J.C. Maçek III The World's Greatest Critic!

Oscar The World's Most Sought After Award Statue!

Brother Kneumsi Takes On
Uncle Oscar on his 78th Anniversary!

Best Picture	Best Director	Best Documentary Feature	Best Foreign Language Film
Best Original Song	Best Actor	Best Actress	Best Original Score
Best Art Direction	Best Film Editing	Best Adapted Screenplay	Best Original Screenplay
Best Supporting Actress	Best Supporting Actor	Best Sound Mixing	Best Sound Editing
Best Animated Feature	Best Visual Effects	Best Cinematography	Best Costume Design
Best Animated Short Film	Best Makeup	Best Live Action Short	Best Documentary Short

In 2005 Oscar was a Grouch! Brother Kneumsi is here to Cheer Him Up, with some BEST PICTURE Noms! Good Night, and Good Luck. Grant Heslov,Producer Filmed in a stark and serious Black and White, Good Night and Good Luck is a fascinating look at McCarthyism from the inside, using real news footage of the real players mixed in with some excellent actors! Who expected this from "That dude from ER"? Munich Kathleen Kennedy, Steven Spielberg, Barry Mendel and Colin Wilson, Producers Spielberg's dark drama of an Israeli hit squad's hunt for those who planned the Munich Olympic Massacre poses more questions that it attempts to answer. It's a period piece story as well as look, but it couldn't possibly be more timely. Crash Paul Haggis and Cathy Schulman, Producers Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco's collection of morality tales features an expansive spider-webbing story and one of the finest casts this side of your local plaster shop. Brokeback Mountain Diana Ossana and James Schamus, Producers This one may be spoofed and joked about for years to come, but Ang Lee's love story might as well have been about any two people. Gay ranch hands or no gay ranch hands, this one was done with taste and class. However, who knew that "gay" could become such an antithesis of "happy". Capote Caroline Baron, William Vince and Michael Ohoven, Producers Charming and Disarming, Capote lives up to the reputation of its title character... now whether that's a good thing or not is in the eye of the beer-holder! The Aryan Couple Although the first screenings of this film were in 2004, the same is true for Crash (look it up). John Daly's deep telling of one family's escape from Nazi Germany and their servants who help to bring about this exodus is spellbinding. If you can't catch it in a Theatre, look for it on television or on DVD. I'm afraid I'm going to have to go with Capote this time. But I'll tell you this year it's easier to pick Kong's nose than the Best Picture winner!

And now for the best Director Nominees! A group that will surely never go DIRECT to video. 'cept you, George. George Clooney for Good Night, and Good Luck. Ol' Dr. Doug Ross has a camera eye that beats his surgical skills hands down. Using black and white film stock and a wandering, newsy cinematography, Clooney's vision meshes perfectly with its subject matter. This even makes me wonder if that Batman thing might have been better if HE had directed it. Okay, you can't polish a turd! Steven Spielberg for Munich Senior Spielbergo's gritty concept-piece is earthy and realistic, making the humorous and the horrific feel like it's happening all around you. It looks like a '70's flick and feels like a '70's flick. And this is the same guy who gave us the filmic cancer that was The Lost World Jurassic Park the same year Clooney starred in... nevermind. Paul Haggis for Crash Paul Haggis conducts a huge cast here and still manages to develop a focused and intelligent picture with great performances by all. Now why is everyone afraid of Haggis and Moresco? Because they have guns? I could be right. Ang Lee for Brokeback Mountain If he doesn't win he could be very anglee indeed. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Ang Lee took a love story that could have gone wrong on about a million levels and turned it into a film which was more than touching, more than entertaining, but still never devolved into an overly sanctimonious preach-fest! Bennett Miller for Capote Miller could have crafted a sentimental celebration of Truman Capote, one of the most respected writers of his time. Instead, Miller's interpretation of the tale depicts Capote as a complex and mixed character, going much deeper than expected. Woody Allen for Match Point While Woody Allen is no stranger to the Oscars (he's won three of 'em, and is nominated for Original Screenplay this year), the directing in Match Point is a darkly woven balance of humor, romance, thriller and mystery. He directs against "type" here, but breaking the mold didn't extend far enough for him to star in this one. "Y-y-y-y-y'see I-I-I-I-I had to kill her I... (Sigh) I met someone else!" I didn't want to have to say this. I mean I really didn't want to have to say this, but... George Clooney! The man had a vision and took a minimalist and thought-provoking approach to his subject matter. The pacing, camera work and framing choices are perfect for the theme, the performances he evokes are moving (and often humorous), and the choice of using real films instead of actors where possible was positively inspired! Good night, and Good Luck, George. I'll... try really, really hard to make fun of you less now!

Sailin' on to those Best Actors in all those Lead Roles! I'm sure they're all really honored, and if not they could just ACT like they are and we'd like totally believe it! David Strathairn for Good Night, and Good Luck. After years of supporting character roles, Strathairn is finally given a high profile lead and he nails it like a carpenter's pegboard. His intelligent and realistic portrayal of Edward R. Murrow is reserved, yet passionate under the surface of Anchorman Propriety. He doesn't dance, though. I was kind of hoping for a few musical numbers and maybe Dave's own version of "The Rum Tum Tugger" like right after the McCarthy rebuttal. Yeah. That's entertainment, baby! Joaquin Phoenix for Walk the Line Hello, he's Johnny Cash. And we believe it. He even did his own singing, ripped his own sink from the wall and even drove a tractor into a lake. But then, who hasn't done that last one. Heath Ledger for Brokeback Mountain Even without the whole Gay Cowboy thing, Ledger gives an incredible performance as this confused and tortured man, and seems about as much like Heath Ledger as he seemed like Aslan the Lion. However, throw in the gay cowboy thing, and I'm wondering only this... if you had to kiss a guy, wouldn't it be Jake Gyllenhaal? Philip Seymour Hoffman for Capote Like the character he brings to life, Hoffman is a completely unexpected actor, able to pull off just about anything... Including "Nowhereman's" pants apparently! Terrence Howard for Hustle & Flow Howard portrays a complex and overall negative character in a deep and rich, yet warts and all, manner. But if I ever hear "Whoop That Trick" again, I'm taking a Hostage! Bob Hoskins for Mrs. Henderson Presents You wanna talk about a super-balance between proper, sad and hilarious, this is it. And he even does it naked at one point. Okay, don't see it then! I'm dying to say Strathairn, but the more I'm thinking on it, the more I'm shouting Hoffman! It's much more than a falsetto voice for this dude.

GANGWAY For the Ladies. Who's your pick for Breast Actress? Judi Dench for Mrs. Henderson Presents If she can even be good in that Riddick flick, she's gotta be great in something like THIS... and she is. Keira Knightley for Pride & Prejudice I'm saying this here and I want you all to read it and believe it. She deserves every award that there ever was for all time, regardless of the film, or if she's never in a film again. I'll be right back, I'm going to go pledge my entire life's savings to Kiera! Felicity Huffman for Transamerica I'm back. Huffman is incredible as this woman who used to be a man having a beer with his/her... hissher... with THE son! Transcendent! Reese Witherspoon for Walk the Line Well, shoot, ya'll Reese was really somethin' else in this here picture show. She made me really think she was June Carter Cash, Ya'll! Which is good, because it means I don't think I'M June Carter Cash for once. Seriously, Ya'll, them Rhinestones was gettin' Expensive. Ya'll! Charlize Theron for North Country Hey, have you ever seen a Baby sneeze for the first time and then give that startled, wide-eyed "WHATTHEHELLWASTHAT?" look? I sort of gave that look upon seeing Charlize's performance in this movie. Not that I'm saying that North Country is anything to sneeze at or anything. Okay, where's my Oscar for "Running Out Of Ideas"? Summer Glau for Serenity Oscar usually overlooks movies like this, and most of the Academy probably didn't see this flick. This is (AGAIN) a shame, because Glau is fantastic as River Tam, the sweet and disturbed girl who becomes a government-trained killing machine at a moment's notice. You could say I'll do anything to get you to watch Serenity, but so? She kicks ass! Another close one (and SORRY KIERA), but it's definitely Felicity Huffman! Wouldn't it be cool if my predictions came true and we had winners in both Hoffman and Huffman. But then they might RULE THE WORLD, so...

What is a Lead Actor... without Support? These guys are the Brassieres of the Movie Industry. Great, now I'm aroused. Matt Dillon for Crash Matt Dillon was the angry and Fed Up cop who was rotten as it gets... and then shows he's got a gooey, creamy, chewy chocolaty center! Personally I think the Academy missed a serious opportunity by passing him by for Singles, man! "Touch me I'm Dick" was a CLASSIC! How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll Center of a Matt Dillon? The world may never know! William Hurt for A History of Violence Okay, so there's this theatre in Laguna Beach that's really hard to get to that was showing A History of Violence once per day at 11:00 AM, so I took the day off to see it and they replaced it with another movie, so I didn't. I'm sure Hurt felt good in this movie though. Jake Gyllenhaal for Brokeback Mountain Remember the beginning of Donnie Darko when he woke up on that mountain? Now we know what he was doing. One way or the other, silent or violent, Jake is kick ass in this role. Or... something "ass" related. Paul Giamatti for Cinderella Man Cinderella Man was a golden hued period piece with some all around great acting. Paul Giamatti is no exception to this rule as the tough Jersey fight coach with a dream and no furniture. All that was missing was making Jimmy chase a chicken and then scream ADRIAN at the top of his lungs. Oh, well. Maybe in the Sequel. George Clooney for Syriana George Clooney gained several pounds to play "Bob" in this socio-political thriller, which is a lot more than he put in for that Batman thing. I'm sorry, it's been nine years and I'm still angry. Such devotion to a part is commendable, especially as his portrayal of an abandoned CIA Agent helped to make Syriana worth watching. After that torture scene though... JUST SAY NO... to manicures! Clifton Collins, Junior for Capote Perry Smith was a killer, but the sad and naive kid Clifton Collins, Junior brought to the screen had such an innocence and pathos about him we believed... hoped he wasn't guilty. The look on his face when Capote tells him the name of his book... man, that was just MasterCard priceless! The thing about two Gay Men having Sex up in the mountains while taking care of sheep and all that is that I'm pretty sure both of them smelled really bad. The fact that Jake Gyllenhaal kept smiling during this whole thing means he deserves the statue for sure!

Behind every good man is a good woman. Well, in this case, most of these ladies could go it alone. Best Supporting Actresses... you have my support! Michelle Williams for Brokeback Mountain As the sullen wife of a ranch hand who keeps "going fishing" with his "old buddy" from the "ranch", Michelle Williams is tastefully tortured, and credible in her teary-eyed accusations. Although looking shocked when seeing Jake and Heath french kiss doesn't take a Barrymore, really, does it? Catherine Keener for Capote Oscar loves pretty women who tone down the Glamour for a role. Keener's toning down of her "she's okay" looks is noteworthy too. As Harper Lee she gives a credible performance as the no-nonsense writer who knows more about Truman Capote than she would probably like to know. But to know him is to love him... Hoffman hopes. Amy Adams for Junebug It's not the bright and shining sweet glow girl she plays throughout almost all of Junebug that makes her Oscar Worthy! It's the sad girl she only hints at that we see as the veneer crumbles that puts her over the top. Adams is amazing to see in Junebug! So is Embeth. Frances McDormand for North Country McDormand plays the only female Union member in a overwhelmingly male mining company simply packed with sexual harassment. If that's not enough to keep this Oscar-favorite in the light, she slowly degenerates from tough Truck Driver to wheelchair-bound patient. Through and through, she's Francis McDormand... as opposed to being Hedda Nusbaum or somebody. Rachel Weisz for The Constant Gardener In Constantine she was placed fully clothed into a Bathtub. In The Constant Gardener she dispenses with them and spends a lot of time in the bathtub. As the mysterious woman her diplomat husband discovers she is after her death, Weisz must wear a lot of hats, one with virtually every other actor she deals with, and she pulls it off with aplomb. But you know what? This movie could have stood to have a little more gardening in it. I mean, there was an awful lot of gardening, but it was hardly "constant". Talk about false advertising. Technically this movie shouldn't even have a plot! Thandie Newton for Crash As Crash begins, Christine is fun loving, cute and bubbly, but from only minutes after her debut, Thandie's character slowly crumbles until any similarity between her end-product and her opening shots are almost completely unrecognizable. u u u u u u u u u u u u u u u u m m m! Rachel Weisz! She had her own husband fooled, and we believed she could do it. Her blend of sweet and bubbly, angry and indignant, sexy and flirtatious and sadly detached is worth every second of this film.

If the Pen is TRULY mightier than the Sword, A Word Processor could surely RULE THE WORLD! Good Night, and Good Luck. Screenplay by George Clooney and Grant Heslov An inspired piece of film making that sprung from the pens of two great thinkers. Call it what you will, it's great writing! Syriana Written by Stephen Gaghan This story of the almighty corporations basing their successes on Mideast Unrest, damn the torpedoes, works as a modern satire, but shows its holes as a screenplay itself. Besides... Isn't this based on a book? (Pssst: Yeah, it is!) Match Point Written by Woody Allen Woody's balance of suspense and comedy in this romantic triangle is inspired, but I can't help but notice how many elements have been done before. The dialogue, structure and characterizations in this movie are fantastic, but it's the directing that makes it GREAT! Crash Story by Paul Haggis Screenplay by Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco To keep such an ensemble not only properly orchestrated but also well developed takes not one great writer but two. This has gold written on it! The Squid and the Whale Written by Noah Baumbach Jonah? No! Captain Ahab? No! Pinocchio? No! Oscar? KNEUMSI! Sweet Land Written By Ali Selim Ali Selim's touching story of bigotry and passion against a backdrop of propriety and piety is absolutely incredible to watch. The dialogue alone was worth a nod! Alas, it hadn't run for a full week in New York or Los Angeles in 2005... so... who knows... Next year, kids? Damn it! Good Night, and Good Luck. again!

For those of you who make up original material and change our lives, we salute you! To those of you who adapt your material and make it accurate... so much the better. For those of you who change everything completely... You're on my list! Munich Screenplay by Tony Kushner and Eric Roth Based on the book Vengeance by George Jonas, Kushner and Roth's screenplay is a often shocking and always riveting introspective journey into the lives of killers who are sure they are right as they track down killers... who are sure... they are right. A History of Violence Screenplay By Josh Olson This isn't the first time a film based on a comic book has gained Oscar's Attention. Perhaps Olson's adaptation of the Graphic Novel by Judge Dredd Co-creator John Wagner and former heavy metal album cover illustrator Vince Locke can pave the way for more! Capote Screenplay by Dan Futterman Balancing Truman's Life-Of-The-Party celebrity with his hard nosed journalistic campaigns with his mixed humanity couldn't have been easy, and Capote couldn't have been this good without Futterman! Brokeback Mountain Screenplay by Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry There should have been no way to turn E. Annie Proulx's original short story into a good, full-length movie, let alone make it a hit! However, they did it and did it very well, simply by treating it as a forbidden love story. Gay, straight or Bi, this one WORKED! The Constant Gardener Screenplay by Jeffrey Caine Caine took John le Carré's novel of unexpected intrigue and turned it into a well-translated spy thriller, and one hell of a vehicle for its stars. Sin City Screenplay by Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller No, I'm not kidding. Rodriguez and Miller have done a great job adapting Miller's graphic novels, arguably the best, and most accurate translation to date of a Comic Book. It's also completely off the beaten path of what you might be expecting, but shouldn't Oscar traverse the road less traveled once in a while? JETHRO TULL! Just kidding, we should BE so lucky! This is a close one, but the class and taste with which such an unconventional love story was handled puts Brokeback Mountain over the top. And it should also give Jon Stewart his fair share of comedic moments!

Even a bad movie can be beautiful with the right CINEMATOGRAPHY... And hallucinogenic drugs! Memoirs of a Geisha Cinematography by Dion Beebe From the cold, gray rooftops of inner-city Japan to the rich expanses of the coastline, to the beautiful country sides, to the nightmare dance routines, to the postwar bleakness... Beebe brings it home in a stunning and colorful picture. If looks could kill... The New World Cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki Whatever it takes to make Colin look like an actor! Good Night, and Good Luck. Cinematography by Robert Elswit Taking Clooney's newsy story and directing and converting it into a film that works so well today, but still managed to fit perfectly with the news shows of the day (don't believe it, they're used in the film), Elswit brought out of Good Night, and Good Luck. the potential it had and made a "Nice Try" into a great film! Brokeback Mountain Cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto Forget the story, forget the subject matter, forget the directing, forget the controversy, forget the spoofs, forget the accolades... and just think about those long and expansive shots over those Wyoming mountains. The green and white plains, the herds of sheep, and the well-chosen movements of the camera... now what self-respecting "Oscar" couldn't nominate this film? Batman Begins Cinematography by Wally Pfister Dispensing with the gaudy neon of previous two Bat-flicks, Wally Pfister brings a stark and rusty vision to Gotham City, showing a lot of beauty and ugliness. However, the scene of the Scarecrow on the Horse with the Fire-Breath is worth every split second of this movie season! Huzzah to you WP! Tsotsi I have to say this... Tsotsi's Cinematography by Lance Gewer was most certainly worth the nod here. It's hard to imagine anyone making the slums outside of Johannesburg, South Africa look beautiful, but somehow his work developed this into a strange dichotomy of beauty and decay. Not to be missed, kiddos! There were so many to go with this year, and indeed, so many great movies in the lot, but taken for Cinematography alone, I'll commit ritual sepuku if Memoirs of a Geisha doesn't win. I can't imagine it being more beautiful... and I'm not just talking about Ziyi Zhang either!!!

Ah, yes, what's more original than originality... In music. Dudes, this is another banner year for John Williams, but WHERE is the Revenge of the Sith nod? John Williams for Munich It was a cool and moody score that accompanied the cool and moody movie. And the depth and textures Mr. Score put in perfectly matched and amplified the tangible imagery in Munich! John Williams for Memoirs of a Geisha Williams is back with us again, delivering a Japanese-influenced period-score that brings Geisha to life without overpowering the story. It's a rich and beautiful soundtrack devoid of cheap attention-blasts. It could tell a story by itself. Gustavo Santaolalla for Brokeback Mountain Methinks I'm running out of double entendres for this movie. Regardless, Santaolalla's emotional score added to the intelligence, heart and neutrality of Brokeback Mountain as few others really could. Alberto Iglesias for The Constant Gardener Quayle has a perfect life with a firebrand of a wife until it all falls apart and becomes a disaster filled with corporate greed and international intrigue. Part love story, part spy thriller, part heart-felt cry for help, part romance and part sexy liaison, Iglesias' score captures it all. I'm still mastering the "long version" if "Stairway to Heaven"! Dario Marianelli for Pride and Prejudice In a movie with Kiera Knightley in it, I for one am surprised that they even needed music. To get one to pay attention to anything but her takes a Maestro! Ladies, I give you Dario Marianelli! John Williams for Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith He's far from under-represented in this year's awards, but the best score of the year (a score that has been in the works for 30 years) was unquestionably Williams' Star Wars 3! Building upon the scores of all five Star Wars films, AND creating brand swordin' new music to boot, this was the score to listen to... And I have... About a trillion times now! John Williams of course! For which one? Memoirs of a Geisha! This one swept me away. But yes, Zhang didn't hurt things either!

This category ROCKS, but I question any year in which Falco isn't given a nomination. Come on, Rock me, Amadeus! You can do it! "Travelin' Thru" from Transamerica by Dolly Parton It takes a Touching Song to class up a touching movie. Let's face it, Parton's more likely to see an Oscar for "Best Original Song" than her shoes. "In the Deep" from Crash Music by Kathleen "Bird" York and Michael Becker Lyrics by Kathleen "Bird" York Class Strife and Philosophy rendered into a strange and groovy movie... it requires a strange and groovy song filled with Philosophical Strife! "It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp" from Hustle & Flow by Jordan Houston, Cedric Coleman and Paul Beauregard It's filled with Catchy Songs and great acting, but the lyrics and subject matter are as risqué as a French Burlesque show. At least at the Moulin Rouge the women don't have black eyes, though. "Remains of the Day" from The Corpse Bride Music by Danny Elfman Lyrics by Danny Elfman and John August This rousing musical number literally raises the dead in Burton's stop-motion instant-classic! Dolly Parton's "Travellin' Thru"! It's a perfect fit for a funny comedy that matches the dramatic depths therein. You don't have to work 9 to 5 to appreciate this one!!!

Don't you sort of picture a dude named "Art" getting bossed around? Is Paul Simon nominated? Jim Bissell (Art Direction) and Jan Pascale (Set Decoration) for Good Night, and Good Luck. The studio, the offices, the streets, the very restaurant... Clooney's classy News Movie was so convincingly set in the McCarthy Era, I myself was worried about being unexpectedly red-listed. John Myhre (Art Direction) and Gretchen Rau (Set Decoration) for Memoirs of a Geisha Taking special care to be authentic, but never artificially beautified, the Art of Geisha is astounding, adding to the rich beauty of the cinematography. What's more, there is an evolution of Art and Set that carries us through the decades of this changing Japan. See the Dance Sequence for the prime example of why this is the undeniable case! Grant Major (Art Direction) and Dan Hennah with Simon Bright (Set Decoration) for King Kong The 800 Pound Gorilla in the room (or is that 800 TONs?) was noteworthy for the incredible special effects, but look at the authentic 1930's recreations of city and wilderness. If the movie sucked Caviar, the Island Sacrifice Scene proves this one kicks ass! Stuart Craig (Art Direction) and Stephenie McMillan (Set Decoration) for Memoirs of a Geisha Mixing the Medieval with the Mystical, this fourth tale of "The Boy Who Lives" brings us into the air, under water, and into the mundane and normal boarding house. All with more coolness than an Alaskan Snowball Fight! Sarah Greenwood (Art Direction) and Katie Spencer (Set Decoration) for Pride & Prejudice Technically these ladies should win just for the feat of getting us to notice the Artful Set while Kiera Knightley was in the frame. "Pride and Prej" is a lavish period piece with an attention to detail that practically screams "Visit England!" Something Else, man! François Audouy (Art Direction) and Peter Young (Set Decoration) for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Yes, it's garish and gaudy but the Art and Sets of this latest Roald Dahl adaptation fits not only his strange world but the one that Tim Burton has been cultivating all this time. It's another odd suggestion, but methinks Oscar can take it! BOOM... BOOM... BOOM... BOOM... ROAR! KING KONG! Too bad it was "King Long", or else it might have been seen by more people!

Ya shoot it, ya chop it and ya score it! Who knows much about that middle one? These folks! Michael Kahn for Munich Munich rides the waves of wild, quick-cut action, slow drama and dreamy self-introspection. And it fits together like a Jigsaw! Michael McCusker for Walk the Line This one couldn't've been easy to manage with all its conflicting parts, not to mention flying beer bottles and quick-change flashbacks. McCusker walked the line on this one. Hughes Winborne for Crash Crash could have been Chaos, but was unified by a great editor, pulling together a varied film with more characters than one of those "Singing Waiter" restaurants! Claire Simpson for The Constant Gardener Most in the audience might never notice a film's "editing", however, in The Constant Gardener", we're shown some temporally disjointed scenes, combined with surprise flashbacks and surreal daytime fantasies. Those who might not ordinarily notice "editing" are sure to catch the wave this time! Mike Hill and Dan Hanley for Cinderella Man Punching Bag, dock worker, husband or father, Jimmy is placed in a positive light by the editing of Dan and Mike. Crowe said he'd beat me with a phone if I didn't write that! Lisa Lassek for Serenity The amazing and unending Camera shot that unites the Firefly crew in the beginning of Serenity is more than just a credit to the great directing skills of Joss Whedon. Lisa Lassek's editing made it impossible to tell that there was one cut in the scene, just between the upstairs and downstairs halves. Throughout the picture, however, Lassek pulls off this kind of great-choice chopping that was more than worth a look! The Constant Gardener! From the first moment of discovery to the last moment of silence, Claire Simpson makes her presence known by splicing together the best parts of this film while never overpowering the story with MTV-cuts.

YOU WANTED THE BEST AND YOU GOT IT The hottest band in the land... KISS! Sorry, they come to mind every time I think of "Make up"! Dave Elsey and Nikki Gooley Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith So much was computer animated that many people might have completely missed the incredible make up design here. Turning that airplane dude from the Mad Max movies into a Corduroy-faced alien was only one of the incredible and seamless feats these guys pulled off. Do you doubt it for a second? Well, check it out... George Lucas himself was in the film, completely unrecognizable under the latex and brushes of Dave and Nikki. Huzzah! Howard Berger and Tami Lane The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Making Tilda Swinton look like Emperor Palpatine and various monsters look real with and without Computer Graphics, Narnia delivered here. I only wish it were nominated for more awards. David Leroy Anderson and Lance Anderson Cinderella Man Beating after beating after beating, Crow was not only convincing with his Rocky Balboa-ed up face, the rest of him (and his opponents) looked like legitimate Purina Dog Chow too. Rick Findlater (makeup supervisor) for King Kong To create a savage tribe of Island Natives who were at once every race of the planet and were mind-bogglingly horrifying from the oldest to the youngest took not only a hell of a cast and special effects team, but a make up team to match. This is the reason not to take your little ones to see the big ape movie! Hands down Dave Elsey and Nikki Gooley for Revenge of the Sith! The chick from Whale Rider's face-paint alone was greatly-to-be-praised!

To be visually effective, one must be effectively visual! Actually, I've got less than two hours until the Oscars start, and I'm still typing. Cut me some slack for some bad lines. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Visual Effects Supervised by Dean Wright, Bill Westenhofer, Jim Berney and Bill Westenhofer, Scott Farrar There was a lot more than just the visual effects to love about this movie, but that final battle sequence (amongst about a thousand others) was worth its weight in platinum film stock. Oscar... wazzap? The War of the Worlds Visual Effects Supervised by Dennis Muren, Pablo Helman, Randal M. Dutra and Daniel Sudick The greatness about The War of the Worlds is the fact that the incredible special effects are sometimes intentionally relegated to the background, and they manage to work that way. They silently wait and perch, well within your sight, but spend enough time in-your-face that one never knows when the asp is about to strike. King Kong Visual Effects Supervised by Joe Letteri, Brian Van't Hul, Christian Rivers and Richard Taylor King Kong came to life as a character in Peter Jackson's stunning remake, and if that were all, I'd barely mention this one, but with all the incredible effects combined, King Kong was a stunning video-dream-come-true. I'm saying this one time only (I'm lyin'), folks the fact that both Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith and Serenity both got snubbed here proves that Oscar needs to get his head examined. Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith should have been a shoe in for obvious reasons, but I'll chalk this up to the possibility that Oscar and C-3PO look so much alike he didn't want someone crying Nepotism! Serenity on the other hand, there is no excuse for. The final ending battle, coupled with that Firefly Crash... hell, the whole damned thing... This snubbing is barely in my realm of understanding. VFX Supervisor Loni Peristere can call me anytime, and I'll STEAL an Oscar for him! I'm going with King Kong on this one. Man, what a blast!

Dress for Success Or succeed to Dress. Even Superman needs a Costume! Walk The Line Costumes Designed by Arianne Phillips To make Johnny and June, not to mention Jerry Lee, Elvis and MORE look like they've really shown back up on the screen, Phillips went all out. She couldn't have been more accurate if she actually stole from their Wardrobes! Memoirs of a Geisha Costumes Designed By Colleen Atwood The film is perfectly costumed, every step of the way. However, at times Atwood's imagination and attention to detail push this film beyond the boundaries of what we've come to expect and blow us away with something both accurate and incredible! Mrs. Henderson Presents Costumes Designed by Sandy Powell How can one judge the costumes found in a movie dominated by beautiful naked women? Well, I'll give it a shot. Naturally I wasn't all that excited when they were clothed, but folks, the costuming here is perfect, onstage and off! Rock! Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Costumes Designed by Gabriella Pescucci Now we're TALKin'! This one is weird, colorful and often kind of scary... and this is the KIDS' movie! Yeah, I'm happy! Pride and Prejudice Costumes Designed by Jacqueline Durran Again, great costuming for such a great and well-cast period piece... but with Judi Dench in both, couldn't we just combine this one and Henderson and have everyone parade around in the nude? Kelly Reilly wouldn't mind. I guess Jackie Durran would though. Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith Costumes designed by Trisha Biggar Kids, I'll admit that in a lot of cases the costumes were just Green Gloves, but look at what we do have on hand! No, no, no, forget this is Star Wars for a second. Look at the robes. Look at the Formalwear at the Opera House! Look at the senatorial garb. HONORABLE MENTION! HONORABLE MENTION!!! I'm sounding like a broken record with my plugs for Serenity and Star Wars 3, and yes, my salutes to Memoirs of a Geisha! Judge it fairly and I think you'll understand why I say so!

The category EVERYONE IS WAITING TO DISCOVER THE WINNER OF! Or so I hear. Memoirs of a Geisha Sound Editing by Wylie Stateman It looked good, it sounded good. Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat's Editing for ya! King Kong Sound Editing by Ethan Van der Ryn and Mike Hopkins That roar, that giggle... Man, oh, Man! War of the Worlds Sound Editing by Richard King Could that SNEEZE give this one the edge??? Serenity! Yeah, again! No, I'm not Biased... Listen to this movie. It's a perfect candidate through and through... but here are some stand-outs: As the ship reaches escape velocity from the first planet (on which they first encounter the "Reavers"), the Friction and G-Forces are shaking the ship, causing a lot of noise. But we know exactly when Serenity has passed into the vacuum of space... because the noise stops. And this is during a conversation. Also, how about the space battle that begins in silence, but as they are surrounded by atmosphere it booms into life. Incredible. Tom Bellfort's sound isn't gaudy, it's real. It's the roar, the bats, the screams, the planes! It's KING KONG, no question!

Editing is cute and all, but let's mix up the sound! John Pritchett, Rick Kline, Greg P. Russell and Kevin O'Connell for Memoirs of a Geisha It's about the sounds (Foley), the music (score) and the dialogue and how they play against each other. When does one tame in deference to another... and does that taming make sense? In Memoirs of a Geisha the answer is... we're not sure. And that's the idea. If it's perfect, you don't notice the sound has been "mixed"! Peter F. Kurland, D.M. Hemphill and Paul Massey for Walk the Line Well, if you've got a concert going on and you have someone in another room, and the sound is dulled, and you can hear them breathe or talk, or the ice clinking in their glasses... that's when you know that a sound mix is going right. Such is the case here! Ronald Judkins, Anna Behlmer and Andy Nelson for War of the Worlds Yeah, yeah, yeah, boom, scream, sneeze, we know. Good on ya! Stewart's talking and I'm still writing! SHOOT! Hammond Peek, Michael Hedges and Michael Semanick and I think Christopher Boyes was working on this one. I didn't see him, but I've got an ear for these things! for King Kong Roar. Go mix me a drink, Kong! Tony Johnson, Dean A. Zupancic and Terry Porter for The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe Roar. Go mix me a drink, Aslan! Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith! Yeah! Sue me. What was better than the mixing in this movie? Um... The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe! I was all ears... and eyes. But for once, not hormones!

These were most certainly BOX OFFICE DRAWS! Get it? Howl's Moving Castle by Hayao Miyazaki Uh, it's the stunning story of a castle that... moves and... howls... and, uh... I didn't see it. Tim Burton's Corpse Bride by Tim Burton and Mike Johnson Hey, what's with the dead chick? Give the Oscar to her! She's so cool she's HOT! Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit by Nick Park and Steve Box Clay never looked so funny... nor did the word "CHEESE!" Robots by Chris Wedge I'm sorry, I just liked it. Sue me! Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit I'm sorry, I just liked it. Sue me!

And now, movies that are real. As real as you and me! But with special effects and strippers. Street Fight by Marshall Curry In New Jersey, the elections can be a real FIGHT! I've heard... I didn't see it! March of the Penguins by Yves Darondeau and Luc Jacquet It's cute and it's informative. It's the touching story of a caravan of Penguins to and from Mating Season and beyond. It's absolutely not to be missed. It's perfect for little kids, grown up, Teenagers, singles... Just about everyone! Murderball by Dana Adam Shapiro and Henry-Alex Rubin Don't call these guys "Disabled". This story of the USA's Quad Rugby team and their rivalry with Canada... amongst others is a smart and tough documentary, worth rolling with! Darwin's Nightmare by Hubert Sauper Intelligent Design? Just kidding. See it. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room by Jason Kliot and Alex Gibney The smartest guys in the room... the dumbest jackasses in the industry! Damn! I WANT MY MONEY BACK! Serenity and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith! I'm KIDDING! I'm KIDDING! Sheesh! Rent a sense of HUMOR! You know what? March of the Penguins deserves it! It was the most "genuine" among the documentaries and had a real-life emotion to it. I'm there! Well, not THERE! Just in spirit!

Malaka-naka-peesai! Some of the best films of the year are here, here and only here. Thank GOD for Subtitles! It's BEST FORIEGN LANGUAGE FILM! France's Joyeux Noël by Christian Carion An uplifting and funny War Film. It's also one of my all time favorite Christmas Movies... and I just saw it yesterday, so... damn! Totsi by Gavin Hood This one is beautiful and vile. It's also incredibly well acted. Paradise Now by Hany Abu-Assad This inside look at Palestinian Suicide Bombers is not an excuse or reason for them so much as it is an indictment of those planners who send young men and women to their deaths while they stay cozy and warm and alive. Regardless of your feelings about the subject matter, the film is a fine commentary. Don't Tell by Cristina Comencini I ain't goin', I ain't goin', I ain't goin' tell ya! I ain't goin' tell you one thing that ya really ought to know... aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand she's my baby let me tell ya that I love her so and... AND... Sophie Scholl - Die letzten Tage by Marc Rothemund I make no jokes about this one. Sophie Scholl - The Final Days was beautiful, muted and perfectly acted. It's also a rare German look at Nazi Germany from the inside! SEE THIS MOVIE! [Caché] by Michael Haneke France's [Caché] was a bold and disturbing psychological thriller with one of the only scenes that has ever made me jump, gasp and put a hand over my mouth like Elaine on Airplane! But to include this one would mean to bump Joyeux Noël! And that is something... I cannot accept! Joyeux Noel! Every "flaw" is given its due diligence and proves itself out to be no flaw at all! It's brilliant, moving and engrossing. Spoken in French, German and English equally, it's a brilliant tale of the front line where the things that make us different are dwarfed by the things that make us the same. I need a Cigarette!