Oscar 2006 Predictions...Best Visual Effects

Moving along with my predictions for the quickly approaching Oscar season, it's time to yak about another techincal category, that pesky award known as Best Visual Effects.

All three of the nominated films are swimming in computer generated effects work which has come a long way even in the past few years. Say what you will about last year's The Fountain, yet that was a film that was end-to-end with in-camera

Best Visual Effects Nominees:

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Poseidon
Superman Returns

When the mass majority of people think of Pirates, they think of Johnny Depp, nice locales and an extremely bloated running time. I don't think they'll remember the effects work that went into Davy Jones. As for Posiedon, it will enjoy the fact it was nominated, but there's no way the digital waves and boat will walk away with an award.

Superman Returns has the most thorough visual look, makes flying look easy and uses its computer imagery to forward the story of the real Superman III, and thus will grab the award.

Who Will Win: Superman Returns
Who Should Win: Superman Returns

Jason
efilmcritic.com

Oscar 2006 Predictions...Best Supporting Actor

OR: Will Norbit himself win an Oscar?

Moving along on the predictions for the upcoming Oscars telecast, we now look at the Best Supporting Actor category, and once again there are some bizarre nominations to look at here.

And while I usually don't bemoan the Academy not nominating someone, come on you guys...Jack Nicholson could have easily had a fourth Oscar for his overly violent, racist mobster in The Departed. For shame!

The could-have-been-somebodies:

Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine
Jackie Earle Haley, Little Children
Djimon Hounsou, Blood Diamond
Eddie Murphy, Dreamgirls
Mark Wahlberg, The Departed

I think the majority of us were expecting Mr. Murphy to score a nom for his James Brown-lite character in Dreamgirls, and I think he does a good job in the flick. In fact, he and Jennifer Hudson are the best things in the film, and there is a very solid chance that the two of them could be pictured together backstage holding little naked gold statues. I guess voters will have to look away from the fact Murphy just appeared in the $33 million, opening-weekend grossing Norbit which has been getting some of the worst reviews of Murphy's career.

Still, there's not much competition. Jackie Earle Haley did some great work in Little Children and will no doubt make a comeback with just the nomination in tow. Djimon Hounsou is a favorite with the academy (he was nominated in 2002 for In America) yet he's in a film where he co-stars with a great actor also nominated this year for the wrong film. The right film is The Departed, yet will voters go for Wahlberg's foul-mouthed Boston trooper? Many voters will be wondering where Jack is on the ballots.

That leaves Alan Arkin, who gives a real memorable performance in Sunshine and has most of his great work alongside fellow nom Abigail Breslin which voters will remember. It is also his third nomination (the other two were over 30 years ago!) poses the only real challenger to knock Murphy out of the game. Again, Sunshine gives me the impression that is only going to walk away with one Oscar, so this could be the upset. And if he does, Norbit was the undoing after all.

Who Will Win: Eddie Murphy
Who Should Win: Jack Nicholson....but I'll take Alan Arkin

Jason
efilmcritic.com

Oscar 2006 Predictions...Best Supporting Actress

Here is the first in a series I'll try to write about right up to the February 25th telecast of those pesky Oscars we either hate to love or love to hate.

My predictions will be based on my gut feeling, basing it on buzz of the performance, tracking previous awards and...well, I've guessed these pretty well over the years, so what's stopping me now?

I will then choose my favorite from the lot, if anyone cares.

So who's up for this particular award? The nominees:

Adriana Barraza, Babel
Cate Blanchett, Notes on a Scandal
Abigail Breslin, Little Miss Sunshine
Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls
Rinko Kikuchi, Babel

It was not surprising to see my gal Cate and Jennifer Hudson grab their noms, but I was surprised to see two noms for Babel and a score for Little Miss Sunshine herself. Young Ms. Breslin would score my vote in the category, as she was the glue to a pretty great road flick.

Cate already won two years ago for her take on Katherine Hepburn and I doubt she will repeat the win two years later for what is still a good performance. Both Barraza and Kikuchi may cancel each other out for their work in Babel, and both parts were somewhat miniscule.


Jennifer Hudson simply has IT right now. She's the hot shit and the academy knows it, and her win at the Golden Globes has her pegged for this award. And since Dreamgirls is lacking the prestigious Best Picture and Director, they may choose to give their top honor to Hudson. OR, perhaps they secretly hate this movie SO much that they may choose to pull a Color Purple and send them home empty handed.

In that case, the primo challenger Hudson has is young Abigail, who, if she wins, will be the second youngest winner to Tatum O'Neal in Paper Moon. A LOT of people loved Sunshine and the academy showed their love with four nominations, so this could be the only one it walks away with. Still, it seems Hudson is destined to win.


Who Will Win: Jennifer Hudson
Who Should Win: Abigail Breslin

Jason
efilmcritic.com