Best Supporting Actress Nominees

Today we look ate the Best Performance By An Actress In A Supporting Role. I am going to present them, along with the other nominees tomorrow through Friday, in the order they are listed on IMDb.com.

Taraji P. Henson plays Queenie in The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button. Queenie runs a seniors home in New Orleans. One night she discovers a baby on the steps of the home. The baby turns out to be Benjamin Button who ages backwards. Queenie steps in and raises Benjamin. Henson does a good job in her role. She show ed kindness and tolerance to this small child when no one else would. If it is Benjamin Button's night Taraji very well may be the first of many major awards for the movie.

Amy Adams plays Sister James in Doubt. Sister James is a young nun under the guidance of Sister Aloysius (played by Meryl Streep). Sister James is the one to initially have doubts about Father Flynn, albeit after Sister Aloysius asked the nuns to be on alert for something. She immediatly regrets having said anything and starts to have more doubts about herself. Amy Adams does a good job but I don't see her getting the Oscar this year. There is just too much competition.

Viola Davis plays Mrs. Miller in Doubt. Mrs. Miller is the mother of Donald Miller, whom Father Flynn is accused of wrongdoings with. Donald is the first African American student in the school and is one of the choir boys. She has a wonder scene where Sister Aloysius tells her about the sister's suspicions and she seems to accept that it may have happened but that Donald is better off in the school then in a public school and she feels the sacrifice is worth it. But that is the problem. She is on screen for less then 10 minutes. I feel she is the longshot.

Penelope Cruz play Maria Elena in Vicky Christina Barcelona. Maria is the ex-wife of Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem). Vicky (Scarlett Johansson) and Christina (Rebecca Hall) both fall in love with Juan Antonio. Maria re-enters Juan Antonio's life and she and Vicky finally start hitting it off, but there is a problem. Maria Elena is crazy. If something doesn't go right in her life she shoots first and asks questions later, if she even asks an questions. Cruz does a good job of being calm one moment and crazy the next. Now we are getting into the ones that I think have the inside track to the Oscar. I think the Oscar will either go to Cruz or...

Marisa Tomei who plays Cassidy in The Wrestler. Cassidy is an aging stripper who becomes the object of affection of a run down aging wrestler Ram (Micky Rourke). She starts to like Ram, but tries to keep the relationship professional. Tomei interjects a little hope into an otherwise depressing movie. You think that if Ram can get Cassidy to love him he might have a chance at happiness without the need of wrestling.

Tune in tomorrow for Best Supporting Actor.