They shoulda been contenders

Rebecca Hall in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

Best Actress

In Woody Allen’s most perceptive love story in ages, Penélope Cruz gets the big, juicy blowouts with Javier Bardem. But Hall (who did manage a Golden Globe nomination for best actress in a comedy or musical) delicately handles the tougher role, as an uptight woman torn between what she thought she always wanted and what she can’t deny she actually prefers. It’s a mental tug-of-war that’s as complicated as it sounds, and Hall nails it. —MP