Predictions: February 2007 Archives

The Oscars are almost as much about momentum as the films themselves. Here’s a final pre-Oscars list of what honors the top movies are winning this awards season leading up to tonight's big show:

A round-up of Oscar predictions ahead of the big weekend (with their best picture picks in parentheses — say that five times fast) ...

By DAVID GERMAIN

LOS ANGELES — The Academy Awards typically are a gloomy Sunday, ending with a heavy drama crowned as best picture. Yet there’s good news for this year’s exhilarating romp, ‘‘Little Miss Sunshine’’: Over the last decade, academy voters have lightened up and handed the top trophy to the occasional comic frolic rather than a big, tragic pageant. ...

By STEPHEN GALLOWAY

HOLLYWOOD — Whatever flaws the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ voting system has — no matter how greatly the nominations might be influenced by massively financed advertising campaigns — most insiders agree that this year has provided an exceptionally fine vintage. Nowhere is that clearer than in the four acting categories, where knowns and unknowns, Americans and foreigners, Caucasians and minorities are all competing in an astonishingly diverse and talented pool. And in choosing these nominees, the Academy has shown a willingness to look beyond celebrity...

Bookies have adjusted their odds for "Little Miss Sunshine's" shot at winning best picture. That after Sun-TImes movie critic Roger Ebert remarked, "Rumor has it that 'Little Miss Sunshine' is poised to be an upset winner, and in fact it won an ensemble SAG Award." Here are some other links shining light on the little film that might ...

The Blockbuster company conducted a survey among its customers about who should win in various Oscars categories. The results, with only the best actor category being a bit of a surprise ...

The Oscars are almost as much about momentum as the films themselves. Here’s a list of what honors the top movies are winning this awards season:

By CHRISTY LEMIRE

LOS ANGELES — Looking at winners of the best-director category at the Academy Awards over the past decade is a study in extremes. The filmmakers have crafted either visual spectacles (Anthony Minghella’s ‘‘The English Patient,’’ James Cameron’s ‘‘Titanic,’’ Steven Spielberg’s ‘‘Saving Private Ryan’’) or intimate character-driven dramas (Sam Mendes’ ‘‘American Beauty,’’ Clint Eastwood’s ‘‘Million Dollar Baby,’’ Ang Lee’s ‘‘Brokeback Mountain’’). There is no in-between.

Not that looking back is necessary for predicting this year’s winner. Martin Scorsese should finally capture the prize that has eluded him for decades, despite having been nominated for such classics as ‘‘Raging Bull’’ and ‘‘Goodfellas.’’ ...

GLENDALE, Calif. — A cocky race car that learns the wisdom of slowing down won the race for best animated feature Sunday at the 34th annual Annie Awards, honoring achievements in feature film and television animation. ‘‘Cars,’’ from The Walt Disney Co. and Pixar Animation Studios, defeated a crowd of contenders that included ‘‘Happy Feet’’ from Warner Bros., ‘‘Over the Hedge,’’ from DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc., ‘‘Monster House’’ from Sony Pictures, a division of Sony Corp., and ‘‘Open Season,’’ also from Sony Pictures. ...

Edward Copeland looks at the pros and cons of the nominees in the top Oscar categories. When it comes to best actress, his wisdom is pretty conventional:

Penelope Cruz ("Volver")
PRO: She got nominated.
CON: She's not Helen Mirren.

Judi Dench ("Notes on a Scandal")
PRO: She got nominated.
CON: She's not Helen Mirren.

Helen Mirren ("The Queen")
PRO: She's Helen Mirren.
CON: Possible Helen Mirren fatigue?

Meryl Streep ("The Devil Wears Prada")
PRO: She got nominated.
CON: She's not Helen Mirren.

Kate Winslet ("Little Children")
PRO: She got nominated.
CON: She's not Helen Mirren.

The Oscars are almost as much about momentum as the films themselves. Here’s a list of what honors the top movies are winning this awards season: