Oscar Commentary
Published February 12, 2003
I haven't seen enough of the nominated films this year to form an opinion, but a one of my favorite participants at the Boar's Head Tavern has, and he has graciously granted me permission to reprint his comments here. Since the writing is not my own, I'll forgo my usual personal Amazon-linking within the piece in deference to BlogCritics' Amazon-linking at the end.
And now, ladies and gentleman, Scott Ward:
The Official Scott Ward Oscar Commentary
Best Picture
Nominated: Chicago, Gangs of New York, The Hours, The Two Towers, The Pianist
Will Win: Chicago
Should Win: The Two Towers
Should Have Been Nominated: Spirited Away
What the Hell?: The Hours?! Gangs of New York?!Best Actor
Nominated: Adrian Brody (The Pianist), Nicholas Cage (Adaptation), Michael Caine (The Quiet American), Daniel Day-Lewis (Gangs of New York), Jack Nicholson (About Schmidt)
Will Win: Toss-Up, Daniel Day-Lewis and Jack Nicholson
Should Win: Daniel Day-Lewis
Should Have Been Nominated: Tom Hanks (Road to Perdition and Catch Me If You Can), Richard Gere (Chicago)
What the Hell?: Good Collection of Actors Here. I'm a little shocked at my own addition of Richard Gere, tho.Best Actress
Nominated: Salma Hayek (Frida), Nicole Kidman (The Hours), Diane Lane (Unfaithful), Julianne Moore (Far From Heaven), Renee Zellweger (Chicago)
Will Win: Nicole Kidman
Should Win: Salma Hayek
Should Have Been Nominated: Samantha Morton (Minority Report)
What the Hell?: Renee Zellweger?!Supporting Actor
Nominated: Chris Cooper, "Adaptation"; Ed Harris, "The Hours"; Paul Newman, "Road to Perdition"; John C. Reilly, "Chicago"; Christopher Walken, "Catch Me If You Can."
Will Win: Christopher Walken
Should Win: Christopher Walken and Paul Newman
Should Have Been Nominated: Andy Serkis (The Two Towers)
What the Hell?: John C. Reilly?!Supporting Actress
Nominated: "About Schmidt"; Julianne Moore, "The Hours"; Queen Latifah, "Chicago"; Meryl Streep, "Adaptation"; Catherine Zeta-Jones, "Chicago."
Will Win: Catherine Zeta-Jones
Should Win: Queen Latifah
Should Have Been Nominated: None. Actually a good little collection of actresses here.
What the Hell?: Again, a good little collection.page 1 | 2
- Oscar Commentary
- Published: February 12, 2003
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- Section: Video
- Writer: Phillip Winn
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Comments on this articleComments
Thanks for the post, Phillip. Let me respond:
Andy Serkis: I agree that he probably shouldn't win the Oscar, especially without the WETA team that created him. But since Gollum's expressions, motions, etc. were all based on his performance, I thought a nomination was certainly deserved.
Minority Report: I found this movie completely engrossing, and thought that it was Spielberg's redemption for the disaster that the last 20 minutes of A.I. was. Again, not an Oscar winner methinks, but certainly in the running for nomination.
Treasure Planet: What a disappointment. Granted, Veggie Tales wasn't what I had hoped it could be - but still...
TTT should have been nominated for best adapted screenplay because so much more than one book went into this film. Quotes distinguishing character have been selected from 3 detail-rich rings books and the Hobbit to create an insanely great dialogue between elves and men, wizards and dwarfs, hobbits and trees, etc.
No makeup and no costume for TTT is just absurd. I think Weinstein counterprogrammed his own Oscar vote to win his favorite, Chicago, and it backfired.
But Scorsese gotta be hurtin- Shutout!
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(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/3145)
And now my own opinion: Andy Serkis did a great job as Gollum, but a huge portion of his success was because what he did was new. To award Andy the Oscar but not the CGI team that created Gollum seems odd to me. Ask yourself, was Andy Serkis really as good a supporting actor as, um, any of the nominated actors? I don't think so.
That said, Peter Jackson deserved a nod as director.
Minority Report didn't work for me as a screenplay. I bought the DVD, but only because I found myself (barely) able to ignore gaping plot holes and enjoy the look and feel of the film.
I suspect that they threw a nomination at Treasure Planet because they didn't want to have fewer than five nominated films.