Quips notes - 18.01.05

Well, it looks like it's that time again. Time to figure out what's the best (and worst) from 2004 from Hollywood and beyond.

Every year, the Internet Entertainment Writers Association fires off a link to a list of the movies that were released throughout the previous year, asking its members to cast their votes for what and who should win. Of course, it's all tied to the Oscars, but the results really don't seem to effect those awards one way or the other. Which is fine. Apparently, 557 movies were released in 2004. I saw 190 of 'em. About average.

What I normally do is cull through the list of possibles, throwing together a draft list of the ones I've seen and think match a particular category. Then, I wait for the Oscar nominations to be released, and adjust my list accordingly before submitting it. Oscar nominations are due to come out January 24th this year. However, my draft list is done. So, here it is, in no particular order:

>- Best Picture
Passion of the Christ, The
Very Long Engagement, A
Ocean's Twelve
Notebook, The
Before Sunset

>- Best Actor in a Leading Role
Ethan Hawke, Before Sunset
Jamie Foxx, Ray
Denzel Washington, Man on Fire
Leonardo Di Caprio, Aviator, The
Dennis Quaid, In Good Company

>- Best Actress in a Leading Role
Audrey Tautou, Very Long Engagement, A
Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Anne Reid, Mother, The
Reese Witherspoon, Vanity Fair
Annette Bening, Being Julia

>- Best Actor in a Supporting Role
John Turturro, Secret Window
Colin Farrell, Intermission
Billy Bob Thornton, Alamo, The
Hristo Naumov Shopov, Passion of the Christ, The
Derek Luke, Friday Night Lights

>- Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Orly Silbersatz Banai, Broken Wings
Dinara Drukarova, Since Otar Left
Lily Tomlin, I Heart Huckabees
Marcia Gay Harden, P.S.
Virginia Madsen, Sideways

>- Best Screenplay (Original or Adapted)
Joel Bakan & Harold Crooks, Corporation, The
Charlie Kaufman, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor, Sideways
Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy & Ethan Hawke, Before Sunset
Paul Weitz, In Good Company

>- Best Director
Tony Scott, Man on Fire
Steven Spielberg, Terminal, The
Steven Soderbergh, Ocean's Twelve
Mel Gibson, Passion of the Christ, The
Yann Samuell, Love Me If You Dare

>- Best Song from a Movie
"Accidentally in Love", Shrek 2
By Adam Duritz, Dan Vickrey, David Immergluck, Matthew Malley & David Bryson
"She Walks in Beauty", Vanity Fair
Lyrics by Lord George Gordon Byron, Music by Mychael Danna
"Sway", Shall We Dance?
By Pussycat Dolls
"What'd I Say", Ray
By Ray Charles
"La Vie en Rose", Love Me If You Dare
By Édith Piaf / Louiguy

>- Best Visual Effects (Special Effects, Make-Up or Animation)
Passion of the Christ, The
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Troy
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
Incredibles, The

>- Best Soundtrack or Musical Score
Festival Express
Shall We Dance?
Sideways
Ray
Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The

>- Worst Picture
Decoys
Saddest Music in the World, The
Open Water
Darkness
Story of the Weeping Camel, The

>- Breakthrough Performance
Marina Golbahari, Osama
Maya Maron, Broken Wings
Jon Heder, Napoleon Dynamite
Catalina Sandino Moreno, Maria Full of Grace
Freddie Highmore, Finding Neverland

Thanks for checking in.