It is 11:40 Eastern Standard Time here in Athens, OH, and this year’s Academy Awards have come to a close. So what is the outcome of the 2005 Oscars? Let’s break it down.

Biggest Shocker

Let me take this moment to give the finger (as a friendly gesture of course), to those that had the nuts to say Crash is one of the worst films this year. I realize the Academy isn’t the most reliable source for appointing the most original films of the year, but this time around, they done good. While everyone was expecting Brokeback Mountain (or Gay Cowboys Eating Pudding to South Park fans) to take home the gold not only in the Best Picture category, but in others, Crash came through in the end with the grand prize. I big hearty congratulations to Paul Haggis for getting this thing made. Now let’s hope that Hollywood doesn’t come out with too many desperately bad hyperlink dramas with ensemble casts.

Most Cliched Acceptance Speech

Is it just me, or does Reese Witherspoon take home honors for being the most superficial this evening. She reminded me of a sketch comedy actor spoofing a drama queen giving an acceptance speech. I can’t really say I am surprised. After all, the star of Legally Blonde 2: Red White and Blonde and Sweet Home Alabama won a flippin Oscar. If Crash didn’t come through in the end, I may be building a bomb shelter for fear of the apocalypse. Anyway, I’ve always had little faith in Reese Witherspoon. Her performance in Walk the Line is acceptable, but I still expect little from the chick flick hot item.

Most Modest, Heartfelt Speech

Robert Altman accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award after a slightly annoying, yet undeniably cute, introduction by Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin. There was speculation that Altman, a director against the superficial Hollywood scene, would have some bold things to say to the Academy. Yes, I hoped to see Bob Altman give the bird to every glossy, money-grubbing prick in the industry. However, the man delivered a very kind speech and expressed appreciation for his honor, and he did it with honest gratitude. Combining this respectable speech and the fact that I love his films, I really wish I could have a beer with Robert Altman right now.

Comedy Relief of the Evening

So Robin Williams and Jim Carrey were getting annoying every year with their clownish screaming and exaggerations. Luckily, the ceremony planners have the brains to bring in the new wave of funny. Will Ferrell and Steve Carrell gave unforgettable presentations for Best Makeup with Ferrell donning layers of brown toner and Carrell caked in pale makeup. If this isn’t the end of it, Ben Stiller presented Best Visual Effects wearing a green tight outfit under the assumption that his body would be washed out from greenscreen technology. Then, of course, there is the host of the evening Jon Stewart. Not bad Stew! A lot of his hosting duties were accompanied by Daily Show humor and the voiceover of Steven Colbert. Still, it was a breath of relief to have Coemdy Central crossed with network TV.

The “What The Hell Is He Doing There” Award

Gary Busey!! What is that cokehead doing there?

What Next?

I am sure 2006 will show a slate of promising projects. My money is on Snakes on a Plane. What do you think?

Every year, I throw my Oscar predictions into two categories: the one that should win, and the one that will win. The ones that should are my personal picks for the most deserved trophy. However, sometimes I have to admit that the prize will instead be given to someone else due to surrounding hype. So bold titles are my choice, while underlined are my predictions. So without further ado:

Best Actor

• Philip Seymour Hoffman- Capote
• Terrence Howard- Hustle and Flow
• Joaquin Phoenix- Walk the Line
• David Strathairn- Good Night and Good Luck
• Heath Ledger- Brokeback Mountain

I am pleased to announce that the will and the should are both honored here. While Capote is probably my least favorite of the Best Picture nominees, Hoffman’s performance should not go overlooked. Throughout the years, the man has been a great character actor, but he really proves his talent here. While Hoffman’s performance may at times seem like an impersonation, the fact of the matter is that Truman Capote really did act like an impersonation. From the get-go, Hoffman’s diva sassiness and manipulative conversation pieces are irresistable.

Best Actress

• Reese Witherspoon- Walk the Line
• Felicity Huffman- TransAmerica
• Judi Dench- Mrs. Henderson Presents
• Keira Knightey- Pride and Prejudice
• Charlize Theron- North Country

This is really tough for me. I’ve only seen two of these performances, and those are the ones from Theron and Witherspoon. Unfortunately, I thought their performances were good, but not Oscar-worthy. Theron especially easily walks right through the movie in the cliched melodrama North Country. So I have no choice but to recommend Huffman. Although I have yet to see TransAmerica, the clips are proof enough. It isn’t because they made the uniquely beautiful Huffman look manish, but rather her ability to demonstrate such sexually awkward, masculine mannerisms. Sure, this may be cheating, but I have to go with my instincts on this one.

Supporting Actor

• Matt Dillon- Crash
• Paul Giamatti- Cinderella Man
• George Clooney- Syriana
• William Hurt- History of Violence
• Jake Gyllenhaal- Brokeback Mountain

Yes, he was only on-screen for 10 minutes, but Hurt’s performance is unforgettable. In a short span of time, the veteran managed to scare the crap out of me and make me laugh as an intimidating Philly mob boss. I enjoyed every minute that Hurt was in this movie, and he should not go overlooked. However, he most likely will by Clooney who everyone seems to think broke new grounds this year as a CIA agent. Let’s face it, the man gained weight and now everyone wants to give him awards for it. I really do like Clooney, but is his performance in Syriana really different from other roles he has played?

Supporting Actress

• Rachel Weisz- The Constant Gardener
• Amy Adams- Junebug
• Michelle Williams- Brokeback Mountain
• Catherine Keener- Capote
• Frances McDormand- North Country

Weisz’s performance in Gardener is very much worth mentioning, and I am sure she will take home the prize. Plus I am sure Williams has a small chance of winning since impressively breaking out of her Dawson’s Creek restraint. However, I think the prize this year should go to Amy Adams. I’ve seen small town hicks portrayed on screen for many many years, and they are always know-nothing imbeciles. Adams’ pregnant daughter-in-law is not the sharpest tool in the shed, but she at least demonstrates that even naive people are people too. Underneath her grin of amazement, Adams also plays a woman that truly understands the ups and downs of life, but chooses to handle problems with optimistic sweetness. I love this movie, and I attribute so much of that to Amy Adams.

Director

• Paul Haggis- Crash
• Steve Spielberg- Munich
• George Clooney- Good Night and Good Luck
• Bennett Miller- Capote
• Ang Lee- Brokeback Mountain

I truly do think this is the year for Clooney not only as an actor, but as an established director. He will most likely take home the prize and join the ranks of actor-turned auteur alongside Mell Gibson and Clint Eastwood. I really love Clooney’s work, but I am faithful to the Berg. While I pretty much loathe his summer flick War of the Worlds, the man is back in Munich. The way he manages to craft suspense in the old school fashion of masters such as Hitchcock is amazing, and despite his occassional mediocre attempt, the man still has it.

Original Screenplay

• Crash
• Good Night and Good Luck
• Match Point
• Squid and the Whale
• Syriana

If Crash will get recognized this year, it will be in the screenplay category. And deservedly so! This meticulously crafted character study about racism is hard to resist!

Adapted Screenplay

• Brokeback Mountain
• Capote
• The Constant Gardener
• Munich
• A History of Violence
  

I think the hype pretty much speaks for itself that Brokeback will take home the trophy in this category. However, I am cheering for the underdog. A History of Violence is one of my favorite films this year, and the gritty graphic novel adaptation is out of this world.

Best Picture

• Brokeback Mountain
• Capote
• Crash
  
• Goodnight and Good Luck
• Munich

Once again, I think Brokeback is a given judging by its sweep at other ceremonies. Despite the sudden bashing of Crash by some critics, there is no denying how great it is. I don’t care if it doesn’t accurately portray racism. This is a fine character study and a solid story.

So, it’s about time to take a good, hard look at Oscar nominations and set out a few picks based on what the Academy has decided are the best films from these year’s litter. Keep in mind that I’m in no way suggesting these will be the picks that will be chosen, rather that these are what I would pick out of what has been laid for this year’s presentation.

So, here goes:

• Best Actor

Philip Seymour Hoffman in Capote
Terrence Howard in Hustle & Flow
Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain
Joaquin Phoenix in Walk the Line
David Strathairn in Good Night, and Good Luck

This year features one of the best selections of talent of any recent year in Oscar history. All said and done, I wouldn’t be upset if any particular actor walked away with this trophy. The only caveat I might add is that I have not had the opportunity to check out Walk the Line. Overall, I feel that Philip Seymour Hoffman’s performance brought a complexity that wasn’t as fulfilled by the other nominations, but even that perception maybe a bit of a reach with competition as strong as this category features.

• Best Actress

Judi Dench in Mrs. Henderson Presents
Felicity Huffman in Transamerica
Keira Knightley in Pride & Prejudice
Charlize Theron in North Country
Reese Witherspoon in Walk the Line

For top female honors this year, I’m ashamed to say I’ve only seen one of the pieces nominated, Pride and Prejudice, and while I do feel that this is one of Keira Knightley strongest performances and I haven’t yet witnessed her competition first-hand, I would be disappointed if she walked away with top honors.

• Best Supporting Actor

George Clooney in Syriana
Matt Dillon in Crash
Paul Giamatti in Cinderella Man
Jake Gyllenhaal in Brokeback Mountain
William Hurt in A History of Violence

Finally, we reach a category that I feel confident addressing, as I have had the chance to check all of these out. Unfortunately, outside of Matt Dillon and Jake Gyllenhaal, I’m somewhat underwhelmed by the supporting male performances this year. While the remaining three were not particularly disappointing on there own, I don’t feel like these are particularly strong contenders for Best Supporting Actor. In the end, my vote goes to Dillon for a complex and brave performance in Crash.

• Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams in Junebug
Catherine Keener in Capote
Frances McDormand in North Country
Rachel Weisz in The Constant Gardener
Michelle Williams in Brokeback Mountain

Interestingly, while I managed to miss nearly all of the Best Actress performances this year, I caught all but one of the Supporting Actress roles, that of Frances McDormand in North Country. This is another category that I’m comfortable with all of the nominees, a trend I hope continues in following years. While overall I was greatly impressed with Catherine Keener in her collective performances this year (Capote, The 40-year-old Virgin, Ballad of Jack and Rose) I don’t feel that she quite overcame Rachel Weisz. I’ve heard a lot of disdain over Wiesz’s nominations and awards so far this season but her performance in The Constant Gardener blew me away, showing an ability that I had not quite witnessed in her previous work.

• Best Direction

Brokeback Mountain Ang Lee
Capote Bennett Miller
Crash Paul Haggis
Good Night, and Good Luck George Clooney
Munich Steven Spielberg

Again, I haven’t had the good fortune of seeing Spielberg’s Munich. That said, here’s another good run-down of directorial efforts, with no one film dominating the others. In the end, I give it to Clooney, who barely edged out Lee’s Brokeback Mountain. In the end, this comes down to the directorial chances that Clooney took while approaching this film. Brokeback’s subject matter pushed the envelope enough and Lee presented the film in a traditional nature, perfectly so, but traditional nonetheless. My tendency is to always lean towards the effort that tests the boundaries and succeeds. In this light, Good Night, and Good Luck takes home my pick.

• Best Adapted Screenplay

Brokeback Mountain Screenplay by Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana
Capote Screenplay by Dan Futterman
The Constant Gardener Screenplay by Jeffrey Caine
A History of Violence Screenplay by Josh Olson
Munich Screenplay by Tony Kushner and Eric Roth

For years Brokeback Mountain has been described as the best screenplay that’s never been made, and now that it has been made it’s easy to see why. This film would never have succeeded if the audience was given any reason to doubt the believability of it’s characters, and in this aspect it succeeds admirably. From the dialog to the timing and arc of the storyline, this screenplay was honed to perfection by Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana and deserves this honor without question.

• Best Original Screenplay

Crash Screenplay by Paul Haggis & Bobby Moresco, Story by Paul Haggis
Good Night, and Good Luck Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov
Match Point Written by Woody Allen
The Squid and the Whale Written by Noah Baumbach
Syriana Written by Stephen Gaghan

I’m a sucker for the “hyperlink” genre of films that has become prominent over the last few years (21 grams, Traffic) and greatly respect a screenplay that successfully pulls off this approach. On top of the ingrained level of difficulty in writing this type of film, Paul Haggis takes on a complex narrative full of coincidences that must seem realistic to be believed. I left theater completely satisfied after seeing Crash and excited to see Haggis’ future work.

• Best Film

Brokeback Mountain
Capote
Crash
Good Night, and Good Luck
Munich

Finally the big one and, despite not having seen Munich, I feel confident in Brokeback Mountain. Regardless (and yet because) of the gay issues that the film explores, I have no doubt this film will go down over time as one of the best romances ever to make it’s mark on celluloid. While I’m generally scared to death of the thought of Jake Gyllenhaal eternalized for future generations, his mediocrity does not make it’s presence known this time around and I will somehow manage to make it through each day because of this fact.

Well, there you have it — my picks from this year’s Oscar litter. Feel free to let us know what you think and perhaps knock some sense into me…

I have to admit that the Golden Globes did exceed my expectations this year. Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Felicity Huffman taking home the acting awards really impressed me. At least they went indie and acknowledged this year’s truly great performers instead of settling for renowned pretty faces. With Brokeback Mountain taking home the trophy for Best Drama, on top of Huffman and Hoffman as gay-oriented characters this year’s ceremony has been a gay ole time.

I still have to rip on the ceremony for its shameful tastelessness. Two years ago, I remember the show was opened with the song “Hey Yah” from OutKast, with re-written lyrics pertaining to celebrities. Well….two years later it seems the writers have failed to recognize their horrid ideas. This year the same concept was applied to “Don’t You Wish Your Girlfriend Were a Freak Like Me” (this may not be the actual title, but since it doesn’t count as real music, I am not going to stress over it). Somewhere in there, they inserted a line of lyrics referencing Gwyneth’s second pregnancy. Where are the Independent Spirit Awards when you need them?

Anyway, all and all this was a decent ceremony. Despite the awful warm-up, and the desperate nominations (The Producers for Best Picture?), this was not a bad show. If the Globes actually managed to impress, then maybe the Oscars will actually have something nice to offer. I will be there in my tux hanging out with Nicholson in the front row where that sly bastard always sits. See you there!

I just wanted to drop a brief line congratulating the Golden Globes on a rather respectable year. I normally don’t put much stock in the globes, but this time around I don’t have many complaints. For a complete run-down of the nominees and winners head here.