2000 Oscar Nominations
Hey Movie Fans,
Here's my thoughts on the academy's nominations for the 1999 Oscars. In an amazing year for film, the academy stayed with their safe, easy ways and missed some very important films. In 10 years, film historians will look back to this year and say, What were they thinking?
So now here's my views on who should win and who will win.
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE: (A category with 2 frontrunners)
*Russell Crowe... THE INSIDER....Should be here, but probably won't win
*Richard Farnsworth.... THE STRAIGHT STORY....A nice choice, but again won't win
*Sean Penn... SWEET AND LOWDOWN....The biggest surprise of the category. The person who bumped off Jim Carrey and Matt Damon. Should be happy to be here!
*Kevin Spacey.... AMERICAN BEAUTY...It's between Kevin and Denzel. I loved his performance, but I'm not sure if he can pull it off. My personal favorite
*Denzel Washington... THE HURRICANE....It's between Denzel and Kevin. Right now the frontrunner, especially since the movie got very few other nominations. He could win not just for his performance, but to honor the whole movie.
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (Maybe the best category, could have been even better)
*Michael Caine.... THE CIDER HOUSE RULES....A huge surprise. Don't know where it came from!! But it knocked out Christopher Plummer and John Malkovich, both who should be here!
*Tom Cruise... MAGNOLIA....The best thing he's done in years. I think this is your winner! The only thing stopping him is that his character is very "open" for the older academy voters.
*Michael Clarke Duncan... THE GREEN MILE... A good performance in a very though category.
*Jude Law..... THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY.... Ditto
*Haley Joel Osment... THE SIXTH SENSE...Haley really helped make this movie work doing an amazing job. The academy likes to give supporting Oscars to young actors and this could be it. The only one who could knock Cruise off!
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE (As always, a weak category)
*Annette Bening..... AMERICAN BEAUTY....excellent performance, but not enough!
*Janet McTeer.... TUMBLEWEEDS...should be happy to be here
*Julianne Moore.... THE END OF THE AFFAIR...great performances in 4 movies this year, but.....
*Meryl Streep.... MUSIC OF THE HEART...nominated on her name alone!
*Hilary Swank.... BOYS DONŐT CRY...Here's your winner. Has won every award up till now.
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE (Maybe the toughest one to call)
*Toni Collette.... THE SIXTH SENSE. A good performance, but a little farther back from the leaders
*Angelina Jolie... GIRL, INTERRUPTED...A great performance that blew Wyonne Ryder away. The frontrunner, but not by much.
*Catherine Keener.... BEING JOHN MALKOVICH...A good performance, could win to honor the movie
*Samantha Morton.... SWEET AND LOWDOWN...not enough voters will have seen it, should be happy to be here.
*Chloe Sevigny... BOYS DON'T CRY...helped to make Hilary Swank's character shine. Bunched up with the leaders.
BEST PICTURE (The biggest disappointment of the evening with too many good movies not on the list!!!)
*Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinks AMERICAN BEAUTY....The only one worthy to be on the list and what I thought the best of the year. No competition!!!!!
*David Valdes and Frank Darabont.... THE GREEN MILE...Should be happy to be here!
*Michael Mann and Pieter Jan Brugge.... THE INSIDER...What I thought as a very overrated film. Not surprised it's here from the critics response.
*Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy and Barry Mendel THE SIXTH SENSE... A nice surprise, a good movie, but not a great movie that would win a best picture Oscar!
*THE CIDER HOUSE RULES.....Has absolutely NO REASON TO BE HERE!!!!!! Can think of 20 movies that would be a better choice then this (Are you trying to tell me that this movie is better then, The Hurricane, Magnolia, Topsy Turvy, The Talented Mr. Ripley, even the Matrix, I could go on!) Played to the older academy voters and had a huge ad campaign to get this nomination!
CINEMATOGRAPHY
*Conrad L. Hall AMERICAN BEAUTY...Conrad Hall is a master and he did such simple yet brillant things that he's the frontrunner!
*Roger Pratt THE END OF THE AFFAIR...Should be happy to be here!
*Dante Spinotti THE INSIDER...Yeah, whatever!
*Emmanuel Lubezki... SLEEPY HOLLOW...Some amazing visuals, but I'm not sure if academy voters will vote for a nice looking slasher film.
*Robert Richardson... SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS...one of the few nominations that this film might deserve and maybe the only one it gets, but I don't think so.
ART DIRECTION
*ANNA AND THE KING Lucianna Arrighi...was one of the only redeeming qualities of this movie, but others deserve it more.
*THE CIDER HOUSE RULES...Again, what the hell is this doing here? Better art direction then Star Wars? I don't think so!
*SLEEPY HOLLOW Rick Heinrichs....Amazing work. My personal favorite!
*THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY... Roy Walker...good work and they may want to award the movie somehow since it was snubbed out of most of the awards, but not deserving of this Oscar
*TOPSY-TURVY...Again, since it was snubbed out of everything else, this could be your winner!
COSTUME DESIGN (This is another big disapointment! The winner should be Star Wars! Have you seen anything that interesting in a long time? What did some of these movies have to do but go into a closet and pick out some old clothes. The artists of SW designed new creations from many styles and cultures and THEY should be the winners!)
*ANNA AND THE KING...Jenny Beavan.... A perfect example of what I just said. Just some native grab and a big skirt!
*SLEEPY HOLLOW.... Colleen Atwood...One of the better choices from this category
*THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY..Gary Jones,,Ann Roth...Everyone looked nice, but it was just 50's clothes.
*TITUS..Julie Taymor...My personal favorite. Although most might not know this picture (since it hasn't had a major release in the states yet) Julie Taymor is amazing! She has been creating puppets and costumes for years and recently won every award for her designs for the Broadway Musical of the Lion King. She created a Roman wardrobe that looked authentic, yet orginal!
*TOPSY-TURVY....A period peice, which is always a good bet for an Oscar
DIRECTING (The best choices are all first timers)
*THE CIDER HOUSE RULES...LasseHallstrom....Hmmmm, can you say WHATEVER (Shouldn't be here)
*BEING JOHN MALKOVICH...Spike Jonze...a great job, but though to win without a best picture nomination too.
*THE INSIDER... Michael Mann....Still going with the overrated label for this film. I thought he did a much better job on Last of the Mohacians
*AMERICAN BEAUTY...Sam Mendes...The winner!
*THE SIXTH SENSE...M. Night Shyamalan....A really good job on a movie that most would have screwed up.
FILM EDITING
*AMERICAN BEAUTY...Tariq Anwar,,Christopher Greenbury...If the academy is on an AB bandwagon then they will give this to it as well.
*THE CIDER HOUSE RULES.....AAAAAHHHHHH, I'm pulling my hair out, what the @*$&
*THE INSIDER...William Goldenberg,,David Rosenbloom,,Paul Rubell...should be happy to be here!
*THE MATRIX....You know it just might have a chance, but I don't know if the Academy will!
*THE SIXTH SENSE...A good job, may award the movie with this.
MAKEUP (Was thinking Star Wars should be here, but most of they're stuff was digital and I'm not sure if that counts, but then again if Bicentennial Man is here?)
*AUSTIN POWERS 2: THE SPY WHO SHAG ME ..Cheryl Nick,, Will Huff,, Brian Penikas...You know, even though I know fat bastard is Mike Myers, I still can't tell!
*LIFE.... Rick Baker,, Will Huff...I don't know if you can give an Oscar for some old age make-up that they've been doing for years.
*TOPSY TURVY Christine Blundell,, Trefor Proud...Might be the only one the Academy will want to award!
*BICENTENNIAL MAN... Rick Bongiovanni.... I guess it was better then Life
ORIGINAL SCORE
*AMERICAN BEAUTY by Thomas Newman...Was good and if the bandwagon is rolling!
*ANGELAŐS ASHES by John Williams...Sorry, haven't heard it, but J. Williams has a great track record.
*THE CIDER HOUSE RULES...I'm just not gonna comment about this film anymore!
*THE RED VIOLIN....Was great, but don't know if many voters saw it or remember it
*THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY by Gabriel Yared...Was good, but I've heard better.
ORIGINAL SONG (Actually some interesting choices this year)
*"Save Me" by Aimee Mann. MAGNOLIA...A really haunting song!
*"Music of My Heart" by Mason Daring MUSIC OF THE HEART...One of those songs that make you cringe. The kind of junk that is usually in this category
*"Blame Canada" SOUTH PARK....A great surprise. Should be happy to be nominated cause the older voters won't touch it or the movie.
*"You'll Be in My Heart" by Phil Collins... TARZAN...Just a pop song in a Disney film, but the Oscar usually goes to a pop song from a Disney film.
*"When She Loved Me" by Randy Newman ... TOY STORY II...The better Disney song. A moving tune in a film which could have had a best picture nomination, but this is it. I'm thinking this is the winner!
SCREENPLAY - ADAPTATION (A weak category compared with the orginal screenplay choices)
*THE CIDER HOUSE RULES Screenplay by John Irving
*ELECTION Screenplay by Alex Payne and Jim Taylor...A nice job, but should be happy it was nominated
*THE GREEN MILE Screenplay by Frank Darabont...did a really nice job with Stephen Kings long work
*THE INSIDER Screenplay by Eric Roth & Michael Mann...overrated
*THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY Screenplay by Anthony Minghella.....either this or the Green Mile
SCREENPLAY - ORIGINAL (A great category. All are orginal in their own way. If American Beauty is winning everything vote for it, but I'm thinking maybe Being JM)
*AMERICAN BEAUTY Written by Alan Ball
*BEING JOHN MALKOVICH Written by Charlie Kaufman
*MAGNOLIA Written by Paul Thomas Anderson
*THE SIXTH SENSE Written by M. Night Shyamalan
*TOPSY-TURVY Written by Mike Leigh
SOUND EFFECTS EDITING
*THE MATRIX.... Dane A. Davis.... It's up for grabs with Star Wars
*THE FIGHT CLUB... Richard Hymns and Ren Klyce.. Tough to compete with the other two.
*STAR WARS EPISODE ONE.....Tom Bellfort and Ben Burtt
VISUAL EFFECTS
*THE MATRIX by Jon Thum, Steve Courtley, Janek Sirrs and John Gaeta....Would win in a year without Star Wars. Really did some break through things.
*STAR WARS EPISODE ONE by Dennis Muren, Scott Squires, John Knoll and Rob Coleman.....Just some amazing stuff.
*STUART LITTLE by John Dykstra, Eric Allard, Henry F. Anderson, III and Jerome Chen...Really nice, but it's been done before.