I'm actually going to have to watch the Academy Awards...

[gridlore]

The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King> gets 11 nominations; including Best Picture and Best Director for Peter Jackson. But nothing for Sir Ian! Bother.

Best Actor? Johnny Depp, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl; Ben Kingsley, House of Sand and Fog; Jude Law, Cold Mountain; Bill Murray, Lost in Translation; Sean Penn, Mystic River.

Friends, I want you to contemplate something. Bill Murray might be acknowledged as the best actor in film,. Bill-fucking-Murray! I'm rooting for Johnny Depp, of course.



1. Best Picture:
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

I think this is Jackson's year. He might get the award based on the fact that he has produced a single film that was released in three successive years.

2. Actor:
Johnny Depp, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Ben Kingsley, House of Sand and Fog
Jude Law, Cold Mountain
Bill Murray, Lost in Translation
Sean Penn, Mystic River

Depp showed surprising range, and owned Pirates. his interplay with Geoffrey Rush was brilliant
.
3. Actress:
Keisha Castle-Hughes, Whale Rider
Diane Keaton, Something's Gotta Give
Samantha Morton, In America
Charlize Theron, Monster
Naomi Watts, 21 Grams

I haven't seen any of these. My choice is based on the fact that Miss Castle-Hughes has the chance to be the youngest Best Actress in history. She's 13.

4. Supporting Actor:
Alec Baldwin, The Cooler
Benicio Del Toro, "21 Grams
Djimon Hounsou, In America
Tim Robbins, Mystic River
Ken Watanabe, The Last Samurai

No choice, as I haven't seen the films.

5. Supporting Actress:
Shohreh Aghdashloo, House of Sand and Fog
Patricia Clarkson, Pieces of April
Marcia Gay Harden, Mystic River
Holly Hunter, thirteen
Renee Zellweger, Cold Mountain

No choice, same reason

6. Director:
Fernando Meirelles, City of God
Peter Jackson, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Sofia Coppola, Lost in Translation
Peter Weir, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Clint Eastwood, Mystic River

Jackson's achievement is simply amazing. He created an entire world, and made it live. He earned this film with all three movies.

7. Foreign Film:
The Barbarian Invasions, Canada
Zelary, Czech Republic
The Twilight Samurai, Japan
Twin Sisters, The Netherlands
Evil, Sweden.

No choice.

8. Adapted Screenplay:
Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman, American Splendor
Braulio Mantovani, City of God
Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Brian Helgeland, Mystic River
Gary Ross, Seabiscuit

Again, how Jackson handled the task desersve an award. The key to filming Tolein was not only adapting what was there, but knowing what to cut, and what to add. He did a beautiful job. If it isn't LITR, it will be Seabiscut.

9. Original Screenplay:
Denys Arcand, The Barbarian Invasions
Steven Knight, Dirty Pretty Things
Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson and David Reynolds, Finding Nemo
Jim Sheridan & Naomi Sheridan & Kirsten Sheridan, In America
Sofia Coppola, Lost in Translation.

10. Animated feature film:
Brother Bear
Finding Nemo
The Triplets of Belleville

In a walk
.
11. Art Direction:
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

I'm going with this film based ojn reports that it is visually stunning.

12. Cinematography:
City of God
Cold Mountain
Girl with a Pearl Earring
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Seabiscuit

For the battle scenss alone.

13. Sound Mixing:
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

14. Sound Editing:
Finding Nemo
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

15. Original Score:
Big Fish, Danny Elfman
Cold Mountain, Gabriel Yared
Finding Nemo, Thomas Newman
House of Sand and Fog, James Horner
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Howard Shore.

16. Original Song:
"Into the West" from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Fran Walsh, Howard Shore and Annie Lennox
"A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow" from A Mighty Wind, Michael McKean and Annette O'Toole
"Scarlet Tide" from Cold Mountain, T Bone Burnett and Elvis Costello;
"The Triplets of Belleville" from The Triplets of Belleville, Benoit Charest and Sylvain Chomet;
"You Will Be My Ain True Love" from Cold Mountain, Sting.

Since it was actually in the movie, and part of the plot, I chose this one.

17. Costume:
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

The others are historical pieces.

18. Documentary Feature:
Balseros
Capturing the Friedmans
The Fog of War
My Architect
The Weather Underground

19. Documentary (short subject):
Asylum
Chernobyl Heart
Ferry Tales

20. Film Editing:
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

21. Makeup:
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

The orcs have to beat the zombie pirates, sorry.

22. Animated Short Film:
Boundin'
Destino
Gone Nutty
Harvie Krumpet
Nibbles

23. Live Action Short Film
Die Rote Jacke (The Red Jacket)
Most (The Bridge)
Squash
(A) Torzija ([A] Torsion)
Two Soldiers

24. Visual Effects:
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

This was a tough choice. Do I go with the magnificent CGI armies of LOTR, the amazing effects of Pirates? In the end, it has to be the Lords.

I can't wait until Oscar night!

Comments

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

Once upon a time, I'd have laughed myself silly at the notion that Tom Hanks might one day win a Best Actor award. So I'm not as dumbstruck at Murray as everyone else. (And while he hasn't made a habit of it, Murray has done serious roles before. ("The Razor's Edge" comes immediately to mind)).

[biomekanic.livejournal.com]

3. Actress:
Keisha Castle-Hughes, Whale Rider

Not gonna happen, the academy is made of old foggies, and she "hasn't earned her stripes" types, so maybe in 20 years.

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

Two words:

"The Piano"

Tatum O'Neil also won at a very young age.

[karmabreeze.livejournal.com]

And Shirley Temple as well. The famous at-the-podium comment to her mother, standing next to her, "Can we go home now?" sticks out as a classic Oscar moment.

Did you see Lost in Translation?

[the-ogre.livejournal.com]

Muray deserves the award, seriously.