We at Friday & Saturday Night Movie Reviews do not encourage gambling (and shame on you for thinking so!). But if you’re just one of those compulsive gambling types, who’d bet over which bird is going to leave a tree first, the F&SN Critic and His Damn Wife have made their predictions of who will go home with the little gold man. The F&SN Critic expects “Chicago” to walk away with anywhere between five and eleven awards, including the Big One, while HDW thinks “Gangs of New York” will make a surprise upset and win Best Picture. Expect “The Hours” to fare well with acting and writing, “The Two Towers” to score big in the explosion categories, and don’t be surprised if dark horse “The Pianist” is shut out.
Locks for winners probably include U2’s “The Hands that Built America” from “Gangs of New York” for Best Song; a fully animated Gollum to win Best Visual Effects for “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers;” “Frida” to beat paltry competition “The Time Machine” for Best Makeup; the late, great Conrad Hall to win Best Cinematography for the gorgeously atmospheric “Road to Perdition;” and “Spirited Away” for Best Animated Feature.
“Chicago”
“Gangs of New York”
“The Hours”
“The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers”
“The Pianist”
PREDICTIONS:
F&SN CRITIC: “Chicago”
Long shot: “Gangs of New York”
HIS DAMN WIFE: “Gangs of New York”
Long shot: “Chicago”
IF THEY LET US VOTE:
F&SN CRITIC: For the first time since 1998, I can recommend all five nominees without any reservations. All things being equal, I would be happy to see “Chicago,” “Gangs of New York,” or “The Pianist” win the big prize. However, all things are not equal; directors Martin Scorsese and Roman Polanski have two of the finest bodies of work in the last fifty years of film history, yet, despite numerous nominations, neither has won any Oscars. For a lifetime of work that includes “Raging Bull,” “Taxi Driver,” “Goodfellas,” “Mean Streets,” “The Last Temptation of Christ,” and “Bringing Out the Dead,” I would vote for “Gangs of New York.”
HIS DAMN WIFE: “Gangs of New York”
BEST DIRECTOR
Pedro Almodovar, “Talk to Her”
Stephen Daldry, “The Hours”
Rob Marshall, “Chicago”
Roman Polanski, “The Pianist”
Martin Scorsese, “Gangs of New York”
PREDICTIONS
F&SN CRITIC & HIS DAMN WIFE: Martin Scorsese, “Gangs of New York”
Long shot: Rob Marshall, “Chicago”
IF THEY LET US VOTE
F&SN CRITIC: Marty, “Gangs of New York” (for his body of work)
BEST ACTOR
Adrien Brody, “The Pianist”
Nicholas Cage, “Adaptation”
Michael Caine, “The Quiet American”
Daniel Day-Lewis, “Gangs of New York”
Jack Nicholson, “About Schmidt”
PREDICTIONS
F&SN CRITIC & HDW: Daniel Day-Lewis, “Gangs of New York”
F&SN Long shot: Jack Nicholson, “About Schmidt”
HDW Long shot: Adrien Brody, “The Pianist”
BEST ACTRESS
Salma Hayek, “Frida”
Nicole Kidman, “The Hours”
Diane Lane, “Unfaithful”
Julianne Moore, “Far From Heaven”
Renee Zellweger, “Chicago”
PREDICTIONS
F&SN CRITIC & HDW: Nicole Kidman, “The Hours”
F&SN Long shot: Renee Zellweger, “Chicago”
HDW Long shot: Diane Lane, “Unfaithful”
Chris Cooper, “Adaptation”
Ed Harris, “The Hours”
Paul Newman, “Road to Perdition”
John C. Reilly, “Chicago”
Christopher Walken, “Catch Me If You Can”
PREDICTIONS
F&SN CRITIC: Chris Cooper, “Adaptation”
Long shot: Christopher Walken, “Catch Me If You Can”
HDW: Paul Newman, “Road to Perdition”
Long shot: John C. Reilly, “Chicago”
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Kathy Bates, “About Schmidt”
Julianne Moore, “The Hours”
Queen Latifah, “Chicago”
Meryl Streep, “Adaptation”
Catherine Zeta-Jones, “Chicago”
PREDICTIONS
F&SN CRITIC: Meryl Streep, “Adaptation”
Long shot: Catherine Zeta-Jones, “Chicago”
HDW: Queen Latifah, “Chicago”
Long shot: Meryl Streep, “Adaptation”
IF THEY LET US VOTE
F&SN CRITIC: Queen Latifah, “Chicago”
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
“About a Boy”
“Adaptation”
“Chicago”
“The Hours”
“The Pianist”
PREDICTIONS
F&SN CRITIC: “The Pianist”
Long shot: “Chicago”
HDW: “The Hours”
Long shot: “Adaptation”
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
"Far From Heaven"
"Gangs of New York"
"My Big Fat Greek Wedding"
"Talk to Her"
"Y Tu Mama Tambien"
PREDICTIONS
F&SN CRITIC: “Far From Heaven”
Long shot: “Talk to Her”
HDW: “Gangs of New York”
Long shot: “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
"El Crimen del Padre Amaro"
"Hero"
"The Man Without a Past"
"Nowhere in Africa"
"Zus & Zo"
PREDICTIONS
F&SN CRITIC & HDW: "El Crimen del Padre Amaro"
Long shot: Umm…