Every year the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences® clears their collective throat to the eager ears of the global film world, and hacks up a loogey of nominations for what they want us to believe are the brightest celluloid achievements for the past 365. And every year, commoners like you and me gripe about their selections. We feel we have as much right to complain as anybody since we pay the outlandish ticket prices to sit in a theater with our feet stuck to the floor and watch those flickering images truck by our greedy pupils. Well, now I've solved the problem, officially launching Dr. Daniel's LoscarsTM. With the Loscars, we create recognition where it has been dubiously ignored. We give notice to the unnoticed. We make Oscar losers into Loscar winners. Below, at left, you will see a list of who and what the Academy deems superior -- and the Doc's choice to win said category. At right, you will see my choice for the Loscar, a.k.a. the "Best of the Rest" -- or those who got left out, but still deserve attention.

The OSCARS Best Actor: Tom Cruise for Jerry Maguire Ralph Fiennes for The English Patient Woody Harrelson for The People vs. Larry Flynt Geoffrey Rush for Shine Billy Bob Thornton for Sling Blade Dr. Daniel's Pick: Tom Cruise Best Supporting Actor: Cuba Gooding, Jr. for Jerry Maguire William H. Macy for Fargo Armin Mueller-Stahl for Shine Edward Norton for Primal Fear James Woods for Ghosts of Mississippi Dr. Daniel's Pick: Cuba Gooding, Jr. Best Actress: Brenda Blethyn for Secrets & Lies Diane Keaton for Marvin's Room Kristin Scott Thomas for The English Patient Emily Watson for Breaking the Waves Frances McDormand for Fargo Dr. Daniel's Pick: Frances McDormand Best Supporting Actress: Lauren Bacall for The Mirror Has Two Faces Juliette Binoche for The English Patient Joan Allen for The Crucible Barbara Hershey for Portrait of a Lady Marianne Jean-Baptiste for Secrets & Lies Dr. Daniel's Pick: Joan Allen Best Director: Milos Forman for The People vs. Larry Flynt Anthony Minghella for The English Patient Joel Coen for Fargo Mike Leigh for Secrets & Lies Scott Hicks for Shine Dr. Daniel's Pick: Milos Forman Best Original Screenplay Fargo by Ethan Coen & Joel Coen Jerry Maguire by Cameron Crowe Lone Star by John Sayles Secrets & Lies by Mike Leigh Shine by Jan Sardi, Story by Scott Hicks Dr. Daniel's Pick: Fargo Best Adapted Screenplay The Crucible by Arthur Miller The English Patient by Anthony Minghella Hamlet by Kenneth Branagh Sling Blade by Billy Bob Thornton Trainspotting by John Hodge Dr. Daniel's Pick: Hamlet Best Picture The English Patient Secrets & Lies Shine Fargo Jerry Maguire Dr. Daniel's Pick: Jerry Maguire

The LOSCARS Best Actor: John Travolta for Phenomenon Nathan Lane for The Birdcage Eddie Murphy for The Nutty Professor Mel Gibson for Ransom Ewan McGregor for Trainspotting And the Loscar goes to: John Travolta Best Supporting Actor: Cheech Marin for Tin Cup Antonio Banderas for Evita Samuel L. Jackson for A Time to Kill Hank Azaria for The Birdcage Gary Sinise for Ransom And the Loscar goes to: Cheech Marin Best Actress: Glenn Close for 101 Dalmatians Debbie Reynolds for Mother Madonna for Evita Winona Ryder for The Crucible Gwyneth Paltrow for Emma And the Loscar goes to: Debbie Reynolds Best Supporting Actress: Renee Zellweger for Jerry Maguire Courtney Love for The People vs. Larry Flynt Meg Ryan for Courage Under Fire Marion Ross for The Evening Star Jean Stapleton for Michael And the Loscar goes to: Courtney Love Best Director: Cameron Crowe for Jerry Maguire John Sayles for Lone Star Danny Boyle for Trainspotting Ron Howard for Ransom Alan Parker for Evita And the Loscar goes to: Cameron Crowe Best Original Screenplay Tin Cup by John Norville, Ron Shelton Mother by Albert Brooks & Monica Johnson Scream by Kevin Williamson Swingers by Jon Favreau The People vs. Larry Flynt by Larry Karaszewski, Scott Alexander And the Loscar goes to: Mother Best Adapted Screenplay Courage Under Fire by Patrick S. Duncan MST3K: The Movie by Nelson, Beaulieu, et al A Time to Kill by J. Grisham & A. Goldsman The Birdcage by May, Danon, et al Star Trek: First Contact by Braga & Moore And the Loscar goes to: MST3K: The Movie Best Picture Evita Phenomenon The People vs. Larry Flynt Ransom Trainspotting And the Loscar goes to: The People vs. Larry Flynt

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