Best Picture
Let's do this by process of elimination. Sadly, the first to go is "Finding Neverland." Despite stellar performances by leading man Johnny Depp and co-star Kate Winslet, this movie just doesn't have the stunningly inventive plot or big-budget ad campaign to woo the Academy. And, unfortunately, being a diamond in the rough just doesn't cut it on Oscar night.
Likewise, the "Sideways" crowd should save the money on their tuxes and go bowling on Sunday night instead. "Sideways" is a solid film with dark horse appeal, but it is so far inferior to the other four in terms of supporting cast and cinematography that it doesn't stand a chance.
At this point, one can also safely discount "Ray" from the running. Jamie Foxx (deservedly) has the Best Actor Award locked up, but unfortunately for the film as a whole, Foxx gave such a breathtaking performance that the rest of the movie pales in comparison.
And now it comes down to the real Oscar race, pitting a low-budget, hard-hitting emotional drama against the only movie that is glamorous enough to transcend superficiality and deliver a potent punch. In the final count, Scorsese's biopic "The Aviator" can't quite touch the unsurpassable raw talent of "Million Dollar Baby's" cast, but it will nonetheless be Eastwood's 'Baby' that gets knocked out on Sunday.
Is it frustrating that conventional Hollywood glitz triumphs yet again over a quiet masterpiece? Yes. But that's what Oscar night is all about.
- Kelly Rizzetta
Best Director
Scorsese's number must be up by now right? You can put out "Taxi Driver" (1976) and not win, follow that up with "Raging Bull" (1980) and still not win. Changing your style and releasing "Goodfellas" (1990) will still not get your Oscar. "The Aviator" may not compare to these films, but if it doesn't win Scorsese Best Director then I'd venture to say that the only way for Scorsese to go from here would be a three-hour biopic about himself. Sure, Eastwood is one of those old fellas too, but he's not a veteran on the Scorsese scale. The other candidates, Taylor Hackford ("Ray"), Mike Leigh ("Vera Drake") and Alexander Payne ("Sideways") are either too young or too alternative to actually win.
- Valerie Chung
Best Actor
Here's a message for Don, Clint, Leonardo, and yes, even swoon-worthy Johnny: sorry boys, don't even bother preparing acceptance speeches this year. Though there are some stellar performances in this category, particularly by Don Cheadle in "Hotel Rwanda," Jamie Foxx has got this one cinched for his unforgettable portrayal of America's high priest of jazz, the late, great Ray Charles. Twitching and swaying his way through "Ray," Foxx mimicked Charles' distinctive physical ticks with an almost-eerie accuracy. Furthermore, by showing the man's many faces -the womanizing junkie, the guilt-ridden child, the musical innovator, and the resilient spirit - Foxx lent the role a complexity that made the sometimes-unsubtle biopic soar. Also nominated this year for his supporting role as a wily cabbie in "Collateral," Foxx is the first black performer to receive two Oscar nods in the same year. As if Foxx's magnetic performance in "Ray" wasn't enough, the fact that Charles died this past summer clinches it: expect to hear another tearful thank you to Grandma Foxx come Sunday night.
- Jacqueline Houton
Best Actress
Dumb luck, pure shock value, and how ugly an actress will become for a role seem to be the standard for choosing Best Actress year after year.
But according to difficult mathematical calculations, the lunar calendar, and my psychic friend, this should be Kate Winslet's year-it's the young actress's fourth nomination-for the offbeat love tale "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." Her take on an almost-trite role added a depth to the film and made for one of the most intriguing breakups on screen.
With "Million Dollar Baby" poised to take home about a million little gold statuettes, let this category break the norm. While Hillary Swank's gritty performance has clinched her status on Hollywood's A-list after what some considered a fluke win for "Boys Don't Cry" (1999), she can't expect another trophy so soon.
The competition, as always, is fierce: veteran Annette Bening is on her third nomination for "Being Julia," while newcomer Catalina Sandino Moreno in "Maria Full of Grace" stands a chance as the unknown. But Winlset will hopefully take home the statuette.
- Stephanie Vallejo
Adapted Screenplay
This category is almost a foregone conclusion. Every year, there's that one quirky comedy that everyone loves. It gets nominated for every award possible, receives a lot of unexpected press, and ultimately doesn't take home any of the big awards but gets a screenplay award as consolation. (Think "Lost in Translation," or "Good Will Hunting.") "Sideways" fits so well into this category that it's ridiculous. Expect it to take this award. It's main competition, "Million Dollar Baby," seems destined for bigger things. "Before Sunset" was mostly improvised, "Finding Neverland" is just happy to be nominated, and "Motorcycle Diaries" would be a sweet, but nearly unthinkable choice.
Original Screenplay
After years of critical and audience approval, eccentric writer Charlie Kaufman seems destined to make the third time a charm and take home this award for his work on "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," also a favorite for the Longest Title Award. "The Incredibles" would be a, well, incredible selection, but probably doesn't deserve the honor. "The Aviator," like "Million Dollar Baby," seems destined for bigger things. And while "Hotel Rwanda" and "Vera Drake" are both worthy films, both fall into the happy-to-be-there category.
-Both by Dave Cavell
Cinematography
"A Very Long Engagement,"Jean-Pierre Jeunet's follow up to "Amelie," evades the wartime love story's common turn into dullness and monotony by employing sweeping long shots that give it a mystical and fable-like quality. It is shot in sepia and umber, giving a great vision of the film's setting.
The love story in "House of Flying Daggers" is made emotional and personal by intense color schemes and highly charged fighting scenes that are accentuated by the angles employed to capture them.
"The Passion of the Christ" takes the audience up-close and personal, via a merry-go-round of shots that circle around the violent action scenes and then zoom into the flesh wounds, invading the body. "Phantom of the Opera" is made up of many memorable images, from the rising chandelier in the beginning, to the grave on which a candlelit rose is placed that makes up the final scene.
"The Aviator" should rise above its tough competition, and it has very little to do with Leonardo DiCaprio. Cinematographer Robert Richardson creation of powerful flying and plane crash scenes did wonders for this biopic's overall appeal. It is this application of creative filming to the genre that distinguishes the film and is why Richardson deserves the Oscar.
-Abbey Keith
