Simply the best

I can’t let yesterday’s Oscar nominations go without expressing my unrelenting joy at the Best Actress nominees*. Have you ever seen a more impressive, more lovely, more brilliant group of actresses in one category? I mean, come on, Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, Meryl Streep and Kate Winslet. Yowza. Also bringing a smile to my face, all the scene-stealing ladies (and one mere lass) in the Best Supporting Actress category. Now if only they could have somehow slipped in a nod for Emily Blunt’s snarktastic turn for “The Devil Wears Prada,” I would be in nirvana. Wait, wait. Did I mention that Salma Hayek announced the nominees yesterday? And that Melissa Etheridge got nominated for Best Original Song and Ellen Degeneres is hosting the ceremony? Is this lesbian heaven? No, it’s Hollywood.

*NOTE: I’d like to clarify that I am happy for the actresses nominated, who are all ridiculously talented, not necessarily the films they represent. I’m talking specifically about Judi and Cate’s nominations for “Notes on a Scandal.” As I said back in November when I first saw the trailer, it looked like another tired tale of a sad lesbian crush turned tragic. Which it is.