PREDICTION:
Ian: A
Beautiful Mind -because it's exactly
the kind of film the academy loves. It's made some money, it's
based on a true story, and it's very sappy.
Ryan: A Beautiful Mind An uplifting biopic that tackles mental illness and features a brave lead performance. It has all of the right ingredients and it's exactly the type of film the Academy loves to honor.
Warren: A Beautiful Mind The kind of solidly constructed, professional filmmaking that Oscar adores. A film seemingly designed for the awards season.
PERSONAL VOTE:
Ian: The Lord of the Rings:
The Fellowship of the Ring - I'm
a nerd, and I would love to see such a massive undertaking rewarded
at both the box office and the podium.
Ryan: In the Bedroom - It's true that out of all the nominees, A Beautiful Mind ranks highest on my top ten list, but I'd love to see the independent underdog win this award. It isn't my favorite, but it's the one that I expected the least from, and it stayed with me the most.
Warren: In The Bedroom Effective on so many levels, but the nomination is going to have to serve as ample award for this proverbial long shot.
SNUBBED:
Ian: Memento - It was the best film of the year because it
took a great story and smashed conventions to tell it, but didn't
make it all too confusing
Ryan: Memento - The best movie of last year and it deserves a spot way more than the boring Gosford Park or the pretentious Moulin Rouge. All but one of these five was released in December, and Memento opening so early in the year killed its momentum.
Warren: Memento Not like I really thought this had any chance to be nominated, but if originality counted for anything, Memento would be the run-away winner.
PREDICTION:
Ian: Ron Howard - He was
an actor, now he's a director. The academy can't get enough of
that action.
Ryan: Ron Howard He has never won this award before and he's well liked and well respected amongst his peers. His film is a real favorite, and for the first time, he will take home the gold.
Warren: Robert Altman Recognizing the stellar director of a subpar film. Consider it a lifetime achievement award.
PERSONAL VOTE:
Ian: Peter Jackson - For his sheer
ambition, I'd give it to him.
Ryan: David Lynch His haunting, nightmare of a film, is one of the trippiest, most intriguingly watchable experiences since his last film. Plus, Lynch should have won for the brilliant Blue Velvet, and honoring him for this, will set things straight.
Warren: Peter Jackson A true visionary; the scope of this mammoth undertaking alone is worthy of my vote.
SNUBBED:
Ian: Chris Nolan - Memento
- I can't say enough good things about this film
Ryan: Todd Field - In the Bedroom The film received three acting nominations, a writing nod, and another for Best Picture. So, who the hell does the Academy think orchestrated all of this?
Warren: Christopher Nolan Memento Not a wasted moment in this brilliant, innovative thriller.
PREDICTION:
Ian: Russell Crowe - The hype
machine is in overload, and Hollywood will do anything
to "prove" that Russell Crowe is actually a good actor,
as they did with Julia Roberts.
Ryan: Russell Crowe - An amazing actor who will repeat for a performance that was 100% more impressive than the one that he won for last year. He completely inhabits the role.
Warren: Russell Crowe A complex, difficult role to pull off effectively, which Crowe turned into something unique. Nearly everything about A Beautiful Mind has Oscar written all over it.
PERSONAL VOTE:
Ian: Anyone other than Sean Penn
for I Am Sam.
Ryan: Tom Wilkinson - Excellent in a quiet performance as a father grieving over the murder of his only son. His moments with Sissy Spacek are intense and chilling, and they were amongst the best-acted scenes of the year.
Warren: Russell Crowe As much as I'd love to cast my vote for Tom Wilkinson, I quite honestly think Crowe is the most deserving. One of the best actors in the business.
SNUBBED:
Ian: Vin Diesel - The Fast
and the Furious - because he really made me believe that he
was a street racer/garage owner/convenience store owner/cook/criminal
mastermind. Also, I really wasn't much blown away by anyone else
this year.
Ryan: Billy Bob Thornton General - Thornton had the best year of his career. He was funny in Bandits, serious in Monster's Ball, and just plain cool in The Man Who Wasn't There. He also deserved to be nominated for any one of them.
Warren: TIE: Jake Gyllenhaal Donnie Darko and Billy Bob Thornton The Man Who Wasn't There Two performances which define the description "pitch perfect."
PREDICTION:
Ian: Sissy Spacek - Don't
ask me why. I didn't see it, but I think it's a slam dunk.
Ryan: Sissy Spacek - Spacek will win and she deserves it. It's a flawless performance and I have no problem with her being honored for it.
Warren: Sissy Spacek In my opinion, this is In The Bedroom's only chance to be showered with Oscar's affection.
PERSONAL VOTE:
Ian: Judi Dench - I loved her,
she brought the character to life, and it was a subtle and layered
performance that could have easily been overdone.
Ryan: Halle Berry Berry is equally as deserving and she's never been this good. Her character goes through so many emotions and so much change through the course of the film, that she truly gives the most multi-layered performance of the year.
Warren: Sissy Spacek A career performance from an amazing actress.
SNUBBED:
Ian: Nicole Kidman - The Others
She simply took my breath away. I've never much cared for her
as an actor, but she really surprised me.
Ryan: - Nicole Kidman The Others - Kidman got nominated and snubbed at the same time. The Academy got it right by singling her out, but it should have been for her great and disturbing work in The Others, instead of her good, but far from great performance in Moulin Rouge.
Warren: Thora Birch Ghost World A bit too "out there" for the Academy, but if Thora Birch continues on her current career path, she should be a regular in this category for many years to come.
PREDICTION:
Ian: Ian McKellen - He
took on a major challenge, shook off expectations, and still amazed
me.
Ryan: Ben Kingsley - He garnered some of the best notices of his career in this British gangster film. He also happened to give the most distinguished performance of this group.
Warren: Ian McKellen Oscar loves those accomplished Brits.
PERSONAL VOTE:
Ian: Ian McKellen - For the same
reasons as above.
Ryan: Ben Kingsley - Kingsley gave my second favorite performance of the year as Don Logan, one of the most evil and vile characters that I've ever had the pleasure of watching. He has no more than thirty minutes of screen time, but his presence is felt throughout.
Warren: Ben Kingsely The best of a weak field.
SNUBBED:
Ian: The
"Dude, you're gettin' a Dell!" guy.
Ryan: Gene Hackman The Royal Tenenbaums - Hello? Remember Gene Hackman? He was wonderful in The Royal Tenenbaums and has won many awards, including the Golden Globe, for his comic performance. I not only expected a nomination, but a win.
Warren: TIE: Steve Buscemi Ghost World and Nick Stahl In The Bedroom -Considering the nominees, how were both of these exceptional performances overlooked?
PREDICTION:
Ian: Jennifer Connely - I like
her a lot, and I loved her in The Rocketeer.
Ryan: Jennifer Connelley - Connelly will win for her nice,
controlled turn as a wife coping with her husband's illness. She's
been in a lot of strong film over the years and she always does
good work.
Warren: Jennifer Connelly This really is a lead role, and because of that Connelly has an unfair advantage
PERSONAL VOTE:
Ian: Same, except for the part
about The Rocketeer.
Ryan: Jennifer Connelly - She should win for the reasons that I gave, as well as for the fact that she rides a hobby horse like no other.
Warren: Jennifer Connelly but that takes nothing away from her performance. A completely unexpected gem.
SNUBBED:
Ian: Carrie-Anne Moss - Memento
- I loved her in this, she gave a great performance of a woman
who you could never get a bead on.
Ryan: Carrie-Ann Moss Memento - Moss was awesome as Natalie. What was she up to? Was she with Lenny or against him? Could she be trusted? I can't answer any of these questions, as I've only seen the film five times, but she made trying to solve the central mystery, all the more fun.
Warren: Carrie-Ann Moss Memento A finely tuned, wicked performance. Not surprising that is was overlooked by many, least of all, the Academy.
PREDICTION:
Ian: Akiva Goldsman - A
Beautiful Mind - He's written some of the crappiest films
in recent memory, but he keeps working, and everyone apparently
thinks he's a good writer, so they'll give it to him. Plus, it's
a hard name to resist on a ballot.
Ryan: Akiva Goldsman - Goldsman and Oscar are not two things that I ever thought would be spoken in the same sentence, but I think that his screenplay will be part of the Beautiful Mind sweep. It's a good script and I'm glad that he's no longer cranking out Batman sequels.
Warren: Akiva Goldsman Despite (due to?) the omission of the darker side of John Nash's life
PERSONAL VOTE:
Ian: Daniel Clowes and Terry Zwigoff
- I loved Ghost World so very, very much.
Ryan: Daniel Clowes and Terry Zwigoff This duo did an impressive job of adapting the Ghost World comic book, which follows a couple of misfit girls trying to cope with life after school. It's sweet, darkly comic, and very smartly written.
Warren: Rob Festinger and Todd Field What they did with this dense 18-page short story is nothing short of mind-blowing.
SNUBBED:
Ian: Steven Kloves - Harry
Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - I haven't a lot to say,
but I thought it captured the feel of the books, but still knew
enough to make sure it came off as a fun, exciting film.
Ryan: Steve Kloves - Harry Potter - Although the movie wasn't as epic or awe-inspiring, Potter was every bit as good of an adaptation as Lord of the Rings. I read the book a few months before seeing the film and as far as I can remember, the feel of the novel as well as most of the scenes and characters, made it into the film intact.
Warren: John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask Hedwig and The Angry Inch - Hits all the right notes literally and figuratively.
PREDICTION:
Ian: Chris Nolan and Jonathan
Nolan - I don't think the academy can ignore how good it was.
Ryan: Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan The Nolans will win because the Academy always seems to honor the year's coolest movie with this award (Pulp Fiction). It's almost like a consolation prize, albeit an impressive one.
Warren: Milo Addica and Will Rokos Please, anyone but Julian Fellowes!
PERSONAL VOTE:
Ian: Chris Nolan and Jonathan
Nolan - It's the only real award that the best film of the year
was nominated for. It rules.
Ryan: Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan - No surprises here, Memento was one of the most creative and original scripts in years. Christopher and Jonathan Nolan are exciting new names in film, and ones to watch.
Warren: Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan The operative word is "original."
SNUBBED:
Ian: Dan Gerson and Andrew Stanton
- Monsters, Inc. That's right. I loved it. It was funny,
warm, and awfully entertaining. And it had some real moments.
In light of some of the other nominations here, it wouldn't be
so out of place.
Ryan: David Lynch Mulholland Drive - I don't know that Lynch's script was one of the year's best, but I was impressed that he had originally written it as a ninety-minute television pilot, which he then turned into a two-and-a-half-hour film. It doesn't make much sense, but it has a nice structure and he's a masterful storyteller.
Warren: Guillermo Arriaga Jordan Amores Perros The second story drags a bit, but the first one is a nail biter and the final oddly touching.
The 74th
Annual Academy Awards air March 24, 2002 at 8PM(EST) on ABC.
Talk about the nominations in the Forums.
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