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Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
I saw Finding Neverland two nights ago, and Ray is apparently on its way to me via Netflix. If all goes according to plan, I'll have seen all five nominated best picture films (Sideways seen December 13, 2004, The Aviator seen February 8, 2005, Million Dollar Baby seen February 17, 2005, Finding Neverland seen February 22, 2005, and Ray scheduled for February 24 or 26 2005.) I've also seen Hotel Rwanda (3 noms), Before Sunset (best adapted screenplay), Eternal Sunshine for the Spotless Mind (2 noms), Kinsey (best supporting actress), The Incredibles (4 noms), Shrek 2 (2 noms), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2 noms), Spider-Man 2 (2 noms), and I, Robot (best visual effects). I'm probably going to the theater tonight for one last pre-Oscar show. I'll see either The Sea Inside (2 noms), A Very Long Engagement (2 noms), or The Merchant of Venice (0 noms). I could also go see Sideways again.

I do have to say, having seen all of the best actor performances but Jamie Foxx's Ray, I think that Paul Giamatti's performance in Sideways was better than Clint Eastwood's performance in Million Dollar Baby, and Giamatti should have gotten the nomination. Paul Giamatti had to make you like an unlikable person, and that was a very difficult task. Clint Eastwood was good, but the character wasn't as challenging of a role. I also think that Jim Carrey's performance was better thn Eastwood's but I'm irrational about Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. That said, this is a tight field, and right now I'm rooting for (depending on the hour) Johnny Depp or Don Cheadle. Don Cleadle seems to get more hours than Johnny Depp.

The actress side isn't as interesting. Hilary Swank and Kate Winslet were the only ones I've seen and I liked them both immensely. I'd be happy with either one of them winning.

Writing, I've seen most of the writing nominated movies except for Vera Drake (Original) and Motorcycle Diaries (Adapted). I'm rooting for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind for original and Before Sunset for adapted. They are my first and second favorite movies of 2004.

I’m still irritated with the cop out “Best Animated Feature” category, because I think that animated films are good enough to compete with the rest of the pack and there simply aren’t enough animated films released every year. I mean Shark Tale got an Oscar nomination? Did they even read the reviews? Same goes for Ice Age (2002) and Brother Bear (2003). Having the separate category gives the Academy a cop-out so they don’t have to consider very good movies like The Incredibles and Finding Nemo for the Best Picture Award.

ETFT and give paragraph breaks, sorry 'bout that

I have seen exactly one of these movies, Aviator, and frankly, I wasnt impressed. It would have been good as a miniseries where the disparate, yet endless, patchwork of different scenes of a life would have been better in a story type setting. But that movie was interminable. I thought the acting was excelelnt though. Best movie? something memorable and classic? No way.

The only other movies I would have wanted to see are Ray and Eternaal Sunshine. Ray was too long to see in a movie theater and Eternal Sunshine had Jim Carrey in it who tops my Revolta list so I couldnt go which was unfortunate. All in all, I say this was a bad year for movies and they should just scrap the whole fucking thing. Except for Chris Rock. I hope he doesnt get all conformist and shit.