As happens every year, the Academy & its members nominate some eminently worthy films for Oscars; and develop amnesia regarding some of the best films for the year; or endorse films that hardly deserve it. First, let’s start with the positive: The Hours is wonderful in every way & deserves every nomination it received. Far from Heaven and to a lesser extent, Adaptation were also standouts & deserving. But what about Gangs of New York? This is a film based on an amazing historical incident; yet Martin Scorcese somehow managed to lose track of all the drama in his story & the original event. Except for Daniel Day Lewis’ character, the other characterizations were weak & unfocused. This is a film that comes nowhere his great films like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull or Last Temptation.
My biggest gripe is: why do Academy members forget films that have come out more than six months ago? Do they have no memory for one of the great films of the year, if not the decade: The Road to Perdition? For shame that this film is forgotten. Besides the remarkable performances of Tom Hanks and Paul Newman–this film is a profound meditation on love, corruption and family devotion. It is one for the ages. Yet it is forgotten at Oscar time. For shame!