Oscar Predictions: Dark Horses
Posted by Brian C. Gibson (brian@filmschoolrejects.com) on February 25, 2007
Oh I do love the Academy Awards. I wait all year for the day that we are told which movies and performers are the best of the best (according to the Academy). Sometimes though, they make the wrong choice. I’m here to tell you who would win if I were in charge.
Best Nominee That No One Is Talking About:
Ryan Gosling was a surprise to many, but not to me. His performance in Half Nelson was one that exemplified what true independent film making is all about. Gosling took his role to a level that made the film a force to be reckoned with. Without Gosling, Half Nelson would have just been “another one of those Indie films.”
Best Nominee That Everyone Forgot About:
Paul Greengrass was given the herculean task of adapting a film from the tragedy of United flight 93, and work against the echoing cries of “too early! too early!”, from the public. The reason why I point out that he is forgotten, is because most people forgot about the film and its early year release. Greengrass’ direction and the quality of the film make it a must see.
Best Chance of a Category Making Me Angry:
If Children of Men does not win Best Cinematography, I will be very angry. I will curse the heavens and throw my Wii Remote through my plasma…on purpose. Chances are that Babel will take home this category, but that my friends would be what we call in the business “bullsh*t.”
The “Where is Peter Jackson this year?” Category:
Wow, does anyone care about Best Visual Effects this year? Even Poseiden got a nod from the academy. Personally, I would have liked to see the academy recognize two films that had wonderful visual effects. The Science of Sleep, while it was mostly done with stop motion and obnoxious props, still became exactly what the film sought out to be. While the effects were low-tech, they still made the film look and feel like a lucid dream. A Scanner Darkly was one of the best looking films that I have seen in years, and without its visual effects would not have been as nearly impressive.
Easiest Prediction of The Night:
Little Miss Sunshine will be disappointed. While it was one of my favorite films of the year, and I did call it an Oscar favorite, the film lost steam as October through December rolled through and over this fine film. I loved the film but part of its hype came from the fact that until its release, there was nothing to rave about yet. I hope Alan Arkin gets some recognition, and I hope even more that Abigail Breslin has many more films to come and another chance at the hardware.
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