When looking at the Oscars some time ago, I realized how much I hated the picks. The Academy is filled with conservatives who don't realize good movies. That is why I decided to give some awards of my own. They include all the major catagories and some other minor ones. Before you get upset at me for not including your favorite movie, performance, or scene, look at the list of movies I saw. All categories subject to change.
...AND WINNERS ARE...(in red)
JOHNNYS 2001
Best Film
Almost Famous
Crouching Tiger, Hidden
Dragon
Gladiator
Nurse Betty
Traffic
(Almost nominated... **Wonder Boys**) All the rest of the movies are very good, but this one came down to Crouching Tiger and Traffic. Traffic is a very important movie and says a lot about our society, however, Crouching Tiger was just such a beautiful and exhilarating movie.
Best Actor
Ed Harris -
Pollock
Russell Crowe - Gladiator
Michael Douglas - Wonder
Boys
Tom Hanks - Cast Away
Mark Ruffulo - You Can Count on
Me
(Almost nominated... **John Cusack - High Fidelity**) This one was pretty open. Both Ruffulo and Douglas gave amazing performances not even considered by the academy. Crowe was good but didn't deserve the award, and Hanks was really good all by himself but in the end, Ed Harris's touching portrayal as Jackson Pollock edged by Michael Douglas.
Best Supporting Actor
Benicio Del Toro -
Traffic
Joaquin Phoenix - Gladiator
Jeff Bridges - The
Contender
Phillip Seymour Hoffman - Almost
Famous
Jeffrey Wright - Shaft
(Almost nominated... **Gary Oldman - The Contender**) Yeah, that's right, the Dominican from Shaft. He was great as were all the others but in this year when there were soo many great supporting performances (Michael Douglas (Traffic), Chow Yun Fat in Crouching Tiger) the two that stood out were Benicio Del Toro and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Benicio was great and out of the 5 included, deserved the Oscar. However, I just like Hoffman too much. See Magnolia, Talented Mr. Ripley, and Boogie Nights.
Best Actress
Joan Allen -
The Contender
Juliette Binoche - Chocolat
Laura Linney -
You Can Count on Me
Julia Roberts - Erin Brockovich
Renee
Zellweger - Nurse Betty
(Almost nominated... **Tracey Ullman - Small Time Crooks**) I didn't see too many great performances, but this race was kind of a lock after You Can Count on Me. Julia was pretty good but over-rated. If it didn't go to Linney, it would have been the neglected Zellweger.
Best Supporting
Actress
Marcia Gay Harden - Pollock
Kate Hudson - Almost
Famous
Frances McDormand - Almost Famous/Wonder
Boys
Catherine Zeta Jones - Traffic
Zhang Ziyi - Crouching Tiger,
Hidden Dragon
(Almost nominated... **Erika Cristiansen - Traffic**)This one could have gone to Harden or Hudson, but McDormand was just to good to ignore. She really made the most of her two great roles.
Best Director
Ed Harris -
Pollock
Joel Coen - O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Ang Lee -
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Ridley Scott - Gladiator
Stephen Soderbergh - Traffic
(Almost nominated... **Rod Lurie - The Contender**)Why no nomination for Harris or Coen? Probably because the academy is full of conservatives. Scott gave some great showy direction and all of these were great, but Soderbergh squeaks by Ang Lee.
Best Original
Screenplay
Almost Famous
Nurse Betty
You
Can Count on Me
Gladiator
Snatch
(Almost nominated... **Rod Lurie - The Contender**)Between Almost Famous and You Can Count on Me, the former wins due to it's strong story, funny dialog, and just plain good writing. Look into Snatch.
Best Adapted Screenplay
O Brother, Where Art
Thou?
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
High
Fidelity
Traffic
Wonder Boys
(Almost nominated... **Robert Nelson Jacobs - Chocolat**) Crouching Tiger and Traffic were wonderful movies, but not because of the screen play. Wonder Boys would have won, had the Coen Brothers not become two of the most talented and original scribes in Hollywood.
Best Ensemble
Cast
Almost Famous
The Contender
O Brother, Where Art
Thou?
Traffic
Wonder Boys
(Almost nominated... **Gladiator**) Lots of good performances in all the movies. Each film has over 5 great ones. But Traffic blows by second place Almost Famous with not only the greatest number of good performances but also the best. (Douglas, Del Toro, Christenson, Zeta Jones, Cheadle, Quaid, ext.)
Best Comedic Performance
Anthony Anderson - Me, Myself and Irene/ Romeo Must Die/ Big Momma's
House
Jack Black - High Fidelity
Matthew Perry - The Whole Nine
Yards
Brad Pitt - Snatch
Ben Stiller - Meet the Parents
Not too many funny movies this year. Jack Black was a pleasure to watch, but Anthony Anderson damn near made by wet my pants. Watch out for him (and Black) in the future.
Best
Music
Almost Famous
Crouching Tiger, Hidden
Dragon
Gladiator
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Pollock
Close race. Crouching Tiger, Gladiator, and Pollock had great original work, and Almost Famous and O Brother had awesome compilations to fit the film. The best of the best is Crouching Tiger's beautiful score thanks to Tan Dun and Yo Yo Ma.
Best Action/
Fight Scene
Gladiator (Chariot battle)
Gladiator (Tiger battle)
Mission
Impossible II (Chase/ Beach)
Romeo Must Die (Football scene)
Proof of Life
(Freeing hostages)
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Shu Lien vs.
Jen)
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Jen vs. entire bar)
I don't know why I choose so many nominations but... It was medieval weapons, swords, guns, motorcycles, footballs, or flat out kung fu. Wow that was an awesome scene in Romeo Must Die, but you can't help but love the fights in Crouching Tiger. Who would have guessed the one with the two women was the best?
