The definites for each category are based on nominations from the biggest awards so far - Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, The BAFTAs and The Critic's Choice, the strong contenders are those who have also featured in awards shortlist while the rest are my own personal picks.
Best Actor
Definites
Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart), George Clooney (Up in the Air), Colin Firth (A Single Man), Morgan Freeman (Invictus)
Strong Contenders
Viggo Mortensen (The Road), Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker), Michael Stuhlbarg (A Serious Man)
Clooney, Bridges, Firth and Freeman have featured heavily in every awards show so far. Renner's performance in The Hurt Locker is probably the biggest contender for the fifth slot even though I consider the film to be an ensemble piece with neither of the three actors taking the lead. I think it may be Viggo's time for another nomination after his stunning performance in The Road and Stuhlbarg may suprise as all by being this year's Richard Jenkins even though he's only been nominated for a Golden Globe thusfar.
For Your Consideration
Michael Caine (Is Anybody There?)
Caine hasn't been nominated for Best Actor since 2002's The Quiet American and has only one Oscars for his supporting roles. 2009 saw the year he started acted his age in two low budget British films - the revenge thriller Harry Brown and this sweet comedy drama about an aging magician who forms a friendship with a little boy obssessed by death whose parents own the old folk's home that Caine is admitted to. Caine is able to show the breakdown of Clarence as part by part he gets more and more confused as we see that dementia is setting in. As well as playing the more comedic segments Caine showed us why he is one of our best actors with his ultimately tragic portrayal of this once great man.Sharlto Copley (District 9)
A remarkable debut lead performance from the fairly unknown Copley who only had a very small role in a small movie before becoming the most unlikely action movie hero of the year in District 9. Starting as a beurocrat, Copley's character quickly has to adapt after becoming infected by one of the prawn-like aliens in District 9 and then forced to go on the run. He shows great compassion in his performance as he re-evaluate his life and his relationships and has to team up with the aliens that he spent a lifetime shunning. His performance his so natural that you believe it from beginning to end and that's the mark of a truly great actor.John Malkovich (Disgrace)
Malkovich hasn't been nominated for an Oscar since 1993 which is a shame because he is one of the finest actors of our generation. His performance in Disgrace sees him as a South African college professor who moves out to the sticks to be with his daughter after he has an affair with a student. Malkovich starts the film very cold but throughout the film we see him tackle the character's inability to form proper relationships and talk about what is really important. Malkovich manages to make a relatively unlikeable character seem vulnerable and relatable and that is why I mark this out as one of his truly great performances.Sam Rockwell (Moon)
It is only a really great actor that can carry a film almost single-handedly without ruining the film in question and in Moon, Sam Rockwell manages to do just that. As astronaut Sam, Rockwell portrays a man frustrated with still being on a mission that he was told would finish years before. Without ruining too much of the film, Rockwell's performance sees him having to tackle issues of identity and isolation and his only interaction is with a robot voiced by Kevin Spacey. Rockwell captivates from beginning to end as a man who just wants to get home to his family but gradually realises that this may never happen.Souleymane Sy Savane (Goodbye Solo)
Another relative newcomer to acting, Savane had never acted in a feature film before being cast as the titual Solo in this film. His Solo is a loveable larger-than-life type character who just wants to do right by all that he encounters from his wife and young step-daughter to the disgruntled redneck William with whom he forms a bond. Savane's performance enables us to fully connect with Seneglase cab driver Solo and care about his relationships and his quest to become a flight attendant. Savane is able to emote fully as he realises William's true intentions and gives us quite a sweet-natured loveable character who is somewhat innocent despite his years.Kang-ho Song (Thirst)
Not your typical vampire, Song's Priest Sang-hyeon starts the film as a serious man of God who undergoes a blood transfusion and ends up becoming obsessed with pleasures of the flesh and blood lust. Song is able to take us on a journey with the priest as he becomes more and more obsessed with sex and killing and obtaining his blood. The final scenes are truly heartbreaking and this is because we have been on an emotional journey with the priest and that is because Song has made him an utterly relatable and compelling character.Best Actress
Definites
Sandra Bullock (Blind Side), Carey Mulligan (An Education), Gabourey Sidibe (Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire), Meryl Streep (Julie and Julia)
Strong Contenders
Emily Blunt (The Young Victoria), Helen Mirren (The Last Station), Saoirse Ronan (The Lovely Bones)
Another tight category with deserved noms for both Sidibe and Mulligan while Meryl Streep gets her annual nomination for an average role and Bullock is the odds-on fave after three wins but no BAFTA nomination. Mirren looks like the favourite to fill spot number five however the young Ronan has had some more nominations recently while Blunt has also recieved some nominations at the Globes and the BAFTAs.
For Your Consideration
Nicole Beharie (American Violet)
Despite it starring Tim Blake Nelson, Charles S Dutton and Alfre Woodard, the film American Violet isn't particularly well known. That's a shame seeing as its stars the brilliant Nicole Beharie as a mother of four who is charged for dealing drugs by a potentially corrupt DA and then is convinced into sueing said DA. Beharie shows convictiont throughout the film giving a decididly mature performance for someone who has little on-screen acting experince. Her performance reminded me a little of Angelina Jolie's Oscar nominated turn in Changeling last year its just a shame that Beharie isn't as famous as the potentially former Ms. Pitt or she may just be getting a nod herself this year.Penelope Cruz (Broken Embraces)
Last year Cruz won Best Supporting Actress for her role in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, a role I personally felt was very overrated. It seems that she may well be nominated in the same category for her turn in Nine. For me though she shone once again in a film directed by the man who calls her his muse - Pedro Almodovar. Even though her character only appears in flashbacks she's great as the wannabe actress and trophy wife of a jealous businessman. The film itself is great and Cruz is the icing on the cake especially in the 'film within the film' sequences she is able to act as a bad actress acting if that makes any sense at all. Captivating as always, Cruz is finest when she's acting in her native tongue.Nisreen Farour (Amreeka)
This year's field for best actress does feel pretty young (apart from Meryl Streep but then it's the Oscars and she's Meryl Streep) and there is room for a more mature actress to take a spot. I believe that that actress should be Farour who, as the Palestenian mother who takes her son to America, captures a woman struggling to cope with a new culture and new life. Farour's performance switches from strong and comfortable to weak and naive and she marks herself out as an extremly accomplished actress even incorporating some comedy in the scenes where she is forced to work at White Castle. This is an extremely powerful and well thought performance and one more than deserving of an Oscar nomination.Isabelle Huppert (Home)
One Oscar cliche is that an actress has more of a chance if she glams down and the once glamourous Ms. Huppert did that when she took the role of a trailer trash mother in Home. Huppert is brilliantly subtle in her role as her family find out that their roadside home will be affected by a new motorway being built. The performance is beautiful as she struggles to connect with her daughters and reason with her husband as he gets more and more paranoid about their saftety. Huppert holds the entire film together and that surely is the mark of a great leading actress performance.Michelle Monaghan (Trucker)
Another performance that has got lost in the shuffle, Monaghan got a lot of love from the critics and not much else. I thought she was perfect as the long-haul trucker who is forced to spend time with the son she gave up at birth when his father has to go into hospital. Monaghan gave a performance full of depth as her character struggled to come to terms with being the mother of a smart-mouthed ten-year-old while at the same time dealing with the affections of her male best friend and a job where she has to spend a lot of time away. It is a fine, balanced performance from a very talented actress, that if it had been backed a little more, may have featured a lot stronger in the awards season.Ellen Page (Whip It)
It's been two years since Page's Oscar nominated turn in Juno, since then she has failed to make much of a stir her only major role being in the mediocre Smart People. However as the daughter of a strict former beauty queen who becomes entranced by the world of female roller derby she shows why she is stil one to watch. Page gives us a character who feels she has been stuck in a rut al her life and finds a way to escape the miserable Bodene. Page once again is captivating and is very relatable in the role as we too live her journey from dowdy waitress to roller derby poster girl. If this film had had a bit more press then maybe she would be reliving her Juno success once more.Best Supporting Actor
Definites
Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones), Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Bassterds)
Strong Contenders
Matt Damon (Invictus), Woody Harrelson (The Messenger), Christian McKay (Me and Orson Welles), Alfred Molina (An Education), Christopher Plummer (The Last Station)
Probably the category that is the most open only Waltz's sadistic Nazi Officer and Tucci's creepy serial killer have been consistent in garnering all the major nominatinos thusfar even thouh I think Tucci was much better and in fact was the best thing about Julie and Julia. The other five have all featured heavily elsewhere with Harrelson an almost definite candidate for a third place. Of the others I'm a Molina fan so I hope he gets a spot, I also enjoyed McKay's performance as Welles even though I see it more as leading than supporting and I found Matt Damon very weak in Invictus.
For You Consideration
Quinton Aaron (The Blind Side)
Sandra Bullock is winning awards left, right and centre for her role in The Blind Side as an upper-class housewife who takes in and eventualy adopts a tearway football player. But as that footballer, Quinton Aaron is absolutely fantastic, Michael Ohrr, or Big Mike as he's known by some, is a gentle giant who understands very little but can do a lot when he applies himself. Aaron is totally believable in this role as Michael learns to love for the first time and is trained to hone his protective instincts onto the football field. Aaron portrays Michael as innocent rather than stupid and we get to know a fully-rounded character. In fact Bullock is really support and Aaaron the lead but if Oscar's going to turn the tables then he should at least be up for a Supporting Actor award.Jimmy Bennett (Trucker)
Younger performers have impressed this year notable standouts include Saoirse Ronan in The Lovely Bones and Max Records in Where the Wild Things Are. However for me the best young performer was Jimmy Bennett who is a seasoned performer in family films. However this is miles away from childish fare as Bennett impresses as the son given up by Michelle Monaghan's long distance driver at birth forced to bond with his mother after his father his hospitalised with cancer. Bennett is able to convey lots of backstory without us actually hearing about it, he is able to physically convey emotions of resentment towards his mother and warming to her later on. More than holding his own on screen with Monaghan, Nathan Fillion and Joey Lauren Adams, Bennett is definitely one to watch in the future its just a shame he'll more than likely get overlooked for this film.Leo Bill (Me and Orson Welles)
Even though Christian McKay will more than likely be nominated in this category for what is essentially a lead role, it is British actor Leo Bill who should be nominated in this category. Even though he is British he perfectly encaptures the mannerisms of legendary Hollywood character actor and producer Norman Lloyd. He definitely provides the comedy element, wisecracking his way through the film and constantly playing pranks on Zak Efron's Richard. I honestly didn't realise that Bill was British and it is amazing that he is able to pul of the New York wiseguy persona necessary for playing Lloyd. All in all a scene-stealing performance and one that is definitely a supporting performance.Paul Schneider (Bright Star)
Even though I found John Keats Biopic, Bright Star totally dull and dreary I still thought the performances where quite good. One in particular that stood out was American actor Schneider who is mostly well known for his work in indie films. As Keats' confident and collaborator John Brown he is able to tackle a very impressive Scottish accent and run away with the film through comic one-liners and discouragment towards Keats' affair with the young Fanny Brawne. Schneider is able to balance humour with great gravitas in some of his scenes as Brown reveals himself to be emotionally weak and only show his feelings later on in the film after Keats begins to fall ill. Schneider is totally convncing in a small role and that surely is the mark of a great supporting performance.Tom Waitts (The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus)
Although Terry Gilliam's latest film is patchy at best, singer and sometime actor Tom Waitts is utterly fantastic in it. In a role that is essentially the devil he combines the sinister and the comic with absolute ease. Every time he pops up in the film, and at times he does literally pop up, you know you're in for a treat. He is completely able to steal the show from Christopher Plummer, Heath Ledger et al. while at the same time not detracting too much from the plot. Waitts' performance is definitley deserving of a spot in the supporting actor category but because the film bombed I don't think its on the cards.Red West (Goodbye Solo)
Just as its lead actor perfectly captures an upbeat Senegalese taxi driver, then its supporting actor portrays a grizzled old biker who wants nothing more than to be left alone. As William or 'Mad Dog' as he is often referred to, West is able to capture more in his monosyllabic performance than most actors do with long winding scripts. Throughout the course of the film West portrays a man whose best years are behind him and a man who finds it hard to let his guard down when it comes to accepting Solo and his stepdaughter Alex into his life. William is the heart and soul of the film and West's performance more then demonstrates this as he shows the hurt that he has suffered through the years simply through facial expression, a great supporting performance that completely deserves a nomination.Best Supporting Actress
Definites
Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air), Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air), Mo'Nique (Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire)
Marion Cotillard/Penelope Cruz (Nine), Samantha Morton (The Messenger), Julianne Moore (A Single Man)
Another one that is pretty open in terms of contenders. It seems that two spots are available as the Up in the Air duo along with Mo'Nique have dominated the category. Morton and Moore seem to be likely candidates while the Nine women have also featured prominently with people not sure if Cotillard's is a leading or supporting role.
For You Consideration
Adjoa Andoh (Invictus)
There's no doubt that Invictus is a very masculine film. Directed by Clint Eastwood starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon and featuring over half an hour of rugby there's very little feminine influence throughout. That is apart from Adjoa Andoh as Nelson Mandela's loyal secretary Brenda. Andoh demonstrates great passion in her role as she plays the role with humour and sincerity in equal measure. Her best scenes come when Mandela is in poor health and she gets to highlight Brenda's fondness for Mandela. As Invictus is a big Oscar film this year it's just a shame that it's the masculine elements that have been picked up because Andoh deserves to be in the mix.Melanie Laurent (Inglorious Basterds)
Possibly the greatest mystery of the whole awards season is why has Melanie Lauren'ts performance in Inglorious Basterds not featured more? While Christoph Waltz has featured at every awards show the same can't be said for Laurent who did an equally fine job as the orphaned French Jew who has a chance to exact revenge for her family's death at the hands of the Nazis. As Shoshanna, Laurent is brilliant mixing sex appeal, black humour and passion in one small package to create one of last year's best screen heroines. Maybe it's simply because the voters couldn't decide if she was a lead or a support because it certainly hasn't got anything to do with her brilliant acting throughout Tarrantino's patchy World War 2 epic.Paula Patton (Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire)
While Mo'Nique and Gabourey Sidibe have both had prasied and awards given to them for their roles in Precious there are some equally impressive turns in the film. One that stands out in particular is that of Paula Patton as remedial teacher Ms. Rain she is the driving force of the film. Patton never lets her role lapse into cliche combining warmth with a sense of world-weariness which is never mentioned but hinted at through Patton's performance. Patton's chemistry with Sidibe and the other girls in the class helps the films more brighter succeed and its a teastament to the actress that a film that features so much hardship can have happier scenes. Patton is Precious' best kept secret which is obviously the reason that no-one has noticed her come awards season.Imelda Staunton (Taking Woodstock)
If there were award for Matriach of The Year then Imelda Staunton's Jewish mother in Taking Woodstock must be in with a shot. Playing the fearless battleaxe type character that she has been known for since her role as Delores Umbridge in Harry Potter, Staunton shines in a film that has its moments. She is in parts maternal and terrifying and stealing a lot of scenes from underneath more accomplished comic actors. Any time she pops up on screen you know its going to be a good scene and you miss her when she's not there. It's a shame the film was released to little fanfare as this seems to be another case of a film that has a great performance in it but no-one paid attention because of its limited box office success.Sigourney Weaver (Avatar)
There's no doubt that Avatar will do extremely well at the Oscars picking up the majority of the technical statuettes as well as perhaps Best Picture. Where it may fall down is on the strength of the acting which in some parts is a little thin. Thankfully the veteran Sigourney Weaver, back working with old mate James Cameron, is able to add a bit of weight to proceedings as Grace the scientist. Initially very cold she thaws as the film goes on and Weaver is able to portray someone with great heart who is very sensitive to the natives of Pandora and their needs and has to battle constantly with her superiors. Weaver is equally at home when she has to go all smurf and go into Avatar mode her persona never faltering for one second. If Avatar does do exceedingly well this year it would be a shame for its acting or at least Weaver's acting to go totally unnoticed.Olivia Williams (An Education)
Inspirational teacher number two and another role that seems to have been overlooked. It seems that An Education was one of the Oscar films that voters didn't get a chance to see and only Carey Mulligan seems to have consistent nominations which is a shame for the great Alfred Molina as well as Olivia Williams' as Mulligan's Jenny's schoolteacher. Although she only features in a few scenes Williams perfectly captures the essence of someone who only wants good for Jenny and later on when she realises that Jenny's passion for reading may be slipping away Williams is the guiding light that tries to steer her in the right direction. Williams emerses herself in the role of a slightly bookish but passionate female who wants to bestow knowledge on others and she does it with a knowingly subtle performance that is one of the film's best.Okay that's your lot lets see how right I am tomorrow.
