Entertainment Editor, Pablo Saldana

Million Dollar Baby

A classic drama about a woman overcoming adversity pulls Academy voters in every time. Sure, the Best Picture nominees are weak this year, with glaring omissions such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Motorcycle Diaries and Closer. But, Million Dollar Baby shines through as the obvious winner in this category.

Clint Eastwood will be rewarded for his outstanding work behind the camera when the Academy chooses him over post-Good Fellas’ mediocre Martin Scorsese.

The film is anchored by amazing performances from Hilary Swank, Eastwood and Morgan Freeman, who are all nominated for their work. With the exception of Best Actor, don’t be surprised to see Million Dollar Baby walk off with the lion’s share of awards.

The Aviator

Scorsese’s latest is a hollow epic with no heart and evokes no compassion from its audience. The Aviator feels more like the work of other Hollywood directors rather than that of a once influential, groundbreaking visionary. For the past three weeks leading up to the award ceremony, all that could be heard was, “Marty should get the Oscar because he’s done so many great pictures.” But many fail to realize that he doesn’t deserve it for The Aviator. Many great directors, such as Orson Wells and Stanley Kubrick, never won Best Director honors at the Academy Awards. And sorry Marty, you’re not even close to their caliber of filmmaking.

The Aviator brings mindless entertainment to new heights of indulgence with flashy special effects and decent performances. This is an example of a film especially made to cater to the Academy’s taste. They love epics (Braveheart), they love a hero who fights mental illness (A Beautiful Mind), they love a film that revisits the golden era of Hollywood, and The Aviator‘s got all three of those aspects in place. The film’s only bright spot was the impeccable Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn, and come Sunday she will be rewarded for being the only reason to sit through The Aviator‘s nearly three-hour runtime.

Sideways

The writing/directing team that brought us Election gave viewers and critics new reason to celebrate in 2004; a film that is nearly flawless. Sideways, unlike other nominees, really got audiences to care about its characters. While the concept of a life-altering road trip is nothing new, the execution was perfect, from its stunning cast to the film’s sharp, witty screenplay.

Despite all the critical praise and numerous accolades, Sideways has an ice cube’s chance in hell to win Best Picture, simply because the Academy favors long, drawn-out dramas. This is a shame because Sideways has been one of the few films audiences and critics have whole-heartedly agreed on.

Sideways did manage to wrangle up seven nominations but is a favorite only in the Adapted Screenplay category.

Finding Neverland

The movie tells the story behind the creation of one of the most beloved characters in children’s literature, Peter Pan. Director Marc Forester brings together a film crammed with magic, imagination and laughs that will appeal to all. Finding Neverland was able to garner a few nominations but will be lucky to walk away with one golden statuette.

Johnny Depp once again proves he is one of Hollywood’s most versatile actors. With roles stretching from Edward Scissorhands to Ed Wood to Pirates of the Caribbean. Depp has an eye for the quirky, but loveable characters that are often overlooked by Academy members. Helping bring this magical tale to life is his stellar supporting cast consisting of Dustin Hoffman, Kate Winslet and Freddie Highmore.

It’d be refreshing to see a light-hearted film such as Finding Neverland win this prestigious award but that won’t be happening any time soon.

Ray

The reason Ray is nominated in this category can be summed up in two words: Jamie Foxx. While it’s true Ray is one of the better biopics out this year, the subject matter is rather dated. A rockstar with a drug problems, enormous success and struggling to stay faithful, been there, done that. The film itself drags on for far too long with many moments becoming dreadful to watch. With an absolutely zero percent chance of winning, the fifth nomination should’ve gone to a picture that dared to be different such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or a biopics that didn’t shy away from controversy such as Kinsey.

Foxx is responsible for giving one of the year’s best performances and nails the late-legend’s unique mannerisms and speech. In fact, Foxx’s performance is hauntingly too perfect. This once was the man that gave audiences such horrible films as Breakin’ all the Rules, Any Given Sunday and Booty Call, but in a year has landed two critically acclaimed performances.

While Ray was one of last fall’s highlights it is wrongfully placed in this category and come Sunday Foxx will be Ray’s singular victory.

Best Director
Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby

Best Actor
Jamie Foxx, Ray

Best Actress
Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby

Best Supporting Actor
Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby

Best Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett, The Aviator

Best Original Screenplay
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Best Adapted Screenplay
Sideways

Best Foreign Language Film
The Sea Inside

Best Animated Feature
The Incredibles

Music (Score)
Finding Neverland

Original Song
“Accidentally in Love” (Shrek 2)

Art Direction
The Aviator

Cinematography
The Aviator

Costume Design
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events

Make-up design
The Passion of the Christ

Documentary Feature
Born into Brothels

Film Editing
The Aviator

Sound Editing
Spider-Man 2

Sound Mixing
Spider-Man 2

Visual Effects
Spider-Man 2

Movies Editor, Lori Bartlett

The Aviator

The Aviator has all the right elements to make it an Oscar favorite. It has the big Hollywood director, the handsome leading man and the tragic true-life tale of movie mogul Howard Hughes. It captures an era in movie history that many of the older Oscar voters love to relive on-screen. Also, Oscar seems to be a fan of films dealing with mental illness.

While most think Clint Eastwood has the lockdown on the Best Director category, Martin Scorsese could be the upset. Although The Aviator may not be his best film, it is Scorsese’s fifth nomination. The Academy may feel some guilt for passing him over for classics like Raging Bull and Good Fellas.

Leonardo DiCaprio could receive some of those guilty votes as well. His only other nomination was in 1993 for Supporting Actor the film What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.

Arguably, the best performance in The Aviator was from Supporting Actress nominee Cate Blanchett. She captured the very unique mannerisms of Katharine Hepburn and brought her classy style to the whole film.

The Aviator will definitely walk away with a plane full of little gold statues.

Finding Neverland

Perhaps a bit too magical and full-fantasy for the Academy’s taste, Finding Neverland is surely the feel-good nominee for Best Picture. The film is based on playwright J.M. Barrie’s world, in which he created the beloved tale of Peter Pan.

Best Actor nominee Johnny Depp creates pure magic playing Barrie. Like DiCaprio, Depp has been overlooked by the Academy. His only other nomination came in 2003 for his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Yet, this may be attributed to the somewhat unusual characters Depp chooses to play. However, he remains an audience favorite in films like Edward Scissorhands and Sleepy Hollow.

Depp is supported by an all-star cast including Kate Winslet, Dustin Hoffman and Julie Christie.

Hopefully, Finding Neverland will not walk away empty handed, but it is nominated in some tough categories that are dominated by the “typical” Oscar picks. It is going to take more than a little imagination for this film to win big Sunday night.

Million Dollar Baby

Even though the end of Million Dollar Baby has caused some controversy, it will surely get some gold. The intense drama is packed with powerful performances the Academy must acknowledge. Director and Best Actor nominee Clint Eastwood is a favorite in both categories. Even though he is more likely to win for director, Eastwood gives a strong performance as boxing trainer Frankie Dunn. He has worn both hats before getting a nomination for Best Actor and the Oscar for Best Director in Unforgiven.

Hilary Swank is no novice to the Oscar game either. In 1999, Swank and Annette Bening were both nominated for Best Actress. Bening was nominated for her role in American Beauty and Swank for Boys Don’t Cry. Swank won the little gold man that year and faces Bening again this year for Best Actress. It should be interesting to see whom the Academy favors in this match up.

For Best Supporting Actor, Morgan Freeman receives fourth Oscar nomination. However, unlike his cast mates, Freeman has been alluded by the golden statue. His distinguished career, and incredible role in Million Dollar Baby are surely worth the win.

Million Dollar Baby is an Academy award movie. The critics loved it, the audience liked it, and it has been beaten down with Oscar buzz.

Ray

In the year of the biopics, Ray is the standout. Most of the film’s buzz is derived from Jamie Foxx’s Best Actor nominated performance. Foxx is by far the favorite for Oscar gold, while the films chances are slim.

Foxx gives a truly outstanding performance as Ray Charles. He managed to capture the essence of a complicated artist, and bring it to the screen.

Foxx is part of another big Oscar accomplishment this year. His two nominations along with Morgan Freeman, Don Cheadle, and Sophie Okonedo make five nominations for African American performers in a year. A new Oscar record.

Director Taylor Hackford receives his second Oscar nod for Ray. He won in 1978 for the short live action film called Teenage Father. Obviously, Hackford is not new to Hollywood. His big credits include the films An Officer and a Gentleman and Dolores Claiborne.

Imitation is the sincerest way to Oscar gold.

Sideways

Who would have thought that a dryly-funny film about two guys drinking wine would have been worth Oscar buzz? Well, Sideways does seem like the outcast of the pack.

The film starring the unfortunately not nominated, Paul Giamatti, is the dark horse candidate this year. While praised by audiences and critics alike, the Academy tends to avoid giving their awards to comedies. Yet, many in the terrific cast do stand to be winners.

While still a long shot, director Alexander Payne stands to get his first taste of Oscar gold. He was nominated in 1999 for his writing on the film Election. Payne must have a fascination with small offbeat comedies, and he does them well.

Sideways best chance for a win lies with Best Supporting Actress nominee, Virginia Madsen. Madsen is fabulous in this subtle and amazing role. Even against some great dramatic nominees, Madsen is the favorite.

If life were fair, and Academy was a democracy of the audience, Sideways would be a big winner. Yet, despite the odds this little film became a big success. So enjoy a toast to Sideways on Oscar evening.

Best Director
Martin Scorsese, The Aviator

Best Actor
Jamie Foxx, Ray

Best Actress
Annette Bening,Being Julia

Best Supporting Actor
Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby

Best Supporting Actress
Virginia Madsen, Sideways

Best Original Screenplay
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Best Adapted Screenplay
Sideways

Best Foreign Language Film
The Sea Inside

Best Animated Feature
Shrek 2

Music (Score)
The Passion of the Christ

Original Song
“Learn to be Lonely” (The Phantom of the Opera)

Art Direction
The Aviator

Cinematography
The Phantom of the Opera

Costume Design
Finding Neverland

Make-up design
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events

Documentary Feature
Super Size Me

Film Editing
Ray

Sound Editing
Spider-Man 2

Sound Mixing
The Incredibles

Visual Effects
Spider-Man 2