Already an Oscar-winner for her Supporting Role in The Aviator, Cate is up for the Best Actress award for her work in Shekhar Kapur's Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Here's a look at what some top critics have been saying about her performance:

Stephanie Zacharek, Salon:

'We see Cate Blanchett as the Virgin Queen, bewigged and so heavily powdered we can barely make out her fine features. She has the stiff, glazed demeanor of a Royal Doulton figurine... Owen and Blanchett are unbreakable actors: They blast through even the crappiest movies without a cut or a bruise, and here, they parry and joust in a way that's both intelligent and blatantly sexy. Their scenes together may have nothing to do with history, but at least they're breathing.'

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Also read: Nominee Spotlight: Julie Christie

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