Best Supporting Actress 2013

Every year, I make lists of who I think is the Best Lead Actor and Actress and Supporting Actor and Actress, as well as Best Films. This year, I almost skipped Best Supporting Actress. While my Best Supporting Actor list is overflowing, I was pretty unimpressed with my choices for Supporting Actress. A lot of the actresses getting Oscar buzz have failed to really shine to me. Sure, Oprah was fine in The Butler, but best supporting actress? No. We all know how I feel about Jennifer Lawrence in American Hustle by now (and it ain't good, ya'll). And I remember really liking Melonie Diaz in Fruitvale Station and Sally Hawkins in Blue Jasmine, but for the life of me, I have no idea why now. So, this is not the best list I have ever come up with in this category. But it's the best I could do in a pretty disappointing year for supporting women.

05. Scarlett Johansson in Don Jon - I have yet to see her voice only work in Her (this weekend!!) which everyone is praising, but if she is as good as she was in Don Jon, then this has been a very good year for Johansson. I've always liked Scarlett, although I never thought she quite lived up to the potential she showed in early films like Ghost World and Lost in Translation. The closest she's come to being great is when she briefly became Woody Allen's muse. But, I was thoroughly impressed with her work as a sexy, bratty Jersey Girl in Don Jon (one of the only things I was impressed with regarding that movie!). Scarlett manages to be sexy and hilarious, using her killer curves and nailing the Jersey Girl vibe without letting her character become a rip off of Snooki. This is the perfect role for her. It allows her to be a sex symbol AND a character actress, all at once.

04. Margot Robbie in The Wolf of Wall Street - It's been a good year for pretty blonde girls playing sexy, loud Jersey girls. In Robbie's case, it's a Queens girl, but, like Scarlett, she manages to be sexy while also bringing depth to the only female character that is really distinguishable in a movie about men. She doesn't quite get to Lorraine Bracco from Goodfellas territory, but she also doesn't let this character become a Real Housewife of New Jersey, which it easily could have become. She's got one scene, especially, where she truly let's fly, and it's pretty great. This is truly a star making role for Robbie. Also, bonus points for nailing the accent. Margot Robbie is an Aussie. I never would have guessed.

03. Sarah Paulson in 12 Years a Slave - Paulson isn't getting nearly as much attention as her co-stars, but her performance is every bit as good. As the wife to a mercurial slave plantation owner, Paulson is a quiet, strained, manipulative, tense woman. She keeps her emotions in check, unless its regarding Patsey, the slave who seems to be the apple of her husband's eye. That's when Paulson really lets her anger flare up and it's great to watch a woman who is so controlled hold all of that in check until it slowly boils over. Paulson should be getting much more attention for her sly, subtle performance.

02. Lupita Nyong'o in 12 Years a Slave - Nyong'o plays Patsey, a slave who should be honored to be in the position she's in. As far as slaves go, Patsey is the absolute favorite of her slave owner. In fact, he may actually be in love with her. But while Patsey puts on a brave face, she secretly begs Solomon to end her life. This may be Nyong'o's first professional role, but she's bound to have a long career ahead of her. Her performance is stunning, beautiful and utterly heart breaking.

01. Emma Watson in The Bling Ring - I know what you are probably thinking, that this is a ridiculous choice for Best Supporting Actress of the year. But I stand by my decision, and here's why. Emma Watson absolutely nails it. In a year of so many supporting female performances that didn't impress, or were completely forgettable, Watson's portrayal of a vapid, ditzy, spoiled rich brat is still so vivid in my mind. I never saw any Harry Potter movies. The only experience I had with Watson's acting was The Perks of Being a Wallflower and everyone stole that movie from her. I wasn't fully convinced Watson had any talent, but she absolutely does and she proves it in The Bling Ring. There used to be a reality show on E a few years ago that starred the girl Watson portrays in this movie. I'm not too proud to admit I watched it religiously (what? I love train wreck TV). Watson absolutely becomes this woman, nailing her vocal inflections and pronunciations, her vacant ditzy ways. It's a simply great performance, and one that has definitely stuck with me.