Date: Fri 22-Mar-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Illustration: C

Location: A-11

Quick Words:

Now-Playing-Predicting-Oscars

Full Text:

(Predicting the Oscars for Now Playing, 3/22/96)

Now Playing-

Predicting Those Prestigious Awards

By Trey Paul Alexander III

Monday night, March 25, is Oscar night! ABC will televise Hollywood's most

prestigious gathering - the Academy Awards - and let the whole world share in

the unveiling of what only those crafty accountants at Price Waterhouse know:

who the winners are. But that does not keep us from hazarding our own modest

guesses as to what the evening may have in store.

Early last month I ran a summary of what I had hoped would be nominated in the

top five Oscar categories. Although I went out of my way to cover my behind -

I stated no intentions of predicting the nominees, only what I felt should be

among them - I can glory in the fact that in each case I correctly named three

out of five honorees. But now is no time to rest on my laurels. The following

is a list of the five nominees in several categories (my original choices are

in bold), with comments on the probable winners and what deserves to win.

Best Supporting Actor: Ed Harris ( Apollo 13 ), Tim Roth ( Rob Roy ), Kevin

Spacey ( The Usual Suspects ), James Cromwell ( Babe ) and Brad Pitt ( 12

Monkeys ). Although Brad Pitt won a Golden Globe for his work as a manic

mental patient, this award will probably go to Kevin Spacey, the

hardest-working man in show business last year. Besides his trophy-worthy turn

as Verbal Kint in The Usual Suspects , he chilled our blood as a serial killer

in Seven , battled an epidemic in Outbreak , and also starred in a little-seen

flick titled Swimming With Sharks .

Best Supporting Actress: Mira Sorvino ( Mighty Aphrodite ), Joan Allen 9 Nixon

), Kate Winslet ( Sense and Sensibility ), Kathleen Quinlan ( Apollo 13 ) and

Mare Winningham ( Georgia ). Like their male counterparts, the ladies' top

contender for the prize is also my personal choice: Mira Sorvino, for her

hysterical characterization of a prostitute with a Minnie Mouse voice but a

locker-room vocabulary.

Best Actor: Nicolas Cage ( Leaving Las Vegas ), Richard Dreyfuss ( Mr

Holland's Opus ), Sean Penn ( Dead Man Walking ), Anthony Hopkins ( Nixon )

and Massimo Troisi ( Il Postino ). It would be shocking if anyone other than

Nicolas Cage is called up to the podium when the envelope is read. Though each

of the other nominees performed brilliantly in their respective films, Cage

took a difficult role in a depressing film and located a core of humanity

within the pitiable soul of an alcoholic drinking himself to death.

Best Actress: Susan Sarandon ( Dead Man Walking ), Elisabeth Shue ( Leaving

Las Vegas ), Meryl Streep ( The Bridges of Madison County ), Sharon Stone (

Casino ) and Emma Thompson ( Sense and Sensibility ). Probably the toughest

group from which to pick a winner, due to the strength of the various

portrayals. Although Streep is seemingly a perpetual presence, I would lean

towards her as my selection. However, my close second is Sarandon, who will

likely be honored with her first Oscar win (out of five nominations, including

this one).

Best Picture: Apollo 13 , Braveheart , Sense and Sensibility , Babe and Il

Postino . Something tells me Sense and Sensibility has a decent chance to

garner the award here, but I will stick with my sentimental choice, Braveheart

, to ultimately make director-actor Mel Gibson the proud owner of an Oscar. If

Dead Man Walking had been nominated (as well it should have!), it would have

been a tougher choice for me to make, Also, though I loved Babe , I was hoping

to see Toy Story capture one of the nominations.

There you have it; I have taken a long walk on a short limb. Soon we shall see

if I have a branch to stand on, or if "Eenie, Meenie, Mynee, Mo" would have

been a wiser strategy. Enjoy the show!