4th SEASON - THE FINAL WRAP

Well, I have finally returned back from the GOLDEN MOON AWARDS, and it was nice to see this gala spectacular first hand. You know, you can see something on TV so many times, but you never really get to appreciate it until you actually get to soak it all in, by actually being there live.

I had a blast of a time… and I am looking forward to next season’s ceremony. I plan to be there again, next time as well.

So lets take a look at my predictions, and who actually took home the awards… shall we?

Best Marketing:
MY PREDICTION:
> DUNGEONS & DRAGONS

GOLDEN MOON WINNER:
> DUNGEONS & DRAGONS

I don’t really see that it was any surprise in this category…. Great Promotions = Financial Success.

Most Wanted Sequel:
MY PREDICTION:
> MCMILLAN & WIFE

GOLDEN MOON WINNER:
> DUNGEONS & DRAGONS

I’ll admit it… this was somewhat of a surprise here… but not a particularly big one. Like I said before, and I will quote myself from my AWARDS PREVIEW article:

“DUNGEONS & DRAGONS… again, it’s a forgone conclusion that there WILL be a sequel… so for me; it’s a waste of an award presentation. Big box office, action film usually translates into a high percentage of there being a sequel already in the works… and probably already is.”

I still feel that MCMILLAN & WIFE was still far more deserving winner of the GOLDEN MOON AWARD, but the voters indeed have spoken. I’ll still be very disappointed if MCMILLAN & WIFE doesn’t see at least one sequel though… It really deserves it (BTW… BIG HINT HERE!!! ;-)).

Best Supporting Actress:
MY PREDICTION:
> Claire Danes – THE GREAT WAR SERIES: STORM BREAKS

GOLDEN MOON WINNER:
> Dakota Fanning – CAROUSEL

Everybody who has read my articles knows how I felt about CAROUSEL. I really disagree with this one though. This is mostly because I am tired of the alarming trend that Hollywood has of heaping praise and adulation onto children… in the form of achievement awards. Sure… they’re cute, but I don’t believe that they are the actually best. I’ll admit, that there may be differences of opinion on this debate. I’m just tired of the award presentation being based on… “THE CUTE-NESS FACTOR”, but that’s just my opinion.

Best Supporting Actor:
MY PREDICTION:
> John Goodman - WARLAND

GOLDEN MOON WINNER:
> John Goodman – WARLAND

Again, no real surprise here… John Goodman was well deserved here.

Best Cast:
MY PREDICTION:
> CAROUSEL

GOLDEN MOON WINNER:
> CAROUSEL

Again, no real surprises in this category either. CAROUSEL was just the whirlwind hit of the season.

Best Starring Couple:
MY PREDICTION:
> Rene Russo & Harrison Ford - MCMILLAN & WIFE

GOLDEN MOON WINNER:
> Claire Danes & Jim Carrey – CAROUSEL

I was really torn when I voted here. As much as I positively loved CAROUSEL, I still thought that Rene Russo & Harrison Ford was still the better pairing in a film, but by the smallest of margins. Like I said before in my AWARDS PREVIEW article… this was a tough choice, but the voters again have spoken.

Best Villain:
MY PREDICTION:
> Christopher Lee - DUNGEONS & DRAGONS

GOLDEN MOON WINNER:
> Christopher Lee - DUNGEONS & DRAGONS

No real surprise here as well. Christopher Lee proves yet again that he is truly one of the best at his craft!

Best Actress:
MY PREDICTION:
> Claire Danes - CAROUSEL

GOLDEN MOON WINNER:
> Claire Danes - CAROUSEL

With the true whirlwind swept up by CAROUSEL, was there really any doubt? Not in my mind, and apparently not in the minds of the voters as well!

Best Actor:
MY PREDICTION:
> Colin Farrell - THE GREAT WAR SERIES: STORM BREAKS

GOLDEN MOON WINNER:
> Daniel Radcliffe – SOUTH EAST

Okay, who stuffed the ballot box here? I think that perhaps someone wouldn’t accept that the film SOUTH EAST was going to get shut out of the awards… so they “rigged the ballot box”? There’s a possible conspiracy here? Somebody contact Oliver Stone… he’ll probably want to make a motion picture on the subject.

Okay, all silliness aside… I’m a little puzzled, to say the least?

I still feel that Colin Farrell was still the far better choice. His role was far more demanding, and was superior in his performance than was that of Daniel Radcliffe. The voters made their choice, even though I personally feel it was not the best choice… it was only just the popular one.

Achievement Awards are not for who is the most popular, but who had the better performance within his or her role… and Colin Farrell was indeed the better choice.

Best Screenplay:
MY PREDICTION:
> Jack Hammer - THE GREAT WAR SERIES: STORM BREAKS

GOLDEN MOON WINNER:
> Ted Froats - CAROUSEL

Let me preface my explanation with… a little explanation. When I look at the category of Best Screenplay, I look at it as Best “Original” Screenplay. As much as I feel that CAROUSEL deserves all the nominations and awards it receives… As much as I feel that Ted Froats did a marvelous job in his adaptation of the great, Rodgers & Hammerstein musical… it was not actually “original”, it was an adaptation.

This is not to say that Ted Froats’ work was any less of an achievement than Jack Hammer’s work. It just was not, in a word… “Original”.

So, maybe there needs to be a new category, maybe “Best Adaptation or Remake”? Just my opinion, but anyway… THREE CHEERS for TED FROATS, for bringing back the musical. Here’s my personal hope, maybe an all-new adaptation of perhaps the musical… CAMELOT?

Best Director:
MY PREDICTION:
> Peter Weir - THE GREAT WAR SERIES: STORM BREAKS

GOLDEN MOON WINNER:
> Peter Weir - THE GREAT WAR SERIES: STORM BREAKS

Well, yet again, no real surprise in the category. This film was by far the best directed film of the lot, and also leads us to…

Best Picture:
MY PREDICTION:
> THE GREAT WAR SERIES: STORM BREAKS

GOLDEN MOON WINNER:
> THE GREAT WAR SERIES: STORM BREAKS

Well… What did I tell you? THE GREAT WAR SERIES: STORM BREAKS wins for BEST PICTURE. The cinematography, special effects… were all just amazing. You felt like you were actually observing these events first hand. It’s amazing to see this film win best picture, but you really have to wonder… What if CAROUSEL had been nominated for best picture? What if THE LIBRARY had been nominated for… anything? I guess we’ll never know.

THE FINAL WRAP…
Well everyone, the Fourth Season is finally over, and the final tabulation is as follows…
MY PREDICTIONS:
> RIGHT – 7
> WRONG – 5
MY PREDICTION ACCURACY
> 58.33%

I’m actually pretty happy, although I though my predictions would have been a touch more accurate… perhaps closer to 75%. Again, I still don’t consider it too bad a showing… for my first ever awards predictions. Awards predictions can be a difficult thing… you are trying to predict the popular vote will be, and not always what you actually thought was indeed the truly best out there.

It’s has been a fun season to watch develop, and an even better bonus for the average moviegoer to enjoy. The GOLDEN MOON AWARDS ceremony was a lot of fun too, and Radio City Music Hall is such a great venue. There really is not a bad seat in the house. I’m looking forward to next year, and the Fifth Season’s GOLDEN MOON AWARDS. If this season was any form of a “feature attraction”, then I want to see the sequel.

The entertainment was splendid, and the stars do indeed truly shine so bright… On Broadway!!!

Well, until my next issue,

Go to the lobby, get yourself a large popcorn as well as a drink, and…

SEE YOU IN THE MOVIES!!!