Well, since I'm not going to be able to win the big prize at Julie's Oscar Party this year here's my picks for this year's awards. In each of the categories I've picked the movie I think will win and then the movie I think SHOULD win.
Performance by an actor in a leading role
Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Capote”
Terrence Howard in “Hustle & Flow”
Heath Ledger in “Brokeback Mountain”
Joaquin Phoenix in “Walk the Line”
David Strathairn in “Good Night, and Good Luck.”
Prediction: Philip Seymour Hoffman or Heath Ledger. I can't seem to get a feel for this one. I think it's a toss up, although what may give Ledger the advantage is that he isn't playing an historical figure.
My Preference: I love Hoffman and I'd love to see him win it as well, however if you're taking about my preference then no other performance (besides Hoffman) stuck out more in my mind all year than Terence Howard in "Hustle & Flow."
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
George Clooney in “Syriana” (Warner Bros.)
Matt Dillon in “Crash” (Lions Gate)
Paul Giamatti in “Cinderella Man” (Universal and Miramax)
Jake Gyllenhaal in “Brokeback Mountain” (Focus Features)
William Hurt in “A History of Violence” (New Line)
Prediction: Matt Dillon
My Preference: Paul Giamatti. Giamatti is two years overdue for this nomination and as solid (if not profound) as "Cinderella Man" was, Giamatti was quite stellar in it, stealing the thunder right out from under his two more celebrated co-stars.
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Judi Dench in “Mrs. Henderson Presents”
Felicity Huffman in “Transamerica”
Keira Knightley in “Pride & Prejudice”
Charlize Theron in “North Country”
Reese Witherspoon in “Walk the Line”
Prediction: Reese Witherspoon
My Preference: (tie)Reese Witherspoon & Felicity Huffman
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Amy Adams in “Junebug”
Catherine Keener in “Capote”
Frances McDormand in “North Country”
Rachel Weisz in “The Constant Gardener”
Michelle Williams in “Brokeback Mountain”
Prediction and Preference: Amy Adams. I only saw half of "Junebug" when I rented it but in that brief amount of time I thought Amy Adams was amazing, and as of this writing I still don't even remember her from any other movie EVER. Of the nominees hers is the quirkiest one and the Academy just seems to LOVE quirky when it comes to this category.
Best animated feature film of the year
“Howl’s Moving Castle” Hayao Miyazaki
“Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride” Mike Johnson and Tim Burton
“Wallace & Gromit in the Curse of the Were-Rabbit” Nick Park and Steve Box
Prediction: Wallace & Gromit
My Preference: Doesn't matter. As much as I've loved the computer animated movies that normally get all the attention I'm glad to see three non-CG movies get the nods.
Achievement in cinematography
“Batman Begins” - Wally Pfister
“Brokeback Mountain” - Rodrigo Prieto
“Good Night, and Good Luck.” - Robert Elswit
“Memoirs of a Geisha” - Dion Beebe
“The New World” - Emmanuel Lubezki
Prediction: "Brokeback Mountain"
My Preference: My temptation is to say "Batman Begins" simply for the fact that it's nominated. Even though the technical categories are where action movies tend to rack up nominations Cinematography still usually seems reserved for the artsy movies. The camerawork in "Brokeback" was pretty impressive but cinematography doesn't always necessarily mean big epic panorama shots so my preference (given the nominees) is "Good Night and Good Luck"
Achievement in directing (Best Director)
“Brokeback Mountain” - Ang Lee
“Capote” - Bennett Miller
“Crash” - Paul Haggis
“Good Night, and Good Luck.” - George Clooney
“Munich” - Steven Spielberg
Prediction: Ang Lee for "Brokeback Mountain"
My Preference: Being that David Cronenberg is not nominated, the underdog factor makes me lean towards "Capote" director Bennett Miller. If "Brokeback" has indeed lost some momentum then I think Clooney and Paul Haggis could sneak in there and take it.
Achievement in film editing
“Cinderella Man” - Mike Hill and Dan Hanley
“The Constant Gardener” - Claire Simpson
“Crash” - Hughes Winborne
“Munich” - Michael Kahn
“Walk the Line” - Michael McCusker
Prediction: One of the hardest categories to pick I'll say the Academy goes with "Crash" based on the fact that it does a solid job of keeping it's interweaving storylines in check.
My Preference: First of all, it's odd that "Brokeback Mountain" wasn't nominated in this category as I thought the editing was quite good. However my true preference for editing is non-nominee "A History of Violence." Also, this is another category that "Batman Begins" should have been nominated for.
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
“Brokeback Mountain” - Gustavo Santaolalla
“The Constant Gardener” - Alberto Iglesias
“Memoirs of a Geisha” - John Williams
“Munich” - John Williams
“Pride & Prejudice” - Dario Marianelli
Prediction: When in doubt, pick "Brokeback"
My Preference: I really don't care but I only saw three of the nominees, of those three the music from "Brokeback" sticks out the most, so there you go.
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
“In the Deep” from “Crash” Music by Kathleen “Bird” York and Michael Becker, Lyric by Kathleen “Bird” York
“It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” from“Hustle & Flow” - Music and Lyric by Jordan Houston, Cedric Coleman and Paul Beauregard
“Travelin’ Thru” from “Transamerica” - Music and Lyric by Dolly Parton
Prediction: "Travelin Thru"
My Preference: I would perform unspeakable sexual acts on Judi Dench if "It's Hard out there for a Pimp" wins this category. Hopefully Eminem shunning his Oscar nomination (and win) a few years ago hasn't ruined it for the chances of future rap wins. If they win, I hope Three 6 Mafia shows up and accepts their award.
Adapted screenplay
“Brokeback Mountain” - Screenplay by Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana
“Capote” - Screenplay by Dan Futterman
“The Constant Gardener” - Screenplay by Jeffrey Caine
“A History of Violence” - Screenplay by Josh Olson
“Munich” - Screenplay by Tony Kushner and Eric Roth
Prediction: "Brokeback Mountain"
My Preference: Well, duhh "A History of Violence"
Original screenplay
“Crash” - Screenplay by Paul Haggis & Bobby Moresco, Story by Paul Haggis
“Good Night, and Good Luck.” - Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov
“Match Point” - Written by Woody Allen
“The Squid and the Whale” - Written by Noah Baumbach
“Syriana” - Written by Stephen Gaghan
Prediction & Preference: Any of the four other nominees deserve to win more than the movie that probably will win which is "Crash." If I had to pick a favorite though, then I'd go with Woody Allen's "Match Point" script or Clooney and Heslov's "Good Night & Good Luck." I also think "Hustle & Flow" should have been nominated here as well.
Best motion picture of the year
“Brokeback Mountain”
“Capote”
“Crash”
“Good Night, and Good Luck.” (Warner Independent Pictures)
“Munich” (Universal and DreamWorks)
My Preference: Well since my true preference isn't nominated let me first list the five films I would have nominated if I were God of Movies:
"Capote"
"Good Night and Good Luck"
"A History of Violence"
"Hustle & Flow"
"Match Point"
