Best Actress Finale: Dresses, Reactions, Questions

Like we did with supporting actress, I've displayed the most lauded ladies of 2010 in the order of your preference: Natalie Portman stabbed all competition with a nail file "IT'S MY TURN" to the tune of 47% of your votes; Annette Bening (19%) just barely edged out Nicole Kidman (18%) in the last day of voting for second place and second place is always where Bening seems to end up (more on that tomorrow); Michelle Williams (11%) and Jennifer Lawrence (2%) followed. But look at Lawrence. She doesn't care. She had a grand time at the Oscars apparently, turning heads in the red tank dress and relaxed enough to quip to the press about bringing her brother as her date.

I'm from Kentucky, so that's normal.

It's interesting that her distinction  "Second Youngest Best Actress Nominee Ever" has been so ignored by the media; She's only 20. We might be seeing a lot more of her on Oscar's red carpet. She's already too old to nab the "fastest to two nominations in any acting category" since Angela Lansbury was 20 when she accomplished that. But theoretically Lawrence could still beat Joan Fontaine's record of fastest to two Best Actress nominations (Fontaine did the double by 24 and won) if good lead roles come soon. Up next are three supporting roles: The Beaver, Like Crazy and X-Men First Class.

Reaction shots, questions for readers and Portman's speech after the jump.

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Curio: Oscar Sweets

Alexa here.  Even though I can't claim to have been eating steamed veggies and following the Tracy Andeson method for the last few months, I always use Oscar night as an excuse to indulge. I made these coconut shortbread Black Swan pops for our gathering this year.  (And yes, I appreciate the irony of indulging my sweet tooth by eating stick-thin prima ballerinas.)

I'm always curious what other Oscar goodies were served, so I've been trolling the internet.

More sweets after the jump

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February Wraps. What's Coming in March?

February may be the shortest month of the year but due to Oscar night, it's the longest for us. If you don't visit the site regularly in the Off-Oscar season I urge you to reconsider. We have a lot of fun with a much rangier selection of movies from March thru November. I can't be the only one who is worn out by the Big Ten. Nevertheless, I don't mean to gripe about the Oscars. That's a knee jerk response born from fatigue. In a month or two (or maybe even a week's time) we'll miss his shiny golden ass. Oh, you know we will!

Some highlights of posting this month in case you missed them.

• James and Anne vs. The World it's weird to look at this now that we've seen them do their thang. Or now that we've seen Anne try to do her thing while James stood there.
• The Oscar Short Films Michael wrote up all 15 shorts. These posts had staying power as more of you checked out the nominees. I think the added exposure of these categories over the past few years (thanks to YouTube and iTunes) is one of the best Oscar developments.
• X-Men First Class the mutant team's superhold on my childhood
• Interviews! We gabbed with nominated craftsmen from The King's Speech and True Grit as well as the Oscar winning editors of The Social Network.
• Bright Star. Love's Cool Breeze Kurtis on a swoony underappreciated gift from 2009
• 30 Seconds to Summer it was fun to step away from the prestige films and move over to the boom boom whiz bang of coming blockbusters. They're just around the corner.
• My First (Three) Deans JA finally drank the James Dean Kool-aid. 
• And finally a round of applause for TFE's contributors. The Podcast has been an incepted dream BRAAAAHHHHHHHM with Nick, Katey and Joe. Our Oscar Podcast wrap up comes this Sunday. And I always enjoy Robert's Distant Relatives , Andreas new Mix Tape and Alexa's Curios because it's the only times I get to be surprised by what shows up on the site. Well done.

COMING IN MARCH...

We'll wrap up Oscar (Podcast!) and the Film Bitch Awards this week.

Then... A NEW FILM YEAR. I've designated March as Reader Appreciation Month. There will also be a Tennessee Williams Centennial "Stellllllaaaaaaaaaaaa", dispatches from New Directors/New Films,  the return of Hit Me With Your Best Shot, and more. Please stick around. There's more to life than Oscar.

P.S. I'm suddenly violently ill. At least the flu politely waited for Oscar night to pass. Thank you, flu!

Supporting Actress Finale: Fashion, Speech and Reader's Choice.

I have displayed the talented women above in the order of Readers Choice voting. Jacki Weaver (25%)  just barely won your virtual Oscar over Amy Adams (24%) . Of course the Oscar went to Melissa Leo (21%), who memorably hammed it up with Kirk Douglas before bringing the crazy that we've come to expect and dropping a rare Oscar night F Bomb on the Kodak. Film Experience readers didn't wish the win on Hailee Steinfeld (15%) or Helena Bonham Carter (11%) in big numbers though I noticed that Hailee trounced her competition in Awards Daily's balloting of readers. Different crowd with some overlap. Like AMPAS & BAFTA ;)

It's all over but the memories... and the fallout... and the statistics... and the gowns. Oscar night has a way of bleeding over. Certain competitions remain in the popular memory, or at least the blog memory for long periods of time. Consider how often people still talk about Annette Bening vs. Hilary Swank (1999, 2004) as opposed to say, Marion vs. Julie (2007) ?  or especially Reese vs. No One (2005). I sense that Supporting Actress 2010 will be one of those categories we come back to time and again, not only for the real sense of "it could go to any one!" drama that sprung up in the hive mind of Oscar watchers, but for the way that Kirk Douglas almost psychically seemed to understand that dragging out the envelope opening to ridiculous but funny lengths as the women laughed nervously.

Melissa's Speech

Oh my god. oh wow. really really really really really really  truly wow. I know a lot of people said a lot of nice things to me for several months now but i'm just shaking in my boots here. ok all right. thank you David O. Russell. I wanna thank the actors Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy My Sweet Sister Amy, Jack, our lovely daughters. ok yeah I am kind of speechless. [Looks up] Golly sakes there's people up there, too.

When i watched Kate two years ago it looks so fuc [BLEEPED OUT] Alice Ward. Your beautiful family that opened your hearts. I saw Mick here earlier. Dick? all right Dick's not in the room. Thank you so much opening your hearts to all of us to make this film. I thank David. I'll thank him again. My family, my beautiful son who is traveling right now who couldn't join me. It's okay I'm okay Jeff. My mom and my dad and my brother and my friends and my family. And I want to thank the very most of all the Academy of Motion Picture Sciences [sic] the Board of Governors and all their members and many of you are here today. This has been an extraordinary journey getting to know what the academy is about. And first and foremost thank you Academy [suddenly shouting] because it's about selling motion pictures and respecting the work! Thank you so much.

And then she stole Kirk Douglas cane. She brought the kooky and Oscar needs moments like that.

Three Questions
1. Best dressed of the category?
2. Who will be back the quickest to the nominee pool?
3. Who owes Melissa $200 dollars?

This is Begging For a Caption

Have at it in the comments.