And the Oscar goes to…
Overrated actresses. ‘Gods and Monsters.’ Screen Guild Award
winner. "Ryan.’ Spielberg. Who will and deserve to win the golden
man?
Best Picture
Will Win: "Saving Private Ryan"
Should Win: "Saving Private Ryan"
Whether or not it actually was 1998’s best movie is debatable.
No matter what the verdict, though, "Ryan" has Oscar written all
over it. It’s a war epic, a genre long appreciated by the Academy
from "Ben-Hur" to "Braveheart." It’s the year’s most successful
film at the box office, a la "Titanic" and "Forrest Gump."
And as if that isn’t enough, it stars America’s favorite actor,
Tom Hanks, and is directed by the most popular director of all
time, Steven Spielberg, who already has three Oscars. Beyond all
these predictions, however, "Ryan" is an incredibly powerful, if
not a little manipulative, film that reminds an entire nation of
the sacrifices of its elders.
Best Actress
Will Win: Gwyneth Paltrow
Should Win: Fernanda Montenegro
The neck-and-neck horse-race comes between Paltrow’s turn as
Shakespeare’s muse and Kate Blanchett’s fabulously supercharged
portrayal of the Virgin Queen in "Elizabeth." The prediction here
is Paltrow, whose popularity within the industry and huge marketing
push by Miramax should vault her to the top.
Paltrow is one of the most overrated actresses in Hollywood,
with her role in "Shakespeare in Love" as little more than an
over-glorified love interest. The nod goes to Montenegro of
"Central Station," who evoked sentimentality and emotion without
the benefit of a hiding behind a decadent 17th century costume.
Best Actor
Will Win: Nick Nolte
Should Win: Ian McKellen
Don’t count out Italian actor, director and writer Robert
Benigni, who just picked up a Screen Actors Guild Award for his
performance in "Life is Beautiful." But this year’s award will
likely go to veteran American actor Nolte for his role as a
troubled sheriff. Though McKellen deserves the award for his
gripping portrait of James Whale in "Gods and Monsters," more
conservative Academy members could be scared off by an openly gay
actor playing an openly gay director.
Best Director
Will Win: Steven Spielberg
Should Win: Steven Spielberg
This category is fairly easy to call. No other directors really
stand a chance this year against the juggernaut of "Saving Private
Ryan." Not only a gripping, haunting portrayal of World War II,
replete with some of the most viscerally imagined war scenes ever
put on celluloid, but also 1998’s highest-grossing film, "Ryan"
reminds us all once again of the Spielberg’s unbelievable vision
and tremendous gift for storytelling. The only other possibilities
 Benigni for his wonderful "Life is Beautiful" or Terence
Malick for his meditative (and self-indulgent) "Thin Red Line"
 might have stood a chance in some other year, but on Oscar
night, look for Spielberg’s "Schindler’s List" Oscar to win a
companion.
Best Supporting Actress
Will Win: Judi Dench
Should Win: Lynn Redgrave
Dench and Redgrave are the favorites in this category, but the
lone American, Kathy Bates, shouldn’t be counted out for her bold,
attention-grabbing performance in "Primary Colors." Though on
screen for only a handful of minutes, British actress Dench is the
front-runner for her commanding turn as Queen Elizabeth in
"Shakespeare in Love."But more deserving of the Oscar is Redgrave,
who flawlessly mixes comic, tragic and human elements in her
portrayal of a slightly off-beat Hungarian maid to an aging
Hollywood film director in "Gods and Monsters."
Best Supporting Actor
Will Win: Billy Bob Thornton
Should Win: Billy Bob Thornton
A talented and fairly even field, including several past Oscar
winners and nominees, this race is hard to call. James Coburn and
Robert Duvall could be honored for their performances in
"Affliction" and "A Civil Action," respectively, while the hype and
acclaim surrounding "Shakespeare in Love" could find Geoffrey Rush
accepting his second golden man. But Billy Bob Thornton should and
will win for his fascinating, honest and moving performance in the
under-rated "A Simple Plan."