2010 Oscar-Worthy Performances that Were Not Nominated

In 2010 I saw a lot of good movies. Compared to previous years, it seemed the bar had been raised somehow for both acting and direction. Perhaps the rise in quality came with the slowdown in the economy, and performers and directors wanting to give the public a good show. Or maybe the performances just stood out more because in 2010 there was nothing "colorful" like Avatar. Either way, it was a good year at the cinema, even if for some movies and actors it should have been a little bit better.

Like any other year, not everyone agrees with the nominations given by the Academy, and several experts have weighed in in an effort to show them the error of their ways. I looked at the NPR blog and also the slideshow blog by The Hollywood Reporter. I agreed with many of their assessments, and also had a few of my own.

Best Director: Christopher Nolan for Inception.

It was only recently that I watched Inception and agree with The Hollywood Reporter that this was worthy of an Oscar nod. They mention that the Nolan won a best director award from The Director's Guild. The film was complex, dealing with the balance between the real world and the dream world.

Best Supporting Actress: Barbara Hershey in The Black Swan and Keira Knightly in Never Let Me Go.

While some others have suggested that the true snub in this category is Mila Kunis in The Black Swan, I think Hershey's and Knightly's performances stood out. While Kunis' performance was good, despite being very enthralled in the film, my mind kept referring to her role as Jackie in "That 70's Show." I hadn't looked closely at the cast before seeing The Black Swan and I had to go back and confirm both Hershey's role as Oscar-nominated Natalie Portman's mother and Winona Ryder's role as the dancer scorned. Ryder did not have enough of a presence in the movie to warrant a nomination, although she did a great job as well, and Hershey showed amazing range as an actress.

Knightly truly surprised me. I'm not a big Keira Knightly fan; frankly, I normally find her quite annoying. However, she shined in Never Let Me Go, showing her ability to hold onto a character consumed by jealousy and facing her own mortality.

Best Actor: Ryan Gosling in Blue Valentine

What can I say? I love Ryan Gosling, and happen to think he is one of the most versatile actors in the business; he was exceptional in Blue Valentine. Perhaps the Academy felt the need to pick one of the stars of the movie to give an Oscar nod to. While Michelle Williams did fine in the movie, I felt Gosling performance was much better, and his character more complex than Williams'.

There were many more excellent performances and films in 2010, and choosing the best of the best must be a daunting task no matter how long you've been at it. There will always be those who feel snubbed, and those who don't agree. Still, the 83rd Academy Awards still promises to be an exciting event. The nominees should all be proud.

For more Oscar buzz, visit Oscars.yahoo.com.