Page 20 •Thursday, February 26, 2004
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
The Pendulum
It’s that time of year once again: Oscar Picks 2004
Who will lord over the rest and who will get lost in the translation?
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Review
Sean Hennen
Reviewer
After one of the most disap
pointing summers in recent mem
ory, Hollywood rebounded in
2003 with a fall line-up that was
utterly compelling. A satisfying
mix of both commercial hits and
indie darlings graced the silver
screens during the closing months
of last year, and we see those very
same films now finding them
selves making up the roster for
the top awards at Sunday’s
Academy Awards.
The Oscar is the most coveted
prize in movie business, and some
of the best films in 2003 are now
serious contenders to take home
the little golden guy It’s quite a
varied bunch poised to take home
the famed statuette, and come
Oscar night it’s going to be a tight
race. The outcomes should make
for some surprising water cooler
conversation the following
Monday morning.
Best Picture
We’ll start with the least open-
ended category. Because despite
the selection of salient motion
pictures, no one is willing to put
money against “The Lord of the
Rings: The Return of the King.” A
guaranteed shoe-in if there ever
was one at the award show, the
third “LOTR” installment will
take home the grandest award.
While I love and respect each and
every movie in the fantasy trilogy,
it does feel a bit cheap knowing
that the Academy has waited three
years to bestow every major
award on the concluding chapter
of “LOTR."
Other entries like “Master and
Commander: The Far Side of the
World” and “Mystic River” show
both ends of the budgetary spec
trum of exceptional moviemak
ing, while “Seabiscuit” is the sur
prise nominee for this category
that has many shrugging with
Photos courtesy of movies.com
And the nominees are...pictured clock
wise from top are Charlize Theron (Best
Actress, “Monster"), Elijah Wood (Best
Picture, "Lord of the Rings'^, Bill Murray
(Best Actor, Best Piaure, "Lost in
Translation") and Naomi Watts (Best
Actress, "21 Crams")
curiosity. The fifth entry, “Lost in
Translation,” stands as testament
to the brilliance of small-scale
filmmaking and serves a lovely
dream-like bit of gorgeous movie
magic that has captured imagina
tions since its release more than
six months ago.
Who Should Win: “Lost in
Translation.”
Who Will Win: The ubiqui
tous “The Lord of the Rings.”
Best Director
Every nominee in this category
has orchestrated a piece of cine
matic genius, but only one gets
the gold idol. However, in all hon
esty, Clint Eastwood (“Mystic
River”) already has a best director
Oscar; Sofia Coppola (“Lost in
Translation”) has a long, dazzling
career ahead of her; and while
Peter Weir (“Master and
Commander”) should have won
by now, his effort isn’t the best.
Of course, Peter Jackson will
get this award for “The Lord of
the Rings.” He is deserving in
every right, but by now the award
for him feels as much a cop-out as
the best picture category. Then
there is Fernando Meirelles, the
Brazilian virtuoso behind “City of
God.” Every film-buff out there
needs to experience “City of
God,” if not in theaters then at
least on DVD. Words cannot
describe the intensity and sheer
boldness of the movie.
Who Should Win: Meirelles
has created a genuine master
piece.
Who Will Win: Peter Jackson,
no doubt about it.
Best Actor
This is a problematic category,
seeing that tight loyalties will be
neck-and-neck for Bill Murray’s
bittersweet, crowning achieve
ment in “Lost in Translation” and
Sean Penn’s incendiary turn in
“Mystic River.” Each has easily
turned in the finest performances
of their extensive careers in the
pair of films, and it will be inter
esting to see who the Academy
chooses to award.
Rounding out the bunch are
Jude Law (“Cold Mountain”) and
Ben Kingsley (“House of Sand
and Fog”), neither of whom
turned in the best works of their
careers. Then there is Johnny
Depp, the proverbial “man”
whose astonishing work has been
underrated and ignored more than
any other working actor. Not only
is “Pirates of the Caribbean” built
upon Depp’s savvy buccaneer
captain, but the actor has been
overlooked for nominations so
many times before that this award
would be long overdue.
Who Should Win: In a just
world, Johnny Depp would take
home gold.
Who Will Win:
Bill Murray vs.
Sean Penn; it’s just
too close to call.
Best Actress
Diane Keaton
(“Something’s Gotta
Give”) was the sur
prise win at the
Gokten Globes, but
best bets are on
Charlize Theron for
her unglamorous
role in the indie flick
^‘Monster.” Both
Samantha Morton
(“In America”) and
Keisha Castle-Hughes (“Whale
Rider”) haven’t received enough
publicity to stand a chance at win
ning, but Naomi Watts could pose a
threat to Theron’s chances for her
comparably understated part in “21
Grams.”
This category should boil
down to the battle of the unattrac
tive character studies, though
Theron has the lead with her pros
thetic nose enhancement a la
Nicole Kidman, who won for
2002’s “The Hours.”
Who Should Win: Watts’ turn
was slightly less pretentious.
Who Will Win: Theron has the
best shot.
Contact Sean Hennen at pendu-
lum@elon.edu or 278-7247.