Best Supporting Actor, 2003

Much of the 2003 race felt like an inevitability. We all knew Best Picture and Best Director were locked for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. We all knew Renee Zellweger was getting Best Supporting Actress. And we all knew the winner for Best Supporting Actor was gonna be Tim Robbins. And we were right:

My ranking, from 5th to 1st:

THE RESULTS ARE IN!!!

As far as predictions go, I did pretty well. Only seven wrong! Sandra Bullock got Best Actress instead of Gabourey Sidibe, Avatar and The Hurt Locker were vice versa as far as Cinematography and Editing went, Geoffrey Fletcher's Precious screenplay triumphed over Up in the Air. China's Unnatural Disaster lost Best Short Documentary to Music for Prudence. And both sound categories did go to one movie...but to The Hurt Locker.

So, some highlights and lowlights.

-Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin have real chemistry. Their banter didn't always work, but when it did, it was on, baby!

-The director of Oscar-winning short doc Music for Prudence, Roger Ross Williams, was giving a heartfelt thank you speech, looking genuinely touched as he took the beauty of the moment in. He was soon interrupted by a random woman who I thought must have been the other director, who upon taking the stage talked right over him, shouldered her way in front of the mic, and talked about differences and credit where credit is due. Then pointed out that Prudence was in the audience, which was neat. By that moment, however, everything was already weird, with Williams looking downright uncomfortable.

Apparently, this woman was producer Elinor Burkett, and she and Williams have been fighting since production on the film. Williams says Burkett qualified as a producer, but walked out on the film; Burkett claims that Williams has been purposely keeping her out of the loop and tried to take her Oscar glory. I think Burkett is behaving like an uppity bitch, and she should probably grow up. This was not classy, not classy at all.

-Man, I hope more people are talking about Sandy Powell's Oscar acceptance speech. Highlight if the night, for me. From the shrugging-off of, "Um, I already have two of these" to her saying that contemporary designers are unfairly overlooked, and so her Oscar belongs to them, "but I'm still taking it home with me." There was nothing about that speech I didn't like. It's the kind of thing I always want to hear from inevitable winners.

-So, they cut the Original Song performances so as to make all categories equal, right? This is what I thought. But then they have give those performances to Original Score, with a group of breakdancers tearing it up to the nominated compositions. One of my friends described it as "a messy, backalley [sic] abortion". God, what an awful, awful sight. The dancing did not go with the music at all, and this alone convinced me that Adam Shankman should never again be put in charge of the Oscars. What was this, revenge for Hairspray getting a straight snub two years ago?

-In addition to that, we had the twenty-minute actors showcase. Following last years tribute from previous winners approach, we got five actors with a connection to the nominees. Oprah, who helped to get Precious distributed, spoke to Gabourey; Forest Whitaker, who directed Hope Floats, spoke to Sandra. And it was preceded by a montage of the actors' performances. And when it was all over, in came another presenter to read out the nominees again, and finally present the statue. I thought it was tedious, and ridiculous when you consider that they only did this for the lead categories. Shankman's purported "all categories are equal" approach wasn't just smoke; it was an outright lie.

-Geoffrey Fletcher's surprise win for adapted screenplay for Precious was incredible. Not only was it a shocker, leaving Up in the Air completely empty-handed...but his speech was fantastic. True, he may not have said much, but the emotion, the heartfelt sincerity of his being humbled, was beautiful. Then when he finally apologized for drawing a blank and thanked everyone...awesome.

-Mo'Nique is now an Oscar-Winning Actress. Though inevitable, it was still a joyous moment. I love when she thanked the Academy "for making it about the performance, instead of the politics." Truth, baby, truth. My one twinge of disappointment: although she thanked "the Precious team" as a whole, she really should have thanked Lee Daniels individually. Maybe she did on the thank-you cam.

-Kathryn Bigelow became the first female to win Best Director. When The Hurt Locker also won Best Picture, we got a truly cinematic moment. For a brief second, we saw backstage as Kathryn stopped midstride and was told to go back, her movie just won! It was such a stunningly real moment.

-When the show ended at exactly midnight, Steve Martin quipped that "The show was so long, Avatar now takes place in the past." But hasn't it run much, much later before? This seemed like the most rushed Oscars on record. Too rushed, if you ask me.

-What, no visuals for Best Cinematography? Who dropped the ball on that one?

Oh, Hi, Christmas, You're Early!

Dear God,

I heard that Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin will be co-hosting the Oscars. Now, I know you and I have had our disagreements in the past, but I just want to apologize. If this kind of team-up is happening, then you must be real! You must exist! Thank you!

Love,
Walter

Untitled Nancy Meyers Project Gets Titled

Yes, it is true. Somehow, without notifying the entire world (or, at the very least, me), Nancy Meyers' latest film has gotten a title. And it looks like we'll be hearing Meryl Streep get her Golden Globe Nom for...

It's Complicated



It certainly sounds like it, too! Meryl plays Jane, a divorcee who finds herself torn between her ex-husband (Alec Baldwin) and a new suitor (Steve Martin). At the same time, her children are flying the coop. Also, her ex's younger wife wants to start a family of their own. Crazy!

Nancy Meyers is, of course, an Academy Award Nominee for Best Original Screenplay (Private Benjamin), and the director of the Mel Gibson comedy What Women Want. She also wrote and directed The Parent Trap remake, Something's Gotta Give (for which Diane Keaton almost won the Best Actress Oscar), and The Holiday (for which Eli Wallach almost won the Best Supporting Actor Hollmann Award). Having never seen The Parent Trap, the woman is three-for-three with me.



SSR favorite John Krasinski also stars.

[Photo: Totally from John Krasinski Web Photo Gallery]

Casting Coup: Lawrence of Arabia

*Oh, man, this is so funny. I call Alec Baldwin under-appreciated, I ask if Javier Bardem is going to win the Oscar, and I even use the phrase "whatever happened to..." in regards to Colin Firth. These are just three cast members in my remake of Lawrence of Arabia. I hadn't looked at this in a long time, but I like it. I don't think I'd change it at all.*

CASTING COUP MONTH finally gets to all-male epics, proving you don't need romance to be a great movie.

Lawrence of Arabia came out the same year as the first Bond flick, Dr. No. Clearly, 1962 was a bad-ass year, as this was also the time of To Kill a Mockingbird and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?.

The film is a legend, and rightly so. First of all, despite its three hour-plus length, it goes by quickly and leaves you wanting more. It's the movie that made Peter O'Toole a star, and Lord knows that can never be considered a sin. And also, Anthony Quinn, Anthony Quinn, Anthony Quinn. HE IS AMAZING.

Let's just say it scored big at the Oscars. That it almost made Oscar its sobbing bitch. Can we say that? I think so. After all, it was nominated for ten Academy Awards, winning seven. Film Editing went to Anne Coates (well-earned), Sound to John Cox (thumbs up), Art Direction to John Box, John Stoll and Dario Simoni (hell yes), Score to Maurice Jarre (THERE IS NO GREATER SCORE IN ALL OF HUMANITY), Cinematography to Fred A. Young (of course), Direction to David Lean (he has a BAFTA named for him--that's how bad-ass he is), and Best Picture of the Year. Which it undoubtedly was.

Yet much is made of its losses. Not that people complain--that's the remarkable thing. Well, okay, some people want to crucify Ed Begley (Sweet Bird of Youth) for beating out Omar Sharif for Best Supporting Actor, but I can't judge that myself. I should, however, say whether or not I agree Horton Foote (To Kill a Mockingbird) beating out Robert Bolt in the Adapted Screenplay category, or if I'm pissed about Peter O'Toole losing Best Actor to Gregory Peck for To Kill a Mockingbird.

And yet, I can't. Both films are too dear to me, too close to my heart for me to really give an opinion. This much I'll say: Lawrence of Arabia is getting the casting coup treatment.

GENERAL SIR ARCHIBALD MURRAY
Who is He: A real character. Not liked by his troops, he commands from Cairo as opposed to getting down and dirty in the field. He sends Lawrence to Arabia.

Originally played by: Donald Wolfit


My Choice: Willing to put up a British stiff upper lip, despite his Australian-ness.

Academy Award Winner Geoffrey Rush (Shine, Shakespeare in Love)


JACKSON BENTLEY
Who is He: A fictional character. An American reporter, Bentley follows Lawrence throughout his military career and becomes disenchanted and cynical with the whole charade. Based on Lowell Thomas, who liked Lawrence.

Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee Arthur Kennedy (Champion, Bright Victory, Trial, Peyton Place, Some Came Running)


My Choice: Yes, he is underappreciated.

Academy Award Nominee Alec Baldwin (The Cooler, The Cat in the Hat)


MR. DRYDEN
Who is He: A fictional reporter. A politician who looks at things with a dry, amused demeanor. Kind of prickish, but he's looking at the Arab Situation from a London/civilian/political point of view.

Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee/God among men Claude Rains (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Casablanca, Mr. Skeffington, Notorious)


My Choice: One with more luck, Oscar-wise.

Academy Award Winner Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs, Elephant Man)


COLONEL BRIGHTON
Who is He: A fictional character. Admires Lawrence, but is a little repulsed by his showboating. Does not get along with the Arabs. David Lean called him "the only honorable character".

Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee Anthony Quayle (Anne of the Thousand Days)


My Choice: Where did this guy go?

Colin Firth (Love Actually, The Importance of Being Earnest)


TURKISH BEY
Who is He: A character who may or may not be real. Lawrence said yes, historians said they don't think so. Anyway, he captures and tortures Lawrence.

Originally played by: Academy Award Winner Jose Ferrer (Cyrano de Bergerac)


My Choice: Another Latin man, to keep with tradition.

Academy Award Nominee (Winner?) Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men, Before Night Falls)


GENERAL LORD EDMUND ALLENBY
Who is He: A real character. Manipulative and cold, Allenby gets Lawrence involved for military glory. In real life, they were apparently great friends.

Originally played by: Jack Hawkins


My Choice:

Academy Award Winner Jim Broadbent (Iris, Moulin Rouge!)


AUDA ABU TAYI
Who is He: A real character. A Bedouin tribe leader, he helps Lawrence in Arabia, but lets blood-feuds and greed control him. The best fucking character in the movie.

Originally played by: Academy Award Winner Anthony Quinn (Viva Zapata!, Lust for Life)


My Choice: An actor of actual Middle Eastern descent!

Shaun Toub (Crash, Iron Man)


PRINCE FEISAL
Who is He: A real character. Royalty, obviously. He fights against the Ottomans, and happens to be a direct descendant of Mohammed. He wanted the Arab countries to be united and independent of the imperialists.

Originally played by: Academy Award Winner Alec Guinness (The Bridge on the River Kwai)


My Choice: Actually, this guy played Prince Feisal in the 1990 TV movie Lawrence After Arabia.

Alexander Siddig (Syriana, Poirot: Cards on the Table)


SHERIF ALI
Who is He: A fictional character. He is a loyal adviser/friend/companion to Lawrence, but is able to see him for what he truly is, and not just as some sort of deliverer.

Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee Omar Sharif (Lawrence of Arabia)


My Choice: Come on. Who the fuck else?

Naveen Andrews ("Lost", The Brave One)


T.E. LAWRENCE
Who is He: The guy who tried to unite the Arabs. A kick-ass Brit with little humility and much fighting skills.

Originally played by: Academy Award/Hollmann Nominee Peter O'Toole (Lawrence of Arabia, Becket, The Lion in Winter, Goodbye Mr. Chips, The Ruling Class, The Stunt Man, My Favorite Year, Venus, Ratatouille)


My Choice: In a perfect world?

But since he's at least five years too old for the part...

Academy Award Nominee Jude Law (Cold Mountain, The Talented Mr. Ripley)


And there you have it. I think it's relatively good. But what do you think?