Reactions to Oscar

When people ask me what I think of the Oscar nominees for this year; I pretty much say the same thing I say every year. Nice surprises, huge disappointments, and extreme annoyance at some of the picks. But unfortunately these are not Jonathan�s Oscar�s, so I guess I�m screwed. But it�s still fun to nitpick so here we go.

BEST ACTOR
- TERENCE HOWARD (HUSTLE AND FLOW) This is just an awesome pick; this is pretty off the wall even for Oscar.
- PHILLIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN (CAPOTE) � If this hadn�t been on there it would have been the biggest surprise in the history of the awards. Signed, sealed, and delivered. I�m not saying he doesn�t deserve it; I�d love Hoffman to win an Oscar every year for being cool as hell, but I�d personally take Howard over him.
- HEATH LEDGER (BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN) � Gylenhall got stuck with the supporting nod, but I thought they were both equally featured here; I guess this is really Ledger�s story, but I�d feel a little screwed if I was Jake. Anyways, this is an okay nod. I don�t know, there were many better performances this year than Ledger, but I understand, it�s �Brokeback Mountain,� what you gonna do?
- JOAQUIN PHOENIX (WALK THE LINE) � Like Hoffman, this was obviously going to happen, and if anyones going to beat Hoffman, this would have to be your upset pick. So, if you just play a real person do you get an automatic Oscar nod? Just asking. Seriously, Phoenix is great here; wouldn�t be pissed at all if he won.
- DAVID STRAITHAIRN (GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK) � Didn�t really understand the appeal of this movie, but Straithairn was pretty good; third out of five real-life characterizations this year. Wouldn�t have nominated him; pretty much forgot about this movie right after I saw it.

WHO WILL WIN � HOFFMAN
WHO SHOULD WIN � HOWARD


BEST ACTRESS
- JUDI DENCH (MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS) AND FELICITY HUFFMAN (TRANSAMERICA) � Can�t comment on either one of these; haven�t seen the films.
- CHARLIZE THERON (NORTH COUNTRY) � This movie was pure propagandized horseshit, and Charlize Theron is fine in her Oscar baited role, but not deserving of a nomination.
- KIERA KNIGHTLEY (PRIDE AND PREJUDICE) � Didn�t understand the appeal of this film either, and I love me some Austen. And Knightley is a pretty terrible actress in my opinion, so definitely hated this nominee.
- REESE WITHERSPOON (WALK THE LINE) � Favorite nominee of the three pictures I�ve seen, but I can think of five better nominees for this category.

WHO WILL WIN � REESE WITHERSPOON
WHO SHOULD WIN � REESE WITHERSPOON (FOR NOW)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
- GEORGE CLOONEY (SYRIANA) � This movie wasn�t like �Traffic,� it freaking was �Traffic� without Mr. Soderbergh�s experimentally challenged camera work. Seriously, substitute the drugs for oil, and you got the same damn, overrated film. But this is about Clooney; he did his usual nodding and winking at the camera pretty damn well. Plus, he had a beard; now that�s something. Grow a beard; get nominated.
- MATT DILLON (CRASH) � Now, play a bigot cop, and you will definitely get nominated. I would have just nominated Terence Howard again here for this, but Dillon�s as good a choice as any to represent the film.
- PAUL GIAMATTI (CINDERELLA MAN) � Really good performance from Giamatti. And this being my favorite film of the year, and it�s only big nomination, I�m slightly pulling for him in my heart.
- JAKE GYLLENHAL (BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN) � Would have made just as much sense in Best Actor category, but I guess they had to find a more feasible way to nominate both of these dirty cowboys. That�s right, I said it; why couldn�t they have had them eating pudding in a scene; I bet Jake would have kicked some ass in that scene, and it would have catapulted him into my favorite list. But seriously, very deserving of nomination.
- WILLIAM HURT (HISTORY OF VIOLENCE) � Awesome, and hugest surprise for me of all the nominees, at least it was the best surprise. I�m not betting on him to win, but he might be a dark horse with a little pull; they need to be campaigning the hell out of him the rest of the way.

WHO WILL WIN � MATT DILLON
WHO SHOULD WIN � WILLIAM HURT

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
- AMY ADAMS (JUNEBUG) � This was a movie that I really did love, and it barely missed out on my favorites list. Amy Adams is brilliant in this film; this comes off as a pretty typical nominee for the indie world, but it is very deserving.
- CATHERINE KEENER (CAPOTE) � I love Keener, I really do. But I�m really over the talk of this performance. To not be nominated for so many brilliant performances in the past, and then to be given a token nomination because you played a real person is pretty typical for Oscar. Seriously, this is the Al Pacino winning after all those years for freaking �Scent of A Woman� kind of thing. She gave a much better performance in another 2005 movie, �The Ballad of Jack and Rose.� Why not give her the nomination for that?
- FRANCES MCDORMAND (NORTH COUNTRY) � I forgot until now that McDormand and Theron were in two movies together in 2005, and they both sucked balls. This was a strange nomination I wasn�t expecting, but that�s not in a good way. McDormand is as good as usual; I just don�t like this movie being represented on any level that resembles greatness.
- RACHEL WEISZ (THE CONSTANT GARDNER) � Weisz has always blinded me with her beauty, but in this film she actually shows some pretty good acting chops as well. I like this nomination; it doesn�t feel like a token one, it feels right.
- MICHELLE WILLIAMS (BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN) � From Dawson�s Creek to the Oscars; dreams are possible. One of my main problems with �Brokeback Mountain� was it�s underuse of the main character�s wives. Williams is great with what little she is given. I probably wouldn�t have nominated her though, but with that being said, she�ll probably win.

WHO WILL WIN � MICHELLE WILLIAMS
WHO SHOULD WIN � (TIE) AMY ADAMS AND RACHEL WEISZ

BEST PICTURE

- BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN � How did this get nominated? How PC of the Academy. This really is a hell of a film, and I�m not going to be too pissed if it wins. Take away the subject matter though, and this is a prime candidate for a Best Picture win. This is �Forrest Gump,� �Titanic,� �Braveheart,� and �The English Patient� all rolled up in one toasty Texas sleeping bag.
- MUNICH � I by no means disliked this film, but I don�t know if I really cared for it that much either. It didn�t really sit with me one way or the other; will probably see it again on DVD just out of curiosity on how it moves me the second time. But my initial opinion is there were plenty of far better films to nominate for Best Picture.
- CAPOTE � The character study is something that rarely gets nominated for best picture. We had �Ray� last year, and it didn�t have a shot in hell of winning, and probably neither does �Capote.� It�s my second favorite of the nominees, and it�s nice to see a smaller film get thrown into the mix.
- CRASH � At least one of my top five films made it into the nominees even if it was my number five. Great film and deserves to be here no matter what Harry Knowles has to say.
- GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK � Never would have thought in a million years this would get nominated, and yet, here it sits. It�s not a terrible film (like say, North Country or Syriana), but it�s not top five of the year material.

WHAT WILL WIN � BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
WHAT SHOULD WIN � CRASH

A few other notes before I end. All five best pictures had their directors nominated; it�s been awhile since that�s happened. �Match Point� gets pretty much shut out of the proceedings, what a crock? Nice to see �Chicken Little� and �Madagascar� nowhere near the Best Animation nominee list. Here�s hoping for �Wallace and Grommit.� A lot of great foreign films this past year (�Oldboy,� �Cache�) but the five nominees are ones we haven�t heard of. How freaking Herzog�s �Grizzly Man� is not in the running for Best Documentary is ridiculous. And the thing I�m looking the most forward to seeing at the festivities: The performance of Best Song nominee �It�s Hard Out Here For A Pimp� from �Hustle and Flow.�