Almost There: Pam Grier in "Jackie Brown"

by Cláudio Alves

Last week, the Almost There series featured the likely sixth-placer in the 1997 Best Supporting Actress Oscar race. However, as much as Sigourney Weaver seemed poised for Academy recognition, hers wasn't the year's biggest snub. That sad honor belongs to Pam Grier, whose star turn in Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown earned nearly-unanimous critical praise and sturdy precursor support. Like John Travolta before her, she was a movie icon from two decades prior now fallen from the spotlight, an erstwhile star reintroduced within the context of a verbose acting showcase with modern verve. So if Travolta scored a nod for Pulp Fiction, why didn't Grier do the same with Jackie Brown?

The answers to that question are many and most dispiriting, especially if, like me, you find Jackie Brown to be one of its director's best films. That love extends to Grier, whose lack of an Oscar nomination stands out as one of the Academy's greatest injustices in the 90s…

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Almost There: Sigourney Weaver in "The Ice Storm"

by Cláudio Alves

As the 1997 Supporting Actress Smackdown approaches, our celebration of that cinematic year continues. But of course, this project wouldn't be complete without a deep dive into the performance that almost made it to the Oscar lineup, representing a previous Academy Queen's comeback after years of unheralded work. In the 80s, Sigourney Weaver seemed poised to be one of those names who'd inevitably win a little golden man. However, after 1988's double nomination, awards organizations lost interest. Because of that, Ang Lee's The Ice Storm felt like a return to form in terms of sheer prestige, positioning Sigourney Weaver as an expected contender for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

Unfortunately, the critical hit failed to secure any Academy Award nomination, a surprising result after a good performance that season. All these years later, Weaver's snub hurts the most…

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Almost There: Mia Farrow in "Broadway Danny Rose"

by Cláudio Alves

When presenting his list of new streaming titles for July, Nathaniel paid special attention to the 1984 Woody Allen comedy Broadway Danny Rose. It was the first Allen film he ever saw, and the first time Mia Farrow got serious Oscar buzz for her collaborations with the director. Previously, her closest brush with the Academy Awards had come with Rosemary's Baby, way back in 1968. But, of course, as we know, that buzz never materialized into an actual nomination, and Farrow remains Oscarless to this day, despite a filmography full of incredible performances. Indeed, this series could have an extensive miniseries dedicated exclusively to the actress, so vast is her number of "Almost There" cases.

That miniseries might happen one day, but, for now, let's focus only on Broadway Danny Rose and Mia Farrow's brilliant work in it…

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Almost There: Jamie Lee Curtis in "True Lies"

by Cláudio Alves

When announcing his honors for the year's first half, Nathaniel cited Jamie Lee Curtis among his Supporting Actress favorites. If Everything Everywhere All At Once keeps its buzz going into the awards season properly, we might see Curtis among this year's Oscar contenders. This Hollywood princess turned erstwhile scream queen has had a storied career full of outstanding performances, and it's about time the Academy pays her respect. Maybe the reason for her nomination-less state is that Curtis' best work tends to happen when she's playing in genre pictures – comedy, action, and horror. Such is the case of 1994's True Lies, a James Cameron-helmed action-comedy for which the actress got some buzz.

As we wait to see how Curtis' new Oscar hopes pan out, let's look back to the 90s and re-examine the actress' take on the character of Helen Tasker…

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Almost There: Sally Field in "Steel Magnolias"

by Cláudio Alves

As Pride Month 2022 draws to a close, the appetite for frothy camp classic entertainment remains unchanged and unlikely ever to die. Some, if not most, of the films to achieve such status aren't even tangentially queer-themed, gaining their iconic status through other means. Such is the case of Herbert Ross' film adaptation of Steel Magnolias. Written for the stage by Robert Harling, this southern dramedy is a blush and bashful delight, originally sold as the funniest movie to make you cry. Despite a famous locker room scene with plenty of hunks on display, the flick's queer fandom can be attributed to its cavalcade of divas, from fresh-faced Julia Roberts to the cantankerous marvel of Shirley MacLaine's Ouiser.

Though Roberts was the only performer to get any Academy love, she's far from the picture's acting MVP. That honor falls on Sally Field, who might have come close to a third Oscar nod for her work as M'Lynn…

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