Oscar Pools: Begin!

My annual slumber party is underway in the form of the fabled Academy Awards
on Sunday, March 5th, that time of the year when me and my friends get
together in our Spider-Man underoos and yell ‘OH, SNAP!’ at the TV because
Judi Dench popped out of her dress.

Just like every other year, I’ll be one of those people who hasn’t seen any
of the nominated movies but will be part of those mindless sheep who plunk
down their hard-earned cash the following week to see if they were worth all
hubbub. “Brokeback Mointain” leads the way with 8 nominations, and even
though it won’t win, I’m tickled pink to see that “Good Night, and Good
Luck” is in the running for best picture. It’s the only one I saw from that
list. And “Crash”. But that’s irrelevant. Should’ve been “Walk
The Line”
instead. At least “King Kong” is nowhere to be seen in that category.

With most of the Best Picture nominees being indie releases, it kinda
reminds me of ‘The Year of the Independents’ back in 1996 with such
luminaries as “Fargo”, “Sling Blade”, and of course, “The
English Patient”
(although “Swingers” was snubbed). I was but a wee lad back then, but
I will
cherish those memories forever. Why? Because it was the year Billy Crystal
decided to come back and host after a few disastrous years by other
so-called ‘entertainers’ *cough*whoopi*cough*. I enjoyed Letterman though, I
must say. I still have it on tape. So with all this meaningless trip down
memory lane, I finally come full circle in this paragraph by anticipating
Jon Stewart’s hosting duties. He’s been a little less than stellar on his
show lately, but I saw his stand-up routine in Toronto a few months ago and
if he stays true to his comedic roots, we’re all in for the evening of our
lives. Hell, if he does the Dubya chuckle just once, it’ll be worth it.

Best Picture
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK.
CRASH
CAPOTE
MUNICH

Actor in a Leading Role
Philip Seymour Hoffman, CAPOTE
Heath Ledger, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
Terrence Howard, HUSTLE AND FLOW
David Strathairn, GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK.
Joaquin Phoenix, WALK THE LINE

Actress in a Leading Role
Felicity Huffman, TRANSAMERICA
Charlize Theron, NORTH COUNTRY
Reese Witherspoon, WALK THE LINE
Keira Knightley, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Judi Dench, MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS

Best Director
Steven Spielberg, MUNICH
Ang Lee, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
George Clooney, GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK.
Paul Haggis, CRASH
Bennet Miller, CAPOTE

Actor in a Supporting Role
Paul Giamatti, CINDERELLA MAN
George Clooney, SYRIANA
Matt Dillon, CRASH
William Hurt, A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
Jake Gyllenhaal, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN

Actress in a Supporting Role
Rachel Weisz, THE CONSTANT GARDENER
Frances McDormand, NORTH COUNTRY
Michelle Williams, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
Amy Adams, JUNEBUG
Catherine Keener, CAPOTE

Best Original Screenplay
Woody Allen, MATCH POINT
George Clooney & Grant Heslov, GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK
Paul Haggis & Bobby Moresco, CRASH
Stephen Gaghan, SYRIANA
Noah Baumbach, THE SQUID AND THE WHALE

Best Adapted Screenplay
Dan Futterman, CAPOTE
Josh Olson, A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
Jeffrey Caine, THE CONSTANT GARDENER
Tony Kushner & Eric Roth, MUNICH
Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN

Best Original Score
Alberto Iglesias, THE CONSTANT GARDENER
Dario Marianelli, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Gustavo Santaolalla, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
John Williams, MUNICH
John Williams, MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA

Best Animated Film
WALLACE AND GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT
THE CORPSE BRIDE
HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE

Best Art Direction
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
KING KONG
GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK
HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE

Best Cinematography
Rodrigo Prieto, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
Robert Elswit, GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK
Emmanuel Lubezki, THE NEW WORLD
Dion Beebe, MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
Wally Pfister, BATMAN BEGINS

Best Costume Design
MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
WALK THE LINE

Best Documentary Feature
MARCH OF THE PENGUINS
MURDERBALL
DARWIN’S NIGHTMARE
STREET FIGHT
ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM

Best Documentary (Short Subject)
THE DEATH OF KEVIN CARTER: CASUALTY OF THE BANG BANG CLUB
GOD SLEEPS IN RWANDA
THE MUSHROOM CLUB
A NOTE OF TRIUMPH: THE GOLDEN AGE OF NORMAN CORWIN

Best Film Editing
CINDERELLA MAN
THE CONSTANT GARDENER
CRASH
MUNICH
WALK THE LINE

Best Makeup
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE
CINDERELLA MAN
STAR WARS, EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH

Best Short Film (Animated)
BADGERED
THE MOON AND THE SON: AN IMAGINED CONVERSATION
THE MYSTERIOUS GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORATIONS OF JASPER MORELLO 9
ONE MAN BAND

Best Short Film (Live-Action)
AUSREISSER (THE RUNAWAY)
CASHBACK
THE LAST FARM
OUR TIME IS UP
SIX SHOOTER

Best Sound Editing
KING KONG
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
WAR OF THE WORLDS

Best Sound Mixing
WALK THE LINE
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
WAR OF THE WORLD
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE
KING KONG

Best Visual Effects
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE
KING KONG
WAR OF THE WORLDS

Best Original Song
“In the Deep” – CRASH, Music by Kathleen “Bird” York and
Michael Becker; Lyric by Kathleen “Bird” York
“It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” – HUSTLE & FLOW Music and Lyric
by Jordan Houston, Cedric Coleman and Paul Beauregard
“Travelin’ Thru” — TRANSAMERICA, Music & Lyrics
by: Dolly Parton

Best Foreign Film
SOPHIE SCHOLL – THE FINAL DAYS
DON’T TELL
MERRY CHRISTMAS (JOYEUX NOEL)
PARADISE NOW
TSOTSI