Best Supporting Actor/Actress

Best Supporting Actor

Christian Bale, The Fighter

John Hawkes, Winter's Bone

Jeremy Renner, The Town

Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right

Geoffery Rush, The King's Speech

Who SHOULD win: Christian Bale

Who WILL win: Christian Bale

Eh, Bale will probably get it, and he probably deserves it. Nobody else on the list was outstanding (not even Geoffery Rush's performance was incredibly demanding or extraordinary) but these spots have to be filled by someone. He was good, but the whole movie just seemed kind of bland which makes me want to give this award to him as a sort of apology for all of the mistakes that have been made by the Academy in previous years, namely American Psycho, The Machinist, The Prestige, and Rescue Dawn. And where’s Andrew Garfield, possibly the only truly great thing about The Social Network? Jeremy Renner's name on this list was a nice choice, and The Town in general didn't really get the love I thought it deserved.

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams, The Fighter

Helena Bonham Carter, The King's Speech

Melissa Leo, The Fighter

Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit

Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom

Who SHOULD win: Hailee Steinfeld

Who WILL win: Melissa Leo

Hailee Steinfeld did not get nearly enough recognition for her performance in True Grit (her first role, and one of the very few things holding that movie together). She did the whole “country girl looking to protect her family from her father’s problems” bit much better than Jennifer Lawrence, and at a much younger age. I’d argue that the title has just as much to do with her as it does Jeff Bridges (who shouldn’t even have gotten a nomination because I said so, that’s why.) Being placed in the Supporting Actress category instead of Lead Actress is a terrible insult to her ability, and I would hope she walks out of these awards with some recognition, if not a few future movie offers. 

Otherwise, Melissa Leo is really the only person that should even get a nomination. Amy Adams did the whole “Boston white trash” thing well, but not nearly as well as Leo. I honestly don’t even know why Helena Bonham Carter got nominated.