A tie resulted between two Malibu residents for the title of The Malibu Times Movie Guru in the ballot contest, in which voters try to match their choices for Oscar winners with decisions made by the members of the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences.
Judy Van Schoyck and Denyse McLean reside and work in Malibu. Van Schoyck works at a Malibu realty office and McLean owns McLean Gallery in the Malibu Country Mart.
Out of 50 ballots entered, only 2 percent voted that Denzel Washington would win Best Actor. However, 60 percent selected Halle Berry for Best Actress. One percent voted Jim Broadbent for Best Supporting Actor, while 2 percent voted “Black Hawk Down” for Best Film Editing, and 3 percent voted “No Man’s Land” for Best Foreign Film. Ninety percent of all the entries got eight out of 15 correct. And a majority voted correctly for Best Picture, with 85 percent choosing “A Beautiful Mind.”
When McLean was informed she was one of the winners, she exclaimed, “I thought I goofed, I got so many wrong!”
When asked why she chose Halle Berry for Best Actress, McLean said that Berry put on “an extraordinary performance.” McLean was also pleased that “A Beautiful Mind” won Best Picture.
“It put a light on mental illness and created an awareness, which is very important,” she said. “It entertained and educated.”
Van Schoyck, an avid moviegoer, saw all of the nominated films with the exception of “Sexy Beast” and “No Man’s Land.”
She was “flabbergasted” when informed she was one of The Malibu Times Movie Gurus. Van Schoyck was also pleased Berry won the Oscar for Best Actress, yet disappointed that Russell Crowe did not win Best Actor. In her opinion, the true winner for the Best Actor category was Sean Penn for his performance in “I am Sam.” She felt the film was not promoted enough for Penn to win. Van Schoyck also stated she thought Broadbent was “phenomenal” in “Iris” as a supporting actor, yet voted for Ian McKellen, the popular vote for Best Supporting Actor.
Lastly, Van Schoyck asked if someone would please call her to explain “Mulholland Drive.”