Film Most Likely To Sweep The Oscars

Rating: 10/10 (25 January 2004)

Many 'Lord of the Rings' fans seem to be blinded in their votes for most likely film to win the Oscar for Best Picture. 'The Lord of the Rings' series has not won before and it is not likely that it will win this time because of it's content and predecessors. The Academy have never given Best Picture to Fantasy picture and they have never given it to a sequal unless the first installment won (Godfather part II should've been Chinatown) and it doesn't look like they'll do it this time.
'Cold Mountain' is a sweeping romantic epic and a five star visual acheivement with stand-out performances and stunning music. Even though it is not as critically loved as LOTR it is exactly the period romantic tales that the Academy love and how can this Film be snubbed when it has the Oscar giant Miramax throughing 100% of it's support behind it this year (They won last year when they had three film's to support: 'Chicago'(won)'Gangs of New York' and 'The Hours'. It also has a previous Oscar winner at the helm, Anthony Minghella.
Now to the picture itself: 'Cold Mountain'is a beautifully constructed re-entry into the great romantic epics of old (my personal favourites of which are: 'Gone with the Wind','Doctor Zhivago')The lead performances from Nicole Kidman and Jude Law are impeccable, but admittidely the supporting players slightly steal the show especially Renee Zellweger (my Best Sup. Actress pick) and Natalie Portman (I don't think she got enough rcognition for this role). The Technical sides of this film are also amazing: John Seale's cinematography, Dante Ferreti's art/set direction (should've won last year for 'Gangs'),Ann Roth's costume design, Walter Mursch's editing and most of all Gabriel Yared's amazing score (I'm listening to the soundtrack now)
Many people on this site have complained about the violence and sexuality, but that's what films need these days, realism (that's what it was like back then, times were tough)
Now for all the offended LOTR fans out there I do like the LOTR series (I thought Fellowship of the Ring would win over a beautiful mind anyday, But to all you blinded fan's out there just think was ROTR really going to be able to compete with Oscar's fav. genre, Romantic Epics ???
And I just think that Cold Mountain is a bigger individual acheivement while ROTR is just really a continuation (would it be so successful critically if it was the only LOTR movie released? (I think Peter Jackson should get an honorary oscar for the overall acheivement of the series rather than just a fragment of it (all be it a very impressive fragment). When you think about it the more likely choice for best picture out of the LOTR series would be FOTR because it could at least stand as a movie with a beginning and an end
In conclusion: Cold Mountain 9/10 The Return of the King 9/10
Thankyou and may the best movie win.............'Cold Mountain'