oscar nominations

i'm happy that the oscar nominations were announced today. so much anticipation always leads up to this day. i am sad to say - 'dreamgirls' did not make the final cut. talk about a major snubbing by the academy - however - they have been nominated for more categories than any movie despite the snub for best picture - including jennifer hudson and eddie murphy in their supporting actor roles.

poor beyonce - she's not nominated but i guess she has no choice but to be there to sing her songs - do i hear another beyonce medley on oscar night coming? i wonder if she called jennifer huson this morning to say congratulations - i doubt it - if you recall - jennifer hudson didn't thank a single other cast member when she accepted her award at the golden globes. interesting morning indeed.

i think helen merrin is a shoe-in for best actress but my personal favorite was meryl streep - in a vote - it'd go to helen.

as much as i hate leo dicraprio - he just may take it away from forest whitaker but since forest was triumphant at the golden globes - i'm hoping he'll take home the oscar too.

scorsese? yes? maybe? this year? god can only hope - he's like the susan lucci of the oscars.

i think we'll see a lot of awards going to 'pan's labyrinth' - especially in the visual effects and technical areas of the awards. the other fun one will be documentary - to think that former vice president (and should be president of the u.s.) al gore is nominated for an oscar - i bet 'an inconvenient truth' will be the vehicle to get him the statue. hell - if bill clinton can win a grammy - why can't al win an oscar?

i'm not sure i agree with the best pic nomination to 'little miss sunshine.' i finally got to see the movie this week and whereas i did enjoy it - there are much stronger movies nominated in this category and others that weren't even nominated (eh-hem 'dreamgirls' - 'shortbus' - i know i know - it would have been a long shot for 'shortbus' but it was one of my favorites for the year.)

i guess the world will know when they announce the winners live on abc at 8:00 est on february 25th.

see the full list of nominations below:

:: nominations by category - 79th awards ::

my picks are denoted with *
favorable others in the category **

:: performance by an actor in a leading role ::
** leonardo dicaprio - blood diamond
ryan gosling - half nelson
peter o'toole - venus
will smith - the persuit of happyness
* forest whitaker - the last king of scottland

:: performance by an actor in a supporting role ::
alan arkin - little miss sunshine
jackie earle haley - little children
djimon hounsou - blood diamond
* eddie murphy - dreamgirls
mark wahlberg - the departed

:: performance by an actress in a leading role ::
penélope cruz - volver
dame judi dench - notes on a scandal
* helen mirren - the queen
** meryl streep - the devil wears prada
kate winslet - little children

:: performance by an actress in a supporting role ::
adriana barraza - babel
cate blanchett - notes on a scandal
abigail breslin - little miss sunshine
* jennifer hudson - dreamgirls
rinko kikuchi - babel

:: best animated feature film of the year ::
* cars
happy feet
monster house

:: achievement in art direction ::
* dreamgirls
the good shephard
** pan's labyrinth
pirates of the caribbean: dead man's chest
the prestige

:: achievement in cinematography ::
the black dahlia
children of men
the illusionist
* pan's labyrinth
the prestige

:: achievement in costume design ::
curse of the golden flower
the devil wears prada
* dreamgirls
marie antoinette
the queen

:: achievement in directing ::
babel
* the departed
letters from iwo jima
the queen
united 93

:: best documentary feature ::
deliver us from evil
* an inconvienient truth
iraq in fragments
jesus camp
my country, my country

:: best documentary short subject ::
the blood of yingzhou district
recycled life
rehearsing a dream
two hands

:: achievement in film editing ::
** babel
blood diamond
children of men
* the departed
united 93

:: best foreign language film of the year ::
after the wedding
days of glory (indigenes)
the lives of others
* pan's labyrinth
water

:: achievement in makeup ::
apocalypto
click
* pan's labyrinth

:: achievement in music written for motion pictures (original score) ::
babel
the good german
notes on a scandal
* pan's labyrinth
the queen

:: achievement in music written for motion pictures (original song) ::
'i need to wake up" - an inconvienient truth
* 'listen' - dreamgirls
'love you i do' - dreamgirls
'our town' - cars
'patience' - dreamgirls

:: best motion picture of the year ::
** babel
* the departed
letters from iwo jima
little miss sunshine
the queen

:: 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 (binta y la gran idea)
eramos pacos (one too many)
helmer & son
the saviour
west bank story

:: achievement in sound editing ::
apocalypto
blood diamond
flags of our fathers
* letters from iwo jima
pirates of the caribbean: dead man's chest

:: achievement in sound mixing ::
apocalypto
blood diamond
* dreamgirls
flags of our fathers
pirates of the caribbean: dead man's chest

:: achievement in visual effects ::
pirates of the caribbean: dead man's chest
poseidon
* superman returns

:: adapted screenplay ::
* borat cultural learnings of america for make benefit glorious nation fo kazikhstan
children of men
the departed
little children
notes on a scandal

:: original screenplay ::
* babel
letters from iwo jima
little miss sunshine
** pan's labyrinth
the queen

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