2007 Oscar Preview
The 79th Annual Academy Awards take place this Sunday, and while many of the major categories are extremely predictable, it is the night’s biggest award that has most prognosticators scratching their heads. Five films (four of which failed to make a huge splash at the box office) are vying for the Best Picture trophy which had all but been promised to Dreamgirls months before that film’s release. Pundits everywhere found themselves slackjawed when Bill Condon’s lively but lacking musical failed to earn a nod for Best Picture (as well as Director and Screenplay), though it still managed to snag more nominations than any other movie.
Having seen all five Best Picture nominees, I agree that they are all superior to Dreamgirls. However, none of them can be considered obvious front-runners. There is no Titanic or The Return of the King this year. After last year’s surprise victory for Crash over the heavy favorite Brokeback Mountain, the Academy seems to be telling folks that they still have a few tricks up their sleeve. So it is with excitement and great deliberation that I tentatively unveil my 11th-hour predictions for this year’s Oscars.
Best Picture: As stated earlier, this is one of the tightest Best Picture races in years. With Martin Scorsese poised to finally take home a Best Director Oscar, many feel his film The Departed also will take home the top prize. It certainly was the most popular and widely seen of the five nominees, but its graphic violence and profanity may prove a tough sell to the more conservative voters. If so, this leaves Letters from Iwo Jima, Babel, Little Miss Sunshine and The Queen fighting for that top spot. The only film in competition with virtually no chance at winning is The Queen, which was a wonderful but incredibly small picture. Babel has a very devoted following, but many critics (myself included) felt it was missing something. Little Miss Sunshine was this year’s “Little Picture That Could,†but it may have to settle with the joys of simply being nominated. After all, the last full-blown comedy to walk away with Best Picture was Annie Hall in 1978. Finally, we have Clint Eastwood’s “other WWII film,†Letters from Iwo Jima, which tells the tale of that famous battle from the Japanese perspective. If it were to win, it would be the first primarily subtitled Best Picture winner.
Prediction: Letters from Iwo Jima
What Should Have Been Nominated: United 93
Keith Urban vs. Keith Urban – I bet my money on Keith Urban
In a world where there are over 6 Billion people, what were the odds of two people having the same name? Keith Urban, who is more known for being married to the very talented Nicole Kidman rather than his career as a country singer, is suing a local painter name Keith Urban.
Painter, Keith Urban owns and operates KeithUrban.com, used to advertise and sell his oil paintings. Singer Keith Urban also has his own website, KeithUrban.net. Knowing that the .com is the more popular and widely known extension, he decided to file a lawsuit to take full control of the local painter’s website.
To sum it up in legal words, Keith Urban filed a lawsuit against Keith Urban for “federal trademark infringement, dilution of a federally registered trademark, federal unfair competition and violation of the anti-cybersquatting consumer protection act and the Tennessee consumer protection act.”
I find it amazing how famous people think they have the right to sue every common person that has the same name as them. Word of advice common people, don’t’ name your kids after any celebrities.
*Disclaimer* I am not the famous self-absorb Donald Trump, nor am I related or know Mr. Trump personally. I just happened to be cursed with the same name. Please don’t sue me.
Jennifer Hudson Wins Golden Globe
We all knew she can sing, but now she can act too! Former American Idol contestant wins a Golden Globe for best supporting actress in her debut role as Effie White in Bill Condon’s critically acclaimed movie Dreamgirls.
“I had always dreamed but I never ever dreamed this big,” she said during her acceptance speech.
Although she had limited acting experience, it was no surprised that she won this award. Jennifer Hudson’s performance of the show stopping song ‘And I’m telling you, I’m not going’ made famous by Jennifer Holiday, alone would have sealed the win. She was the favorite to win this award and will also likely be a favorite during the Oscars.
The former American Idol contestant was dismissed early in one of the best seasons of AI, which included many talents like Latoya London and winner Fantasia Barrino. Although she was booted off a disappointing 7th place finish, she didn’t fall in the trend of ‘Going no where after AI’, like many other contestants do. What ever happen to that Justin Guarini guy?
With limited acting experience, winning a Golden Globe was a boost of confidence to branch out and extend her talent to the world. Not only will she release her first album this year with Arista Records, but she will also continue acting.
“Last year at this time, I wasn’t sure if I was an actress, but now this just gives me the confidence to want to carry on and to continue acting, and I did find a new love in acting. I want to continue acting and singing as well. I want to have that album in the music industry and separate the two.†– Jennifer said during her press conference after the win.
“What has kept me going is just my desire to want to do what I love to do and that is to sing and now to act.â€Â She said when asked what has kept her going despite the disappointing finish on American Idol.
Jennifer Hudson is clearly a rising star. Her singing career no doubt will be a success, and as far as her acting career goes, it is just the beginning and so far it is looking pretty good.