All That Glitters

As much as I complain about the Oscars year after year, I keep coming back. (Heck, I've even requested time off work in order to be free to watch the telecast on Sunday night.) I can't quite put my finger on exactly why watching a group of self-important entertainers bestow glory on typically undeserving movies and performances is so fascinating, but I've given up trying to fight the impulse to take part in the entirely meaningless yet paradoxically exciting awards season. So I'll be there with the rest of you, watching intently yet baffled as to why I'm even watching at all. For the record, here's how I see things going down — and how I think they should go down if we lived in a world where justice and merit trumped hype.

BEST PICTURE

Will win: "Babel"

Should win: "The Departed"

Overlooked: "United 93"

Usually, the big race is the easiest to predict. Last year's "Crash" upset notwithstanding, Academy voters usually go with the safest, most obvious choice. This year, however, this is the category to watch. Whereas all the other major races have clear front-runners, the contest for best picture is wide open. With the exception of "Letters for Iwo Jima," I think a case could be made that all the nominees have a decent shot at victory. (Even "Little Miss Sunshine," strange as it may sound.) But in the end, I've gotta go with my gut and pick Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's globe-trotting ensemble drama "Babel" as the winner, despite the fact that I personally thought it was the most over-rated movie of the year. For some inexplicable reason, it's the film with all the late buzz, and you know how Academy voters love those heavy-handed "message movies."

Yet of all the nominees, Martin Scorsese's crime epic "The Departed" is the only one that truly deserves to be on the list. Nothing else from last year even came close to equaling the raw power and sheer entertainment value of this profound, twisty mob drama. From the screenplay and direction to the performances and technical aspects, the film is as close to perfect as a movie can get. If it does win — a definite possibility — then it will be the first time since 1993's "Schindler's List" that the Oscars actually honored the year's finest film with a best picture award. Let's keep our fingers crossed...

Of course, I was keeping my fingers crossed for "United 93" (and "Borat," for that matter) to get a spot on the list, and a lot of good that did. I had hoped that with a Democratic majority in the House and Senate, the Hollywood elite would now deem it acceptable to recognize an unabashedly black-and-white look at the evils of terrorism, but evidently it's still a little "too soon." That's a shame, because Paul Greengrass' somber recreation of the events of 9/11 is far from an exploitation flick; on the contrary, it's an expertly made film that fulfills its role as a memorial while still maintaining the artistic integrity of a great movie. It deserved better.

BEST ACTOR

Will win: Forest Whitaker in "The Last King of Scotland"

Should win: Forest Whitaker in "The Last King of Scotland"

Overlooked: James McAvoy in "The Last King of Scotland"

Forest Whitaker and James McAvoy star in "The Last King of Scotland." (Courtesy photo)

For his turn as the alternately brutal and pathetic Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, longtime character actor Forest Whitaker is more or less a shoe-in to finally bask in some long-deserved Oscar glory.

Barring a surge of sentiment for the Oscar-less Peter O'Toole's performance in "Venus" (which will suffer from the fact that approximately 40 people even bothered to see it), Whitaker looks to ride the wave of critical praise he's enjoyed since the movie opened months ago. Lately, more and more actors have been rewarded for portraying real-life figures in a way that goes beyond mere mimicry, and Whitaker will most likely continue that trend. Hype aside, I think he's deserving of the award for actually making Amin a three-dimensional character instead of simply a shallow monster. (If Leonardo DiCaprio had been nominated for "The Departed" instead of "Blood Diamond," I would be pulling for a different horse in this race.)

Though he gave what can only be considered a supporting performance, Forest Whitaker took the lion's share of credit for the success of "The Last King of Scotland." But for my money, the film's most valuable asset was actually his co-star, James McAvoy, who carried most of the movie with his portrayal of an idealistic young doctor who falls under the spell of seductive evil and doesn't realize his folly until he's in too deep. Every facet of McAvoy's performance — the bravado, the naiveté, the slowly awakening terror — rings true, and if it wasn't for him, "The Last King of Scotland" wouldn't have been nearly as great a film as it is.

BEST ACTRESS

Will win: Helen Mirren in "The Queen"

Should win: Helen Mirren in "The Queen"

Overlooked: Nobody

Helen Mirren stars as Queen Elizabeth II in "The Queen." (Courtesy photo)

This one is so obvious that it's hardly worth discussing. When "The Queen" was released last fall, the race for the best actress award was effectively over: Here's a performance so praised, so respected, that if Helen Mirren doesn't take home a statue for her delicate turn as England's Queen Elizabeth II, it may very well qualify as the greatest upset in Oscar history. And though I'm not quite as ga-ga over this performance as most people seem to be, I must concede that it represents the year's most impressive work from a leading actress in a mainstream movie. (Believe it or not, Mirren actually makes you feel sorry for the matriarch of the British royal family — quite a feat indeed.)

The only thing really interesting about this race is the impressive line-up, which contains virtually every notable 2006 female performance. Sure, I could bemoan the snubbing of non-professional actress Debbie Doebereiner's devastating portrayal of a lower-middle class factory worker in the indie film "Bubble," but I'm not delusional enough to think that such a little-seen piece of acting actually had any shot at being nominated. So, I'll reserve my complaining for another time, and tip my hat to the Academy for doing a great job of picking a roster of deserving performances.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Will win: Eddie Murphy in "Dreamgirls"

Should win: Alan Arkin in "Little Miss Sunshine"

Overlooked: Michael Sheen in "The Queen"

Who would have thought that such a traditionally low-brow actor as Eddie Murphy would one day be the front-runner in a competitive Oscar race? But with Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild award wins already under his belt, Murphy has in fact emerged as the one to beat in this impressive field.

Danny Glover, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx star in "Dreamgirls." (Courtesy photo)

As self-destructive soul performer James "Thunder" Early, Murphy steals every scene he's in thanks to perfect comic timing, weighty dramatic pathos and several musical numbers that display his surprising vocal talents. Difficult as it may be, I'm confident that voters will set aside Murphy's woefully uneven track record and choose to reward him for a job well done.

I found the movie itself to be unimpressive, but I would like to see Alan Arkin take it home for his subversive turn in "Little Miss Sunshine." The role of the crotchety, foul-mouthed old geezer has been portrayed so often that it has become a comedy cliché, but by taking his character outside the traditional boundaries of such of a caricature and crafting a genuinely human performance, Arkin emerges as the best thing about the otherwise ho-hum production. Even after his character exits the film, his influence can still be felt — to hilarious effect.

Like James McAvoy in "The Last King of Scotland," Michael Sheen's work in "The Queen" was unfairly overshadowed by a more critically acclaimed role. But don't be fooled — this was the best performance of the year. As British prime minister Tony Blair, Sheen gives the kind of effortless, lived-in performance that only comes around once every few years. It's an understated role, to be sure, and Sheen doesn't get the opportunity to indulge himself with showy scenes and flashy acting. He simply embodies his subject with remarkable dexterity, capturing the very nature of his character, and all the while makes it seem as though playing a real-life figure is the easiest thing in the world. That, folks, is great acting.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Will win: Jennifer Hudson in "Dreamgirls"

Should win: Rinko Kikuchi in "Babel"

Overlooked: Catherine O'Hara in "For Your Consideration"

Much like her co-star Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Hudson appears to have this one in the bag. In fact, she's even more of a lock than Murphy. As Effie White, the cast-aside third member of The Dreams, Hudson gets to showcase a range of skills, including a singing voice that makes you question the judgment of the panel that booted her off "American Idol." I defy anyone to watch Hudson's fiery rendition of "And I'm Telling You (I'm Not Going)" and then say with a straight face that she's not worthy of the "Idol" crown. Ironically enough, losing on that show may be the best thing that ever happened to Hudson, because it afforded her the freedom and the opportunity to accept a role that will be remembered not only on Oscar night, but also long after names like Kelly Clarkson and Taylor Hicks have been all but forgotten.

Catherine O'Hara

It's a close call, but I have to lend my support to Rinko Kikuchi for her portrayal of a sexually frustrated deaf teenager in "Babel." As much as I disliked the movie, I can't deny the power of her performance. She's like a shining beacon of hope amidst the rest of the film's clouded, self-congratulatory social commentary, and every time she came on screen I was sure to shake myself out of my boredom-induced stupor and pay strict attention. (And that's not just because she's hot, I swear.) Despite her total lack of dialogue, Kikuchi gave the most complete performance out of all the nominees. Acting involves more than just memorizing your lines, and Kikuchi's work in "Babel" is a testament to the nuances of the craft.

I had expected Catherine O'Hara to snag a nod for her role as a deluded Oscar hopeful in the Christopher Guest mockumentary "For Your Consideration," but I suppose her performance just hit too close to home for many Academy voters. Although it's an inherently comedic performance, what struck me most about O'Hara's acting was not her ability to make me laugh, but rather the dramatic vulnerability she brought to the character. When an actress is able to induce fits of laughter and deep empathy simultaneously, she deserves all the kudos we have to offer.

BEST DIRECTOR

Will win: Martin Scorsese for "The Departed"

Should win: Martin Scorsese for "The Departed"

Overlooked: Kevin Macdonald for "The Last King of Scotland"

Martin Scorsese

Martin Scorsese is the world's greatest living filmmaker, and "The Departed" is the best work he has produced in decades. Isn't it high time that the Academy gave in and finally recognized the contributions this man has made to the art of cinema over the past 35 years? Granted, I've never subscribed to the theory that the Oscars should be used to honor a body of work as opposed to a singular achievement (and an argument could indeed be made that Paul Greengrass' work with "United 93" was even more impressive than Scorsese's handling of his film), but come on! This is Scorsese we're talking about here! It looks like this will be his night to shine at last, but if the voters pull some shenanigans and somehow manage to yet again deny this filmmaker his due, there will be rioting in the streets of Hollywood. And I'll personally fly down there to help with the pillaging.

"The Last King of Scotland" has been acclaimed as a showcase for fine acting, but it seems that in lavishing praise upon Forest Whitaker's acting, most people have neglected to mention that the film itself is even greater than the performances it contains. The film's standing as the most effective white-knuckle thriller of the year can be largely attributed to director Kevin Macdonald ("Touching the Void"), who proves he's a major up-and-coming suspense filmmaker. Yet I'm willing to forgive the Academy's oversight, since I have no doubt that if he continues down this road, Macdonald will eventually find himself the recipient of some richly deserved Oscar love in the years to come.

Reader Feedback

LodiGal wrote on Feb 28, 2007 6:40 PM:

" I too thought Babel was highly over-rated, it was extremely boring and had some unnecessary "gross" parts regarding the little boy who shot the woman. Sad... "

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snubbed wrote on Feb 25, 2007 11:31 AM:

" Gretchen Mol was snubbed for lead actress for "The Notorious Bettie Page" I think that Abigail Breslin should win for best supporting actress. She was amazing! She was on an adult level for that film. "

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All That Glitters

It's time again for the Academy Awards. Who will shine and who will go home empty-handed? News-Sentinel Film Critic Jason Wallis picks his favs for who will win, who should win and who has been passed over altogether.

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