It’s getting to be that time of year again. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released its 2003 Oscar nominations, and we have until March 23 to mull over who the lucky winners are going to be.The Academy Award ceremony is a time-honored tradition, and let’s face it: there’s just no better way to usher in the beauty of springtime than giving Hollywood’s richest and most superficial another platform for self-appreciation.
Actors and actresses are extremely undervalued in our society, and it seems only fitting that they should have yet another night out of the year set aside simply to indulge themselves. After all, how can one really tell who has the most obscene jewelry or talented plastic surgeon or which middle-aged egomaniac can afford the prettiest wife, unless you get them all together in one place for comparison?
This year’s nominations are about what you’d expect, but there are a few wildcards in there that I’d like to see pan out.
The nominees for best leading actor are Nicholas Cage, Jack Nicholson, Michael Caine, Daniel Day-Lewis, and newcomer Adrian Brody. Brody, under the direction of the enigmatic Roman Polanski, plays a Polish pianist, in, naturally, “The Pianist,” living in Nazi-occupied Warsaw.
“The Pianist” is nominated for Best Picture, as well as various other categories, including cinematography, directing, editing, writing, and costume design.
Although this film didn’t get nearly as much publicity or generate as much money at the box office as say “Gangs of New York” or “Chicago,” I’d still like to see it get some recognition from the Academy based on artistic merit alone.
Nominees for Best Leading Actress are Salma Hayek, Nicole Kidman, Diane Lane, Julianne Moore, and Renee Zellweger. In a convoluted attempt to resist typecasting, Hayek and Kidman retired their boas and bustiers for a chance at re-inventing themselves as serious actors. Kidman donned a prosthetic nose for a surprisingly accurate portrayal of a homely Virginia Wolfe in “The Hours.” Hayek was somewhat less convincing in her role as the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.
A hodgepodge of supporting roles unexpectedly pits Meryl Streep against Queen Latifah, Kathy Bates, Julianne Moore, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. I’d like to see Queen Latifah win this one, but I have no idea why.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” joins the above mentioned films in rounding out the nominations for Best Picture.
The 75th annual Academy Awards airs on March 23, at 8:30 p.m. on ABC.