by Ryan Mac Donald
Editor in Chief
It is two years after the millennium and countless years into the “future,” but when it comes to choosing performances that represent how much society has evolved, the Academy Awards (celebrating its 74th birthday on March 24) are still stuck in the past (think 1950s past).
This year, however, voting members will have many opportunities (Halle Berry, Denzel Washington, Will Smith, and “Moulin Rouge!”) to change their good ol’ boy image.
Let’s just hope that when the winners are announced, they don’t justify their foolish decisions by claiming, “We aren’t ready to reward that type of performance yet.”
Typically, audiences have seen the Academy Awards reward the performance (or production) most deserving of the award, but many times Oscar disappoints his many fans by giving the accolades to the more conservatively nominated films.
Albeit, a fair number of surprise victors and deserving champions were crowned with the golden statue.
But never before, in all of its years as an organization, has the academy’s voting members been presented with so many opportunities to make history. In the categories of Best Actor and Actress, Oscar can make history by giving the gold lil’ guy to three African American performances, and if he doesn’t, members and fans will certainly be hearing from host Whoopi Goldberg (“Maybe he doesn’t have a chocolate candy center after all”).
By rewarding the revolutionary visual and digital effects of “Moulin Rouge!” or the ruthless, selfless, absorbing performance from Halle Berry in “Monster’s Ball” or the near-perfect impersonation by Will Smith in the bio-epic, “Ali,” the Oscars could silence the critics, the fans and the actors by proving they are ready to embrace diversity.
These performances, which have pushed, beat, kicked, licked and stamped their way towards the front of the Oscar line, are the reason so many people have noticed this year’s race, a competition shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in years.
Whatever the Academy members decide, they can’t deny these unprecedented pieces of work put before them. If they choose to steer their boat into conservative territory, even those not interested in film, will be left confused, appalled and shocked by this year’s winners.
Interestingly, the focus this season seems to be unabashedly on winning. Few of the nominated have said, “I’m just glad to be among such great nominees.” Audience Translation: this year, every actor nominated wants to win a golden statue.
Beginning in the category of Best Supporting Actress, early critic predictions indicate that Oscar is looking to hand the award to Jennifer Connelly for her performance as Alicia Nash in “A Beautiful Mind.” Her turn as Russell Crowe’s loving wife made everyone sit up and notice as she matched wits with the one-time Academy Award winner Crowe. At 31, Connelly is being heralded as the one to watch come Oscar night.
Other supporting nominees are Helen Mirren for her role as Mrs. Wilson in Robert Altman’s murder-mystery, “Gosford Park,” Maggie Smith, who acted alongside Mirren in “Park,” Marisa Tomei for her come-back role in the Miramax production “In the Bedroom” and Kate Winslet for her performance as the young Iris Murdoch in “Iris”.
(Actress who should win: Connelly; Actress who will win: Connelly)
In the Best Supporting Actor category, all the men nominated have paid their dues to Hollywood, so whoever walks away with the trophy will be rewarded for a long, deserving career.
Jim Broadbent was recognized for his portrayal of John Bayley, the loving man behind the British novelist Murdoch, in “Iris”. Ethan Hawke, the youngest of the field, played a green narcotics officer in “Training Day,” though many say his performance skated on the power of Denzel Washington’s lead performance. Ben Kingsley returned to the big screen with his performance in “Sexy Beast,” earning him his third nomination, as the errand boy Don Logan. Sir Ian Mckellen brought the literature of J.R.R. Tolkien to life with his performance as the good wizard Gandalf in “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” giving him his first supporting nomination. Jon Voight completes the field receiving his first supporting nomination for his role as Howard Cosell in “Ali.”
(Actor who should win: Mckellen; Actor who will win: Mckellen)
Leave it to former beauty queen Halle Berry to tear into a role that requires beating up her son, making wild love to her on-screen partner (Billy Bob Thorton), and de-beautifying her skin, hair and body. In the movie “Monster’s Ball,” Berry portrays Leticia Musgrove, a death row inmate’s wife who falls in love with a white man. Through their journey, they learn to break down society’s barriers. And to many, the end result is a career-making performance, worthy of the nothing less than the Oscar.
Earlier this month, Berry picked up the Screen Actors Guild Award for her performance, and many are looking to see Berry snag her first Oscar, making history by being the first African American woman to win the Oscar for an actress in a leading role. However, don’t count out veteran Sissy Spacek who portrayed Ruth Fowler, a mother torn apart by the death of her son, in this year’s sleeping sensation, “In the Bedroom.” She’s the other favorite in this category and could walk away with her second lead actress Oscar.
Nicole Kidman picked up her first nomination as the singing, dancing, high-intensity showgirl, Satine, in Baz Luhrman’s risqué musical, “Moulin Rouge!” and Kidman could also walk away with the award, making a perfect ending to her tumultuous year. Texas sweetheart Renee Zellweger stole the hearts of audiences everywhere (including calming the fears of the Brits) to earn her first nomination in the film adaptation of “Bridget Jones’s Diary.” Zellweger played the chunky, hopeless journalist to comedic perfection but remains the dark-horse candidate for the award. Rounding out the field is Dame Judi Dench who captured the essence of the novelist and philosopher Iris Murdoch plagued with Alzheimer’s disease in “Iris”. This is Dench’s fourth nomination in five years.
(Actress who should win: Berry or Kidman; Actress who will win: Spacek)
In the Best Actor category, nominee Russell Crowe received his third nomination in a row for his turn as genius/schizophrenic John Nash, and many are predicting he’ll grab his second Oscar. Lately, however, the momentum has turned to Denzel Washington’s corner for his role as the crooked police officer in “Training Day.” By awarding Washington his second Oscar, the Academy could make history by rewarding an African American male with two Oscars. Other nominees include Will Smith as the legendary boxer, Muhammad Ali in “Ali” (also a historical performance and opportunity); Sean Penn as the mentally challenged father in “I Am Sam” and Tom Wilkinson for the grief stricken father in “In the Bedroom,” who seems overshadowed by his fellow cast members, Tomei and Spacek, but gave the best performance in the movie.
(Actor who should win: Wilkinson; Actor who will win: Washington)
In the past few weeks, the picture race has heated up, even though no real lead contender has emerged from the pack of five. “A Beautiful Mind,” the bio-epic about the struggle of John Nash, was the early favorite to take home the trophy, as young and older audiences applauded director Ron Howard’s vision in triumphing over a difficult subject matter. But discrepancies over the accuracy of the film have turned the momentum in favor of the other two contenders, “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” which received the most nominations with 12, and “Moulin Rouge!” A victory from the musical “Moulin Rouge!” would leave many fans singing happy tunes while leaving others not so happy. Other nominees include “Gosford Park” and “In The Bedroom,” but both pose no serious threat to take home the biggest rock of the night.
(Picture that should win: “Moulin Rouge!”; Picture that will win: “A Beautiful Mind”)
Whoever takes home the evening’s trophies will be sure to make headlines, and for the sake of Oscar’s future, let’s just hope the voters are thinking in terms of historic performances and awards. The Academy Awards ceremony will air at 6 p.m. Sunday on ABC.
