I don't like her.

so now that's out the way.

For the last 15 years or so, the AMPAS has been good about awarding Best Actress to those who've paid their dues. Not to say "fresh faces" haven't won. There's Charlize and Halle and Hilary, all physical transformations, heavy dramas, beyond heavy actually. There's Gwyneth in a comedic period piece, who was able to benefit greatly from the Miramax marketing beast. Then there's Helen, who was able to bring home the gold, despite being famous for working on the small screen.

How does this all relate to Reese?

Well for one, interest has dropped for Walk The Line. The effect on its Best Picture chances are evident. Looks like Phoenix is out of the race. One of two things could happen to Reese. She could receive all the attention for the film. Or, she will become another casualty.

Her competition is fierce. There's Dame Dench who's more than paid her dues and is a previous winner. There's Felicity, known for her small screen work, showing up in a film all about physical transformations and surprise, surprise, the first non-Miramax film to be acquired by Harvey Weinstein and Bob Weinstein. . And there's Kiera, in a comedic period piece. Hmm, sound familar???

Can Reese win? Certainly. But I wouldn't call her a lock just yet.

I think it is almost certain that Reese will win the award, but that's just me. It could go any other way. The Oscar's can be full of surprises sometimes. I've always liked Reese Witherspoon though. She has so much charm, and she is a very versatile actress. You can literally throw any role at her, and she will be greatly convincing.

think Reese is a shoe-in.

She pretty much has it locked up.

I really see where you're coming from Loyal.

I don't hate Reese. At one short point, I liked her alot, but now, I'm sort of indifferent to her.

I don't hate her this season because there is just such a lack of amazign female performances and add to that no real steam for anyone else.

But the fact of the matter is, I don't think her performance was Oscar-winner worthy. I think it's good enough to get away with it considering the year, but... I just don't really care anymore for the actress race.

Plus, compared to their leading men, I'd be willing to bet that she gets as much screen time as Maria Bello does for A History of Violence. I think Lauar Linney's categorization might still be sketchy and in nature, Bello's role is supporting, but if Reese is considered lead, then so should Bello. Unfortunately, that won't work well for Bello, so I'm satisfied with her in the supp. categoyr but it just adds more disaid for Witherspoon.

Then again, look at the rest of the category....
I don't want Dench to win
I don't want to see Charlize up there again
Knightley is even less deserving than Reese when comparing their resume's or "due" status (which I don't think Reese should be up for yet)
I don't think Ziyi was all that great either

That leaves Felicity huffman. I ahve yet to see Transamerica and I know I'll be rooting for her but I'm nto getting too riled about it because I realized they haven't handled her campaign and the movies release well AT ALL.


So, in conclusion I'm not too happy with Reese winning, but I don't really care at this point because none of the other actresses are worth more than her.

Actually, I'd like Joan Allen to win, but everyone knows that's not really possible at this point.


I still think she's a lock. I agree with loyal that we may be taking it for granted. Then again, I don't think alot fo the voters will focus on this category this year that much and won't have a second thought about it. Plus, her critics awards validate her status, so ya. If peopel think that the possible upset might be Knightley, then I'd say she's a lock.

She's definitely not a lock to win. She's only a lock to be nominated, and Walk the Line faded out of the zeitgeist faster than anyone expected, it feels like it came out a year ago.

Reese is in the movie that will be the highest grossing ("most popular").

She will win the Golden Globe.

She has won a bunch, bunch, bunch more critic awards than even I expected.

It's a for-sure thing.

Unless the AMPAS got the memo about that and are willing to vote acordingly, that won't matter. I don't personally care for Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and the thought of soon seeing him in Capote makes me cringe, but the thing is, that doesn't matter. My personal feelings will not affect things in any way, shape, or form. He's a lock to win.

Reese is a lock to win, too.

I put that in there so people wouldn't say "you don't like her, that's all."

Well yeah, I don't. Doesn't change the race and how I see it.

Reese is, in my view, more of a sure thing than Hoffman is.

She's "new" Hollywood royalty, she's young, she's paid her dues, she's a box office star, she sings, she dances, she works in the US and English film industry, and she gave (many feel) is a legitimately awesome performance in a likely Best Picture nominee.

I can't imagine a scenario where AMPAS chooses to award Dench (who has won) or Theron (who has won) or Huffman (who will be lucky to be there) and Knightly (ditto).

Oh, I was just giving you a hard time about that. It's cool that you don't see her as a lock. I see her performance as the best I saw all year, and I think the critical support, box office, and support from the guilds, as well as her America's Sweetheart image makes her the biggest lock out of any of the actors.

The year of the gay.

Hoffman/Huffman.

I just really wanted to quote you quoting me.

She's evil I tell ya.

Poor Ryan

Oh, I have no doubt that she's evil. Women are the devil's spawn.

The only thing I'm not sure about is whether or not Reese will divorce Ryan Philipoi;ipipikpipipipipipie before she wins her Golden Man.

I have to throw in my Clint Eastwood plug here.

When Reese was doing the talk show circuit promoting Walk the Line or Just Like Heaven, she brought up the fact that Ryan was currently on location filming a Clint Eastwood war epic, and she said "I don't know what it is about Clint Eastwood that turns grown men into giddy little boys" or words to that effect, so I guess he's practically masturbating about getting to work with Clint.

Now back to your regularly scheduled posts.

Ryan should be absolutely masterbatory that he's getting another acting job.

Reese and Clint, my day is complete.

All I need is for someone to mention Crash and its the trifecta.

I was just about to tell andaroo that I thought Ryan was pretty good in Crash.

Of all the actors in Crash, I think Philipee or however you spell it was the worst.

I do not buy him in any scene in ANY movie.

Take Gosford Park for example, he almost single handedly derailed it for me.

Like, I think Ludacris was better in both Crash and Hustle & Flow than Phillipe has EVER been.

Reese will win per default. Its a weak year and apparently her performance is really good, while all other candidiates are "just" good. I bet that someone like Naomi Watts from 21 Grams would have a great chance at a win this year or Nicole Kidman for Moulin Rouge.... But Reese is in a hit movie AND apparently delivered one of te year's finest female performances AND has no competition.

It's not like she wasn't good. I think she's a lock. Actually, probably the only lock of the acting categories.

Reese will win.

Because she is great.

And because Keira Knightley was great but not as high-profile, and no one has seen Transamerica.

Yep. I don't like her either, but if I thought she was a lock to win I'd say it. I like Keira and her performance but I dont think she's a lock either. The word lock is thrown around too much in these discussions, it overlooks the slice of x-factor randomness that goes into these things. It's not like each academy member dutifully watches every movie and carefully considers what to do.

When I learned that Witherspoon is a very, very conservative woman, I lost a lot of interest in her, to be honest, so I can understand loyal as well. I still think she is a great actress though, and she is very much close to a lock for winning, in my opinion. The whole line up is pretty weak, so it's hard to imagine anyone else winning but her, since she's really swept up a lot of the awards.

PEACE, Mike.