Oscar Week: Best Actress

With the exception of Jennifer Lawrence, the women nominated for Best Actress are veterans of the Oscars with each receiving at least one prior nomination.  Only Nicole Kidman has previously won an Oscar and that does not bode well for her.  In the past 20 years only Hilary Swank, Jessica Lange and Jodie Foster were able to walk away with their second statuette.  Chances are very good that one of these ladies (*cough* Natalie Portman *cough*) will walk away with her first Oscar.  This year’s crop includes a lesbian mother dealing with the introduction of the sperm donor of her child, a depressed woman trying to deal with the loss of her son, a teenager having to raise her siblings due to a missing father and sick mother, a ballerina dancing on the edge of madness, and a depressed woman on the verge of divorce.  Sounds so cheery, doesn’t it?

Annette Bening - The Kids Are All Right

Annette Bening is Nic, the more grounded member of a loving same sex couple who are raising their two children.  The women went to a sperm donor and now he shows up out of nowhere to screw things up.  I do think acting as the “more controlling” person of a couple is a bit harder to do that acting as the flighty or “more fun” partner,  You don’t get as much leeway to play with.  I was surprised Julianne Moore didn’t get a nomination at all, but I do think the nomination did got to the slightly better performance.  Annette Bening is a four time nominee (The Grifters, American Beauty, Being Julia).  Bening won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical for this role and will be up against Natalie Portman, the Golden Globe winner for Drama.

Nicole Kidman - Rabbit Hole

Nicole Kidman is Becca.  Becca lost her son to a car accident and is dealing with that lost as best she can, but she is starting to alienate her family and friends.  An emotional performance for sure, but she just seemed listless most of the movie.  This is Kidman’s third nomination.  She won for her role in The Hours.

Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone

Jennifer Lawrence is Ree Dolly, a 17 year old who has to take care of her siblings when her father disappears.  She tries to keep the family together while searching for her father.  It’s always refreshing to see a new young actress who is not afraid to take on the hard roles and who didn’t burst on the scene through the awful teen movie done by the Mouse recently.  She really did carry this movie.  You will be seeing a lot more of Lawrence this year.  She is starring with Mel Gibson in The Beaver and is set to play the young Mystique in the upcoming X-Men prequel.  This is her first nomination.

Natalie Portman - Black Swan

Natalie Portman is Nina Sayers, a ballerina challenged with her first starring role as the Swan Queen in The Nutcracker Suite.  She struggles to find her way through the role and it takes a toll on her.  It amazes me that Portman is still a few months shy of her 30th birthday, it seems she has been a fixture on the Hollywood scene for a long long time.  Her first big role was 16 years ago in Leon .  She was Amadala in the Star Wars prequels.  She was Sam in Garden State , Alice in Closer (she was nominated for this one) and Evey in V For Vendetta.  All great roles, all great performances.  She will walk away with the Statuette on Sunday and something gives me the feeling that it won’t be her last.

Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine

Michelle Williams is Cindy.  Cindy is in a marriage that is on the rocks.  The decline of the marriage is contrasted with the days that started out the relationship.  It is a raw, stark performance.  Personally I liked her better this year in Shutter Island .