There are no chads to examine (instead voters mark an X for a choice), but that doesn't mean picking winners for the 73rd annual Academy Awards on Sunday, March 25 (ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET), is easy. Here's what—and who—deserves to walk away victorious on Oscar night.
BEST PICTURE
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon *
Erin Brockovich
Gladiator
Traffic
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon turns even the most jaded moviegoer into a kid again, gazing at the screen with wide-eyed rapture. This romantic martial-arts drama set in 18th-century China transports viewers to a realm where emotions are felt more intensely, women get as much respect as men, and sword fights are conducted from the tops of swaying bamboo trees. Beautifully shot and acted, it was without question the best picture of the year (despite the barrier of Mandarin dialogue with English subtitles). There was no more moving moment onscreen in 2000 than when Michelle Yeoh, exulting in her love for fellow warrior Chow Yun Fat after many years of repressed mutual affection, looks at her palm clasped in his and tells him quietly, "My hand is real."
As for the other nominees, my backup pick is Traffic, an ambitious, intelligent drama about the war on drugs, featuring a stellar ensemble cast. In descending order Erin Brockovich was tremendously entertaining and Gladiator proved rousing summer popcorn fare. Chocolat is the obvious runt of the litter, a slight confection requiring a strong sweet tooth.
BEST ACTOR
Russell Crowe, Gladiator
Tom Hanks, Cast Away *
Ed Harris, Pollock
Geoffrey Rush, Quills
As a modern-day Robinson Crusoe, Hanks wasn't showy, yet he always showed just what his character was thinking. He was alone onscreen for an hour talking only to a volleyball, but one's attention never wavered. Backup pick: Harris, for his intense drips-and-all portrait of artist Jackson Pollock.
BEST ACTRESS
Juliette Binoche, Chocolat
Ellen Burstyn, Requiem for a Dream
Laura Linney, You Can Count on Me
Julia Roberts, Erin Brockovich *
She has already nabbed most awards for 2000, so here's one more for Roberts, she of the blinding smile and underappreciated acting skills, who deserves an Oscar for her inspiring turn in Erin Brockovich. Backup pick: Linney, for a lovely job in Count on Me.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Willem Dafoe, Shadow of the Vampire
Benicio Del Toro, Traffic *
Albert Finney, Erin Brockovich
Joaquin Phoenix, Gladiator
This is the category most crammed with worthy performances, but Del Toro, playing a dedicated Mexican police officer, shone as Traffic's moral center. Speaking most of his lines in Spanish, he etched a layered portrait of a good man trying hard to do the just thing in a corrupt world where the line between right and wrong is never straight and often blurry. Backup pick: Dafoe, who managed slyly to carry Shadow of the Vampire on blood-drenched fangs.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Marcia Gay Harden, Pollock
Kate Hudson, Almost Famous *
Frances McDormand, Almost Famous
Julie Walters, Billy Elliot
Youth wins out this year as Hudson, glowing as brightly as mom Goldie Hawn did back in her early days, demonstrated tremendous self-assurance in her starmaking turn as a teenage groupie in the commercially underappreciated Almost Famous. In a movie filled with terrific acting, including that of fellow nominee McDormand, Hudson more than held her own. Backup pick: Harden, who was vigorously artful as painter Lee Krasner in Pollock.
>Best Director Steven Soderbergh, Traffic Talk about being in the zone. Soderbergh deservedly picked up double nominations for Traffic and Erin Brockovich. The former takes more risks in its scope and storytelling, so here's hoping he wins for that.
Best Original Screenplay You Can Count on Me, by Ken Lonergan There was humor and heart to spare in this finely polished tale about two adult siblings.
Best Adapted Screenplay Wonder Boys, by Steve Kloves, based on a novel by Michael Chabon A wonderfully shaggy comedy set in academia earns a place of honor on the dean's list.
Best Foreign Language Film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon If it doesn't win Best Picture, it sure ought to land this one.
Best Costume Design Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas Because Jim Carrey still could be, gloriously, Jim Carrey under all the prosthetics and green fur.
Best Original Song Wonder Boys' "Things Have Changed," music and lyrics by Bob Dylan Don't even think twice, it's all right.
Saved by the Bell Reunion
The hookups, the meltdowns, the memoires
The case reveals what was really going on what they think of each other now!
