New at BOP: Review: Matrix Resurrections Movie Review: Moonfall Movie Reviews: Scream The #1 Movie in America November Forecast The Many Saints of Newark October Forecast New Trivia Question All site updates Share & Save   Tweet Print this column

BOP believes that this category is Forest Whitaker's to lose but we fear that he might have done so with his unfortunate speech at the Golden Globes. Obviously overcome with emotion, the accomplished writer/director was unable to display the wit and charm that has made him so popular in Hollywood. The result was an appearance that may make a certain segment of voters re-consider whether they want him potentially duplicating this task in front of a billion people. That opens the door for Academy favorite Peter O'Toole to potentially play the spoiler. O'Toole has been given an honorary Oscar but he has repeatedly stated he holds out hopes of earning one outright. His work in Venus does not have the pedigree of Whitaker's, but the chance to see a living legend finally get his due is a possibility some voters may find preferable to the idea of Whitaker stammering through another too-public 90 seconds.

Best Actress went as we predicted, also. This category borders on the dull with Helen Mirren as much of a lock to win as there is this awards season. BOP's power ranking of 98 reflects this. In the summer, Meryl Streep appeared to be a strong contender, but she has won enough, as has Dame Judi Dench. And Kate Winslet and Penelope Cruz will only be competing for best Red Carpet showing. Mirren is a hugely respected thespian who pulls off the near-impossible role of Queen Elizabeth with grace and aplomb. She somehow manages to make the viewer dislike her pompous nature throughout the entire movie only to force us in the end to acknowledge how much we have come to admire her as a gifted leader. Streep's whispery boss simply is not showy enough to compete with this.

Best Director is another category that played out as we expected. While BOP has been burned before, our staff firmly believes that this is Martin Scorsese's year. The only other person in the discussion is Babel director Alejandro González Iñárritu, but we just don't see how a movie that receives raves mainly for its acting gets a win for its director. Scorsese's struggles in winning this award are long chronicled, but he finally catches a break this year with the competition. Clint Eastwood has a recent win in this category while Frears' movie will get more attention in the Actress and Screenplay categories. Meanwhile, Paul Greengrass didn't see his movie, United 93, get a nomination. So, he is the proverbial "happy to be here" guy in the category. Unless Babel sweeps the major awards for which it is nominated, all of this sizes up as Scorsese finally getting his moment in the sun.

Best Supporting Actress is yet another category that fell into place as we forecasted. We are all just playing out the string waiting for Jennifer Hudson to pick up her prize. In the interim, Cate Blanchett and a trio of newcomers can enjoy their moment in the sun. This is Blanchett's third nomination and follows her 2005 win for portraying Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator. The rest of the nominees require an introduction. The fabulously named Adriana Barraza and Rinko Kikuchi comprise the Babel tandem. Unless you watch a lot of international television, you have never seen either one before. But the potential hilarity stemming from the idea of Billy Bush trying to pronounce either name during the live show is off the charts. The other nice story is the final nominee in the category, Abigail Breslin. The ten-year-old is taking time out of her busy schedule of playing the Nintendo Wii to put on make-up and a tiara and smile merrily when her name is called out in front of a billion people. If we're lucky, she might also perform her Super Freak routine.

Continued:       1       2       3