They shoulda been contenders

Haaz Sleiman & Hiam Abbass in "The Visitor"

Best Supporting Actor and Actress

As a mother and son separated by cruel twists of fate and bureaucracy, Abbass and Sleiman are equally impressive in an actors' showcase of a film that features no less than four award caliber turns. (Richard Jenkins is a SAG nominee for lead actor and Danai Gurira is heartbreaking as Sleiman's girlfriend.) With a few exceptions it usually takes a recognizable name to land an award nomination, so it's too bad that performances this good aren't instant tickets to stardom. —GB