Go Johnny! It's yer birthday!
It's Academy Awards time! Again! YAY!!! AGAIN!!! Time for us to guess who's going to win, then p*ss and moan when we're wrong. Again.
As you know if you check back on last years' list, I had eleven hunch predictions as well as four "should win" predictions correct. What is my secret? Logic? Clairvoyance?
Eh, a little of both. Basically what I do -and I'm doing it as I type this list, mind you- is print out a list of the nominees, go through it with two different color pens (or markers, or whatever), and check off whatever ones *feel* right and whatever ones I like. Not very technical, but it's worked for the past few years, hasn't it?
Let's see if I can go without an Insane Rant this time out.
Update! - So that this has more of a reason to exist, see. Winners are now in bold.
Best Makeup
Nominees: "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World", "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl"
Should win: "Return of the King"
Will win: "Return of the King"
Best Costume Design
Nominees: "Girl With a Pearl Earring", "The Last Samurai", "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World", "Seabiscuit"
Should Win: "Return of the King"
Will Win: "Master and Commander" sticks out to me more here.
Best Art Direction
Nominees: "Girl With a Pearl Earring", "The Last Samurai", "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World", "Seabiscuit"
Should Win: Either "Girl With a Pearl Earring" (still an art major) or "Return of the King"
Will Win: I am *still* blown away by the way the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy continues to look damn near exactly like the movie in my head. And there's no flashy musical this year!
Adapted Screenplay
Nominees: "American Splendor", "City of God", "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", "Mystic River", "Seabiscuit"
Should Win: "American Splendor"
Will Win: "Seabiscuit" and since this is the first category I saw the *glow* around it's title, I have to say something about this movie. I have not seen it myself, and I haven't the slightest interest either. My sister's warning was too dire. I do know a lot of people who loved this movie, but when I say "people", I mean "women who love movies about horses". They were probably sad when "Spirit: Stallion of the Brian Adams Songs" lost last year, know what I'm sayin'?
Original Screenplay
Nominees: "The Barbarian Invasions", "Dirty Pretty Things", "Finding Nemo", "In America", "Lost in Translation"
Should Win: "Nemo", "Nemo", "Nemo"!!! It hasn't got a chance, but still.
Will Win: "Lost in Translation"
Best Original Song
Nominees: "Into the West" from "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow" from "A Mighty Wind", "Scarlet Tide" from "Cold Mountain", "You Will Be My Ain True Love" from "Cold Mountain", "The Triplets of Belleville from "The Triplets of Belleville"
Should Win: Aww, let's hear it for Mitch and Mickey, the surprisingly sweet heart of "A Mighty Wind". (Of course, if they had any stones, they'd have nominated the catheter song.)
Will Win: If the "that made water come out of my eyes" factor means anything, this is going to "Into the West". Which, coincidentally, shares it's title with a horse movie that I actually rather liked.
Best Original Score
Nominees: "Big Fish", "Cold Mountain", "Finding Nemo", "House of Sand and Fog", "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"
Should Win: I really loved the music in "Nemo"
Will Win: "Return of the King" (Hrm, are we starting to notice a pattern here?)
Best Sound Effects
Nominees: "The Last Samurai", "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World", "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl", "Seabiscuit"
Should Win: "Lord of the Rings"
Will Win: "Master and Commander" Bet on the war movie (ignoring the fact that "King" is, technically, also a war movie).
Best Sound Editing
Nominees: "Finding Nemo", "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World", "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl"
Should Win: "Nemo" (look at the competition!)
Will Win: "Master and Commander"
Best Film Editing
Nominees: "City of God", "Cold Mountain", "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World", "Seabiscuit"
Should Win: "Return of the King" Yeah, I know it was four hours long; I don't care!
Will Win: "Seabiscuit"
Best Visual Effects
Nominees: "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World", "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl"
Should Win: "Return of the King"
Will Win: Why the hell is "Pirates of the Caribbean" up there? Anyway, bet on "Rings" again.
Best Live-Action Short
Nominees: "Die Rote Jacke", "Most", "Squash", "A Torsion", "Two Soldiers"
Should Win: My local cable company has recently added a feature that just might -if they are totally awesome- allow us unwashed masses to watch Academy nominated short films. We shall see...
Will Win: Intuition says "Most".
Best Animated Short
Nominations: "Boundin'", "Destino", "Gone Nutty", "Harvie Krumpet", "Nibbles"
Should Win: "Destino", baby!
See, unless I'm mistaken, this is a very trippy animated film that Walt Disney started to make with Salvador Dali. Salvador Dali and Walt Disney. I think I now know how music geeks felt during that Crosby/Bowie take on "Little Drummer Boy".
Anyway, the film didn't work out for some reason and it sat in development limbo. Well, this year some animators found it and they went ahead and finished the thing! Oh, please PLEEEEEEEEASE have it win so Disney can be encouraged to at least try to be cool again! I want a "Fantasia 2010"! Will Win: I think "Gone Nutty" might be that little bonus short we got in our "Ice Age" DVDs. It kinda sucked a little, but it'll probably win.
This is an extremely delayed reaction, but I just realized it: wherefore "Final Flight of the Osiris"? (ducks)
Best Documentary Short Film
Nominees: "Asylum", "Chernobyl Heart", "Ferry Tales"
Will Win: "Chernobyl Heart"
Best Documentary Feature
Nominees: "Balseros", "Capturing the Friedmans", "The Fog of War", "My Architect", "The Weather Underground"
Will Win: "Capturing the Friedmans"
Best Foreign Film
Nominees: "The Barbarian Invasions", "Evil", "The Twilight Samurai", "Twin Sisters", "Zelary"
Will Win: "the Barbarian Invasions"
Best Animated Film
Nominees: "Brother Bear", "Finding Nemo", "The Triplets of Belleville"
Should Win: First off, let's all laugh at "Brother Bear".
Now, mind you, I haven't seen "Bear", so I can't hate on it. And I actually know a few people who rather liked it. Then again, based off the previews, I didn't like this movie when it was called "Ferngully"...
As for the movie I'll really be rooting for, well, we know that "Finding Nemo" has the lock on this. So, I'll be a good sport and root for the intriguing "Triplets of Belleville".
Will Win: "Nemo" If it doesn't win, I really will eat a hat.
Comments: Incidentally, I watched "Treasure Planet" over the summer. Glen Keane is the greatest animator working today, so cut a Long John Silver-shaped hole out of a piece of paper and watch the movie through that. Cause otherwise it sucks like the biggest black hole in the universe.
Okay, maybe not that much. But it does suck. Lots.
Best Cinematography
Nominees: "City of God", "Cold Mountain", "Girl With a Pearl Earring", "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World", "Seabiscuit"
Will Win: Intuition says "Master and Commander" (Starts singing "In the Navy".)
Best Supporting Actress
Nominees: Shohreh Aghdashloo in "House of Sand and Fog", Patricia Clarkson in "Pieces of April", Marcia Gay Harden in "Mystic River", Holly Hunter in "Thirteen", Renée Zellweger in "Cold Mountain"
Will Win: Even tougher call than last year. If we get a "Mystic River" sweep, then obviously Marcia Gay Harding.
Best Supporting Actor
Nominees: Alec Baldwin in "The Cooler", Benicio Del Toro in "21 Grams", Djimon Hounsou in "In America", Tim Robbins in "Mystic River", Ken Watanabe in "The Last Samurai"
Will Win: Tim Robbins
Best Actress
Nominees: Keisha Castle-Hughes in "Whale Rider", Diane Keaton in "Something's Gotta Give", Samantha Morton in "In America", Charlize Theron in "Monster", Naomi Watts in "21 Grams"
Should Win: I liked "Whale Rider", so I'll root for Keisha.
Will Win: Charlize looks like a safe bet, but for some reason I see the ol' *glow* around Diane Keaton.
Best Actor
Nominees: Johnny Depp in "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl", Ben Kingsley in "the House of Sand and Fog", Jude Law in "Cold Mountain", Bill Murray in "Lost in Translation", Sean Penn in "Mystic River"
Should Win: Johnny Depp is up for Best Actor!!!!!
...in a movie based off a theme park attraction.
Oh dear...
See, as bad as I want to see him to win an Oscar, I really, REALLY don't want this kind of thing to be encouraged. How far is this going to go? "the Teacups Movie"? "the Tiki Birds Movie"?
So it is with a heavy heart that, even though I have no interest in seeing "Cold Mountain" at all (everybody I know who liked it is a woman-who-loves-epic-historical-romances), I will instead root for Jude. Okay, so a not-heavy-at-all heart then. Mmmmmmmm... Genetic perfection........
Will Win: Sean Penn
Best Director
Nominees: Sofia Coppola in "Lost in Translation", Clint Eastwood in "Mystic River", Peter Jackson in "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", Fernando Meirelles in "City of God", Peter Weir in "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World"
Should Win: I promise you. If the Academy finally recognizes how Jackson worked his furry arse off on these movies, I will eat a hat. An adjustable-band, worn-out, formerly embroidered baseball cap. Boiled. I will take pictures.
And having just typed that, I got myself the briefest mental image of how that's going to look up here, and am wondering if I really am insane enough to do it. I think I'm pretty safe. Sadly.
What would really be cool is if the "LOTR" team got some kind of "Special Recognition" award like they did years and years ago for "Snow White". Uh... that won't count in my little bet here, just so we're clear.
I don't really have to do it, do I?
Will Win: Clint Eastwood with a possible Sofia Coppola upset.
Best Picture!!!
Nominees: "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", "Lost in Translation", "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World", "Mystic River", "Seabiscuit"
Should Win: "Return of the King" which won't win.
Will Win: "Mystic River"
the Golden Nessie Award! - For the Most W.T.F. Moment during the Award Show
Coming Soon!
I mean, really. I can't post it when it hasn't happened yet, can I? I mean, who saw that Mickey Mouse incident coming last year? Or the Cirque du Soliel halftime show the year before?
Personally, I think my all-time favorite W.T.F. moment was that "this is one of the last years we get to do really big production numbers, so let's have everything you all hate about big production numbers happen here" take on "Colors of the Wind".
So, what was this year's W.T.F. moment? Well, probably the fact that (ahem)...
There were none!!!
Yeah, they had a five-second delay and big fat NOTHING interesting happened. Bull crap! Moose nuggets! Your favorite hoofed animal fæces here!
I'll hopefully see y'all at the Crankyland Oscar Party! Again!
Related Links:
Last Year's Cranky Oscar Party - "PLEASE kick Mickey's ass!!!"
Last Year's Crankyland Movie Awards - Wow. We really are a freak show, aren't we?
Unfortunate Valentine's Day Cards - Aww, the poor little Moth-Boy and Billy Heart and Pear Monster! I'll be their Valentine!
Disclaimer: © 2004 to Mad-Ness Monster (aka Mad-Ness, Nessie, Trish, ect.) It may be reprinted as long as this notice is attached. Share and enjoy. ^_^
The Academy Awards, Oscar, and the movies and other entities mentioned herein are © to their respective owners and no endorsement is intended. Please don't sue me, I am poor.
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