It’s that time again! It’s awards season, which means that the Oscars are just around the corner.
Though the show has traditionally taken place sometime in late March, the Academy (in its finite wisdom) has decided to move the show up to Sunday, February 29th, Leap Day.
Like last year, these Oscars were not short on excitement, and there could be some pretty big surprises come Oscar night.
Best Picture: Who Will Win: “Lord of the Rings: Return of the King” Who Should Win: Same Wish You were Here: “Big Fish”
The Academy has had two years now to recognize Peter Jackson and his amazing trilogy, and they have chosen to wait until this year to recognize him and award their statuettes in good faith.
Apparently, they did not anticipate there being three great movies this season to choose from.
If this movie were not in contention, I would undoubtedly give the award to “Master and Commander,” but with the way things are, there is really no alternative than to honor this movie – and really the entire trilogy – with this award
Best Actor: Who Will Win: Bill Murray, “Lost in Translation” Who Should Win: Sean Penn, “Mystic River” or Johnny Depp, “Pirates of the Caribbean” Wish You Were Here: Russell Crowe, “Master and Commander”
This category has three incredible actors in it who have had long careers with little to no recognition by the awards circuit.
Murray has had a long and illustrious career, but I don’t think that “Lost in Translation” is his best or most memorable work.
There is no doubt that he is a gifted actor, but if he is awarded the Oscar, it is out of guilt that no one recognized him sooner.
Both Sean Penn and Johnny Depp are actors who haven’t been recognized until now.
I can only hope that in time, both are recognized for the genius they possess.
Best Actress:Who Will Win: Diane Keaton, “Something’s Gotta Give”Who Should Win: Charlize Theron, “Monster” Wish You Were Here: Gwyneth Paltrow, “Sylvia”
Keaton has a good chance of winning this award, especially since Jack Nicholson didn’t make the cut (thankfully).
In a year where it seems like movies with predominately male casts have gotten most of the praise, Keaton’s performance as a fifty-something woman rediscovering herself was good but not new.
Theron’s portrayal of Aileen as both a murderer and a human is compelling and emotionally stunning, and she deserves this award.
Best Supporting Actor: Who Will Win: Tim Robbins, “Mystic River”Who Should Win: Alec Baldwin, “The Cooler” Wish You Were Here: Albert Finney, “Big Fish”
Baldwin’s performance in “The Cooler” isn’t just a comeback, he bet everything he had and he won.
It’s a shame William H. Macy wasn’t nominated alongside him, because the two of them carried a movie that would have otherwise flopped, and flopped badly.
Best Supporting Actress: Who Will Win: Renee Zellweger, “Cold Mountain” Who Should Win: Same Wish You Were Here: Helena Bonham Carter, “Big Fish”
Not only is her accent better than Nicole Kidman’s, Zellweger brought a human life to the character of Ruby that Kidman’s character consistently lacked.
There’s little doubt in most people’s minds that she’ll take home her well-deserved Oscar on Sunday.
Best Director: Who Will Win: Peter Jackson, “Lord of the Rings: Return of the King”Who Should Win: Same Wish You Were Here: Anthony Minghella, “Cold Mountain”
Although Jackson should have won an Oscar the first year he was nominated, it was assumed that the Academy would give it to him this year.
But, just like the race for best picture, they weren’t counting on there being such competition from Sophia Coppola’s “Lost in Translation.”
Coppola is the third woman and the only American to ever be nominated for this award.
There’s no doubt that the movie was incredible and that her directing is deserving of the award.
But this is Jackson’s year.
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