Judi Dench in Philomena
The Golden Globes are just around the corner and there is a distinctly British feel to the Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama category.
We have already looked over the contenders for the Best Actor gong, and now it is time to check out the ladies that are in the running.
- Judi Dench - Philomena
Philomena was one of the most emotional and funny movies of 2013, as Judi Dench delivered a knockout central performance.
Dench is the first of the Brits in this category as she took on the role of Philomena Lee in the film. The movie told the story of Philomena and her life long search for the son she was forced to give up for adoption.
Philomena shows Dench at her very best as she beautifully balances the comedy with the heartbreak; it is easy to forget just how funny an actress Dench actually is.
This is a movie that has been lovingly crafted, and a character that has been portrayed with the upmost respect.
- Cate Blanchett - Blue Jasmine
Cate Blanchett has always been a terrific actress, but she is yet to get her hands on the Best Actress Oscar... this could well be her year.
Blue Jasmine saw her team up with director Woody Allen for the first time - he really had got the best out of her with this role.
Blanchett moves from neurotic to nearly psychotic in Blue Jasmine in what is a very funny performance from the actress.
Jasmine is a character that you could so easily dislike, but in Blanchett's experienced hands she is someone that you do root for until the very end.
- Emma Thompson - Saving Mr Banks
The second of the British contenders for the Best Actress gong comes in the form of Emma Thompson for her turn as author P.L. Travers in Saving Mr Banks.
Saving Mr Banks follows Travers as she travels to LA to meet Walt Disney; who wants to turn Mary Poppins into a film.
Travers may come over as shrill and a little cold, but she is a woman who desperately wanted to protect the world and the characters that she had created.
As the story progresses the layer of P.L. Travers get peeled away, and Thompson delivers the knockout emotional blow. She really is on top form with this performance.
- Sandra Bullock - Gravity
Gravity was one of the most talked about movies of 2013, and boasted a fantastic central performance from Sandra Bullock.
The power of Bullock's performance really does make this is very personal and intimate movie - despite the fact that it is set in the eerie expanse of space.
Bullock's character Dr Ryan Stone is a woman drowning in grief at the death of her daughter, it is truly heartbreaking to see her face the truth.
It is this raw emotion that Bullock shows that really does pack and almighty punch and is far more powerful than any special effect.
- Kate Winslet - Labor Day
Kate Winslet is the third and final British actress in the mix, as she has been recognised for her performance in Labor Day.
Winslet could read the phonebook and it would be terrific, but she really does deliver an incredibly moving performance in this new film.
Labor Day really is a movie about longing and loneliness and Winslet portrays that wonderfully.
The movie sees Winslet team up with director Jason Reitman and actor Josh Brolin for the first time.
WINNER: As much as I would love to see Judi Dench scoop everything this awards season, it looks like it could be Cate Blanchett's year.