Sunday, February 27, 2005

The 2005 Oscars: Neville's will, should, want and why list

I love trying to guess what movies WILL win the Academy Awards but equally amusing is trying to name what movies SHOULD win compared to what movies I WANT to win (sometimes it's a deep, dark secret for why I want something to win--other times it's not). So here it goes...in all the categories I actually really care about.
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BEST PICTURE
Will win: "Million Dollar Baby"
Should win: "Million Dollar Baby"
Want to win: "Finding Neverland"

Why? Because after years of Lord of the Rings' movies, it's time to award the quiet, real gems of the year.

BEST ACTOR
Will win: Jamie Foxx "Ray"
Should win: Jamie Foxx "Ray"
Want to win: "Don Cheadle" "Hotel Rwanda"

Why? Foxx is brilliant, yes...but Cheadle is always brilliant and here, he IS "Hotel Rwanda"--but then again, Jamie Foxx is "Ray" also. Either way you look at it, an African-American man must win in this category.

BEST ACTRESS
Will win: Hilary Swank "Million Dollar Baby"
Should win: Kate Winslet "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"
Want to win: Kate Winslet "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"

Why? Hilary Swank will likely upset Benning again (see 1999 when she beat her "American Beauty" performance with her "Boys Don't Cry" Oscar-winning role. However, Kate Winslet deserves to win because she took on the only role in the group that could literally fall apart if not acted out to near-perfection. Swank and others slip up at times, but Winslet never does.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Will win: Morgan Freeman "Million Dollar Baby"
Should win: Clive Owen "Closer"
Want to win: Morgan Freeman "Million Dollar Baby"

Why? Two words: Morgan Freeman. He's a favorite yes, and he's always good (even when he's in crappy movies like "High Crimes") and he was the better man in "Million Dollar Baby"...but Clive Owen knocks us flat and stands out high and tall above Jude Law's somewhat flimsy portrayal and Julia Roberts somewhat unconvincing turn. I believed Owen was who he was in this...I didn't always believe in Roberts or Law.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Will win: Virgina Madsen "Sideways"
Should win: Natalie Portman "Closer" or Virgina Madsen "Sideways" (too close to tell)
Want to win: Sophie Okonedo "Hotel Rwanda"

Why? Virginia Madsen was the best thing about "Sideways" (apart from Paul Giammatti, but since he was snubbed...she's in control here) because I believed in her and never doubted her character for a second. However, Natalie Portman deserves it for the outstanding year that was her's. Yet, I would love to see the underdog Sophie Okonedo win for "Hotel Rwanda." The scene where she and Cheadle are split up, and she's in the back of the truck is probably her greatest moment! And what a heart-tugger she was, huh?

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Will win: "The Incredibles"
Should win: "The Incredibles"
Want to win: "The Incredibles"

Why? The name says it all. The other two don't stand a chance ("Shark Tale" and "Shrek 2" that is).

BEST ART DIRECTION
Will win: "The Aviator"
Should win: "The Phantom of the Opera"
Want to win: "A Very Long Engagement"

Why? "The Aviator" will get it because it looks like a big, classy, Hollywood picture (and that's hard to come by). But "Phantom" overwelms audiences by sight more than sound and so I think it deserves it here. However, "A Very Long Engagement" should not be dismissed---like in "Amelie," the set direction is alive, bursting with vitality and at times, overshadowing the movie as a whole. That's hard to do.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Will win: "The Aviator"
Should win: "The Passion of the Christ"
Want to win: "A Very Long Engagement"

Why? Because part of "The Passion of the Christ"'s true greatness IS its cinematography---and the fact the voters remembered it proves it! But "The Aviator" will likely win which is okay but not so overwelmingly memorable as both "Passion" and "Engagement" were. I'd love to see "A Very Long Engagement" take the win though---because war has never looked so dreary and dreamy all at once.

BEST DIRECTING
Will win: Clint Eastwood "Million Dollar Baby"
Should win: Martin Scorsese "The Aviator"
Want to win: Alexander Payne "Sideways" (because he did "About Schmidt" and should've won more for that one)

Why? Directing is most evident in the acting which is why "Million Dollar Baby" should win here. "The Aviator" was too long, although it was an impressive achievement (and I'd love to see Marty win)....I'd love even more to see Alexander Payne win here because he's the most consistently good director around (even if "Sideways" is overly hyped up). Plus, this would award him for his fabulous "About Schmidt" work he did, to which he won no Oscars for (same goes with "Election" too). Third times a charm? Maybe for writing..but probably not directing. Sorry Payne.

BEST SCORE
Will win: "Finding Neverland"
Should win: "Finding Neverland"
Want to win: "Finding Neverland"

Why? Even though it's not amazing or anything, it's the best of the bunch. Sadly, this may be the only award "Neverland" will win.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Will win: "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"
Should win: "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"
Want to win: "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"

Why? "The Aviator" screenplay was lacking a lot so it better not win here. "The Incredibles" or "Hotel Rwanda" were both very good, but seem almost mediocre compared to the visionary and unpredictable genius of Kauffman's "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind."

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Will win: "Sideways"
Should win: "Million Dollar Baby"
Want to win: "Before Sunset"

Why? "Sidways" will win here because they've got to let it win SOMETHING. However, the better adaptation is "Million Dollar Baby," even though I think the standout in this category is the simple, yet profound, the ordinary, yet extraordinary "Before Sunset." It's the closest thing to humanity in the entire Oscar race I think.

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Will win: "Born into Brothels"
Should win: "Super Size Me"
Want to win: "Tupac: Resurrection".......okay not really, "Super Size Me" again!

Why? Even though serious subject matter is good, "Born into Brothels" can't do what "Super Size Me" did: make an American fast-food nation rethink their way of life, again and again and again. Plus, it's funny and deathly serious, all at once! Yay!!!
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That's all. Sorry for taking up 10 pages.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It was kinda fun for a change, watching the Oscars, knowing what you and your friends saw and what your ideas of what was going to happen were--we printed it out and compared it with what was going on!
Yvonne