If you've missed it so far, the musical Caroline or Change is still playing in San Francisco at the Curran Theater. Carole Shorenstein brought it back from Broadway (after closing August '04 on Broadway) with most of the Tony Award-winning cast intact. Natalia and I (along with Bonnie Raitt who was in the audience) went to see it this week and the cast was great, especially Chuck Cooper and Anika Noni Rose.
Oklahoma is coming up next at the Orpheum (and Evita as part of the Snore '05 fest being hyped as the "Best of Broadway") and, frankly, I can't imagine a more bring musical (except for maybe Mame--more on that later). The Mountain Play is doing Oklahoma in the summer and I guess it makes money otherwise they wouldn't do it, but I'd rather take nap on a Sunday afternoon. :P
Well, here we are a year later and it's time for the Oscars again. There were some great films and a few losers this year (not to mention a few confusing nominations). So here's my list of predictions for the winners, which will air Sunday, February 27th:
Best film: "Ray" will win it, but I'd love to see "Sideways" be the surpise shocker of Oscar evening.
Best actor: I'd love to see Don Cheadle get it for his amazing performance in "Hotel Rwanda," but Jamie Foxx will get it for "Ray". The tragedy is that Paul "I am not drinking Merlot" Giamatti didn't even get nominated and Johnny Depp did.
Best actress: Annette Bening will walk away with this...hands down.
Best supporting actor: Clive Owen took the Golden Globe award for his performance in "Closer" so he'll probably take this too. Thomas Haden Church also deserves it, but won't get it.
Best supporting actress: Virginia Madsen will take it from Natalie Portman.
Best director: I think the Academy will finally grant Martin Scorcese his first Oscar for "The Aviator". Clint already has several.
Best documentary: "Supersize Me" is the biggest documentary breakthrough of the year and deserves this award.
Best foreign film: "The Sea Inside"
Best original screenplay: What could be more original than "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"?
Best animated feature: "The Incredibles" will walk away with this one.
Best visual effects: If it gets no other awards, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" should get this one.