The Oscar Buzz - Best Actor and Best Actress in a Supporting Role Category Awards

Of all the categories carrying nominations for this Sunday's 86th Academy Awards there are only a handful that the movie going public and the TV watching audience are really interested in - in my humble opinion! Counting down over the days leading upto the big Hollywood event, I'll list two per day that might capture your interest and for which you too might have something to say! Following on from yesterdays first instalment in this brief series, the focus now is on the supporting roles, and who is likely to walk away with the Oscar gong on the night, and therefore rise up a few notches in the Hollywood pecking order.
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE AWARD

• Barkhad Abdi for Captain Phillips
• Bradley Cooper for American Hustle
• Michael Fassbender for 12 Years a Slave
• Jonah Hill for The Wolf of Wall Street
• Jared Leto for Dallas Buyers Club

I have seen all of these films and therefore all of these fine performances, and of course it's a difficult choice. Bradley Cooper is doing well to shake off his 'Hangover' persona and has had some standout roles this past year, but I'm not sure his is award worthy for this role. Johan Hill did well as Jordan Belfort's sidekick in 'The Wolf of Wall Street' but enough to garner the statue I'm not so convinced, when I can't help thinking he was just playing himself all suited, booted & abusive to have a Scorsese flick on his Resume! Jared Leto as the transsexual foil to MacConaughey's ailing AIDS suffering drug & alcohol fuelled entrepreneur in 'Dallas Buyers Club' was strong and engaging but we have seen plenty of males donning a frock and passing themselves off as a woman in the past, that maybe this is just one too many! This leaves the thrust from obscurity Barkhad Abdi in his first role as Somali Pirate and captor of 'Captain Phillips' and Michael Fassbender as cotton plantation master and pretty evil piece of work in '12 Years a Slave' for the gritty, controlling, unhinged and brutal character he inhabits . . .  and for my money it is the latter where the gong should go!

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE AWARD

• Sally Hawkins for Blue Jasmine
• Lupita Nyong'o for 12 Years a Slave
• June Squibb for Nebraska
• Jennifer Lawrence for American Hustle
• Julia Roberts for August : Osage County

'Nebraska' has only just been released in Australia and have not yet seen this, and I must be the only person in Sydney who has so far missed 'Blue Jasmine', so cannot comment for either of these females supporting performances. Lupita Nyong'o also starred in her first role in the gripping and often brutal story that has garnered much interest and speculation '12 Years A Slave' and her role is strong and powerful, but not sure it represents anything we may not have seen in other similar tales from that era. This leaves Julia Roberts who in 'August : Osage County' gives what I would rate as her best performance since 'Erin Brokovich' and she is great in this and would be a worthy winner. But, she is up against a very strong Jennifer Lawrence who continues to shine, prove her versatility and is deliberately choosing her roles to avoid type casting as a facsimile of Katniss Everdeen. For me - Jennifer Lawrence wins this gong as the outspoken white trailer trash wife to Christian Bale in American Hustle - great performance and a worthy winner!

Log on tomorrow for Best Actor and Actress in a Leading Role, and my pick.

Until then - go see a movie!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-