Written by DAVID KEYES

March 11, 1998 (Reprinted online August 24, 1998)

It’s that time of year again! Time to open the envelope and see who are the most honored actors, actresses and movies of the year! Yes, it’s time once again for the annual Academy Awards, and this year is going to be exciting! Back in February, nominations for the ceremony were announces, and on Monday, March 23, we will find out who the winners are.

Nominating is the easy part; it’s deciding who wins that is the hard part! This year’s contenders for the Oscar are really hard to pick from because each one of them deserves it.

First, there is best actor. The nominations are: Matt Damon for "Good Will Hunting," Robert Duvall for "The Apostle," Peter Fonda for "Ulee’s Gold," Dustin Hoffman for "Wag The Dog" and Jack Nicholson for "As Good As It Gets."

Despite the fact that these are all good nominations, one other contender was shut out. What was the Academy thinking when it didn’t nominate Leonardo DiCaprio for his superb role in "Titanic?" Since he wasn’t nominated, I predict the award will go to Duvall. Although I haven’t seen the film*, I think he will win, because the other nominees just don’t seem to deserve the award that much. Nicholson and Hoffman have their Academy Awards, and Damon’s acting talent hasn’t completely developed yet. Fonda is the only one who stands a chance against Duvall, but I don’t think he deserves it yet, either.

This year, though, I have a feeling we might be surprised at who wins the best actress award. Some speculate it’s Kate Winslet from "Titanic," but there is obviously only one right choice: Helen Hunt. Her role in "As Good As It Gets" was astonishing: better than Nicholson’s! I believe, however, that she probably won’t get it, because the Academy has turned a cold shoulder to comedies in the past. Winslet, from "Titanic," doesn’t stand a chance. DiCaprio was better than she was, and if he’s not going to get the Oscar, she shouldn’t.

Finally, there’s the best picture award, and we’ve got five strong contenders this year: "The Full Monty," "Good Will Hunting," "L.A. Confidential," "As Good As It Gets," and, of course, "Titanic." Naturally, I would like to see "Titanic" get the honor, but I have a feeling that it will not. James Cameron’s epic was the peoples’ favorite film of 1997, but the critics’ favorite was "L.A. Confidential." So, while most of us would prefer to see the award go to the biggest box office success ever, we might feel let down. "L.A. Confidential" was the choice for critics, and probably the choice for the Academy as well.

No matter who wins or loses, I believe it will be an awards show to remember. With all these great nominees, and Billy Crystal returning as host, this will indeed be an unforgettable night. Plus, expect to see some great guests appearing to present the awards. Whatever you do, don’t miss this show!

*after the article was printed, I have since been subject to "The Apostle," and found that my prediction to Robet Duvall was indeed deserved. His performance in the film was a masterful one.