If I Were An Academy Voter - 2003 Part 2

Best Art Direction

Academy Winner/My Pick - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Commentary - Medieval sets accentuated the incredible fantasy elements. True acheivements of of talented art directors.  

Best Cinematography

Academy Winner - Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

My Pick - City of God

Commentary -  I perferred the grittiness of City of God, which was dark and somehow beautifully shot, compared to the more traditional, oceanic Master and Commander.

Best Costume Design

Academy Winner - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

My Pick - The Girl With a Pearl Earring

Commentary - While Girl With a Pearl Earring was one of the most dreadfully boring films I have ever sat through, the costumes were stunning.

Best Film Editing

Academy Winner - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

My Pick - City of God

Commentary - I loved the first two films, and enjoyed the third, but if anything was wrong with the final chapter it was that I thought it was never going to end, a fault of the editors. I prefer the taut City of God, much less strenuous to sit through.

Best Makeup

Academy Winner/My Pick - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Commentary - The Orcs alone are enough for this to win.

Best Original Score

Academy Winner - Howard Shore "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"

My Pick - Danny Elfman "Big Fish"

Commentary - This is solely because Danny Elfman has yet to win an Oscar, and Howard Shore would still have two without this one. Plus I really liked Big Fish and felt like it deserved something.

Best Original Song

Academy Winner - "Into the West" from "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"

My Pick - "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow" from "A Mighty Wind"

Commentary - I loved A Mighty Wind, and A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow was a hell of a lot better than the slow Annie Lennox power ballad.

Best Sound Mixing

Academy Winner/My Pick - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Commentary - The best choice of the bunch. Period

Best Sound Editing

Academy Winner - Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

My Pick - Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Commentary - I liked POTC better, and though its sound was more intricate than MaC. Maybe I'm wrong, but it still would habe gotten my vote.

Best Visual Effects

Academy Winner/ My Pick - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Commentary - Duh.