Hi all, Paul Preston here. Had the NEED to vent on the nominations before the envelopes are opened Sunday evening. I'll probably have even more to say on Monday. Enjoy and send comments if the need overtakes ya. This will all eventually be posted at prestonandvolpe.com if you lose the mail for some reason. The post-ceremony rant will be there, too. Have fun!
Best Picture
Elizabeth
Life Is Beautiful
Saving Private Ryan
Shakespeare in Love
The Thin Red Line
-This seems to be a pretty safe list. I would've injected a little dose of balls by nominating Bulworth instead of The Thin Red Line. I would've used a Thin Red Magic Marker to edit the hell outta that script. Elizabeth is the only nominee I haven't seen, and it's on the agenda for tomorrow afternoon before the Oscars. There was quite a lack of really risky films, vying instead for patriotism and beauty. I would've liked to have maybe seen nominations for American History X and/or Pleasantville as well. I'm also a fan of The Spanish Prisoner. Life is Beautiful is a good nomination.
Will win: Ryan
Should: Ryan
Best Actor
Roberto Benigni - Life Is Beautiful
Tom Hanks - Saving Private Ryan
Sir Ian McKellen - Gods And Monsters
Nick Nolte - Affliction
Edward Norton - American History X
- My favorite nomination on the WHOLE list is Edward Norton's. He was great, and he did alot to make the film and achieve the success he did in the role. Affliction is also on tomorrow's agenda, and I haven't seen Gods and Monsters. The race is between McKellen and Benigni. Jim Carrey's no-show is not a big surprise, he'll have to stretch a bit more for recognition, and I believe he's got it coming up with Man in the Moon. I also would've nominated Jason Schwartzman from Rushmore. He made that very complicated character look easy to play. There's alot more going on there than people may give him credit for. People like the movie, but I think Schwartzman is a HUGE part of it's success. I also liked Travolta in Primary Colors and loved Beatty in Bulworth.
Will win: McKellan
Should win: Norton (but as I said, I'm a little less versed in this category)
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth
Fernanda Montenegro - Central Station
Gwyneth Paltrow - Shakespeare In Love
Meryl Streep - One True Thing
Emily Watson - Hilary and Jackie
- speaking of little knowledge, I've only seen Shakespeare to know the performances in this category. The race is quite clearly between Blanchett and Paltrow. I'd love to go on, but I still have viewing to do on this one.
Will win: Paltrow
Should: Paltrow (for years I've seen her on magazine covers 'cause she's PRETTY. Made me sick 'cause her movies sucked. At least she more than lives up to her hype now with a wonderfully romantic performance in Shakespeare in Love)
Best Actor In A Supporting Role
James Coburn - Affliction
Robert Duvall - A Civil Action
Ed Harris - The Truman Show
Geoffrey Rush - Shakespeare in Love
Billy Bob Thornton - A Simple Plan
- Every year this is the category the is filled with great performances and is missing at least 5 or 6 more GREAT performances. This year the crime snub is Bill Murray, wonderfully snide and lonely as a millionaire in Rushmore. I thought Duvall's character was strange and sublime, but didn't have to deal with as much as Murray's. I hear Rush is even more brilliant in Elizabeth. Find out about that and Coburn tomorrow. People say the statue is Harris', 'cause he's due. Well, he's great, but I hope they go with Thornton, who was fu**ing brilliant in A Simple Plan. Human, quirky, funny, unpredictable, he was awesome, and, like last year when Burt Reynolds didn't win, I think they'll go beyond the "he's got it coming" way of thinking and hopefully go with Thornton.
Will win: Thornton
Should: Thornton
Best Actress In A Supporting Role
Kathy Bates - Primary Colors
Brenda Blethyn - Little Voice
Judi Dench - Shakespeare in Love
Lynn Redgrave - Gods And Monsters
Rachel Griffiths - Hilary and Jackie
- Again, I've only seen Dench and Bates' performances. Primary Colors was a great film, much underlooked by most everyone and Bates is a moral and exciting center to the plight of the lead characters. I hope Dench doesn't get a "lifetime achievement" award and they give her the Bacall treatment. Bates deserves it. Missing from the list is Joan Allen for Pleasantville. Can she give a bad performance? She should be there, and you could take out Dench to make room. Judi Dench is awesome and all, but she got robbed last year for Mrs. Brown, it's too late to "make amends". Oh, let me not forget to praise great work in a bad film: Kimberly Elise deserves a nomination for Beloved. You really rooted for her grounded character amongst all the freaks.
Will win: Dench (as if one can predict the "Tomei - Paquin" category)
Should win: Bates
Art Direction
Elizabeth
Pleasantville
Saving Private Ryan
Shakespeare in Love
What Dreams May Come
- And now, I get pissed. No nomination for Babe: Pig in the City? Can anyone who saw this movie deny the sheer impressive magnitude of the sets!!!!!????!!!!! They were incredible! Half the sets in Dreams were special effects anyway, take that out and put in Babe, for the love of God!! Also could've stood to see Rushmore get another nod, the sets were the half the reason that movie had such glorious color.
Will win: Shakespeare
Should: Shakespeare (Even if you didn't dig the story or something, this is one of the most LUSH movies in a long time)
Cinematography
A Civil Action
Elizabeth
Saving Private Ryan
Shakespeare in Love
The Thin Red Line
- The photography of The Thin Red Line was the only thing worth watching, but Ryan's was instrumental to the "you are there" feeling of the battles that bookend the film. A Civil Action had great photography, too. I could've even thrown nominations to Rushmore, A Simple Plan and even The Big Lebowski. There was alot of good work this year, but Kaminski owns this one.
Will win: Ryan
Should: Ryan
Costume Design
Beloved
Elizabeth
Pleasantville
Shakespeare in Love
Velvet Goldmine
- These are all fine nominations. Rarely do people get recognized for modern dress, though. (biggest ripoff ever - Wall Street not winning). So I'd like to throw another nod to Bulworth.
Will win: Shakespeare
Should: Shakespeare (more lush-ness)
Directing
Life Is Beautiful
Saving Private Ryan
Shakespeare in Love
The Thin Red Line
The Truman Show
- What a task to make Ryan. Give Spielberg the damn statue! Again, in tune with my picture nods, I would've acknowledged Beatty in this category in place of the meandering Malick. Weir should've won for Witness. I love the fact that the Academy gave Spielberg an award for "career achievement" after snubbing him so many times, and now he's gone on to win 2 Oscars and be nominated again for two! In your face, Ossy!!
Will win: Spielberg
Should: Spielberg
Documentary Feature
Dancemaker
The Farm: Angola, U.S.A.
The Last Days
Lenny Bruce: Swear To Tell The Truth
Regret To Inform
- um...didn't see 'em...
Documentary Short Subject
The Personals: Improvisations on Romance in the Golden Years
A Place In The Sun
Sunrise Over Tiananmen Square
- um...didn't see 'em...
Film Editing
Life Is Beautiful
Out Of Sight
Saving Private Ryan
Shakespeare in Love
The Thin Red Line
- Again, you gotta go with Ryan for making an action scene seem so interesting and understandable, even when the focus of the scene's theme is chaos. Too many action movies today (see Bruckheimer) edit all super-crazy to make up for lack of action. For years, Spielberg has been making the action tangible (Raiders, Jurassic Park) without confusing us. His editors are 75% of that work. Maybe even a little nod could've gone to The Mask of Zorro for the same feat.
Will win: Ryan
Should: Ryan
Foreign Language Film
Central Station
Children Of Heaven
The Grandfather
Life Is Beautiful
Tango
-I've read alot about this category, and I believe it's more FULL of good movies than usual. Still, I get to see about one foreign movie every 6 months or so. This time it was Life is Beautiful, and it was very, very good. And the Academy wants to give this guy an Oscar!
Will win: Life
Should: Life
Makeup
Elizabeth
Saving Private Ryan
Shakespeare in Love
- There was no real effects-laden show to dominate this category. I hear Blanchett's transformation is quite award-worthy.
Will win: Elizabeth
Should: Liz, why not.
Original Musical or Comedy Score
A Bug's Life
Mulan
Patch Adams
The Prince Of Egypt
Shakespeare in Love
- Shakespeare had a beautiful score, great theme and it's my pick. It's a shame to see Patch Adams nominated for anything. The animated films usually win here, and I liked the films here very much (especially A Bug's Life - ****), but the scores I can't remember.
Will win: Shakespeare
Should: Shakespeare
Original Dramatic Score
Elizabeth
Life Is Beautiful
Pleasantville
Saving Private Ryan
The Thin Red Line
- John Williams held back so much on Pvt. Ryan (thank God), that I can't remember the usefulness of his music in the film. The music I was affected by most was Beautiful's. Wait, I was also affected by The Thin Red Line's music - it wouldn't STOP. How obtrusive was that score? Take the nomination away and make room for James Horner's Zorro score or He Got Game, anything.
Will win: Beautiful
Should: Beautiful
Original Song
"I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" from Armageddon
"The Prayer" from Quest For Camelot
"A Soft Place to Fall" from The Horse Whisperer
"That'll Do" from Babe: Pig In The City
"When You Believe" from The Prince Of Eqypt
- Please God, don't let that cheese-fest Aerosmith tune win. How laborious is that mess? Any of the tunes from He Got Game were more affective. The song from Egypt was good, but the Whitney/Mariah version of it has about 90% less spirit and soul than the movie characters singing it. And, I don't know if they're trying to oust Disney from this category, but the Mulan songs were pretty good.
Will win: Egypt
Should: Egypt
Short Film‹Animated
Bunny
The Canterbury Tales
Jolly Roger
More
When Life Departs
- um...didn't see 'em...
Short Film‹Live Action
Culture
Election Night (Valgaften)
Holiday Romance
Le Carte Postale (The Postcard)
Victor
- um...didn't see 'em...
Sound
Armageddon
The Mask Of Zorro
Saving Private Ryan
Shakespeare in Love
The Thin Red Line
- Ryan, Ryan, Ryan. I swear I was shot in the head during that film. If Armageddon wins, then it will be known as an "Oscar winning film." Then I will have to shoot myself in the scrotum.
Will win: Ryan
Should: Ryan
Sound Effects Editing
Armageddon
The Mask Of Zorro
Saving Private Ryan
-Again, a staggering piece of realism, give the award to Ryan
Will win: Ryan
Should: Ryan (and thank God, 'cause when a film like Unforgiven is winning best picture, it rarely sweeps the tech categories and some piece of crap film can pick up an Oscar, but hopefully this year's winner will win, and deserve it and show hacks like Bruckheimer and Emmerich how to utilize filmmaking!!!)
Visual Effects
Armageddon
Mighty Joe Young
What Dreams May Come
- Dreams had MUCH eye-candy. The effects were essential. Not that they weren't in Joe Young, but I kept saying (in the previews, what am I gonna do, pay for that crap?) "look at that effect" instead of "look at that gorilla".
Will win: Young (Oscar likes dumb stuff like that)
Should: Dreams
Screenplay‹Adaptation
Gods And Monsters
Out Of Sight
Primary Colors
A Simple Plan
The Thin Red Line
- Red Line? Red line? Sheesh. Didn't see Monsters, like I said. A Simple Plan was tight, tight plotting and continual stakes-raising, which is always fun.
Will win: Out of Sight
Should: A Simple Plan
Screenplay‹Original
Bulworth
Life Is Beautiful
Saving Private Ryan
Shakespeare In Love
The Truman Show
- Beatty's work here was great, and risky. Stoppard's wasn't as risky, but it certainly is popular and original. These are all great nominations, and all deserve the prize. I might have even thrown in There's Something About Mary for being funny as hell.
Will win: Shakespeare
Should: Bulworth (again, for balls)
ABOUT THE NOMINEES
The completed ballots were turned in to the Academy on January 29, where the accounting firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers secretly tabulated the ballots, using a preferential voting system.
During the nomination process, Academy members in nine branches nominate their choices for achievements in 16 categories. For example, cinematographers nominate in the cinematography category. All voting members nominate for Best Picture category. Films submitted in the Documentary, Foreign Language, Makeup, Short Film, Sound Effects Editing and Visual Effect categories are not included in this nominations process. Instead, these achievements are viewed and selected by special voting groups of Academy members.
Once the ballots are counted, PricewaterhouseCoopers announced the nominees in all 24 categories. The Awards will be presented Sunday, March 21 1999 live on ABC, beginning at 5pm PT.
PICTURE: Ryan. It will be the most-remembered film of this year. Saving Private Ryan is the first casualty of the excessive vote-lobbying that goes on in Hollywood. Once upon a time there used to be little articles in Entertainment Weekly telling the average film layman about the ads taken out in the trades to woo Academy voters to vote for certain films or certain actors and tech stuff. Now, it's giant articles reporting of huge, millions-dollar campaigns. Ugly. And Ryan would win if it were a strictly political contest! Best Picture because it's patriotic, epic, time period, etc. It just also happens to deserve it. Shakespeare in Love is a fine film, but I disagree that it's the year's best. It's an empty "victory" for Miramax.
ACTOR: Was Benigni a relief or what? Mini-rant: this year's Oscar telecast sucked. Whoopi was about as funny as dirt, it POKED along and the Debbie Allen nonsense was vacant and retarded and occasionally offensive to the fine musicians the dance was supposedly "supporting". For God's sake, gimme Seinfeld!!! What is he, busy?!? And all the songs were lame and were performed lamely. I certainly missed Springsteen, Neil Young and even well-written Disney tunes. That aside, Benigni provided a jolt of joy in the whole maudlin mess. And now that I've seen all the nominee's performances, what the hell, give it to him. I'm still a fan of Norton's, but he didn't have a chance. Nolte's good performance I thought was bogged in a strange script, McKellan shined in a story of underwhelming significance. Benigni did a good job in a good film, what the hell, give it to him.
ACTRESS: Blanchett, dammit!! The day of the Oscars I saw Elizabeth and was surprised how much I liked it. It's the old Hackman-Hoffman thing. Hoffman (in Rain Man) beat Hackman (in Mississippi Burning) in 1988. Rain Man was the more high-profile film, but Hackman did MORE in a film of less commercial success. Ditto Blanchett and Paltrow. Blanchett's character simply had more to deal with, and goes one step further to get my nod. But I still say I'm happy to have finally ENJOYED Paltrow in a film, way to finally live up to the hype.
By the way, did anyone else see The Matrix. I beat myself up when I bought a ticket: "Why am I seeing another film that looks promising, but will have Keanu Reeves ruin it simply by his mere presence (or non-presence as it usually seems)?" Judgement: he didn't ruin it. If you like to watch a VERY stylish flick where you get to see people kick ass, check it out. Granted Reeves doesn't have half the charisma of a Cruise or Gibson, but he looked great and didn't ruin it. I think "didn't ruin it" is about the best he's gonna get.
SUPP. ACTOR: Billy Bob got robbed. Point blank. Saw Affliction the day of the Oscars, James Coburn played a mean drunk. Not different from...well....actually no one in recent history has won for playing a mean drunk. It's pretty damn easy. Again, Coburn (Hoffman) - one note success. Thornton (Hackman) - multi-layered success, and hence, more impressive.
SUPP. ACTRESS: SPEAKING OF ROBBED!!!! There's a new category: Best Cameo. Now why wasn't Ted Danson nominated in Ryan, or Woody Harrelson in The Thin Red Line, or Marcel Marceau for Silent Movie? Gip, gip, gip!! Kathy Bates was as viciously robbed as Judi Dench was last year. Too little, too late, ya bastards.
ART DIRECTION: Upon a second viewing, I might disagree with the Academy, and change my vote to Pvt. Ryan. It looked great. They really were sticklers for place, it became a character even more than the England re-created for Shakespeare. Also, the characters of Ryan are so richly entrenched in that time, proper re-creation of war-torn battlefields is crucial. The players of Shakespeare are foolin' around with anachronisms so much that it takes away from what the Art directors have done.
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Right on.
COSTUME: I think we're all agreed that Elizabeth and Shakespeare had similar success and it was a toss-up. RANDOM THOUGHT: Geoffrey Rush deserved his nomination more for Elizabeth than Shakespeare in Love.
DIRECTING: Kudos, Steve, super achievement. I'm still a believer, however, in Rob Reiner's theory: lose the director's category and give an Oscar to the Producer and Director when a film wins Best Picture. Then again, in my world, Ryan would've won.
DOCUMENTARY CATEGORIES: Kudos, whatever won, super achievement.
EDITING: Right on. This man edited Raiders of the Lost Ark, for God's Sake!!!
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Huzzah for Roberto! Life is Beautiful is so good, I think people are glad that it was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film so they can write it off for Best Picture and not have to mull over whether it's better than Ryan or Shakespeare!! Decisions, decisions.
MAKEUP: I was just happy to see Elizabeth win something, 'cause it was good! I'm still pissed that Broadcast News was nominated for 7 Oscars and won NONE!
SCORE: Can't whistle dick from any of the nominees except Shakespeare's theme, I'm glad it won. Life is Beautiful was a dead-on choice. Well done.
SONG: Much like "Beauty and the Beast", "When You Believe" sounds 1 MILLION times better sung by the film's characters than by Mariah "will screw for fame" Carey and Whitney "too damn boring to come up with an interesting joke nickname" Houston. For the FILM version, it's a winner.
Joel Siegel said that they should show the Best Animated Short IN IT'S ENTIRETY instead of that Debbie Allen BS. I think we ALL were intrigued by "Bunny", right?
SOUND, SOUND EFFECTS, VISUAL EFFECTS: Right on.
ADAPTED SCRIPT: Saw Gods and Monsters last week. I didn't understand why the story was imortant enough to tell. I'd rather see a story of James Whale dealing with his homosexuality in a homophobic Hollywood while trying to direct horror films! A Simple Plan was the most twisty, jolt-filled, unpredictable flick of the year. My pick, denied.
ORIGNAL SCRIPT: Shakespeare was a shoo-in. It's all good and everything, but I had a soft spot for Bulworth.
Overall, mild, tepid and lame. And we've already gone 3 months this year with nothing Oscar-worthy (except The Matrix's effects). Let's hope we don't go another 9 with similar results....
-Paul
Anyone who has comments on the Oscars, I'd love to hear them!!!