> ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE: Sissy Spacek
> I'd say Nicole Kidman if it wasn't for The Painful Scene in Moulin Rouge. During the first quarter or so of the movie, there was a scene where Nicole's character tries to seduce Ewan MacGregor's character in a supposedly funny way. It made me cringe when I saw it in the theater, it made me cringe when I saw it again at home.

Really? The entire scene inside the elephant, from the seduction to the "Spectacular, Spectacular" number, ranks as one of my favorites in the movie. I thought it was really sort of classic screwball-type humor, and I thought she was hysterical. Maybe I'm just juvenile.

> ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE: Jennifer Connelly
> I just think she's hot.

I haven't seen any of the other movies in which supporting actresses are nominated, but I thought Connelly did a really good job in "Beautiful Mind." However, I'm glad to see her get a nod, because in the last few years she's given two fantastic performances in two underrated movies: "Dark City" and "Requiem for a Dream." Of course, this is an example of just following the "awarding people things they should've gotten earlier" rule... And, yeah, she's pretty hot.

> FILM EDITING: Memento
> Dude! It was told backwards! Wow! Moulin Rouge should win for this one

I'm split. Moulin Rouge certainly had the most visible editing, but I think it's a testament to the editing in Memento (along with the writing) that it was understandable even while being backwards. As long as one of those wins, I'll be happy. And if "Black Hawk Down" wins... well, I won't be *too* upset.

Other comments:

Am I the only one totally shocked that "Black Hawk Down" didn't get nominated for Best Picture? A week ago it was my pick to win the thing. I'm equally surprised (in a good way) to see "Moulin Rouge" get the nomination, and I echo Sam's extreme happiness that "Shipping Nominations" didn't get one. Memento didn't get a nomination which I expected.

But I am still totally blown away that BHD is absent from the Best Picture category. It's in my Top 5 of the year list (ahead of Lord of the Rings), and it seemed to be well received. I'd rather have it up there than "Beautiful Mind" but I guess a Ron Howard flick is a safer bet. Sigh.

I really hope "Beautiful Mind" doesn't win, just because I feel like it stole the spot from "Black Hawk Down." Not that BM wasn't a good movie, but it wasn't near the level of BHD.

Stephen