In truth, is there no "Beauty?" One of the most critically acclaimed films of the year, DreamWorks' "American Beauty" received more Oscar nominations than any other film of 1999, as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced from Los Angeles today.
While there are surprises, for the most part the Academy has followed the trends evinced by such predictors as the Golden Globes and the Directors Guild of America nominations. Still, it looks to be a lively race.
Oscars are given in 23 categories, but there are really only a few winners most Americans will care about come March 26.
These are the traditionally popular categories of Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Actress, and finally, Best Supporting Actor and Actress. Screenplay is good for some props, but it's on these six awards that studios pin their hopes of Oscar gold. And the nominees are
Best Picture
The major stunners are here in Oscar's most important category. Of course we see "The Insider" and early favorite "American Beauty." Both these films had Oscar buzz weeks before they hit the screen.
The other three are somewhat less conventional. "The Green Mile," the Tom Hanks prison drama from the creative team that made "The Shawshank Redemption," scores a nomination that had been counted out by insiders. A combination of lackluster business and lukewarm critical reaction caused many to prematurely dismiss "The Green Mile" as a contender.
"Mile's" impressive pedigree makes it less surprising to most than the remaining two nominees: M. Night Shyamalan's "The Sixth Sense" and Lasse Hallstrm's "The Cider House Rules." The Academy usually hesitates to reward gigantic blockbusters, and "Sense" surely qualifies. Furthermore, it stars Bruce Willis! Still, "Sense" has been generating buzz since August and with its record in other awards this season, the surprise is muted.
Miramax's "The Cider House Rules," John Irving's first personal screen adaptation of one of his books, is a bigger surprise. Budgeted at $24 million, "Cider" tapped out at around $20 million stateside. Most people missed this in the theater, but never count out the Miramax publicity machine.
Low grosses may have provided even more incentive to run after Oscar with even more than Miramax's legendary usual tenacity.
Missing from the roster are audience and critical favorites "The Talented Mr. Ripley" and "Being John Malkovich." While these were not shoo-ins by any stretch of the imagination, it is surprising that both were beaten out by such a motley crew of replacements.
Best Actor & Actress
Most of these nominees are fairly unsurprising. Russell Crowe and Kevin Spacey being honored for their spectacular turns in their respective Best Pic noms is hardly unusual. Denzel Washington was a guaranteed nominee with his most critically acclaimed performance ever in "The Hurricane." The story here is Sean Penn. Sean Penn, you say? What movie was he in? Why, Woody Allen's totally overlooked "Sweet and Lowdown," of course. Penn holds the unique distinction of being almost completely ignored by every other major awards show of the last few weeks.
Farnsworth's nomination makes him the oldest man ever to receive a nomination for Best Actor, a record previously held by Henry Fonda for "On Golden Pond."
As for the Best Actress, our nominees are culled from a list of movies that relatively few saw in 1999, besides the nearly ubiquitous "American Beauty."
Still, much anticipation surrounded several of the nominees, including Hilary Swank of the much lauded "Boys Don't Cry" and Janet McTeer, an Englishwoman playing Southern in "Tumbleweeds."
Meryl Streep tied Katharine Hepburn as the most nominated actress ever with a nod for her "Music of the Heart."
Rounding out those competing for a Best Actress statuette is Julianne Moore, nominated for her role in "The End of the Affair."
The Academy ignored traditional heavyweights like Tom Hanks and recent winners like Gwyneth Paltrow and Matt Damon. Similarly ignored were the brilliant leads of "Being John Malkovich."
Jim Carrey, snubbed by the Oscars after a Golden Globe win for "The Truman Show," repeats this year with no nomination for his performance as Andy Kaufman in "Man in the Moon."
Best Supporting Actor & Actress
Oscar vet Michael Caine scores another nod for "Cider House." Tom Cruise's turn as a misogynistic sex-help guru in "Magnolia" also hit the mark with the Academy. Haley Joel Osment fulfills six months of speculation with his nomination as Best Supporting Actor for "The Sixth Sense."
Jude Law comes out of nowhere to receive a nomination for his role as Matt Damon's victim in "Talented Mr. Ripley," the only major category nom for the film. Finally, Michael Clarke Duncan's mystical giant Death Row inmate wins him his first Oscar nomination in only his second speaking role.
Besides Toni Collette's performance in "The Sixth Sense," most of the nominees here were in movies most of the country missed. Still, it should be an interesting race. "Boys Don't Cry" has potential to dominate the female categories with Chloe Sevigny's nomination.
Catherine Keener owns the distinction of being the only member of "Malkovich's" fine cast who was not ignored by the Academy. Unforeseen is Angelina Jolie's presence, nominated for her turn in "Girl, Interrupted." Relative unknown Samantha Morton joins these actresses with her performance as Hattie in "Sweet and Lowdown."
Best Director
As usual, the DGA nominations proved a pretty good guide to the Academy's thinking on directors this year. Substituting Lasse Hallstrm for Frank Darabont was the Oscar people's only addition.
Honored here is Spike Jonze, nominated for "Being John Malkovich," his very first feature film. Sam Mendes is also nominated for his debut, "American Beauty."
The additional nod to Hallstrm for "Cider House Rules" is initially surprising, but not when considered in the context of a Best Picture nomination.
This year's Oscars should provide as much suspense as any year's. Fortunately, the nomination process seems to have gathered in much of the true quality of the year. The race should be a good one.
