In the supporting Oscar categories I'm still predicting with confidence that two lesser known players, both pictured here, will be major forces at year's end. (The other shortlist predictions I'm shakier about)Supporting Actress Predictions ~ I've been a big fan of Viola Davis (Doubt) since her amazing triple play in 2002 when she wowed in Solaris, Far From Heaven and Antwone Fisher... all three of which were roles that would have been not so big a deal with a lesser magician inhabiting them. So hand her a plum gig like the concerned 60s mom in Doubt? My bet is she'll ace it and be a threat to win the statue IF the film is in the Best Picture lineup (you know how that helps!). Kathy Bates, previously predicted for Revolutionary Road will also be featured in another year end entry Chéri though I'm unsure of what her role is like in the latter. The double play will probably help.
Supporting Actor Predictions ~I'd call Demian Bichir, who plays Fidel Castro in Steven Soderbergh's Che Guevera opus, an easy get but for the uncertain route the film make take to land in theaters. It was called Che in Cannes and clocked in at some 4+ hours long. It will probably be called The Argentine and then Guerilla once divvied up to normal movie length in the states though release plans are still foggy. One wonders if they shouldn't just release the Cannes cut and call it for the epic that it is obviously meant to be. Maybe throw in an intermission! (I can't be the only one that misses those popcorn and pee breaks when a movie goes over 3 hours) I'd also like to note that I feel confident that whatever the overall reception is for the adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's The Road, I'm betting that child actor Kodi Smit-McPhee (previous post) is one to watch for a supporting nod. It's a sympathetic leading role in the book. And you know how Oscar likes the brilliant lead kiddies in the supporting categories... (Tatum O'Neal in Paper Moon, Haley Joel Osment in The Sixth Sense, etcetera)How are you feeling about the supporting actress and supporting actor categories? Any cheery hunches or 'doubting thomas' feelings you feel like sharing?
