Once again the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences presented, on 29 February 2004, the "76th Annual Academy Awards ®".This year (as you may have observed on 26th Feb), I managed a measly 8 correct guesses, and I do mean "guesses", because, as anyone who has been around this phoney, superficial business of the Oscars can tell you, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences comes in somewhere, cinematographically, between Tamany Hall and the Mafia.
As usual, they swept themselves away with their own emotional favorite - this year, of course it was "Rings". Let's be honest - this is a popularity contest, not a reward for talent - how statistically likely is it that a single film could be the best Hollywood has to offer in even 3 categories, let alone 11 ?. Gimme a break. The Raspberry Awards and the MTV awards are more meaningful. Have you ever noticed that of the more than 2 dozen Oscars awarded each year, that only ONE (count 'em), ONE, is for the BEST in it's field? (Best Picture). There's a reason for that - because, with that one exception, they are NOT awarding the Oscar to the "best". ---They recognize that fact, do we? For example, they award an Oscar to "Directing", not "Best Director", not "Best Directing", not "Best" anything. Wow, let's all tune in and watch our favorite stars wear their $5,000 dresses - and let's see WHO they come with - ooooh!
I'm sorely tempted to issue my own awards next year to the worst of Hollywood's film arts & sciences. Not like the Raspberries which are done for comedy, but something in celebration of Hollywood's most pompous, most awesomely ridiculous - complete with a statuette, like say, a Diogenese statuette, holding out a lantern, looking for one honest thespian. Yeah, that's it, I'll call them the "NARADA's" !
Narada
| Narada's Prediction |
And..The Winner ! |
YES / FAIL |
| . |
| Best picture |
The Winner ! |
&&& |
| Lord Of The Rings III |
The Lord of the Rings III |
YES ! |
| . |
| Directing |
The Winner ! |
&&& |
| Master and Commander: - Peter Weir |
The Lord of the Rings III |
FAIL ! |
| . |
| Actor in a leading role |
The Winner ! |
&&& |
| Jude Law - Cold Mountain |
Sean Penn |
FAIL ! |
| . |
| Actor in a supporting role |
The Winner ! |
&&& |
| Benicio Del Toro - 21 Grams |
Tim Robbins |
FAIL ! |
| . |
| Actress in a leading role |
The Winner ! |
&&& |
| Diane Keaton - Something's Gotta Give |
Charlize Theron |
FAIL ! |
| . |
| Actress in a supporting role |
The Winner ! |
&&& |
| Renée Zellweger - Cold Mountain |
Renée Zellweger |
YES ! |
| . |
| Animated feature film |
The Winner ! |
&&& |
| Finding Nemo |
Finding Nemo |
YES ! |
| . |
| Art direction |
The Winner !
|
&&& |
| The Lord of the Rings III |
The Lord of the Rings III |
YES ! |
| . |
| Cinematography |
The Winner ! |
&&& |
| Cold Mountain |
Master & Commander |
FAIL ! |
| . |
| Costume design |
The Winner ! |
&&& |
| The Last Samurai |
The Lord of The Rings III |
FAIL ! |
| . |
| Documentary feature |
&&& |
&&& |
| (None screened in Bangkok) |
------ |
----- |
| . |
| Documentary short subject |
&&& |
&&& |
| (None screened in Bangkok) |
------ |
------ |
| . |
| Film editing |
The Winner ! |
&&& |
| The Lord of the Rings III |
The Lord of the Rings III |
YES ! |
| . |
| Foreign language film |
&&& |
&&& |
| (None screened in Bangkok) |
------ |
------ |
| . |
| Makeup |
The Winner ! |
&&& |
| The Lord of the Rings III |
The Lord of the Rings III |
YES ! |
| . |
| Music (original score) |
The Winner ! |
&&& |
| Big Fish - Danny Elfman |
The Lord of the Rings III |
FAIL ! |
| . |
| Music (original song) |
The Winner ! |
&&& |
| "Scarlet Tide" from Cold Mountain |
The Lord of the Rings III |
FAIL ! |
| . |
| Short film (animated) |
&&& |
&&& |
| (None screened in Bangkok) |
------ |
------ |
| . |
| Short film (live action) |
&&& |
&&& |
| (None screened in Bangkok) |
------ |
------ |
| . |
| Sound editing |
The Winner ! |
&&& |
| Pirates of the Caribbean |
Master and Commander |
FAIL ! |
| . |
| Sound mixing |
The Winner ! |
&&& |
| The Lord of the Rings III |
The Lord of the Rings III |
YES ! |
| . |
| Visual effects |
The Winner ! |
&&& |
| The Lord of the Rings III |
The Lord of the Rings III |
YES! |
| . |
| Adapted Screenplay |
The Winner ! |
&&& |
| Mystic River - Brian Helgeland |
The Lord of the Rings III |
FAIL ! |
| . |
| Original Screenplay |
The Winner ! |
&&& |
| In America - Jim, Naomi & Kirsten Sheridan |
Lost In Translation |
FAIL ! |
|
