City College News

Issue date: 2/10/07 Section: Movies

Oscar Picks (Bold signifies my official pick to win, not my favorite)

 

Performance by an actor in a leading role

Leonardo DiCaprio in “Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.)

Ryan Gosling in “Half Nelson” (THINKFilm)

Peter O’Toole in “Venus” (Miramax, Filmfour and UK Council)

Will Smith in “The Pursuit of Happyness” (Sony Pictures Releasing)

Forest Whitaker in “The Last King of Scotland” (Fox Searchlight)

 

I think this will be a surprise win for Peter O’Toole, and it may be one of the only surprises of the evening. He is also my favorite of the bunch.

 

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

Alan Arkin in “Little Miss Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)

Jackie Earle Haley in “Little Children” (New Line)

Djimon Hounsou in “Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.)

Eddie Murphy in “Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount)

Mark Wahlberg in “The Departed” (Warner Bros.)

 

All signals point to Eddie Murphy for his amazing James Brown impersonation in one of the year’s most overrated films. While Murphy’s flamboyance is one of Dreamgirl’s sole qualities, I’m rooting for Haley to pull of an upset.

 

Performance by an actress in a leading role

Penélope Cruz in “Volver” (Sony Pictures Classics)

Judi Dench in “Notes on a Scandal” (Fox Searchlight)

Helen Mirren in “The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada)

Meryl Streep in “The Devil Wears Prada” (20th Century Fox)

Kate Winslet in “Little Children” (New Line)

 

Cruz speaks Spanish, so her nomination is on the border of a fluke. Dench and Streep are multi-time winners, wile Winslet will surely be win in the future. Mirren IS Queen Elizabeth in that film, and has been garnering accolades for months. I see no way how she couldn’t win.

 

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

Adriana Barraza in “Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)

Cate Blanchett in “Notes on a Scandal” (Fox Searchlight)

Abigail Breslin in “Little Miss Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)

Jennifer Hudson in “Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount)

Rinko Kikuchi in “Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)

 

All of the momentum in this category is with former American Idol-contestant Jennifer Hudson. I wish anybody else would win.

 

Best animated feature film of the year

“Cars” (Buena Vista) John Lasseter

“Happy Feet” (Warner Bros.) George Miller

“Monster House” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Gil Kenan

 

I enjoyed the political stance taken in Happy Feet and the cool cinematographic effects in Monster House, but Cars has this lock, stock, and barrel.

 

Achievement in art direction

 

“Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount)
Art Direction: John Myhre, Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh

“The Good Shepherd” (Universal)
Art Direction: Jeannine Oppewall, Set Decoration: Gretchen Rau and Leslie E. Rollins

“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse)
Art Direction: Eugenio Caballero, Set Decoration: Pilar Revuelta

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (Buena Vista)
Art Direction: Rick Heinrichs, Set Decoration: Cheryl Carasik

“The Prestige” (Buena Vista)
Art Direction: Nathan Crowley, Set Decoration: Julie Ochipinti

 

Conventional wisdom suggests that the film with the most nominations will win the most technical awards, but this year is so weird since Dreamgirls wasn’t nominated for Best Picture. But Pan’s Labyrinth tied for 3^rd in nominations, and has it spread through many categories.

 

Achievement in cinematography

 

“The Black Dahlia” (Universal) Vilmos Zsigmond

“Children of Men” (Universal) Emmanuel Lubezki

“The Illusionist” (Yari Film Group) Dick Pope

“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse) Guillermo Navarro

“The Prestige” (Buena Vista) Wally Pfister

 

Same secondary algebraic Oscar wisdom applies here.

 

Achievement in costume design

 

“Curse of the Golden Flower” (Sony Pictures Classics) Yee Chung Man

“The Devil Wears Prada” (20th Century Fox) Patricia Field

“Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount) Sharen Davis

“Marie Antoinette” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Milena Canonero

“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada) Consolata Boyle

 

Primary conventional wisdom is challenged by the superior film.

 

Achievement in directing

 

“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage) Alejandro González Iñárritu

“The Departed” (Warner Bros.) Martin Scorsese

“Letters from Iwo Jima” (Warner Bros.) Clint Eastwood

“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada) Stephen Frears

“United 93” (Universal and StudioCanal) Paul Greengrass

 

Scorsese was nominated for Raging Bull, The Last Temptation of Christ, Goodfellas, Gangs of New York, and The Aviator. He will win this year for a combination of reasons: past snubs, less competition, and victory at the Director’s Guild Association.

 

Best documentary feature

 

“Deliver Us from Evil” (Lionsgate)
A Disarming Films Production
Amy Berg and Frank Donner

“An Inconvenient Truth” (Paramount Classics and Participant Productions)
A Lawrence Bender/Laurie David Production
Davis Guggenheim

“Iraq in Fragments” (Typecast Releasing)
A Typecast Pictures/Daylight Factory Production
James Longley and John Sinno

“Jesus Camp” (Magnolia Pictures)
A Loki Films Production
Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady

“My Country, My Country” (Zeitgeist Films)
A Praxis Films Production
Laura Poitras and Jocelyn Glatzer

 

I haven’t seen all these films and cannot judge on quality. The documentary award goes almost unanimously for the biggest earner. Too bad there isn’t an “Achievement in Horror”, and then Jesus Camp could actually compete.

 

Best documentary short subject

 

“The Blood of Yingzhou District”
A Thomas Lennon Films Production
Ruby Yang and Thomas Lennon

“Recycled Life”
An Iwerks/Glad Production
Leslie Iwerks and Mike Glad

“Rehearsing a Dream”
A Simon & Goodman Picture Company Production
Karen Goodman and Kirk Simon

“Two Hands”
A Crazy Boat Pictures Production
Nathaniel Kahn and Susan Rose Behr

 

That one sounds cool.

 

Achievement in film editing

“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)
Stephen Mirrione and Douglas Crise

“Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.)
Steven Rosenblum

“Children of Men” (Universal)
Alex Rodríguez and Alfonso Cuarón

“The Departed” (Warner Bros.)
Thelma Schoonmaker

“United 93” (Universal and StudioCanal)
Clare Douglas, Christopher Rouse and Richard Pearson

 

This is a hard call. Since I don’t anticipate The Departed sweeping, I’m going to go with Babel, especially since the success of the film is so dependent on editing.

 

Best foreign language film of the year

 

“After the Wedding” A Zentropa Entertainments 16 Production
Denmark

“Days of Glory (Indigènes)” A Tessalit Production
Algeria

“The Lives of Others” A Wiedemann & Berg Production
Germany

“Pan’s Labyrinth” A Tequila Gang/Esperanto Filmoj/Estudios Picasso Production
Mexico

“Water” A Hamilton-Mehta Production
Canada

 

It’s the Spanish-language juggernaut.

 

Achievement in makeup

“Apocalypto” (Buena Vista) Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano

“Click” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Kazuhiro Tsuji and Bill Corso

“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse) David Marti and Montse Ribe

 

Why is Click nominated?

 

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)

 

“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage) Gustavo Santaolalla

“The Good German” (Warner Bros.) Thomas Newman

“Notes on a Scandal” (Fox Searchlight) Philip Glass

“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse) Javier Navarrete

“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada) Alexandre Desplat

 

This could go in any direction, so I randomly select The Queen.

 

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

 

“I Need to Wake Up” from “An Inconvenient Truth”
(Paramount Classics and Participant Productions)
Music and Lyric by Melissa Etheridge

“Listen” from “Dreamgirls”
(DreamWorks and Paramount)
Music by Henry Krieger and Scott Cutler
Lyric by Anne Preven

“Love You I Do” from “Dreamgirls”
(DreamWorks and Paramount)
Music by Henry Krieger
Lyric by Siedah Garrett

“Our Town” from “Cars”
(Buena Vista)
Music and Lyric by Randy Newman

“Patience” from “Dreamgirls”
(DreamWorks and Paramount)
Music by Henry Krieger
Lyric by Willie Reale

 

I hate all of these songs.

 

Best motion picture of the year

 

“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)
An Anonymous Content/Zeta Film/Central Films Production
Alejandro González Iñárritu, Jon Kilik and Steve Golin, Producers

“The Departed” (Warner Bros.)
A Warner Bros. Pictures Production
Graham King, Producer

“Letters from Iwo Jima” (Warner Bros.)
A DreamWorks Pictures/Warner Bros. Pictures Production
Clint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg and Robert Lorenz, Producers

“Little Miss Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)
A Big Beach/Bona Fide Production
David T. Friendly, Peter Saraf and Marc Turtletaub, Producers

“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada)
A Granada Production
Andy Harries, Christine Langan and Tracey Seaward, Producers

 

They are favored to win picture and director, and not dominate otherwise. I am very eerie, though, that Iñárritu and Babel could snatch one of the awards.

 

Best animated short film

 

“The Danish Poet” (National Film Board of Canada)
A Mikrofilm and National Film Board of Canada Production
Torill Kove

“Lifted” (Buena Vista)
A Pixar Animation Studios Production
Gary Rydstrom

“The Little Matchgirl” (Buena Vista)
A Walt Disney Pictures Production
Roger Allers and Don Hahn

“Maestro” (Szimplafilm)
A Kedd Production
Geza M. Toth

“No Time for Nuts” (20th Century Fox)
A Blue Sky Studios Production
Chris Renaud and Michael Thurmeier

 

Pixar does well.

 

Best live action short film

 

“Binta and the Great Idea (Binta Y La Gran Idea)”
A Peliculas Pendelton and Tus Ojos Production
Javier Fesser and Luis Manso

“Éramos Pocos (One Too Many)” (Kimuak)
An Altube Filmeak Production
Borja Cobeaga

“Helmer & Son”
A Nordisk Film Production
Soren Pilmark and Kim Magnusson

“The Saviour” (Australian Film Television and Radio School)
An Australian Film Television and Radio School Production
Peter Templeman and Stuart Parkyn

“West Bank Story”
An Ari Sandel, Pascal Vaguelsy, Amy Kim, Ravi Malhotra and Ashley Jordan Production
Ari Sandel

 

My personal pick.

 

Achievement in sound editing

 

“Apocalypto” (Buena Vista)
Sean McCormack and Kami Asgar

“Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.)
Lon Bender

“Flags of Our Fathers” (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by Paramount)
Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman

“Letters from Iwo Jima” (Warner Bros.)
Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (Buena Vista)
Christopher Boyes and George Watters II

 

This category tends to be code for the best action-oriented film of the year.

 

Achievement in sound mixing

 

“Apocalypto” (Buena Vista)
Kevin O’Connell, Greg P. Russell and Fernando Camara

“Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.)
Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer and Ivan Sharrock

“Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount)
Michael Minkler, Bob Beemer and Willie Burton

“Flags of Our Fathers” (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by Paramount)
John Reitz, Dave Campbell, Gregg Rudloff and Walt Martin

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (Buena Vista)
Paul Massey, Christopher Boyes and Lee Orloff

 

It’s a hard call with Pirates, but movies with music are often awarded.

 

Achievement in visual effects

 

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (Buena Vista)
John Knoll, Hal Hickel, Charles Gibson and Allen Hall

“Poseidon” (Warner Bros.)
Boyd Shermis, Kim Libreri, Chas Jarrett and John Frazier

“Superman Returns” (Warner Bros.)
Mark Stetson, Neil Corbould, Richard R. Hoover and Jon Thum

 

This category usually represents the best Science Fiction – Fantasy sort of films.

 

Adapted screenplay

 

“Borat Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” (20th Century Fox)
Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Peter Baynham & Dan Mazer
Story by Sacha Baron Cohen & Peter Baynham & Anthony Hines & Todd Phillips  

“Children of Men” (Universal)
Screenplay by Alfonso Cuarón & Timothy J. Sexton and David Arata and Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby

“The Departed” (Warner Bros.)
Screenplay by William Monahan

“Little Children” (New Line)
Screenplay by Todd Field & Tom Perrotta

“Notes on a Scandal” (Fox Searchlight)
Screenplay by Patrick Marber

 

Oh, how I wish Sacha Baron Cohen could go upstage and thank the town abortionist. And it could happen; this is the toughest of all the above-the-line nominated films, so I will go with my favorite that is underrepresented.

 

Original screenplay

 

“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)
Written by Guillermo Arriaga

“Letters from Iwo Jima” (Warner Bros.)
Screenplay by Iris Yamashita
Story by Iris Yamashita & Paul Haggis

“Little Miss Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)
Written by Michael Arndt

“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse)
Written by Guillermo del Toro

“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada)
Written by Peter Morgan

 

The screenplay categories usually have the looseness for vote for something quirkier, but it can it stop Les Guillermo’s.

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