Best Supporting Actor race:one the best in years

This years best supporting actor race is looking to be the best, and possibly the most competitive in years. On paper it's looking like one of the strongest categories of the upcoming the Academy Awards. I will list the names of who have good chances at nominations and the reason why behind those analogies.

Christian Bale- The Fighter- Gets to play against type ( an ex junkie ) he's pretty due and add that he lost a ton of weight for the role. He has very good chance at an Oscar nomination.

Sam Rockwell- Conviction- Great character actor that can play and do any genre. He's also due. Never has been nominated and he'll get to tug on some heart strings with this role as the unfairly convicted brother of Betty Anne Waters.

Mark Ruffalo- Not a favorite of mine but he's possibly the best thing in The Kids Are Alright. He also has never been nominated for an Oscar and he's been in the game awhile now.

Dustin Hoffman- Barney's Version- He'll play Paul Gimatti's father, who, if it's anything like the book, gets to steal it every time his character shows up.

Geoffrey Rush- The King's Speech- Already an Oscar winner, and multiple nominee, He'll play the secondary character to Colin Firth's King George VI as Lionel Logue, the King's speech therapist hired on to help King George's stutter.

Ed Harris- The Way Back- Multiple Oscar nominee, gets to play key secondary character of true life Gulag survivors. Well known, solid actor the Academy voters are very aware of.

Vincent Cassell- Black Swan- Very versatile French actor that isn't a house hold name quite or well known yet, but very solid actor with a wide range.

Bill Murray- Get Low- Said to be one of the best parts of the film, and also an Oscar nominee. His odds are pretty good at this point.

Guy Pearce- Animal Kingdom- Another fine actor who is just solid in every film he has been in. He has never been nominated either. He is most likely an outsider looking in at this point but he is good in his support role in the film.

John Malkovich- Secretariat- Plays the famous horse trainer Lucien Laurin. He is also a previous Oscar nominee, highly regarded by his peers. If the film does well he has a chance to sneak in there.