Conviction didn’t quite catch fire at the box office for Hilary Swank, but she shouldn’t be counted out entirely: That surprise SAG nomination means there’s an off chance that she could squeak into the crowded Oscar category for Best Actress just to face off against her old nemesis, Annette Bening, one more time. At the very least, it would provide some solace for Swank since her upcoming thriller The Resident is going straight to DVD in March; once upon a time, this Oscar-winner-in-peril thriller (think Halle Berry Gothika) was commonplace and reliable enough to get a theatrical run, but as Renée Zellweger could tell you after her Case 39 barely limped into theaters this year, the game has changed. Still, maybe The Resident’s specific brand of paranoia — someone may be watching me in my apartment! — plays better at home anyway. (At the very least, it could be a brisk chaser to the movie’s DVD-only companion, Cool Dog.) [Playlist]
