Alternative 2009 Oscar Nominees...Best Supporting Actress

-I have to admit that the crop of nominees for Best Supporting Actress this year is somewhat questionable ranging from the standard shoe-in to the requisite dark horse. No actress deserves to be on that list more than Mo'Nique for her work in Precious which saw her abandon any and all traces of her comic persona to play a true monster with hidden wounds. While not as powerful, but definitley entrancing is Vera Farmiga's work in Up in the Air; playing a woman completely guarded from the outside world, but who lets George Clooney in little by little. The same cannot be said for her co-star Anna Kendrick whose work in the same film reflects that of a machine with the right amount of technology required to sprout out the right lines at the apporopriate times as opposed to the true actress Kendrick actually is. Almost as uninspiring is Crazy Heart's Maggie Gyllenhaal who is normally a stirring presence on film, but who gets lost in what is essentially Jeff Bridges' film. Caught somewhere in between these four women lies Penelope Cruz, whose performance in Nine was definitley a showstopper full of captivating moments but was it really Oscar-worthy?? I kind of get the feeling that the Academy nominated her for two reasons: a) they love her as most everyone does, and b) they couldn't think of anyone else to nominate. I'm hoping the former is more true than the latter for the sheer fact that there were a number of Oscar-worthy supporting actress performances in 2009 which easily could have fit into the category this year!!

1. Kim Basinger- The Informers

-Many simply didn't get the big-screen adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' book The Informers (that's ok, American Psycho and The Rules of Attraction took years to attain their now-cult followings), but no one could deny after seeing it that Basinger is still one of the screen's most watchable actresses around. As the pill-popping, toy-boy loving L.A. wife reconciling with her estranged studio executive husband, Basinger inhabits one of her more interesting roles in years. It would have been too easy to play this kind of role in a straightforward manner, so Basinger instead chooses to dig deep and uncover all the pain, anger, resentment, insecurities and fear which control her character and channels them brilliantly in a performance where most things are "under the surface."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ellp6-RTJI8

2. Leslie Mann- Funny People

-One of the biggest letdowns this past summer had to be the Judd Apatow comedy/drama Funny People. While the comedy wasn't potent enough, the drama itself fell short of being genuine leading to a truly awkward (and overlong) film experience. Yet the bright spot of the film had to be Leslie Mann's turn as Adam Sandler's former love interest. In what is perhaps her best role to date, Mann plays Sandler's former girlfriend now happily married, but who decides to re-kindle her past love when Sandler finds out he is dying. Though she's garnered a few laughs in the past, Mann has never been given the chance to actually be funny on her own, which she does here quite admirably. Furthermore, the scenes which require her to bring forth sadness and despair showcase a flair for the dramatic which has been criminally underused in the past. I hope someday she will get to use these gifts in such a way again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huo4iLqR6e8

3. Julia Roberts- Fireflies in the Garden

-I'm not surprised that many people have never heard of this film. Playing at only a handful of festivals in the US before given the most minimal of releases before being sent off abroad, Fireflies in the Garden told the story of how a tragedy helped a damaged family understand each other. Though she dies in the film's opening, Roberts' character Lisa (shown almost entirely in flashback scenes) remains the film's emotional core. Playing a mother and housewife, Roberts is able to transcend the stereotypical "wife" role and let her true motivations show including her love for her family and her devotion to them. Not only does she do everything to make sure her family knows they are loved by her, but also makes sure they know she's her own person as well by standing up for herself and voicing her very strong opinions. This character truly comes to life thanks to Roberts' beautiful performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IU6zf84EFQ

4. Susan Sarandon- The Lovely Bones

-Many must have questioned Sarandon when she signed on to play Grandma Lynn in Peter Jackson's big-screen adaptation of the best-selling novel The Lovely Bones. Some felt the actress (hardly old enough to be called grandma) was perhaps not the wisest choice. Yet Sarandon brings enough gusto and energy with her to do the character justice. As a woman whose family is suffering the loss of their oldest daughter, Sarandon's character brings with her the appropriate amounts of strength and perseverance that her family needs to help them rebuild their lives. The role also doubles as the film's sole comic relief and although the actress isn't known primarily as comedienne, Sarandon manages just fine with the requirements.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyuiE_K7Tqw

5. Charlize Theron- The Road

-One of the most beautiful and quiet performances Theron ever gave, The Road saw the actress inhabit a role that must have been hard to read and even harder to watch. Theron plays a wfie and mother whose family finds themselves as survivors in an apocolyptic society and must struggle to stay alive. Though her character's role in the film is relatively small, Theron makes such an impact during her time, that her presence never leaves the audiences' minds. Perhaps if the film had lived up to the buzz generated by the media in advance, Theron's sterling work would have been more acclaimed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbLgszfXTAY

Tomorrow...Best Supporting Actor!!