OSCAR WATCH
BEST PICTURE
Brokeback Mountain
Capote
Crash
Good Night, and Good Luck
Munich
It's kind of nice to have absolutely no idea what film will win Best Picture. The last few years have been pretty much locks (ahem, The Return of the King). Sure, hype surrounding Brokeback Mountain has been deafening as of late, but Crash snagged the Screen Actors Guild Award and the Academy seems to have a crush on Munich. Good Night, and Good Luck and Capote
are both solid, so I honestly have no idea what is going to happen.
Should Win: Good Night, and Good Luck
BEST DIRECTOR
BEST ACTOR
BEST DIRECTOR
Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain
Bennett Miller, Capote
Paul Haggis, Crash
George Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck
Steven Spielberg, Munich
Directors are tricky business because, traditionally, whoever wins Best Picture takes home Best Director as well, so things are boding well for Ang Lee if Brokeback Mountain does indeed win the big prize. However, I was more impressed with Steven Spielberg's work on Munich and George Clooney's Good Night, and Good Luck. And for a first film, Paul Huggs definitely earned his nomination with Crash. The only real weak link is Bennett Miller; Capote is definitely more Phillip Seymour Hoffman's show than Miller's.
Should Win: George Clooney, Good Night,and Good Luck
Phillip, Seymour Hoffman, Capote
Terrence Howard, Hustle & Flow
Heath Ledger, Brokeback Mountain
Joaquin Phoenix, Walk the Line
David Straathorn, Good Night, and Good Luck
Here we go a category that feels fairly easy to predict. Philip Seynour Hoffman earned his Oscar with his first intake of breath as Capote
BEST ACTRESS
But then here comes that 10 Things I hate About You guy. Health Ledger, or that damn River Phoenix's brother Joaquín Phoenix, to steal his thunder Not to mention the always dependable David Strathairm or the incredible Terrence Howard as the underdog. Oh, wait, maybe it's not so easy to predict.
Should Win: Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line
Should.Win: Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Capote
Judi Dench, Mrs. Henderson Presents Felicity Huffman, Transamerica Keira Knightly, Pride & Prejudice Charize Theron, North Country Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line
The girl next door or the woman playing a man who is becoming a woman? Decisions, decisions. I think its clear that the only nominees that matter this year are Reese Witherspoon, as smart-mouthed crooner June Carter Cash, and Felicity Huffman, as conservative transsexual Bree who learns she fathered a son when she was still a he. It all comes down to whether the Academy would rather see the nice girl or the Desperate Housewife take home the gold.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, Junebug
Catherine Keener, Capote
Frances McDormand, North Country
Rachel Weisz, The Constant Gardner
Michelle Williams, Brokeback Mountain
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR George Clooney, Syriana Matt Dillon, Crash Paul Giamatti, Cinderella Man Jake Gyllenhall, Brokeback Mountain William Hurt, A History of Violence
Michelle Williams, all the way (oh, D-Creek), unless that sneaky Rachel Weisz uses her British accent to cajole herself a win.
Should Win: Michelle Williams, Brokeback Mountain
William Hurt was in about 20 minutes of A History of Violence, so he's out. I didn't even remember that Matt Dillon was in Crash, so that takes care of him. Jake Gyllenhall was lucky to be nominated at all since he has taken the backseat (no pun intended) to Heath Ledger's performance.
No one actually saw *Cinderella Man*. So that leaves Mr. Clooney. Hey, he gained weight and grew a beard. He fits the profile of a beautiful actor playing ugly to win awards so, congratulations, Georgel
Should Win:George Clooney
Lindsey Ramsey
02.09.2006 JAYPLAY
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