So far, Awards season talk has revolved around the men. Thanks to an early slew of high profile releases like Black Mass, The Danish Girl, and Steve Jobs, entertainment experts have been busy weighing the fortunes of best actor contenders Johnny Depp, Eddie Redmayne, and Michael Fassbender.

But let's not forget about the women. This year's race for best actress will no doubt he as highly contested as the men's and one of the key figures in that battle will no doubt be Cate Blanchett.

Critics are raving about the two-time winner's performance in director Todd Hayes' Carol, a love story about two women who fall in love during the conservative 1950's. Blanchett plays the titular character, a married woman who catches the eye of the much younger Therese, played by Rooney Mara.

Earlier this month The Weinstein Company, the studio behind the film, already confirmed that Blanchett is being pushed for the best actress nomination while Mara will be entered as a supporting role.

To her credit, it certainly looks like she's worthy of the distinction. Cinema Blend's Nick Romano called her a 'vision to behold'.  While The Hollywood Reporter's Todd McCarthy writes:

Blanchett makes an indelible impression as a woman who, through breeding, intense personal cultivation and social expectations, has brilliantly mastered the skill of navigating through life, but to ultimately disastrous effect on her husband, child and her own satisfaction

The film's strong feminist and LGBT themes will also make it a big favorite with voters.

A win for Blanchett would mark her third Oscar. Her first came for her supporting turn as Katharine Hepburn in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator while her most recent victory was for her work in Woody Allen's 2013 film, Blue Jasmine.