Surprises, Snubs, History, and Great Achievements
categories. Mike's New Car was the new short film that starred Mike and Sully from Monsters, Inc., and it's absolutely hilarious and imaginative. It's again from Pixar, and it deserves the Oscar. And I was thrilled to see the short film, Johnny Flynton, nominated for Live Action Short Film. It's a truly powerful true story that should be seen by everyone. I will soon begin a special Oscar series that will profile the film's writer and director, Lexi Alexander, and my interviews with her about the whole Oscar experience from her perspective. It's about time we find out what the Oscar experience is like for someone nominated in these "smaller" categories.
I was very disappointed to see Minority Report left out of the Visual Effects race. And yes, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers did manage to claim a Best Picture nomination, but it really seems like an afterthought this year, as it did not even receive a director, screenplay, or acting nomination ... that hasn't happened in a long time. It has a shot to win a couple of technical awards again, but it's really out of this Oscar race. Sequels, and especially fantasy sequels, are a difficult thing to achieve gold at the Oscars.
So let the Oscar Season begin! The film awards season always hits a big milestone when we get to the nominations, and this is where frontrunners can become afterthoughts, and new frontrunners can emerge. There's other major film awards to come which will help shape this race, but let's see what the frontrunners are right now.
For Best Picture, it's got to be Chicago all the way ... universally admired, loved, and I think everyone will like to make it the first musical to win Best Picture since 1968! Best Actor is a tough one, it's definitely between Day-Lewis and Nicholson, with Nicholson having the slight edge. But watch out for Adrien Brody, he could be the dark horse surprise to possibly slip in and win. Interestingly, Brody is the only first time nominee among a group of past Oscar winners.
Nicole Kidman is definitely the frontrunner to win Best Actress, and again, she's an example of someone who is truly loved and respected in Hollywood, and you really get the feeling that they sense this is her year.
Supporting Actor still looks clearly locked in for Chris Cooper. I don't see any of those others overtaking
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