The seventh annual Mirror Alternative Academy Awards race proved more popular than ever, with several hundred readers chiming in. As usual, you all had your own opinions about how that silly old Academy should have honoured the year in cinema. Here's a run-down…

Most overlooked performance

Sandler's best performance ever is also in his finest film, Paul Thomas Anderson's absurdist ode to Pinter.
Adam Sandler, Punch-Drunk Love 27%
Dennis Quaid, Far From Heaven 21%
Ed Norton, 25th Hour 23%
Richard Gere, Chicago 14%
Jennifer Aniston, The Good Girl 11%
Eminem, 8 Mile 4%

Movie most overlooked by the academy

Not surprisingly, those who loved Sandler also loved the movie he brought to life.
Punch-Drunk Love 31%
25th Hour 21%
Bloody Sunday 14%
Minority Report 14%
FUBAR 10%
The Kid Stays in the Picture 9%

Best soundtrack

Superstar hip hop beats out Manchester, hoser hair metal and '70s skater rock.
8 Mile 37.5%
Punch-Drunk Love 18%
24 Hour Party People 12.5%
FUBAR 12.5%
Dogtown and Z-Boys 11%
Jackass: The Movie 8%

Best male bod

What does this say about X-Files star Mssr. Duchovny?
Gollum, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 37%
Vin Diesel, XXX 22%
Johnny Knoxville, Jackass: The Movie 15%
Dennis Quaid, Far From Heaven 11%
Pierce Brosnan, Die Another Day 10%
David Duchovny, Full Frontal 4%

Best female bod

All that high kicking pays off for Ms. Z-J.
Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chicago 34%
Salma Hayek, Frida 26%
Kathy Bates, About Schmidt 13%
Nicole Kidman, Birthday Girl 12%
Natalie Portman, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones 11%
Jennifer Lopez, Maid in Manhattan 4%

Worst performance

The poor dear Material Girl has repeatedly said she wants nothing more than a serious movie acting career. We shudder to suggest she try again.
Madonna, Swept Away 33%
Britney Spears, Crossroads 28%
Jennifer Lopez, Maid in Manhattan 14%
Vin Diesel, XXX 12%
Leonardo DiCaprio, Gangs of New York 6%
Mel Gibson, Signs 6%

Most overhyped/overrated movie

Readers, repeat the mantra: George Lucas be damned!
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones 38%
Gangs of New York 23%
Signs 16%
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 8%
Far From Heaven 8%
The Hours 6%

The movie that never should have happened

Madonna strikes (out) again.
Swept Away 39%
Eight Legged Freaks 21%
Men With Brooms 15%
Eight Crazy Nights 9%
Full Frontal 13%
Ararat 2%

Coolest animated character

The nervous, dishevelled Scrat comes in first, perhaps because everyone loves a plucky lil' underdog.
Scrat, Ice Age 33%
Stitch/Experiment 626, Lilo & Stitch 23%
Kamajii the Boiler Room Man, Spirited Away 19%
Mojo Jojo, The Powerpuff Girls Movie 17%
Otik, Little Otik 8%
B.E.N., Treasure Planet 0%

Best/most gratuitous violence

Scorsese's film seemed to bore many, but the cut-'em-ups were undeniably vicious and over the top.
Gangs of New York 39%
Jackass: The Movie 34%
The Experiment 8%
Jason X 8%
Halloween: Resurrection 7%
Narc 4%

And now for the real oscars…

Here are what Mirror readers predicted for Sunday night's Oscar race. Pay careful attention - this could help you in your office pool or Oscar-night party contest.

Best actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, Gangs of New York 36%; Jack Nicholson, About Schmidt 28%; Adrien Brody, The Pianist 23%; Nicolas Cage, Adaptation 9%; Michael Caine, The Quiet American 4%. Best actress: Nicole Kidman, The Hours 43%; Renee Zellweger, Chicago 23%; Julianne Moore, Far From Heaven 21%; Salma Hayek, Frida 6%; Diane Lane, Unfaithful 6%. Best supporting actor: Chris Cooper, Adaptation 31%; Christopher Walken, Catch Me If You Can 24%; Ed Harris, The Hours 19%; Paul Newman, Road to Perdition 18%; John C. Reilly, Chicago 8%. Best supporting actress: Meryl Streep, Adaptation 32%; Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chicago 20%; Julianne Moore, The Hours 18%; Kathy Bates, About Schmidt 17%; Queen Latifah, Chicago 12%. Best director: Martin Scorsese, Gangs of New York 47%; Rob Marshall, Chicago 20%; Roman Polanski, The Pianist 13%; Pedro Almodovar, Talk to Her 12%; Stephen Daldry, The Hours 7%. Best picture: Chicago 51%; The Hours 23%; The Pianist 11%; The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 9%; Gangs of New York 6%. :

» Ballot results compiled by Mark Slutsky.

The Oscars air Sunday, March 23 at 8pm on CFCF-12. The winners of the Mirror's seventh annual Alternative Academy Awards contest will be announced next week

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