Picture
- The English Patient
The Academy did right. It picked the best of the five and of that I am happy. This is one of the few categories I really felt good about the winner.
Actor
- Geoffrey Rush – Shine
Again, they picked the right person here, Rush’s performance was definitely the most challenging and quite different from his real life way of behaving.
Actress
- Frances McDormand – Fargo
Again, they picked the correct choice, the Top was very well done, but as it goes further down, things become worse.
Supporting Actor
- Cuba Gooding Jr. – Jerry Maguire (2)
In the end, I knew I should have picked him, but I held up hope that the truly deserving would win.
Supporting Actress
- Juliette Binoche – The English Patient (5)
The biggest surprise of the evening. Lauren Bacall was considered the biggest favorite, but sometimes odd things happen and upsets are prevailant at the Oscars ®.
Director
- Anthony Minghella – The English Patient
A good choice. The DGA’s record continues.
Original Screenplay
- Fargo
I’m just happy, I have yet to NOT predict the victor in this category. A feat that I might add I am very proud of.
Adapted Screenplay
- Sling Blade (2)
They refused to honor Billy Bob as an Actor, so they robbed the skillful adaptation ofPatient of the one of of the trophies it deserved most.
Foreign Film
- Kolya – Czech Republic (2)
The Academy went for sentimentality instead of the truly best.
Original Song
- “You Must Love Me” – Evita
One of the proudest moments of the night, the sole win for the truly best picture of the year came in the category it was most likely to win and did.
Original Dramatic Score
- The English Patient
Another good choice.
Original Comedy/Musical Score
- Emma (4)
Disney’s reign is over, the sadistic Academy decided to forego honoring the best Disney animated film sinceBeauty and the Beast and scorn its legacy. SHAME ON YOU ACADEMY!
Film Editing
- The English Patient
Another one that was guaranteed.
Cinematography
- The English Patient
The one category that everyone knewPatient would win.
Art Direction/Set Decoration
- The English Patient (3)
Here’s where thePatient sweep went awry.
Costume Design
- The English Patient (3)
What the hell were they thinking? I mean better thanHamlet orPortrait? I don’t think so.
Makeup
- The Nutty Professor
While I did predict this one correctly, It should have gone toStar Trek.
Sound
- The English Patient (3)
The Academy REALLY lost it here, excluding the lavishEvita for a too-many-awards sweep.
Sound Effects Editing
- The Ghost and the Darkness
Best choice.
Visual Effects
- Independence Day (3)
It’s sad when they must honor the biggest money-maker when the others were far more deserving.
Documentary Feature
- When We Were Kings
Who could deny George Foreman and Muhammad Ali?
Documentary Short Subject
- Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O’Brien
Death and Documentaries, who would have thought?
Animated Short Film
- Quest
You win some, you lose some.
Live-Action Short Film
- Dear Diary
Dreamworks’ first Oscar ®.
