0 0 6 8B - The Michigan Daily - WeekIId Magazine - Thursday, February 19, 2004 The Michigan Daily - Weekend Magazine HOLLYWOOD'S FINEST BATTLE FOR SUPPORTING ACTORS By John Hartman For the Daily r In a year when many pundits agree that the leading actor and actress awards seem like done deals, there are no sure bets in the supporting categories. These categories have been traditionally diffi- cult to predict, sometimes picking industry favorites who have been snubbed before, or oppositely, up-and- coming stars who may arrive, win their Oscar and never be heard from again "'remember Mira Sorvino'? Yeah, I don't either). This year, the nominees range from newcomers with tongue-twisting names to old-time Hollywood favorites. Here's a recap of some of this year's best second bananas. Starting with the supporting actor category, Benicio Del Toro grabs his second nomination for his work in "21 -Grams." In a film heavy on exception- al acting, Del Toro steals every scene he's in, which is no easy task when sharing the screen with fellow nomi- nees Naomi Watts and Sean Penn. Benicio won once already for "Traffic," and his acting range is even wider here. Hailed as the next Brando by some, he'll be sticking around for some time. - Sharing screen time with megastar Tom Cruise is no cake walk, but Ken Watanabe is able to do that and then some in "The Last Samurai." A new- comer to American cinema, Japanese- born Watanabe is what holds "Samurai" together through its slow parts. He holds one of the few nomina- tions for this film. You may not have heard of Djimon Hounsou, but you: will. This West African actor is a powerful presence on screen, and he brings the heart and soul to "In America," a fact-based personal account of an Irish-American family's 'transition to New York City. He plays the AIDS-stricken Mateo, the type of Courtesy of New MarketCu CONTEST WANES BETWEEN THE LADIES Below: Alec Baldwin got a nod while colleague William H. Macy failed to capture the Academy's attention. Left: Shohreh Aghdashloo portrayed a tragic character in "House." Above: Ken Watanabe skillfully won a nomination for "The Last Samurai." By Hussain Rahim Daily Arts Writer role Academy voters love, so watch this underdog carefully. Believe it or not, Alec Baldwin has never won an Oscar. And beyond that, he's never even been nominated. That changed this year, with his nomination for his role as grisly casino boss Shelly Kaplow in "The Cooler." While the film doesn't succeed on every level, Baldwin is always on, and he's doing his best work here, including an already distinguished career. William H. Macy may have been snubbed for his acting in this film, but maybe hard- luck Alec won't be. Finishing off the category is Tim Robbins, who recently won a Golden Globe for Clint Eastwood's "Mystic River." The last time Robbins was nominated at the Oscars was for direct- ing ("Dead Man Walking"), but this marks his debut at the ceremony being honored as an actor. The most buzz of this category is around him this year, and if his wife Susan Sarandon doesn't hold up the night with an anti-war speech, he might get to make a speech of his own - an acceptance speech. The supporting actress category is a tough call as well this year, leading off with surprise nomination Shohreh Aghdashloo for the brilliant and tragic "House of Sand and Fog." While there has been much talk of Ben Kingsley's mind-blowing performance in the film, this Iranian actress has been quietly winning several critics' awards for her understated and heartbreaking work. While not a favorite yet, Marcia Gay Harden wasn't either when she won for "Pollock" in this category, so she may be a surprise come Oscar night. Speaking of which, Marcia is back this year, after a dry spell, with her per- formance in "Mystic River." In a film filled with great performances, it is hard to single out the best ones, but hers ranks at the top. As the jittery and Even in this age of Hollywood divas, actresses still don't command the power or screenplays their male counterparts do. Looking back on the previous winner's list for Best Actress, there are some great actress- es in the winner's circle, but they don't show much of a pattern or a steady career afterwards. The rela- tively thin list of choices for the Best Actress category compared to the Best Actor category show the dispar- ity in quality acting roles available for women. While there were several powerful performances this year, the consensus is that Charlize Theron's channeling of Aileen Wuornos is just about the best thing since, well ... anything. Shattering her mold as the pretty wife or girlfriend, Charlize displayed some serious acting chops in "Monster." She put on a method acting clinic as she disappeared into her role and showed the side of prostitution and love that Julia Robert's "Pretty Woman" never came close to. As a maelstrom of beer and ciga- rettes, this is one of the rare instances when you don't even realize you are watching an actress. Although it requires severe amounts of make-up to make Charlize Theron look ugly, there remains something organic about the transformation. Between her adoption of Aileen's unusual gait and the deli- cate balance between Aileen's vulnera- bility and strength, she conjured up a little screen magic. The Academy gen- erally likes when the Beautiful People pretend to be ugly, and if the category means what it says, then she will walk up to the podium and remind everyone how pretty she is. If this were an odds game, the second favorite would be Diane Keaton for her role in "Something's Gotta Give." The Oscars are just as much about symbol- ism and politics as they are about merit. The nomination here is more for Keaton's ability to look as good as ever in a middle-aged romantic comedy than for anything uniquely grabbing about her performance. She went the full range, voters like to see, crying, being funny, having sex and crying some more. The Academy loves Diane, and a win for her would be nostalgia trumping merit. It wouldn't be the first time. In terms of pure emotion, the best thing after Theron was Keisha Castle- Hughes as Pai in Niki Caro's "Whale Rider." The Academy showed some courage in nominating the 11-year-old Australian over the other not-so- unknown native Aussie, Nicole Kidman. Despite Miramax's shameless pleading for every award, the voters showed some preference for subtlety over melodrama. Castle-Hughes por- trays a prepubescent Maori girl strug- gling with the patriarchal trappings of her society. As she proves her ancestral right to lead, her performance was the picture of stoic preservation and quiet restraint. However, even when a child actor turns in an incredible varsity- level performance, the Academy is often reluctant to hand out awards to a rookie with such a short resume attached to her career. Naomi Watts's performance in "21 Grams" was a devastating portrait of a woman shattered by tragedy, both random and deep. As the female third of Inirritu's triumvirate of grief and chance, she rivals Benecio del Toro for raw emotion and confusion. She suffers beautifully, wailing and wal- lowing, all with intense conviction. With this film she establishes herself as an elite actress, especially after her role in "Mulholland Drive." The onl penalties come from her adventurou movie choices. David Lynch's surre alism and Iiirritu's fractured narra tive are not the types of movie rewarded comes Oscar night. Th Academy's myopic vision doesn' take her great performance. Finally, there is Samantha Morton' anchoring performance as Sarah, th mother of a struggling Irish immi grant family in Jim Sheridan's "It America." While powerful, her role it the film was not prominent enough t< present her as a true contender fo this award. Scene-stealing perform ances by Djimon Hounsou as the dying neighbor, and the two daugh ters in the film, Sarah and Emm, Bolger, make it almost impossible fo her role to stand out enough to wil the Best Actress nod. One performance that was over looked was Uma Thurman's turn a; "The Bride" in Quentin Taratino's sadl) snubbed "Kill Bill." Definitely lacking the depth the Academy seeks, she wa< still unusually powerful for a simpl< revenge heroine. Uma may still be wig gling her big toe, but Charlize is taking it all come Feb. 29. frightened wife of a suspected killer (Tim Robbins), she proves here that her previous Oscar win was no fluke. Holly Hunter has a remarkable Oscar history in that in 1994, she was nomi- nated twice in two categories (Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress), t winning Best Actress for "The Piano." This year she is nominated for the teen- angst drama "Thirteen." Hunter has an effortless quality in her acting, making her one of the most fascinating actress- es of our time to watch. "Thirteen"'s Oscar buzz has cooled down consider- ably, so it may not be Holly's year to win, but she will remain a hot item for years to come. A two-time Oscar nominee, Ren~e Zellweger grabs her third for the Civil War romance "Cold Mountain." Understated would not be the word for her work in this film, as her spunky performance seems to scream "give me my Oscar NOW." The film itself has received mixed reviews, and some have already forgotten it. Still, many voters may think that she is due, and after coming off a strong Golden Globe win, Renee may have it. Finally, we have the hardest-working actress this year, Patricia Clarkson. She appeared and was lauded for her excep- tional work in both "The Station Agent" and "Pieces of April,' and she will soon be seen in Lars von Trier's ("Dancer in the Dark") latest film "Dogville'" star- ring alongside Nicole Kidman. If consis- tency means anything, Clarkson should get the award. Going from rarely seen to being everywhere, Clarkson has had a remarkable year, and what better way to reward that than with an Oscar. BECOME ONE OF AMERICA'S HEALTH CARE HEROES If you are a primary care student inspired by the opportunity to serve patients who need you the most, an NHSC scholarship may be right for you. Scholarships cover tuition, a monthly stipend, and other educational expenses. 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