Joseph Planta's Commentary - thecommentary.ca

Friday, 25 February 2005

Oscar interest: nil if any

By Joseph Planta

VANCOUVER - As has become, I'm sure necessary in recent years, the press kit for this year's Academy Awards includes a perfunctory letter signed conspicuously by "The Academy." A gold embossed Oscar statuette is to the left in the header, and along the left margin is a list of the Academy's officers and board of governors. Recognisable names include Michael Apted, Kathy Bates, Ed Begley Jr., Gilbert Cates (who often, like this year, produces the Oscar telecast), Tom Hanks, Curtis Hanson, and Kathleen Kennedy.

The terse letter respectfully requests that a recipient of the said kit ought not to use it for profit, punishment being that one will no longer be supplied with materials etc. It's shameful really, that some resort to selling these kits on eBay or some site like that. As for me, Oscar, you have my word: I'll keep mine.

As for the contents of the press kit, it's actually an interesting compilation of fact sheets and the sort in anticipation of this Sunday's ceremony. I've always been hip to all things Oscar, but this year, I'm like many other who don't have to pay attention-I haven't paid any attention at all. I haven't seen Million Dollar Baby, though I'm sure I'd like it; ditto Vera Drake. I haven't checked into Hotel Rwanda, and you'll never find me at a showing of Finding Neverland.

The selection of Chris Rock as host is a blatant attempt to garner ratings, and hopefully at the same time skew the viewing demographic to one that's a little younger. In reading Steve Pond's highly recommended and highly readable The Big Show (Faber and Faber, 2005), it's evident that over the last decade or so, the trend has been of a decreasing viewership for the Academy Awards. It's the same for other award shows, like the recent Grammy's, the Golden Globes, and the Emmy's in the fall. People don't watch anymore, and so producers are hell bent on pulling all the stops to garner an audience. Bells and whistles aren't necessarily what gets viewers. It's stars and varying celebrities of the sort. This year, announced and scheduled to appear on the telecast are: Sean Combs, Prince, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mike Myers, Sean Penn, Penelope Cruz, Halle Berry, and scheduled to perform in noteworthy musical numbers include: Adam Duritz, Beyoncé, and Antonio Banderas and Carlos Santana, who'll perform the nominated song from The Motorcycle Diaries.

Rock as host of the Oscars has caused a bit of a stir, mind you one suspects the one doing most of the stirring was the ubiquitous Matt Drudge. Recently, Drudge on his influential website, ran the headline that there were some serious misgivings about Rock as host within the Academy, and that some members were not keen on the comic hosting in light of comments he made to Entertainment Weekly. What was curious was that the interview was allowed to fester for a month or two before Drudge began reporting on the 'rumblings' from Academy members. It turns out that there were nearly no complaints about Rock, so said a spokesperson for the Academy in response to Drudge's attempt to incite the blogger nation, as he successfully did with miniseries on the Reagans among others.

Nonetheless, there'll be much talk about the Oscars on Monday morning. We'll wring our hands about who wore who, and what; Rock's jokes, not to mention the winners, the losers, and the celebrity missteps that undoubtedly happen. Herewith, are my some of my predictions for the Oscar derby.

Best Picture: The Aviator. Almost always, the film with the most nominations cops the best picture trophy. Sure, Million Dollar Baby is getting all sorts of buzz from critics, but some of the same folks who laud the Clint Eastwood picture admit it winning best picture is unlikely, considering the Howard Hughes bio is more of a mainstream film. Whatever. I haven't seen either.

Best Director: Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby. Rarely does the best picture and best director statuettes divert. However deserving Martin Scorsese is of an Oscar, there are many who think Eastwood will win, because his was a better effort. Scorsese would get the Oscar for sentimentality's sake, yet he didn't for Gangs of New York, and he certainly didn't for his landmarks, Goodfellas and Raging Bull. There's no guarantee he'll cop this one. That said, The Aviator is a more conventional film, and maybe it's time. Think about this though: Cher, Eminem, Carly Simon and Prince have Oscars, but Scorsese doesn't. Well, neither did Richard Burton or any of the Three Stooges.

Best Actor: Jamie Foxx, Ray. Who doesn't think he'll win? Possible spoilers, Leonardo DiCaprio for The Aviator, and yes, Clint Eastwood.

Best Actress: Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby. Annette Bening seems an ideal winner for Being Julia, but like 2000, when she was an ideal winner for American Beauty, she'll lose to Swank.

Best Supporting Actor: Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby. Thomas Haden Church in Sideways could very well be the selection of film buffs and alcoholics, but Sideways's chances were dimmed when Paul Giamatti was snubbed. It's obvious the Academy's not keen. Clive Owen (Closer) could upset, just as he did at the Golden Globes. It's not impossible. Jim Broadbent for Iris did in 2001.

Best Supporting Actress: Cate Blanchett, The Aviator. Like at the Golden Globes, Natalie Portman could win, but I doubt it. Virginia Madsen in Sideways seems a favourite, but the Academy seems awfully eager to reward Blanchett, much as they did with Renee Zellweger last year. Both were nominated in the lead categories, and only copped the golden guy when in a supporting role.

I've submitted my predictions to Sasha Stone's fine site Oscar Watch [oscarwatch.com], so we'll see how I do this year. Last year, I did very well if I recall.

Screenplay, Original: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Screenplay, Adapted: Sideways

Animated Film: The Incredibles

Foreign Language Film: The Sea Inside

Documentary Feature: Born into Brothels

Documentary Short Subject: Autism is a Word

Original Score: Finding Neverland

Original Song: "Believe," The Polar Express

Cinematography: The Aviator

Costume Design: The Aviator

Art Direction: The Aviator

Make Up: Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events

Sound Mixing: Spider-Man 2

Film Editing: Million Dollar Baby

Sound Editing: Spider-Man 2

Visual Effects: Spider-Man 2

Live Action Short Film: Everything is This Country Must

Animated Short Film: Ryan

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