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Other Articles |
And
the Oscar goes to....... Let's face it, this becomes so much more
fun when you've seen the films and performances and you can root for
your choice. Many of the nominated films have already made their
video release and are available to rent before the awards take place.
Here's a look at the nominated films.
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings: A young hobbit named Frodo Baggins is given a magic ring that in the wrong hands can unleash disastrous powers that will enslave the people of the Middle Earth. Set in pre-historic times, this film follows Frodo's struggle to protect the ring and the world from horror. The first of three films from the trilogy written by J.R.R. Tolkien, has been brought to film by director Peter Jackson in all the glory and magic of the books. What could have been a child's fantasy in the hands of another director, is instead a mature, rich three hours of cinema that was received with ovations by children and their parents. Directed by Peter Jackson |
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A Beautiful Mind: Based loosely on fact, the story of a brilliant mind being ravaged by mental illness, is both a hauntingly beautiful love story and a tribute to one man's determination not to lose himself in his battle with schizophrenia. Russell Crowe delivers a powerful, poignant performance as John Forbes Nash Jr., a Nobel Prize winning mathematician. Jennifer Connelly, nominated for Best Supporting Actress, delivers a performance loaded with pathos and shows that she has the talent to not be dwarfed by Russell Crowe. A nomination for makeup is also well deserved, Crowe is aged so subtly that it is truly the actor's glimpse into his future. Directed by Ron Howard. In the Bedroom: A long married couple, played by Tom Wilkinson and Sissy Spacek, are torn apart by their sons tragic life choices. After their College student son, Frank, begins a love affair with a soon-to-be-divorced mother of two, the couple's relationship begins to fall apart long before the ultimate tragedy that tears apart their lives irrevocably. The film is more about the words and feelings not spoken in long-term relationships than it is the dialogue that lets us in on only the most peripheral emotions suffered by their characters. Directed by Todd Field. Moulin Rouge: The
return of the musical as an art form. Director Baz Luhrmann's
crazed blend of music, dance, great script and love.....(what
would we do without love?), manages to give us what no one else in
Hollywood has since West Side Story. A hip, flamboyant musical
that never lets the music out do the story. The story takes place
in the Moulin Rouge, Paris' infamous, turn-of-the-century nightclub.
A beautiful, tragic, courtesan, (played by Nicole Kidman proving that
not only can she act, but oh boy can she sing) falls in love with a
sentimental writer, played by Ewan McGregor, against the wishes of the
nightclub owner and her wealthy patrons. The music is a blend of
old and new tunes, spun on their side to deliver a wholly original
sounding score. Gosford Park: An
English who-dun-it set in 1932, during a weekend at a country estate.
More than a mystery, the story is an examination of the class system
between the wealthy houseguests and their servants. A huge
ensemble class of notable English actors such as Maggie Smith, Alan
Bates, & Helen Mirren, the film was directed by veteran Robert
Altman (M*A*S*H, Nashville, The Player, Cookie's Fortune), who has
called the film "a whocareswhodunit". Altman said that
the 40 parts, and 24 plot strands would have been impossible to control
or even produce had he had to rely on an American cast, who he says
"could never stand to not be in the spotlight", as is evident
in the two nominations for Best Supporting Actress to Maggie Smith and
Helen Mirren. |
