The lists. 2003. 12/14.

Mystic River leads the MCN 100 race for Best Picture, but just barely. With 17 votes, Lost in Translation is hanging right onto the tail of River's 19. These are the two movies battling it out in other categories as well: Clint Eastwood leads Sofia Coppola in the Best Director category, but Coppola's screenplay edges out Brian Helgeland's by one vote.

But in none of the races have either chalked up anywhere near Return of the King's lead in another one: "Key Movies I Have Not Seen That I Should Have Before Voting." Will the list shake up all over again come Wednesday? Stay tuned - and note, too, the inclusion of our very own Craig Phillips among the voters. Excellent. Cue the diabolic laughter: Our plan is working...

Ah, the other categories: A very tight race for Best Foreign Language Film, but it looks like Capturing the Friedmans has got the doc race all sewn up. Actors and Actresses: If Sean Penn had only appeared in River this year, would he fall behind Bill Murray? Hard to say if votes for his performance in 21 Grams might have gone to him anyway or not. At any rate, there's Translation at #2 again, with Scarlett Johansson tied there with Cate Blanchett while Naomi Watts leads.

Also at Movie City News: Gary Dretzka interviews Wayne Kramer and quite a column from Ray Pride who defends both Stuck on You and Something's Gotta Give, recalls a chat with Amanda Peet, launches a feature called "Remainders" - fun photos, the first two of which are entitled "Jack Nicholson's Coffee Cup" and "Water Glass Amanda Peet Trickled Fingerprints Over For Half An Hour" - sings the praises of Melvin Goes to Dinner, gets to the bottom of the mystery behind the varying versions of Krzysztof Kieslowski's Decalogue DVD and then begins an overview of the year's best DVD releases by categories such as "How German is it?" (there's a man who knows his Abish) and "Polish sauciness." Whew.

Posted by dwhudson at December 14, 2003 9:25 AM