology of love, and Gwyneth gave her best performance in ages.
If anyone from Two Lovers is nominated it would be Isabella Rossellini. That scene with Joaquin in the stairwell near the end of the film was heartbreaking.
I agree with someone posted earlier that young actress who starred in Orphan deserves some buzz at very least! May and Amy although in box office losers put in great acting roles!
I think it’ll be….
Carey
Saoirse
Gabourey
Meryl
…and Marion and Helen fighting over the last spot when its all said and done.
I agree with whoever said Melanie Laurant should be nominated. I thought out of everyone in that movie, along with Christophe Waltz, she gave one of the best performances and NEEDS to be recognized.
Nobody from “Lovely Bones” will get nominated. As much as I love Peter Jackson, there’s no way any oscar anything can come out of adapting that lame book.
What? Huh? That book is as Oscar Baity as it gets.
Lame book? are you kidding me?
What about Abbie Cornish?
How could you forget Abbie Cornish’s brilliant turn in this year’s Bright Star. She was the heart of that absolutely outstanding movie.
Im rooting for Abbie Cornish for ‘Bright Star’ a magnicicent and very natural performance in the best film so far this year.
Gabourey Sidibe all the way!!!
Big mistake for the Oscars to open it up to 10 — yes! 10– nominated films. Big mistake. Especially for best woman. They don’t get good roles in the first place in “leading” categories — mainly supporting — and now the academy has to find 10 actresses to nominate.
Call me out if I’m wrong, but only Best Picture has been expanded to 10 nominees. All of the other categories still have only 5 slots.
Pretty sure it’s just 10 in the Best Picture category. The other categories are still 5. But, I could be wrong about that.
You’re mistaken, dear. There will be 10 nominees in the Best Picture category only. It doesn’t apply to any other category. Get your facts right before you go getting yourself all upset, darlin’.
The oscars only opened up 10 spots for best picture. Everything else is still the same.
Do we know if Marion Cotillard is campaigning Lead or Supporting?
I think Maya Rudolph should be recognized for Away We Go.
What about Penelope Cruz for Broken Embraces? Is Anna Kendrick supporting? I haven’t seen either
I know this is left field but how abouy Maya Rudolph for “Away We Go”?
Finally saw Bright Star last weekend & I think Abbie Cornish deserves to be considered. She was amazing.
Michelle Monaghan (sp?) apparently has an indie film coming up called TRUCKER that is winning her raves….you never know
Agreed. The preview for that looked incredible.
i think that the lovely bones will definitely be one to keep an eye on this year. i don’t know if julie and julia looks good enough for a nomination. meryl streep is a great actress, but all actresses have not so great performances and julie and julia just doesn’t seem like a movie i would enjoy. i guess i’ll have to see it to judge more, but i don’t think that meryl will be nominated for an oscar this year. a golden globe definitely, but i don’t know about an oscar. saoirse will definitely be nominated, and helen mirren.
What’s the buzz for Emily Blunt’s “The Young Victoria”?
Pretty much non-existent.
Maya Rudolph
MICHELLE PFEIFFER, “CHERI”!!
I was just going to type this up and you already did Winston. I totally agree that Michelle Pfeiffer in ‘Cheri’ was magnificant and deserves Oscar recongition again!