The 75th Annual Academy Awards

     A couple of days ago, a friend of mine, commented on how lousy the nominations for the 75th Annual Academy Awards were. "The public should vote," he endlessly rambled on. While the Academy Awards a.k.a. the Oscars is the most prestigious ceremony in the film industry, hardly anyone appreciates it, for what it is. This friend is obsessed with The Two Towers, and thinks that The Lord of the Rings trilogy should win every award known to man. He claims that he shares this opinion with millions of others around the globe. For these millions: get over yourself. The Academy is always there for small filmmakers, to give their productions the adequate amount of buzz that they deserve. Just because The Two Towers received, in my mind, a whopping, six nods, doesn't mean that unhappy fans should completely diss one of the finest nominating comities in the world. While I do have several problems with this year's nominations, I think that the Academy did a handsome job. I don't think there is one undeserving film up for an award. And, now, my picks and predictions...

My Picks Listed in Bold.

My Predictions are Highlighted.

Best Picture
    • Chicago
    • Gangs of New York
    • The Hours
    • The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
    • The Pianist

Best Actor
    • Adrien Brody, The Pianist
    • Nicolas Cage, Adaptation
    • Michael Caine, The Quiet American
    • Daniel Day-Lewis, Gangs of New York
    • Jack Nicholson, About Schmidt

Best Actress
    • Salma Hayek, Frida
    • Nicole Kidman, The Hours
    • Diane Lane, Unfaithful
    • Julianne Moore, Far from Heaven
    • Renée Zellweger, Chicago

Best Supporting Actor
    • Chris Cooper Adaptation
    • Ed Harris, The Hours
    • Paul Newman, Road to Perdition
    • John C. Reilly, Chicago
    • Christopher Walken, Catch Me If You Can

Best Supporting Actress
    • Kathy Bates, About Schmidt
    • Julianne Moore, The Hours
    • Queen Latifah, Chicago
    • Meryl Streep, Adaptation
    • Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chicago

Best Director
    • Stephen Daldry, The Hours
    • Pedro Almodóvar, Talk to Her
    • Rob Marshall, Chicago
    • Roman Polanski, The Pianist
    • Martin Scorsese, Gangs of New York

Best Original Screenplay
    • Far from Heaven, Todd Haynes
    • Gangs of New York, Jay Cocks and Steve Zaillian and
       Kenneth Lonergan
    • My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Nia Vardalos
    • Talk to Her, Pedro Almodóvar
    • Y Tu Mamá También, Carlos Cuarón and Alfonso Cuarón

Best Adapted Screenplay
    • About a Boy, Peter Hedges and Chris Weitz & Paul Weitz
    • Adaptation, Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman
    • Chicago, Bill Condon
    • The Hours, David Hare
    • The Pianist, Ronald Harwood

Best Foreign-Language Film
    • El Crimen del Padre Amaro, Mexico
    • Hero, China
    • The Man without a Past, Finland
    • Nowhere in Africa, Germany
    • Zus & Zo, The Netherlands

Best Animated Feature
    • Ice Age
    • Lilo & Stich
    • Spirt: Stallion of the Cimarron
    • Spirited Away
    • Treasure Planet

Art Direction
    • Chicago
    • Frida
    • Gangs of New York
    • The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
    • Road to Perdition

Cinematography
    • Chicago
    • Far from Heaven
    • Gangs of New York
    • The Pianist
    • Road to Perdition

Costume Design
    • Chicago
    • Frida
    • Gangs of New York
    • The Hours
    • The Pianist

Documentary Feature
    • Bowling for Columbine
    • Daughter from Danang
    • Prisoner of Paradise
    • Spellbound
    • Winged Migration

Documentary Short Subject
    • The Collector of Bedford Street
    • Mighty Times: The Legacy of Rosa Parks
    • Twin Towers
    • Why Can't We Be a Family Again?

Film Editing
    • Chicago
    • Gangs of New York
    • The Hours
    • The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
    • The Pianist

Makeup
    • Frida
    • The Time Machine

Original Score
    • Catch Me If You Can
    • Far from Heaven
    • Frida
    • The Hours
    • Road to Perdition

Original Song
    • "Burn It Blue" (Frida), music by Elliot Goldenthal, lyric by Julie Taymor
    • "Father and Daughter" (The Wild Thornberrys Movie), music and lyric by Paul Simon
    • "The Hands That Built America" (Gangs of New York), music and lyric by U2
    • "I Move On" (Chicago), music by John Kander, lyric by Fred Ebb
    • "Lose Yourself" (8 Mile), music by Eminem, Jeff Bass and Luis Resto, lyric by Eminem

Animated Short
    • The Cathedral
    • The ChubbChubbs!
    • Das Rad
    • Mike's New Car
    • Mt. Head

Live-Action Short
    • Fait D'Hiver
    • I'll Wait for the Next One... (J'Attendrai Le Suivant...)
    • Inja (Dog)
    • Johnny Flynton
    • This Charming Man (Der Er En Yndig Mand)

Sound
    • Chicago
    • Gangs of New York
    • The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
    • Road to Perdition
    • Spider-Man

Sound Editing
    • The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
    • Minority Report
    • Road to Perdition

Visual Effects
    • The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
    • Spider-Man
    • Star Wars: Episode II--Attack of the Clones