This is REALLY hard. You have five great performances and two that are about neck-and-neck for me, incidentally the two decided front-runners.
But I’m going to have to with Viola Davis in “Doubt.” A galvanizing, overwhelming 10 (or so) minutes on screen reaches something greater with her totally captivating presence. It’s as if her power freezes time and space, and you’ve no other place to look but into her deep troubled eyes. A performance that speaks worlds of thought.
I’ve also been wondering… are you not going to do Documentary or Foreign Language Film? How come?
Penelope Cruz FTW! and if she doesn’t she’s got Nine and Los Abrazos Rotos next year!
Mr. Harmonica
I voted for Tomei. Four of the five are ace performances, and even the other, Henson, is good. So, since all four are ace performances, and I had a genuinely hard time picking one, I went with Tomei for her T & A.
(and, to be honest and serious, her delivery of that final line ‘I’m really here’, did more for me than all of Cruz’s rantings, and Davis’s runny nose, and Amy Adams brave whimpering. It’s a great performance.)
HBK
Penelope will win this .
Very little chance of an upset.
Ronn
Penelope Cruz completely stole every scene she was in… she was polarizing, gorgeous and intensely committed and deserves to win and likely will. That being said I’m pulling for Marisa Tomei… she was better here than in “My Cousin Vinny” so I’m not so sure it should be considered an upset of monumental proportions.
Robert Hamer
It’s a shame that when you win an Academy Award – particularly if it’s an upset – it’s harder to win another one. Marisa Tomei may have won for My Cousin Vinny, but The Wrestler contains her true Oscar-worthy performance.
J.S.
Cruz was absolutely perfect in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” and I hope she rightfully takes home the Oscar next weekend.
I’ve seen 4 of the 5 (VCB is on the way from Netflix) so I would pick Viola Davis right now, but that might change once I see PC.
David R.
I didn’t get to see the results of the poll. Kris, or someone else, could you fill me in with the results? Or is there a way to view them? Can’t find it… And Penelope Crus had the bset performance, I believe
First of all, kudos to the Academy for making a really great choice here. All five nominated performances are actually supporting roles, which doesn’t happen often. I was tired of the actual winners being lead actresses in their films.
Now: moving onto supporting actress.
(5) Taraji P. Henson — I do have a problem with her nomination, because to me it was a performance way over the top. She overdid the whole thing, especially vocally. I just couldn’t buy her caring mother performance. I am one of these, who think that Fincher did some terrible work with his actors in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
(4) Amy Adams – I loved her in Doubt. She handled a role, which is far more trickier than it seems, perfectly. She didn’t overdo it and created a sense of sympathy for her character. But it’s one of these roles that never get noticed and nobody is actually praising that much.
(3) Penelope Cruz – I enjoyed her performance and she obviously stole the show, but I’ll tell it again – it’s on the surface. It didn’t work for me on an emotional level. Her character simply didn’t touch me. I may be in the minority here, but I know what I felt after watching the film, so I don’t have a problem with her winning, but to me she’s not the most deserving one.
(2) Marisa Tomei – I loved her, because I love natural acting and she’s an actress who cherishes subtlety and her performance had both its funny moments, but was profoundly sad and touching.
(1) Viola Davis – A strong emotional performance, which is the shortest one of the bunch, but creates the strongest emotional impact.
To me it’s Viola. And I think she has a shot at the Oscar in this category.
Comments
14 responses to “POLL: Who deserves it? — BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS”
I voted for Marisa Tomei in the sidebar poll, but I have to say, it’s pretty much a tie between her and PenГ©lope Cruz for me.
This is REALLY hard. You have five great performances and two that are about neck-and-neck for me, incidentally the two decided front-runners.
But I’m going to have to with Viola Davis in “Doubt.” A galvanizing, overwhelming 10 (or so) minutes on screen reaches something greater with her totally captivating presence. It’s as if her power freezes time and space, and you’ve no other place to look but into her deep troubled eyes. A performance that speaks worlds of thought.
I’ve also been wondering… are you not going to do Documentary or Foreign Language Film? How come?
I’ll go with Marisa Tomei in a squeaker over PenГ©lope Cruz (although I think Cruz will win the Oscar). Cruz is a firecracker of passion and eneergy, but Tomei brings complexity and dimension to what could have been a farcical character (the Stripper with the Heart of Gold).
For those interested, I’ve posted more detailed analysis at the link below:
http://moviemanifesto.blogspot.com/2009/02/oscars-analysis-2008-best-supporting.html
Penelope Cruz FTW! and if she doesn’t she’s got Nine and Los Abrazos Rotos next year!
I voted for Tomei. Four of the five are ace performances, and even the other, Henson, is good. So, since all four are ace performances, and I had a genuinely hard time picking one, I went with Tomei for her T & A.
(and, to be honest and serious, her delivery of that final line ‘I’m really here’, did more for me than all of Cruz’s rantings, and Davis’s runny nose, and Amy Adams brave whimpering. It’s a great performance.)
Penelope will win this .
Very little chance of an upset.
Penelope Cruz completely stole every scene she was in… she was polarizing, gorgeous and intensely committed and deserves to win and likely will. That being said I’m pulling for Marisa Tomei… she was better here than in “My Cousin Vinny” so I’m not so sure it should be considered an upset of monumental proportions.
It’s a shame that when you win an Academy Award – particularly if it’s an upset – it’s harder to win another one. Marisa Tomei may have won for My Cousin Vinny, but The Wrestler contains her true Oscar-worthy performance.
Cruz was absolutely perfect in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” and I hope she rightfully takes home the Oscar next weekend.
PenГ©lope Cruz, without ‘doubt’.
I’ve seen 4 of the 5 (VCB is on the way from Netflix) so I would pick Viola Davis right now, but that might change once I see PC.
I didn’t get to see the results of the poll. Kris, or someone else, could you fill me in with the results? Or is there a way to view them? Can’t find it… And Penelope Crus had the bset performance, I believe
David R., here’s the link to the polls archive: http://www.incontention.com/?page_id=253
First of all, kudos to the Academy for making a really great choice here. All five nominated performances are actually supporting roles, which doesn’t happen often. I was tired of the actual winners being lead actresses in their films.
Now: moving onto supporting actress.
(5) Taraji P. Henson — I do have a problem with her nomination, because to me it was a performance way over the top. She overdid the whole thing, especially vocally. I just couldn’t buy her caring mother performance. I am one of these, who think that Fincher did some terrible work with his actors in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
(4) Amy Adams – I loved her in Doubt. She handled a role, which is far more trickier than it seems, perfectly. She didn’t overdo it and created a sense of sympathy for her character. But it’s one of these roles that never get noticed and nobody is actually praising that much.
(3) Penelope Cruz – I enjoyed her performance and she obviously stole the show, but I’ll tell it again – it’s on the surface. It didn’t work for me on an emotional level. Her character simply didn’t touch me. I may be in the minority here, but I know what I felt after watching the film, so I don’t have a problem with her winning, but to me she’s not the most deserving one.
(2) Marisa Tomei – I loved her, because I love natural acting and she’s an actress who cherishes subtlety and her performance had both its funny moments, but was profoundly sad and touching.
(1) Viola Davis – A strong emotional performance, which is the shortest one of the bunch, but creates the strongest emotional impact.
To me it’s Viola. And I think she has a shot at the Oscar in this category.