2005 Oscar Contenders
The News-Register’s film critic,
Casey Cavalier, makes his picks for the winners
of this year’s Academy Awards.
Best
Picture |
| The Aviator |
 |
| Finding Neverland |
| Million Dollar Baby |
| Ray |
| Sideways |
| Casey’s Pick:
This intense film has all the depth, color,
and grit required to win Academy votes. This
is filmmaking at its finest. |
Best
Actress |
| Annette Bening - Being Julia |
| Catalina Sandino Moreno - Maria Full Of
Grace |
| Imelda Staunton - Vera Drake |
| Hilary Swank - Million Dollar Baby |
| Kate Winslet - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless
Mind |
| Casey’s Pick: When
it comes to intensity Ms. Staunton delivers.
Her performance was stellar. With such complicated
material, she makes us think and question. |
Best
Actor |
| Don Cheadle - Hotel Rwanda |
 |
| Johnny Depp - Finding Neverland |
| Leonardo DiCaprio - The Aviator |
| Clint Eastwood - Million Dollar Baby |
| Jamie Foxx - Ray |
| Casey’s Pick:
In a year full of “biopics,” Foxx
is one of the few actors who embodied his
character beyond a shadow of a doubt. |
Best
Supporting Actress |
| Sophie Okonedo - Hotel Rwanda |
| Laura Linney - Kinsey |
| Virginia Madsen - Sideways |
| Cate Blanchett - The Aviator |
| Natalie Portman - Closer |
| Casey’s Pick: Ms.
Okonedo brought grace to a film steeped in
turmoil. Her acting was transparently superb.
I will never forget this film or her role.
|
Best
Supporting Actor |
| Alan Alda - The Aviator |
| Thomas Haden Church - Sideways |
| Jamie Foxx - Collateral |
| Morgan Freeman - Million Dollar
Baby |
| Clive Owen - Closer |
| Casey’s Pick: This
man could read the yellow pages aloud and
move me to tears. Few actors have his range
or talent. His performance rocked. |
Best
Director |
| Martin Scorsese - The Aviator |
| Clint Eastwood - Million Dollar
Baby |
| Taylor Hackford - Ray |
| Alexander Payne - Sideways |
| Mike Leigh - Vera Drake |
| Casey’s Pick: Eastwood
channels his work onto the screen by allowing
actors to act. When it comes to tales of humanity
he is the man. |
|
Photo courtesy Academy of Motion Picture
Arts and Sciences
Oscar Award
|
| |
|
