... I still want Virginia Madsen to win, but everything seems to be going Blanchett's way. I LOVE Blanchett, and thought she was great in this movie, and she deserves to have an Academy Award, but she IS so consistently good that I'm not worried about her coming along again with another great role and nomination.
I just don't think that this was the BEST of the year. I think Madsen was better. Madsen's performance FIT Sideways and grooved with Giamatti's performance, whereas Blanchett stole her scenes away from the other actors. Or rather, she won those scenes by being so awesome, but I personally prefer a performance that fits the movie, and Madsen's does a better job of that for me.