DREAMWORKS' REVENGE
1999 Oscar coverage



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'98 Oscar coverage
Battle royal between "Beauty," "Cider House" more predictable than rest of 1999 Academy Awards

By Rob Blackwelder

One year after Miramax's heavily-backed "Shakespeare In Love" delivered an astounding Best Picture TKO to DreamWorks' heavily-favored "Saving Private Ryan," in the 1998 Academy Awards, these two studios have locked horns again in a rematch so ferocious Oscar de la Hoya might even bow out of a bout this rancorous.

Fortunately for the Oscar in this fight, he isn't a contestant, he's the prize -- an eight-and-a-half pound golden statuette that can only go home with one movie's producers on Sunday, March 26.

In the red corner (red-faced over last year's loss) we have DreamWorks' brilliantly dark and droll portrait of suburban dysfunction, "American Beauty" -- weighing in at eight nominations, three Screen Actors Guild Awards and two Golden Globes.

In the blue corner (blue being the color of ostentatious chutzpah) we have Miramax's "The Cider House Rules," a luke-warmly reviewed surprise nominee about an orphan finding his way in the world. It's backed by Miramax's powerhouse PR department, which has helped net the studio nine best picture nominations in the last eight years, two of them winners ("Shakespeare" and "The English Patient").

Sure, "The Green Mile," "The Insider," and "The Sixth Sense" are nominated as well, but with this blood feud garnering all the attention (Academy voters are notorious rubber-neckers), these movies will be settling for table scrap awards or going home hungry.

But while the Best Picture battle is raging despite "Beauty's" nearly sure-thing status, the real contests are in other categories. Denzel Washington ("The Hurricane") and Kevin Spacey ("Beauty") are in a Best Actor race too close to call. Hilary Swank's amazingly masculine performance as the gender-bending Brandon Teena in "Boys Don't Cry" seemed like a lock for Best Actress until Annette Bening won the Screen Actors' Guild award on March 12 for her turn as a "Beauty's" miserable minivan mom. And I'll level with you -- I make intrepid predictions below but I don't have a clue who's going to win best supporting actor and actress this year.

When "The Talented Mr. Ripley," one of 1999's front runners, was all but snubbed in the major categories (supporting actor and screenplay were its only high-profile nods), this 72nd Academy Awards became unusually unpredictable.

But because it's my job, here are my reasoned forecasts of who will be cuddling up to little gold men at the traditional post-Oscar Governor's Ball...

  PICTURE
NOMINEES
"American Beauty"
"The Cider House Rules"
"The Green Mile"
"The Insider"
"The Sixth Sense"
  predicted WINNER
"American Beauty"

WHY: DreamWorks is bound and determined to not have a "Private Ryan" repeat. Besides, it's an ingenious movie with the most deeply-felt characters of all the nominees and a bigger prestige piece than the other four films combined.
What should win: "American Beauty"
  DIRECTOR
NOMINEES
Spike Jonze, "Being John Malkovich"
Lasse Hallstrom, "The Cider House Rules"
Michael Mann, "The Insider"
Sam Mendes, "American Beauty"
M. Night Shyamalan, "The Sixth Sense"
  predicted WINNER
Sam Mendes, "American Beauty"

WHY: Because despite last year's rare split, Picture and Director go hand-in-hand.
What should win: Mendes
  ACTOR
NOMINEES
Russell Crowe, "The Insider"
Richard Farnsworth, "The Straight Story"
Sean Penn, "Sweet & Lowdown"
Kevin Spacey, "American Beauty"
Denzel Washington, "The Hurricane"
  predicted WINNER
Denzel Washington, "The Hurricane"

WHY: He burns with the festering, subterranean anger of miscarried justice in this true-life tale perfectly suited to his brand of charismatic integrity. Plus he has a barnstorming edge-of-insanity monologue that just screams "Oscar!"
Who should win: Kevin Spacey (but I'd happy with a tie between these two)
  ACTRESS
NOMINEES
Annette Bening, "American Beauty"
Janet McTeer, "Tumbleweeds"
Julianne Moore, "The End of the Affair"
Meryl Streep, "Music Of the Heart"
Hilary Swank, "Boys Don't Cry"
  predicted WINNER
Annette Bening, "American Beauty"

WHY: Because its a safer play than giving the award to Swank, who deserves it for her unfettered, unflinching performance as a charming, delicately chiseled, cross-gender cowboy. The Academy can acknowledge gay characters (Tom Hanks won for "Philadelphia"), but only when they're not sexually active on screen.
Who should win: Hilary Swank
  SUPPORTING ACTOR
NOMINEES
Michael Caine, "The Cider House Rules"
Tom Cruise, "Magnolia"
Michael Clarke Duncan, "The Green Mile"
Jude Law, "The Talented Mr. Ripley"
Haley Joel Osment, "The Sixth Sense"
  predicted WINNER
Tom Cruise, "Magnolia"

WHY: Because the Academy is dying to give him something and he'll never win Best Actor. Truthfully however, this one's is up for grabs. "Sixth Sense" wouldn't have been the same without Osment, Clarke Duncan has an equal shot, and Caine won the Screen Actors' Guild award on March 12, putting him within striking distance.
Who should win: Osment
  SUPPORTING ACTRESS
NOMINEES
Tony Collette, "The Sixth Sense"
Angelina Jolie, "Girl, Interrupted"
Catherine Keener, "Being John Malkovich"
Samantha Morton, "Sweet & Lowdown"
Chloe Sevigny, "Boys Don't Cry"
  predicted WINNER
Angelina Jolie, "Girl, Interrupted"

WHY: Pedigree and potential. The fantastically talented Jolie is the daughter of Oscar winner Jon Voight, and while her SAG Award-winning performance in "Girl" isn't all that different from her Golden Globe-winning role as "Gia" a few years back, she leaves a huge impression in an otherwise lackluster movie.
Who should win: Samantha Morton
  ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
NOMINEES
"American Beauty, " Alan Ball
"Being John Malkovich," Charlie Kaufman
"Magnolia," Paul Thomas Anderson
"The Sixth Sense," M. Night Shyamalan
"Topsy-Turvy," Mike Leigh
  predicted WINNER
"American Beauty," Alan Ball

WHY: Even on paper, "Beauty" is gripping, and it will have momentum from the other Oscars it's taking home. The inventiveness of "Malkovich" and "Magnolia" are too off-kilter for the mainstream Academy, and as good as "Sixth Sense" is, it's just a summer blockbuster, after all, with no prestige value.
What should win: "Malkovich"
  ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
NOMINEES
"The Cider House Rules," John Irving
"Election," Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor
"The Green Mile," Frank Darabont
"The Insider," Eric Roth & Michael Mann
"The Talented Mr. Ripley," Anthony Minghella
  predicted WINNER
"The Cider House Rules," John Irving

WHY: Consolation prize. This will be "Cider House's" only win in seven nominations.
What should win: "Election"
  ART DIRECTION
NOMINEES
"Anna & the King"
"The Cider House Rules"
"Sleepy Hollow"
"The Talented Mr. Ripley"
"Topsy-Turvy"
  predicted WINNER
"The Talented Mr. Ripley"

WHY: Did the Italy in the '50s come to life in this movie or what?
What should win: "Ripley"
  COSTUME DESIGN
NOMINEES
"Anna & the King"
"Sleepy Hollow"
"The Talented Mr. Ripley"
"Titus"
"Topsy-Turvy"
  predicted WINNER
"The Talented Mr. Ripley"

WHY: The clothes truly added something to the characters in "Ripley." They may not have been the most spectacular of the bunch, but they were the most effective.
What should win: "Ripley"
  MAKEUP
NOMINEES
"Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me"
"Bicentennial Man"
"Life"
"Topsy-Turvy"
  predicted WINNER
"Austin Powers 2"

WHY: Actually, I'm just hoping "Bicentennial Man" and "Life" don't win. The aging makeup in those movie was anything but seamless.
What should win: "Austin Powers 2"
  CINEMATOGRAPHY
NOMINEES
"American Beauty"
"The End of the Affair"
"The Insider"
"Sleepy Hollow"
"Snow Falling On Cedars"
  predicted WINNER
"Snow Falling On Cedars"

WHY: Every frame of "Cedars" was gorgeous. You could practically smell the forest. Besides, major outdoorsy photography always wins and this is the only movie that qualifies.
What should win: "The Insider"
  EDITING
NOMINEES
"American Beauty"
"The Cider House Rules"
"The Insider"
"The Matrix"
"The Sixth Sense"
  predicted WINNER
"The Sixth Sense"

WHY: Editing was the key to this movie keeping its secret. But truth be told, I'm guessing again. The only one that would surprise me would be "Cider House."
What should win: "The Matrix"
  SOUND DESIGN
NOMINEES
"The Green Mile"
"The Insider"
"The Matrix"
"The Mummy"
"The Phantom Menace"
  predicted WINNER
"The Phantom Menace"

WHY: Technical Oscars just go to "Star Wars" movies. It's a fact of life.
What should win: "The Mummy"
   SOUND EFFECTS EDITING
NOMINEES
"Fight Club"
"The Matrix"
"The Phantom Menace"
  predicted WINNER
"The Phantom Menace"

WHY: See above.
What should win: "The Phantom Menace"
  VISUAL EFFECTS
NOMINEES
"The Matrix"
"The Phantom Menace"
"Stuart Little"
  predicted WINNER
"The Phantom Menace"

WHY: Tradition. "The Matrix" was far more original and spectacular, but "Phantom" was more than half computer-generated and it is "Star Wars," after all.
What should win: "The Matrix"
  FOREIGN FILM
NOMINEES
"All About My Mother" (Spain)
"Caravan" (Nepal)
"East-West" (France)
"Solomon & Gaenor" (UK)
"Under the Sun" (Sweden)
  predicted WINNER
"All About My Mother" (Spain)

WHY: Because it came close to being nominated for Best Picture.
What should win: "East-West"
  DOCUMENTARY
NOMINEES
"Buena Vista Social Club"
"Genghis Blues"
"On the Ropes"
"One Day in September"
"Speaking In Strings"
  predicted WINNER
"Buena Vista Social Club"

WHY: Guessing. Haven't seen any of them, but "Buena Vista" had by far the best buzz.
What should win: No pick. Haven't seen them. :-(
   ORIGINAL SCORE
NOMINEES
"American Beauty," Thomas Newman
"Angela's Ashes," John Williams
"The Cider House Rules," Rachel Portman
"The Red Violin," John Corigliano
"The Talented Mr. Ripley," Gabriel Yared
  predicted WINNER
"The Talented Mr. Ripley," Gabriel Yared

WHY: It's a brilliant homage to Bernard Herrmann's Hitchcock soundtracks. Although a "Red Violin" win wouldn't surprise me. Voters seem to have a penchant for the suprise foreign film nod in this category (last year it was "Life Is Beautiful").
What should win: "Ripley"
   SONG
NOMINEES
"Blame Canada" from "South Park"
"Music of My Heart" from "Music Of the Heart"
"Save Me" from "Magnolia"
"When She Loved Me" from "Toy Story 2"
"You'll Be In My Heart" from "Tarzan"
  predicted WINNER
"When She Loved Me" from "Toy Story 2"

WHY: Because it's the most bland of the bunch, and that seems to be par for the course in this category.
What should win: "Save Me" from "Magnolia"






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