And the Oscar (May) Go To...

When I was growing up the night of the Academy Awards was the only time we were allowed to watch TV during dinner.  (We also ate later than most of my peers, as we normally sat down between 7:30 and 8:00.  A different story.)

It was with great excitement that we set the TV trays up in the living room and settled down to watch the show.  The best part was watching the stars arrive and commenting on the dresses the women wore.  This was great fun, as they weren't outfitted in complimentary gowns or assisted by stylists. (What can I say?  We were three girls led by their mother.  My mother - who had and has exquisite taste - could be wonderfully bitchy in her comments.)

Dad would wander in and out of the room.  As he spent his working days in Hollywood, he had little interest in "the awards bullshit."  Unless someone he knew was up for something.

As I said, it was great fun.  Mom (who came to Hollywood after college and worked in The Industry prior to becoming a stay-at-home-you-know-what) always had anecdotes that often segued into first-hand knowledge of outrageous celebrity behavior from her wild and woolly past.

We would pick the winners and be ecstatic if our pick won.

I realize that with horrific things taking place in the world a movie awards show is less than trivial.  Yet, yet... people from all over the globe take an interest in the Academy Awards.

Without further ado here are my predictions for 2006:

Best Picture
Crash

Best Director
Ang Lee for Brokeback Mountain

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Philip Seymour Hoffman in Capote

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Reese Witherspoon in Walk the Line

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
George Clooney in Syriana

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Rachel Weisz in The Constant Gardener

Original Screenplay
Crash, Screenplay by Paul Haggis & Bobby Moresco, Story by Paul Haggis

Adapted Screenplay
Brokeback Mountain, Screenplay by Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana

Fade Out