In my rush to see as many nominated films as possible before the Academy Awards, this weekend I watched the Australian crime drama Animal Kingdom, featuring Best Supporting Actress nominee Jacki Weaver and holy shit. The film is really, really good, and Jacki Weaver's performance is amazing. With her sweet, crinkly, endlessly maternal eyes and a voice rarely raised above a purr, Weaver creates a character that immediately proceeds to the Cinema Villain Hall of Fame. Literally every second she's on the screen, she is impressive, and not in any showboating "Gimme an Oscar!" way, but in an "I am the smartest film actor in the world" way. The moral: I am officially rooting for Jacki Weaver to win Best Supporting Actress.

However, Weaver's fellow nominee Melissa Leo really, really wants to win. Like, bad enough to take out self-financed print ads making her desire known. I haven't yet seen The Fighter, but I hear she's terrific in it and I believe it, and if her campaigning doesn't repel her Hollywood peers, she'll likely win. But oh my God—if the universe allows Jacki Weaver to win, I will scream so loud your car alarm will go off.

Tune in for The Stranger's Oscars live-slog—featuring me and Lindy West!—Sun Feb 27 starting at 5 pm.