Oscar Noms: Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress

Best Supporting Actress:

Cate Blanchett, “I’m Not There”
Ruby
Dee, “American Gangster”
Saoirse Ronan, “Atonement”
Amy
Ryan, “Gone Baby Gone”
Tilda Swinton, “Michael Clayton”

I’d Bet On: Hands down Cate Blanchett wins this one.

Dark Horse: Amy Ryan has kissed her chances goodbye once the Golden Globe results cam out.

Filler: Swinton would be my second choice for the
category – she is joined by demographic old age and young age groups of
gangster-mom role played by Dee and naughty child bit played by Ronan.

Where is?: I would have included Jennifer Jason Leigh‘s perf foe Margot and Julia Roberts‘ bit in Charlie Wilson’s War.

Best Supporting Actor:

Casey
Affleck, “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”

Javier Bardem, “No Country for Old Men”
Hal Holbrook,
“Into The Wild”
Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Charlie Wilson’s War”
Tom
Wilkinson, “Michael Clayton”

I’d Bet On: Javier Bardem was first out of the gates this year back in May with his memorable villian role (perhaps the best thing since Day-Lewis in Gangs of New York). He deserves it most – but votes will be given out to other actors in the category.

Dark Horse: Wilkinson had an excellent role in Michael Clayton – and his performance offered plenty of range. He is the second best option for this category.

Filler: Affleck caps off a career year: Gone Baby Gone proves he can play strong dramatic characters while Hoffman once again proves that he is in his element in 80’s garb. It will be nice to see Holbrook make it for the big night: if it were a different year Into the Wild might have faired a little better.

Where is?: Paul Dano would have made my top 5 for sure and Steve Zahn made for a memorable sidekick in Herzog’s survival film Rescue Dawn.