The 2001 Oscar Nominations
BEST ACTOR(Somewhat of a weaker category from previous years, but I guess this could be said about movies in general this year)
*Javier Bardem - BEFORE NIGHT FALLS: I've heard wonderful things about Javier's performance, but since this film just opened in my city on February 16th, I know very little about it. Which I think will be similar to most of the voting population!
*Russell Crowe - GLADIATOR: Gave a star performance, but I don't think the best performance. Unfortunately, I have a feeling it's gonna be a Gladiator-night. I'll pick Russell to win.
*Tom Hanks - CASTAWAY: Like Anthony Hopkins, you continue to forget how good they are cause they make everything they're in look so easy. Would easily walk away with this if it wasn't for already owning two. I think he'll come in second.
*Ed Harris - POLLOCK: As of Feb. 16th, this one hasn't even opened in my city yet. I've always thought highly of Mr. Harris, but he's a long shot here.
*Geoffrey Rush - QUILLS: Always does great work, but I don't think the Academy will give the award to a character that we get S & M from!
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR(2 great performances here)
*Jeff Bridges - THE CONTENDER: Surprisingly, always does good work, but this wasn't much of a role.
*Willem Dafoe - SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE: He made you grin every time he came on screen. You could tell he was having a blast! The reason to see this film. Was originally my frontrunner untilÉ..
*Benicio Del Toro - TRAFFIC: Won the SAG and the Golden Globe. Usually a good indicator of who will win!
*Albert Finney - ERIN BROCKOVICH: Always solid, but it wasn't a wow performance. Unfortunately, the Academy likes to award older actors as a kind of lifetime achievement award (See last year's Michael Caine win). But I think there are 2 frontrunners that will knock him out of contention!
*Joaquin Phoenix - GLADIATOR: It was a fine performance, butÉ
BEST ACTRESS
*Joan Allen - THE CONTENDER: A good performance, but when the movie didn't create as much buzz as originally thought, she fell back into the pack!
*Juliette Binoche - CHOCOLAT: Yeah, whateverÉ.It's the Miramax promoting machine. She's given far better performances.
*Ellen Burstyn - REQUIEM FOR A DREAM: One of the best performances of any type of actor/actress this year. Absolutely haunting!!! The problem is two fold: Very few people saw this film and she's up against Julia!
*Laura Linney - YOU CAN COUNT ON ME: I've heard great things about Linney's role, but I don't think this Indie film has enough hype to get her an award.
*Julia Roberts - ERIN BROCKOVICH: Was a very, very good performance. I'm not sure it deserves an Oscar, but she'll get it anyway!
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
*Judi Dench - CHOCOLAT: She is a big time Academy favorite. This wasn't much of a role and since she just won a couple of years ago for a much better role, I say not this time.
*Marcia Gay Harden - POLLOCK: Haven't seen it. Don't know much about it.
Kate Hudson - ALMOST FAMOUS: My personal favorite pick! When I saw this film, Hudson shined on the screen. And the Academy likes giving Oscars to young, up and coming actors from Hollywood royalty (Kate is *Goldie Hawn's daughter)
*Frances McDormand - ALMOST FAMOUS: Was great, but Kate takes away some of her votes and she has a best actress Oscar for Fargo.
*Julie Walters - BILLY ELLIOT: The movie, which was highly praised, had few other nominations, and it was a good performance. She may win just so the Academy can award the movie
ART DIRECTION
*CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON: Had a simple, sweet elegance about it. If it's not a Gladiator night, give it to CTHD.
*DR. SEUSS' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS : Captured the essence of the book, but may have took it a little too far!
*GLADIATOR: If it's a Gladiator-night, it will take this award too
*QUILLS : Never underestimate the power of a period piece.
*VATEL: Too many big names to compete against.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
*CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON: I think the frontrunner!
*GLADIATOR: If it's their night, but besides for a few sequences doesn't quite deserve it.
*MALéNA: Filler for the category
*O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?: Has a very good possibility to win this! Roger Deakins had a wonderful use of color-tinted film to really give it a period feel. But it has to try and beat the 2 biggies in this category
*THE PATRIOT: Had some nice sequences, but not enough to win.
COSTUME DESIGN
*CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON: Nice, but not its strong point
*DR. SEUSS' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS : Some really fun surrealist stuff. My winner!
*GLADIATOR: Really nice work! If the bandwagon is a rollingÉ
*102 DALMATIANS: filler
*QUILLS : Never underestimate the power of a period piece.
DIRECTING (A real good race)
*BILLY ELLIOT - Stephen Daldry : Not getting a best picture nomination is the kiss of death for the director
*CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON - Ang Lee: Has a good shot
*ERIN BROCKOVICH - Steven Soderbergh: This nomination should have gone to Cameron Crowe or Robert Zemeckis
*GLADIATOR - Ridley Scott: Doesn't deserve it for this film, but if it's sweeping the awards he'll win.
*TRAFFIC - Steven Soderbergh: Should be the winner, especially for having both of these pictures in the same year. Hopefully the 2 films don't cancel each other out!
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE (Sorry, know nothing about these films)
*INTO THE ARMS OF STRANGERS: STORIES OF THE KINDERTRANSPORT: Give it to this one!
*LEGACY
*LONG NIGHT'S JOURNEY INTO DAY
*SCOTTSBORO: AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY
*SOUND AND FURY
DOCUMENTARY SHORT (Does the public ever get to see theses?)
*BIG MAMA
*CURTAIN CALL
*DOLPHINS
*THE MAN ON LINCOLN'S NOSE
*ON TIPTOE: GENTLE STEPS TO FREEDOM
FILM EDITING
*ALMOST FAMOUS
*CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON
*GLADIATOR
*TRAFFIC: This is your winner. Amazing stuff!!!!
*WONDER BOYS
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM (The only film to challenge CTHD isn't here: "Yi Yi")
*AMORES PERROS
*CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON: Hands down the winner. May hurt it's chances of winning the big award.
*DIVIDED WE FALL
*EVERYBODY FAMOUS!
*THE TASTE OF OTHERS
MAKEUP
*THE CELL: Can't believe this got nominated!!!
*DR. SEUSS' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS : Here's the winner! He'll be here next year for the Planet of the Apes too!
*SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE: Cool, butÉ
MUSIC (SCORE) Not much of a race this year
*CHOCOLAT
*CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON: Very haunting. Here's your winner!
*GLADIATOR
*MALéNA
*THE PATRIOT
MUSIC (SONG) I never get this category.
*CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON: I don't even remember a song!
*DANCER IN THE DARK: Well it's Bjork
*THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE: Disney always seems to win this no matter how bad the song is! Give it to them again!
*MEET THE PARENTS: Again, I don't even remember a song! Did the cat sing it?
*WONDER BOYS: Well, it's Bob Dylan
BEST PICTURE
*CHOCOLAT: This is the Miramax I-Have-No-Business-Being-Here Yearly Nomination (See Cider House Rules from last year)
*CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON: A beautiful piece of filmmaking. Has a feel of the magic of old-time Hollywood with the elements of the new world cinema. One of the two best movies on this list.
*ERIN BROCKOVICH: It's a testament to Soderbergh to have 2 of his movies here, especially because they are both good and so different, but this is the lesser of the 2.
*GLADIATOR: If it's Gladiator's night, it will follow in its Golden Globe win. It is a good movie, but not a best picture winner. There are 2 movies here that are better.
*TRAFFIC: An amazing film, probably the best of the year. Hard to compare to CTHD because they are both so completely different. The ensemble cast is superb, and the edit, story, and artistic quality of the whole movie are top notch.
SHORT -- ANIMATED (Is Bugs Bunny in any of these?)
*FATHER AND DAUGHTER
*THE PERIWIG-MAKER
*REJECTED
SHORT -- LIVE ACTION (The public never gets to see these! When are they gonna start showing these before the feature films in theaters?)
*BY COURIER
*ONE DAY CROSSING
*QUIERO SER (I WANT TO BE...)
*SERAGLIO
*A SOCCER STORY (UNA HISTORIA DE FUTEBOL)
SOUND
*CAST AWAY: Not what it should have been nominated for!
*GLADIATOR: Is the bandwagon rolling?
*THE PATRIOT
*THE PERFECT STORM: Give it to them
*U-571
SOUND EDITING (Is this the weakest category ever?)
*SPACE COWBOYS
*U-571
VISUAL EFFECTS (nothing earth shattering like past years)
*GLADIATOR
*HOLLOW MAN
*THE PERFECT STORM: Give it to them just for that big wave!
WRITING (ADAPTED)
*CHOCOLAT: Just fair
*CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON: A nice adaption
*O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? A little too weird
*TRAFFIC: I think this is the winner
*WONDER BOYS
WRITING (ORIGINAL) (This is a real tough race!)
*ALMOST FAMOUS: My frontrunner. The Academy might want to award it cause it got snubbed in all other categories!
*BILLY ELLIOT: Same as above
*ERIN BROCKOVICH: Not real original since they were just writing it from a true story. They'll be happy to give Julie an award.
*GLADIATOR: This wasn't its strong suit
*YOU CAN COUNT ON ME: Had great dialogue. A possibility!
Best Performance by an inanimate object
*THE VOLLEYBALL (Castaway): Will win riding on the coattails of Hanks
*THE REFRIDGERATOR (Requiem for a Dream): An absolutely haunting performance, but not enough people saw it!
*THE BRA (Erin Brockovich): This was more of a supporting role!!!!