Culture shock

The Academy Awards are upon us. Last year, Angelo and I watched them from a hotel room in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. That was something. Because of the time difference, we had to get up at 6:30 am to catch the live broadcast in Los Angeles 13 hours behind our timezone. We set the alarm and got up, watched the show in our budget room, but it was nice because it was equipped with satellite TV.

This year should be something, especially because Billy Crystal has stepped aside and Chris Rock is stepping in to host. I'm looking forward to that. I truly enjoy Billy as the emcee, but Chris Rock will bust up the scene by picking on movie stars who take themselves a little too seriously.

Here are my Oscar predictions for who will win this year:

Best Picture: The Aviator
*This movie is sooo Oscar. Plus it's a movie about Hollywood - they can do no wrong by Oscar.

Best Director: Martin Scorcese - The Aviator
*It's Marty's turn. He will get it.

Best Actor: Jamie Foxx - Ray
*Fantastic.

Best Actress: Hilary Swank - Million Dollar Baby
*She is the best trash I've ever seen.

Best Supporting Actor: Morgan Freeman - Million Dollar Baby
*Always a nominee, never a winner. It's about time and 'Scrap' is the character to claim it.

Best Supporting Actress: Cate Blanchett - The Aviator
*The most superb depiction of Katherine Hepburn, comparable to... Kate alone.

Best Adapted Screenplay: Sideways
*My favourite movie this year. I truly don't know if I'll ever drink Merlot again. Thanks, Miles.

Best Screenplay: Eternal Sunshine on the Spotless Mind
*It's Charlie Kaufman's first nomination and it should be his first win. The most inventive and amusing and confusing movie I have seen in recent years. Totally worth the scattershot concept and completely tight in terms of continuity. This film is an authentic 21st century love story.

It is important to note that I've seen all of the Best Picture nominees except for Finding Neverland (it just looks so teary-eyed and I don't often feel like intentionally going to a flick to cry). Now, who do I want to win? That is somewhat different than who I believe will win.

Best Picture: Sideways
Best Director: Martin Scorcese - The Aviator
Best Actor: Jamie Foxx - Ray
Best Actress: Hilary Swank - Million Dollar Baby
Best Supporting Actor: Thomas Haden Church - Sideways
Best Supporting Actress: Cate Blanchett - The Aviator
Best Adapted Screenplay: This one's a tie between Sideways and The Motorcycle Diaries
Best Screenplay: Eternal Sunshine on the Spotless Mind

The nominees in the acting categories are notable.
- I love that Don Cheadle is in the Best Actor category. Cheadle has won my heart many times over for his less-than-idyllic roles to date, specifically as Buck Swope (Boogie Nights), Montel the cop (Traffic), and Mouse (Devil in a Blue Dress).

- Kate Winslet is nominate for a fourth time and will be least likely to win in the Best Actress category. Her ability to choose roles about interesting, passionate women is second to none.

- Johnny Depp makes the Best Actor category for the second year straight. It's like he's become the next Sean Penn. Now that Penn has an Oscar, it's time to nominate Depp (but not give it to him) just to see what happens. At least Depp shows up.

- Alan Alda makes the cut and pulls off a bastard of a role. Hawkeye Pierce always steals the show.

- Virginia Madsen is/was the B-movie queen and here she is... legit and beautiful as ever. Who would have thought she could pull herself up from Fire with Fire?

- Natalie Portman makes her Oscar debut. A personal favourite of ours since the flick, Beautiful Girls. Who couldn't love a girl named Marty?