The Academy

Award nominations will be announced next Tuesday, so I am striking first.

I have seen most of the films that are considered by many to be the best

of 2002 and, truth be told, I also saw a few that were considered the

worst of 2002. Next Tuesday, when the nominees are announced, you'll be

able to see just how accurate or inaccurate I was.

In the category

of Best Picture I thought "Gangs of New York" would be a clear

winner. I changed my mind Friday when I saw "Chicago." "Chicago"

is an excellent adaptation of the musical with brilliant performances

from the entire cast. If the women reading this column are having a hard

time convincing the men in their lives to see this movie, remind them

that the women in the film are dressed scantily and the music is music

one would hear at a jazz club, not "Cats." Other nominees for

best film will be "The Hours" (which I haven't seen but I could

barely get through the book), "Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers"

and "About Schmidt."

The Best Actor

category will be a horse race. The nominees will be Daniel Day-Lewis for

"Gangs of New York," Adrien Brody for "The Pianist,"

Jack Nicholson for "About Schmidt," Richard Gere for "Chicago"

and Nicolas Cage for "Adaptation." Early buzz said it was Jack's

all the way but Day-Lewis was the strongest part of "Gangs"

and Nicolas Cage played two roles marvelously. I really think Gere is

going to sneak through. It was the best thing I've ever seen Gere do and

who knew he could sing and dance?

Best Actress

should also be a tight race but the "Chicago" trend will continue

with Renee Zellweger finally taking home the trophy. She was great as

the fame-seeking Roxie Hart and will give Oscar one of the best moments

in history if and when she wins. The other nominees will be Julianne Moore

for "Far From Heaven," Nicole Kidman for "The Hours,"

Diane Lane for "Unfaithful" and Salma Hayek for "Frida."

Lane and Hayek are just there to fill out the category and the buzz on

"Far From Heaven" was good but it peaked in October. Everybody

said Kidman was amazing but that might be just because she doesn't look

like herself.

There are too

many other categories to weigh in on in depth, so I'll just give some

highlights. Christopher Walken should get nominated for Best Supporting

Actor for "Catch Me If You Can" but don't be surprised if John

C. Reilly gets a nomination for "Chicago" and Chris Cooper gets

one for "Adaptation." Catherine Zeta Jones will get a Best Supporting

Actress nomination for "Chicago" and Meryl Streep should get

one for "Adapatation." I think Cooper and Streep will repeat

their Golden Globe success and win Oscars. "Adaptation" should

win for Best Adapted Screenplay though the "Chicago" juggernaut

might take it instead. Martin Scorcese might win Best Director for "Gangs

of New York" but Rob Marshall will get a nomination for "Chicago."

As for my best

films of the year, my top five are:

"Chicago"

"Adaptation"

"Gangs

of New York"

"Lord

of the Rings: The Two Towers"

"Catch

Me if You Can"

The most overhyped

movie of the year was "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." It was funny

but it wasn't the funiest film ever. Also, executives banking on the "My

Big Fat Greek Life" being a hit TV show are miscalculating big-time.

The worst movie

I saw all year would have to be "Scooby Doo." This movie had

no idea of what it wanted to be and who it was geared towards. Besides,

nobody needs to see a fart battle between Scooby and Shaggy.

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