The honour of being nominated - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
VANCOUVER -- The migraine onset is sensed, plus the excitement of two midterms are upon. Cast that away, Joe, because it’s Oscar morning. It was one of those few mornings during the year, where getting up at the ungodly hour of 5:00 AM, isn’t so ungodly. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Bob Rheme strode on stage at 5:38 precisely to tell the world who he is and welcome his co-announcer, Kathy Bates. Miss Bates herself an Oscar winner for Misery 11 years ago, announced the nominees in the major categories, acting, screen writing and direction.
There were a number of surprises. In particular Ed Harris and Marcia Gay Harden in the actor and supporting actress categories respectively. Both were nominated for Pollock, an obscure film that its studio Sony Pictures Classic, will not want it to be obscure anymore after today. The film has been widely praised in critic circles who have been lobbying for its inclusion. It worked. Every year we see something like this. The Academy is very good at throwing a surprise at nomination time. A year ago, we were met with Sean Penn’s unexpected nomination for Sweet and Lowdown. Pollock hasn’t been nominated for Golden Globes or the preceding Screen Actors Guild awards.
I haven’t seen Gladiator, but it looks to win a number of Oscars, even dare I say, best picture. Usually, the film nominated for the most Oscars carts the best picture trophy Oscar night. Shakespeare In Love did that two years ago, even when Saving Private Ryan was pegged to win.
I’m glad to see Billy Elliot’s director Stephen Daldry get the nod for best director, as Elliot was a terrifically well-crafted film. The lovely Julie Walters also got a nod for the so said film.
A certain Hollywood host said yesterday night that seeing Chocolat on the list of best picture was a clear indication at how lame a year it was in the movies. Face it, one of the best movies of the year, deemed by the Academy and the press was Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The picture’s Taiwanese.
Besides people’s clothes on the Oscar telecast, the jewels and those with nomination cards and those without, one facet of the Oscar show is who’ll perform the musical entertainment. One year there was Celine and Madonna, while the refusing Barbra Streisand sat in the audience watching Celine sing her and Bryan Adams’ song. Last year Phil Collins, Sarah McLachlin, Aimee Mann, ‘N Sync, Gloria Estefan and Robin Williams sang the nominated songs. This year judging from the nominees one can expect performances from Bob Dylan, who’s “Things Have Changed,” is nominated from Wonder Boys. Sting is nominated for composing The Emperor’s New Groove tune, “My Funny Friend and Me.” Also nominated is the nifty jazz tune, by Randy Newman, “A Fool In Love” from Meet the Parents. Expect them to perform. I wonder if Björk will perform her Dancer in The Dark tune, “I’ve Seen It All.” She was deemed a possible nominee for best actress, which didn’t pan out, so she is entitled to pull a Barbra. The other nominee is “A Love Before Time,” which is spurned from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
Herewith are the major Oscar nominees:
Best Picture: Chocolat; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Erin Brockovich; Gladiator; and Traffic. Gladiator leads with 12 nods, followed by Crouching/Dragon with 10.
Best Director: Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot; Ang Lee, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Ridley Scott, Gladiator; Steven Soderbergh, Erin Brockovich; and Steven Soderbergh, Traffic. Soderbergh deserves to win, but having the duo of nods, he may cancel himself out. Scott could be back next year, should Hannibal eat its way to major nods.
Best Actor: Javier Bardem, Before Night Falls; Russell Crowe, Gladiator; Tom Hanks, Cast Away; Ed Harris, Pollock; and Geoffrey Rush for Quills. Crowe was in this category last year for The Insider and Hanks has won twice (Philadelphia, Forrest Gump.) Geoffrey Rush has won in this category before for Shine.
Best Actress: Joan Allen, The Contender; Juliette Binoche, Chocolat; Ellen Burstyn, Requiem For A Dream; Laura Linney, You Can Count on Me; and Julia Roberts, Erin Brockovich. It’s funny to note that Allen and Binoche were in the supporting actress category three years ago. The former for The Crucible and the latter for The English Patient. Binoche won. Burstyn won her Oscar in this very category for Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore in 1974.
Best Supporting Actor: Jeff Bridges, The Contender; Willem Dafoe, Shadow of the Vampire; Benicio Del Toro, Traffic; Albert Finney, Erin Brockovich; and Joaquin Phoenix, Gladiator. None have won Oscars in the past but sans Phoenix and Del Toro, all have been nominated.
Best Supporting Actress: Judi Dench, Chocolat; Marcia Gay Harden, Pollock; Kate Hudson, Almost Famous; Frances McDormand, Almost Famous; and Julie Walters, Billy Elliot. Dench has won in this very category two years ago for Shakespeare In Love. Harden, is a surprise as I’ve followed her career from the CBS miniseries Sinatra, where she played the first Mrs. Frank Sinatra; to that less than stellar part (parts?) in Showgirls. Such a flop that was, I hadn’t seen that many poles mistreated since World War II.
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