..Gary Dretzka
..Noah Forrest
..Leonard Klady
..David Poland
..Douglas Pratt
..Ray Pride
..Kim Voynar
..Michael Wilmington

BEST PICTURE
Anyone reading this knows that I love Sideways... but nice expansion weekend numbers do not scream "This is the phenom you've been waiting for!" On the other hand, The Aviator will become the highest dometic grosser of the five nominees this weekend (passing Ray) while also becoming Scoresese's biggest career grosser. And Million Dollar Baby had a power expansion, has a significant lead in mid-week per-screen, could pass Finding Neverland by the end of this weekend and even catch Sideways by Oscar weekend. That's a signal!
Picture - Studio xxx	Key Awards	Comment
The Aviator - Miramax	HFPA	The putative front-runner, but the seemingly negative attention to its main challenger seems to be working as a positive and roles could reverse next weekend
Million Dollar Baby - Warner Bros	DGA	The only thing keeping it from running in front is the late start... but maybe the late start is why it is in such good shape... life is a conundrum
Sideways - Fox Searchlight	NY, LA HFPA BFCA	Still time to roar back in... but not a lot.
Finding Neverland - Miramax
Ray - Universal

 

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
The biggest grosser won last year and the year before, in this new period of the short list and room allowed for popular docs. That would make Super Size Me the prohibitive favorite. But I believe that the youthfulness of Morgan Spurlock (great guy) and the huge heart of Born Into Brothels could change the habit this year.
Picture - Studio xx	Comment
Super Size Me	Recognition is high for a delightful, thought-provoking doc
Born Into Brothels	The power shot of the group... not a dry eye
The Story Of The Weeping Camel	A wonderful film... but is it really, really, really a doc?
Twist of Faith	Brilliant Kirby Dick... but may be too late on the scene to get the neccessary traction
Tupac: Resurrection	Recommended by 4 out of 5 Oscar voters who think that a cap busted in your ass is something done by a prosititute and corrected by a dentist

 

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
One of those categories that loves to humiliate prognosticators, but The Sea Inside has won in virtually every foreign language opportunity. True, Hitler is in play. And The Chorus would have been a Best Picture contender in some years under Miramax and will now have to get lucky enough to have any shot as this year's spoiler. But still that rule... you have to see all five to vote. You never know...
Picture - Studio xxx	Comment
The Sea Inside	It is the best of the group, but who the heck is going to vote for a movie about a lively character who wants to die in the end?
Downfall	There's nothing like a good Hitler movie to get voters roused. (Next year, watch for Inside Deep Throat trade ads playing on Linda Lovelace's Hitler look-a-like cat.)
The Chorus	A lovely, traditional, schmaltzfest... don't count it out.
Yesterday
As It Is

 

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Picture - Studio xxx	Comment
The Incredibles	What? Are you kidding? The most one-sided vote on the entire ballot. I don't even need to try to remember who else was nominated. Such a lock it make Jamie Foxx look shaky by comparison.
Other
Other

 

20 Weeks To Oscar Charts: Last Week
Picture|.|||.Director|x| |Screenplay/Adapted Screenplay
xActor/Supporting Actor ||.|Actress/Supporting Actress
x
Earlier Charts
January 20, 2005 | January 13, 2005 | December 30, 2004 | December 23, 2004
December 16 , 2004 | December 2, 2004 | November 25, 2004 | November 18, 2004
November 11, 2004 | November 4, 2004 | October 28, 2004 | October 21, 2004
October 14, 2004 | September 22, 2004 | August 4, 2004

February 3, 2005
- David Poland