In the interest of saving time and bandwidth, I'll forego explaining my choices. (I'll admit, in some cases, I am being gratuitously provocative and mischievous -- I won't say in which cases.) I don't win anything if I'm correct; this is just for fun; no wagering, please.
One point about the Academy Awards that a lot of commentators seem to miss: You'll see a lot of criticism that Hollywood is out of touch with America, since the top nominated films haven't earned a lot of money, which translates into a lot of people filling the seats to watch them. (GayPatriot, for instance, as paraphrased by James Taranto on "Best of the Web," notes that Brokeback Mountain "had grossed a mere $67.8 million domestically, less than a quarter of the $285.3 million for The Chronicles of Narnia.”)
Isn't this beside the point? The Oscars are supposed to reward artistic merit and technical achievement in film. They are not a popularity contest. For a popularity contest, we have the People's Choice Awards. The People's Choice Awards are to the Oscars what the homecoming queen is to the valedictorian.
Kathy Bates, tonight's guest on"The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson" agrees: "The Academy Awards are about quality in the art of filmmaking," she says, not about the blockbusters that make the most money. (Craig Ferguson, by the way, is the smartest and wittiest of the late-night chat show hosts. He deserves a far wider audience, if only for his well-crafted, practically cerebral opening monologues.)
So, having got that off my chest, here are my Oscar picks for 2006. Comments, criticisms, and catcalls are all welcome.
Actor in a Leading Role
Will win: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote
Should win: David Straitharn, Good Night, and Good Luck
Actor in a Supporting Role
Will win: Paul Giamatti, Cinderella Man
Should win: Matt Dillon, Crash
Actress in a Leading Role
Will win: Felicity Huffman, Transamerica
Should win: Felicity Huffman, Transamerica
Actress in a Supporting Role
Will win: Michelle Williams, Brokeback Mountain
Should win: Amy Adams, Junebug
Animated Feature
Will win: Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Should win: Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Art Direction
Will win: Memoirs of a Geisha
Should win: Good Night, and Good Luck
Cinematography
Will win: Brokeback Mountain
Should win: Good Night, and Good Luck
Costume Design
Will win: Memoirs of a Geisha
Should win: Mrs. Henderson Presents
Directing
Will win: Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain
Should win: George Clooney, Good Night, and Good Luck
Documentary Feature
Will win: March of the Penguins
Should win: Murderball
Documentary Short Subject
Will win: God Sleeps in Rwanda
Should win: The Mushroom Club
Film Editing
Will win: Cinderella Man
Should win: Cinderella Man
Foreign Language Film
Will win: Tsotsi (South Africa)
Should win: Sophie Scholl: The Final Days (Germany)
Makeup
Will win: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Should win: Star Wars, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Music (Score)
Will win: Brokeback Mountain
Should win: The Constant Gardener
Music (Song)
Will win: "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" from Hustle and Flow
Should win: "Travelin' Thru," from Transamerica
Best Picture
Will win: Crash
Should win: Good Night, and Good Luck
Short Film (Animated)
Will win: Badgered
Should win: 9
Short Film (Live Action)
Will win: Our Time Is Up
Should win: Six Shooter
Sound Editing
Will win: King Kong
Should win: War of the Worlds
Sound Mixing
Will win: Walk the Line
Should win: Walk the Line
Visual Effects
Will win: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Should win: King Kong
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Will win: Brokeback Mountain
Should win: Capote
Writing (Original Screenplay)
Will win: Crash
Should win: The Squid and the Whale
We'll see how accurate these predictions turn out to be next Sunday night. Jon Stewart, it's your cue!
No comments:
Post a Comment