Revisiting the Academy Awards, 2002

 


As some of you know, I have been a frequent guest host on the Music City Drive In Movie podcast this summer. We've been looking at movies since 2000, re-nominating the Academy Awards. That got me thinking about the actual fields of the awards themselves. In a new weekly series, I'll be looking back at the last 40 years of Oscars and reviewing the choices at Best Picture, Best Director and the four acting categories.

2002:

Best Picture:
* Chicago
* The Pianist
* Gangs of New York
* Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
* The Hours

About: This was the year Chicago won. It is an interesting Best Picture field that doesn't have my favorite film from the year, which is also one of my favorite films ever. The Two Towers and Gangs of New York are tempting, but I'm sticking with Chicago here.

Best Director:
* Roman Polanski
* Rob Marshall
* Martin Scorsese
* Pedro Almodovar
* Stephen Daldry

About: Polanski won here, but it isn't a person or film I would endorse. This, for me, comes down to Marshall and Scorsese. Gangs of New York isn't Scorsese's best, but he does a good job with it. Still, I'm leaning Marshall here.

Best Actor:
* Adrien Brody
* Jack Nicholson
* Michael Caine
* Nicholas Cage
* Daniel Day Lewis

About: Brody won here but I'm going with Nicholson, hands down. He should have won it. His performance was incredible.

Best Actress:
* Nicole Kidman
* Julianne Moore
* Salma Hayek
* Renee Zellweger
* Diane Lane

About: Kidman won here, but I'm going with Moore, who was great in Far From Heaven. It's a tough film, but she carries the part of beautifully.

Best Supporting Actor:
* Chris Cooper
* Ed Harris
* Paul Newman
* Christopher Walker
* John C. Reilly

About: Cooper got the win here and I'm sticking with it as I don't have any strong feelings about this field.

Best Supporting Actress:
* Catherine Zeta-Jones
* Kathy Bates
* Queen Latifah
* Julianne Moore
* Meryl Streep

About: A great field. Zeta-Jones won and she is a worthy winner. HOWEVER, I'm going with Bates. Her work in About Schmidt is incredible.

That's a wrap on 2002. Tune in next week for a look at 2003.

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