Would they put up with this in Ohio?
The 77th Academy Award nominations will be announced bright and early Tuesday morning, and nobody understands how they narrow thousands of votes for movies and actors down to each category’s Big Five.
If we explained it, then you would be even more confused. You’ll just have to wait for the special-edition DVD.
But it is perfectly democratic, in the end. Because each and every one of us already knows they were wrong, wrong, wrong. Here are a few predictions, and a few peremptory we-told-you-so’s.
Remember, it’s never too early to start complaining.
Best Picture
Consensus is building for “Sideways,” “Ray,” “The Aviator,” “Finding Neverland” and “Million Dollar Baby.” There seems to be much less room this year for a long shot to sneak in, so here is our first big whine: “Hotel Rwanda” makes “Finding Neverland” look like a silly bauble and deserves a shot at the top prize.
Best Actor
If Academy voters do the right thing come Tuesday, Don Cheadle (“Hotel Rwanda”) and Jamie Foxx (“Ray”) will get nods. As should Liam Neeson for his at-times anguished but also amusing portrayal of sex researcher Alfred Kinsey. The rest of the quintet: Leonardo DiCaprio (“The Aviator”) and, if voters can see the forest for the trees, they should look past Paul Giamatti (“Sideways”) to Kevin Bacon (“The Woodsman”) or Javier Bardem (“The Sea Inside”).
Best Actress
There is no monster-sized Charlize Theron this year. Instead, the race seems wide open among Imelda Staunton for “Vera Drake,” Annette Bening for “Being Julia” and Hillary Swank for “Million Dollar Baby.” Likely filling out the ballot will be Catalina Sandino Moreno for “Maria Full of Grace” and Kate Winslet for “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” Here’s hoping that Staunton’s tremendous performance was not lost when so few people saw her movie.
Best Supporting Actress
This is a rich and wildly unpredictable category. We’ll bet on Virginia Madsen for “Sideways,” Natalie Portman for “Closer,” Laura Linney for “Kinsey,” Cate Blanchett for “The Aviator” and Meryl Streep for “The Manchurian Candidate.” Madsen was the frontrunner until Portman won the Golden Globe; now it’s an entertaining fight to the finish.
Best Supporting Actor
“Don’t drink and dial.” Thank you Thomas Haden Church (“Sideways”) for our new mantra. You’re not quite a shoo-in, but you’re a front runner. Though Morgan Freeman, the voice and conscience of “Million Dollar Baby,” might run your randy TV actor right off the road. And if he doesn’t, “Closer’s” nastiest lover, Clive Owen, might give you an elbow to the kidneys. The rest of the quintet: Jamie Foxx (“Collateral”) and Rodrigo de la Serna (“Motorcycle Diaries”).
Best Director
Of course, the looney Golden Globes got it backward when they gave Clint Eastwood one for directing and Martin Scor-
sese the one for best drama. It is more than fine if Scorsese brings home the director’s gold for “The Aviator.” Not because it is the year’s best movie, but because it is a glorious one that shows just how masterful Scorsese remains in stoking the beautiful dream machine of moviemaking. The rest of the quintet: Zhang Yimou (“House of Flying Daggers”), Alexander Payne (“Sideways”) and Michael Mann (“Collateral”).
Movie critic Lisa Kennedy can be contacted at 303-820-1567 or at lkennedy@denverpost.com . Staff writer Michael Booth can be reached at 303-820-1686 or at mbooth@denverpost.com .
