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Show t h e Utah Statesman Diversions' INSIDE THE 78TH ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS SHOW BY TERRY LAWSON KRT worker in "North Country," certainly proved her first Oscar win for "Monster" was not just for deglamorizing herself. Judi Dench was penalized for being on autopilot in "Mrs. Henderson Presents," but Dench cruising is preferable to almost anyone else going full-out. We pick: Reese Witherspoon as June Carter in "Walk the Line," easily the best thing in the film. Upsetter: Felicity Huffman, who was extraordinary as a male-to-female transsexual in "Transamerica." Is the suspense killing you? I should think not, unless, of course, you actually believe there is a chance Tom Cruise will die in the upcoming "Mission Impossible III." The winners of all but one of the major categories in next Sunday's 78th Annual Academy Awards are, according to everyone from Hollywood insiders to Las Vegas bookies to water cooler pundits, a lock. Then again, locks can be picked. BEST ACTOR Just ask the thousands of people who drained their office Oscar pools in Joaquin Phoenix proved an excellent 1999 by checking off "Saving Private choice to play Johnny Cash in "Walk the Ryan" for best picture instead of winLine," but the film walked the line way ner "Shakespeare in Love." In the too straight to do its subject justice. Heath past month, stories have appeared Ledger also stepped outside his Hollywood floating the theory that a "Brokeback box to break a few hearts as the inarticuMountain" backlash has opened the late but faithful-in-h is-own-way Ennis del door for "Crash," given a boost by the Mar in "Brokeback Mountain." Terrence racial-tension drama's release on DVD. Howard was able to turn a Memphis pimp into someone to admire in "Hustle & Conventional wisdom has it that Flow," but as enlightened as some Academy Hollywood loves a horse race because "DAILY SHOW" HOST JON STEWART will host the 78th annual Academy Awards Show. Awards may be, they're not there yet. it stirs up interest in its product. In We pick: No contest, really: Philip truth, Hollywood has few horses in SUNDAY, Seymour Hoffman, in a performance for this year's competition. Of the five best picture nominees, only "Munich" MARCH 5, the ages as Truman the terrible - and forgivable - in "Capote." is a bona fide studio production, Upsetter: Like Hoffman, David Strathairn though "Brokeback Mountain," 6 P.M. Best Picture: Best Foreign Film: went far beyond impersonation in getting "Capote," and "Good Night, and to the heart of Murrow in "Good Night, Good Luck" were all distributed "Brokeback Mountain" "Don't Tell" by studio designer-label divisions. "Crash" was and Good Luck," and in any other year, would be "Capote" "Joyeux Noel" released by Lions Gate, a true independent. the ace instead of the wild card. "Crash" "Paradise Now" Similarly, the only true movie stars - if you "Good Night, and Good "Sophie Scholl - The Final define a movie star as someone whose presence BEST DIRECTOR Luck" Days" in a movie attracts ticket buyers - among the act"Munich" "Tsotsi" ing nominees are George Clooney ("Syriana") and Steven Spielberg got his umpteenth nominaReese Witherspoon ("Walk the Line" ). tion for showing up with "Munich"; Woody Allen Best Actor: Best Original Song: While that reflects well on the Academy mem("Match Point'*) and David Cronenberg ("A History bers who vote for the nominees, indicating that of Violence") were more deserving of his slot. Paul Philip Seymour Hoffman, "In the Deep" from "Crash" they champion art over commerce, it does not tend Haggis was more of an efficient traffic cop than "Capote" "It's Hard Out Here for a to excite the network executives and the producers auteur helming his script for "Crash," but what Terrence Howard, "Hustle & Pimp" from "Hustle and of the telecast. Bennett Miller did with "Capote" will undoubtedly Flow" Flow" make for the kind of career that will see him comDespite the best efforts to brand it the Gay Heath Ledger, "Brokeback "Travelin" Thru" from peting here again. Oscars on the backs of the cowboys-in-love drama Mountain" "Transamerica" "Brokeback Mountain," the Truman Capote porWe pick: Ang Lee, who gets at least as much Joaquin Phoenix, "Walk the trait "Capote " and "Transamerica," in which best credit as the writers for turning Annie Proulx's Line" Best Supporting Actor: actress nominee Felicity Huffman plays a pre-op extended "Brokeback Mountain" short story into a David Strathairn, "Good transsexual, that dog didn't really hunt outside of quiet epic of emotional longing. Night, and Good Luck." George Clooney, "Syriana" talk radio. (My personal favorite in that category Upsetter: George Clooney's second outing as Matt Dillon, "Crash" was an objector who argued that "Brokeback director ("Good Night, and Good Luck") proves he Best Actress: Paul Giamatti, "Cinderella Mountain" "humanized" homosexuals.) is anything but a dilettante. Should he edge out Lee, Man" Still, the gay angle can be reliably depended it would be the Oscar headline. Judi Dench, "Mrs. Henderson Jake Cyllenhaal, "Brokeback upon as monologue fodder for first-time Oscar host Presents" Mountain" Jon Stewart, and will probably not altogether disBEST PICTURE Felicity Huffman, William Hurt, "A History of please advertising buyers who have long referred to "Transamerica" Violence" the show as the Gay Super Bowl. To keep the game Forget what I just said. If "Good Night, and Keira Knightley, "Pride and interesting, the annual Detroit Free Press Academy Good Luck " or "Munich" should end up winning Prejudice" Best Supporting Actress: Award predictions will also include, in the major this Oscar, it will not only be a shocker, it will be Charlize Theron, "North categories, the nominee that has the best shot at perceived as some sort of setback to gay acceptance. Country" Amy Adams, "Junebug" upsetting the Oscar cart. On the other hand, if "Capote" should win, it would Catherine Keener, "Capote" only mean the voters honestly believed it was worBest Animated Film: Frances McDormand, thy of the honor, which it is. BEST ACTRESS "North Country" We pick: "Brokeback Mountain," because we are "Howl's Moving Castle" Rachel Weisz, "The Constant My personal pick would be Keira Knightley as neither stupid nor deaf. "Corpse Bride" Gardener" a feisty Elizabeth Bennet in what may be the year's Upsetter: "Crash," which touched a social nerve "Curse of the Were-Rabbit" Michelle Williams, classiest entertainment, "Pride & Prejudice." And that deserves to be poked and prodded. "Brokeback Mountain. Charlize Theron, by playing the harassed mine -tlawson@freepress.com ON ABC THE NOMINEES |