February 27, 2005

• Oscar Night 2005

  OSCAR 2005

  Here’s an update of my picks for only the major awards to be presented tonight. The complete list is on my blog entry for January 25th.

  Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
  Jamie Foxx in RAY

  Jamie Foxx IS Ray Charles. I also really believe this is the “Best Picture” of those nominated, now that I’ve seen it twice. It has heart, soul, truth, good music, and the best performance by an actor. Everyone in Hollywood feels Jaime has a lock on the category, and I’ll have to agree. I feel Don Cheadle’s performance in the badly snubbed “Hotel Rwanda” is also powerhouse acting of the subdued kind, but many already “accept” the fact that Cheadle is a fantastic actor, while Jaime Foxx is a comedian, and deserves the award for “stretching”.

  
  Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
  Alan Alda in THE AVIATOR

  This was a nomination “from out of nowhere”, although with 11 noms, “The Aviator” is certainly a “favorite” if there was any going into the nominations in this year. Even in retrospect, Alda’s performance was meaty and chilling, one of the high points of what I feel is a disappointing addition to Marty Scorsese’s canon.

  Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
  Hilary Swank in MILLION DOLLAR BABY

  Hilary is the best thing in a perfect film, able to match chops with Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman, whose combined acting wattage equals that of the sun. I just can’t see any reason why she shouldn’t get the award tonight.

  Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
  Cate Blanchett in THE AVIATOR

  Cate, as Famous Actess Icon Kate Hepburn, is another warm spot in an otherwise cold movie. Playing “almost” over the top, but not quite, she embellishes what could have easily become a caricature, and she pulls it off wonderfully. Blanchett is a fine actress and was nominated for Actress in  ”Elizabeth” in 1999. I think this will be her year.

  Animated Feature Film of the Year
  THE INCREDIBLES

  I  changed my mind, although I still haven’t seen “The Incredibles”. At first I thought “Shrek 2″ but the buzz on “Incredibles” is too incredible to miss.

  
  Achievement in Directing
  THE AVIATOR (Miramax, Initial Entertainment Group and Warner Bros.) Martin Scorsese

  Marty will be awarded the statuette not necessarily “for” “The Aviator” which is a good film, but not good enough, in my eyes, but because he has been snubbed by the academy for all of his career, and as the world’s greatest living director, he deserves the accolades, the press, and the financing that winning one of these little gold statuettes will give him. He has always been perhaps too singular and imaginative for the Hollywood elite. With “The Aviator” he goes mainstream, and tells a story Hollywood knows, since it’s Hollywood’s story too.
  

  Documentary Feature
  SUPER SIZE ME (Roadside Attractions/Samuel Goldwyn Films)
  Morgan Spurlock

  The best anti-McDonalds movie every made, and a lock for the award because Michael Moore withdrew Fahrenheit 9/11 from competition.

  
  Best Motion Picture of the Year
  THE AVIATOR (Miramax, Initial Entertainment Group and Warner Bros.)

  As I just stated in the directing category, this is not the best picture Marty has directed. (That would be “Gangs of New York”.) But this is the kind of “big picture” for which the academy likes to give awards. “Million Dollar Baby” has more soul. “Ray” is a far better picture. I haven’t seen “Finding Neverland” or “Sideways” and I’m sure they’re both better emotionally than the Hughes biopic. But it’s about time for Marty Scorsese to be honored by the Motion Picture Academy, and I believe it will happen tonight. I still have to say, yet again, that the movie which is REALLY the Best Picture of the Year is “Hotel Rwanda” and neither the picture nor it’s director,  first timer Terry George, were given nominations. The film did get noms in acting and supporting actress categories, and Best Screenplay. Originally, I had Josh Logan for “Aviator”, but upon seeing “Rwanda” I have changed my “vote” to Terry George in that category.

  Of course my “picks” are only “my” picks, but I pay ten bucks and my “ballot” goes into the mix at the Oscar Party tonight at my friend Jim’s sister’s place. The “winner” gets the “pool” and I sure could use the money. I wasn’t even close on a lot of them last year, when Lord of the Rings, “Return of the King” swept the awards. We’ll see what happens tonight. I wonder if we’ll have lemon meringue pie for dessert?

  • 3:47 pm
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