The Nominees Are...: Oscar Nominations Recap, Notes and Predictions
Submitted by slipkid71 on Wed, 01/28/2004 - 13:37
Tags:
- 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
- Notable Non-Nominations:
- Cold Mountain
- In America
- 21 Grams
- Will "Rings" earn the Best Picture Award it richly deserves? Or will the Academy reward the quirky masterpiece Lost in Translation? Two films, polar opposites, yet both visually striking and emotionally charged. Cold Mountain was mysteriously snubbed for a Best Picture nom, and quite frankly, Seabiscuit doesn't belong in this class whatsoever.
- My Pick for Best Picture: Lost in Translation
- The Award Will Probably Go To: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
- 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
- Notable Non-Nominations:
- Paul Giamatti, American Splendor
- Russell Crowe, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
- Peter Dinklage, The Station Agent
- Crowe figured to be a shoo-in for a Best Actor nod, but his spot was probably taken by Depp, whose nomination for his role as lusty buccaneer Jack Sparrow is richly deserved. Basically the Best Actor race boils down to Murray and Penn, both of whom have generated much publicity and have earned the ravest reviews of their careers. Not much of a chance for an upset here.
- My Pick for Best Actor: Bill Murray
- The Award Will Probably Go To: Bill Murray
- Best Actress
- Keisha Castle-Hughes, Whale Rider
- Diane Keaton, Something's Gotta Give
- Samantha Morton, In America
- Charlize Theron, Monster
- Naomi Watts, 21 Grams
- Notable Non-Nominations
- Jennifer Connelly, House of Sand and Fog
- Scarlett Johannson, Lost in Translation
- Nicole Kidman, Cold Mountain
- Uma Thurman, Kill Bill: Volume 1
- Snubbing Johannsen for her brilliantly sublime performance in Lost in Translation is a damned travesty. This is probably the tightest competition of them all, considering there are some terrific performances that weren't even nominated (it's nice Castle-Hughes was nominated, but she doesn't belong here). Theron, fresh off her Golden Globes win may end up winning the Best Actress award, but Keaton's brave and lighthearted performance in Something's Gotta Give is easily the best role she's had since her award-winning Annie Hall, so she may be the winner. However, since there's always a surprise come Oscar night, don't be surprised if Watts walks away with the award.
- My Pick For Best Actress: Charlize Theron
- The Award Will Probably Go To: Charlize Theron
- Best Supporting Actor
- Alec Baldwin, The Cooler
- Benicio Del Toro, 21 Grams
- Djimon Hounsou, In America
- Tim Robbins, Mystic River
- Ken Watanabe, The Last Samurai
- Notable Non-Nominations:
- Sean Astin, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
- Tough category to pick, since they're all deserving. Del Toro's made a wonderful career out of playing wounded, tortured souls, and Robbins shines as an emotionally wounded man. Hounsou could also walk away with the award.
- My Pick for Best Supporting Actor: Benicio Del Toro
- The Award Will Probably Go To: Tim Robbins
- Best Supporting Actress
- Shohreh Aghdasloo, House of Sand and Fog
- Patricia Clarkson, Pieces of April
- Marcia Gay Harden, Mystic River
- Holly Hunter, Thirteen
- Renee Zellweger, Cold Mountain
- Notable Non-Nominations
- Maria Bello, The Cooler
- Scarlett Johanssen, Girl With a Pearl Earring
- What is with this snubbing conspiracy against Scarlett Johanssen? Two terrific performances in one year, and not even a sniff? Anyway, Zellweger's going to win this award. No surprises here.
- My Pick for Best Supporting Actress: Renee Zellweger
- The Award Will Probably Go To: Renee Zellweger
- Best Director
- Sofia Coppola, Lost in Translation
- Clint Eastwood, Mystic River
- Peter Jackson, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
- Fernando Meirelles, City of God
- Peter Weir, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
- Notable Non-Nominations
- Anthony Minghella, Cold Mountain
- Edward Zwick, The Last Samurai
- Meirelles' nomination is a complete surprise, although well-deserved. Coppola's masterful direction in Lost in Translation suggests more brilliant work to come in the future, and Jackson's tenacity in bringing the "Rings" trilogy to the screen cannot be ignored.
- My Pick for Best Director: Sofia Coppola
- The Award Will Probably Go To: Peter Jackson
- Best 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
- My Pick For Best Adapted Screenplay: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
- The Award Will Probably Go To: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
- Best Original Screenplay
- Denys Arcand, The Barbarian Invasions
- Steven Knight, Dirty Pretty Things
- Bob Peterson and David Reynolds, Finding Nemo
- Jim Sheridan & Naomi Sheridan & Kirsten Sheridan, In America
- Sofia Coppola, Lost in Translation
- My Pick for Best Original Screenplay: Sofia Coppola, Lost in Translation
- The Award Will Probably Go To:: Sofia Coppola, Lost in Translation
Nice, I like predictions that distinguish between reality and desire. One of the things I find interesting about this Oscar race is whether or not the Academy will be more inclined to go with RotK as a way of honoring the entire trilogy rather than on its own merits. Of course, we'll never know how much that will be a factor, but I'm guessing it will be.
I, for one, will be happy to see Return of the King win for Best Picture. But for fairness' sake, the entire trilogy, since it stands up on its own, should merit some time of Special Acheivement award, since nothing that the producers and Peter Jackson set out to do with Lord of the Rings has ever been accomplished.