My Take on the 1997 Academy Award Nominations…

This year hubris paid off, as this Titanic turned out to be unsinkable. James Cameron was king of the world. As for Leonardo’s teeny-bopper fans, their hearts will go on. And on. And on. And on. And on. (Boldface indicates actual winners.)

Category

Most Likely to Win

Most Deserving to Win

Actual Winners I Missed

Best Picture

Titanic

Good Will Hunting

Best Actor

Jack Nicholson (As Good As It Gets)

Robert Duvall (The Apostle)

Best Actress

Helen Hunt (As Good As It Gets)

Helena Bonham Carter (The Wings of the Dove)

Best Supporting Actor

Burt Reynolds (Boogie Nights)

Greg Kinnear (As Good As It Gets)

Robin Williams (Good Will Hunting)

Best Supporting Actress

Gloria Stuart (Titanic)

Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting)

Kim Basinger (L.A. Confidential)

Best Director

James Cameron (Titanic)

Atom Egoyan (The Sweet Hereafter)

Original Screenplay

Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks (As Good As It Gets)

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting)

Adapted Screenplay

Hilary Henkin and David Mamet (Wag the Dog)

Atom Egoyan (The Sweet Hereafter)

Curtis Hanson and Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential)

Foreign Film

Character (The Netherlands)

Beyond Silence (Germany)

My Scores

5 accurate predictions

1 pleasant surprise

3 total misses