Feb 22 2009
Oscars 2009: Best Actress
THE NOMINEES
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married – A couple of months ago it seemed like Anne Hathaway might take this one, but in the time since then, we’ve seen the incredible momentum of Kate Winslet grow, in addition to that of Meryl Streep. It true, this category does have a history of awarding young ingenues, but it’s looking like this isn’t going to be one of those years after all. In this crop of roles and nominations, Hathaway is actually my favorite. I like the movie, I like the part and I think she does a very good job in what could have been totally overacted. It is, of course, only her first nomination, and at 26, if she keeps picking smart roles like this one, I’m sure we’ll see her here again eventually. Let’s just hope she doesn’t have to wait quite as long as Winslet did.
Angelina Jolie, Changeling – This is an interesting part in that I think most people who haven’t seen the film judge it by the two scenes that were shoved into every trailer and TV spot in which Jolie shrieks and screams about wanting her son back. For those that have actually seen the movie, these scenes are not a good representation of this part and this performance at all. It’s actually a very a quiet and moving performance, especially for Jolie, who earned her previous Oscar for playing a sociopathic patient at a mental institution in Girl, Interrupted. This role, combined with her criminally overlooked turn in last year’s A Mighty Heart have really shown a new, more adult and maternal side of Jolie that I’m anxious to see more of. She’s not going to win here and she doesn’t deserve to, but I’m really hoping that we can expect more subdued work like this from her in the future.
Melissa Leo, Frozen River – Like Richard Jenkins nomination in the Best Actor category, it’s always nice to see veteran actors get recognition and as much as it’s true for Jenkins, it’s doubly true for Leo as it’s much more of a challenge for older actresses to get their due than older actors. Still, I didn’t find the film or the role to be particularly groundbreaking, especially in light of those that were overlooked.
Meryl Streep, Doubt – My feelings about Streep’s nomination and her chances of winning aren’t really fair to her, I know this, but I just can’t help it. It’s totally the Academy’s fault. If they hadn’t insisted on nominating her for lame flicks (and, quite frankly, average performances) like One True Thing and Music of the Heart, I’d be much more amenable to the buzz surrounding a potential win this year. And I know she hasn’t won in almost two decades, but that still doesn’t really make me feel like someone who has two Oscars is in dire need of another. I really love Doubt and I think she did a good job in it, but I also found it a little overdone in parts. She really chewed the scenery a lot more than her colleagues, all of whom I’d give awards to before her. I probably wouldn’t hold any other actress to this standard, but she’s Meryl Streep, if she’s going to get an Oscar I really think she has to be doing something spectacular or the competition has to be really off their game, and I just don’t feel like that’s happening here.
Kate Winslet, The Reader – Ugh, I’m so conflicted about this one. On the pro side, I LOVE Kate Winslet. She is one of, if not, my absolute favorites. She always delivers such wonderful work and I always, ALWAYS want to see every movie she’s in. On the con side, it is because of her that I had to sit through the dreadful mess that was The Reader. I really didn’t like this movie. Winslet does what she can with this terribly dull and boring part, but she just doesn’t have the power to make this watchable. It certainly seems like she’s going to win this and it breaks my heart because as much as I want Kate Winslet to own an Oscar (really, I want her to own several), I hate that it will be for this movie, especially since she gave a much better performance in a better movie this year.
THE FORGOTTEN
Cate Blanchett, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – It boggles my mind that Blanchett has been so overlooked this season while Button has gotten so many nominations. Maybe it’s karma for her freebie nomination in last year’s dreadful Elizabeth: The Golden Age, but she was radiant in Button and gave ten times the performance of her nominated co-star Brad Pitt.
Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky – After winning the Golden Globe, Hawkins was shockingly overlooked in this category at the Oscars. She is the heart and soul of this film and is the reason that it works so well. It’s certainly the best comedic performance of the year, but it’s always difficult for comedies to get squeezed into this category.
Michelle Williams, Wendy and Lucy - This is one of my favorite performances of the year. It’s incredible to see how far Williams has come since Dawson’s Creek. She really knocks this one out of the park. Had the movie had more money and distribution I can’t see her not getting nominated in this category, but it’s tiny and tiny films often get overlooked by Oscar. At least the Toronto film critics gave her her due.
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road – This is the movie that Winslet should have been nominated for, it’s as simple as that. It’s also likely that many of the people that vote for her will be voting for this film and not for The Reader (and many will probably be voting for a combination of the two). She is the heart and soul of this movie. I’m actually pretty certain that the reason I liked this movie so much is because Winslet is so dynamic in it. It’s one of the best things she’s ever done and in a career as spectacular as hers, that’s really saying something.
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See you!
Your, Raiul Baztepo