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By Jamie Brazee Entertainment Staff |
Guide to Star Ratings |
Titanic and As Good As It Gets swept the Golden Globes two weeks ago, but will they perform as well at the Oscars in March? Not if Good Will Hunting and L. A. Confidential have their say - both nominated 9 times each. Don't forget about The Full Monty. Although it doesn't have a prayer at winning Best Picture, it's refreshing to see such a film grab a nomination. Once again, however, the Academy showcases their ridiculously short memory by snubbing both Donnie Brasco and Contact. All five of these films are phenomenal, and I'm going to ride the fence between Titanic and Good Will Hunting for the year's biggest honor.
For those of you who are new to the Oscars, the Best Director category is almost always filled with four of the directors from the Best Picture nominees and one outsider. This year is no different as Atom Egoyan and The Sweet Hereafter oust James L. Brooks and As Good As It Gets. Once again we must ask the question, "What happened to Mike Newell of Donnie Brasco and Robert Zemeckis for Contact?" Though against good competition, this prediction is a no-brainer: James Cameron in a landslide.
Anyone seen my walker? Matt Damon probably feels intimidated in the company of the legendary Robert Duvall, Peter Fonda, Dustin Hoffman, and Jack Nicholson. Of the four, Peter Fonda is the only one without a statue already. Congratulations are definitely in order for Damon who knocked both Al Pacino (another veteran statue owner) and Leonardo DiCaprio out of the running. The Academy loves to spread the wealth, so I am picking Peter Fonda by a nose over Jack Nicholson.
What do the Winter Olympics and the Best Actress category have in common? The Americans just can't win. As per usual, this category is filled with foreigners (Helena Bonham Carter, Julie Christie, Judi Dench, and Kate Winslet) and rightfully so, since the nominees are amazing in their respective films. Jodie Foster also deserves a nomination for her role in Contact, but her victories in 1988 and 1991 probably pushed her aside to give nods to five other deserving talents. Therefore, Helen Hunt is the great American hopeful, but I am predicting Judi Dench (Mrs. Brown) to leave with the gold.
Though I hate admitting so, it looks as though the Golden Globes finally got something right, for I agree with almost all of their picks, including Best Supporting Actor and Actress. Best Supporting Actor is a tough one this year, but Burt Reynolds is just too good in Boogie Nights. And how about those supporting actresses? You'd think the Academy would limit the nominations to three with the abundant lack of talent that usually fills this category. Minnie Driver of Good Will Hunting grabbed the "there's no one left to nominate" slot, and Gloria Stuart, while doing a god job in Titanic, is little competition for an Oscar. The only nominee who really stands above the rest is Kim Bassinger for L. A. Confidential.
As for music, the most overlooked part of a film, the world's best are once again fighting it out. It seems like every year James Horner, Jerry Goldsmith, and John Williams own the nominations for Best Dramatic Score. There are no changes this year, but I do see a clear winner. Remember Glory, Braveheart, Apollo 13, Legends of the Fall, and Field of Dreams? James Horner has been robbed at the Oscars too many times, and Titanic will provide him with his first of many Oscars. Horner might not want to leave the stage though, for he'll have to walk back up there to grab the award for "My Heart Will Go On" as Best Original Song, edging out "How Do I Live" from Con Air.
Tying All About Eve's record with 14 nominations, can Titanic sail past (pardon the pun) Ben-Hur's record setting 11 victories in 1959? It's doubtful. With little hope of winning Best Actress or Supporting Actress, Titanic will have to win all the sound and visual categories—including Art Direction, Cinematography, Sound, Sound Effects Editing, Costume, Film Editing, Makeup, and Visual Effects—if it hopes to set a new record. Not to worry though, Titanic has already set plenty of records and is sure to set many more. To see my predictions proven false, be sure to check out the full award ceremony on March 23.
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