This is between The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine in my opinion, with Departed given the edge because Marty has his Oscar locked up. This will further be cemented at SAG and DGA, which they look like they're going to split.

Babel was DOA box office-wise here in SoCal in both releases...anyone saying Babel is riding in the 2nd position is out of their head. It's not like the Golden Globes are very credible to Oscar voters; everyone knows its voted on by 85 goofs with an agenda.

I think this will be the more interesting ceremony in the last 10 years. No clear frontrunner makes it more exciting.

On a personal note, I'm really happy for Iwo Jima getting Dir and Pic noms, and for Volver not getting a Foreign Pic nom. YES!!!

Fact: Oscars suck.

I'm disgusted. Devil Wears Prada gets all that. Click nominated for something. No Dreamgirls best pic nom. What the fuck is wrong?

I'm glad Gosling got a nom. Same with Rinko.

Some really interesting surprises, like Letters instead of Dreamgirls (duh)


Volver was snubbed though, except for Penelope. Not cool.


I guess Babel has the lead afterall

Best Picture:

Babel
The Departed
Letters From Iwo Jima
Little Miss Sunshine
The Queen

I'm glad Dreamgirls is out of the race. What a hugely surprising snub that I don't think a single person could have seen coming. I'm rooting for Babel, which should win unless Little Miss Sunshine pulls a Crash, and that is extremely possible. Hell, with the love this movie has going for it from so many (even if it's incomprehensible) I think it has a good chance at winning Best Picture. It's Babel or this. I doubt The Departed will anymore, but it has a better chance than The Queen or Iwo Jima. Even though I still enjoy following the Oscars I think they officially became a joke after awarding Crash Best Picture, which was the worst reviewed Best Picture nominee that year, over Brokeback Mountain. So why not make their joke status even more official by giving Little Miss Sunshine Best Picture?

Best Actor:

Leonardo DiCaprio, Blood Diamond
Ryan Gosling, Half Nelson
Peter O'Toole, Venus
Will Smith, The Pursuit Of Happyness
Forest Whitaker, The Last King Of Scotland

I am really happy for Ryan Gosling. Half Nelson seems really good and this will get it some attention. The Oscar will be going to Forest Whitaker though, which is a fact, not an opinion.

Best Actress:

Penelope Cruz, Volver
Judi Dench, Notes On A Scandal
Helen Mirren, The Queen
Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada
Kate Winslet, Little Children

Another fact and not an opinion is that Best Actress will be going to Helen Mirren for The Queen. The others should just be pleased they were nominated. I'm happy for all of the actresses as all are/seem deserving. I just wish Maggie Gyllenhaal could have scored a surprise nomination for Sherrybaby, but I wasn't expecting it, just hoping.

Best Supporting Actor:

Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine
Jackie Earle Haley, Little Children
Djimon Hounsou, Blood Diamond
Eddie Murphy, Dreamgirls
Mark Wahlberg, The Departed

Ugh, Alan Arkin was so damn grating in Little Miss Sunshine. I can't believe so many people found him so funny. I hated his character for the most part. It's one of the year's most overrated performances by far. Speaking of overrated performances, Jackie Earle Haley (who played the sex offender in Little Children) also scored a nomination. Two of the year's most overrated performances in the same category. I'm just happy that Little Children has another nomination to its name so maybe New Line will decide to get off their asses and expand the film.

Best Supporting Actress:

Adriana Barraza, Babel
Cate Blanchett, Notes On A Scandal
Abigail Breslin, Little Miss Sunshine
Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls
Rinko Kikuchi, Babel

And another of the year's most overrated performances, Abigail Breslin for Little Miss Sunshine. She was so annoying in the movie for the most part, and I've become much more annoyed by her because her performance is getting awards noms when it doesn't deserve them. It's official, I can't stand Abigail Breslin. Emily Blunt's hilarious, scene stealing performance in The Devil Wears Prada should have gotten this little bitches spot.

Best Director:

Clint Eastwood, Letters From Iwo Jima
Stephen Frears, The Queen
Paul Greengrass, United 93
Alejandro González Iñárritu, Babel
Martin Scorsese, The Departed

I haven't seen the movie yet but it's got to be so wrong that Alfonso Cuarón was shut out for Children of Men. It's really sad that its nominations are all little, technical awards and yet it's one of the best reviewed films of the year.

Best Original Screenplay:

Babel
Letters From Iwo Jima
Little Miss Sunshine
Pan's Labyrinth
The Queen

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Borat! Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation OF Kazakhstan
Children Of Men
The Departed
Little Children
Notes On A Scandal

Best Cinematography:

The Black Dahlia
Children Of Men
The Illusionist
Pan's Labyrinth
The Prestige

Congrats to The Illusionist, Labyrinth, and Men, but they couldn't find a better nomination than The Black Dahlia for a fifth slot? What about The Painted Veil? Babel? Marie Antoinette? What a joke of a nomination and I wouldn't be surprised if people in the audience snicker when they say the name during the nominations. I know it's unlikely we'll be able to hear because of the music and stuff, but I know there will be some people that will.

Best Editing:

Babel
Blood Diamond
Children Of Men
The Departed
United 93

Best Art Direction:

Dreamgirls
The Good Shepherd
Pan's Labyrinth
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
The Prestige

Best Costume Design:

Curse Of The Golden Flower
The Devil Wears Prada
Dreamgirls
Marie Antoinette
The Queen

Best Original Score:

Babel
The Good German
Notes On A Scandal
Pan's Labyrinth
The Queen

Best Original Song:

"I Need To Wake Up," An Inconvenient Truth
"Listen," Dreamgirls
"Love You I Do," Dreamgirls
"Our Town," Cars
"Patience," Dreamgirls

Best Makeup:

Apocalypto
Click
Pan's Labyrinth

Besides The Black Dahlia getting nominated for Best Cinematography, one of the most hilarious nominations is Click for Best Makeup!!! The makeup was really cheesy and fake. They couldn't find something better to nominate for Best Makeup? I think the Academy was bribed by Sony or something.

Best Sound:

Apocalypto
Blood Diamond
Dreamgirls
Flags Of Our Fathers
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Best Sound Editing:

Apocalypto
Blood Diamond
Flags Of Our Fathers
Letters From Iwo Jima
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Best Visual Effects:

Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Poseidon
Superman Returns

Best Animated Feature:

Cars
Happy Feet
Monster House

Best Foreign Language Film:

After The Wedding
Days Of Glory
Pan's Labyrinth
The Lives Of Others
Water

Along with Dreamgirls being shut out of the Best Picture race, one of the biggest shockers is Volver being shut out of the Foreign Film category. How could that be? It's been one of the major front-runners, along with Pan's Labyrinth, for so long. It just doesn't make any sense. The reviews are fantastic too. Pan's Labyrinth has this in the bag, which is a good thing, but I wouldn't have been upset with Volver winning either before it was snubbed. Still, even with Volver having been in this category it's become clear that it still would have went to Pan's Labyrinth.

Best Documentary Feature:

Deliver Us From Evil
An Inconvenient Truth
Iraq In Fragments
Jesus Camp
My Country My Country

Where's "Shut Up & Sing?"

Best Documentary - Short Subject:

The Blood Of Yingzhou District
Recycled Life
Rehearsing A Dream
Two Hands

Best Animated Short Film:

The Danish Poet
Lifted
The Little Matchgirl
Maestro
No Time For Nuts

Best Live Action Short Film:

Binta And The Great Idea
Éramos pocos
Helmer & Son
The Saviour
West Bank Story


Wow, absolutely no nomination for The Painted Veil in any category. I thought it would get some technical noms for things like Art Direction and maybe Cinematography.

That's not a cool thing to say, Pricey

Another thing: the SAG was spot on this year.

They were 5/5 for Best Actor, Actress and Supporting Actress, and 4/5 for Best Supporting Actor!

Peace,
Mike.

YAY for Children of Men and United 93, Got what I thought they could get. BD and SP.

I'm happy for Penelope, android. I have nothing against her, although the award will go to Her Majesty.

It's Almodovar I can't stand. Believe me, I was surprised he didn't get the nomination, as I thought it was a 100% sure nom. That's why my enjoyment is even greater.

Breaking News

Bill O'Reilly Oscar Predix....

Departed - pretty good
Whitaker - didn't see it but he'll win
Mirren - " "
Alan Arkin - if he hasn't been nominated or won before he'll win
Jennifer Hudson - didn't see but wiil win
Marty - will win

Recorded the nomination ceremony (I'm a dork like that) and just watched it. Wow.

I feel like I've been polite with my slight distaste for Dreamgirls, but I can't help but say that it not receiving a Best Picture nomination makes me PRETTY DANG happy. It, in my opinion, just so hardcore didn't deserve it, and although I don't know how it didn't make it in (not enough #1 votes?), they made the right choice. Who's with me!?

Letters' strong showing is really surprising. I'm guessing it peaked at the right time. And it seems like one that could've garnered a lot of #1 placements.

YES for Greengrass. And editing. My Picture aspirations for United 93 were a bit of a pipe dream, but I'm glad it wasn't shut out, which I also thought was a sad possibility.

Glad both the Babel actresses got in.

DiCaprio for Blood Diamond? Hm. I'll tell you, though, I do think he's a little overrated in The Departed, and I haven't seen Diamond, so... maybe they did good here!

No Volver for Foreign Language? Ouch. And wow, Salma Hayek was a little broken up about that, wasn't she?

Cool to see Gosling in there. The screenplay nom for Borat, I think, makes up for the lack of Baron Cohen here.

Wahlberg over Nicholson? Mmmmk. I still think Nicholson gave the best supporting performance by an actor last year, but I see how people are tired of his schtick. I still don't really get the Wahlberg love, but I think it's cool he's in there.

Cars, Happy Feet, Monster House. Another weak year for animation, but I'm glad stuff like Over the Hedge didn't get in there.

The Prestige got some lovin'.

You guys need to quit letting your fragile egos get the better of you and lighten the hell up! If you can't take a little light hearted jabbing, then you probably shouldn't make your comments and jabs at me. You take this stuff WAYYYYY too seriously to get bent out of shape. If you don't want to face to music, then don't take shots at somebody and then get upset when they stop by to point and laugh a bit when the results come in. I was completely having some fun. Y'all need to get a grip, methinks.

I'm pretty sure YOU are the one taking it so seriously.

Here's what's gonna happen:

You're probably gonna start a fight and antagonize someone to throw a huge insult at you.
You'll complain to the admins
They'll discuss it
They'll ban you again
You'll leave for a few months and come back and do it again

Get. A. Life.

I get bent out of shape when people bluntly tell me I suck, and accuse me of starting shit. And no, you can't pass that off as playful teasing , because you've had such a problem with me in the past that it becomes impossible to distinguish what is and what isn't playful teasing. And it is NOT starting shit when you question a questionable comment, to name a certain event. even IF I've started shit in the past (I'm sure there's at least one case), your hands are no less dirty.

I wonder how close Blood Diamond was from getting a BP nomination or how closer it would've made if a different counting system is used. Two acting noms and editing, 5 total. That's some strong support.

Maybe, but I think Leo's nom was also from voters worried about vote splitting between Departed and Blood Diamond (Especially after SAG), and just went with the performance they knew was lead.

A better question: Had Pan's been released in say, November, could it have made it into BP? It obviously had the support of the techs and screenwriters, and probably just lacked the votes of actors or other branches that thought theyshouldn't bother. I think it was definitely in the Top 10.

But you can take shots at me both here and at Oscarwatch? You did that plenty of times and did it FIRST. I am not taking responsibility for your actions.

As far as you sucking... Do you honestly believe I would have jabbed at you if you didn't admit to purposely trying to start shit with me, and make a few negative comments just recently? You admitted that. Would you like to see the link? After I left, you have continued to make your comments directed at me. Decided to take a jab at me about how you called Clint being dead. Took personal shots at me. You started doing that, yet I do it back, and Mav's starting...whaaaaaaa

In the future, if you are too sensitive, keep quiet. Don't keep making comments in a negative tone or rub in somebody's prediction if you can't handle it being done to you. I didn't pull that quote from thin air, and you've continuously done that stuff. If you hadn't, you probably would be able to tell what playful jabbing is. Don't make it personal.

Anyway...it's Marty's year. The Departed is winning. Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson are winning. Helen Mirren is winning. The only real up for grabs seems to be Best Actor. I'm thinking it's Leo.

I'm surprised that Jack got snubbed for Marky Mark. (even though he was good) Pitt's snub is a little less jarring, as he's winning for producer of The Departed and wasn't winning for supporting actor, anyway.

I think that now that there is no split possibility, Leo is in the driver's seat. Best Actor is still not set, though, so those guys need to campaign hard for the gold.

I'm on a Mary-Go-Round of responses with you, so I'm going to get off before I get sick and just let the mods decide what to do with you. Toodles.

Sure...NOW you get off the ride.

Marty's year? Yes. Departed winning? I don't know. I think Babel's stock went way up when everything else lost out on a few pivotal nominations. Hudson and Mirren will take it for sure, but I think Murphy has a tougher time.

Best Actor is up for grabs? What about the clear frontrunner for every award ever made, Forest Whitaker?



Like I said before, it's funny that Wahlberg was a "maybe" nomination, and now he's the only Departed actor with a nod.

Guys, discuss Oscar nominations, not each other.

Bauer has spoken

Glad to see Dreamgirls not get nominated. Tired of the love Hollywood has been giving to it. Babel though doesn't deserve to win Best Picture. It was a plodding, dull, peverted piece of crap. I swear, if you want an Oscar you just need to make a film telling many different stories about something "important" and you're a lock. Just look at Babel and Crash.

Really glad to see DiCaprio and Honsou get nominated for BD. It was a fantastic film. Too bad neither one will win because the film isn't widely-loved or nominated.

Really getting old to see Eastwood get nominated for every film he makes, especially since his films are consistently overrated. God, I hated Million Dollar Baby.

Pan's Labyrinth is a lock to win Best Foreign Language Film. I hope it expands more this weekend so I can see it.