2006 Oscar Buzz

Ok, now before you all start kicking me in the teeth, I know it’s stupid to talk about Oscar hopfuls for next year already. I just found this neat little article over at Canada.Com and thought it was kinda cool:

there are keys to early Oscar handicapping. Does it have Gwyneth Paltrow in it? Does it feature a woman pretending to be a man? Does it have Gwyneth Paltrow pretending to be a man?Beyond that, the best signposts are a film’s heavyweight-drama quotient and pedigree of talent. How many past Oscar winners are involved? Does a cover-girl performer efface her looks for a stark and sober story? Is it a “master” filmmaker tackling a “momentous” subject?

The article goes on to point to a couple of projects that may or may not fit this criteria:

Cinderella Man — Oscar winners Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger star in the story of Depression-era boxer Jim Braddock, who gets a second chance in the ring. The academy loves underdog stories, Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind) directs and Crowe punches people out.

Memoirs of a Geisha — Rob Marshall (Chicago) directs this adaptation of the novel about an orphan girl (Zhang Ziyi) who becomes a queen-bee madame kept in style by powerful men. Sex, sumptuous sets, exotic locales, a beautiful leading lady poised for a breakout role. Sex.

Kingdom of Heaven — Ridley Scott (Gladiator) directs the saga of a battling knight (Orlando Bloom) in Jerusalem during the Crusades. Scott revived the moribund Roman epic. If anyone can make a Crusades story palatable in this politically correct age, he’s the man.

War of the Worlds — Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise spin the spectacle of sci-fi spectacles, a new take on H.G. Wells’s invaders-from-Mars classic. Everyone secretly loves to see the world toasted, and it co-stars that adorable Dakota Fanning.

All the King’s Men — Sean Penn stars in this update of Robert Penn Warren’s novel loosely based on political kingfish Huey Long. Penn in the meatiest role since his Oscar win for Mystic River, backed by Anthony Hopkins, Kate Winslet, Patricia Clarkson, Jude Law and James Gandolfini. Can you say dream cast?

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — Johnny Depp has scored Oscar nominations as a sashaying pirate and a repressed Edwardian playwright. Can he earn another as Willy Wonka? Tim Burton’s remake offers endless visual possibilities, and the story of candyman Willy playing tour guide to children is a beloved one for academy boomers.

The only film the article forgot to mention was REVENGE OF THE SITH! I predict it will win best picture and 26 Oscars in total, including best documentary, best animated film, best film about lesbian driving instructors.

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15 thoughts on “2006 Oscar Buzz

  1. Sith for Best Picture oh yeah!!!!!

    Gotta say though that I strongly believe Depp will be nominated again for his role as Willy Wonka. He is extremely amazing man!

    Sith for Best Picture!!!!

  2. Best Picture:

    Will Win: Memoirs of a Geisha

    Should Win: The Fountain

    Best Director:

    Will Win: Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain

    Should Win: DAVID CRONENBERG, A History of Violence

    Best Actor:

    Will Win: Heath Ledger, Brokeback Mountain

    Should Win: Heath Ledger, Brokeback Mountain

    Best Actress:

    Will Win: Joan Allen, The Upside of Anger

    Should Win: JULIETTE BINOCHE, Bee Season

    Best Actor:

    Will Win: ANTHONY HOPKINS, Proof

    Should Win: JAKE GYLLENHAAL, Brokeback Mountain

    Best Actress:

    Will Win:KATE WINSLET, Romance and Cigarettes

    Should Win: MERYL STREEP Prime

  3. Joaquin and Ziyi are both good nominations but I really don’t think the Academy will award them – ok maybe a nomination. Bill Murray is incredible and should win the Oscar for ‘Broken Flowers’. I would have given it to him for ‘Lost in Translation’, but Sean Penn was indeed the better actor that year (2004). As for La Lopez – this is her best film since the critically acclaimed ‘Out of Sight’. She is totally a different actress in ‘An Unifinished Life’ and deserves an Oscar – especially since she was left out of the Golden Globes for both ‘The Wedding Planner’ and ‘Maid in Manhatten’. Hey, if Renee Zellwegger can get nominated for Briget Jones 1 & 2, so could have Jennifer.

  4. Best Picture:

    Will Win: Jarhead

    Should Win: Broken Flowers

    Best Director:

    Will Win: Steven Spielberg, Munich

    Should Win: Darren Aronofsky, The Fountain

    Best Actor:

    Will Win: Jaoquin Phoenix, Walk the Line

    Should Win: Bill Murray, Broken Flowers

    Best Actress:

    Will Win: Joan Allen, The Upside of Anger

    Should Win: Ziyi Zhang, Memoirs of a Geisha

  5. My Predictions for the 2006 Oscars:

    Best Picture: Cinderella Man (Should Win, Will Win)

    Best Director: Ron Howard (Should Win, Will Win)

    Best Actor: Bill Murray – Broken Flowers (Should Win)

    Russell Crowe – Cinderella Man (Will Win)

    Best Actress: Jennifer Lopez – An Unfinished Life (Should Win)

    Joan Allen – The Upside of Anger (Will Win)

  6. kingdom of heaven is not going to win anything cinderella man may have a chance of being nomitated what ever film gets releaed in november or december will win. now whos should win

    Best picture/ Cinderella man
    Best director/ George Lucas(if jackson got one lucas should to
    best actor/ Russle Crow. Best actress/joan allen(upside of anger)
    best supporting/ paul gimatti(he better not get robbed out of an oscar again like he did for american slpendeor and sideways)

  7. Picture: Kingtom of Heaven
    Amanited: Robots
    Actor: Orlando (Kingtom of Heaven)
    Actress:
    S Actress: Kate Winslet (All King Men)
    S Actor: Paul(Cinderlaman)
    Director: (Cinderellaman)

    PS- Can not smell lol

  8. Now seriously, I pee on the Oscars (though every year I see√Ǭ¥em, call me schyzo). Best movies of each year, IMO, have NOTHING to do with that “meat party” (George C. Scott dixit).

    This year, The Passion, Kill Bill and Collateral (arguably the best achievements in filmmaking during 2004) were utterly ignored in the ceremony.

    And this year, The War of the Worlds, The Sith, Batman Begins, The Fountain, and even Chicken Little will be the best films of the year, far better than those nominated and awarded with the Golden Boy.

    Cinema is entertainment, that is my point of view. And the Oscars (as any film festival) have little to do with cinema as me and Sir Alfred Hitchcock understood it is.

    Nuff said!

  9. Well, if Revenge of the Sith is going to be as good as it looks now, I would expect it to get some Oscars. I mean, it’s the last Star Wars movie, or at least it’s supposed to be and we saw what they did with Lord Of The Rings (Oscars only to the last one). Just my $0.02.

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