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and today the Oscar nominations have actually verified it: the Academy Awards is going to be a race that is three-way Clint Eastwood’s boxing drama “Million Dollar Baby,” Martin Scorsese’s Howard Hughes biopic “The Aviator,” and Alexander Payne’s road-trip comedy “Sideways.”
Any one of them might be crowned picture that is best of 2004 as soon as the Oscars are given out Feb. 27. plus it’s anyone’s imagine as to that will triumph. Each carries nominations in every the categories that are essential acting, composing and directing. “The Aviator,” with 11 nominations, is this year’s many nominated movie.
Also nominated for picture that is best are Marc Forster’s “Finding Neverland,” which lacks a most readily useful manager nomination, and Taylor Hackford’s “Ray,” which appears prone to collect an Oscar just for its star, Jamie Foxx.
As always, the nominations included shocks in addition to unanticipated omissions. Here’s a roundup of notable developments:
Embarrassment of riches: For the 2nd year in a line, a few popular documentaries have been in contention, such as the clever fast-food satire, “Super Size Me.” additionally selected are “Born Into Brothels,” “Tupac: Resurrection,” “The Story of this Weeping Camel” and “Twist of Faith.” But that leaves out such non-fiction that is excellent as “Touching the Void,” “Home regarding the Brave” and “Riding Giants,” all of these had been eligible. Eradicated ahead of the nominations were announced had been “Control Room,” “The Corporation” additionally the year’s top-grossing documentary, “Fahrenheit 9/11,” which Michael Moore hoped would make a most useful image nomination. It didn’t take place.
Mel’s “Passion” respected. While Moore’s movie attained no nominations, the year’s other controversy-stirrer, “The Passion of this Christ,” had been selected for music that is best, cinematography and makeup products.
12 months regarding the biopics: “The Aviator,” “Finding Neverland” and “Ray” all gained nominations for most useful photo. But “Kinsey” and “The Motorcycle Diaries” were mostly shut away.
Among the list of missing: Sissy Spacek (“A Home by the end associated with the World”), Eileen Atkins (“Vanity Fair”), Peter O’Toole (“Troy”), Paul Giamatti (“Sideways”), Peter Sarsgaard (“Kinsey”).
Eastwood’s nomination that is double. Eastwood happens to be gathering rewards for most readily useful manager since his film made its first, but here is the very first time he’s been singled away for most readily useful star for “Million Dollar Baby” (he had been formerly selected for most useful star for “Unforgiven”). Evidently he pressed Giamatti off the list — which may tip the scales in support of “Million Dollar Baby” various other groups.
SAG distinctions: Although there’s overlap that is considerable Academy voters and Screen Actors’ Guild people, their nomination listings never fall into line completely. The Oscar voters nominated two supporting players whom won Golden Globes but weren’t mentioned into the SAG nominations: Clive Owen (“Closer”) and Natalie Portman (“Closer”). Among the SAG nominees that did make it to n’t the Oscars: Giamatti, James Garner (“The Notebook”), Cloris Leachman (“Spanglish”) and Freddie Highmore (“Finding Neverland”).
No “City of God.” The film that is brazilian arrived away from nowhere this past year by gathering four major nominations (directing, writing, cinematography, film modifying) have not produced a foreign-language followup this present year. Closest calls: “The Motorcycle Diaries,” that is up for most readily useful track and greatest screenplay adaptation, and “The Sea Inside,” which can be selected for most readily useful makeup products and international movie.
It’s Annette vs. Hilary, once again: 5 years ago, Annette Bening (“American Beauty”) lost the Oscar to Hilary Swank (“Boys Don’t Cry”). This Bening is selected for “Being Julia” and Swank is selected for “Million Dollar Baby. 12 months” Too close to call? Will the voters bypass them both for Imelda Staunton’s work that is excellent “Vera Drake,” that also obtained nominations for Mike Leigh’s way and script?
No directing nomination, no picture winner that is best: It’s extremely difficult to win the greatest photo award without having to be selected for most useful manager. “Finding Neverland” didn’t carry its manager, Marc Forster, to the winners’ circle, so that it appears like an also-ran when you look at the battle for most readily useful photo. OK, it is happened as soon as since 1932, whenever “Driving skip Daisy” had been called picture that is best of 1989 while its manager, Bruce Beresford, wasn’t even yet in the running. But a perform appears extremely not likely.
Who’s supporting whom? In “Collateral,” Jamie Foxx shares an awful great deal of display time utilizing the celebrity, Tom Cruise, yet he’s been nominated when you look at the supporting category. In “Sideways,” Thomas Haden Church has just slightly less display screen time than Paul Giamatti, yet Church is nominated for supporting actor that is best and Giamatti is definitely the lead into the movie. And do Owen and Portman qualify as supporting really actors? Truly this can be absolutely absolutely nothing brand new: Tatum O’Neal starred in every scene in “Paper Moon,” and Tommy Lee Jones drove the storyline in “The Fugitive,” but both received oscars that are supporting. Having said that, in the event that you count their display screen time, Anthony Hopkins (“The Silence of this Lambs”) and Patricia Neal (“Hud”) probably should not have won the top one. What are the ground guidelines right right here?
Kevin Bacon’s Six Levels Of Omission. Passed over many times by the Oscar voters, such as for the performance that is remarkable 1995’s “Murder when you look at the First,” Bacon did their most bold, complex work to date as a kid molester in “The Woodsman.” He campaigned heartily for recognition, but probably the part ended up being too uncompromising. In 1962, Stuart Whitman ended up being selected for most useful star for “The Mark,” about a possible son or daughter molester. Possibly Bacon’s error ended up being playing a character whom really committed the criminal activity.
Lonely at the very top. Catalina Sandino Moreno is selected for most readily useful actress on her movie first in “Maria high in Grace,” but her film is otherwise lacking from essential groups. The exact same is true of Annette Bening, also nominated for best actress on her work in “Being Julia.”
Foreign-language omissions. The nationwide community of movie experts recently known as Ousmane Sembene’s “Moolaade” the best foreign-language film of 2004, but Senegal failed to submit it into the Oscar race, it is thereforen’t up for most useful international movie. Other critics’ teams picked Zhang Yimou’s dazzling “House of Flying Daggers,” that has been Asia’s official entry into the Oscars, however it has also been shut away. Inside their spot really are a mediocre French movie, “The Chorus,” and Spain’s biopic “The Sea Inside,” which won the Golden Globe for most readily useful international movie. Also selected: Sweden’s “As in Heaven,” Germany’s “Downfall” and Southern Africa’s “Yesterday.”
Ethan Hawke ratings as being a journalist. Nominated for best supporting actor for “Training Day” a couple of years ago, Hawke attained their 2nd Oscar nomination for co-writing Richard Linklater’s “Before Sunset” with Linklater and Julie Delpy. The script is partly according to Hawke’s experiences being a novelist that is budding.
Most nomination that is baffling “Shark Tale” for best animated function. Mediocre at most readily useful, this cartoon that is tediously derivative be contending with “Shrek 2” and “The Incredibles,” which appears like a shoo-in in this category. “The Incredibles,” like the original “Toy Story,” can be selected for most readily useful screenplay.
Overdue and underrated. check this site Alan Alda’s nomination for their supporting role being a politician that is corrupt “The Aviator” wasn’t anticipated. Nonetheless it’s the very first time he’s been selected in an extended career, and that alone could carry him to the winners’ circle . . . Alexander Payne, selected for co-writing and directing“Sideways,” is definitely operating in the fringes for the Oscars. He and their writing partner, Jim Taylor, had been selected for “Election” however they had been closed out from the race for “About Schmidt.”
Missing “Rings.” When it comes to very first time since 2001, no hobbits have been in the running.
