Though surprisingly curt and gracious, he still managed to slip in a WMD comment while remembering to thank
a smallish number of people (without a notecard, no less!). It's almost forgiveable that Bill Murray didn't win
and give a speech. Almost.
Will Ferrell (who we knew would be funny) and Jack Black (who we were all crossing our fingers for)
managed to inject some much-needed mania into the proceedings with their loving tribute to Oscar winners who
go over the allotted acceptance speech time.
The show's true highlight was "Mitch and Mickey" performing their trademark ballad. Staying completely in
character throughout the ditty -- including that kiss -- Eugene Levy brought the house down by merely
acknowledging a nonexistent drummer.
Robin Williams' near-drunken (?) yet hilarious ravings aside, the show lacked a pulse. Perhaps due to the
subconscious effect of living in a post-Boobgate world, there was a complete lack of original humor,
off-the-cuff shenanigans, or surprises of any kind.
Though I agree that "The Return of the King" is marvelous film and a terrific trilogy-closer, it's always
disheartening when one film conquers all. I mean, was Howard Shore's score really worth rewarding in light of
the fact that he won in the category for 2001? (No hate mail, please!)
It was gonna be a tight race between Sean Penn, Bill Murray, and Johnny Depp. Who'll take it, Renee Zellweger
or Shohreh Aghdashloo? Is there a chance that Sofia Coppola or Clint Eastwood could swipe Peter Jackson's
Best Director statue? In the end, everyone who we thought would win pretty much did.
"Mystic River"
"Master & Commander"
"Lost in Translation"
"The Return of the King"
Clint Eastwood, "Mystic River"
Peter Weir, "Master & Commander"
Fernando Meirelles, "City of God"
Peter Jackson, "The Return of the King"
Sean Penn, "Mystic River"
Johnny Depp, "Pirates of the Caribbean"
Jude Law, "Cold Mountain"
Ben Kinglsey, "House of Sand & Fog"
Diane Keaton, "Something's Gotta Give"
Samantha Morton, "In America"
Naomi Watts, "21 Grams"
Keisha Castle-Hughes, "Whale Rider"
Alec Baldwin, "The Cooler"
Djimon Hounsou, "In America"
Ken Watanabe, "The Last Samurai"
Tim Robbins, "Mystic River"
Shohreh Aghdashloo, "House of Sand & Fog"
Patricia Clarkson, "Pieces of April"
Renee Zellweger, "Cold Mountain"
Marcia Gay Harden, "Mystic River"
"Lost in Translation"
"Finding Nemo"
"Dirty Pretty Things"
"The Barbarian Invasions"
"American Splendor"
"City of God"
"Seabiscuit"
"Mystic River"
Triplets of Belleville" was almost as
deserving.
with gunfire secured this award for
"Master & Commander" like I thought.
Cesar Charlone, "City of God"
John Seale, "Cold Mountain"
John Schwartzman, "Seabiscuit"
Russell Boyd, "Master & Commander"
Judianna Makovsky, "Seabiscuit"
Ngila Dickson, "The Return of the King"
Ngila Dickson, "The Last Samurai"
Wendy Stites, "Master & Commander"
Canada, "The Barbarian Invasions"
The Netherlands, "Twin Sisters"
Czech Republic, "Zelary"
Japan, "The Twilight Samurai"
"The Weather Underground"
"The Fog of War"
"Balseros"
"My Architect"
theaters, I rightly assumed that "The
Barbarian Invasions" would win.
personally, I stated that "Fog" would claim
victory -- and it did.
categories, taking gold for 2001 and 2002
as well. I predicted as much.
least one award, it was not to be --
"Return" nabbed this.
"The Last Samurai"
"Seabiscuit"
"Girl With a Pearl Earring"
"Master & Commander"
King" sweep correctly; the design team
deserved it.
"Boundin"
"Gone Nutty"
"Harvie Krumpet"
"Nibbles"
like I predicted. Instead -- you guessed it!
-- "The Return of the King."
"Destino" (my pick) lost out to the
claymation "Harvie Krumpet."
"Chernobyl Heart"
"Ferry Tales"
"Most (The Bridge)"
"Squash"
"(A) Torsion"
"Two Soldiers"
assumed that the emotionally heavy
"Chernobyl Heart" would win.
selected "Most (The Bridge)." Instead,
"Two Soldiers" proved victorious.
THE RETURN OF THE KING -- 11 (6)
MYSTIC RIVER -- 2 (2)
MASTER & COMMANDER -- 2 (2)
COLD MOUNTAIN -- 1 (1)
MONSTER -- 1 (1)
HOUSE OF SAND & FOG -- 1 (0)
LOST IN TRANSLATION -- 1 (1)
AMERICAN SPLENDOR -- 0 (1)
FINDING NEMO -- 1 (1)
GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING -- 0 (1)
CITY OF GOD -- 0 (1)
THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS -- 1 (1)
THE FOG OF WAR -- 1 (1)
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN -- 0 (1)
DESTINO -- 0 (1)
CHERNOBYL HEART -- 1 (1)
MOST (THE BRIDGE) -- 0 (1)
TWO SOLDIERS -- 1 (0)
HARVIE KRUMPET -- 1 (0)
*Like I originally thought, few films were able
to take home more than one win, while "The
Return of the King" took home all of its 11!