So, that's where I stood (or sat munching popcorn and Junior Mints as the case may be) on this year's nominees. I predicted The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring would be the night's big winner with five wins, and it ended up winning four. And I still say Denzel's performance in Training Day wasn't that good, but that's the last time I'll mention it. I picked four out of seven this year in the major categories, and had a 50% overall score. Twelve correct predictions! To see how I did last year, click here! For more on Oscar, click below! |
A.J.'s Oscar Wrap-up! |
Hello, and welcome to A.J.'s wrap-up for the 74th Academy Awards! We had a good crop of nominees this year, with some tight competition. Also, animated feature films were finally given a place in Oscar history with their very own award category. Some reviewers try to pick this year's winners, and some give wishes for their own favorite choices. For the top seven I'm giving my own choices for who and what should win, followed by my predictions for who and what will win, along with my admittedly twisted reasoning for each. For the rest of the nominations, I've given my favorite choices. And now... On to the awards! * * * THIS YEAR'S WINNERS ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN BRIGHT YELLOW * * * |
BEST MOTION PICTURE A Beautiful Mind Gosford Park In the Bedroom Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring Moulin Rouge Should Win: Lord of the Rings Why: Once again, just like last time, my favorite film of the year wasn't nominated, so I have to root for my second favorite, which is Lord of the Rings. (My favorite this year was Memento) Will Win: Lord of the Rings Why: I could very easily see A Beautiful Mind taking this one, but I think that when it comes right down to it for Best Picture, the Academy just can't resist an epic! (or a third of one!) ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind Sean Penn in I Am Sam Will Smith in Ali Denzel Washington in Training Day Tom Wilkinson in In the Bedroom Should Win: Will Smith Why: A tough race here, but anyone who has seen the movie will agree that Will Smith was Muhammed Ali. To accurately portray such a well known real person is incredibly difficult to accomplish, especially for an actor so recognizable as Smith. A truly fantastic performance which should be awarded! My second choice would be Sean Penn. Will Win: Sean Penn Why: Russell won last year, and those who realize now that Gladiator didn't really require a great deal of actual 'acting' may try to even things out this year by denying him a second award. I think the Academy may also have a bias against Will Smith for other less serious roles he has played and continues to play, and won't think he's quite ready to receive the Oscar. Denzel Washington, while a favorite of the Hollywood elite, will once again go home empty handed, as his performance in Training Day was the least impressive of those nominated. Sean Penn's excellent performance in I Am Sam will win, not because the Academy has a track record for honoring roles that are of a physically or mentally challenged nature, but because, well, okay, maybe that is why he'll win... Anyway, I think the Academy will finally decide the time is right to award his fine work. ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE Halle Berry in Monster's Ball Judi Dench in Iris Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge Sissy Spacek in In the Bedroom Renee Zellweger in Bridget Jones's Diary Should Win: Nicole Kidman Why: Talk about versatility! Nicole Kidman shows incredible range with the character of Satine in Moulin Rouge. Also, Kidman is beginning to become nearly as prolific as Julia Roberts, with three vastly different films out last year. (Moulin Rouge, The Others, Birthday Girl) That's pretty difficult to ignore. Will Win: Halle Berry Why: Another prolific actress, Berry has worked her way up from silly comedies and action flicks to finally arrive as a first class dramatic talent. Nicole Kidman may be snubbed by the Academy as Moulin Rouge director Baz Luhrmann has been. (Apparently the Academy thinks Moulin Rouge directed itself... perhaps they'll decide it acted, sang, and danced itself, too!) Judi Dench seems to be nominated because, well, she always seems to be nominated, so no win there. And Renee Zellweger, my favorite Hollywood actress, only got the nomination this year to make up for her non-nomination last year for Nurse Betty. Her work in Bridget Jones was great, but not quite to the level of other nominees. Sorry Renee, the truth sometimes hurts. So, the main competition is Sissy Spacek, but I'm predicting Halle Berry in an upset win. (Barring my predicted upset, it's gonna be Sissy Spacek.) BEST ANIMATED FEATURE Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius Monsters, Inc. Shrek Should Win: Shrek No question, no doubt, no competition! Will Win: Shrek This is a new category, and Shrek is really the only worthy nominee. The Academy already knows this. Monsters, Inc. was fun, but lacked the comedic depth which made Shrek as fun for adults as it was for children. Jimmy Neutron was only nominated so there would be three nominees. You may ask why Disney's Atlantis wasn't nominated... the answer: It's a Disney movie which isn't a musical, and besides, the nomination for Monsters, Inc. sort of counts as a nomination for Disney anyway. Yes, even animation will not escape the politics of Oscar! |
ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING Ron Howard for A Beautiful Mind Ridley Scott for Black Hawk Down Robert Altman for Gosford Park Peter Jackson for Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring David Lynch for Mulholland Drive Should Win: Peter Jackson Why: An incredibly difficult decision this year, but I'd imagine an even more difficult task would be to direct a film of such scope as Lord of the Rings. Peter Jackson accomplishes this feat with incredible ease. He's my choice. Will Win: Ron Howard Why: While this year is a genuine race, I think the Academy will use the opportunity to honor Howard's wonderful body of work. Just try to find a bad movie in his filmography! Howard's directing style in A Beautiful Mind is more subtle than that of the other nominees, and even more subtle than in most of Howard's other work. This shows just how much he has grown as a director. The Academy will also use this opportunity to show that sometimes, spectacular or knowingly clever directing isn't enough to woo them. (Just ask Baz Luhrmann!) ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Jim Broadbent in Iris Ethan Hawke in Training Day Ben Kingsley in Sexy Beast Ian McKellen in Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring Jon Voight in Ali Should Win: Ben Kingsley Why: No more Mr. Passive Resistance!!! What would Ghandi think?! Will Win: Ben Kingsley Why: Same as above! However, Jon Voight has a chance to upset with his understated, realistic portrayal of sportscaster Howard Cossell in Ali. By the way, does anyone out there know who is responsible for these Training Day nominations? Nothing against Ethan Hawke but really... Training Day??? ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Jennifer Connelly in A Beautiful Mind Helen Mirren in Gosford Park Maggie Smith in Gosford Park Marisa Tomei in In the Bedroom Kate Winslet in Iris Should Win: Jennifer Connelly Why: An easy pick. I knew a nomination was certain the moment I watched her performance in A Beautiful Mind. Always go with first impressions! Will Win: Jennifer Connelly Why: Hers was the best performance. And if you want to get technical, Maggie Smith and Helen Mirren, up for work in Gosford Park, will cancel each other out, Marisa Tomei's behavior hasn't really been 'Oscar worthy' since her nomination (seen the interviews?), and Kate Winslet is close, but no cigar. (However, this is the only major category I was wrong about last year, so what do I know?) And now... the rest of the best! |
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM Amelie (France) Elling (Norway) Lagaan (India) No Man's Land (Bosnia & Herzegovina) Son of the Bride (Argentina) A.J.'S PICK Amelie BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Amelie Gosford Park Memento Monster's Ball The Royal Tenenbaums A.J.'S PICK Memento BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY A Beautiful Mind Ghost World In the Bedroom The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings Shrek A.J.'S PICK The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring CINEMATOGRAPHY Amelie Black Hawk Down The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring The Man Who Wasn't There Moulin Rouge A.J.'S PICK The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION Amelie Gosford Park Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring Moulin Rouge A.J.'S PICK Moulin Rouge ORIGINAL SCORE A.I. Artificial Intellegence A Beautiful Mind Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring Monsters, Inc. A.J.'S PICK A.I. Artificial Intellegence BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT Artists and Orphans: A True Drama Sing! Thoth A.J.'S PICK Sing! BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT The Accountant Copy Shop Gregor's Greatest Invention A Man Thing Speed for Thespians A.J.'S PICK The Accountant |
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Children Underground Lalee's Kin: The Legacy of Cotton Murder on a Sunday Morning Promises War Photographer A.J.'S PICK Murder on a Sunday Morning BEST ORIGINAL SONG 'If I Didn't Have You' from Monsters, Inc. 'May It Be' from Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring 'There You'll Be' from Pearl Harbor 'Until' from Kate & Leopold 'Vanilla Sky' from Vanilla Sky A.J.'S PICK 'May It Be' from Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring COSTUME DESIGN The Affair of the Necklace Gosford Park Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings Moulin Rouge A.J.'S PICK Moulin Rouge ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND Amelie Black Hawk Down The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring Moulin Rouge Pearl Harbor A.J.'S PICK Black Hawk Down ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING Monsters, Inc. Pearl Harbor A.J.'S PICK Monsters, Inc. ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS A.I. Artificial Intellegence The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring Pearl Harbor A.J.'S PICK The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING A Beautiful Mind Black Hawk Down The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring Memento Moulin Rouge A.J.'S PICK Memento ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP A Beautiful Mind The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring Moulin Rouge A.J.'S PICK Moulin Rouge BEST ANIMATED SHORT Fifty Percent Grey For the Birds Give Up Yer Aul Sins Strange Invaders Stubble Trouble A.J.'S PICK For the Birds |
So, that's where I stood (or sat munching popcorn and Junior Mints as the case may be) on this year's nominees. I predicted The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring would be the night's big winner with five wins, and it ended up winning four. And I still say Denzel's performance in Training Day wasn't that good, but that's the last time I'll mention it. I picked four out of seven this year in the major categories, and had a 50% overall score. Twelve correct predictions! To see how I did last year, click here! For more on Oscar, click below! |
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