The Other Press Oscar Guide Amanda Aikman, Managing Editor It’s that time of year again, that special time when we gather in front of our television sets to watch a bunch of over-dressed, over-paid celebrities give awards to each other. It’s Oscar time. Not that it’s as shallow and pointless as it sounds. There’s plenty in it for us, too. We get to sit in our Lazy Boys in last year’s Old Navy tracksuits while we criticize the gown and footwear choices of young starlets. We get to show off our cinema savvy to any friends or loved ones within earshot as we correctly predict the winners in each category. And, best of all, we get to yield the awesome power of our remote controls during the ridiculous musical performances and long-winded acceptance speeches. Let’s see Cameron Diaz or Jude Law try and get away with that. Now, The Academy Awards is not your average tel- evision-program viewing experience. You can’t just grab a bag of Doritos, toss your socks and shoes on the floor, and saddle up on the sofa—no sir, The Academy Awards requires a bit more preparation than that. Ideally, you would take your Oscar-watching to the excessive and vulgar extremes it deserves. To do that, however, would require formal wear, a limou- sine, and a large banquet hall—and [’m not convinced that you’re ready for that. So, we'll go with Oscar Package B, which includes chocolate, salt-and- vinegar chips, cheap red wine, and an Oscar ballot. The first three items can be procured from your aver- age suburban strip mall, the fourth item we have graciously provided for you. Take a moment to make your prediction for each category, uncork (or unscrew) your cheap red wine, and empty your chocolate and salt-and-vinegar chips into one large bowl—now you're ready to hit that couch, To make things a little more interesting, try invit- ing a few friends over. Have them fill in their own Other Press Oscar ballots and then prove once and for all who the brains of your operation is. Teary- eyed acceptance speeches and thanking of God and your parents is optional. The 77th Annual Academy Awards will air on ABC Sunday, Feb 27, 5pm PST. FEBRUARY 23/2005 ENGEP ida Official Other Press Oscar Ballot Best Animated Feature Film: Q) The Incredibles ) Shark Tale QO) Shrek 2 Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: Q) Cate Blanchett — The Aviator Q) Laura Linney — Kinsey U) Virginia Madsen — Sideways Q) Sophie Okonedo — Hovel Rwanda Q) Natalie Portman — Closer Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: Q) Alan Alda — The Aviator Q) Thomas Haden Church — Sideways Q) Jamie Foxx — Collateral Q) Morgan Freeman — Million Dollar Baby Q) Clive Owen — Closer Best Achievement in Art Direction: Q) The Aviator Q) Finding Neverland UI Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events Q) The Phantom of the Opera Q)A Very Long Engagement Best Achievement in Cinematography: Q) The Aviator Q) House of Fhing Daggers Q) The Passion of the Christ Q) The Phantom of the Opera QA Very Long Engagement Best Achievement in Costume Design: Q) The Aviator Q) Finding Neverland Q) Lemony Snicket’s_A Series of Unfortunate Events Q) Ray Q) Troy Best Foreign Language Film: L) As it is in Heaven — Sweden L) The Chorus — France LY Downfall — Germany L) The Sea Inside — Spain L) Yesterday — South Africa Best Adapted Screenplay: L) Before Sunset L) Finding Neverland \) Million Dollar Baby LY The Motorcycle Diaries Q) Sideways Best Original Screenplay: Q) The Aviator Q) Exernal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind L) Hotel Rwanda L) The Incredibles Q) Vera Drake Best Original Song: QJ “Accidentally in Love” — Shrek 2 CJ “Al Otro Lado del Rio” — The Motorcycle Diaries C) “Believe” — The Polar Express LJ “Learn to be Lonely” — The Phantom of the Opera Q) “Look to Your Path” — The Chorus Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: CJ Annette Bening — Being Julia C) Catalina Sandino Moreno — Maria Full of Grace L) Imelda Staunton — Vera Drake Q) Hilary Swank — Million Dollar Baby UJ Kate Winslet — Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: L) Don Cheadle — Hotel Rwanda L) Johnny Depp — Finding Neverland Q) Leonardo DiCaprio — The Aviator L) Clint Eastwood — Million Dollar Baby C) Jamie Foxx — Ray Best Achievement in Directing: () Clint Eastwood — Million Dollar Baby Q) Taylor Hackford — Ray C) Mike Leigh — Vera Drake QC) Alexander Payne — Sideways C) Martin Scorsese — The Aviator Best Motion Picture: QD The Aviator Q) Finding Neverland Q) Million Dollar Baby LU Ray LD Sideways