It’s Oscar time again. This year’s Academy Award nominations promises to produce wins for seasoned veterans, but could have a few surprise winners as well.
Clint Eastwood took Paul Giamatti’s place in the Best Actor category for “Million Dollar Baby,” while Don Cheadle got his first nomination for “Hotel Rwanda.”
Michael Moore took himself out of the documentary category by submitting “Fahrenheit 9/11” for Best Picture and came up empty. The local area gets some national attention with documentary nominee “Twist of Faith,” which involves sexual abuse at a local church in Toledo.
Mel Gibson let his work speak for itself by refusing to place award advertisements for “The Passion of the Christ,” which still got three nominations, though in lower profile technical categories.
The 77th Annual Academy Awards will be broadcast Sunday, Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. on ABC with Chris Rock as emcee. Herethe major nominations and predictions for main categories.
Best Picture
The Aviator
Finding Neverland
Million Dollar Baby
Sideways
Ray
And the winner is:
The frontrunner usually wins this category, so this one goes to “The Aviator,” which leads the pack with 11 nominations.
Best Director
Martin Scorsese – The Aviator
Alexandar Payne – Sideways
Taylor Hackford – Ray
Clint Eastwood- Million Dollar Baby
Mike Leigh- Vera Drake
And the winner is:
Usually, one Best Picture nominee doesn’t get a director nod. This year, it was “Finding Neverland” and director Marc Forster. The more egregious omission was the absence of Zhang Yimou (“House of Flying Daggers”). In a battle between Hollywood veterans, Eastwood and Scorsese, expect Scorsese to come out on top, not so much for “The Aviator” but for a lifetime of unrecognized brilliance.
Best Actress
Annette Bening — Being Julia Hilary Swank – Million Dollar Baby
Kate Winslet – Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Imelda Stauton – Vera Drake
Catalina Sandino Moreno -Maria Full of Grace
And the winner is:
Hilary Swank and Annette Bening faced off in 1999 (“Boys Don’t Cry” and “American Beauty” respectively) with Swank coming out on top. Don’t be surprised if Bening, the veteran Hollywood actress “got her due.”
Best Actor
Jamie Foxx — Ray
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Aviator
Johnny Depp – Finding Neverland
Don Cheadle – Hotel Rwanda Clint Eastwood – Million Dollar Baby
And the winner is:
A solid group even without Jim Cavizel-“Passion of the Christ,” Kevin Spacey-“Beyond the Sea,” Jim Carrey-“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and, of course, Paul Giamatti-“Sideways.”
Foxx should win based on his amazing portrayal of Ray Charles and genuine musical talents, but don’t count DiCaprio out.
Best Supporting Actor
Morgan Freeman – Million Dollar Baby
Clive Owen – Closer
Alan Alda – The Aviator
Jamie Foxx – Collateral
Thomas Haden Church -Sideways
And the winner is:
Freeman will win because he’s long overdue. Foxx cancels himself out by winning for lead actor. Owen is the only other nominee with a good chance.
Best Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett – The Aviator Laura Linney – Kinsey
Virginia Madsen – Sideways Natalie Portman – Closer
Sophie Okonedo – Hotel Rwanda
Portman has the edge, but Blanchett or Madsen could get it.
Original screenplay
Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry and Pierre Bismuth – Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Brad Bird – The Incredibles John Logan – The Aviator
Keir Pearson ‘ Terry George-Hotel Rwanda
Mike Leigh- Vera Drake
“The Aviator” might be considered the front runner, so Logan has a good chance, but Pearson and George should prevail.
Adapted screenplay
David Magee -Finding Neverland Paul Haggis -Million Dollar Baby
Jose Rivera – Motorcycle Dairies Alexander Payne ‘ Jim Taylor -Sideways
Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke – Before Sunset
Payne and Taylor will win because the academy likes to reward the smaller films in the screenwriting categories. I wouldn’t be surprised if Rivera wins.
