Stone, a supporting nominee for “Birdman,” is so casually brilliant I almost want to say at this grotesquely early date she’s the one to beat for best actress. Certainly of the films that have been seen this year, she blows the competition away.
When it opened the Venice Film Festival in late August, the audience burst into applause barely ten minutes in (Stone would go on to win the festival’s Best Actress award). Similar praise and accolades followed in Telluride and Toronto, as the early Oscar buzz for Stone and the entire production intensified
Emma Stone, La La Land. The Best Actress category is where all the action is this year, and it promises to be quite a race. I’ve got La La Land’s terrific Emma Stone a hair ahead of Jackie’s Natalie Portman
The film’s biggest asset is Ms. Stone, who gives a performance of such natural intelligence and warmth that I’d have to imagine she’ll be a very strong awards contender this year. (She’s got the musical/comedy Golden Globe already in the bag at this point.) But besides that cynical odds forecasting, this is simply a huge performance for Stone, who has always had an abundance of appeal but has had trouble of late finding a role, and a film, worthy of her abilities. She’s certainly found it in Chazelle’s movie, giving a star turn of the highest magnitude—while singing (convincingly) and dancing, even. It feels like she’s arrived all over again.
Why are they trying to make her happen is beyond me but Natalie won't lose to this basicness. Only Viola Davis can take her Oscar at the moment and her category confusion will be a big problem.
Also we already have a thread for Oscar discussion, no?
Would love if her and Viola tied so they can just snatch their Oscars at the same time.
I'm looking forward to seeing Fences and La La Land amongst some other shoe in's during this award season.
She's a great actress and deserves at least a nomination. 
