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Click here for your own PRINTABLE OSCAR BALLOT from Oscar.com

A few preliminary words from Jan & Rich:

In all the years we have watched the Oscars, there has never been a year when we felt more out-of sync with the Academy’s choices. Jan is especially distressed. For the reasons why, read her RANT.

So it doesn’t make much sense for us to post our annual list of “egregious omissions.” It makes more sense for you to just review this year’s list of TWOZIES, & then judge for yourselves.

One individual who should be singled out, however, is Eytan Mirsky, the guy who wrote the incredible songs for the “Sunshine Singers” in PALINDROMES. Since all the candidates this year were from edgy indies, failure to nominate Eytan's work definitely constitutes an egregious omission! Read Jan’s CHAT with Eytan for more background on someone who is a consistent contributor to excellent indies. And while we're on the subject of music, check out Andy Trudeau's NPR broadcasts for an analysis of this year's Oscar nominated soundtracks. 

One moment we will definitely cheer, however, is the moment when Robert Altman receives his honorary Oscar. As we wrote in our 2002 TRIBUTE to Altman, this is long overdue.

That’s it for now, folks. Remember, these are our personal picks: what we think SHOULD win based on the choices provided. We never try to handicap what WILL win in any given year. We have no more insight into any of that than you do. But one thing for sure, we fervently hope that 2007 will be a better year for Oscar lovers the world over!

 

 

Jan's Pick THE CATEGORIES, CANDIDATES &
WINNERS
Rich's Pick
B E S T  P I C T U R E
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
CAPOTE
CRASH
GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK.
MUNICH
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
& the OSCAR goes to:   CRASH
 D I R E C T I N G
Ang Lee
Ang Lee: 
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
Bennett Miller: 
CAPOTE
Paul Haggis: 
CRASH
George Clooney: 
GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK.
Steven Spielberg: 
MUNICH
Ang Lee
& the OSCAR goes to:   Ang Lee:  BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
B E S T  A C T O R
Terrence Howard
Terrence Howard: 
HUSTLE & FLOW
Philip Seymour Hoffman:
CAPOTE
Heath Leger: 
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
Joaquin Phoenix: 
WALK THE LINE
David Strathairn: 
GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK.
Terrence Howard
& the OSCAR goes to:   Philip Seymour Hoffman: CAPOTE
B E S T  A C T R E S S
Charlize Theron
Judi Dench: 
MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS
Felicity Huffman: 
TRANSAMERICA
Keira Knightley: 
PRIDE & PREJUDICE
Charlize Theron: 
NORTH COUNTRY
Reese Witherspoon: 
WALK THE LINE
Felicity Huffman
& the OSCAR goes to:   Reese Witherspoon: WALK THE LINE
B E S T  S U P P O R T I N G  A C T O R
Jake Gyllenhaal
George Clooney: 
SYRIANA
Matt Dillon: 
CRASH
Paul Giamatti: 
CINDERELLA MAN
Jake Gyllenhaal: 
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
William Hurt: 
A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
Matt Dillon
& the OSCAR goes to:   George Clooney: SYRIANA
B E S T  S U P P O R T I N G  A C T R E S S
Rachel Weisz
Amy Adams: 
JUNEBUG
Catherine Keener: 
CAPOTE
Frances McDormand: 
NORTH COUNTRY
Rachel Weisz: 
THE CONSTANT GARDENER
Michelle Williams: 
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
Rachel Weisz
& the OSCAR goes to:   Rachel Weisz:  THE CONSTANT GARDENER
B E S T  A D A P T E D  S C R E E N P L A Y
THE CONSTANT GARDENER
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
CAPOTE
THE CONSTANT GARDENER
A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
MUNICH
THE CONSTANT GARDENER
& the OSCAR goes to:   BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
B E S T  O R I G I N A L  S C R E E N P L A Y
MATCH POINT
CRASH
GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK.
MATCH POINT
THE SQUID AND THE WHALE
SYRIANA
SYRIANA
& the OSCAR goes to:   CRASH
B E S T  D O C U M E N T A R Y
MURDERBALL
DARWIN’S NIGHTMARE
ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM
MARCH OF THE PENGUINS
MURDERBALL
STREET FIGHT
MURDERBALL
& the OSCAR goes to:   MARCH OF THE PENGUINS
B E S T  F O R E I G N  L A N G U A G E  F I L M
Pass
DON’T TELL
JOYEUX NOËL
PARADISE NOW
SOPHIE SCHOLL - THE FINAL DAYS
TSOTSI
Pass
& the OSCAR goes to:   TSOTSI
B E S T  O R I G I N A L  S C O R E
THE CONSTANT GARDENER
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
THE CONSTANT GARDENER
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
MUNICH
PRIDE & PREJUDICE
THE CONSTANT GARDENER
& the OSCAR goes to:   BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
B E S T  O R I G I N A L  S O N G
“It’s Hard
Out Here
for a Pimp”
"In the Deep": 
CRASH
"It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp": 
HUSTLE & FLOW
"Travelin’ Thru": 
TRANSAMERICA
“It’s Hard
Out Here
for a Pimp”
& the OSCAR goes to:   "It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp": HUSTLE & FLOW
B E S T  A R T  D I R E C T I O N
KING KONG
GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK.
HARRY POTTER & THE GOBLET OF FIRE
KING KONG
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
PRIDE & PREJUDICE
KING KONG
& the OSCAR goes to:   MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
B E S T  C I N E M A T O G R A P H Y
THE NEW WORLD
BATMAN BEGINS
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK.
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
THE NEW WORLD
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
& the OSCAR goes to:   MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
B E S T  C O S T U M E  D E S I G N
MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS
CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS
PRIDE & PREJUDICE
WALK THE LINE
Pass
& the OSCAR goes to:   MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
B E S T  F I L M  E D I T I N G
THE CONSTANT GARDENER
CINDERELLA MAN
THE CONSTANT GARDENER
CRASH
MUNICH
WALK THE LINE
CRASH
& the OSCAR goes to:   CRASH
B E S T  M A K E U P 
STAR WARS
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA
CINDERELLA MAN
STAR WARS: EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH
Pass
& the OSCAR goes to:   THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA
B E S T  S O U N D  E D I T I N G
KING KONG
KING KONG
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA
WAR OF THE WORLDS
KING KONG
& the OSCAR goes to:   KING KONG
B E S T  V I S U A L  E F F E C T S
KING KONG
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA
KING KONG
WAR OF THE WORLDS
KING KONG
& the OSCAR goes to:   KING KONG