Andythesaint's Movie Awards
I gave my predictions, now here's how the Oscars would go if I were the only guy voting. For the major awards, I'll give my winner, followed by the other 4 nominees, ranked second to fifth. And I'm cutting out some awards that I just don't have an opinion of. I'm only voting for movies/performances that I've seen, so the following films are left out: Closer, Vera Drake, Being Julia, Maria Full of Grace, Kinsey, The Motorcycle Diaries, The Passion of the Christ, The Phantom of the Opera, Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events, Super Size Me, and Shark Tale. Again, I invite others to share their opinions, cause it's fun.
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Winner- Million Dollar Baby
Nominees- The Aviator, Hotel Rwanda, Finding Neverland, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
I can't believe that Hotel Rwanda isn't nominated. I think too few Academy voters actually watched it. I didn't really like Sideways, and while this sounds callous, I think Ray doesn't get a nomination if Ray Charles didn't die last year. It's a good film, but not a great one. Collateral just missed the cut for me.
Best Achievement in Directing
Winner- Martin Scorsese, The Aviator
Nominees- Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby; Terry George, Hotel Rwanda; Michel Gondry, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; Marc Forster, Finding Neverland
It's always weird when the Best Picture nominees don't match the Best Director nominees, and this year is no different, as Forster is shut out in favour of Vera Drake's Mike Leigh. Politics, I say (if anyone should've been edged out, it should have been Alexander Payne, whose Sideways is much less visually complex than Finding Neverland). Giving Scorsese the award is my way of rewarding him for his massive undertaking while still acknowledging that Million Dollar Baby is the superior film.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Winner- Jamie Foxx, Ray
Nominees- Don Cheadle, Hotel Rwanda; Leonardo DiCaprio, The Aviator; Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby; Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland
I was ready to give the award to Cheadle, and then I watched the bonus feature on Ray, learning that Jamie Foxx played the piano in all his performance scenes. That's incredible. My list is the same as the Academy's here.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Winner- Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Nominees- Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby; Julie Delpy, Before Sunset; Kate Winslet, Finding Neverland; Bryce Dallas Howard, The Village
It was a tough call between Winslet and Swank, but I really would like to see Eternal Sunshine recognised on some level; plus, I've made Winslet a double-nominee here. Julie Delpy should have gotten a real nomination, and Howard's inclusion here more has to do with the dearth of good lead female roles in the movies I've seen (I haven't seen 3 of the Oscar nominated performances), although she was still quite good.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Winner- Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby
Nominees- Jamie Foxx, Collateral; Thomas Haden Church, Sideways; John C. Reilly, The Aviator; Alec Baldwin, The Aviator
Freeman is the most deserving, even if he wasn't way past due. I have no idea why Jamie Foxx is in this catagory, since he's in 90% of Collateral, but that's where he's been nominated everywhere else so I'll go with it. Reilly and Baldwin have more substantial parts than actual nominee Alan Alda.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Winner- Virginia Madsen, Sideways
Nominees- Sophie Okenado, Hotel Rwanda; Cate Blanchett, The Aviator; Kate Beckinsale, The Aviator; Kerry Washington, Ray
Again, a tough catagory due to women's roles in movies that I've seen. Madsen was the only truly likeable character in Sideways, so much so that she brought it out of Paul Giamatti's unlikeable Miles. Blanchett and Beckinsale have similiar roles in The Aviator, each performing very well.
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry, Pierre Bismuth, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
I'd give other nominees here, but I don't know what qualifies as written for the screen and what isn't.
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, Kim Krizan, Before Sunset
I guess it's based on the original movie. I would be so happy if this won, but I don't see it happening. The nomination is the reward.
Best Achievement in Cinematography
Tom Stern, Million Dollar Baby
Not even nominated. For shame.
Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Spider-Man 2
I had to show Spidey some love.
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
Dashboard Confessional "Vindicated", Spider-Man 2
This would never happen in a million years, but I don't really know what qualifies for this award either, and I love this song. I can't believe Counting Crows are nominated. That song annoys the hell out of me, and I like some Counting Crows music, just not that song.
Best Documentary, Features
Fahrenheit 9/11
It didn't qualify for an Oscar because Michael Moore didn't submit it in the hopes that he could get it on TV before the election (which violates the Academy's rules). But that distinction doesn't apply in Andyland, so it wins (the only other 2004 documentary I've seen is The Hunting of the President, which was pretty unremarkable).
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
The Incredibles
Nothing else is even close (for the record, Shrek 2 is the only other 2004 animated film I've seen)
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Winner- Million Dollar Baby
Nominees- The Aviator, Hotel Rwanda, Finding Neverland, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
I can't believe that Hotel Rwanda isn't nominated. I think too few Academy voters actually watched it. I didn't really like Sideways, and while this sounds callous, I think Ray doesn't get a nomination if Ray Charles didn't die last year. It's a good film, but not a great one. Collateral just missed the cut for me.
Best Achievement in Directing
Winner- Martin Scorsese, The Aviator
Nominees- Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby; Terry George, Hotel Rwanda; Michel Gondry, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; Marc Forster, Finding Neverland
It's always weird when the Best Picture nominees don't match the Best Director nominees, and this year is no different, as Forster is shut out in favour of Vera Drake's Mike Leigh. Politics, I say (if anyone should've been edged out, it should have been Alexander Payne, whose Sideways is much less visually complex than Finding Neverland). Giving Scorsese the award is my way of rewarding him for his massive undertaking while still acknowledging that Million Dollar Baby is the superior film.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Winner- Jamie Foxx, Ray
Nominees- Don Cheadle, Hotel Rwanda; Leonardo DiCaprio, The Aviator; Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby; Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland
I was ready to give the award to Cheadle, and then I watched the bonus feature on Ray, learning that Jamie Foxx played the piano in all his performance scenes. That's incredible. My list is the same as the Academy's here.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Winner- Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Nominees- Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby; Julie Delpy, Before Sunset; Kate Winslet, Finding Neverland; Bryce Dallas Howard, The Village
It was a tough call between Winslet and Swank, but I really would like to see Eternal Sunshine recognised on some level; plus, I've made Winslet a double-nominee here. Julie Delpy should have gotten a real nomination, and Howard's inclusion here more has to do with the dearth of good lead female roles in the movies I've seen (I haven't seen 3 of the Oscar nominated performances), although she was still quite good.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Winner- Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby
Nominees- Jamie Foxx, Collateral; Thomas Haden Church, Sideways; John C. Reilly, The Aviator; Alec Baldwin, The Aviator
Freeman is the most deserving, even if he wasn't way past due. I have no idea why Jamie Foxx is in this catagory, since he's in 90% of Collateral, but that's where he's been nominated everywhere else so I'll go with it. Reilly and Baldwin have more substantial parts than actual nominee Alan Alda.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Winner- Virginia Madsen, Sideways
Nominees- Sophie Okenado, Hotel Rwanda; Cate Blanchett, The Aviator; Kate Beckinsale, The Aviator; Kerry Washington, Ray
Again, a tough catagory due to women's roles in movies that I've seen. Madsen was the only truly likeable character in Sideways, so much so that she brought it out of Paul Giamatti's unlikeable Miles. Blanchett and Beckinsale have similiar roles in The Aviator, each performing very well.
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
Charlie Kaufman, Michel Gondry, Pierre Bismuth, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
I'd give other nominees here, but I don't know what qualifies as written for the screen and what isn't.
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, Kim Krizan, Before Sunset
I guess it's based on the original movie. I would be so happy if this won, but I don't see it happening. The nomination is the reward.
Best Achievement in Cinematography
Tom Stern, Million Dollar Baby
Not even nominated. For shame.
Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Spider-Man 2
I had to show Spidey some love.
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
Dashboard Confessional "Vindicated", Spider-Man 2
This would never happen in a million years, but I don't really know what qualifies for this award either, and I love this song. I can't believe Counting Crows are nominated. That song annoys the hell out of me, and I like some Counting Crows music, just not that song.
Best Documentary, Features
Fahrenheit 9/11
It didn't qualify for an Oscar because Michael Moore didn't submit it in the hopes that he could get it on TV before the election (which violates the Academy's rules). But that distinction doesn't apply in Andyland, so it wins (the only other 2004 documentary I've seen is The Hunting of the President, which was pretty unremarkable).
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
The Incredibles
Nothing else is even close (for the record, Shrek 2 is the only other 2004 animated film I've seen)