‘Could this finally be the year Martin Scorsese hits the jackpot?’
The legendary director of classic movies such as Goodfellas, Raging Bull and Taxi Driver has been overlooked at the Oscars more times than he would care to recall.
But on Sunday night, when the 2007 Academy Award statuettes are handed out in Hollywood, he could finally strike gold.
Certainly, the bookies make him hot favourite to take the best director prize for his star-studded gangster thriller The Departed.
It’s by no means the best film he’s made, but all the indications are that a combination of indifferent opposition - where the acting has often been better than the films themselves - and a growing groundswell of sentiment could swing things Marty’s way.
And triumph would be sweet revenge over one of his arch-adversaries. Two years ago he was nominated for The Aviator, but lost out to Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby. This time Clint is up against him again, for war drama Letters From Iwo Jima.
The best hope for UK success lies with The Queen leading lady Helen Mirren, who looks a dead cert to make it a best actress hat-trick after her Bafta and Golden Globe victories, leaving fellow British nominees Kate Winslet and Judi Dench empty handed.
If there’s any justice, American Idol reject Jennifer Hudson will win best supporting actress for her debut role in the Motown musical Dreamgirls (for my money the performance of the year in any category), and Forest Whitaker will take best actor for his portrayal of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland.
My own personal choice for best film - United 93 - doesn’t even get on the shortlist. The Departed is favourite to win, but I reckon it will miss out. I’m plumping for the outsider Little Miss Sunshine, a feelgood comedy packed with fabulous characters which is probably the most enjoyable of the finalists.
In the best animation category, it seems to be a two-way fight between Cars and to Happy Feet, which kept Daniel Craig’s 007 debut film Casino Royale off the number one spot in the American box office.
As for best acceptance speech, keep your eyes on bubbly Jennifer Hudson, who will surely be keen remind Simon Cowell about the day he told her she’d never make it as a big star.
* Don’t miss Monday’s Shropshire Star for first news of all the big winners, and fashion pictures from the red carpet . . . and to find out if my predictions are right.
Here goes - my top six tips for Oscars success are:
- BEST ACTOR: Forest Whitaker
- BEST ACTRESS: Helen Mirren
- BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Jennifer Hudson
- BEST DIRECTOR: Martin Scorsese
- BEST FILM: Little Miss Sunshine
- BEST ANIMATED FILM: Happy Feet
- Carl Jones is the Shropshire Star’s film critic. You can catch his views and the latest local film information every Friday in the newspaper.
- Comment on Carl’s blog by clicking here.
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