This is my final round of Oscar related retrospective ruminations...and, of course, I saved the best for last. The leading women. This is what my own winners would look like over the last eleven years.
2009: Carey Mulligan in An Education (Oscar Nominated)
2008: Kate Winslet in Revolutionary Road (SAG Nomination, Golden Globe Win)
2007: Angelina Jolie in A Mighty Heart (SAG Nomination, Golden Globe Nomination)
2006: Annette Bening in Running With Scissors (Golden Globe Nomination)
2005: Joan Allen in The Upside of Anger
2004: Annette Bening in Being Julia (Oscar Nominated)
2003: Diane Keaton in Something’s Gotta Give (Oscar Nominated)
2002: Nicole Kidman in The Hours (Won Oscar)
2001: Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge (Oscar Nominated)
2000: Julia Roberts in Erin Brockovich (Won Oscar)
I am still puzzled when people say Nicole Kidman is a poor actor, for the life of me I can’t imagine why. In addition to being my favourite thrice in the last eleven years she’s been in contention for brilliant work in 2007, 2004, 2003 and 2001. I had a four year streak of picking those that Oscar snubbed (05-08). Incidentally, I consider those four as some of the best work of the last decade – just look at that streak of characters Terry, Deirdre, Marianne, April. Ah, well. Go figure. On to Oscars’ decisions.
2010: Natalie Portman in Black Swan 2009: Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side
2008: Kate Winslet in The Reader favourite in Supporting Actress)
2007: Marion Cotillard in La Vie En Rose (top 5)
2006: Helen Mirren in The Queen (top 10)
2005: Reese Witherspoon in Walk the Line (top 5)
2004: Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby
2003: Charlize Theron in Monster (runner up to Keaton)
2002: Nicole Kidman in The Hours (favourite)
2001: Halle Berry in Monster’s Ball (top 10)
2000: Julia Roberts in Erin Brockovich (favourite)
Other than the abominable Blind Side mention I’m okay with the Academy’s pick. Other than Bullock, my least favourite citation is Hilary Swank. And, though I do hold Swank in meagre estimation (especially since I believe she was the worst of the five) – the performance is more than passable – and I’m not just saying because two of my blogging buddies love it. And then there are some great ones like Roberts and Kidman – my two favourite wins of the last decade; and outstanding transformations like Winslet and Cotillard and Theron (though I’m more fond of Kate and Marion than Charlize). It really is some kind of awful that the greatest performances of Angelina Jolie AND Joan Allen were never even nominated, but I’m generally okay with this category. Even if, unlike Oscar, I’ve actually cited four comedic performances as favourites: I feel proud. They’ve cited zero.
(Previous Ruminations on Actor, Supporting Actress, Supporting Actor)
Where do you stand with Oscar and their Actresses?
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