The 74th Oscars: A Look Back

I've decided to do more posts like these. Some of you may remember my post on the 80th Oscars almost 2 years ago on Oscarfan. If not, click here: http://oscarfan69.blogspot.com/search?q=The+80th+Oscars%2C+a+look+back+. Although I have revived my Best Actress profile work, I won't start my next year till August given I want to focus on singing right now . Don't worry though, the year will be finished tomorrow with Jessica's profile .

Anyway, these posts are so fun and stir up all sorts of opinions and thoughts about past years:


Best Picture: A Beautiful Mind won the award. It actually wasn't a sure thing at the time, given all the controversy about whether it was truthful or not to the real-life story. In the end, it was just nit-picking and the academy loved it. I think Moulin Rouge was the spoiler given it had won the P.G.A award and people really seemed to love it.But it's momentum peaked too late, luckily giving Chicago a chance to ride it's wave of buzz the year after. L.O.T.R had it's fans, but it seemed like from the beginning, people knew the third one would win. Gosford Park chances were ruined when the Academy's voter's cassete tape made the sound quality even worse and this simply isn't a movie that the Academy would honor with Best Picture. In The Bedroom is too small a film to win, unfortunately. My pick: Uh, a difficult choice. in the end, probably Moulin Rouge. Although rewatches are needed here, especially for A Beautiful Mind.

Best Director: Ron Howard. No matter what would have happened with B.P, this was his to lose. Jackson had his fans, but again, 3 times the charm. I think Altman was the one who could have surprised, but merely for sentimental reasons.My pick: As of now, Jackson, although I've heard good things about David Lynch.

Best Actor: Denzel Washington easily, if you ask me . Many felt Crowe had a big chance, but his Oscar win for Gladiator the year before and his bad antics at the time knocked him off in the ring. I also think voters felt A Beautiful mind would be honored in other categories. Denzel's performance made many oscar voters fall out of their chairs and he is an extremeley well liked actor in the industry, even today. The other nominees weren't really contenders. My pick: Tom Wilkinson, though I remember liking Washington and Crowe.

Best Actress: Halle Berry won here and I probably would have predicted her. I think many pundits were dumb to just think Sissy would cruise after losing both the SAG and the BAFTA. I think Berry was the Jodie Foster (88) /Julia Roberts of her year. She shed her average film acting style to deliver a performance which many were impressed with and rallied around. I think Sissy's work was too subtle to win the award and she lost too much momentum. Nicole could have won, but it just didn't feel like her year. Judi was actually liked a lot by voters (Well 6 of them were interviewed by E.W that year! Not much but it counts!). Maybe she was the runner-up. My pick: I need to rewatch all of them here to decide!!!

Best Supporting Actor: Ian Mckllen was considered the frontrunner here and I probably would have gone with him, but I just think people were hesitant about honoring this kind of performance. Even I am to a certain extent! Jim Broadbent won instead, and I think it was because of this performance and all of the other films he was in this year. Also, he won the G.G award and I think people underestimated his chances. I feel Ben Kingsley was the dark horse, but maybe people felt he was too over the top. My pick: I sactually really like Ethan Hawke, but once again a rewatch is needed. Same with Broadbent, though I am very mixed on him as of now.

Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer was really a lock here. Her performance got so much buzz and people seem to love a young actress coming into her own to give an a acclaimed performance.But maybe I shouldn't have said she was a lock, because Helen Mirren won the SAG for her excellent performance in Gosford Park. She was a veteran, and was somewhat overdue. Still, her SAG win was probably the result of Jennifer being placed in the leading category. The rest had no chance. My pick: Oh gosh, rewatches are needed again!!! Mostly for Connely and Tomei. But from what I remember, Tomei is really good and is my pick as of now. Winslet is great and Helen is a close 2nd for her brilliant performance. So complex and layered. Smith didn't do much in G.P, if you ask me, not that she's bad, but it's just not much.

Best Original Screenplay: Gosford Park won and it's easy to see why. With no ensemble award, it was the only chance to honor the film and it is admirably written (Although Fellowe's Downton Abbey is much better to me! Please tell me if you have seen it!). Some felt Memento had a chance, but I think the Academy wasn't ready to honor such a risky movie. They got more diverse with this category as the years progressed when Talk To her and the brilliant Eternal Sunshine won this prize. My pick: Probably G.P, given I do not like Monster's Ball very much and I haven't seen Amelie in YEARS. I need to see Momento and all of The Royal Tenenbaums.

Best Adapted Screenplay: A Beautiful Mind picked up this award. As I've said before, more often then not, the B.P wins best screenplay and a lot of the time an adapted one wins. My pick: In The Bedroom, easily, although I admire L.O.T.R and Shrek is extremely funny and witty.

So what your thoughts? Who were your predictions? Who are your favorites? Do you agree/disagree on my thoughts?