The Johnny Bacardi Show

Hey! It's Oscar time again this weekend! And like last year, I'm gonna try to pick the winners in the major categories, despite the fact that I haven't seen most of the nominees. I'm just crazy like that sometimes. Here goes nothing.

Movies I've seen are in bold.

Best Picture
* LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING (New Line Cinema)
* LOST IN TRANSLATION (Focus Features)
* MASTER & COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD (20th Century Fox)
* MYSTIC RIVER (Warner Bros.)
* SEABISCUIT (Universal Pictures)

Well, everything points to this being the year when Peter Jackson gets his due, and LOTR really is a remarkable acheivement, so give 'im the gosh darned statue already.

Achievement in Directing
* Fernando Meirelles for CITY OF GOD (Miramax)
* Peter Jackson for THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (New Line Cinema)
* Peter Weir for MASTER & COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD (20th Century Fox)
* Sofia Coppola for LOST IN TRANSLATION (Focus Features)
* Clint Eastwood for MYSTIC RIVER (Warner Bros.)

While I understand that Sofia Coppola has received a lot of praise for her work on Translation, like I said above, I think this is LotR, and Jackson's, year.

Best Actor in a Leading Role
* Johnny Depp in PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (Walt Disney Pictures)
* Ben Kingsley in HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG (DreamWorks Pictures)
* Jude Law in COLD MOUNTAIN (Miramax)
* Bill Murray in LOST IN TRANSLATION (Focus Features)
* Sean Penn in MYSTIC RIVER (Warner Bros.)

I'm tickled to see Depp get a nomination for this role, he's pretty much the best thing in that film. Penn will probably get the statue, but I'd give anything to see Bill Murray win, just to hear his acceptance speech!

Best Supporting Actor
* Alec Baldwin in THE COOLER (Lions Gate Films)
* Benicio Del Toro in 21 GRAMS (Focus Features)
* Djimon Hounsou in IN AMERICA (Fox Searchlight)
* Tim Robbins in MYSTIC RIVER (Warner Bros.)
* Ken Watanabe in THE LAST SAMURAI (Warner Bros.)

I'd like to see Baldwin get rewarded for taking on such a role, but again, Mystic River will probably get Robbins the award. Sean Astin should have been nominated for his Sam Gamgee. Word.

Best Actress in a Leading Role
* Keisha Castle-Hughes in WHALE RIDER (Newmarket Films )
* Diane Keaton in SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE (Columbia Pictures )
* Samantha Morton in IN AMERICA (Fox Searchlight)
* Charlize Theron in MONSTER (Newmarket Films )
* Naomi Watts in 21 GRAMS (Focus Features)

Something tells me Keaton has a shot, but Theron pulled off the type of role and transformation that, by most accounts, impresses the voters the most. So I go with the lovely Miz Theron.

Best Supporting Actress
* Shohreh Aghdashloo in HOUSE OF SAND & FOG (DreamWorks Pictures)
* Patricia Clarkson in PIECES OF APRIL (United Arists)
* Marcia Gay Harden in MYSTIC RIVER (Warner Bros.)
* Holly Hunter in THIRTEEN (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
* Renee Zellweger in COLD MOUNTAIN (Miramax)

Silly reader. Do you have any doubts who I'm going to pick, whether she has a chance or not? I wouldn't cry if Harden won; I usually always like her in anything she's in...but she already has an Oscar, so I'm thinking (sigh) RZ has a shot. I hope to see Cold Mountain soon.

Best Visual Effects
* THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (New Line Cinema)
* MASTER & COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD (20th Century Fox)
* PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (Walt Disney Pictures)

Pirates was pretty impressive, FX-wise, but Rings was stunning sometimes.

I'm thinking Return of the King will make out like a bandit, but sometimes it's not that cut-and-dried when it comes to the Academy. Anyway, it should be interesting viewing.