The PG Cooper List Thread: Gamer Days

15 Times the Academy Got it Wrong (and Right) in the Last 15 Years

I managed to get this up on my blog the day of the Oscars but for various reasons I haven't got around to posting it here until now.

The 72nd Academy Awards

Wrong: Michael Caine wins Best Supporting Actor for The Cider House Rules


We all love Michael Caine, but there’s really no way he should have won for his performance in The Cider House Rules. His character is just kind of bland and Caine’s American accent is atrocious. The award should have been given to Tom Cruise for his electric and unforgettable turn in Magnolia. Failing that, Michael Clarke Duncan or Jude Law would have also been better for their work in The Green Mile and The Talented Mr. Ripley, respectively.

Right: The Matrix sweeps the technical categories (Sound Effects Editing, Sound, Visual Effects, and Film Editing)


The Matrix was a game changer which changed how action films looked and sounded for a long time. I can see why the film may have been ignored for awards like Best Picture (even though I disagree) but there’s really no denying the technical supremacy of the film.

The 73rd Academy Awards

Wrong: Julie Roberts wins Best Actress for Erin Brokovich


This is one of those cases where Roberts’ placement has more to do with the competition. Erin Brokovich is an enjoyable enough film and I do think Roberts gives a fun performance, but Ellen Burstyn is absolutely heart-breaking in Requiem for a Dream, providing one of the best performances of her career. It’s not the sexiest of roles, but it’s unforgettable and demanding.

Right: Benicio del Toro wins Best Supporting Actor for Traffic


I love Traffic, and I’m happy about a lot of the awards it received from the Academy. However I’ve decided to specifically cite del Toro winning for his complex portrayal of a Mexican cop trying to do the right thing in a hard situation. It’s a subtle performance that would have been easy to overlook and I’m glad it wasn’t.

The 74th Academy Awards

Wrong: Ron Howard wins Best Director for A Beautiful Mind


I don’t hate A Beautiful Mind like many people seem to, but it’s not an overly impressive work and Howard’s heavy handed direction rubs me the wrong way. It’s shame because some first-rate directors were nominated for some great films. Robert Altman’s last great film Gosford Park, Ridley Scott’s technically accomplished and authentic Black Hawk Down, and Peter Jackson’s epic and awesome The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring were all also nominated and would have been far better choices. Then there are the directors who made awesome films that weren’t even nominated, like Christopher Nolan (Memento), Wes Anderson (The Royal Tenenbaums), and Alfonso Cuarón (Y Tu Mamá También).

Right: Denzel Washington wins Best Actor for Training Day


There’s a belief that Denzel’s win is something of an apology for snubbing his performance in Malcolm X. That may be, but if so it’s one of the best cases of the politics of the Oscars working in the favour of quality. Washington’s performance in Training Day is awesome, a highlight of both the film and the actor’s illustrious career.

The 75th Academy Awards

Wrong: Chicago wins Best Picture


Chicago is a fun movie with style, but Best Picture? The film is easily the worst of the five nominees, and ultimately a pretty safe and forgettable choice. The Pianist and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers especially stand out as two films that were far more deserving. Then we have my two favourite films of the year, Minority Report and 25th Hour, which the Academy chose to not even nominate.

Right: Spirited Away wins Best Animated Film


I’m not even a big fan of this movie, but Spirited Away is still head and shoulders above the other animated films of 2002 with its beautiful animation and designs. It’s also comforting to know an artist like Miyazaki has an Oscar.

The 76th Academy Awards

Wrong: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King wins Best Film Editing


The Lord of the Rings trilogy is an amazing cinematic accomplishment and I do like that one of them won Best Picture, but some of the love Return of the King received is a bit baffling. Case in point its winning of Best Editing. How can a film which has a seemingly never ending series of endings while simultaneously omitting crucial details win an award for editing? This might have been okay if the competition was less stiff, but also nominated was City of God, which has masterful editing and a frenetic style which has been imitated greatly since.

Right: Sean Penn wins Best Actor for Mystic River


Return of the King’s Oscar dominance had a tendency to stomp all over the great Mystic River and City of God, but the former did manage to get in for the acting categories. Penn’s turn is especially worthy of its praise, playing both a hurt father figure as well as a dangerous and intimidating figure. It’s a very layered and powerful role.

The 77th Academy Awards

Wrong: Finding Neverland wins Best Score


Do you remember a single note of Finding Neverland’s score? Do you even remember Finding Neverland? I sure don’t, and yet this managed to beat out the notable scores for The Passion of the Christ and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. In truth, this category was a letdown this year. Great scores ignored include The Incredibles, Kill Bill Volume Two, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Spider-Man 2.

Right: Charlie Kaufman wins Best Original Screenplay for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind


Charlie Kaufman writes some of the most interesting moves you’ll ever see and it was about time he be acknowledged. Eternal Sunshine might well be his crowning achievement, creating deep characters, featuring great dialogue, an unpredictable structure, and a totally original high concept. It’s perfect.


To be continued...

Yes. I remember Finding Neverland. Great movie. The ending is a tearjerker.

I barely remember anything about it other than I was only mildly interested.

You were too young in 2004. You should watch it again.

I watched it for the first time last summer.

Meh, we'll see. I also don't think I'm as cynical as you make me out to be.

Can I be on the All-Cynic Team?  Because I'm totally down for that.

Dammit, I have one guilty pleasure and it cancels out all my pretension!  This blows!

Only a non-pretentious can love Total Recall.

Total Recall is one of the greatest movies ever and if you disagree, you are wrong.

He'll assign you to the All-Cynic Team.

I'm still a sucker for The Matrix; flaws and all.