I’ve been promising an Oscar column and a Best of 2001 column and I’m doing Oscar first… much, much easier.

I can’t say exactly why, but I don’t think I’ve ever been this disinterested in the race.  I am thrilled that In The Bedroom is getting recognized.  I’m a big fan of the film.  But unlike Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, it has no real shot at the big wins.  Baz Luhrmann’s non-nomination for Moulin Rouge is a drag and on my list of the greatest nomination oversights ever.  It’s not just “If it’s good enough to be Best Picture, who did they think directed it?”  This is a piece of cutting edge filmmaking that pushes the envelope brilliantly, even beyond the work of Peter Jackson or Ridley Scott.  This is a masterwork. 

Anyway, let’s get to it…

Performance by an actor in a leading role

Russell Crowe in "A Beautiful Mind" (Universal and DreamWorks)
Sean Penn in "I Am Sam" (New Line)
Will Smith in "Ali" (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Denzel Washington in "Training Day" (Warner Bros.)
Tom Wilkinson in "In the Bedroom" (Miramax)

Bet on:  Denzel.  I don’t see the Academy honoring Russell Crowe two years in a row.  He’s a brilliant actor, but he’s no Tom Hanks in the personality department.  Washington is due.  He’s been good box office.  He may be quiet, but he seems like a decent man.  I’m glad Will Smith got nominated.  Ali is liked so little in this town that it a not brilliant film is actually underrated.  Sean Penn is a brilliant actor, but this performance is overrated.  He was much better in Sweet & Lowdown.

I like:  Tom Wilkinson.  I could have lived without nominations for Spacek or Tomei, but In The Bedroom is Tom Wilkinson’s movie and he is spectacular.  From the day I saw the film at Sundance until today – more than a year – his performance stands above all others.

 Performance by an actor in a supporting role

Jim Broadbent in "Iris" (Miramax)
Ethan Hawke in "Training Day" (Warner Bros.)
Ben Kingsley in "Sexy Beast" (Fox Searchlight)
Ian McKellen in "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" (New Line)
Jon Voight in "Ali" (Sony Pictures Releasing)

Bet on:  Ben Kingsley.  It’s a great performance and it is against type.  McKellan is better than this, Voight is in a failed film, Hawke is the most bizarre nomination in years and Iris is an afterthought.

I like:  Jim Broadbent in Moulin Rouge!  Even if nominated, I wouldn’t complain if Kingsley beat Broadbent.  But for Harold Ziegler to go unnominated is a travesty.  Fox should have had his version of “Like A Virgin” playing at Staples Center during TV timeouts, running on MTV and running on the talk show circuit. 

Performance by an actress in a leading role

Halle Berry in "Monster's Ball" (Lions Gate)
Judi Dench in "Iris" (Miramax)
Nicole Kidman in "Moulin Rouge" (20th Century Fox)
Sissy Spacek in "In the Bedroom" (Miramax)
Renée Zellweger in "Bridget Jones's Diary" (Miramax/Universal/StudioCanal)

Bet on:  Halle Berry… though this may be the toughest acting category to predict this year.  Kidman and Spacek are very real competition to Ms. Berry.  Kidman gives the ultimate Old Hollywood performance and Spacek is now old in Hollywood… not as old as Dame Judi, of course.  Renee Zellweger gets the Marisa Tomei nomination… and as many weird rumors if she were to win.

I like:  I haven’t seen Monster’s Ball.  So I will be rooting for Nic.  She’s not Ann-Margret, but she’s as close as we have right now.  How about a Carnal Knowledge remake, written by Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, directed by Todd Field, starring Kidman, Brad Pitt, Josh Hartnett and Jennifer Connelly?  (Nah!  Just rent the original.)  I’m sorry that Tilda Swinton isn’t on here for The Deep End, perhaps the best performance of the year.   She and Wilkinson would make glorious underplayed bookends.

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

Jennifer Connelly in "A Beautiful Mind" (Universal and DreamWorks)
Helen Mirren in "Gosford Park" (USA Films)
Maggie Smith in "Gosford Park" (USA Films)
Marisa Tomei in "In the Bedroom" (Miramax)
Kate Winslet in "Iris" (Miramax)

Bet on:  Jennifer Connelly.  Or it could be… Jennifer Connelly.  Then again, Jennifer Connelly could win.  This may be the least competitive category this year.  Bet the brunette.

I like:  There isn’t a performance here that isn’t really good… or an actress.  Connelly really does have the biggest role by far.  I really can’t think of many great supporting performances by actresses this year.  Scarlett Johansson’s work in Ghost World is really growing on me.  Barbara Hershey in Lantana.  Maribel Verdu  from Y Tu Mama Tambien. 

Best animated feature film of the year

"Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius" (Paramount and Nickelodeon Movies) Steve Oedekerk and John A. Davis
"Monsters, Inc." (Buena Vista) Pete Docter and John Lasseter
"Shrek" (DreamWorks) Aron Warner

Bet on: Shrek.  It was one of “the” movies of 2001 and would have been a legit contender for a Best Picture nomination if this new category had not been created.

I like:  Shrek.  I liked the other films.  Shrek is special.

Achievement in art direction

"Amélie" (Miramax Zoë) Art Direction: Aline Bonetto
Set Decoration: Marie-Laure Valla
"Gosford Park" (USA Films) Art Direction: Stephen Altman
Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" Art Direction: Stuart Craig
(Warner Bros.) Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan
"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" Art Direction: Grant Major
(New Line) Set Decoration: Dan Hennah
"Moulin Rouge" (20th Century Fox) Art Direction: Catherine Martin Set Decoration: Brigitte Broch

Bet on:  Moulin Rouge.  Lord of the Rings is probably seen as too much of an effects film, Harry Potter is too slick, Gosford Park feels too natural and Amelie feels like the director was also the art director.

I like:  Pretty much Moulin Rouge.  None of these would offend me, except Harry Potter, really.  Again, Moulin Rouge is just so unique, so complex, so challenging.   But the work on Rings is pretty magnificent.  It is an entire unique universe.  Gosford Park feels so natural because it never rings untrue.   And Amelie is a perfect delicacy and the art direction is a key part of that.  But Moulin Rouge…

Achievement in cinematography

"Amélie" (Miramax Zoë) Bruno Delbonnel
"Black Hawk Down" (Sony Pictures Releasing) Slawomir Idziak
"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" Andrew Lesnie (New Line)
"The Man Who Wasn't There" (USA Films) Roger Deakins
"Moulin Rouge" (20th Century Fox) Donald M. McAlpine

Bet on:  Black Hawk Down or Moulin Rouge.  I don’t know which.  Pyrotechnics or massive, stunning images. 

I like:  I am a Moulin Rouge guy, I guess.  Baz Luhrmann reaches for so much and McAlpine helps him deliver on so many styles… so many strokes.  From vivid colors to stylized black and white to simulated daguerreotypes… just amazing work.

Achievement in costume design

"The Affair of the Necklace" (Warner Bros.) Milena Canonero
"Gosford Park" (USA Films) Jenny Beavan
"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" Judianna Makovsky (Warner Bros.)
"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" Ngila Dickson and Richard Taylor (New Line)
"Moulin Rouge" (20th Century Fox) Catherine Martin and Angus Strathie

Bet on:  Lord of the Rings.  It’s big.  It’s another era.  It’s dirty.  It’s a lock. 

I like:  I know you think I’m going to like Moulin Rouge, but I have to give this one to Lord of the Rings.  The work on Moulin Rouge is great, as it is in the other films, but Rings does a wonderful job of defining a lot of characters using costume as a key tool.  There is nothing as memorable as, say, the storm troopers outfits or Darth Vader costume.  (Yes.  John Mollo won for his work on the film... one of ten nods, plus there was a special award for Ben Burtt for sound effects.)  But the costumes do a lot to make the movie work.  And they are wonderful as works of artistry on their own.

Best documentary feature

"Children Underground"
A Belzberg Films Production
Edet Belzberg
"LaLee's Kin: The Legacy of Cotton"
A Maysles Films Inc. Production
Susan Froemke and Deborah Dickson
"Murder on a Sunday Morning"
A Maha Productions/Pathé Doc/France 2/HBO Production
Jean-Xavier de Lestrade and Denis Poncet
"Promises"
A Promises Film Project Production
Justine Shapiro and B.Z. Goldberg
"War Photographer" (Films Transit)
A Christian Frei Filmproductions
Christian Frei

Bet on:  Promises.  Sometimes, it pays to be Jewish.

I like:  War Photographer.  I hope to see some of our Miami Film Festival films on the list next year, particularly La Tropical.  But from this group, I am amazed, having only seen War Photographer last week, that it is easily the one that sticks closest to my thoughts.

Best documentary short subject

"Artists and Orphans: A True Drama"
A Not by Chance Production
Lianne Klapper McNally
"Sing!"
A KCET/Hollywood and American Film
Foundation Production
Freida Lee Mock and Jessica Sanders
"Thoth"
An Amateur Rabbit Production
Sarah Kernochan and Lynn Appelle

Bet on:  Sing!  Frida Lee Mock is the only name known in town in the category.

I like: To see shorts.  I’ve seen none of these.

Achievement in film editing

"A Beautiful Mind" (Universal and DreamWorks) Mike Hill and Dan Hanley
"Black Hawk Down" (Sony Pictures Releasing) Pietro Scalia
"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" John Gilbert (New Line)
"Memento" (Newmarket Films) Dody Dorn
"Moulin Rouge" (20th Century Fox) Jill Bilcock

Bet on:  Black Hawk Down.  It’s just so impressive.  Memento has an outside shot, since people are confused by it, but like that they are confused by it.

I like:  Moulin Rouge.  It took a few looks to really catch it, but the speed changes and rhythmic flow are spectacular. 

Best foreign language film of the year

"Amélie"
A UGC Images Production France
"Elling"
A Maipo Film and TV Production Norway
"Lagaan"
An Aamir Khan Productions Pvt. Ltd. Production India
"No Man's Land"
A Noé‚ Productions/Fabrica Cinema/Man's Films/Counihan Villiers Productions/Studio Maj/Casablanca Production Bosnia & Herzegovina
"Son of the Bride"
A Pol-ka Producciónes/Patagonik Film Group/Jempsa/Tornasol Films Production Argentina

Bet on:  Amelie.  One of the best films of the year… period.

I like:   The Devil’s Backbone or Y Tu Mama Tambien from Mexico, Vidas Privadas from Argentina, Sur Les Levres from France.  But I would be happy if either Amelie or No Man’s Land took the bald guy.

Achievement in makeup

"A Beautiful Mind" (Universal and DreamWorks) Greg Cannom and Colleen Callaghan
"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" Peter Owen and Richard Taylor
(New Line)
"Moulin Rouge" (20th Century Fox) Maurizio Silvi and Aldo Signoretti

Bet on:  Rings.  Duh.

I like:  Rings.  Duh.

Achievement in music in connection with motion pictures
(Original score)

"A.I. Artificial Intelligence" (Warner Bros.) John Williams
"A Beautiful Mind" (Universal and DreamWorks) James Horner
"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" John Williams
(Warner Bros.)
"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" Howard Shore (New Line)
"Monsters, Inc." (Buena Vista) Randy Newman

Bet on:  Horner, sat in the corner, eating an Oscar pie.

I like:  John Williams head on a platter.  Would it be too much for Howard Shore to win for his first nomination?

Achievement in music in connection with motion pictures
(Original song)

"If I Didn't Have You" from "Monsters, Inc." (Buena Vista) Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
"May It Be" from "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" (New Line) Music and Lyric by Enya, Nicky Ryan and Roma Ryan
"There You'll Be" from "Pearl Harbor" (Buena Vista) Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
"Until" from "Kate & Leopold" (Miramax) Music and Lyric by Sting
"Vanilla Sky" from "Vanilla Sky" (Paramount) Music and Lyric by Paul McCartney

Bet on:  Enya.  After all, Randy Newman never wins.

I like:  You’re kidding, right?  Do you think I care?  Is there a song here that I remember well enough to hum?

Best animated short film

"Fifty Percent Grey"
A Zanita Films Production
Ruairi Robinson and Seamus Byrne
"For the Birds"
A Pixar Animation Studios Production
Ralph Eggleston
"Give Up Yer Aul Sins"
An Irish Film Board/Radio Telefis Eireann/Arts Council/Brown Bag Films Production
Cathal Gaffney and Darragh O'Connell
"Strange Invaders"
A National Film Board of Canada Production
Cordell Barker
"Stubble Trouble"
A Calabash Animation Production
Joseph E. Merideth

Bet on:  Pixar… it’s Pixar.

I like:  I’ve only seen the Pixar film.  Sorry.

Best live action short film

"The accountant"
A Ginny Mule Pictures Production
Ray McKinnon and Lisa Blount
"Copy Shop"
A Virgil Widrich/Multimediaproduktions G.m.b.H. Production
Virgil Widrich
"Gregor's Greatest Invention"
A Südwest Film Filmproduktion
Johannes Kiefer
"A Man Thing (Meska Sprawa)"
A Polish National Film School Production
Slawomir Fabicki and Bogumil Godfrejow
"Speed for Thespians"
A Lester Films Ltd. Production
Kalman Apple and Shameela Bakhsh

Bet on:  Speed for Thespians… it sounds American.

I like:  I’ve only seen one of the films… there has to be a better way!

Achievement in sound

"Amélie" (Miramax Zoë) Vincent Arnardi, Guillaume Leriche and Jean Umansky
"Black Hawk Down" (Sony Pictures Releasing) Mike Minkler, Myron Nettinga and Chris Munro
"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick,
(New Line) Gethin Creagh and Hammond Peek
"Moulin Rouge" (20th Century Fox) Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer, Roger Savage and Guntis Sics
"Pearl Harbor" (Buena Vista) Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell and Peter J. Devlin

Bet on:  Lord of the Rings, if they’ve won other categories by now.  Otherwise, Black Hawk Down for the same reason as the editing award… loud counts for a lot amongst those who don’t really know.

I like:  Okay… I guess Black Hawk Down is fair.

Achievement in sound editing

"Monsters, Inc." (Buena Vista) Gary Rydstrom and Michael Silvers
"Pearl Harbor" (Buena Vista) George Watters II and Christopher Boyes

Bet on: Disney.

I like:  Ike.

Achievement in visual effects

"A.I. Artificial Intelligence" (Warner Bros.) Dennis Muren, Scott Farrar, Stan Winston and Michael Lantieri
"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" Jim Rygiel, Randall William Cook, Richard Taylor
(New Line) and Mark Stetson
"Pearl Harbor" (Buena Vista) Eric Brevig, John Frazier, Ed Hirsh and Ben Snow

Bet on:  A.I., as a consolation award, unless Rings is ringing up a bunch of awards.

I like:  Lord of the Rings is so clearly the best of the bunch, it’s not even close.

Screenplay based on material previously
produced or published

"A Beautiful Mind" (Universal and DreamWorks) Written by Akiva Goldsman
"Ghost World" (United Artists through MGM) Written by Daniel Clowes & Terry Zwigoff
"In the Bedroom" (Miramax) Screenplay by Rob Festinger and Todd Field
"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" Screenplay by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens,
(New Line) Peter Jackson
"Shrek" (DreamWorks) Written by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio and Joe Stillman and Roger S.H. Schulman

Bet on:  A Beautiful Mind… sorry.  It is the least worthy screenplay of the five, but I think it’s unstoppable.

I like:  In the Bedroom, though I wouldn’t be anything but giddy if Ghost World won.

Screenplay written directly for the screen

"Amélie" (Miramax Zoë) Screenplay by Guillaume Laurant and Jean-Pierre Jeunet Dialogue by Guillaume Laurant
"Gosford Park" (USA Films) Written by Julian Fellowes
"Memento" (Newmarket Films) Screenplay by Christopher Nolan Story by Jonathan Nolan
"Monster's Ball" (Lions Gate) Written by Milo Addica & Will Rokos
"The Royal Tenenbaums" (Buena Vista) Written by Wes Anderson & Owen Wilson

Bet on:  Memento.  It’s in English, yet still in another language.  Monster’s Ball is the dark horse.  Gosford Park probably feels too much like improv.  Amelie is in French.  Jeunet should have been nominated for Best Director.

I like:  I like them all.  I love Amelie best, but Memento works so well and Tenenbaums is minor key genius.

Achievement in directing

"A Beautiful Mind" (Universal and DreamWorks) Ron Howard
"Black Hawk Down" (Sony Pictures Releasing) Ridley Scott
"Gosford Park" (USA Films) Robert Altman
"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" Peter Jackson (New Line)
"Mulholland Drive" (Universal and StudioCanal) David Lynch

Bet on:  A Beautiful Mind.  Yes, it survives all accusations.  The alternatives just don’t work for Hollywood.  Peter Jackson will have his day… after the trilogy.

I like: To pretend that this hasn’t happened and that Baz or Jeunet can still win.

Best motion picture of the year

"A Beautiful Mind" (Universal and DreamWorks)
A Universal Pictures and Imagine
Entertainment Production
Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, Producers
"Gosford Park" (USA Films)
A Sandcastle 5 in association with Chicagofilms
and Medusa Film Production
Robert Altman, Bob Balaban and David Levy, Producers
"In the Bedroom" (Miramax)
A Good Machine/GreeneStreet Production
Graham Leader, Ross Katz and Todd Field, Producers
"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" (New Line) A New Line Cinema and Wingnut Films Production
Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Barrie M. Osborne
"Moulin Rouge" (20th Century Fox)
A 20th Century Fox Production
Martin Brown, Baz Luhrmann and Fred Baron, Producers

Bet on:  A Beautiful Mind… with Moulin Rouge as the dark, dark horse. 

I like:  Give me Rouge or give me death.

READERS OF THE DAY:  Niche Done writes:  “I’m going for all black this year.  halle berry and denzel washington.  that might sound racists but please.  6 black actors have won oscars in 74 years.  sidney poiter the only one for lead actor.  denzel was screwed in 2000 for the hurricane and is due.  i would love to see halle win, but i doubt it.”

B-Man says:  “Picture- Lord of the Rings
Actor- Washington
Actress- Kidman (but should have gotten the nod for The Others)
Supp Actor- McKellen
Supp Actress- Connelly
Director- Scott
Screenplay written for screen- The Royal Tenenbaums/Memento (tie, both great)
Screeenplay based on material- Lord of the Rings
Animated- Shrek
Art direction- Moulin Rouge
Cinematography- Black Hawk Down
Costume- Lord of the Rings
Sound- Black Hawk Down
Editing- Memento
Sound Editing- Monsters Inc
Visual Effects- Lord of the Rings
Makeup- Lord of the Rings
Song- There you'll be (gotta give it to Faith)
Score- A Beautiful Mind”

Not Rocky’s Wife writes:” I'll be overjoyed if the following win:
Moulin Rouge or Gosford Park for Best Picture.
Robert Altman for Best Director.
Halle Berry for Best Actress.
Anyone but Russell Crowe, Sean Penn, or Will Smith for Best Actor.
Ben Kingsley for Best Supporting Actor.
Marisa Tomei for Best Supporting Actress.
Ghost World for Best Adapted Screenplay. ...but who am I kidding? The night will belong to Opie and his feel-good flick.

And if there was any justice, any semblance of sanity in the Academy members' thick skulls, the stupendous Lagaan would miraculously win Best Foreign Film, but we all know that they'll opt for Paris cuteness instead of Indian cricket.”

Stan Diego writes:  “The Oscars have been disappointing for years, but I've come to the realization in the last few years that I can expect nothing but disappointment, which is... sad.  I'd like to chime in on just one category:  Best Actor... remind me again why this has become a two-horse race?  I thought Tom Wilkinson delivered the performance of the year.  And in my opinion, with the second-best performance of the year not even nominated (Gene Hackman), it isn't even close for me.  Also... I don't exactly know why Sissy Spacek is getting so much buzz about her performance.. she's great, but Tom Wilkinson owned that movie.”

And finally, H9K says:  “Will win: Crowe, Spacek, Kingsley, Smith, ABM, Howard

Wish they would win: Wilkinson, Spacek or Kidman, Kingsley, Tomei, ITB, Altman.”

E ME:  That was concise.  Keep sending in those picks!!!