Road to the Oscars: Actress in a Supporting Role

          Amy Adams -- As I admitted in my previous post, I have not seen The Master. I was impressed, however, with the clips of Adams playing the Master's wife in this movie. It was interesting to see her get this fascinating part after having been in Enchanted just a few years ago. In interviews it is evident that she has matured greatly in both her life and her acting. I couldn't really complain if she won.

          Sally Field -- Field gave a solid performance as Lincoln's wife this year, even displaying flawless emotion, but I certainly do not want to see her win the Oscar for it. Not against her fellow nominees.

          Anne Hathaway -- I enjoyed Les Misérables, although I do not know the story nearly as well as the people around me do. This made is harder for me to judge casting choices, but there is no doubt in my mind that Hathaway was superior in her role as a mother forced to be a prostitute for money. In one of her recent speeches, she gave a shout-out to Fields for having gone from being the flying nun to playing Lincoln's wife, pointing out that she used to be the princess of Genovia. As a little kid I grew up watching and rewatching Hathaway in the Princess Diaries and its sequel, and so it meant a lot to me that she has made such a grand transition.

          Helen Hunt -- The Sessions is a movie I have yet to see, but from what my film-loving friends say she gave a good performance in this indie. Personally, I think the role was at times a little too quirky to beat some of the other nominees. The nomination is well-deserved, though.

          Jacki Weaver -- I saw Silver Linings Playbook before the nominations were announced (New Year's Eve, actually), and I must say that I was shocked that it was nominated in all four acting categories (and don't even get me started on David O. Russell beating out Tarantino and Bigelow... that  post will come around Saturday). Jacki Weaver in no way is deserving of an Oscar nod for this fairly insignificant role, and it makes me feel like the Academy couldn't find anyone else to take the fifth spot.


          I would really love to see Anne Hathaway get on the stage (and luckily not as a host this time) to accept the Oscar for Actress in a Supporting Role this year. She was tremendous and the fact that the camera stayed on her for her entire song outlines how brilliant she is in Les Misérables. She had nowhere to hide and she didn't need to. Feel free to disagree with me if you have seen The Master or The Sessions and please let me know below!