The Flick Chicks

01/02/06 Choices for Oscar Consideration

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Judy Thorburn

My Choices for Oscar Consideration

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MY CHOICES FOR OSCAR CONSIDERATION

Now that award season is here, guessing has begun on who will take home the much sort after film awards.  On December 12, the Foreign Press Association announced their 63rd Annual Golden Globe nominations, a prestigious honor that could foretell what to expect come Oscar time. Unfortunately, in recognizing the historical pattern of the Academy Award nominations, some of the best films and performances, which came out earlier in the year, tend to be forgotten. Therefore, I thought I would take this opportunity to mention my choices, including some considered dark horses that ranked as the best of the year.

 

It’s dark, and at times gory but comic book tale SIN CITY, came to life on screen as a visually eye popping cinematic work of art. The great ensemble cast includes former pretty boy, MICKEY ROURKE who has re-invented himself by coming back full force in an Oscar worthy supporting role.  HUSTLE AND FLOW star TERRANCE HOWARD is a potential best actor nominee for his breakout role as a drug-dealing pimp with a desire to be a rap star. RUSSELL CROWE is wonderful as real life Depression era boxer James J. Braddock, who overcame the odds to become the world heavyweight boxing champ in Ron Howard’s moving and inspiring, CINDERELLA MAN. Others in the field of best actors include TOM WILKINSON as a desperate husband in SEPARATE LIES and JEFF DANIELS as a dysfunctional parent in THE SQUID AND THE WHALE. CHRISTIAN BALE is perfectly cast and fabulous as Bruce Wayne and his alter ego in BATMAN BEGINS, and PIERCE BROSNAN blew me away in a very different turn as a burnt out hit man with issues in THE MATADOR, a surprising gem that co-stars Greg Kinnear.  The way I see it, the only shoo in nominees are PHILLIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN for his uncanny, amazing portrayal of brilliant writer Truman Capote in, CAPOTE and HEATH LEDGER who is magnificent as the emotionally and sexually tormented cowboy in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN.

 

For best male support, WILLIAM HURT should get a nod for his short, but outstanding work in A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, a best film contender. MATT DILLON gives a career topping performance in CRASH, one of the year’s best films. And, you can expect PAUL GIAMATTI to be nominated for CINDERELLA MAN. He has a fine chance of winning this time around since he was overlooked last year for his Oscar worthy role in Sideways. 

 

The best actress slots should include a brilliant GWYNETH PALTROW in PROOF as the daughter of a genius math professor (Anthony Hopkins) who believes she might be following the path of her deceased father and going mad.  MARIA BELLO is excellent as Viggo Mortenson’s distraught wife who finds her husband has been living a lie in the aforementioned David Cronenberg’s A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE.  Following her Oscar win in Monster, CHARLIZE THERON gives another powerful performance in NORTH COUNTRY as the true life whistleblower who set a precedent when she won a sexual harassment lawsuit against management and its male employees at the mining plant where she worked. RACHEL WEISZ shouldn’t be overlooked as British diplomat, Ralph Fienne’s passionate activist wife, who is murdered when she uncovers a conspiracy involving a powerful drug company and government officials in THE CONSTANT GARDENER.  But, no one can top recent Emmy winning Desperate Housewife, FELICITY HUFFMAN’s sensitive, flawless performance in TRANSAMERICA as Bree, a transsexual who is about to undergo his final male to female operation when he finds himself unexpectedly united with his/her son from a brief teenage encounter with the opposite sex.

 

The field is wide open for supporting actress. But, I found SANDRA BULLOCK to be a surprise standout for her dramatic work in CRASH. The indomitable SHIRLEY MACCLAINE could easily get a nod for her IN HER SHOES role or as the inspiration for the Graduate’s Mrs. Robinson in RUMOR HAS IT.

 

Those are my choices and I’m sticking with them. Now, if only those industry voters would pay attention.

 

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