Date: Fri 06-Feb-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Quick Words:

Oscar-Hopkins-Cameron-Titanic

Full Text:

NOW PLAYING: Early Picks For Oscar's Nod

By Trey Paul Alexander III

On February 10, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will unveil

the 1997 Oscar nominations, prompting yours truly to fire a preemptive strike

and register my own year's-best inventory. (Note: this is not a prediction of

who will be nominated.) Some eligible films are still in limited release or

played very briefly (therefore getting scant exposure), and since one of my

rules is no nominating of things I haven't seen, no matter highly praised, you

won't find Robert Duvall ( The Apostle ), Burt Reynolds ( Boogie Nights ),

Helena Bonham Carter ( The Wings of the Dove ) or Peter Fonda ( Ulee's Gold )

on this list. However, between now and the March 23 Oscar telecast, maybe some

of them will have registered on my movie radar.

Best Supporting Actor: Rupert Everett ( My Best Friend's Wedding ), Anthony

Hopkins ( Amistad ), Kevin Spacey ( L.A. Confidential ), Robin Williams ( Good

Will Hunting ) and James Woods ( Hercules ). Yes, I have nominated a

voice-over characterization in this category, which also includes smooth

dramatic work from some well-regarded pros and a deft comic turn from a

relative newcomer.

Best Supporting Actress: Kim Basinger ( L.A. Confidential ), Minnie Driver (

Good Will Hunting ), Anne Heche ( Wag The Dog ), Gloria Stuart ( Titanic ),

and Charlize Theron ( The Devil's Advocate ). Though I nigh well despised The

Devil's Advocate , Charlize Theron gains a nod for her risky, wide-eyed

performance in that pulpy film. The others in this category, including the

87-year old Stuart, turned in worthy efforts in a year not noted for a wealth

of rich female roles.

Best Actress: Judi Dench ( Mrs Brown ), Jodie Foster ( Contact ), Helen Hunt (

As Good As It Gets ), Emily Watson ( The Boxer ), and Kate Winslet ( Titanic

). Again, the pickings were slim in this category, not due to lackluster

performances but for a dearth of meaty parts. Still, these ladies turned in

some gutsy performances that were second to none in their respective films.

Best Actor: Matt Damon ( Good Will Hunting ), Dustin Hoffman ( Wag The Dog ),

Djimon Hounsou ( Amistad ), Jack Nicholson ( As Good As It Gets ), and Al

Pacino ( Donnie Brasco ). This category could be the most competitive in

years, with many noteworthy male portrayals given over the course of 1997.

Particularly high on my list is Pacino, who is likely to be forgotten due to

the fact Donnie Brasco was released back in February. Those failing to make my

cut, but also deserving of consideration, include the two leads of L.A.

Confidential (Russell Crowe and Guy Pierce), Johnny Depp ( Donnie Brasco ),

and the underrated Nicolas Cage ( Face/Off ).

Best Director: James Cameron ( Titanic ), Curtis Hanson ( L.A. Confidential ),

Barry Levinson ( Wag The Dog ), Steven Spielberg ( Amistad ), and Gus Van Sant

( Good Will Hunting ). Some pundits believe the Best Director nominees should

parallel the Best Picture nominees. As you can see, I'm not one of them.

Best Picture: Amistad, Donnie Brasco, Good Will Hunting, L.A. Confidential and

Titanic . Cameron's historical/romantic epic would have made old Hollywood,

big-scale storytellers DeMille and Griffith proud, and the other entries

signaled a return to dense plotting and complex screenwriting. My honorable

mention goes to The Game , a twisty-turning thriller with a tip of the hat to

Hitchcock.