Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Quick Oscar thoughts

Hope to have another movie post before long -- "Big Momma's House 2" ruled! -- but here are thoughts on the folks jockeying for a little gold man.

Best Picture
Brokeback Mountain
Capote
Crash
Good Night, and Good Luck
Munich

I guess "Crash" got the "Walk the Line" slot, which is fine. Not like either would have won. Slighty surprised to see "Capote" here since all the talk has been about the actor, not the movie. But good to see it on the list, even if "Brokeback" probably won't be denied.

Best Director
George Clooney, "Good Night, and Good Luck"
Paul Haggis, "Crash"
Ang Lee, "Brokeback Mountain"
Bennett Miller, "Capote"
Steven Spielberg, "Munich"

You get the feeling Spielberg could film a junior-high girls' basketball game and get a directing nom. Doesn't matter, though, since this is Lee's to lose.

Best Actor
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Capote"
Terrence Howard, "Hustle & Flow"
Heath Ledger, "Brokeback Mountain"
Joaquin Phoenix, "Walk the Line"
David Strathairn, "Good Night, and Good Luck"

Hmmm, three of these roles were real people. That's weird, and maybe the only thing about a contest that is Hoffman's to lose. No offense, fellas, but the rest of you are a bunch of Ringoes, i.e. just happy to be here.

Best Actress
Judi Dench, "Mrs. Henderson Presents"
Felicity Huffman, "Transamerica"
Keira Knightley, "Pride & Prejudice"
Charlize Theron, "North Country"
Reese Witherspoon, "Walk the Line"

Two of these (Dench and Theron) have done better work, and I doubt anyone will take Domino seriously. That leaves Huffman and Witherspoon, and hard for me to see Reese losing. As much as the transgendered thing is "brave," Witherspoon really was the best thing in "Walk the Line" -- easily her best work since "Sweet Home Alabama."

Best Supporting Actor
George Clooney, "Syriana"
Matt Dillon, "Crash"
Paul Giamatti, "Cinderella Man"
Jake Gyllenhaal, "Brokeback Mountain"
William Hurt, "A History of Violence"

Tough call here. Clooney has gotten a couple of awards already, but maybe Gyllenhaal sneaks in here. Giamatti could get the sympathy vote for not getting a "Sideways" acting nom, but he's done better work. Meanwhile, voters may forgive Jake for "The Day After Tomorrow."

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, "Junebug"
Catherine Keener, "Capote"
Frances McDormand, "North Country"
Rachel Weisz, "The Constant Gardener"
Michelle Williams, "Brokeback Mountain"

And now I'm torn. Never mind McDormand (done better), Weisz (can't act) and Keener (nominated for the wrong movie; c'mon ... "The 40-Year-Old Virgin!") Williams was great as Ledger's wife in "Brokeback." I was impressed given her "Dawson's Creek" background. But I loved Adams ... a lot more than "Junebug" itself, and I'm not just saying that because three people have said she reminded them of my wife. (Without the accent, mind you.) I'd be fine with either winning, but it probably will be Williams.

Closing notes
-- Sucks that "The Squid and the Whale" didn't slide in there. It was one of the best five movies I saw, and Jeff Daniels was great.
-- Also surprised "Match Point" didn't make best picture given the love affair critics have had with Woody's "comeback."
-- Finally, I'm not watching any foreign-film competition that doesn't include "Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo."

1 Comments:

At 12:22 AM, Blogger Jefferson said...

Would love to see "Capote" take home best picture, but something tells me the cowboys will lasso that statue. As for Jake at the stream, I wonder what the "Jarhead" boys would make of that? Let me guess ... don't ask, don't tell?

 

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