BEST ACTRESS ( Dec. )

Possible good news for Lesley Manville today with the Best Actress win from the NBR. She's officially in the Best Actress race - not supporting. I don't think she'll win an oscar now but at least she knows what category she's in. She'll suffer the same fate as all those other talented Brits in Mike Leigh films. Annette Bening needs to do Oprah, Letterman or Ellen soon or Natalie Portman could dance her way past her. I believe she already has. The buzz surrounding her is strong and gets only stronger with every article and every interview. It's all about the PR now, unfortunately. 

BEST ACTOR, ( Dec. )

Jeff Bridges looks like he's in the fifth spot as much as I admired Ryan Gosling's work last night in TRUE VALENTINE. Jesse Eisenberg is strong again with the NBR win - that's very cool. He was awesome in THE SOCIAL NETWORK. Robert Duvall is also holding on by a few of his grey nose hairs. If there's one man that gets the older vote, it will be him. Nobody is close to taking the award away from Colin Firth in THE KING's SPECCH. He's the only real lock of all the categories this year...

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, 2010 ( DEC. )

Making a slight adjustment. I have a vibe that Sam Rockwell is going to be forgotten again this year. Someone needs to keep Leo company. John Hawkes is looking pretty strong with his Indie Spirit nod and people are talking about his role as being utterly electric in  THE WINTER'S BONE. I think Christian Bale is looking like the front-runner now for THE FIGHTER. It's sounds like his performance is Daniel Day Lewis undeniable regardless of his hatred for conventional campaigning. Geoffrey Rush is running a close second now. With Mark ( where would he be without my love and support) Ruffalo third. He could be a surprise win - who knows. There hasn't been an surprise win in this category for a long time. Andrew Garfield is hanging on by a thread. Matt Damon could move his cute lil butt into the top five. 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, 2010 ( DEC. )

Jacki Weaver (who I had picked to make it all along Alex ;) ) got some big acknowledgements this week with Indie Spirit nod and the NBR win. I always felt that she gives the only true Signature piece of acting all year. There's a lot of great acting this year but Jacki Weaver in ANIMAL KINGDOM is a Signature Role. Melissa Leo is looking more and more like the front-runner though in THE FIGHTER. With Helena Bohman Carter coming in second for her outstanding year in film (in THE KING'S SPEECH & ALICE in WONDERLAND). My love Dianne Wiest is still holding on tight in RABBIT HOLE. 

I have been hesitant to include Amy Adams in the Best Supporting Actress group because I know her and love her dearly as an actress and person. But I'm very happy to leave my personal bias aside and proudly proclaim...that she's in and she's in big - also for THE FIGHTER. She even could finally bring herself on stage Oscar night. It's one of those cases that I think everyone in the Academy has finally seen JUNEBUG and they regret not picking her over Rachel Weisz.  And in DOUBT how she delicately shadowed in-between Meryl Streep and Philip Seymore Hoffman so beautifully. Amy, time and time again, maneuvers herself into roles that she may not exactly be right for on the page but in the end - you can't imagine anyone else in them.  Way to Go Amy!!!