So last night the Lord of the Rings swept the boards. Let’s see how I did from my predictions:
Best Film – Lord of the Rings: Return of the King – CORRECT
Best Actor – Sean Penn, Mystic River – CORRECT
Best Actress – Charlize Theron, Monster – CORRECT
Best Director – Peter Jackson, Lord of the Rings – CORRECT
Actor in a Supporting Role – Benicio Del Toro, 21 Grams – WRONG (Tim Robbins)
Actress in a Supporting Role – Ren�e Zellwegger, Cold Mountain – CORRECT
Animated Feature – Finding Nemo – CORRECT
Art Direction – Master and Commander – WRONG (LotR)
Cinematography – Girl With A Pearl Earring – WRONG (Master and Commander)
Costume Design – Lord of the Rings – CORRECT
Film Editing – Lord of the Rings – CORRECT
Makeup – Lord of the Rings – CORRECT
Music – Cold Mountain – WRONG (LotR)
Music (Song) – Cold Mountain – WRONG (LotR)
Sound Editing – Master and Commander – CORRECT
Sound Mixing – Lord of the Rings – CORRECT
Visual Effects – Lord of the Rings – CORRECT
Writing (Adapted Screenplay) – Lord of the Rings – CORRECT
Writing (Original Screenplay) – Lost in Translation – CORRECT
So out of the 18 categories I went for, I got 13 correct. Not too bad. I suppose I should have put my money where my mouth was and put a pound on each category.
Interestingly, of the five I got wrong, I deprived Lord of the Rings of three of them.
I didn’t attempt to predict foreign language films (the worst category for Academy Awards because invariably the best film doesn’t even get a nomination), documentaries (Touching the Void will be eligible next year I guess), or best short films (no outlets for anyone to see them outside the festival circuit).
Not a bad state of affairs, and I’m so glad that Peter Jackson’s been so thoroughly rewarded for what will surely be one of the most enduring film series in years to come.