Blanchett

This is the first post of its kind, but you should be seeing more of them in the future. Although I’ve had stubborn tunnel-vision regarding Marion Cotillard and my hope that the gods of Oscar fortune smile upon her, I’m perfectly aware of the strong competition she is likely to face. Case in point, Cate Blanchett.

Academy Award-Winning Actress Cate Blanchett is, along with Kate Winslet and Julianne Moore, the heir-apparent to Meryl Streep, arguably the greatest film actress of the past three decades. I first saw Blanchett in “Elizabeth” and I was totally blown away by her performance. To this day, I think voters dropped the ball big time that year when they failed to award her a very well-deserved Best Actress Oscar. She’s made some wonderful films since then, including “The Gift,” “The Missing,” and especially “The Aviator” and “Notes on a Scandal.” Her portrayal of Katharine Hepburn in “The Aviator” earned her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar. She was fantastic in the film and deserved all her accolades. And now she’s back in the saddle (sort of speak) in “The Golden Age.” She’s well-positioned for an Oscar nod. In fact, I think a nod for her is as guaranteed as Marion’s. Just look at the trailer, for God’s sake!

The question is whether she’ll end up taking home another golden boy. There are some obstacles in her way, however: the film is a sequel, it got a mixed reception at the Toronto International Film Festival, and (unfair as this criteria may be), she already has an Oscar. However, like Marion and “La Vie En Rose,” even though the reception to the film has been mixed, Blanchett has received virtually universal praise for her work. Another factor to consider is Blanchett’s complete transformation into Bob Dylan in the upcoming Todd Haynes film “I’m Not There.” It was a bold step to take–one that earned her the Best Actress (although she will probably be positioned in the supporting category for the Oscars and probably the Globes) award at the Venice Film Festival a few weeks ago.

So there it is. Blanchett, I declare, is Cotillard’s closest competition. She’s guaranteed a nomination, even if the film under-performs at the box office. That’s just how it is when you’ve reached the heights Blanchett has reached in a relatively short span of time.