In attempting to write commentary for my Oscar preferences this year, I find that my thoughts keep returning to one basic truth:
The Departed for Best Picture. Scorsese for director. He's the best American director working today, and The Departed is everything a Best Picture winner should be - big, entertaining, smart, visceral, full of stars doing terrific work and destined to become a classic. If The Departed wins, it will be the coolest choice since The Silence of the Lambs. It's just that great.
Please, AMPAS, get it right this time. You owe me after the merciless gutpunch that was Crash. Do it for Queenan.
The rest (at least, the ones I have an informed opinion on):
Actor: Forrest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland Not a great movie, but by far the strongest performance in a weak field.
Actress: Kate Winslet, Little Children Never going to happen, but a guy can dream.
Actor: Jackie Earle Haley, Little Children Wouldn't mind Wahlberg or Arkin winning either.
Supporting Actress: Rinko Kikuchi, Babel Not a fan of the movie, but Kikuchi does moving work with pretty horrid material.
Original Screenplay: Pan's Labyrinth Wouldn't mind a Letters From Iwo Jima win here.
Adapted Screenplay: The Departed Children of Men is the better film, but William Monahan's script is close to perfect.
Animated Feature: Monster House Why not?
Documentary Feature: Jesus Camp I'm not really crazy about any of the nominees; I'm going with Jesus Camp mostly because it's the only one I've seen that doesn't reek of self-importance.
Foreign Language Film: Pan's Labyrinth ¡El hombre pálido!
Cinematography: Children of Men Go Chivo!
Art Direction: The Prestige Tesla's Colorado hideaway is jaw-droppingly cool.
Editing: The Departed I heart Thelma.
Visual Effects: Superman Returns Even if Supes bored you to tears, you have to admit it looked pretty nifty.
The Departed for Best Picture. Scorsese for director. He's the best American director working today, and The Departed is everything a Best Picture winner should be - big, entertaining, smart, visceral, full of stars doing terrific work and destined to become a classic. If The Departed wins, it will be the coolest choice since The Silence of the Lambs. It's just that great.
Please, AMPAS, get it right this time. You owe me after the merciless gutpunch that was Crash. Do it for Queenan.
The rest (at least, the ones I have an informed opinion on):
Actor: Forrest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland Not a great movie, but by far the strongest performance in a weak field.
Actress: Kate Winslet, Little Children Never going to happen, but a guy can dream.
Actor: Jackie Earle Haley, Little Children Wouldn't mind Wahlberg or Arkin winning either.
Supporting Actress: Rinko Kikuchi, Babel Not a fan of the movie, but Kikuchi does moving work with pretty horrid material.
Original Screenplay: Pan's Labyrinth Wouldn't mind a Letters From Iwo Jima win here.
Adapted Screenplay: The Departed Children of Men is the better film, but William Monahan's script is close to perfect.
Animated Feature: Monster House Why not?
Documentary Feature: Jesus Camp I'm not really crazy about any of the nominees; I'm going with Jesus Camp mostly because it's the only one I've seen that doesn't reek of self-importance.
Foreign Language Film: Pan's Labyrinth ¡El hombre pálido!
Cinematography: Children of Men Go Chivo!
Art Direction: The Prestige Tesla's Colorado hideaway is jaw-droppingly cool.
Editing: The Departed I heart Thelma.
Visual Effects: Superman Returns Even if Supes bored you to tears, you have to admit it looked pretty nifty.
Costume Design: Marie Antoinette Sneakers and all.
Makeup: Pan's Labyrinth Fuck Click.
Sound Mixing: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Mostly for the ominous "THUMP" of Davey Jones' pegleg.
Sound Editing: Letters From Iwo Jima Not just for its explosions, but for its moments of silence.
Best Score: Pan's Labyrinth A great score as integral to the narrative as Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
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