Academy Nominees of 2005
Oscar Fever: For good or bad, the Academy Awards are the biggest thing in Hollywood, and the posting of the nominees takes on the seriousness of a diplomatic summit. I simply couldn't pass this up either, and offer the list below. I'll toss in my own two cents worth of opinions as we progress:
Best Picture:
The Aviator
Finding Neverland
Million Dollar Baby
Ray
Sideways
+ Between The Aviator and Ray, and while the latter probably
should win, the former will.
Best Actor:
Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda)
Johnny Depp (Finding Neverland)
Leonardo DiCaprio (The Aviator)
Clint Eastwood (Million Dollar Baby)
Jamie Foxx (Ray)
+ Again between DiCaprio and Foxx, and since this is going to be an Aviator year, Mr. DiCaprio is going to win.
Best Actress:
Annette Bening (Being Julia)
Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace)
Imelda Staunton (Vera Drake)
Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby)
Kate Winslet (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind)
+ This one is between Bening and Swank, the older professional and the younger mover, and the young will win out this time.
Best Supporting Actor:
Thomas Haden Church (Sideways)
Alan Alda (The Aviator)
Jamie Foxx (Collateral)
Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby)
Clive Owen (Closer)
+ This is where the Academy can show its love for the "highbrow":
read less popular movie. And it's a safer category than the above three. So they'll
go for the least known name among the list and hand it to Thomas Haden Church.
Best Supporting Actress:
Laura Linney (Kinsey)
Cate Blanchett (The Aviator)
Virginia Madsen (Sideways)
Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda)
Natalie Portman (Closer)
+ See my explanation above, they'll give it to Ms. Okonedo, although Ms. Linney has a close shot as well.
Best Director:
Clint Eastwood (Million Dollar Baby)
Taylor Hackford (Ray)
Mike Leigh (Vera Drake)
Alexander Payne (Sideways)
Martin Scorsese (The Aviator)
+ This is the toughest one of all. So many variables! Hmm... while at any other time one of the lesser known directors would win, I think it's between Mr. Eastwood and Mr. Scorsese. And I think Eastwood will win (by a hair).
As you can see, my choices were based solely on politics. Which is exactly how this thing works! What? You think that the movies, or actors, are chosen on how good they are, or on hard work and merit? It takes but only a moment's thought to dispel that chimera. Ask yourself this: why was The Passion of The Christ completely shut out of the Best Film category? While it's probably a good film, just how many people saw Sideways, and why is it on the list? It's there as a snap of the fingers under Mel Gibson's nose, that's why. He a) made a Christian film and b) didn't use the studios. You don't win friends by doing that.
Bread and Circuses, Revised: Sad to say, stopping or slowing down to look at an accident is human nature, no matter how distasteful. It seems that the top black market videos right now are compilations of grisly pictures and videos of the recent India tsunami horror.
But On The Other Side...: Conversely, NBC raised more than $28 million ($10 million by local stations) for various charities helping victims of the Tsunami, including the American Red Cross, with a series of specials and broadcasts recently. A few stars donated their time and talents, including: Madonna, Elton John, Norah Jones, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Johnny Depp. There is both a light and dark side to the human heart.
Back To A More Modest Plot: Peter Jackson, the award-winning director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, after completing the most recent version of King Kong has decided to take on something called The Lovely Bones, written by Alice Sebold. This modest thriller/drama is told from the vantage of a dead 14-year-old girl, who reflects back on the events that led to her rape and murder and how her loved ones cope with the tragedy.
Paris Hilton Takes A Stand!: Or, more to the point, walks off without paying. No, this isn't another Winona Ryder type of thing, but something a bit more modest, namely a copy of her own sex video. Apparently Hilton didn't like seeing it sold among the magazines at a newsstand and decided to make a point. Will she eventually be charged? Don't make me laugh!
