Oscar Podcast Preview: 2002, Chicago Barely Beats The Pianist

Now that this year’s Oscar season has been put to bed we’re going to be relaunching our Oscar Podcast, finishing out the 2000s. This upcoming episode will be taking a long look at 2002. That was the year Daniel Day Lewis and Jack Nicholson both lost their expected Oscar to Adrien Brody in a surprise upset. It was also the year The Pianist shocked everyone by taking Adapted Screenplay and Best Director. It felt like it might also clinch Best Picture by the end of the night, but Chicago handily won.

Todd Haynes’ magnificent Far From Heaven was all but ignored — it’s in great company with Inside Llewyn Davis and Vertigo, which also earned a few nominations, mostly for their crafts.

I have a soft spot in my heart for Chicago, not just because it was the last film starring women to win Best Picture, but because the performances are delicious. There isn’t a better word for them. The actors fully trusted director Rob Marshall and they luxuriate in that free relationship. Is it as deep and profound as The Pianist? Is it as brilliant as Gangs of New York was in its own way? I don’t know, maybe. But it is done so well and it is so entertaining I thought it a very worthy winner for the top prize.

It was also the year that Michael Moore won for Bowling for Columbine and spoke out against the war in Iraq – it remains my favorite all time Oscar moment.

Also note how Alfonso Cuaron and Martin Scorsese were both very much in that year’s Oscar race, and in this year’s.

But what would you like us to talk about or address during the podcast? Speak up…