Best Actress Guru rundown

The top five Gurus of Gold Best Actress contenders are Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose), Julie Christie (Away From Her), Keira Knightley (Atonement), Ellen Page (Juno), and Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth: The Golden Age).


Julie Christie in Away From Her.

The second five (positions #6 through #10) are Angelina Jolie (A Mighty Heart), Laura Linney (The Savages), Halle Berry (Things We Lost in the Fire), Cate Blanchett again (in I'm Not There), Julia Roberts (Charlie Wilson's War), Marketa Irglova (Once), Jodie Foster (The Brave One) and Charlize Theron (In The Valley of Elah).

Cotillard is a lock. Christie is very probable. Knightley is a maybe (because some believe that her role in Atonement is close to supporting-level). Page is said to have a headwind but I'm not so sure -- she's smart, gutsy and very likable but her Juno performance is basically a force-of-personality thing. A Blanchett nom for Elizabeth: The Golden Age is out of the question because the movie is a joke, but she's absolutely miraculous as Blonde on Blonde Dylan in I'm Not There. (Harvey, you know what to do.)

Jolie gave the best performance of her life as Marianne Pearl in A Mighty Heart, but the quick box-office death of this film (which shouldn't matter) seems to matter to some. Linney is excellent in The Savages, but the movie's a grim sit. Paramount/DreamWorks won't let me see Things We Lost in the Fire so I don't know about Berry. Julia Roberts has too small a role in Charlie Wilson's War to qualify. Marketa Irglova is fresh and lovely in Once, but she's not in the game. Foster gives a full-of-feeling performance in The Brave One but I don't think it'll happen (in part because the shoot-em-up story is too '70s, in part because the ending was too much, in part because the movie fizzled). For my money Charlize Theron is better in Elah than she was in North Country, but that doesn't cut any ice with the people who are determined to keep this film down and tied up in a burlap bag.

Somebody said it last summer (maybe Poland): Each movie is its own little war.

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on September 27, 2007 at 3:48 PM

comment #1

T. Holly Author Profile Page says ...

Ellen Page is one of the planet's most overrated actresses. I can't stand that plucky little kid.

Posted by T. Holly Author Profile Page at September 27, 2007 5:33 PM

comment #2

actionman Author Profile Page says ...

have you seen HARD CANDY?

Posted by actionman Author Profile Page at September 27, 2007 5:41 PM

comment #3

T. Holly Author Profile Page says ...

at her pluckiest

Posted by T. Holly Author Profile Page at September 27, 2007 5:43 PM

comment #4

actionman Author Profile Page says ...

i haven't seen JUNO yet but Page was just incredible in HARD CANDY I thought.

Posted by actionman Author Profile Page at September 27, 2007 5:44 PM

comment #5

cinefan Author Profile Page says ...

What about Linney for the Savages? She should already have an Oscar by now.

Posted by cinefan Author Profile Page at September 27, 2007 5:44 PM

comment #6

MiraJeffAICN Author Profile Page says ...

Yikes, rough field this year. Tough to weigh in because I haven't seen any of those Top 5 films. Surprised Kidman's not on the list for Margot at the Wedding. Don't think Theron really has a chance, strong as she is in Elah. It's not showy enough, especially compared to her perfs in Monster and North Country. As for Foster, I thought she was great in The Brave One but that doesn't strike me as Oscar material. I acknowledge there may be a chance for Page, but you've gotta figure that Berry or Linney takes that fifth slot, especially the latter. We'll see... I'll be pulling for Susan Sarandon as supporting though.

Posted by MiraJeffAICN Author Profile Page at September 27, 2007 5:48 PM

comment #7

MiraJeffAICN Author Profile Page says ...

And yeah, Ellen Page is great in Hard Candy. I gotta check her out in The Tracy Fragments, which I hear is going straight to DVD.

Posted by MiraJeffAICN Author Profile Page at September 27, 2007 5:50 PM

comment #8

Noah Author Profile Page says ...

MiraJeff, did you really think Sarandon was that good in Mr. Woodcock? (I kid, I kid)

I haven't seen Juno, but it seems that people are really going crazy over Ellen Page, whose performance in Hard Candy was a bit too mannered for my tastes. But it's always refreshing to see a young actress these days who cares about the craft and not about the perks.

Best performance I've seen by a woman this year is either Julie Christie or Marketa Irglova. I'm thinking only one of them will get a nod.

Posted by Noah Author Profile Page at September 27, 2007 5:57 PM

comment #9

BurmaShave Author Profile Page says ...

I always feel so dirty when I look at Ellen Page. I mean I know she is actually legal, but damn she doesn't look it. Chris Hansen, please note my remorse.

Posted by BurmaShave Author Profile Page at September 27, 2007 5:58 PM

comment #10

IClavdivs Author Profile Page says ...

Why are there only 10 actresses listed?

Posted by IClavdivs Author Profile Page at September 27, 2007 6:07 PM

comment #11

T. Holly Author Profile Page says ...

We need a pundits of HE scorecard. Who's game to embarrass themself? I'll administer.

Posted by T. Holly Author Profile Page at September 27, 2007 6:07 PM

comment #12

insidah Author Profile Page says ...

Force of personality is what won Julia her oscar (although it was the perfect vehicle and a perfectly calibrated force-of-personality performance) I like that expression, force of personality. I may borrow it.

I hope Kiera doesn't win anything. Her pursed lips routine in the Pirates movies was so awful I can't watch her in anything now.


Posted by insidah Author Profile Page at September 27, 2007 6:11 PM

comment #13

snoop Author Profile Page says ...

Berry will not get one for Things We lost in the Fire. Saw it last Firday, and the movie is really chopy, and although it seems like there was a good movie in there somewhere, it wasn't up on the screen.

Benicio does what he can, but the film just plays like a string of moments that aren't properly connected. It needed a rewrite or way better editing or something, because Berry's character is never believable (even if she is grieving, she still rediculous).

Considering the strength of the other actresses, Berry should not get a nomination. It's an uneven perf that doesn't connect in a real way.

Posted by snoop Author Profile Page at September 27, 2007 6:41 PM

comment #14

scooterzz Author Profile Page says ...

so, it's conceivable that cate could win an oscar for 'elizabeth' and an independent spirit for 'i'm not there'........has anything like that happened before?

Posted by scooterzz Author Profile Page at September 27, 2007 6:57 PM

comment #15

Joe Leydon Author Profile Page says ...

Ellen Page will be nominated. Ellen Page could win. Anyone who takes issue with either of those comments.... has the wrong thread count.

Posted by Joe Leydon Author Profile Page at September 27, 2007 7:07 PM

comment #16

T. S. Idiot Author Profile Page says ...

I love Julie Christie, but Marion Cotillard gives a bigger, more complete performance.

Posted by T. S. Idiot Author Profile Page at September 27, 2007 7:27 PM

comment #17

BurmaShave Author Profile Page says ...

Joe I agree. I can totally see Ellen Page winning and a whole lot of people on this board getting very angry. This is sight unseen on JUNO mind you, but I get vibes.

Posted by BurmaShave Author Profile Page at September 27, 2007 7:50 PM

comment #18

scooterzz Author Profile Page says ...

i'd be thrilled to see page win....i just don't think she's gonna for 'juno' (and i'm amazed at the number of people who didn't see/don't remember 'hard candy'.....

Posted by scooterzz Author Profile Page at September 27, 2007 9:54 PM

comment #19

Heleno Author Profile Page says ...

I really wish Jolie would get a nod, box-office bomb or not, and Linney's waaaay overdue. But they'll probably give it to Blanchett because playing someone called "Queen Elizabeth" is practically a guarantee of a win. What about the perennial favourite Streep for Lions for Lambs?

Posted by Heleno Author Profile Page at September 28, 2007 2:19 AM

comment #20

Rob Author Profile Page says ...

I hope that "Linney is due" becomes an Oscar catchphrase. She's in five movies this year, and she's always superb, even The Nanny Diaries. I haven't seen The Savages yet, but at this point, she should probably be in the running for Jindabyne.

Posted by Rob Author Profile Page at September 28, 2007 5:23 AM

comment #21

Ian Sinclair Author Profile Page says ...

Cate Blanchett is winning the Best Actress Oscar and the Golden Globe for ELIZABETH, with her only serious competition Keira Knightly, lightly at her heels. Nobody else has pictures people will actually see. I'm very good at this prediction lark, so pay attention to me, not jeff, who is hopeless at this sort of thing.

Posted by Ian Sinclair Author Profile Page at September 28, 2007 5:51 AM

comment #22

lazarus Author Profile Page says ...

Sinclair, it wasn't necessary to put "pay attention to me" in your post. That's pretty much implied in everything you write.

Posted by lazarus Author Profile Page at September 28, 2007 8:22 AM

comment #23

Unison Author Profile Page says ...

Rob, for what it's worth, I've always resisted Linney to some degree in the past, but think she's better than she's ever been before in The Savages (which is clearly her, and not PSH's) movie). She totally deserves a nomination, and will likely get one. A win would not upset me at all.

Posted by Unison Author Profile Page at September 28, 2007 10:33 AM

comment #24

VedaPierce Author Profile Page says ...

There's no way Blanchett will win for "Elizabeth". The winner of this year's Best Actress award will benefit from voter fatigue over queens and biopics. In addition to her sweep for playing QE2, Helen Mirren was equally as dominant in the TV honors for her HBO movie on QE1. Enough.

Posted by VedaPierce Author Profile Page at September 28, 2007 10:46 AM

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