In Which the Fox Knocks the Oscars

Since everybody and their cousin is complaining about who got jobbed by the recently released Academy Award nominations, I thought I'd join in on the fun. But instead of saying who was subbed, I'll just post the list of nominees I'd have created. Actual nominees that remain on my list will be denoted with italics. The list won't be my "favorite" movies - living in New Haven, I rarely get to see movies anymore, and so will be selecting based not on personal knowledge but on my sense of the zeitgeist. I'd nominate "Million Dollar Baby" for best picture, for instance, even though I find the movie's message - that it's OK to "put down" people who've become disabled as if they lame horses - despicable and repulsive. I'll also follow some basic Oscar rules, such as: there's always one, and only one best picture nominee whose director doesn't get the best director nod. I'm also including "The Aviator", not because I'm convinced it's any good, but because I'm convinced that THE ACADEMY is going to give Scorsese his Oscar now. I wanted to make my list better, but realistic.

After that, I'll make predictions about who'll win among the actual nominees. 'Cause making half-assed predictions based on hunches is just what we do here at Mansfield Fox.

WHO I WOULD HAVE NOMINATED

Best Picture
The Aviator
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Million Dollar Baby
The Passion of the Christ
Sideways

Best Director
Martin Scorsese, The Aviator
Michel Gondry, Eternal Sunsine...
Michael Moore, Fahrenheit 9/11
Mel Gibson, The Passion...
Alexander Payne, Sideways

Best Actor
Jim Caviezel, The Passion...
Don Cheadle, Hotel Rwanda
Jamie Foxx, Ray
Paul Giamatti, Sideways
Bernie Mac, Mr. 3000

Best Actress
Annette Bening, Being Julia
Catalina Sandino Moreno, Maria Full of Grace
Imelda Staunton, Vera Drake
Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby
Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Best Supporting Actor
Alan Alda, The Aviator
Curtis Armstrong (that's right: Booger), Ray
Thomas Hayden Church, Sideways
Willem Dafoe, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Jamie Foxx, Collateral

Best Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett, The Aviator
Laura Linney, Kinsey
Virginia Madsen, Sideways
Sophie Okendo, Hotel Rwanda
Natalie Portman, Garden State

OK, I'm already getting bored of this. I'm sure you are too. Weird to note that I basically agree with their decisions regarding best actress/best supporting actress. Couldn't say why. Maybe they're just better choices. Maybe being a massive sexist, I subconsciously ignore women's performances. Who knows.


Anyway, my picks (again, who will win, not who should win):

Best Picture: The Aviator
Best Director: Martin Scorsese, The Aviator
Best Actor: Jamie Foxx, Ray
Best Actress: Annette Benning, Being Julia
Best Supporting Actor: Jamie Foxx, Collateral
Best Supporting Actress: Virginia Madsen, Sideways
Best Original Screenplay: Eternal Sunshine...
Best Adapted Screenplay: Sideways
Best Foreign Language Film: The Sea Inside
Best Animated Film: The Incredibles
Best Original Score: The Passion...
Best Original Song: "Learn to be Lonely" from Phantom...
Best Art Direction: The Aviator
Best Cinematography: The Aviator
Best Costume Design: The Aviator
Best Makeup: The Passion...
Best Documentary Feature: Supersize Me
Best Sound: The Aviator
Best Sound Editing: Spider-Man 2
Best Visual Effects: Spider-Man 2
Best Film Editing: The Aviator
Best Animated Short Film: Gopher Broke
Best Live-Action Short Film: Two Cars, One Night
Best Documentary Short Subject: Hardwood

That's it! That's the list!

You can take it to the bank.