Innermost Thought

It's about 45 minutes until the Oscars this year and I'm getting more excited by the minute. There is something about the Oscars for me. It's like Mecca. It doesn't matter where I am or what ongoing in my life, at this time of the year it's what I'm doing. I've managed to see most of the major pics this year. I've even discovered a little theatre in Union Square that shows the animated/live action shorts. I'd always wonders who actually sees those things. Though I didn't find this nugget of info until it was too late; I am resolved to see ALL of the Oscar noms next year-even the shorts. Until then here are my predictions for 2006. Who Should Win and Who Will Win. Anybody taking bets?

Original Screenplay_

Should: Crash hands down. This movie was thoughtful, provacative, well-made and beautiful in it's honesty.

Will Win: Crash. It was just too good. A close second would be Good Night and Good Luck.

Adapted Screenplay

Should: Hard to say here, but I will have to go with Brokeback Mountain. It was very well done. My second choice would be History of Violence. This is a reall dark horse but I am fascinated by this movie.

Will Win: Brokeback Mountain

Supporting Actor/Actress

Supporting Actress:

Should Win: Rachel Wiesz from The Constant Gardener. Before I'd seen the movie I'd wondered what all the fuss was about. She deserves every award she gets. She was riveting.

Will Win: Rachel Wiesz

Supporting Actor:

Should Win: William Hurt in A History of Violence. His performance was so good. Definitely the best performance in this category for the year. Matt Dillon in Crash would be a close second.

Will Win: Paul Giamatti for Cinderella Man. Oscar has a history of correcting previous years' omissions. They did it with Renee Zellweger who should have won for Chicago. Instead Nicole Kidman won for The Hours largely because she lost the year before with Moulin Rouge. Paul Giamatti didn't get it for Sideways so he'll win for this. Matt Dillon is another close favorite for me in the Will Win. I hope Matt Dillon wins.

Best Actor/Actress

Best Actress

Should Win: Felicity Huffman in TransAmerica hands down. The other performances were good but hers was transcendant.

Will Win: I'm going on a limb to say Felicity Huffman. Although Oscar does love to give this award to the starlets. I think Felicity was too good to pass up. But if Oscar adheres to it's "a woman is an under-30 ONLY thing" then Reese Witherspoon will win. Don't get me wrong. Reese was really good. Felicity was better.

Best Actor

Should Win/Will Win: No question Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Always an amazing actor and in this picture he outdid himself. I've started reading "In Cold Blood" because of the movie Capote.

Best Director

Should Win: Not sure about this one. All of the movies I'd seen were great ( I didn't see Munich.) I'm going to go with Ang Lee because he did a fantastic job and I've met him.

Will Win: Ang Lee.

Best Picture

Though we'll wait until the end of the night to hear this I'll just say it now.... Should Win: Crash no question.

Will Win: I'm going out on a limb for this one. Though Brokeback's got the buzz; I'm still going with Crash.

The Music

Original Score

Should Win: I liked the use of music much better in Pride and Prejudice but I have to admit I'm talking out of my arse on this one.

Will Win: Brokeback Mountain

Original Song

Should win: This one is tough as well because I loved "It's Hard out here for a Pimp" in the movie. It was also used throughout the movie (unlike Dolly Parton's lovely song for Transamerica used in the credits). I'm going with "In the Deep" for Crash which I also believe was used in the film.

Will Win: Travelin' Through. Though it wasn't used IN the movie, it's very singable and it's Dolly Parton. Who doesn't love Dolly Parton?

Best Foreign Language Film

I didn't see these so I'm truly guessing by calling Paradise Now the winner.

The Documentaries

I didn't see these so I'm guessing.....

Documentary Feature

Should/Will Win: This is really a no brainer. Is there any question at all that March of the Penguins will take this one home.

Documentary Short

Will Win: A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwan The longest title strikes again.

The Behind the Lens Awards

Animated Feature

Didn't see them so I'm going with Wallace and Gromit cuz it sound good and it's the movie I'd see first.

Cinematography

Should Win:Good Night and Good Luck. It was flawless.

Will Win: Good Night and Good Luck.

Live Action Short

Will Win: Six Shooter.

Animated Short

Will Win: The Moon and The Sun: An Imagined Conversation. It was the longest title so, what the heck.

The Boring Awards

Okay they aren't really boring. I'm just really too ignorant of the disciplines to be any kind of authority but here are my picks.

Visual Effects Should/Will: King Kong It was the only movie I've seen in the category. I do think the effects were amazing though.

Sound Mixing Honestly I have no idea so I'm going to guess Walk the Line.

Sound Editing Should/Will King Kong

Make-Up Will Win: Chronicles of Narnia Didn't see but I think the make up is probably fabulous.

Film Editing Will Win: Crash. What can I say? I Love this movie.

CostumesNo Idea. I'm going to guess Pride and Prejudice because I saw it and loved it.

Art Direction Should/Will: Good Night and Good Luck As far as Art Direction goes this movie was flawless.