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The Big 6+2
So, "A Beautiful Mind" is the Academy's choice for Best Picture.
Shouldn't be surprising, really. It's the only nominated movie that I didn't see this year. Same thing happened last year, when the only nominated movie I didn't see was Gladiator. Seems I miss all the quality flicks.
Of the four of the Best Pic noms that I did see, I think that I would have voted for Moulin Rouge. It was audacious and took a H U G E risk and pulled it off. I think that a good, risky flick should beat a good safe flick any day of the week. But I am not the Academy. Good thing for all those "Titanic" fans, too.
Anyway, let's take a look at the "big 6+2" as I like to call them:
Best Picture
Noms:A Beautiful Mind, Gosford Park, Moulin Rouge, In the Bedroom, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Winner: A Beautiful Mind
Who I Picked: Moulin Rouge (see above)
Director
Noms:Ron Howard, Ridley Scott, Peter Jackson, Robert Altman, David Lynch
Winner:Ron Howard
Who I Picked: Ron Howard
Hollywood loves an insider, and there is no one more inside than Ron Howard. I didn't see the flick, so I really can't comment on this, except to say that Peter Jackson's vision was what made Lord of the Rings the magical experience that it was. Of all the films, LotR was the one that probably would have been drastically different, had it been made by another director. Moving on to Gosford Park, Robert Altman is brilliant and we all know it. He spends a lot of time making fun of the people who vote, though, which can't really be to his advantage.
Actor
Noms: Russell Crowe, Sean Penn, Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Tom Wilkinson
Winner: Denzel Washington
Who I Picked: Denzel, all the way.
Crowe is too surly, Penn too disrespectful of the Academy, Wilkinson too...foreign and Will Smith, well, too...Fresh . This was Denzel's award all the way. He probably deserved it, if not for Training Day, for a slew of other flicks that he's been wonderful in. Malcolm X springs immediately to mind. Besides, I like him and I am always glad when people I like win. :)
Actress
Noms: Halle Berry, Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman, Sissy Spacek, Renee Zellweger
Winner: Halle Berry
Who I Picked: Halle Berry
Truth be told, I didn't see the Berry performance. I understand that it's brilliant. I liked Sissy and Nicole's performances as well, although Sissy's performance was only brilliant by normal standards; it was fairly ordinary by Sissy standards. And Nicole was great in Moulin Rouge, but the performance was a little slight. And Judi is always brilliant but she has won a lot lately. But Renee was brilliant, too, just brilliant in a less scenery-chewing way. Sometimes, I think it's harder to be brilliant and subtle and funny than it is to be brilliant and screaming and throwing stuff. Maybe it's just me.
Supporting Actor
Noms: Jim Broadbent, Ethan Hawke, Ben Kingsley, Ian McKellan, Jon Voight
Winner: Jim Broadbent
Who I Picked: McKellan
This was the category that floored me. Literally. I sat in my chair with my mouth open, through much of Broadbent's speech. Now, don't get me wrong--I like Jim Broadbent very much. But this really seemed to be McKellan's all the way. The great performance he gave in LotR coupled with the snub for Gods and Monsters a few years back seemed to equal shoe-in. But, this is why I don't ever bet money on the Academy. They are too unpredictable.
Supporting Actress
Noms: Jennifer Connelly, Helen Mirren, Maggie Smith, Marisa Tomei, Kate Winslet
Winner: Jennifer Connelly
Who I Picked: Jennifer Connelly
I don't know--I didn't see the flick, for the nth time. Mirren, Smith, and Tomei were great, so this would have had to be one heckuva performance to be worthy. I guess it might have been. Anything's possible.
Original Screenplay
Noms: Amelie, Gosford Park, Memento, Monster's Ball, The Royal Tenenbaums
Winner: Gosford Park
Who I Picked: Memento
Travesty. Memento was the most original screenplay in YEARS. Travesty.
Adapted Screenplay
Noms:A Beautiful Mind, Ghost World, In the Bedroom, Lord of the Rings, Shrek
Winner: ABM
Who I Picked: Lord of the Rings. I don't think I have any opinion on this category. Or maybe my hands are tired from the typing.