Daniel J. Stasiewski, A&E Editor
behrcolls@aol.com
'Chicago' a sure thing on Oscar night
by Daniel J. Stasiewski
a&e editor
Short of a voting debacle the likes of the 2000 elec
tion, the cynical and sassy "Chicago" should steamroll
the competition at the 75" annual Academy Awards
on Sunday. With more than $125 million in the bank
just before the big show, "Chicago" has proved to be
an audience favorite like no Best Picture since "Forrest
Gump" ("Titanic's" teen-girl factor just doesn't cut
it). But with the Academy's recent share-the-wealth
attitude, a "Chicago" sweep could be out of the ques
tion.
Best Picture
"Gangs of New York
"Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
"Chicago"
Hours"
"The Pianist
Murder, mayhem, and music. What more could you
want from a Best Picture? With a huge audience ap
peal and almost every Oscar precursor, "Chicago"
looks to pick up where "Oliver!" left off in 1968. Let's
not forget it has the Miramax publicity machine be
hind it, leaving Miramax's other nominees, "Gangs"
and "The Hours," out cold.
The only threat is Roman Polanski's "The Pianist."
It won the British Academy Award for Best Picture
and France's Cesar, but this is Hollywood.
"Chicago's" courtroom circus and media hype just fit.
Oh, and for the superstitious, the only other Best Pic
ture with a city for its title was "Casablanca." Not a
musical, but it does begin with "c."
Prediction: "Chicago"
Close second: "The Pianist'
Best Director
Martin Scorsese, "Gangs of New York" Rob
Marshall, "Chicago" -Stephen Daldry, "The
Hours"—Pedro Almodavar, "Talk to Her" Roman
Polanski, "The Pianist"
Harvey Weinstein seems hell-bent on getting Mar
tin Scorsese, often considered the greatest living film
maker, his first Oscar. With three previous nomina
tions for direction, Scorsese's work has always needed
tune to ingrain itself into cinema history before re
ceiving his much deserved accolades (he wasn't even
nominated for "Taxi Driver"). Despite all of the
Miramax chief's campaigning, the "Gangs" nod could
go the same way as his other three. Especially with
his main competition being "Chicago's" Rob Marshall.
A first-time director, Marshall's work as choreog
rapher outshines the otherwise uninspired direction.
Get out of the way, Ms. Dynamite has arrived
by Olivia Page
staff writer
"It Takes More" is the hit single from
the United Kingdom blowout artist Ms.
Dynamite. This video is often seen on
MTV. Previously she was on heavy ro
tation on the underground charts. With
her debut album "A little deeper" she has
won the best R&B album at the "Top of
the Pops" award show in the UK. Some
people may not have heard of Ms. Dy
namite because she has only recently
made her mark in the United States with
the video "It Takes More."
Ms. Dynamite is very personal when
it comes to her songs. They show her
emotional views and are about herself.
This build up of character is well devel
oped. Avid music listeners like to know
about the artist who they arc listening to
and sing along with. She sounds like a
rapping, singing Nelly Furtado. She also
has her own very unique singing style.
She is a different type of hip hop/
singer. Her song lyrics are more poetic
than you hear with other singers. She has
Still, if the Academy can't give the Oscar to a Holly
wood director like Spielberg, they like to reward a
huge debut. Scorsese has lost to debut directors twice
before (Robert Redford and Kevin Costner). Even as
a sentimental favorite, Scorsese chances have dimin
ished.
Prediction: Rob Marshall, "Chicago"
Close Second: Martin Scorsese, "Gangs of New York
Best Actor
Jack Nicholson, "About Schmidt"—Daniel Day-
Lewis, "Gangs of New York" Adrien Brody, "The
Pianist"—Michael Caine, "The Quiet American - -
Nicholas Cage, "Adaptation"
But "Gangs of New York" will get its reward in the
Best Actor category. Daniel Day-Lewis's performance
as Bill the Butcher is unforgettable. Sure he's a vil
lain, but wasn't Denzel Washington a baddie last year?
With Day-Lewis' retirement looming, Hollywood's
only chance to keep this talent from going away again
will be to recognize his amazing contributions.
"The Pianist," however, can't go unrewarded, and
Adrien Brody's performance has been called the stron
gest aspect of Polanski's Holocaust epic. Being the
only nominee without an Oscar, the Academy may be
compelled to honor a new generation.
At 29 years old, Brody may be too much of a new
generation for the voters' taste. Day-Lewis is a vet
eran with the Screen Actors Guild award and has ev
ery major critic award already on his mantel. lie has
this one in the can.
Prediction: Daniel Day-Lewis, "Gangs of New
York"
Close Second: Adrien Brody, "The Pianist
Best Actress
Renee Zellweger, "Chicago"---Nicole Kidman, "The
Hours" Julianne Moore, "Far From Heaven" -
Salina Hayek, "Frida"—Diane Lane, "Unfaithful"
If any a category is completely up in the air, it's
this one. While Hayek should stay happy with her
nomination, Moore, Zellweger, Kidman, and Lane
each have big chances to take home the golden boy.
Zellweger has a Golden Globe, the Screen Actors
Guild award, and "Chicago's" momentum in her fa
vor, giving her a slight lead. Julianne Moore's per
formance in "Far From Heaven" has won practically
every critic award and she's long overdo for a win.
A big competitor, Kidman has been the Hollywood
"It" girl since "Moulin Rouge!" and has given a per
formance some, but not all, have admired. She also
even been called the UK's Lauryn Hill.
Her lyrics are good and play a crucial
part in listening to her songs. She tells a
story of morals.
The "It Takes More" lyrics are about
how she is the complete opposite of Des
tiny Child's "Bills, Bills Bills." She
sings, "Now who gives a .... about the
ice on your hand/ if its not too complex/
tell me how many Africans died for the
baguettes on your Rolex/ So what, you
pushing a nice car/ don't you know,
there's no such thing as superstars/ we
leave this world alone/ so who gives a ...
About the things you own."
"Seed Will Grow" is a reggae-inspired
song that features Kymani Marley. The
song is about a man who sells drugs,
even to children. He then comes home
to find his mother crying because his
brother had died. His brother died be
cause of the drugs that he sold to him.
The man then began to think of "And
they mothers cries/ every child is
someone's child/ you outta mind what
you do/cause Karma gonna bring the
drama back to you."
' t i
Friday, March 21, 2003
has a Golden Globe in her favor. but "The Hours
isn't exactly drawing universal praise like "Chicago
and "Far From Heaven."
Then there's Lane, whose performance was the
crowning moment of a long Hollywood career. Plus.
Lane is drawing more buzz lately than any other nomi
nee. With Miramax's publicity, it's best to stick with
Zellweger and Kidman as the top contenders. Just
wait. Next year, these two will have to share the screen
in Miramax's Oscar-bait, "Cold Mountain."
Prediction: Nicole Kidman, "The Hours"
Close Second: Renee Zellweger. "Chicago"
Best Su ortin
Chris Cooper, "Adaptation" -Christopher Walken.
"Catch Me I f You Can - - John C. Reilly. "Chicago -
Paul Newman, "Road to Perdition - -Ed I larris. "The
Hours"
At one point, Cooper's toothless orchid hunter was
a considered lock. Then another Chris walked into
the picture. Cooper's quirky performance. now pit
ted against Walken's tear-jerk sentimentality, has
enough competition to make any actor nervous.
Walken took home the Screen Actors Guild award,
but he has history working against him.
No actor has ever won an Oscar being directed by
Steven Spielberg. Still, Cooper may be a little too
off-beat for the older Academy voters. It's Walken,
just barely.
Prediction: Christopher Walken, "Catch Me If I'ou
Close Second: Chris Cooper. "Adaptation
Catherine Zeta-Jones, "Chicago" Nleryle Streep
"Adaptation"- Kathy Bates, "About Schmidt"
Julianne Moore, "The Hours" Queen Lai "Chi-
The same thing goes for Streep. "Adaptation" is a
movie the Academy likes to nominate, but not award.
Sure, Streep has the Golden Globe and she hasn't won
an Oscar in years, hut she's just not in the right movie
for an Oscar. Zeta-Jones on the other hand has the
Screen Actor's Guild Award and the (potential) Rest
Picture winner in her favor. Rarely, does a Rest Pic
ture go without an acting award. If lellweger
stumbles, Zeta-Jones becomes the favorite. Even the
Oscar darling, Meryl Streep, won't stop her.
Prediction: Catherine Zeta-Jones, "Chicago"
Close Second: Meryl Streep, -Adaptation"
"Dy-Na-Mi-Tee" has a fast paced beat
and the way that she sings her rap name
is the most noticeable and catchiest part
of the song. Her real name is Niomi
Mclean-Daley.
With "Watch Over Them," she shows
her Lauryn Hill poetic style abundantly
with "Everyday I wake I feel like cry
ing/ Every second I feel like praying/ Ev
erywhere I turn my people dying/ broth
ers and sisters now listen what I'm say
ing/ I don't really feel like writing/ and I
don't really feel like singing/ cause ev
ery where I look my people fighting/ and
its our own that we're killing."
She goes on to sing about her relation
ship with her brother with the aptly titled
song "Brother."
"Put Him Out" is about telling a
woman the man that she has a baby with
is not any good. He treats the woman
badly and the point of the lyrics are:
"Look what you showing her/ by letting
him disrespect you/ you just growing her
to think that is something that all men
do/ you owe it to yourself and your
daughter/ cause she thinks its all right/
ETIMIIMII
When she get older/ follow the footsteps
you showed her/ how you gonna look
her in the eye."
In "Natural High" she feels that life is
full of pain and stress. The lyrics say
that you have to put away the bad things,
such as drugs.
Sometimes it is not about the singer's
voice but the message that she brings.
She brings morals into her songs.
Ms. Dynamite portrays herself as a
woman with morals and respect. This
sets her apart from other female rappers.
She is no Little Kim. She is no Trina or
Foxy Brown. She does not sing or rap
about the topics of those rappers. She is
a lyricist, a poet and a woman who wants
to spread the truth.
Pedro AlmodOvar, "Talk toHer" -Nia Vardolas, "My
Big Fat Greek Wedding" Alfonso and Cartos
Cuaron,"Y fu MamU Fainhien - Todd Haynes, "Far
From 1 tem en - Jay Cocks Kenneth Lonergan. and
Steven taillian. "Gangs of New York"
Two foreign language films, two independents, and
one New York studio film. Who says Hollywood has
110 original ideas? The nominees should not be a sur-
prise because the Original Screenplay Oscar is usu
ally used to award a film that has no chance in the big
show. Sorry, "(fangs." As for the other four, there are
no real stand-outs and no buzz. Only Almodovar's
Rest Director nomination gives him a slight lead.
"Far From !leaven, - however. is too much a criti
cal fa‘ orite to go without an award, and it's in En
glish. No foreign language screenplay has won this
award since the 60s. so Haynes may just grab this one.
Still. A ImodOvar is an Oscar favorite. His "All About
My Mother' . won Best Foreign Language Film three
years ago. and he'll probably take Oscar back to Spain
for "Talk to Her"
Prediction: Pedro Almodovar, "Talk to Her"
(lose Second: Todd Haynes, "Far From Heaven'
Best Ada
David Hare, "The Hours" -Charlie and Donald
Kaufmann, "Adaptation"- -Bill Condon, "Chicago"—
Ronald Harwood, "The Pianist"- Peter Hedges, Chris
Weitz, and Paul Weitz, "About a Boy"
"The [lours" screenplay is had, just had. Still, this
film has enough supporters to steal this award from
the Kaufmanns. The people who like "The Hours"
got it nine nominations, so winning a couple of Os
cars (Kidman tOr Actress) isn't hard to believe. And
let's not forget the Mirmax factor.
It just doesn't look good fbr what is easily the most
creative screenplay since "Pulp Fiction." Of course,
"Adaptation" is no "Pulp Fiction." And the inroads
made by independent film in the mid-90s seem long
gone. I hope "Adaptation" pulls this one off; it just
doesn't seem likely.
Prediction: David Dare, The Flours"
Close Second: Charlie and Donald Kaufmann, "Ad-
apt al( n
The 75th Annual Academy Awards, hosted by
.Store Martin, will air live .Sunday at 8 p.m. on ABC.
***
out of
4 stars
The Behrend Beacon
al Screenpla'
tiM
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF ZAP2IT.COM
International
Women's Film
Series
Continues this week with 'Ouch'
COURTESY OF APOLLOGUIDE.COM
"Ouch" is a quirky comedy about a
middle-aged man who is hung up on his
ex-girlfriend. When he finds out she's
pregnant. but he's not the father, he ques
tions his ability to have a meaningful
relationshp. Soon, the man meets a
bulimic waitress with a passion for life.
The waitress and the lovelorn mid-lifer
have an affair, giving the man the chance
to finally learn about romance. In French
with English subtitles.--DS
"Ouch," directed bs• Sophie Fillieres,
will be shown on Tues. at 7 p.m. in Reed
117.
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