OSCAR NOMINATIONS!

Typically, this is the time of year when I fall behind, what with Sundance and all. This year is certainly no different, and while I have about ten different things I'm working on, I thought I'd take a few minutes to do a little profile on the recently announced Oscar Nominations. While it's clear that the Oscars are quite often nothing more than a self congratulatory popularity contest, I'm still a huge fan. I guess you could say the Academy Awards are my Super Bowl.

BEST PICTURE

The Aviator

Finding Neverland

Million Dollar Baby

Ray

Sideways

I have yet to see Million Dollar Baby, but the one that really sticks out for me is the absence of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. As much as I enjoyed Ray, I would have made a swap there. Eternal was one of the most innovative films of the year, and while it was recognized in a few categories, I really think it deserved a picture nom.

BEST ACTOR

Don Cheadle - Hotel Rwanda

Johnny Depp - Finding Neverland

Leonardo DiCaprio - The Aviator

Clint Eastwood - Million Dollar Baby

Jamie Foxx - Ray

What's that I smell? Oh yeah, I remember...BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!! Where the hell is Paul Giamatti!!!!! I am positively disgusted. After an outstanding turn in 2003's American Splendor, Giamatti topped himself with his beautiful work in Sideways. With Church and Madsen getting recognition, this is just a big slap in the face. A crime! Having said that, I'm kind of bummed that Jim Carrey wasn't remembered for his career highlight in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I also thought Christian Bale was great in The Machinist but knew he was a long shot. I have yet to see Hotel Rwanda and Million Dollar Baby, and I know the competition was fierce, but not having Giamatti up there feels all wrong.

BEST ACTRESS

Anette Benning - Being Julia

Catalina Sandino Moreno - Maria Full of Grace

Imelda Staunton - Vera Drake

Hilary Swank - Million Dollar Baby

Kate Winslet - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

These are terrific choices although I have yet to see three of them (Being Julia, Vera Drake, and Million Dollar Baby). I felt Maria Full of Grace was a tad overrated. I liked Moreno's work, but I would have given Uma Thurman the nod over her for her outstanding physical and emotional turn in Kill Bill.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Alan Alda -The Aviator

Thomas Haden Church -Sideways

Jamie Foxx - Collateral

Morgan Freeman - Million Dollar Baby

Clive Owen - Closer

Again, great choices, but I would have given a nod to David Carradine for his playful heavy in Kill Bill Volume 2 over Alan Alda in The Aviator. I also thought Mark Wahlberg was a scream in I Heart Huckabees. And finally, a special shout out to Colm Meaney who gave one of the most entertaining performances no one saw in the Irish gem Intermission.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Cate Blanchett - The Aviator

Laura Linney - Kinsey

Virginia Madsen - Sideways

Sophie Okonedo - Hotel Rwanda

Natalie Portman - Closer

Ashley Judd gave the performance of her career in De-Lovely, but I suppose it could be argued that that was a lead performance. Still, it would have been nice to see her name on the list. I also loved Rosemary Harris in Spider-Man 2. Her turn really added drama to that outstanding comic book adaptation. Portman was great in Closer but better in Garden State. Great choices otherwise, particularly Linney and Madsen.

BEST DIRECTOR

Clint Eastwood - Million Dollar Baby

Taylor Hackford - Ray

Mike Leigh - Vera Drake

Alexander Payne - Sideways

Martin Scorsese - The Aviator

Ray was good but I would have gone with Michel Gondry for his creative Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Mel Gibson's polarizing but passionate The Passion of the Christ. Pretty odd that Mike Leigh got the nod for Vera Drake while Marc Forster's best picture nominee Finding Neverland is absent in this category. We've seen this happen before, but it never makes much sense to me.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

John Logan - The Aviator

Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry, and Pierre Bismuth - Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind

Terry George and Keir Pearson - Hotel Rwanda

Brad Bird - The Incredibles

Mike Leigh - Vera Drake

I have yet to see Vera Drake, but I quite liked Bill Condon's screenplay for the provocative Kinsey, a film that was virtually shut out save for Laura Linney's outstanding supporting performance. And what about Quentin Tarantino who once again dazzled audiences with his playful dialogue in Kill Bill: Volume 2. The little seen Intermission was mean spirited but incredibly witty, while the British import Shaun of the Dead deserves props for hilarious dialogue and a creative plot with more inside genre jokes than you could possibly imagine. I also thought David O. Russell's I Heart Huckabees was very entertaining and incredibly misunderstood.

BEST SCREENPLAY ADAPTATION

Richard Linklater, Kim Krizan, Julie Delphy, and Ethan Hawke - Before Sunset

David Magee - Finding Neverland

Paul Haggis - Million Dollar Baby

Jose Rivera - The Motorcycle Diaries

Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor - Sideways

I think it's great that Before Sunset is up there. Spider-Man 2 gave me faith in the comic book genre, but films like that are usually passed by. Closer really deserved a nod for it's harsh look at unstable relationships.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Robert Richardson - The Aviator

Xiaoding Zhao - House of Flying Daggers

Matt Chesse - Finding Neverland

Joel Cox - Million Dollar Baby

Paul Hirsch - Ray

I'm bummed that Collateral isn't recognized, particularly when you take into account that it was shot digitally. Beautiful, vibrant work. The Passion of the Christ should be up there too. And what about the stunning cinematography in Team America (no I'm not kidding). Bill Pope shot those puppets as if they were people. Great work.

BEST EDITING

Thelma Schoonmaker - The Aviator

Jim Miller and Paul Rubell - Collateral

Matt Chesse - Finding Neverland

Joel Cox - Million Dollar Baby

Paul Hirsch - Ray

These titles are all worthy, but it amazes me that many terrific effects heavy pictures were completely ignored. Meshing effects with live action seamlessly is no easy task, and Spider-Man 2 and Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow did expert jobs of it. And how about Team America? A brilliantly crafted poke at Jerry Bruckheimer style actioneers.

BEST ART DIRECTION

Dante Ferretti - The Aviator

Gemma Jackson - Finding Neverland

Rick Heinrichs - Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events

Anthony Pratt - The Phantom of the Opera

Aline Bonetto, Mathieu Junot, and Delphine Mabed - A Very Long Engagement

I haven't hidden the fact that I wasn't a very big fan of The Phantom of the Opera, but in terms of visual style, it was well put together. It would have been cool to see Life Aquatic on the list. While I was disappointed in that movie overall, I loved the way it looked, particularly Zissou's ship.

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Sandy Powell - The Aviator

Alexander Byrne and Mary Kelly-Finding Neverland

Colleen Atwood and Donna O'Neal-Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events

Sharen Davis-Ray

Bob Ringwood-Troy

Again, The Passion of the Christ was ignored. Bummer.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Jan A.P. Kaczmarek-Finding Neverland

John Williams-Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Thomas Newman-Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events

John Debney-The Passion of the Christ

James Newton Howard-The Village

All five of these scores are perfect.

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart-"Learn to Be Lonely"-The Phantom of the Opera

Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri-"Believe"-The Polar Express

David Bryson, Adam Duritz, David Immergluck, Matthew Malley, and Dan Vickery-"Accidentally in Love"-Shrek 2

Jorge Drexler-"Al Otro Lado Del Rio"-The Motorcycle Diaries

Bruno Coulais and Christophe Barratier-"Look to Your Path"-The Chorus

A fairly week year for songs. It would have been cool to see something from Team: America. Too naughty I suppose, although South Park: The Movie got a nomination in this category. Could you imagine a live version of America, Fuck Yeah? In my dreams.

BEST MAKEUP

Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events

The Passion of the Christ

The Sea Inside

Haven't seen The Sea Inside yet, but the other choices are more than worthy. Shaun of the Dead should have been up there, and even though I wasn't a big fan, that Dawn of the Dead remake had some pretty good effects.

BEST SOUND

Tom Fleischman and Petur Hliddal-The Aviator

Randy Thom, Gary Rizzo, Doc Kane, and Vince Caro-The Incredibles

William B. Kaplan, Randy Thom, Tom Johnson, and Dennis S. Sands-The Polar Express

Ray

Spider-Man 2

Great choices, but it would have been nice to see Sky Captain in the fold.

BEST SOUND EDITING

The Incredibles

The Polar Express

Spider-Man 2

Again, great choices, but Sky Captain would have been nice.

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

I, Robot

Spider-Man 2

They need to extend this to five nominees. Sky Captain and The Polar Express would have rounded it out perfectly.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

The Incredibles

Shrek 2

Shark Tale

They should have knocked this down to two entries and nixed Shark Tale. Either that or Team America and Sky Captain should have been eligible.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Les Choristes-France

Der Untergang-Germany

Mar adentro-Spain

Sa Som i himmelen-Sweden

Yesterday-South Africa

I'm kind of surprised that Motorcycle Diaries, Maria Full of Grace, and A Very Long Engagement aren't up there. They must have been ineligible for some reason.

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids

Geschichte vom weinenden Kamel, Die

Super Size Me

Tupac: Resurrection

Twist of Faith

Super Size Me! YES!!!! I'm pleased with the exclusion of Fahrenheit 9/11. I thought Touching the Void (I love that movie) would get the nod, but frankly, it's more of a re-creation so it doesn't really bug me that it's not up there.

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

Autism Is a World

The Children of Leningradsky

Hardwood

Mighty Times: The Children's March

Sister Rose's Passion

BEST ANIMATED SHORT

Lorenzo

Ryan

Birthday Boy

Gopher Broke

Guard Dog

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT

Everything In This Country Must

Little Terrorist

In the Morning

Two Cars, One Night

Wasp

I'm pleased with the nominees, more or less. I'm pissed at the exclusion of Giamatti in the Actor category and felt there should have been more love for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Kill Bill: Volume 2, Spider-Man 2, I Heart Huckabees and Kinsey, but I guess you can't have them all.

Watch for our big Oscar competition. Also, Kyle, The Boneman and I will all make our personal choices for the winners. That's all coming soon.