Best Leading Actress 2014

5. Marion Cotillard - Two Days, One Night
I adore Marion Cotillard as an actress very much, but this is probably her most boring work in years. She is realistic, she handles all the emotions quite well. But it's just a copy of real life and that's it. She doesn't help the film from its deadliness. In fact I would nominate her, but for a a better work she gave in The Immigrant.

4. Reese Witherspoon - Wild
Reese Witherspoon was well cast in this role and she handles a difficult role very well. She has to carry the entire film on her shoulders and has got a good chamistry with her co-stars, as well as with the random people she meets during the hiking. Her voiceover is fitting for the film's purposes and her flashbacks are realistic. This is a performance I don't have many complaints to, just that she might be a bit forgettable (a long time period after watching the film you won't remember her, nor the film itself).

3. Felicity Jones - The Theory of Everything

This is an unshowy part and she is technically just a facility to let the male lead shine. But Jones makes the most out of it. She is charming, likable, has a great chemistry with her colleagues and she gives a very heartbreaking portrayal of a suffering, but loving wife.

2. Julianne Moore - Still Alice
I won't complain about this Oscar win, even though it was a one for an overdue actress and the film was nothing more, than a vehicle to make her finally win. But Moore is wonderful in the film. The development of an Alzheimer disease is perfectly showed and weren't there for a few overacted moments, this would be a flawless performance.

1. Rosamund Pike - Gone Girl
What a performance! At the first sight it might seem conventional, but underneath it's a layered portrayl of a woman, who has got her needs and willings and weaknesses. She was so mesmerizing throughout the whole film, I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She created a real human being and it's an extremely difficult character to pull of . She handles all the twists and secrets wonderfully and is able to bring humour into her portrayal.

My nominees:
1. Rosamund Pike - Gone Girl
2. Amy Adams - Big Eyes
3. Jessica Chastain - The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them
4. Marion Cotillard - The Immigrant
5. Julianne Moore - Still Alice

Best Leading Actress 2014: Reese Witherspoon - Wild

Wild is very decent film about a woman, who has had a difficult life and she's trying to 'find herself' on a journey into the wild. The first thing you notice is that the plot of the film is not very original, but it's based on a true story, so you probably can imagine, why it was even made. It's basically a little less interesting Into the Wild with lots of flashbacks and some wonderful work from editors and sound mixers. And a powerful leading performance given by Reese Witherspoon.
While many people have a problem with Reese's Oscar win, I think she gave a very decent performance. I can't say now, if I'd give her my win, but her performance definitely was very fine. This was her second nomination since and the funny thing is that she only gets nominated when she is in dramatic film, yet she's considered to be a great comedic actress.
The first time I watched the film, I found Witherspoon's performance to be like a roller-coaster. Some scenes were outstanding, some were too boring. This time I didn't have this problem. I thought that her performance is keeping its quality throughout the entire film.
A decent part of her performance is the voiceover. Since Cheryl is alone in the nature, we get to know her thoughts from the voiceovers. Witherspoon handles them quite well. Her voice always corresponds with her facial expressions and she is able to express emotions with her voice wonderfully. She never overplays it, so that she never seems like a narrator a it is something that must be mentioned, because that might have happened easily.
What I really liked about Witherspoon approach to her character is that she doesn't portray Cheryl as a strong woman, who is so perfect that she easily hikes that long distance. Cheryl in her hands is a woman with mistakes and she's as weak, as you and me. It's important to humanize such characters and Witherspoon succeeded in that.
She is also great in portraying the issues she had had before he stared hiking. The film itself helps her a lot with flashbacks and the editing, but there's something we can't take her. And it's the fact that the film stands on her shoulders. Just like Into the Wild, or 127 hours few years ago, the film is equally good as its leading peformance. Thankfully, Witherspoon make justice to her film. It's not a performance that would make you stand and clap, but it's a great turn from an actress that will soon be worshipped, if she stays proving her talents in good enough films.
The chances of winning an Oscar: She has won recently, so it lowers down her chances. It's not a performance showy enough to win Oscars. I think she was fighting for the fourth slot with Jones.  

Next Year: Best Leading Actress 2014

The Nominees:
Felicity Jones - The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore - Still Alice (predicted winner)
Marion Cotillard - Two Days, One Night
Reese Witherspoon - Wild
Rosamund Pike - Gone Girl

So, this year's nominees are announced now. We have a surprise (Cotillard) and some snubs (Aniston, Adams), but anyway. Who do you think will win? What are your predictions for my pick? What are your nominees and winner? Tell us in comment!