15 Comments

1. Sandy P:

–ANIMATED FEATURE

THE INCREDIBLES… probably really the Best Picture too, but not nominated. Anyway, a lock in this division.–

Did anyone else think the Shrek movies were hyped? I was disappointed in both of them. Except for the mini-Eisner, I used to own DIS.

Feb 24, 2005 - 7:53 pm 2. TedN:

I thought Shrek II was pretty good, but it was no The Incredibles. For that matter, I would have voted The Incredibles soundtrack for best score: great stuff which I kept in rotation for weeks.

Feb 24, 2005 - 8:24 pm 3. Eric Deamer:

For me:

ACTOR — LEADING

I agree with you that Don Cheadle should win and Jamie Foxx will win

ACTOR — SUPPORTING

I liked both Jamie Foxx and Thomas Hayden Church a lot. THC is one of my favorite actors since back to his underrated work on the TV show Wings, where his role as Lloyd unfortunately doomed him not to be taken seriously. This is a really tough call. I can’t imagine the same guy winning both lead and supporting, but I don’t think THC has enough friends in the Academy to win. I think he lives on a ranch in Texas actually. Maybe they’ll give it to Alan Alda in one of those “It’s his turn” type things?

ACTRESS — SUPPORTING

Kate Blanchett will in and deserves to.

ANIMATED FEATURE

Incredible. No contest obvs.

CINEMATOGRAPHY

The Aviator will win instead of House of Flying Daggers which means I’ll have to shoot the TV.

DIRECTING

You’re right.

FILM EDITING

I agree. They will give all these categories to The Aviator to create the “one big movie that wins it all” narrative that’s so important to the Oscars.

BEST PICTURE

This will go to The Aviator. I think they’ve decided this is Marty’s year. (I call him Marty because I’m friends with him and all.) I would love to see Sideways win, but it won’t.

SCREENPLAY — ADAPTED

I think Sideways should win, but I never read the book so I can’t really judge. The Academy will probably give it to them as a consolation prize because they’re shutting them out for everything else.

SCREENPLAY-ORIGINAL

It should go to Kaufman, probably will too. Eternal sunshine should also win best picture, and best director for Michel Ghondry, but it’s not a just world.

I’m glad Chris Rock is hosting, purely because he marks the milestone of being the first host who is younger than baby-boomer generation.

Feb 24, 2005 - 8:30 pm 4. kynna:

What about Clint Eastwood for best actor? He’s a ‘grand old man’ of the movies.

And what about Morgan Freeman for best supporting actor? Seems like they’d want to give him an award based on his body of work. He really is a great actor.

I saw ‘Ray’ and loved Foxx’s performance, but that’s pretty much all I’ve seen. I can only make predictions based on what my friends have seen so I guess I trust your predictions, Roger.

Feb 24, 2005 - 8:33 pm 5. ms anne:

i agree on don cheadle, whose movie and performance touched me deeply.

collateral is an elegant noir film that has been underrated.

but, sorry roger, i disagree on million dollar baby for best actress and best movie–i think it is manipulative and formulaic, not to mention inhumane (compare and contrast with hotel rwanda).

i much prefer annette benning for her diva turn in being julia.

let’s hope chris rock rocks the stuffy house.

Feb 24, 2005 - 8:35 pm 6. thedragonflies:

Scorcese for Director would be good, even though I really liked Clint’s movie better. Scorcese’s big problem is that he is always competing against the other nominees and against his own past: too many say his latest isn’t as good as his earlier works - true, but there aren’t more than a dozen movies ever made that can compete with some of his earlier works. Give the guy his Oscar and let him sleep peacefully for once.

Feb 24, 2005 - 9:33 pm 7. lindenen:

I think Scorsese needs to go off and do some sort of small budget film in only a few weeks. Just from watching his recent films, I think he’s gotten into some sort of a rut in how he works and needs to get himself out. He needs to do something that would disrupt his normal working patterns. Anyway, that’s the opinion of one woman who knows absolutely nothing about directing a film. Ha.

Feb 24, 2005 - 11:23 pm 8. Jeff Harrell:

I know this is technically bad blogtiquette, but since we’re talking about it anyway, I thought I’d mention that I reviewed all five of the “best picture” nominees on my site, plus a special bonus review of a picture I thought should have been on the list but that didn’t get nominated. If any of y’all informed souls wanted to hop on over there and tell me how full of crap I am, that’d be fine. End of pimp.

I’m not personally a member of the “Sideways” fan club. I have my reasons, why I go into in my review, but I’ve gotta say that all in all it just left me cold. And Sandy, I agree that the original Shrek was disappointing. Clever, but not great. Didn’t see the sequel.

I agree with practically everybody that “Million Dollar Baby” was the best movie of the year, but if I had to pick a favorite, it would be “Finding Neverland.”

Feb 24, 2005 - 11:41 pm 9. Macker:

You wrote for Richard Pryor’s TV show? Now THAT was “bleeding edge” comedy for TV 30 years ago. Tell me, you didn’t happen to write the skit where he portrayed Idi Amin, did you? I remember one of the lines where he said, “I love Americans so much, I ate two for lunch!”

Feb 25, 2005 - 6:04 am 10. Patrick Tyson:

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has followed through with plans to move up the date of the Academy Awards from March to February, beginning with the 2004 Oscarcast–which is now slated for February 29, 2004, aka Leap Day.

The Academy had been contemplating the move for several weeks, believing that by pushing up the Oscar date by a month, the show would draw better ratings and the oft-contentious campaigning would be toned down.

Fearless (as if it matters) predictions:

The Aviator doesn’t quite do a Return of the King, but comes close.

The Awards are moved to June in 2006 to allow potential Oscarcast viewers more time to see all the nominees (at home) and to cause the distributors to spend as much on the marketing campaign as the producers spent on the movie.

I’ll be happy if they give Charlie & Co. the Original Screenplay Oscar.

Feb 25, 2005 - 7:58 am 11. richard mcenroe:

Roger ó Did you write the famour Richard Pryor “Ken Doll” censorship sketch?

Feb 25, 2005 - 8:10 am 12. Tassled Loafered Leech:

I went to the Scripter Awards at USC last Sunday and that group also chose MDB over Sideways. Interesting program, the Scripters honors the screenplay and the source material. The award was accepted by the author’s daughter, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the place.

Feb 25, 2005 - 10:58 am 13. Kyda Sylvester:

Since the only movie I saw last year was Collateral (hugely under rated/appreciated), I defer to your impeccable judgement. Story/script and editing are the two elements of film making that most interest me and either one can make or break a film (I found it interesting that when Steven Spielberg accepted his AFI award, he credited his early success to John Williams and Verna Fields, Oscar winning editor of Jaws). I, too, thought the editing was superb, as was Foxx’s performance.

My only exposure to Chris Rock’s standup is cable tv (don’t like his acting at all). Some of what he has to say is interesting, but seldom elicits a laugh (from me, that is–his audiences apparently think he’s quite funny). I found Pryor enormously funny and exited from an Eddie Murphy concert once holding my face because it hurt from laughing so hard, so language obviously isn’t a problem. I guess it all just boils down to different strokes.

Feb 25, 2005 - 12:06 pm 14. Vexorg:

Counterpoint on Million Dollar Baby:

Link

Next week: Skip Bayless tells us what he really thinks of this movie.

Feb 25, 2005 - 11:43 pm 15. Vexorg:

Ack, still haven’t figured out this stuff:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=bayless/050225

Feb 25, 2005 - 11:44 pm

Write a Comment

Name:	(required, displayed)
Email:	(required, not publicized)
URL:	(optional, displayed) remember personal info?
Comments: