ENTERTAINMENT
The Battalion
Page 3A • Thursday, February 26, 2004
Oscar night!
Hobbits, pirates and monsters dominate 2004
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By Robert Saucedo
THE BATTALION
While film buffs tune in to the Oscar
awards every year out of love for films,
Anna Cobb has one more reason to
tune in. She is connected to the award
ceremony in a way most people
dream of.
“(My family) actually have an
Oscar at home” said Cobb, a
sophomore biology major. “My
great-uncle won an Academy
Award for best score for
‘Stagecoach’ (1939). He won
with two other people; they all
scored it together.”
With such a direct tie to the
ceremony, it’s little coincidence
that Cobb watches the awards
ceremony every year.
“Ever since I was old enough
to understand what movies are and
what the Oscars are, I’ve watched
them,” Cobb said. “The Oscars
used to have a lot of shows in
between that were really interesting,
but now I like watching them
because I like seeing all my
favorite people together.”
Come Sunday, the demi-gods
and goddesses of modem culture
will descend the hills of
Hollywood to gather, dressed in
garish costumes, to make offer
ings of praise and thanks in what
has become a ritualistic ceremo
ny of epic proportions. In other
words, Feb. 29 will mark the 76th
year of the Academy Awards and
with it the presentation of this year's
Oscars to the films and people the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences deem to be the best in their field
Whether they agree or disagree with the
choices, a billion people across the world
will tune in to witness the glitz and glamour of the
Academy Awards.
This year, the award ceremony will be hosted by comedian Billy
Crystal, who has hosted the Oscars seven times. Cobb counts Crystal as
her favorite Academy Awards host.
“I’m really glad he’s doing it again this year,” Cobb said.
Award presenters will include Will Ferrell, Sandra Bullock and Jack
Black. There will be musical performances by Annie Lennox, Sting,
Eugene Levy and Elvis Costello.
Spencer Littlejohn, a freshman anthropology major, considers himself
a casual fan of movies and plans to watch the award ceremony this year.
Although he hasn’t seen all of the movies nominated this year for best
picture, he still has his ideas of which should or shouldn’t win.
“I saw ‘Lord of the Rings’ and I (liked it),” Littlejohn said. “I think it
will probably win, but I kind of want something else to win because
(‘Lord of the Rings’) wins different awards all the time.”
Although he believes the awards are prestigious, Littlejohn said he
isn’t sure if they are the definitive word on what makes a great movie.
“It gives (the movie) more credit, but I wouldn’t definitely say I
would like it if I watched it,” he said.
Cobb agrees with Littlejohn’s assertion.
“I’d like to think certain films win best picture, but I know there’s a
lot of films less deserving that win,” Cobb said. “I definitely think there
is a lot of under-the-table politicking. I certainly don’t think certain
actors and actresses have won their awards rightly in the past few years.”
Julia Roberts win for “Erin Brockovich is among the actresses Cobb
considers wrongfully awarded for their roles. She also said in the past,
many awards went to the wrong people.
“I didn’t really like (that) Ron Howard won for ‘A Beautiful Mind,”’
Cobb said. “I’d rather he won for ‘Apollo 13.’ I was not happy ‘A
Beautiful Mind’ won best picture that year because I definitely feel
‘Moulin Rouge’ was more of an innovative film.”
Regardless of past disagreements, Cobb still has hopes the Academy
will choose the rightful winners in its respective awards.
“I would like to see ‘Lost in Translation’ win for best picture, but I
don’t know if it’s big enough,” Cobb said. “‘Lord of the Rings’ will prob
ably win.”
Even though Sofia Coppola’s nomination for directing “Lost in
Translation” marks the first time an American woman has been nomi-
Ruben DeLuna • THE BATTALION
nated for best director, Cobb feels the award belongs to someone else.
“I would rather see Peter Jackson win for best director because the
‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy is a bigger accomplishment for the award of
best director. I would like to see ‘Lost in Translation’ win for best screen
play,” Cobb said.
From Adrian Brody’s kissing attack on Halle Barry to Michael Moore’s
anti-Bush rant to Jack Balance's one-handed push-ups, the Oscars have
become as famous for outlandish behavior as they are for their prestige.
Cobb considers Roberto Benigni’s surprise at the announcement of his
win one of her favorite oscar moments.
“When Roberto Benigni won for ‘Life is Beautiful' and he climbed over
all the chairs, because he thought that was easier than just walking down the
aisles was hilarious,” Cobb said. “Another was Cuba Gooding Jr.’s accept
ance speech (for ‘Jerry Maguire’) when he was thanking everybody on earth
for winning the award. I wouldn’t have been surprised if my name showed
up on his list.”
Both Cobb and Littlejohn have watched the Oscars alone in the past, but
this year they plan to drop by the Memorial Student Center Film Society
produced Oscar Gala.
Michael Venner, MSC film chair, explained the Film Society’s hosting of
an Oscar Gala was only natural.
“This is the first year we’ve tried to do an Oscar Gala,” Venner said. “In
years past, we’ve been more of a committee. We asked ourselves what was
the biggest thing that happened all year for the industry. We decided to put
on a party for the event and see how it goes. If it goes really well, we’re
going to have it continue.”
Megan Schmidt, MSC Film Society director of student development,
said she hopes to make the gala an annual event.
“Every year people watch the Oscars and have their own party,” Schmidt
said. “We’re going to watch the Oscars and have trivia throughout the night.
People watch the Oscars at home, and they should definitely come for the
free food and fellowship. It’s a good opportunity to leam about the Oscars,
hang out with other Aggies, make new friends and basically hang out with
people with your same interests.”
The Oscar Gala will take place in MSC 201. The doors will open at
6:30 p.m. and admission is free.
The Academy Awards will be broadcast Feb. 29 at 7 p.m. on ABC.
Andrew Burleson • THE BATTALION
Infocraphic by Ruben Deluna* THE BATTALION
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting
Actor
Best Supporting
Actress
° the R| ngs: Return
Kln 9 was a fantastic
an amazing trilogy.
y tha f but the fact
»e to live up to
Paul Cozhy
Out of all the films nominated
for best director, Peter
Jackson's job on The Return
of the King” is by far the most
impressive. This is not an easy
job to do, and
for that reason
Jackson is the
most deserving
of the award. Robert
Saucedo
Hands down. Johnny Depp
will win. Combining Mick
Jagger and Marlon Brando, he
becomes the hilariously cunning
pirate Captain Jack Sparrow.
Creative,
deserves
the actor that
he is.
Daniel
Chapman
Though the immediate
attraction to ' Monster" is
Charlize Theron’s cast-off
beauty, her efforts go far
beyond physical transformation.
She unearths
the humanity
through her
powerful
acting. Da ^
Shackelford
I suspect that Tim Robbins
will win Best Supporting
Actor for his role in “Mystic
River.” Robbins can add
this role to his list of many
diverse and
talented
â–  'larai i
Christina
Teichman