As I ventured out on my brisk morning walk 48 short hours before the nominations announcement of the 2004 Academy Awards, my mind ran through a variety of who's who scenarios. Considering this past seasons' array of powerful performances and splendid films -- many of which could hold candles as potential nominees -- the only thing I continuously received was an unexpected good-morning greeting as the bitter wind jumped out and did nothing but relentlessly punch me dead in the face. Upon survival, and recollection of this idiotic winter outing, the following thought never ceased its trek across my ever wondering mind: Where will the Academy be, the day after tomorrow?

Silly rabbit. They are residing warmly, of course, in the trunk of some tree, down under in the land of hobbits. Two days after touching the void, at 5:30 A.M. pacific standard time, Peter Jackson returned as a king while his third and most powerful installment of the epic "Lord of the Rings" trilogy garnered 11 Academy Award nominations. But while Sigourney Weaver and Frank R. Pierson dragged their dead asses out of bed to relay this all-too-expected piece of common knowledge, they brought with them a pile of fiercely competitive categories. Competitive if assuming, of course, Peter "Fat Bastard" Jackson himself doesn't begin piling statuettes into his mouth like aluminum-covered candy bars while screaming, "Get in my belly!"

Please, don't get me wrong, I am a fan of Jackson and his successfully epic vision; I'm just trying to even the playing field for the sake of a good column.

Areas where "Return of the King" will definitely not conquer are in the four Oscar acting categories. No member of Jackson's acting ensemble was recognized by the Academy. This is fine by me, as it leaves appropriate room to honor the most powerful performances of the year. The acting categories are just the beginning of it. While certainly there were a number of surprises (Hi, Ms. Castle-Hughes, it's a pleasure to meet you. Could you please break the news to "City of God" that it is two years old, thanks so much.), there were twice as many compelling selections, making it hell on the interns assisting a soon-to-be extremely stressed out Kodak Theatre seating committee.

With Academy voters growing with younger members, we are finally beginning to see the year's best pictures -- most of which are always off the beaten path -- gather deserved recognition. "Finding Nemo" is fighting "The Triplets of Belleville" for Best Animated Feature. "Mystic River" is rising, once again, to the surface. "Lost in Translation," I predict, will not end lost at all. Flip a five-sided coin for which picture in the Best Documentary field -- the toughest of the year -- deserves to take it home. And as quickly as many may write off "Master and Commander" as this year's "Gangs of New York" -- beware.

With the Oscar ceremony moved up three weeks, meaning less time for necessary viewing, it may seem to be curtains for all but the final installment of a trilogy. And I know, since when has the Academy checked off Box One on any ballot without considering how it will affect their personal careers? But we've come a long way since the breakthrough of "American Beauty," and how soon we forget the wins of "The Pianist." Friends, I am going out on a limb, and gearing up for battle. We are heading into the fog of war. This is a fog set in not by the artificiality of commercial campaigning, but through the lines of battle in one serious competition.

No one will ever compare any set of Oscar nominations to rocket science (what may require such skill is making sense of most past nomination sheets), but what is quite difficult this year is not in the determination who will win, rather, the dilemma in deciding who should win. For the most part, each category is filled with five deserved contenders. The verdict is this: if "Return of the King" was ever to meet with a challenging year at the Oscars, it is here, in 2004. Today was a great day for the "King," and will no doubt be a respectable year for the film, but where will voters be the day after tomorrow?

My advice is this: Go ahead, fold your hand, and ini-mieni-myni-mo any one of the categories of curtains, Johnny. It's anybody's game.

Top 10 of 2003

1. Lost in Translation
2. Mondays in the Sun
3. Fog of War
4. In America
5. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
6. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
7. Mystic River
8. Open Range
9. The Station Agent
10. American Splendor