OSCAR NOMINEES

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***** So good I wept | **** That's Entertainment | *** Has its merits | ** Better than a root canal | * So bad I wept

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ALMOST FAMOUS ****½ (R/2:02/9-15-00) Crowe's rendition of 1973 is so almost real, it's almost scary.

Nominated for: Best Supporting Actress (Kate Hudson), Best Supporting Actress (Frances McDormand), Original Screenplay (Cameron Crowe), Editing.

Won: Original Screenplay (Cameron Crowe).

 

BILLY ELLIOT ****½ (R/1:50/10-13-00) British kid gives up black lung for white slippers.

Nominated for: Best Supporting Actress (Julie Walters), Directing (Stephen Daldry), Original Screenplay (Lee Hall).

 

CAST AWAY ****½ (PG-13/2:23/12-22-00) Man snatched from paradise, stranded in film with Helen Hunt.

Nominated for: Best Actor (Tom Hanks), Sound.

 

THE CELL ****½ (R/1:47/8-18-00) D'Onofrio and Lopez discover the greatest thing since sliced horse.

Nominated for: Makeup.

 

CHOCOLAT ***** (PG-13/2:01/12-22-00) Romantic story whipped into a fondue, lovingly frosted with glucose.

Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Actress (Juliette Binoche), Best Supporting Actress (Judi Dench), Adapted Screenplay (Robert Nelson Jacobs), Original Score.

 

THE CONTENDER ***** (R/2:06/10-13-00) V.P. candidate gets busy facing charges that she got busy in college.

Nominated for: Best Actress (Joan Allen), Best Supporting Actor (Jeff Bridges).

 

CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON ****½ (PG-13/2:00/12-8-00) Lee reveals ancient Chinese secret.

Nominated for: Best Picture, Directing (Ang Lee), Adapted Screenplay (Hui-Ling Wang, James Schamus, Kuo Jung Tsai), Cinematography, Art Direction-Set Decoration, Costume Design, Editing, Original Score, Original Song ("A Love Before Time," written by Jorge Calandrelli, Tan Dun, and James Schamus), Foreign Lanuage Film.

Won: Cinematography, Art Direction-Set Decoration, Original Score, Foreign Lanuage Film.

 

THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE **** (G/1:19/12-15-00) Disney calls a Spade a llama.

Nominated for: Original Song ("My Funny Friend and Me," written by Sting and David Hartley).

 

ERIN BROCKOVICH **** (R/2:10/3-17-00) Big hair/big heels/short skirt: Julia Roberts's classiest action suit ever.

Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Actress (Julia Roberts), Best Supporting Actor (Albert Finney), Directing (Steven Soderbergh), Original Screenplay (Susannah Grant).

Won: Best Actress (Julia Roberts).

 

GLADIATOR *** (R/2:34/5-5-00) Phoenix engages in unlikely battle with Crowe.

Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Actor (Russell Crowe), Best Supporting Actor (Joaquin Phoenix), Directing (Ridley Scott), Original Screenplay (David H. Franzoni, John Logan, William Nicholson), Cinematography, Art Direction-Set Decoration, Costume Design, Sound, Editing, Visual Effects, Original Score.

Won: Best Picture, Best Actor (Russell Crowe), Costume Design, Sound, Visual Effects.

 

HOLLOW MAN *½ (R/1:54/8-4-00) Dr. Jekyll takes potion, turns into Mr. Hide.

Nominated for: Visual Effects.

 

HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS ****½ (PG/1:46/11-17-00) Seuss's story gets a little Carrey-d away.

Nominated for: Art Direction-Set Decoration, Costume Design, Makeup.

Won: Makeup.

 

MEET THE PARENTS ***½ (PG-13/1:48/10-6-00) Stiller and De Niro are introduced, but they introduce nothing.

Nominated for: Original Song ("A Fool In Love," written by Randy Newman).

 

O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? ***** (PG-13/1:46/12-22-00) Coen brothers are right where they oughtta be.

Nominated for: Cinematography.

 

102 DALMATIANS ***½ (G/1:41/11-22-00) Disney gets Close to a funny character, but most of the film is spotty.

Nominated for: Costume Design.

 

THE PATRIOT **** (R/2:44/6-28-00) Mel Gibson's second stint as a chicken at war.

Nominated for: Cinematography, Sound, Original Score.

 

THE PERFECT STORM **** (PG-13/2:09/6-30-00) A bunch of stout-hearted sailors go fishing for disaster.

Nominated for: Sound, Visual Effects.

 

POLLOCK **** (R/2:02/12-15-00) Ed Harris's Oscar-nominated performance as the famous paint-squirter.

Nominated for: Best Actor (Ed Harris), Best Supporting Actress (Marcia Gay Harden).

Won: Best Supporting Actress (Marcia Gay Harden).

 

SPACE COWBOYS ***½ (PG-13/2:09/8-4-00) If this script were a spacecraft, you couldn't get me to fly in it.

Nominated for: Sound Effects Editing.

 

TRAFFIC ****½ (R/2:27/12-27-00) Drug trade story writer gets high (perspective); director gets high (praise).

Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Benicio Del Toro), Directing (Steven Soderbergh), Adapted Screenplay (Stephen Gaghan), Editing.

Won: Best Supporting Actor (Benicio Del Toro), Directing (Steven Soderbergh), Adapted Screenplay, Editing.

 

U-571 ****½ (PG-13/1:55/4-21-00) Note to self: Never board broken enemy sub during war.

Nominated for: Sound, Sound Effects Editing.

Won: Sound Effects Editing.

 

WONDER BOYS ****½ (R/1:52/2-25-00) Director Hanson achieves success with a novel approach.

Nominated for: Adapted Screenplay (Steven Kloves), Editing, Original Song ("Things Have Changed," written by Bob Dylan).

Won: Original Song ("Things Have Changed," written by Bob Dylan).

 

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(All reviews copyright John R. McEwen and The Republican)

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