For the past few months, pundits have been claiming that the Best Actress is a weak category with few candidates. However, this statement might not actually hold much water. Yes, the category is not as crowded as the Best Actor race, but there are a lot of worthy performances that are not being taken into account.

At the moment, Julianne Moore is the front-runner to win the category for her performance in "Still Alice." She has already won awards at the Gotham and National Board of Review and garnered nominations at the Indie Spirit Awards and Satellite Awards. Meanwhile, Reese Witherspoon is a presumed lock for an Oscar nomination, even though she was snubbed at the Indie Spirit Awards and Gothams. Her role in "Wild" has garnered critical acclaim, and many critics are stating that it is the best performance since 2005's "Walk the Line."

Felicity Jones will likely receive her first nomination for "The Theory of Everything," and Rosamund Pike will likely get a nomination for her icy portrayal in "Gone Girl."

Aside from these performances, Amy Adams has been in the conversation for her role as Margaret Keane in Tim Burton's "Big Eyes." However, the film has not been receiving the praise many expected. Hilary Swank has also been in the conversation for her work in "The Homesman." Out of Cannes, Swank received the best reviews of her career since 2004, when she won an Oscar for "Million Dollar Baby."

Aside from these six performances, pundits have ignored the rest of the female performances. Until this week when Marion Cotillard won Best Actress prize for her roles in "Two Days One Night" and "The Immigrant" at the New York Film Critics, she was completely out of the Best Actress conversation. All of a sudden, pundits started to consider her a real threat, especially since the NYFCC have been great predictors of the Oscars.

Cotillard starred in two of her best films to date, and it was a shame she had not gotten the buzz. While "The Immigrant" showcased her first English language lead role, "Two Days One Night" showcased her work in her native language.

Given how "weak" the category was, Relativity decided to make a bid for Octavia Spencer for her work in "Black and White." However, her work is receiving no buzz even though it got enthusiastic word out of Toronto.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw had a breakout year with roles in "Belle" and "Beyond the Lights." Both performances show her range and her unique talent. Mbatha-Raw has already been honored by the Gotham and British Independent Film Awards for her performances, which is a good sign if she is to be considered for awards.

Keira Knightley showcased her talent in three films. While she is a sure bet for Best Supporting Actress for "The Imitation Game," her roles in "Laggies" and "Begin Again" presented a different aspect of Knightley's talent. "Laggies" showcased her comic timing, while "Begin Again" allowed audiences to hear her singing chops.

Meanwhile, Scarlett Johansson deserves consideration for her best performance to date in "Under the Skin." Her seductress powers and her vulnerability are at the most raw, and it is a performance that if it was released in November would be a front runner to win the Oscar.

Jennifer Aniston also has a great performance in "Cake," and Jenny Slate is commanding in "Obvious Child." Mia Wasikowska is at her best in "Tracks," and Shailene Woodley brings her genuine talents to "The Fault in Our Stars."

Tilda Swinton also brings her charismatic and tour de four talent to the role of Eve in "Only Lovers Left Alive." While it is not a typical Oscar role, Swinton continues to show why she is one of the best actresses in the industry.

Jessica Chastain turned in two great performances that are not receiving attention. While she is sure to get a nomination for her work in "A Most Violent Year," her work in "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby" was said to be the best of her career, and her work in Liv Ullmann's "Miss Julie" received great reviews out of Toronto.

Even if you go into some long shots Charlotte Gainsbourg has not been getting the buzz she deserves for her virtuosic performance in "Nymphomaniac." It is definitely not the type of movie the Academy would watch, but the work is phenomenal and career defining.

And if you step out of the Oscar bait and independent films, Emily Blunt turned in two brilliant performances this year. Her work in "Edge of Tomorrow" is physical and transformative, and her work in "Into the Woods" shows off her singing skills and her charm.

Other studio films that have great performances include Anne Hathaway's work in "Interstellar" and Helen Mirren's performance in "The Hundred Foot Journey."

In conclusion, if Academy members and pundits actually took a look at the complete year, they would be surprised to see that there are more than six performances. There is actually a full slate of actress performances that make the category extremely competitive.

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