200 Cigarettes - * 1/2*

Posted on February 26, 1999 by Madeleine Williams

200 Cigarettes

From the title of 200 Cigarettes, one might assume that it is either a propaganda film from the tobacco lobby, or a comical entry for the Guinness Book of World Records. However, in actuality, the film turns out to be a threadbare ensemble comedy, struggling to be an 80s nostalgia film, and failing. In fact, the 200 of the title could be a reference to the number of minute subplots in the film, each of which holds about as much substance as a wisp of cigarette smoke.

The film is set on New Year’s Eve, 1981. Monica (Martha Plimpton) is hosting a party, and the film cuts back and forth between many of her invited guests as they meander their way across New York City, slowly making their way to her apartment.

There’s not really a main plotline, but the subplot with the most prominence is that of Lucy (Courtney Love) and Kevin (Paul Rudd). Kevin has just painfully broken up with his girlfriend, Ellie (Janeane Garofalo), and Lucy wants to cheer him up by taking him to the party. However, as the night progresses, it is obvious that a romance is budding between the two. But, can Paul recover from his break-up in time to notice Lucy? Or is this match not meant to be?

The search for love is common throughout most of 200 Cigarettes’ myriad subplots. For example, a clumsy, but earnest girl (Kate Hudson), can’t help falling in love with a love-phobic lout (Jay Mohr). Or, two lost Long Island girls (Christina Ricci and Gaby Hoffman) discover love in the most unlikeliest of places. The emcee for the evening is a disco-friendly cab driver (Dave Chappelle) who manages to meet just about everyone that night.

The main problem with 200 Cigarettes is a common one to the ensemble comedy. Very few of the film’s subplots actually work, and the film spends far too little time with them. Instead, we are constantly reunited with barely recognizable characters we care little about in situations both tedious and contrived.

The actors in 200 Cigarettes aren’t able to help matters much. Christina Ricci is buried beneath her screech of a New Yawk accent. Ben Affleck wanders aimlessly through his scenes as a highly desirable bartender. Jay Mohr’s character inexplicably takes a 180 degree turn halfway through the film. Kate Hudson is lost amid some uninspired bits of slapstick. Paul Rudd and Courtney Love are nearly the only appealing ones in the film, but there is far too little of them to be spread around.

The film is set in 1981, but that seems to be more of a marketing ploy than an actual setting. There’s nary a nostalgic bone to be found in this body. Sure, barely a moment goes by without an early 80s song floating by… but, if you’re wise, you’ll buy the soundtrack, and skip the movie.

200 Cigarettes is not an absolute disaster. It’s more like a crowded party in which there are only one or two interesting people. Awkward, overcrowded and mostly boring…it’s not a party to remember.

Posted in 1999, Movie Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on 200 Cigarettes

The Other Sister - * *

Posted on February 20, 1999 by Madeleine Williams

The Other Sister

It is apparent that the makers of The Other Sister intended their film to be a thoughtful comedy-drama exploring the subjects of love and mental retardation. But, the film’s depiction of mental retardation never rises above a simple gimmick. The end result is slightly condescending to the audience (and its characters), and robs the film from any hope of its intended dramatic impact. However, The Other Sister is still able to skate by (barely) on the merits of its comedy.

The main character of The Other Sister is Carla Tate (Juliette Lewis), a mentally retarded teen who has just returned home from an institution. Her rich parents, Elizabeth (Diane Keaton) and Radley (Tom Skerritt), don’t quite know what to do with her. Carla’s goal is to get a high school diploma and become a veternarian’s assistant. Elizabeth thinks that’s out of the question.

But Carla is determined to declare her independence, whether her parents approve or not. Soon, she’s enrolled in the local PolyTechnic school, and hunting for an apartment of her own.

The final test of her parents’ patience comes when she meets Danny (Giovanni Ribisi), a classmate of hers who is also mentally retarded. The two form a quick friendship, and fall in love. But when the topics of sex and marriage are raised, Carla’s parents are at a complete loss.

Juliette Lewis and Giovanni Ribisi apparently attended the same acting class on the subject of portraying the mentally handicapped. They both deliver the same affectations, and an overabundance of mannerisms that bely a true lack of confidence in their characterizations. They are never able to get lost in the characters; in each and every scene, you are always acutely aware that you’re watching someone acting.

The script provides them plenty of crutches to work with: She has a childlike affinity for animals, and he has a childlike affinity for marching bands. She throws a childlike tantrum when people laugh at her, he throws a childlike tantrum when he is called “stupid”. But these lovable quirks are the end-all and be-all of their characters. And it doesn’t end with Carla and Danny…every single character in the film can be singularly identified by a defining quirk.

The Other Sister has its cute moments, several of which actually do work. However, the majority of the movie is elaborately over-staged. The film is perfectly willing to sacrifice believablility for a quick laugh.

The movie is also surprisingly long. It clocks in at over two hours, an excessive amount of time for what is in actuality a simple romantic comedy.

The Other Sister is much too self-conscious to pack any dramatic weight. But, as a lightweight, throwaway romantic comedy it’s harmlessly entertaining.

Posted in 1999, Movie Reviews | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on The Other Sister

Analyze This - * * *

Posted on February 20, 1999 by Madeleine Williams

Analyze This

Analyze This at first seems like the perfect example of a high concept comedy, able to be summarized in a mere sentence fragment: mob boss seeks therapy. But, on further analysis, the movie proves to be atypical. It’s actually funny.

Paul Vitti (Robert DeNiro) has a big problem. He’s a powerful mafia boss in New York City. Mob control of crime is beginning to wane, and the heads of all the powerful families want to meet. Paul’s bitter rival, Primo Sindone (Chazz Palminteri) would prefer that Paul sleep with the fishes, and orders a series of hits on the mob boss’ life.

But that’s not Paul’s big problem. No, his big problem is that he has stress. So much stress that he’s suffering from panic attacks, and severe emotional breakdowns. Things get so bad that he reluctantly decides to see a shrink: one Dr. Ben Sobol (Billy Crystal).

Dr. Sobol doesn’t particularly relish the idea of having an infamous criminal as a client. But a few kidnappings here, and a little harmless torture there, and suddenly Paul Vitti is his favorite patient, or at least his most persistent one. When Paul needs therapy, Ben is expected to deliver…any time, anywhere. Even Ben’s pending wedding to newswoman Laura MacNamara (Lisa Kudrow) isn’t a worthwhile excuse.

Analyze This is based on a gimmicky formula…but if there’s a director who knows how to take a comedy based on a gimmicky formula and make it work, it’s Harold Ramis (director of Caddyshack and Groundhog Day). Under his easy, guiding hand, the film is able to weather a few predictable scenes, and actually locates humor in unexpected places.

The key to the entire film is Robert DeNiro. He has played every variation of mobster known to film…but who knew he had such comic potential? His Paul Vitti is not only believable as a mafia boss, but is played with perfect deadpan comic precision.

Billy Crystal finally breaks his unlucky streak of smarmy roles. He subdues his typical schtick, and delivers a stronger character because of it. He may be playing the straight man to DeNiro’s more vibrant don, but he never allows himself to become overshadowed, having many humorous scenes of his very own.

The supporting cast can’t quite live up to the film’s two leads. Lisa Kudrow, so wonderful in last year’s The Opposite of Sex is woefully misused here. As is Chazz Palminteri, who barely registers on screen as the movie’s villain (relatively speaking). Only Joe Viterelli, as Jelly, Vitti’s loyal, but self-admittedly stupid henchman, makes a lasting impression.

Excellent comic performances by the two leads, and a steady hand of direction are able to overcome the film’s few weaknesses. The comedy of Analyze This is occassionally predictable, but always funny.

Posted in 1999, Movie Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Analyze This

Jawbreaker - *

Posted on February 19, 1999 by Madeleine Williams

Jawbreaker

The high school comedy seems to be a hot genre of the moment. With She’s All That and Varsity Blues behind us, and several more set for release later in the year, the teen comedy seems to be experiencing its own Renaissance. However, you wouldn’t know it from the quality of the latest entry: Jawbreaker. This shockingly bitter candy definitely has a sour center.

The most popular, and most feared, clique at Reagan High School have an unexpected dilemma. They have accidentally killed one of their own, the “teen dream”, Liz Purr (Charlotte Roldan), choked on a giant jawbreaker during a kidnapping prank for her 17th birthday. Now the three surviving girls must decide what to do. It takes little time at all for the group’s leader, Courtney (Rose McGowan), to decide to cover it up.

The ditzy Marcie (Julie Benz) is game to go along, but the clique’s final member, Julie (Rebecca Gayheart), has a guilty conscience. To make things worse, another student, the hopelessly geeky Fern Mayo (Judy Evans Greer) accidentally discovers the truth. The girls’ cover is surely blown…

Not so fast. Thinking quickly, Courtney offers Fern a once-in-a-lifetime chance. After a quick makeover, Fern is transformed into Vylette, the beautiful “new girl” at school, and a full-fledged member of the popular crowd. Does this mean that popularity is the key to getting away with murder? Or will this finely honed plan crack over time?

Jawbreaker is obviously attempting to be the Heathers of its generation, and failing miserably, I might add. It manages to capture the mix of murder and teen social observations, but misses three crucial elements: sharp dialogue, witty characters and the much-needed humor.

It is possible that Jawbreaker might have succeeded in being (darkly) humorous if it wasn’t shackled to its dead-weight plot. The film’s most innovative twist is the makeover of Fern Mayo. At this point, Jawbreaker seems poised to spin wildly into the uncharted depths. But then, all of a sudden, the innovation stops. The film becomes mired in the murder-and-cover-up plotting, which quickly saps what little life and energy there was right out of the film.

In the film, Rose McGowan fares the best. As the manipulative clique leader, she truly dominates every scene she’s in (not a difficult feat in a crowd such as this, however). It’s a character crying out for a better movie (or at least another decently drawn character with which to interact.)

Jawbreaker doesn’t quite know how to handle its semi-likable characters: Fern and Julie. Either one could effectively end the movie at any time by simply revealing what she knows. The lengths to which the film goes to prolong the plot have the unintentional effect of distancing us from these characters. As their motives become murky and unclear, the film finally falls to the point that it doesn’t really matter who wins or loses, since all sides have become equally detestable.

“Detestable” is a good word to describe the film, Jawbreaker. It’s certain that, like the murder weapon described in the film’s title, Jawbreaker will be triggering more than one gag reflex in the audience.

Posted in 1999, Movie Reviews | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Jawbreaker

Office Space - * * *

Posted on February 13, 1999 by Madeleine Williams

It was only a matter of time before a Dilbert-esque office comedy hit the screens. However, rather than coming from Dilbert creator Scott Adams, Office Space is instead based on the work of another animator, Mike Judge, creator of Beavis and Butthead and King of the Hill. In his live-action directoral debut, Judge aptly spoofs corporate culture. The story is certainly not very involved, but there is plenty of truth and humor to fill the gaps.

Peter (Ron Livingston) is a programmer working at the Initech corporation. Every day in his mundane life is worse than the one before…in other words, every day is the worst day in his entire life. He’s stuck in a boring job with eight different supervisors, all obsessed with administrative trivialities. He’s smitten with Joanna (Jennifer Aniston), a local waitress, but hasn’t the guts to even introduce himself. Everything has simply made him a complete, nervous wreck.

But all of that changes when, after an unintentionally over-effective visit to a hypnotherapist, Peter loses all of his inhibitions. He realizes his lifelong dream: to do absolutely nothing. He begins to blatantly disregard the nonsensical instructions of his boss, Bill Lumbergh (Gary Cole), doing whatever he feels like.

Peter’s friends and co-workers, Samir (Ajay Naidu) and Michael Bolton (David Herman)…no, not that Michael Bolton, are perplexed by their friend’s sudden change in attitude. But, they have larger things to worry about: rumors about that Initech is about to begin downsizing…

As bleak as much of this sounds, let me assure you that Office Space is a comedy, and quite a funny one. Although it shares the same absurdist office humor of the Dilbert comic strip, Office Space is actually based loosely on the series of Milton cartoons which aired on Saturday Night Life. Each mundane detail, taken by itself, seems completely, regretably, plausible. Yet, when combined into a whole, the picture which results is absolutely surreal.

Ron Livingston tackles his role straight-faced, and becomes much funnier because of it. His character isn’t simply being a clown lampooning around the office, but rather seems possessed by a zen-like clarity. He is operating on a higher plane, where everything suddenly makes sense, and from this vantage point, he allows the audience to smirk at the absurdities of life.

Anyone who has had to deal with the inefficiencies of corporate bureaucracy, or who has ever been frustrated with the technology of modern life, will recognize many of the characters and situations in the film. In fact, in addition to being wildly humorous, the film may actually prove to be cathartic.

The animated roots of Office Space show in the film’s lack of complexity. Most of the characters in the film can be quickly summarized by a particular personality quirk. One employee, Milton (Stephen Root), is practically a flesh-and-blood cartoon. However, despite their simple nature, the characters still manage to be surprisingly funny.

It’s not required to have a corporate background to enjoy this film (though the situations may seem exceedingly far-fetched if you are unfamiliar with just how close to reality they really are). The film is flimsy and absurd, but also very funny.

Posted in 1999, Movie Reviews | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Office Space

The Whole Nine Yards - * * 1/2*

Posted on February 12, 1999 by Madeleine Williams

Jonathan Lynn directs this comedy from Mitchell Kapner’s script. Bruce Willis stars as mobster Jimmy “The Tulip”, who enters the witness protection program. When his suburban neighbors learn of his identity, they are unwittingly seduced by the life of organized crime. His next door neighbor, a dentist named Oz (Matthew Perry) is goaded on by his wife, Phoebe (Rosanna Arquette), into ratting Jimmy out to the mob. Meanwhile, she tries to contract a hit on her husband, and Oz falls for Jimmy’s wife (Natasha Henstridge)… Michael Clarke Duncan will portray the hitman. Kevin Pollak, Harland Williams and Amanda Peet also star.

Capsule Review: This slapstick comedy takes a while to get going, but it eventually does, due in large part to the effort of Matthew Perry. Bruce Willis seems to be slumming in this role, but Amanda Peet shines in her few scenes as Perry’s overeager assistant. The Whole Nine Yards is enjoyable, but forgettable.

Posted in 2000, Movie Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Whole Nine Yards

My Favorite Martian - 1/2*

Posted on February 12, 1999 by Madeleine Williams

My Favorite Martian

Another day, another nostalgic sitcom movie adaptation. But, with My Favorite Martian, Hollywood is truly scraping the bottom of the barrel. (Well, one could argue that the barrel scraping started with Car 54, Where Are You? and McHale’s Navy, but let’s not quibble, shall we?) The headache-inducing My Favorite Martian has little to offer but empty special effects and a vacant sense of humor.

Jeff Daniels stars as Tim O’Hara, a struggling television journalist. He spends his time chasing pointless news stories while lusting after the boss’s sexy reporter daughter, Brace Channing (Elizabeth Hurley), and completely ignoring his production assistant, Lizzie (Daryl Hannah).

Tim’s entire life is turned upside down when he witnesses a UFO crash. Before he knows it, the alien inside has donned human form, and moves in with him, posing as his “Uncle Martin” (Christopher Lloyd). As if living with an alien with magical powers wasn’t enough, Tim also has to put up with Martin’s self-animated talking spacesuit, named Zoot. (Zoot was apparently added to demonstrate special effects technology and provide comic relief…neither of which he does very well.)

In addition to repairing his spaceship, Martin must evade the governmental men in black who are hunting him down. Led by the obsessed scientist, Dr. E. Coleye (Wallace Shawn), and accompanied by the enigmatic Armitan (Ray Walston), the government agents will stop at nothing to capture a live Martian specimen.

This is the type of film whose most inspired scene is its very first (in which the Mars Pathfinder somehow misses evidence of a thriving futuristic alien society on Mars). It’s a scene almost worthy of a laugh, and everything is all downhill from there.

Borrowing a page from Flubber, My Favorite Martian subscribes to the theory that frantic special effects action simply must be humorous. The idea is that if there’s enough commotion on the screen, your mind will simply stop trying to find humor, and just assume that things must be funny. Granted, small children and the easily amused might actually fall for that ploy, but most people will simply get annoyed.

Christopher Lloyd’s spaced out spaceman is simply a variation on his familiar wild and eccentric characters. Martin could easily be Back to the Future’s Doc Brown with antennae (if only he were more amusing). Jeff Daniels once again plays the exasperated straight man. You would think he would be able to find better material than this by now.

Young children and others who don’t know better might pretend to find some sense of amusement in My Favorite Martian. But don’t be fooled…this film is even more desolate than the arid Martian landscape.

Posted in 1999, Movie Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on My Favorite Martian

Blast From the Past - *

Posted on February 12, 1999 by Madeleine Williams

Blast From the Past

Blast From the Past is a cute one-joke comedy, without the cuteness. Its elaborate premise quickly gets wearisome, and the few amusing moments sprinkled here and there are well short of the amount needed to carry this lump of a film.

In the films laboriously long setup, Calvin and Helen Webber (Christopher Walken and Sissy Spacek) host a dinner party in 1962. Calvin is a rich and brilliant, but paranoid, inventor. When he hears news of the Cuban Missile Crisis, he locks himself and his pregnant wife in a luxurious underground fallout shelter…for 35 years. The couple has a son, Adam (Brendan Fraser), who lives his entire life in the shelter.

Until 1997, when the locks open, and he has a chance to enter the real world. Sent out by his hesitant parents to seek supplies (and a wife), Adam is very much a fish out of water in the 1990s. Wide-eyed, innocent and naive, Adam must confront a society that bears little resemblance to the idyllic picture painted by his parents.

Enter Eve (Alicia Silverstone), a street-smart 90s woman. At first, she’s not quite sure what to make of the overly-nice Adam…so, she works out a business deal with him. She helps him gather the supplies the Webber family needs to last out another 35 years, but, in the process, falls in love.

The film labors through an overly long setup. Every single thing that happens is an obvious attempt to lay the foundation for a future gag or plot development. (For example, when Calvin gifts his son with “worthless” stocks and baseball cards, you just know they’ll pop up again.) Walken and Spacek may be game, but are painfully one-note as the “perfect” ’60s parents.

The humor in Blast From the Past is comparable to a bleak nuclear landscape. Most of the jokes simply fizzle out before leaving the launch pad. One of the few jokes that works involve the dimwitted owner of the property above the fallout shelter, and his reaction to discovering the Webber family. However, the film isn’t content to leave well enough alone, and the gag soon gets repetitive and tiring.

Brendan Fraser is seeming to make a career out of these stranger in a strange world roles. He certainly has the mannerisms down, and simply radiates: “I’m a nice guy, even though I act goofy.” However, he did the same schtick much better in George of the Jungle and Still Breathing.

The film doesn’t know quite how to handle Alicia Silverstone’s Eve. First, her introduction is hopelessly bungled. Then, the film misfires when it tries to add a subplot about her ex-boyfriend. Neither of these are written believably, and she becomes more of a plot contrivance than an actual character.

Sometimes a one-joke comedy like Blast From the Past will surpass all odds and actually work. To achieve that amazing feat requires deft comic writing, superb pacing, and tremendous performances all around. Blast From the Past scores zero for three. Leave this one in the fallout shelter.

Posted in 1999, Movie Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Blast From the Past

The King and I - * 1/2*

Posted on February 10, 1999 by Madeleine Williams

The King and I

The King and I at first seems like simply an animated adaptation of the Broadway musical. But, upon closer inspection, it is a actually only partially an adaptation, mixing in new “kid-friendly” (and very familiar) characters and subplots. Unfortunately, the two never quite mix, and the resulting movie is too adult for kids, and too childlike for adults.

Those familiar with the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical will recognize the rough outline of the plot. A British schoolteacher, Anna (Miranda Richardson, Christiane Noll singing), travels to Siam to be the tutor to the children of the King (Martin Vidnovic).

Forbidden love is very much the subject of the film, occurring not once, but twice. Anna falls in love with the King, but, more unforgivably, the King’s eldest son falls in love with a servant girl.

The cartoon adds another plot, in an attempt to keep the kiddies interested. The King’s advisor, The Kralahome (Ian Richardson), is plotting to steal the throne of Siam for himself. He plans to use his wizardly powers of illusion to convince the British to move in and replace the King. To add comic relief, he has a bumbling (and rather stereotypical) sidekick, Master Little (Darrell Hammond).

It is the addition of this secondary plot that leads to many of the problems with The King and I. Children will find the “forbidden love” plot dull and uninteresting, and adults will find the evil wizard plot painful and distracting. Rather than seeming like one film, able to be enjoyed on multiple levels, The King and I feels like two half-completed films, neither of which is satisfactory.

This might be forgivable if both plots could stand by themselves. However, the romantic plot has been gutted to a mere shell of itself. And the scheming-royal-counselor bit was done much better (and with much more humor) inAladdin.

The animation of The King and I is better than your standard direct-to-television fare, but not by much. It certainly doesn’t hold a candle to most recent animated feature films.

The film’s strongest point is easily its music. Despite all of the nonsensical distractions onscreen (whose idea was it to add a fire breathing dragon to this story?), the tunes still manage to hold their own.

The end result of The King and I is rather pointless. Children who are too young to be entertained by the main plot will find only slight distractions in the questionable comic relief. Older kids would probably enjoy the 1956 musical just as well. It’s certainly hard to recommend a film that plays better with your eyes closed.

Posted in 1999, Movie Reviews | Tagged | Comments Off on The King and I

Academy Award Nominations and Commentary

Posted on February 9, 1999 by Madeleine Williams

The 1998 Academy Award Nominations were announced this morning. I have included them here, along with my predictions and comments.

Best Picture
Elizabeth
Life is Beautiful
Shakespeare in Love
Saving Private Ryan
The Thin Red Line
The top category comes down to a race between Saving Private Ryan and Shakespeare in Love, with Saving Private Ryan easily taking the top prize (and deservedly so). Overall, a worthy collection of nominees, excepting the misfire: The Thin Red Line
Best Actor
Roberto Benigni – Life is Beautiful
Tom Hanks – Saving Private Ryan
Ian McKellen – Gods and Monsters
Nick Nolte – Affliction
Edward Norton – American History X
Kudos to the Academy for recognizing 1998’s best performance from Edward Norton. Too bad, he doesn’t have much of a chance. Instead, this award is Ian McKellen’s to lose…
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett – Elizabeth
Fernanda Montenegro – Central Station
Gwyneth Paltrow – Shakespeare in Love
Meryl Streep – One True Thing
Emily Watson – Hilary and Jackie
This one’ll come down to a fistfight between Cate Blanchett and Gwyneth Paltrow. Both delivered scintilating perfomances, and though Blanchett came out a hair on top, my gut feeling says Paltrow will walk away with the Oscar.
Best Supporting Actor
James Coburn – Affliction
Robert Duvall – A Civil Action
Ed Harris – The Truman Show
Geoffrey Rush – Shakespeare in Love
Billy Bob Thornton – A Simple Plan
Geoffrey Rush should nab his second statue in this category. His closest competition, Ed Harris, will likely be as overlooked as The Truman Show was in nearly every other category.
Best Supporting Actress
Kathy Bates – Primary Colors
Brenda Blethyn – Little Voice
Judi Dench – Shakespeare in Love
Rachel Griffiths – Hilary and Jackie
Lynn Redgrave – Gods and Monsters
Though Kathy Bates deserves this award, Primary Colors has been mostly forgotten by the academy voters. Instead, look for Judi Dench grabbing the award for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth.
Best Director
Roberto Benigni – Life is Beautiful
John Madden – Shakespeare in Love
Terrence Malick – The Thin Red Line
Steven Spielberg – Saving Private Ryan
Peter Weir – The Truman Show
Spielberg has an easy win here. His closest competition, John Madden, just doesn’t stand quite as tall. What the heck is Malick doing here?
Best Original Screenplay
Bulworth – Warren Beatty and Jeremy Pikser
Life is Beautiful – Vincenzo Cerami and Roberto Benigni
Saving Private Ryan – Robert Rodat
Shakespeare in Love – Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard
The Truman Show – Andrew Niccol
Shakespeare in Love will get a win over Saving Private Ryan in this category, and deservedly so.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Gods and Monsters – Bill Condon
Out of Sight – Scott Frank
Primary Colors – Elaine May
A Simple Plan – Scott B. Smith
The Thin Red Line – Terrence Malick
A tough category to call…Primary Colors is most deserving, but Out of Sight may squeak by with a win. Once again, Terrence Malick makes an appearance based on his reputation alone.
Best Cinematography
A Civil Action
Elizabeth
Saving Private Ryan
Shakespeare in Love
The Thin Red Line
Finally, a The Thin Red Line nomination which is actually deserved. But the superior Saving Private Ryan will come out on top once again.
Best Editing
Life is Beautiful
Out of Sight
Saving Private Ryan
Shakespeare in Love
The Thin Red Line
Saving Private Ryan should come out once again on top here…primarily on the strength of its opening scene.
Best Original Score for Musical or Comedy
A Bug’s Life – Randy Newman
Mulan – Matthew Wilder, David Zippel and Jerry Goldsmith
Patch Adams – Marc Shaiman
Prince of Egypt – Stephen Schwartz and Hans Zimmer
Shakespeare in Love – Stephen Warbeck
The animated musical has been on the wane in this category for the last few years. Look for Prince of Egypt to be outpaced by Shakespeare in Love.
Best Original Score for Drama
Elizabeth – David Hirschfelder
Life is Beautiful – Nicola Piovani
Pleasantville – Randy Newman
Saving Private Ryan – John Williams
The Thin Red Line – Hans Zimmer
Pleasantville had the best score out of the nominees, but the academy has a soft spot for Life is Beautiful, and it will likely nab this award.
Best Original Song
I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing – Armageddon
The Prayer – Quest for Camelot
A Soft Place to Fall – The Horse Whisperer
That’ll Do – Babe: Pig in the City
When You Believe – Prince of Egypt
Hmmmm…Aerosmith or Mariah Carrey and Whitney Houston? Aerosmith or Mariah Carrey and Whitney Houston? Who would the Academy pick? The Prince of Egypt team should get ready to nab their statuette here. (Though, where are Jonathan Richman’s inspired dittys from There’s Something About Mary?)
Best Art Direction
Elizabeth
Pleasantville
Saving Private Ryan
Shakespeare in Love
What Dreams May Come
Another tough category. My personal pick would be the glooming halls of Elizabeth. However, Shakespeare in Love is likely to grab the win here.
Best Costumes
Beloved
Elizabeth
Pleasantville
Shakespeare in Love
Velvet Goldmine
Which Elizabethan costumes will win? Once again, my pick would go to Elizabeth, but Shakespeare in Love has the momentum.
Best Makeup
Elizabeth
Saving Private Ryan
Shakespeare in Love
Though Saving Private Ryan had a few good wounds…look for subtler makeup effects to win the day here. My pick: Shakespeare in Love (if only for Geoffrey Rush’s teeth!)
Best Sound
Armageddon
The Mask of Zorro
Saving Private Ryan
Shakespeare in Love
The Thin Red Line
Saving Private Ryan will dominate the sound categories, as well it should. The film was as much an aural experience as a visual one.
Best Sound Effects Editing
Armageddon
The Mask of Zorro
Saving Private Ryan
As I mentioned above, Saving Private Ryan has a lock on this one.
Best Visual Effects
Armageddon
Mighty Joe Young
What Dreams May Come
Though Mighty Joe Young‘s title character was thoroughly impressive (and the only impressive thing about the film), look for What Dreams May Come to grab the win here, for its complete immersion into a world of special effects.
Best Foreign Film
Central Station – Brazil
Children of Heaven – Iran
The Grandfather – Spain
Life is Beautiful – Italy
Tango – Argentina
Life is Beautiful will get its due here. Just look at the Best Picture category, if there’s any doubt.
Best Documentary
Dancemaker
The Farm: Angola, U.S.A.
The Last Days
Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth
Regret to Inform
The Academy is easy to predict here. Look for The Last Days to take the Documentary award, if only due to its subject matter.
Best Live Action Short
Culture
Election Night (Valgaften)
Holiday Romance
La Carte Postale (The Postcard)
Victor
Best Animated Short
Bunny
The Canterbury Tales
Jolly Roger
More
When Life Departs
Ahhhh…the shorts. The wild cards in any Oscar pool. Take your best guess.
Best Documentary Short
The Personals: Improvisations on Romance in the Golden Years
A Place in the Land
Sunrise Over Tiananmen Square
Take a good, long look. This is the last year that you’ll be seeing the Documentary Short category…not that many outside the industry ever gets to see any of these tiny gems.
Posted in Article | Comments Off on Academy Award Nominations and Commentary