Predictions

"BABY STARS"

- for all fans of movies & my blog

Its Oscar time again and knowing that i am a movie-fanatic, you must have all guessed by now that i will be blogging on that. So here goes.... but

first of all a few things before i begin.

A dear friend Jashoda has offerred to make arrangements for the publication of some of my blogs in a couple of dailies in Gangtok. "I am sure readers will enjoy," she further added. I am, ahem ahem, a modest person but i have NO objections whatsoever to seeing my name in print. You Go Girl.

Coming Back to the oscars: Here are my predictions:

Best Film: Who will win: Babel Who should win: Little Miss Sunshine. Misc: Why is that Eastwood film there?

Best Actor: Who will win: Forest Whitaker (Last King of Scotland). Its caricature not acting unlike Dame Mirren in the Queen. Who should win: Peter O'Toole (Venus) because as a lecherous paedophile-ish man, this role is like a masterclass in acting. Misc:Political correctness is Ok but Will Smith? What is this? The black Oscars.

Best Actress: Who will win: Helen Mirren (Queen) Quite superb. Who should win: Judi Dench (Notes on a Scandal) Another Dame but her role was edgier and unlike anything she's ever done before. Misc: Meryl Streep's is her 14th nomination but hers is actually a supporting role not lead.

Best Supporting Actor: Who will win: Eddie Murphy (Dreamgirls) Comeback role et al. Bah Humbug. Who should win: Mark Wahlberg (Departed) Come on... for a former rapper and an underwear model he is frickin good. Misc: Djimon Hounsou. Being black, sad & ugly is no reason to be nominated. Your nomination is your award.

Best Supporting Actress: Who will win: Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls) OK she was pretty good and should win if only to spite Simon Cowell. Who should win: Rinko Kikuchi (Babel) Watch Babel and you will not ask why. Misc: By the same standard it should be a tie between Rinko and Adriana Barrazza (Babel).

Best Director: Who will win: Martin Scorcese (Departed) because he is long overdue and is the greatest living american director but this is not his best film. Sorry. It just isn't. Who should win: Paul Greengrass (United 93) Watch Oliver Stone's WTC and you'll understand how Greengrass has avoided all the melodrama, typecasting, blame-game etc in this gem of an film which was overlooked otherwise. Misc: How can Little Miss... be nominated for Best Film and the director not be. What? Did it direct itself?

Best Foreign Film: Who will win: Pan's Labyrinth. Who should win: Pan's Labyrinth. Misc: Sorry but Water is not great. Its another "issue" film masquerading as good cinema. And how in Gods name was Volver not nominated here?

I will keep the other predictions to myself. As much as i appreciate your patience in reading my blogs, i am pretty sure, you (except Shyam maybe) will not tolerate me going on about Best Sound Mixing & Editing etc. By the way as far as Rang De Basanti not being shortlisted, well.... it was a favourite of mine but my guess is this;

a) It didn't touch a chord in the US as it did in India.

b) We are still being punished for sending films like Jeans earlier.

If you have predictions of your own do send them in. We could even have a sweepstakes here.

Ciao

Vish

Elsewhere: Singer Britney Spears was voted “Worst Celebrity Dog Owner,” reportedly because of her treatment of estranged husband Kevin Federline