Saturday, February 23, 2008

Best Actress Battleground

I probably should have posted earlier but better late than never. Consider it an olive branch and a 'see ya, next year' when we start all over again (your predictions in the second annual "best actress psychic" contest will be due on March 28th --details to come. My first predictions always go up on April 1st... I have to start studying the upcoming releases)

The Best Actress race has had an unusual degree of animosity this year. I haven't seen it this contentious between awards-watchers since probably "Swank vs. Bening (Round 2) + Staunton" (2004). I'm predicting Cotillard and totally rooting for Christie ~ and the reason I never make any pretense of objectivity about it is that I think it's essentially a sham for anyone who blabbers about entertainment consistently (entertainment pundits, critics, Oprah ;)...and all of you) to hide their own feelings. The judging of art is a subjective activity.

Regardless of how it goes tomorrow, Christie OR Cotillard, there will be a huge swath of people who didn't get their way and who feel that there was a terrible injustice committed ...and I hope everyone will understand that that's a shame. It's the downside of a competition about something that is impossible to definitively qualify. 20 years from now some of these movies will have been forgotten, some may not and the performances or careers involved may have been completely reevaluated or not... Even after Oscar closes the book the book remains open for history to decide if they chose well or not. And history is fickle, too.

The time capsule reaction and the subjectivity are the very things that makes awards watching both fun and aggravating. But really, as the cliché goes... they're all winners. The 5 nominated actresses nabbed terrific roles, and beat out hundreds of other performances to be recognized as the best and they're all fabulously wealthy talented and beautiful women on top of that. So essentially they all "won" long before AMPAS got involved or before any fans took sides.

Peace out,
____Nathaniel

16 comments:

Catherine said...

Hear, Hear for some sense! But really, no matter if Christie or Cotillard has their name called out, a little part of me will cry inside that it wasn't Linney. It's totally futile rooting for her, I know, but that's half the fun, really.

Anonymous said...

If Knightley or Jolie had obtained the nomination instead of Blanchett I'd have rooted for one of them, even if it should have been futile too...

Anyway...if Day-Lewis, Bardem, Swinton and Christie (or Cotillard, or Page) win it will be the first time with no american thespians among the winners...mmm...maybe DEE or RYAN's chances aren't completely lost yet...

Mirko

Marc Acito said...

This may sound sacrilegious but i think most young actresses (and actors) just don't have the chops. I saw a preview of "Other Boleyn Girl" yesterday and it's TERRIBLE. Scarlet Johansson and Natalie Portman are both lightweights. They're the visual equivalent of oatmeal--bland and unsatisfying.

E Dot said...

I hear there might be a write-in win. Jenny Lopez and the twins for 'El Cantane' (and I'm not talkin' about her babies)

Anonymous said...

Nat,

I agree with your predictions in the 6 major categories.. except I am rooting for Amy Ryan to win.

Also, even though you picked Cotilliard to win and you want Christie... I am rooting for Cotilliard.

Anonymous said...

Julie Christie will win. =]

Anonymous said...

He's right. I'm going to win. Fear not, Nathaniel.

Anonymous said...

I'm rooting for Julie Christie.

Anonymous said...

I'm with you Catherine, I really hope that Laura Linney somehow wins tomo!

Aaron C. Thomas said...

This is very, very smart analysis, if you ask me. Our opinions of things change with time, and some films last and some don't, and sometimes we're proud of the choices we make and sometimes we aren't. The Oscars, in particular are always a reflection of the specific moment that we inhabit just now. Years from now, who knows what we'll all be talking about.

Anonymous said...

The best actress race has had an unusual amount of animosity this year, but I would say that the best actor race has been equally so.

The flame wars between Depp, DDL and Clooney fans has been ridiculous. And going on for months.

The Jaded Armchair Reviewer said...

"They're all winners"? That sounds like Mickey Rooney "There's a six way tie and I'm here to break it" kind of talk. :P

Anonymous said...

"Marcel....you are very persistent, aren't you?"

NATHANIEL R said...

oh Julie! thanks for visiting the blog. ;)

it means the worle

Unknown said...

For some reason this category is giving me shades of Best Actor a few years ago (2003?), when no one could figure out if Jack or DDL would win the prize, and then Adrien Brody waltzed in and won. In retrospect though, it was a brilliant choice.

In my head, this year's Adrien Brody is Laura Linney.

But to be fair, let's not rule out the possibility of Ellen Page winning either.

NATHANIEL R said...

I would be thrilled if Linney won (since it feels like it's never going to happen) but if that scenario plays out it is most definitely PAGE taking home the trophy.

and a million Junoisms will appear on blogs, in papers, and on tv for the next week