Let's hear everyone's official, Academy Awards...

[Guest Downhome]

Please try to only predict the ones which you truly feel you can predict. Ok, I will only list the ones which I am able to actually say who I truly believe will win or not. Keep in mind, these picks are who I actually think will win, not who I want to win in every case...

 

1) Best Picture --- Chicago

 

2) Achievement in Directing --- Roman Polanski for The Pianist

 

3) Best Actor in a Leading Role --- Daniel Day-Lewis in Gangs of New York

 

4) Best Supporting Actor --- Christopher Walken in Catch Me If You Can

 

5) Best Actress in a Leading Role --- Renée Zellweger in Chicago

 

6) Best Supporting Actress --- Catherine Zeta-Jones in Chicago

 

7) Best Animated Feature Film --- Spirited Away

 

8) Best Adapted Screenplay --- Adaptation

 

9) Best Original Screenplay --- My Big Fat Greek Wedding

 

10) Achievement in Art Direction --- Chicago

 

11) Achievement in Cinematography --- The Pianist

 

12) Achievement in Costume Design --- Chicago

 

13) Best Documentary Feature --- Bowling For Columbine

 

14) Best Film Editing --- The Hours

 

15) Achievement in Makeup --- The Time Machine

 

16) Best Original Score --- The Hours

 

17) Original Song --- "Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile, by Eminem

 

18) Achievement in Sound --- The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers

 

19) Achievement in Sound Editing --- The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers

 

20) Best Visual Effects --- Best Visual Effects

 

...there ya go, these are the only ones I can try to predict, as in the other category's, I have yet to see each film in them.

 

Sincerely,

...Downhome...

[Guest NoCalMike]

Martin Scorciese(sp?) for Best Director. If he wins that, all is good, all is just. Other than that, I am rooting AGAINST, ANYTHING-Chicago.

[Guest WrestlingDeacon]

This is a post I made when nominations came out, but I pretty much stand by it.

 

Best Picture

'Chicago'

-A great pocket of the Academy really hated Moulin Rogue last year and thought that it pissed on the corpse of the movie musical. Chicago is the perfect film to not only placate these people, but those who are always looking for films that have that classic Hollywood aire. Gangs of New York has that too, but it fell way short of being the cultural event it was supposed to have been and it wouldn't surprise me if it didn't win any major awards, although I think it will for being a labor of love for Scorsese alone. The Hours is a too small chick flick. The Pianist is your art house flick and the Twin Towers is your mainstream blockbuster. I'd almost call this a lock for Chicago right now.

 

Best Actor

Jack Nicholson, 'About Schmidt'

 

-There's nobody here the Academy owes, so look for them to go with the person they like most. Jack was a very gracious winner last time and always is good for press. This win would also break all kinds of records and give the awards some extra post show juice. Lewis got phenomenal reviews for Gangs of New York and his last win predates those of Cage and Caine. Brody is very interesting, but unless The Pianist goes on some sort of weird sweep, he doesn't have a hope in hell.

 

Best Actress

Renée Zellweger, 'Chicago'

 

-Chicago needs a win in another big category to solidify its win for best picture and this is the best place to take it. Julianne Moore is going to cancel herself out. Diane Lane and Salma Hayek were nominated pretty much because everyone said they should be, but they don't have a ground swell of support going on. The Academy wants to award the Hours somewhere and this is good to show there is no hard feelings against Nicole when the "Chicago good, Moulin Rouge bad" message starts leaking out. However, I think The Hours will get the traditional runner up award in the screenplay category. The Academy also really likes Zellwegger.

 

Best Supporting Actor

Ed Harris, 'The Hours'

-Best supporting actor traditionally goes to the old fart they owe. They owe Harris big time and it would be just like the Academy to give it to him for a picture he doesn't have a lot to do with as a bigger nod to his past work. Giving the award to Newman would be a bit of an insult to him and they feel they've already payed their due to him. Walken is too unpredictable, but he's a nice name to toss out for press. Reilly is a hardworking character like Jim Broadbent who won last year and Chicago could get on a roll.

 

Best Supporting Actress

Catherine Zeta-Jones, 'Chicago'

 

-More of a default win for Jones that anything else. Moore, as I said, cancels herself out, but could pick it up here. Giving a supporting award to Streep would seem like a slap in the face, much like with Newman. However, Bates is reinventing herself as a supporting actress, but Schmidt being seen as Jack’s movie will hurt her. Giving it to Queen Latifah could further quiet down those who cry racism at the Oscars, but the Academy feels that they’ve shut people up for the time being with Berry and Washington last year. Awarding both female leads for Chicago looks good too in the long run for the film.

 

Best Director

Martin Scorsese, 'Gangs of New York'

 

-I’d say this is Scorsese’s. This film was a labor of love for him and the Academy’s chances to finally reward him is growing thinner as he grows older and works less. It also doesn’t damage a musical like Chicago to be best picture without winning best director. Nominating Polanski is a nice gesture, but giving him the award opens up a whole kettle of fish. Giving best director to Daldry would be a way to split the focus of how I look for the awards to fall. Being that Hollywood should be getting back to doing smaller more dramatic pictures like The Hours and glitzy old school crowd pleasers like Chicago.

 

Best Original Screenplay

Todd Haynes, 'Far From Heaven'

 

-The two foreign films here are very intriguing, but they’re not going to win a screenplay award from the American academy. Rewarding a little comedy that could like My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and honoring a woman, is great for the screenplay category. However, the screenplay awards usually play into rewarding the films that got passed over for the other big awards that the Academy still wants to make sure get noticed.

 

Best Adapted Screenplay

David Hare, 'The Hours'

 

-Pretty much what I said above about rewarding the also-rans. Nominating an imaginary brother looks cute, but you’re not going to look foolish and possibly fall flat on your face by giving them the win.

 

Best Animated Feature Film

'Lilo and Stitch'

 

-This is about traditional animation vs. computer wizardy. With cgi winning last year and Lilo and Stitch having a sly off kilter sense of humor, I favor them here.

 

Best Foreign Language Film

'The Crime of Father Amaro' ('El Crimen del Padre Amaro'), Mexico

'Hero', People's Republic of China

'Nowhere in Africa', Germany

'The Man Without a Past', Finland

'Zus & Zo', the Netherlands

 

-This is usually a toss up. Go with what is most accessible to American fans.

 

Art Direction

'Gangs of New York'

 

-This would be a good place to give the Two Towers its token win, but I think something more minor in the sound category will get it. I look for Gangs to do a nice showing in the top technical categories as it is a visually stunning film and it beefs up the chances of a Scorsese director win.

 

Cinematography

'Gangs of New York'

 

-That classical Hollywood feel could really help Far From Heaven here, but cinematography traditionally goes to sweeping epics with a lot of majestic and grand shots. Again, a win here bodes well for Scorsese later.

 

Costume Design

'Chicago'

 

-Not only is it a musical, but Chicago is also a historical musical. Although, Gangs falls more into the costume drama and historical drama categories. I see this being very neck in neck.

 

Documentary Feature

'Bowling For Columbine'

'Daughter From Danang'

'Prisoner of Paradise'

'Spellbound'

'Winged Migration'

 

-Don’t know much about the picks here. I think it would be funny to give Moore the win just to spite him and then watch him get all humbled and weepy at winning.

 

Documentary Short Subject

'The Collector of Bedford Street'

'Mighty Times: The Legacy of Rosa Parks'

'Twin Towers'

'Why Can't We Be a Family Again?'

 

-Rosa Parks could be your token African American offering this year, but again I’m not too up on these picks.

 

Film Editing

'Gangs of New York'

 

-Again, Gangs sweeps the awards linked most closely to directing.

 

Makeup

'Frida'

 

-This usually goes to the showy sci-fi/horror film, but I think honoring Frida here over a late winter flop makes sense here.

 

Music (Score)

'Far From Heaven'

 

-Getting that mood of an old Douglas Sirk film is all about the look and the music. The Hours also has a nice golden age Hollywood sounding score.

 

Music (Song)

'The Hands That Built America' from 'Gangs of New York'

 

-You think it goes to a musical, but Chicago has been around for years. Traditionally this goes to the biggest musical name and going U2 over Paul Simon is a little more hip. Bono will also most likely use the win to give nods to all the causes he supports and one bleeding heart is always good for sympathy. For Eminem, it’s much like with South Park’s nod a few years ago, it shows that the Academy can be hip and with it, but you don’t want reward that.

 

 

Short Film (Animated)

'The Cathedral'

'The Chubbchubbs!'

'Das Rad'

'Mike's New Car'

'Mt. Head'

 

Short Film (Live Action)

'Fair D'Hiver'

'I'll Wait for the Next One ...' ('J'attendrai le Suivant...')

'Inja' ('Dog')

'Johnny Flynton

'This Charming Man' ('Der er en Yndig Mand')

 

-Don’t know much of these nominees. I usually research a bit more closer to the Oscar date or just pick whatever has the coolest sounding name.

 

Sound

'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'

 

-Here’s where the Two Towers can pick up some token wins to keep the ball rolling to what might be a big show for them next year. If Chicago gets on a sweep an early and minor award like this would be a good indication of it.

 

Sound Editing

'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'

 

-See above. Throwing Road to Perdition one single bone could happen though.

 

Visual Effects

'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'

 

-Here’s where you Gollum lovers can be vindicated. If the Two Towers wins nothing else it will win this. Usually the biggest blockbuster of the year picks up some technical award to give it a little credit, but Spider-Man pales in comparison to the Lord of the Rings.

[Guest hardyz1]

It may be counterproductive to this thread, but Chicago makes me want to kill someone. First it was Moulin Rouge, now this piece of shit. I hear more fucking musicals are on their way to give the Academy orgasms. Worst fucking trend ever.

 

Best Picture: Some piece of shit

Best Director: Peter Ja...oh wait, I'll have to say "nobody"

 

I'm too angry to finish. Combine the piece of shit with the major screwjob and that's too much for me. (No, I don't think Two Towers should win Best Picture.)

[Guest Lord of The Curry]

1) Best Picture- I hoping for Gangs of New York but the logical side of me says Chicago is taking it (even if it doesn't deserve it.)

 

2) Best Actor- Daniel Day Lewis, Gangs of New York. If Nicholson wins I swear to fucking God I'm putting a brick through my T.V

 

3) Best Actress- Julianne Moore, Far From Heaven.

 

4) Best Supporting Actress- Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chicago.

 

5) Best Supporting Actor- Chris Cooper, Adaptation.

 

6) Best Director- Marty S, Gangs of NY

[Guest Ravenbomb]

Best Pic: Gangs of New York

Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, GONY

Actress: Renee Zellweger, Chicago

Sup. Actor: Christopher Walken, Catch Me If You Can

Sup. Actress: Cathrine Zeta-Jones, Chicago

Director: Martin F'n Scorsese, GONY

Animated Feature: Spirited Away

 

other than that, LOTR will prob. get some tech. stuff, Screenplay will go to whoever.

[Mecha Mummy 0]

The only one I feel like I can predict is Best Animated. And why is that? Because I saw Spirited Away. Lilo and Stitch comes close, but Miyazaki is GOD.

[Guest El Satanico]

Best Picture - Chicago

 

I think the only movie with a chance of defeating Chicago is The Hours. Sure I'd love to see LOTR: TT, but I enjoyed Chicago(bah to you that blindly hate musicals) so I can live with it winning.

 

 

Achievement in Directing - Martin Scorcese for Gangs of New York

 

Sure Scorcese winning would basically be a Lifetime Achievement award, but who cares he deserves it. Also, while Gangs wasn't amazing it wouldn't be a totaly robbery if it won so let Marty have it.

 

 

Best Actor in a Leading Role - Daniel Day-Lewis in Gangs of New York

 

I'd really love to see Jack win, but I just don't see it happening.

 

 

Best Supporting Actor - Ed Harris in The Hours

 

I haven't seen The Hours, but since the Academy seems to really like it I'd say this is where the Academy will throw it a bone.

 

 

Best Actress in a Leading Role - Renée Zellweger in Chicago

 

The sweep should continue here, but Salma Hayek is a dark horse that could pull off a shocker ala Marisa Tomei

 

 

Best Supporting Actress - Catherine Zeta-Jones in Chicago

 

The sweep should continue here, but Latifah could cause a problem here as i think she'll get alot of votes. Meryl Streep could end up "stealing" it.

 

 

Best Adapted Screenplay - Adaptation

 

The Academy's version of a knee slapping joke. "Ha ha a movie named Adaption won best adapted screenplay...GET IT!...ahaha"

 

 

Best Original Screenplay - My Big Fat Greek Wedding

 

The Academy will throw a bone to the most successful Indie film ever and to the wife of The Academy's Golden Boy Tom Hanks.

 

 

Achievement in Art Direction - Chicago

 

The Academy loves Historical films and Musicals...case closed

 

 

Achievement in Cinematography -

 

I'd like to see Road to Perdition win, but I haven't seen The Pianist or Far From Heaven so won't make a prediction.

 

 

Achievement in Costume Design - Chicago

 

The Academy loves Historical films and Musicals...case closed

 

 

Achievement in Makeup - Frida

 

I can't see Time Machine winning since Frida is considered a good movie.

 

 

Original Song - "Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile, by Eminem

 

This is where the Academy shows that they're "hip" and "with it" and all that type shit.

 

 

Achievement in Sound - The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers

 

Achievement in Sound Editing - The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers

 

Best Visual Effects - The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers

 

Here are the bones that they will throw to LOTR this year.

[Guest redbaron51]

I'm hoping that Bowling For Columbine wins best Documentary

[Guest MDH257]

Best Picture

Chicago

Gangs of New York

The Hours

LOTR: The Two Towers

The Pianist

 

Chicago is a runaway train that can't be stopped.

 

Best Director:

Rob Marshall, Chicago

 

I really hope Scorsese wins, but Marshall won the Director's Guild award. Scorsese had never won that either and they gave it to Marshall. The DGA award is over 50 years old and in all those years the DGA and Oscar have gone to different prople only 5 times.

 

Best Actor

Jack Nicholson

 

Don't be suprised if Adrien Brody gets it. Since I'm pretty sure they want to give The Pianist something.

 

Best Actress

Renee Zelwegger

 

Best Supporting Actor

Chris Cooper

 

Best Supporting Actress

Catherine Zeta-Jones

 

Best Original Screenplay

Far From Heaven

Gangs of New York

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Talk to Her

Y Tu Mama Tambien

 

GONY's script has gotten too much bad pubicity. They'll see the nominaton for Greek Wedding as a victory in itself. That leaves Far From Heaven and two foriegn films. Logic says The foriegn films will cancel each other out. For some reason I've got a feeling about Y Tu Mama.

 

Best Adapted Screenplay

The Hours

 

Best Cinematography

Road to Perdition

 

Best Animated Feature

Lilo & Stich

 

Best Editing

Chigago

 

Best Documentary

Daughter from Danang

 

I would love to see Bowling for Columbine win, but it has too many people trying to discredit it and the studios aren't screening the other films. So not that many people will actually get to vote in this catagory.

 

Best Docuentary Short

Twin Towers

 

It's about 9-11. It'll get the sympathy vote.

 

Best Original Score

The Hours

 

Best Original Song

U2 for Gangs of New York

 

If the acadamy cared about looking hip, they would have given this award to South Park a couple of years ago.

 

Best Art Direction

Chicago

 

Best Live Action Short

Inja

 

Best Animated Short

Mike's New Car

 

Best Foreign Language Film

Nowhere in Africa

 

Best Sound

Chicago

 

Best Sound Editing

Lord of the Rings

 

Best Costume Design

Chicago

 

Best Visual Effects

Lord of the Rings

 

Best Makeup

Frida

[Guest Crucifixio Jones]

Best Picture - Chicago

 

Best Actor - Daniel Day-Lewis

 

Best Actress - I want Salma to win, but

it's a toss up between Julianne Moore and Nicole Kidman; leaning towards Kidman

 

Best Supporting Actor - I want Ed Harris but prolly Chris Cooper

 

Best Supporting Actress - I want Queen Latifah but it's a toss up between Streep and Moore, leaning towards Moore. Could very well turn into a Zeta-Jones corronation, though

 

Best Director - Scorsese

[Guest Ravenbomb]

Marshall got the DGA? Damnit! Why can't they ever give Scorsese the award?! Last time he was nominated they gave it to Kevin fricken Cosnar.

[Guest El Satanico]

Marshall got the DGA? Damnit! Why can't they ever give Scorsese the award?! Last time he was nominated they gave it to Kevin fricken Costner.

Bet the Academy regrets naming Kevin Costner best director now.

[Guest Ravenbomb]

I'm sure they do. I wanna know what they have against Scorsese.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

Why did they hate Moulin Rouge? I loved Moulin Rouge.

 

One of the few movies I still cry at when I watch it.

[Guest Lord of The Curry]

I haven't seen About Schmidt but I don't care. If Nicholson wins I'm putting a fuckin brick through my T.V. This year is the year of D-Day.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

Why did they hate Moulin Rouge? I loved Moulin Rouge.

 

One of the few movies I still cry at when I watch it.

I've heard it was because it was directed by an Aussie, or something stupid like that.

 

They have the same problem with Peter Jackson being from New Zealand.

[Guest WrestlingDeacon]

No, they hated Moulin Rouge because it was a piece of shit. As I said above, it pisses all over the corpse of the classic Hollywood musical by doing ludicrous covers of pre-exististing songs while going for the gaudy and bawdy over well executed and staged set pieces. The old guard still in the academy found it mocking and disgraceful and that's part of the reason a movie like Chicago has gotten so many nominations and will probably sweep a good many categories.

[Guest spiny norman]

I think Moulin Rouge! is hated because it is different. It changed the common perception of a movie musical, and some people really didn't understand it. People hate things they don't understand.

[Guest Nanks]

I predict that everyone who gets a nod will spend about 20 minutes hijacking the frickin show preaching their anti-war senitments and make the whole show totally unwatchable. The Academy will continue to try and squash the Aussie takeover of Hollywood but ignoring Nicole again and showering Chicago with gongs to spit in Baz Luhrmann's face.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

I don't think it pisses on anything.

 

So they didn't do the same old musical. So what it was still a good movie and Ewan MacGreggor was freakin awesome.

[Guest WrestlingDeacon]

It's all opinion. You either love Moulin Rouge or hate it. There is no middle ground. I'm in the camp that found it pretensious, annoying, silly and completely lost as it what a musical is or even a real movie for that matter. I can usually watch a film and say "ok, I hate it, but I can understand why someone might like it." I couldn't do that with Moulin Rouge. Every three seconds my brain screamed for me to go get a mellon baller to scoop my eyes out with.

[Guest Lethargic]

I have hated musicals my entire life with a total passionate kind of hatred and I loved Moulin Rouge. I loved it enough that it's making me want to start trying out some of the older musicals. I think it's probably more likely that people that hate musicals would like this one, than musical fans would. I think it's a great starting point for people like that. I used to be that with foreign movies as well. I didn't want to READ a movie. That's stupid! But then I saw The Vanishing and City of Lost Children and I was all over the foreign stuff.

 

Who cares about the Oscars? Idependent Spirit Awards are tomorrow night! woo hoo

[Guest MDH257]

I went 13/24 on my predictions, a .541 average.

I wish Scorsese had won.