Let’s open the envelope, shall we?
| Category | Mike said | Oscar said | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Picture | Chicago | Chicago | A hit! |
| Best Director | Rob Marshall (Chicago) or Martin Scorsese (Gangs of New York) | Roman Polanski (The Pianist) | A miss. |
| Best Actor | Daniel Day-Lewis (Gangs of New York) | Adrien Brody (The Pianist) | A miss. |
| Best Actress | Reneé Zellweger (Chicago) | Nicole Kidman (The Hours) | A miss. |
| Best Supporting Actor | — | Chris Cooper (Adaptation) | No pick. |
| Best Supporting Actress | Catherine Zeta-Jones (Chicago) | Catherine Zeta-Jones (Chicago) | A hit! |
| Best Original Screenplay | Gangs of New York | Talk to Her | A miss |
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Chicago (hedged, weakly) | The Pianist | A miss. |
So, to summarize: I got two out of seven. Almodovar and Polanski blindsided me. Anne Zender, however, knew the rule to apply when considering Nicole Kidman’s performance: “Putty nose wins,” she said.
While Paul Frankenstein blogged the ceremony live, Ken sat it out this year, unlike last (start here, read upwards). We were on the road back from Oregon and didn’t see any of the show (not that I would have been watching anyway).
Conclusion: next time I pick Oscar winners, simply pick whatever the opposite of my choices are, and you should be in good shape.
Here is my prediction for 2003, in the 2004 ceremony:
Peter Jackson’s The Return of the King wins in all major categories, allowing the competing Matrix productions only minor wins in categories that prior LOTR films have won in, such as Sound.
Actually, The Morning News said it first. I just stole it.