NewsFebruary 20, 2001
INTERNET ABUZZ WITH OSCAR OUTLOOKS
The nominees have been announced, and the suspense will build until Oscar Night, March 25. Since I have seen so few movies recently, I was surprised to learn I had seen three of the "Best Picture" nominees. Of course, one of them -- "Gladiator" -- I actually saw on video. I think it would have been better on the big screen...
Joni Adams
The nominees have been announced, and the suspense will build until Oscar Night, March 25.
Since I have seen so few movies recently, I was surprised to learn I had seen three of the "Best Picture" nominees. Of course, one of them -- "Gladiator" -- I actually saw on video. I think it would have been better on the big screen.
If you want to peruse the full list of nominees, start at the horse's mouth: Oscar.com
This has been updated for the 73th Academy Awards ceremony. In addition to Gladiator, other best picture nominations include "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "Erin Brockovich," "Chocolat" and "Traffic." I saw Erin Brockovich a long, long time ago. I was surprised it was still in this year's Oscar cycle. I saw "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" last weekend and loved it. It took just a little while to get adjusted to the subtitles and still watch the story unfold.
This site offers bios on all the nominated actors and actresses, complete with a brief video clip and Academy Awards history. It's very user-friendly.
You can also learn about Oscar styles, and how they have evolved over the years, along with a closer look at men and women's fashions.
You can also learn more about the Oscars. Did you know that the Oscar statue depicts a knight holding a crusader's sword? He stands on a reel of film with five spokes that signify the original branches of the Academy: Actors, writers, directors, producers and technicians.
The statue itself is 13 1/2 inches tall and weighs 8 1/2 pounds.
The FAQ is pretty interesting, too. Who has won the most Academy Awards in total? Walt Disney is the all-time winner with 26 to his name. You can play a weekly trivia game in "Fun and Games" or predict the winners.
The site promises to keep adding updates and features, such as more information on host Steve Martin. Don't forget to check out the past winners database.
Who is going to win? Let's take a closer look at some industry Web sites to get some insight.
This industry insider publication has been around for along time, but it's no doubt reaching new readers on the World Wide Web.
Click on the Oscar Central button on the left-hand side of the Home page to focus on the upcoming Oscars.
I found some interesting facts on this site. They said the strong showings of "Gladiator" and "Brockovich" defy the conventional wisdom that early-year openers are forgotten. Brockovich, in fact, debuted last March, before last year's Oscar ceremonies. Both are available on DVD, a first for two best film nominees.
They said "Traffic" is a rarity too: a best picture nominee based on a TV series. The show airs in Britain. Variety also observed that "Chocolat" marks Miramax's 10th best picture nomination in nine years, a feat no other company can match.
I also found an interesting story about Sony, which backed "Crouching Tiger." One of the execs said subtitles aren't an issue these days because that's how the new generations of e-mail users "talk." Who would have thought that the World Wide Web would have made subtitles more palatable? Make sure you follow the links to the movie reviews. These are wonderful reviews with plenty of detail and insight.
They, too, have very interesting trivia about the Oscars, including the fact that for a film to be eligible, it must be released in Los Angeles for at least a week in the year being considered.
Another interesting industry buzz site can be found at Oscarwatch.
They bring together a compilation of news and their own stories on Oscars, the films and the people. They also provide their own predictions for the main categories.
Their likes: "Gladiator" as Best Picture with "Crouching Tiger" a hot second; Tom Hanks as Best Actor with Russell Crowe a hot second; and Julia Roberts as Best Actress with Ellen Burstyn a hot second.
I also enjoyed the story on early Las Vegas bookmaking on the awards.
Oddsmakers like "Gladiator," Russell Crowe and Julia Roberts as early favorites.
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There's some interesting commentary on Oscar snubs, and some gnashing of teeth over the fact "Chocolat" is in the Best Picture nominees at all.
You can compare the full list of nominees to OscarWatch predictions or the Golden Globe winners off this site.
There's also lots of good links to other Oscar sites, and forums where you can converse with other movie buffs.
Check out Gold Derby, a Web site run by the writer of Variety's new book "Movie Awards."
This site will tell you who is ahead in the Oscar race, featuring the opinions of seven reviewers including a "mystery man" identified only as a Hollywood insider.
"Gladiator" is in the lead, followed by "Brockovich." You can also link back to each reviewers and see how many of their Best Picture predictions came true.
You can also visit their Forum and voice your opinion. There are movie reviews from the participating reviewers.
You can also jump over to other movie-related sites, such as the New York Film Critics Circle, Golden Globe Awards, or National Society of Film Critics.
For another inside industry look, check out this Web site.
This site provides fast-breaking news, the inside dope, gossip and deals surrounding books, digital, film, media, music and TV.
Click on "Inside Oscars" on the right-hand side of the Home Page to access Inside's Academy Awards tracker. You can go directly to the nominee of your choice to get Insider's take on their chances.
The day I checked, "Gladiator" was ahead, with "Erin" coming in second.
Rankings on the Inside Line are calculated daily, based on a contender's pedigree, awards, reviews, press, promotional campaign and buzz. They were 85 percent on the mark for all nominees.
It looks as such things as the influence of advertising dollars and media hype on nominations. Under the Film category, you'll also find release schedules, critical reaction, MPAA ratings, and much more.
Of course, all the nominated movies have their own Web sites you can visit:
No doubt, all your favorite movie and entertainment sites have special features on the Oscars. Things should be buzzing between now and March 25.
By the way, if anyone wants to tell me their spin on the ending of "Crouching Tiger," please e-mail me at jonia@sehosp.org. My husband and I had differing views.
See you in Cyberspace -- or at the movies.
Joni Adams is the Webmaster at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau, www.southeastmissourihospital.com.
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