Glitz and glamour
Critics favor 'The Aviator' for Best Picture Oscar
Eric Gagnelius
Issue date: 2/24/05 Section: Showcase
The whole gaudy, indulgent affair is worth it for a chance to bag a golden statuette named Oscar, that bald-headed little man who makes and breaks careers with the simple tearing of an envelope.
At the top of every studio's wish list is the granddaddy of all Academy Awards, the Oscar for Best Picture. It's also one of the hardest awards for fans to predict. Sometimes there is a clear favorite candidate, like last year when "The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" won all 11 awards it was nominated for, including Best Picture. In other years, there is no clear front-runner, causing sleepless nights for movie moguls and Vegas odds-makers. This year is one of those years.
The film with the best chance of taking home the Best Picture Oscar is "The Aviator," director Martin Scorsese's tribute to eccentric millionaire Howard Hughes, said film critics and Hollywood Insiders. It garnered 11 nominations, the most of any film this year. Leonardo DiCaprio, as Hughes, is nominated for Best Actor. This epic has everything Academy voters typically fawn over: lavish sets, bravura acting and a long-running time.
Freshman Matt Lichtenwald wasn't overly impressed with the film, "It was OK, maybe a little long, but I'd rather see 'Ray' again."
"Ray" is a film about the life of musician Ray Charles, who died last year. Jamie Foxx, also nominated for Best Supporting Actor this year for his role in "Collateral," gives a tour-de-force performance, right down to his mimicry of Charles' unique piano-playing style. "Ray" stands the best chance of upsetting "The Aviator" or "Million Dollar Baby" for best picture honors, but only if Foxx doesn't win in the Best Actor category.
On the surface, Clint Eastwood's latest directorial effort, "Million Dollar Baby," appears to be yet another film about the sport of boxing, but in actuality, this riveting film is more about relationships and the human condition in general. Boxing just happens to be the setting. Eastwood, Hillary Swank and forever underrated Morgan Freeman all turn in exceptional performances. One highlight is seeing Eastwood cry on screen, a first in his 50 year career. One thing that could hurt the Oscar chances of "Million Dollar Baby" is the controversy regarding its take on euthanasia.
At the top of every studio's wish list is the granddaddy of all Academy Awards, the Oscar for Best Picture. It's also one of the hardest awards for fans to predict. Sometimes there is a clear favorite candidate, like last year when "The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" won all 11 awards it was nominated for, including Best Picture. In other years, there is no clear front-runner, causing sleepless nights for movie moguls and Vegas odds-makers. This year is one of those years.
The film with the best chance of taking home the Best Picture Oscar is "The Aviator," director Martin Scorsese's tribute to eccentric millionaire Howard Hughes, said film critics and Hollywood Insiders. It garnered 11 nominations, the most of any film this year. Leonardo DiCaprio, as Hughes, is nominated for Best Actor. This epic has everything Academy voters typically fawn over: lavish sets, bravura acting and a long-running time.
Freshman Matt Lichtenwald wasn't overly impressed with the film, "It was OK, maybe a little long, but I'd rather see 'Ray' again."
"Ray" is a film about the life of musician Ray Charles, who died last year. Jamie Foxx, also nominated for Best Supporting Actor this year for his role in "Collateral," gives a tour-de-force performance, right down to his mimicry of Charles' unique piano-playing style. "Ray" stands the best chance of upsetting "The Aviator" or "Million Dollar Baby" for best picture honors, but only if Foxx doesn't win in the Best Actor category.
On the surface, Clint Eastwood's latest directorial effort, "Million Dollar Baby," appears to be yet another film about the sport of boxing, but in actuality, this riveting film is more about relationships and the human condition in general. Boxing just happens to be the setting. Eastwood, Hillary Swank and forever underrated Morgan Freeman all turn in exceptional performances. One highlight is seeing Eastwood cry on screen, a first in his 50 year career. One thing that could hurt the Oscar chances of "Million Dollar Baby" is the controversy regarding its take on euthanasia.
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