The 2005 Awards Season Has Started!

Started by MacGuffin, December 01, 2004, 01:42:12 PM

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ono

From http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338751/board/nest/13612521

THE BIG PICTURE
Amid early blog rumbles, vetting Oscar's horse race
The year's not yet over, but already the Internet is abuzz with predictions for next year's Oscar nominations.
By Patrick Goldstein
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

Nov 30 2004

With its multimillion-dollar campaign ads, crafty consultants, shoot-from-the-lip pundits and grueling "Survivor"-style fight to the finish, is it any wonder the Oscar race often feels like a presidential election campaign? Just as this was the year of the blogger in presidential politics, the Oscar campaign is being dominated by Internet blogmeisters offering sometimes sophisticated, sometimes crackpot predictions about how various awards will play out.

This past week offered a typical Web viewpoint of the emerging Oscar race. If you turned to GoldDerby.com, you could find raves about "The Aviator" from the site's platoon of spies, with one claiming the film was "a strong contender for every award out there," saying it offered "superb" performances, starting with Leonardo DiCaprio, "who confirms he could do 'Hamlet' if he so chose."

At Oscarrace.com, there was a link to Net columnist Jeffrey Wells, who offered hosannas for Clint Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby," writing, "Trust me, it's a multi-Oscar nominee — Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress.... " Over at Foxnews.com, columnist Roger Friedman gave a rave to "The Aviator" and touted "The Woodsman," writing, "add the underrated Kevin Bacon to this year's list of potential Best Actor Oscar nominees."

What's fascinating about all these huzzahs is that it will be weeks before any of these films actually arrive in theaters. But the same movie studios that used to weep and wail when Ain't It Cool News would post early reviews have no complaints about Oscar bloggers jumping the gun with a raft of superlatives about their Oscar contenders. It just goes to show that no one gets upset about people breaking embargoes as long as they write glowing blurbs. In fact, studios often invite bloggers to see key Oscar films before they show the pictures to the mainstream press.

It simply demonstrates what a key role bloggers now play in the insanely competitive Oscar race, where a best picture or best actor nomination is often worth millions, if not tens of millions, in extra box-office grosses for a serious film. The blogs are the leading indicators of early buzz for an Oscar picture: the initial upbeat word-of-mouth on the upcoming Joel Schumacher adaptation of "The Phantom of the Opera" (now quieted by less-than-adulatory reports) was driven by positive blog postings.

The blogs themselves are a mixed bag, some offering sober commentary, others spouting theories that would be right at home at a UFO conspiracy fest. The most cerebral blog is Emanuellevy.com, hosted by Levy, an erudite critic and author whose site recently had a lively dissertation on how a disproportionate amount of Oscar winners played parts in which they suffered from various afflictions, illnesses and disabilities. On the other hand, there's moviecitynews.com's David Poland, who recently made the argument that "The Passion of the Christ" would be hurt by the academy's preponderance of Jewish voters. Poland wrote: "If you start with only 60% of the academy being non-Jewish, with few Jews willing to support the film for awards, you need 37.5% of those non-Jews to vote the film highly. If you figure that half of the non-Jews never saw the film and ... " Well, you get the drift.

While bloggers sometimes trash movies, most of their vituperativeness is directed at each other. Tom O'Neil, who hosts GoldDerby.com, dismisses Poland as "a terrible Oscar forecaster. He said the only movie that could beat 'Aviator' was 'Phantom of the Opera,' which is ridiculous — 'Phantom' isn't even a player in the race." Poland argues that O'Neil's record as an Oscar seer "is no better than mine"; Poland says he was the first pundit to identify Charlize Theron as a serious best actress contender for "Monster" last year. However, Poland in turn regularly vilifies Friedman, calling him a Miramax "stooge," a reference to the fact that Friedman unfailingly touts Miramax's top Oscar hopefuls, rarely mentioning that he has written for Miramax-owned magazines and was a producer of a film Miramax released. In fairness to Friedman, he is perhaps the best showbiz columnist on the Net. Unlike most of his peers, he actually does real reporting, including an exposé of the questionable credentials of the people who make up the National Board of Review, whose awards — due Wednesday — are nonetheless treated as an important barometer by the media and studios, who will blurb them incessantly in upcoming Oscar ads.

The blogs consistently beat the old media on Oscar scoops. But they also are littered with dubious opinions. As O'Neil puts it: "You should take most of what you read with a grain of salt the size of the Kodak Theatre."

Which brings us to our annual assessment of the top Oscar best picture contenders. Our predictions are far from infallible, though last year we had the winner, "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," in second place at 8 to 1, and in 2002, we picked the winner with "Chicago" at 5 to 1. Here's a peek at this year's race:

Favorites:

"Ray" (6 to 1). A rousing film starring best actor favorite Jamie Foxx, "Ray" comes equipped with an academy-friendly dramatic trajectory (see "A Beautiful Mind"): the troubled artist who triumphs over a smorgasbord of obstacles, including blindness, drugs, poverty and prejudice. It can't hurt with academy liberals that there are more great African American roles in this film than nearly all the other pictures combined.

"Million Dollar Baby" (7 to 1). With academy icon Clint Eastwood directing and giving an elegiac performance as a fight manager who reluctantly trains a woman boxer played by Hilary Swank, this powerful drama has the finely honed craft and packs the emotional wallop voters traditionally value in a best picture.

"Sideways" (8 to 1). Perhaps the year's best-reviewed picture, it offers breakthrough performances, nuanced direction from Alexander Payne and is getting a huge push from Fox Searchlight. While critics' favorites rarely carry the day with conservative academy voters, "Lost in Translation" broke that rule last year, as could this superb film.

"Spanglish" (10 to 1). If there ever was an academy favorite, it's James L. Brooks, who has scored best picture nominations for three films he directed. It still may be a huge leap for the academy to laud a film featuring Adam Sandler, but the crackling dialogue and showy performances make it a serious contender, especially because this comic culture-clash saga of a Mexican maid's entanglement with a wealthy Westside family will hit home with many industry voters.

Contenders:

"Finding Neverland" (12 to 1). This tale of "Peter Pan" creator J.M. Barrie is essentially about the drama of the creative process, always a favorite theme with academy voters. With another strong performance from Johnny Depp, this deft biopic should resonate with many academyites who value artful filmmaking.

"Kinsey" (14 to 1). If they gave Oscars for the film most mentioned in Op-Ed pieces, this well-reviewed biopic of Alfred Kinsey would win hands down. Populated with respected actors, it has the kind of thought-provoking heft that could earn a nomination, though films that deal with sex in such a frank manner (à la "Quills") often get a lukewarm reception by the academy.

"The Aviator" (16 to 1). On paper this sprawling biopic about Howard Hughes is right in the academy's wheelhouse. It's a star-filled film about a bigger-than-life adventurer who not only changed the shape of aviation but also knew his way around Hollywood. On the other hand, reaction to the film has been wildly mixed, as is the academy's attitude about directorial giant Martin Scorsese, who came up empty last year with an even more ambitious film ("Gangs of New York").

"Hotel Rwanda" (18 to 1). An old-fashioned punch-to-the-gut biopic about a hotel manager (Don Cheadle) who saves thousands during a genocidal civil war in 1990s Rwanda, this well-told story has the clout of real-life drama behind it. It also invariably leaves audiences moved and shamed, two qualities that have served as engines to propel Holocaust films to Oscar recognition in the past.

"Closer" (20 to 1). Oscar voters adore director Mike Nichols, who coaxes marvelous performances out of the film's star cast, but this theater adaptation's furtive sexual couplings may be too chilly and emotionally raw for many academy types.

Longshots:

"The Incredibles" (25 to 1). Glowingly reviewed, the film is a consummate technical achievement with grown-up artistic themes. Alas, the academy has been stubbornly resistant to past animation triumphs, largely because its mammoth actors' branch (bigger than the next three biggest branches together) continues to view animated films as greasy kid stuff. It will have to settle for a best animated film nod.

"The Sea Inside," "The Motorcycle Diaries," "A Very Long Engagement" and "The House of Flying Daggers" (30 to 1). As soulful and visually arresting as these movies are, they are stigmatized as foreign films, which barely fare better than animated pictures with the academy. Since 1973, only three foreign films have managed a best picture nod; none has won. Someday Oscar voters will acknowledge that many of the best films are made abroad, but don't count on it this year.

"The Phantom of the Opera" (40 to 1). Sumptuous and theatrical, this will appeal to Andrew Lloyd Webber-ophiles, but it's unlikely to survive comparisons to acclaimed musicals like "Chicago" or "Moulin Rouge."

"The Passion of the Christ" (50 to 1). If Wal-Mart shoppers gave Oscars, this would win going away, but the academy is not exactly this film's core constituency.

"Fahrenheit 9/11" (70 to 1). If ever a movie peaked too early, this is it. Even in Hollywood, no one wants to think about the presidential campaign anymore.

"Alexander" (100 to 1). Put it this way: No way!


I don't know how accurate some of this information is.  See some of the replies in the thread this is from.  But I am happy that Sideways' odds are looking good.  Lots of buzz about The Aviator it seems, but it's going to take an AMAZING biopic to top Sideways (in my eyes, anyway).  Funny, though, how there was NO mention of Eternal Sunshine whatsoever.

©brad


ono

Care to expound?  Something more in-depth than "This guy is really full of shit?"

MacGuffin

Taiwan's Golden Horse Goes to Chinese Film

A sleeper hit about saving the Tibetan antelope from poachers became the first movie from China to win Taiwan's Golden Horse Award on Saturday the Oscar for Chinese-language cinema.

"Hoh Xil: Mountain Patrol," also known as "Kekexili," was picked over two star-studded Hong Kong blockbusters "Infernal Affairs III" and "2046" in the 41st edition of the annual ceremony.

Although China has produced a steady stream of critically acclaimed films in recent years, few movies from the mainland have entered the Golden Horse competition.

This was mostly due to the long-standing political feud between Taiwan and China, split by a civil war in 1949. But in recent years, cultural exchanges have been increasing.

Lu Chuan, the director of "Hoh Xil," avoided politics in his acceptance speech. He thanked Hollywood studios Sony Columbia and Warner Brothers for investing in his movie about volunteers protecting Tibetan antelope from ruthless poachers in remote western China.

"I hope you can continue to trust me, because I will certainly make different movies," the 33-year-old director said.

Hong Kong's Andy Lau was honored as best actor for his role as a gangster in the thriller "Infernal Affairs III." A modest Lau told the judges, "To make everybody believe I can act is a bit difficult, but in the future, my acting will not embarrass you."

The best actress award went to Taiwan's Yang Kuei-mei, who portrayed a divorcee trying to salvage her life in the "The Moon Also Rises."

As she grabbed her Golden Horse, Yang noted that she was nominated four times before but never won. "Can my speech be a little bit longer, because I have four years' experience," joked Yang, who starred in the 1994 romantic comedy "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman."

Yang also made a plea for supporting Taiwan's struggling film industry. "Beginning this year, you really must support Taiwanese movies, Taiwanese movies are Taiwan's culture. You cannot forget this," she said.

Hong Kong's Johnnie To won the best director award for his action movie "Breaking News," which explored the relationship between the media and the fight against crime.

Hong Kong heartthrob Daniel Wu won the best-supporting actor award for his role beside kung fu king Jackie Chan in the action movie "New Police Story."

Receiving his prize, Wu noted that when he started out in movies, he was "a fool with no ideas. Now I am a fool with an award."

Bai Ling of China was named best supporting actress for playing an aging actress who eats dumplings stuffed with embryos because she believes it will keep her young in the horror movie "Three ... Extremes: Dumplings" by Hong Kong director Fruit Chan.

The best cinematography award went to Cao Yu for "Hoh Xil: Mountain Patrol," shot in western China's rugged Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


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Myxo

How about Collateral for cinematography. Will it get an Oscar nod?

©brad

Quote from: MyxomatosisHow about Collateral for cinematography. Will it get an Oscar nod?

my magic 8-ball told me to ask again later. stupid ball never has time for me.

MacGuffin

L.A. Critics Name 'Sideways' Best Film

"Sideways," a quirky comedy about two friends on a road trip through California's wine country, was picked as 2004's best film by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the group announced Saturday.

The movie won four other awards: best director for Alexander Payne; best supporting actor for Thomas Haden Church; best supporting actress for Virginia Madsen; and best screenplay, which was written by Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor.

Top acting honors went to Imelda Staunton of the abortion drama "Vera Drake" and Liam Neeson of the sex-researcher biopic "Kinsey."

"Sideways" co-star Paul Giamatti was runner-up for best actor. He also starred in "American Splendor," which was the critics association's choice for best movie last year.

The best film runner-up was "Million Dollar Baby," directed by Clint Eastwood, who also starred as a gym owner who trains a female boxer.

The best director runner-up was Martin Scorsese for "The Aviator"

The runner-up for best actress was Julie Delpy of "Before Sunset," a sequel to the 1995 cult hit "Before Sunrise."

Runners-ups for supporting actress and actor were Cate Blanchett of "The Aviator" and "Coffee & Cigarettes" and Morgan Freeman of "Million Dollar Baby."

The runner-up for best screenplay was "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" by Charlie Kaufman.

The awards ceremony was scheduled for Jan. 13 in Los Angeles.

Last year, the critics group initially canceled its awards to protest a ban on special video copies of competing films that studios traditionally sent to Academy Awards voters and other groups that bestow movie honors, including critics. Studios implemented the ban in fall 2002 over worries that bootleggers might use the videos to make counterfeit copies.

The Los Angeles critics rescheduled their awards after a judge lifted the ban in a lawsuit brought by independent producers, who said the awards videos helped their lower-budgeted movies compete against big studio films.

Other 2004 picks:

Foreign-language film: "House of Flying Daggers."

Documentary/nonfiction film: "Born into Brothels."

Production design: Dante Ferretti, "The Aviator."

Animation: Brad Bird, "The Incredibles."

Music-score: Michael Giacchino, "The Incredibles."

Cinematography: Dion Beebe and Paul Cameron, "Collateral."

Career achievement: Jerry Lewis.

New generation: Joshua Marston, writer and director of "Maria Full of Grace."

Douglas Edwards experimental/independent film/video: "Star-Spangled to Death" by Ken Jacobs.

Special citation: Brian Jamieson of Warner Brothers and Richard Schickel for the reconstruction of Samuel Fuller's 1980 "The Big Red One"
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


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MacGuffin

AFI Names Its Top 10 Movies of the Year

The superhero adventures "Spider-Man 2" and "The Incredibles" made the American Film Institute's list of 2004's top 10 movies.

Also on the list released Sunday were the not-yet-released Howard Hughes film biography "The Aviator" and boxing drama "Million Dollar Baby."

Rounding out the group's list, which did not rank the films, were the hit-man thriller "Collateral"; the quirky romances "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "Sideways"; the football drama "Friday Night Lights"; the drug-smuggling drama "Maria Full of Grace"; and "Kinsey," a film biography of sexuality researcher Alfred Kinsey.

The institute's top 10 television programs of the year were HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Deadwood," "The Sopranos" and "Something the Lord Made," ABC's "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost," FX's "Nip/Tuck" and "The Shield," Fox's "Arrested Development" and Comedy Central's "South Park."

The lists were chosen by 13-member panels of filmmakers, critics, scholars and AFI board members. Top films and shows will be honored at an AFI luncheon Jan. 14.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

'Sideways' Wins Top N.Y. Online Honors

"Sideways" has taken another step forward with critics, winning top honors from the New York Film Critics Online.

The group named the comedy, about mismatched best friends on a wine-tasting road trip, as the year's best film Saturday. Two of the movie's stars, Thomas Haden Church and Virginia Madsen, won the supporting acting categories.

Jamie Foxx was named best actor for his uncanny portrayal of Ray Charles in "Ray," and Imelda Staunton won the best-actress award for playing a housekeeper who secretly performs abortions in 1950s England in "Vera Drake."

Martin Scorsese was named the top director for the Howard Hughes epic "The Aviator" and Charlie Kaufman won screenplay honors for "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," about a lovelorn man who wants to erase his ex-girlfriend from his memory.

The Los Angeles Film Critics Association also chose "Sideways" as the year's best film on Saturday, and earlier this month the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures listed it among the top 10 movies of the year.

Other 2004 picks from the New York Film Critics Online, composed of writers who are either exclusively online or who are broadcast or print critics with a strong online presence:

Cinematography: "Hero," Christopher Doyle.

Animated film: "The Incredibles."

Foreign-language film: "The Motorcycle Diaries."

Documentary: (tie) "Broadway: The Golden Age" and "Super Size Me."

Breakthrough performance: Topher Grace ("p.s." and "In Good Company.")

Debut director: Joshua Marston "Maria Full of Grace."
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


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MacGuffin

N.Y. Film Critics Name 'Sideways' Best Picture

"Sideways," a comedy about two buddies on a wine-soaked, midlife romp in California grape-growing country, was the big winner on Monday in the New York Film Critics Circle Awards, taking best picture and three other honors.

Paul Giamatti was named best actor and his co-star, Virginia Madsen, was cited as best supporting actress for their roles in "Sideways," which has grossed less than $13 million so far in a limited release.

Best director honors, however, eluded "Sideways" helmsman Alexander Payne and went instead to 74-year-old Clint Eastwood for his movie about a female boxer, "Million Dollar Baby."

The New York film critics tapped Imelda Staunton as best actress for "Vera Drake," and gave the best supporting actor award to Clive Owen for "Closer."

Payne did win recognition for his writing as he took best screenplay honors with co-writer Jim Taylor for "Sideways."

Michael Moore's Bush-bashing political documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" was cited as best nonfiction film, while "The Incredibles" was named best animated film.

Top foreign film was "Bad Education," directed by Spain's Pedro Almodovar, while the award for best first film was given to "Maria Full of Grace," directed by Joshua Marston.

"Hero," the Chinese action film, was cited for best cinematography.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


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MacGuffin

Toronto Critics Raise Glass to 'Sideways'

Toronto movie critics jumped on the "Sideways" bandwagon Tuesday, naming the Fox Searchlight comedy as their best film of 2004.

Falling in line with critics groups in New York, Los Angeles, Boston and San Francisco, the Toronto Film Critics Assn. toasted Paul Giamatti as best actor and Virginia Madsen as best supporting actress for their turns in "Sideways," a quirky buddy picture set in southern California's wine country.

The film also leads the field for both the Golden Globes and the Independent Spirits.

The TFCA, representing 29 film critics in Toronto, also hailed "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" helmer Michel Gondry with the best director award and Charlie Kaufman with the honor for best screenplay.

Imelda Staunton was given the best actress award for her role in Mike Leigh's 1950s abortion drama "Vera Drake" and Clive Owen the best supporting actor award for his role in "Closer."

The TFCA also honored Joshua Marston's "Maria Full of Grace" with the best first feature award, gave best animated feature and best Canadian film to "The Triplets of Belleville," awarded the best foreign-language film award to Zhang Yimou's "Hero" and tapped Errol Morris' "The Fog of War" as best documentary.
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


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Jeremy Blackman


Gamblour.

You should've already. Don't let the hype get to you though. It's really good.
WWPTAD?

©brad

Quote from: Jeremy BlackmanI guess I should see Sideways now.

hah. yeah no joke.

MacGuffin

Critics' Choice Chooses "Sideways"

It's official: Lindsay Lohan is a bigger Oscar season threat than Alexander.

The teenage tabloid queen was nominated Wednesday for a Critics' Choice Award by the Broadcast Film Critics Association; Oliver Stone's Alexander the Great opus wasn't.

As has become the way, Sideways led all contenders with eight nominations, including ones for Best Picture, Best Actor (Paul Giamatti), Best Supporting Actor (Thomas Haden Church), Best Supporting Actress (Virginia Madsen) and Best Director (Alexander Payne).

Finding Neverland, the story of Peter Pan author JM Barrie, picked up seven nods, including one for star Johnny Depp. Martin Scorsese's Howard Hughes opus, The Aviator, stayed in the game with six.

Jamie Foxx, who scored a hat trick with three nominations at the Golden Globes, made do with a pair of Critics' Choice Awards nominations--a Best Actor nod for Ray, a Best Supporting Actor nod for Collateral.

Lohan earned her ticket to the Jan. 10 awards ceremony with a nomination as Best Young Actress for Mean Girls.

Stone's Alexander, meanwhile, got its now usual snub. Spanglish, another movie with an Oscar pedigree from writer-director James L. Brooks, likewise was ignored.

Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ and Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 received just one nomination each. Passion will battle the likes of Spider-Man 2 for Best Popular Movie; Fahrenenheit 9/11 will vie for Best Documentary Feature. The controversial box-office hits missed out on the biggest prize--Best Picture. Although Golden Globe rules prevented the films from competing for the top award there, no such red tape existed at the Critics' Choice Awards. The movies just didn't get the votes.

Unlike most award-giving groups, the Critics' Choice contingent makes plain what its members think of the award contenders. The Broadcast Film Critics Website offers ratings on all the year's releases, save for those that have yet to hit theaters.

Among the Best Picture contenders (all 10 of them), Sideways was the highest rated film by the group's critics, with an average score of 96 out of a possible 100. Collateral was the lowest rated, with an 86. Numbers were not available on The Aviator, Hotel Rwanda, Million Dollar Baby and The Phantom of the Opera.

Passion, meanwhile, had an 82; Faherenheit, an 84. (Nominations are determined by balloting, not the group's average scores.)

Comprised of TV, radio and online reporters, the Broadcast Film Critics Association claims to be the most accurate predictor of Oscar nominations, citing a 94 percent match rate of its Best Picture contenders to the Academy Awards' Best Picture contenders. (Of course, the BFCA does nominate twice as many films--10, to the Academy's five.)

With Sideways dominating, this year's crop of Critics' Choice nominees is in line with the other pre-Oscar stages, including the Globes. Other now usual nominees include Imelda Staunton, up for Best Actress for Vera Drake, and Laura Linney, up for Best Supporting Actress for Kinsey.

The 10th Annual Critics' Choice Awards are to be presented in a live WB telecast from Los Angeles' Wiltern Theater. Will & Grace star Eric McCormack is set to host; Tom Cruise is set to receive the career-achievement tribute.

Here's a complete look at the nominees for the Critics' Choice Awards:

Best Picture:

The Aviator
Collateral
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Finding Neverland
Hotel Rwanda
Kinsey
Million Dollar Baby
The Phantom of the Opera
Ray
Sideways

Best Actor:

Javier Bardem, The Sea Inside
Don Cheadle, Hotel Rwanda
Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Aviator
Jamie Foxx, Ray
Paul Giamatti, Sideways

Best Actress:

Annette Bening, Being Julia
Catalina Sandino Moreno, Maria Full of Grace
Imelda Staunton, Vera Drake
Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby
Uma Thurman, Kill Bill Volume 2
Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Best Supporting Actor:

Thomas Haden Church, Sideways
Jamie Foxx, Collateral
Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby
Clive Owen, Closer
Peter Sarsgaard, Kinsey

Best Supporting Actress:

Cate Blanchett, The Aviator
Laura Linney, Kinsey
Virginia Madsen, Sideways
Natalie Portman, Closer
Kate Winslet, Finding Neverland

Best Acting Ensemble:

Closer
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Ocean's Twelve
Sideways

Best Director:

Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby
Marc Forster, Finding Neverland
Taylor Hackford, Ray
Alexander Payne, Sideways
Martin Scorsese, The Aviator

Best Writer:

Bill Condon, Kinsey
Charlie Kaufman, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
John Logan, The Aviator
David Magee, Finding Neverland
Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor, Sideways

Best Animated Feature:

The Incredibles
The Polar Express
Shrek 2

Best Young Actor:

Liam Aiken, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
Cameron Bright, Birth
Freddie Highmore, Finding Neverland
Daniel Radcliffe, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
William Ullrich, Beyond The Sea

Best Young Actress:

Emily Browning, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
Dakota Fanning, Man on Fire
Lindsay Lohan, Mean Girls
Emmy Rossum, The Phantom of the Opera
Emma Watson, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Best Popular Movie:

The Bourne Supremacy
The Incredibles
Napoleon Dynamite
The Passion of the Christ
Spider-Man 2

Best Family Film (Live Action):

Finding Neverland
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
Miracle
Spider-Man 2

Best Picture Made for Television:

The Five People You Meet in Heaven
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
Something the Lord Made
The Wool Cap

Best Documentary Feature:

Control Room
Fahrenheit 9/11
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster
Super Size Me

Best Foreign Language Film:

House of Flying Daggers
Maria Full of Grace
The Motorcycle Diaries
The Sea Inside
A Very Long Engagement

Best Song:

"Accidentally in Love" from Shrek 2, Counting Crows
"Believe" from The Polar Express, Josh Groban
"Old Habits Die Hard" from Alfie, Mick Jagger and Dave Stewart

Best Soundtrack:

Alfie
Beyond the Sea
De-Lovely
Garden State
Ray

Best Composer:

Michael Giacchino, The Incredibles
Rolfe Kent, Sideways
Howard Shore, The Aviator
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


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ᾦɐļᵲʊʂ

Does this mean the 2005 Xixax Awards are coming up?
"As a matter of fact I only work with the feeling of something magical, something seemingly significant. And to keep it magical I don't want to know the story involved, I just want the hypnotic effect of it somehow seeming significant without knowing why." - Len Lye