THE OSCARS ARE NEW BEHIND US
WINNER Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
This is the 46 year old superstar's first nomination and win. TRIVIA: Interestingly enough, she's played two Oscar nominated roles previously in her career. The Oscar nominations just went to different actresses is all. She played the part of Tess McGill in the TV version of Working Girl (1990), based on the film that won Melanie Griffith her only nomination. Later she played the role of novelist Harper Lee in Infamous, the role that had won Catherine Keener a nomination when she played it in Capote.
READER'S CHOICE POLL: Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
NATHANIEL'S VOTE: Gabby Sidibe, Precious (though I'm really rooting for Meryl Streep on account of... well, 28 years without a win for America's Great Actress? Come on! I like all 5 of these performances, but only Carey & Gabby made my shortlist
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Sandra Bullock
"Leigh Ann Touhey" THE BLIND SIDE 45 years old 36 films 1st nom & 1st win |
Helen Mirren
"Countess Tolstoy" THE LAST STATION 64 years old 49 films 4 noms / 1 win |
Carey Mulligan
"Jenny" AN EDUCATION 24 years old 6 films 1st nomination! |
Gabourey Siddibe
"Claireece 'Precious' Jones" PRECIOUS 26 years old 1st film 1st nomination! |
Meryl Streep
"Julia Child" JULIE & JULIA 60 years old 43 films 16 noms / 2 wins |
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Other Awards Globe, BFCA, SAG |
Other Awards none |
Other Awards BAFTA, NBR, BIFCA and 8 minor critics More On... |
Other Awards NAACP, Spirit, Detroit and some additional 'break-through' prizes |
Other Awards Globe, BFCA, NY and 5 minor critics awards More On... |
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How'd They Get Nominated?
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| 36% Media frenzy: historic box office, pre-cursor craziness, BP nod 23% Performance: well judged. Knew when to pull back and when to star shine 17% the novelty of it all -"Sandra Bullock, Oscar Nominee!" 9% The Proposal and past hits 8% Role: real person! 6% That 'Saturday Special' Sass 1% conservatives rally |
31% Performance: Oscar likes big scenery chewing turns |
60% Performance. Super charming whilst playing a potentially offputting know-it-all 20% Role: interesting and multifaceted 12% Timing: Marked as major contender early 10% "star is born" mythology is potent hook -- especially if it has the ring of truth rather than hype 2% Young 'n' Hot. The way Oscar likes 'em 1% That smile in the rain |
37% Performance. Revelatory and moving. A film carrying debut. 32% Role: Demanding and sympathetic. 11% Campaign trail discovery. 'Wow. She's SO not playing herself' 10% Well received film and BP strength 5% AMPAS now sensitive to diversity 3% Oscar's love of student / teacher dramas 2% Mo'Nique |
30% Role: They love them some biopics... especially w/ familiar characters and mimicry 24% Performance. Bubbly, buttery, deliciously enjoyable 21% She's Meryl Streep 11% Momentum for third win still building 8% Consistent box-office muscle 5% Precursors and surprising critical wins 3% Stanley Tucci's palpable adoration |
| Will Win / Should Win | ||||
| Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side is looking like the one. Unless the Academy can break the media's influential brainwashing stranglehold and remember that Meryl Streep hasn't won in nearly three decades and that is just stoopid. If you're actually voting on single performances only, I'd give the prize to Gabby Sidibe with Carey Mulligan an extremely close second. Maybe on a different day I'd reverse them. But I'm sick of waiting for Streep to win again and she's been awesome since the 70s and still is. It's time for #3. | ||||
| Who Got Robbed? | ||||
| The Precursors will tell you that Emily Blunt (The Young Victoria) or Saoirse Ronan (The Lovely Bones) were next in line for Mirren's spot. And they're both fine actresses but the people who have every right to be pissed about getting passed over were Abbie Cornish (Bright Star) and the phenomenal Tilda Swinton (Julia) who gave one of the best performances of the entire decade. She should have easily won a second Oscar this time round. | ||||