Nominations for the 79th Academy Awards

Performance by an actor in a leading role
Leonardo DiCaprio in “Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.)
Ryan Gosling in “Half Nelson” (THINKFilm)
Peter O’Toole in “Venus” (Miramax, Filmfour and UK Council)
Will Smith in “The Pursuit of Happyness” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Forest Whitaker in “The Last King of Scotland” (Fox Searchlight)

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Alan Arkin in “Little Miss Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)
Jackie Earle Haley in “Little Children” (New Line)
Djimon Hounsou in “Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.)
Eddie Murphy in “Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount)
Mark Wahlberg in “The Departed” (Warner Bros.)

Performance by an actress in a leading role
Penélope Cruz in “Volver” (Sony Pictures Classics)
Judi Dench in “Notes on a Scandal” (Fox Searchlight)
Helen Mirren in “The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada)
Meryl Streep in “The Devil Wears Prada” (20th Century Fox)
Kate Winslet in “Little Children” (New Line)

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Adriana Barraza in “Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)
Cate Blanchett in “Notes on a Scandal” (Fox Searchlight)
Abigail Breslin in “Little Miss Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)
Jennifer Hudson in “Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount)
Rinko Kikuchi in “Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)

Best animated feature film of the year
“Cars” (Buena Vista) John Lasseter
“Happy Feet” (Warner Bros.) George Miller
“Monster House” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Gil Kenan

Achievement in art direction
“Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount)
Art Direction: John Myhre
Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh
“The Good Shepherd” (Universal)
Art Direction: Jeannine Oppewall
Set Decoration: Gretchen Rau and Leslie E. Rollins
“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse)
Art Direction: Eugenio Caballero
Set Decoration: Pilar Revuelta
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (Buena Vista)
Art Direction: Rick Heinrichs
Set Decoration: Cheryl A. Carasik
“The Prestige” (Buena Vista)
Art Direction: Nathan Crowley
Set Decoration: Julie Ochipinti

Achievement in cinematography
“The Black Dahlia” (Universal) Vilmos Zsigmond
“Children of Men” (Universal) Emmanuel Lubezki
“The Illusionist” (Yari Film Group) Dick Pope
“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse) Guillermo Navarro
“The Prestige” (Buena Vista) Wally Pfister

Achievement in costume design
“Curse of the Golden Flower” (Sony Pictures Classics) Yee Chung Man
“The Devil Wears Prada” (20th Century Fox) Patricia Field
“Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount) Sharen Davis
“Marie Antoinette” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Milena Canonero
“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada) Consolata Boyle

Achievement in directing
“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage) Alejandro González Iñárritu
“The Departed” (Warner Bros.) Martin Scorsese
“Letters from Iwo Jima” (Warner Bros.) Clint Eastwood
“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada) Stephen Frears
“United 93” (Universal and StudioCanal) Paul Greengrass

Best documentary feature
“Deliver Us from Evil” (Lionsgate)
A Disarming Films Production
Amy Berg and Frank Donner
“An Inconvenient Truth” (Paramount Classics and Participant Productions)
A Lawrence Bender/Laurie David Production
Davis Guggenheim
“Iraq in Fragments” (Typecast Releasing)
A Typecast Pictures/Daylight Factory Production
James Longley and John Sinno
“Jesus Camp” (Magnolia Pictures)
A Loki Films Production
Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady
“My Country, My Country” (Zeitgeist Films)
A Praxis Films Production
Laura Poitras and Jocelyn Glatzer

Best documentary short subject
“The Blood of Yingzhou District”
A Thomas Lennon Films Production
Ruby Yang and Thomas Lennon
“Recycled Life”
An Iwerks/Glad Production
Leslie Iwerks and Mike Glad
“Rehearsing a Dream”
A Simon & Goodman Picture Company Production
Karen Goodman and Kirk Simon
“Two Hands”
A Crazy Boat Pictures Production
Nathaniel Kahn and Susan Rose Behr

Achievement in film editing
“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)
Stephen Mirrione and Douglas Crise
“Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.)
Steven Rosenblum
“Children of Men” (Universal)
Alex Rodríguez and Alfonso Cuarón
“The Departed” (Warner Bros.)
Thelma Schoonmaker
“United 93” (Universal and StudioCanal)
Clare Douglas, Christopher Rouse and Richard Pearson

Best foreign language film of the year
“After the Wedding” A Zentropa Entertainments 16 Production
Denmark
“Days of Glory (Indigènes)” A Tessalit Production
Algeria
“The Lives of Others” A Wiedemann & Berg Production
Germany
“Pan’s Labyrinth” A Tequila Gang/Esperanto Filmoj/Estudios Picasso Production
Mexico
“Water” A Hamilton-Mehta Production
Canada

Achievement in makeup
“Apocalypto” (Buena Vista) Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
“Click” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Kazuhiro Tsuji and Bill Corso
“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse) David Marti and Montse Ribe

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage) Gustavo Santaolalla
“The Good German” (Warner Bros.) Thomas Newman
“Notes on a Scandal” (Fox Searchlight) Philip Glass
“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse) Javier Navarrete
“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada) Alexandre Desplat

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
“I Need to Wake Up” from “An Inconvenient Truth”
(Paramount Classics and Participant Productions)
Music and Lyric by Melissa Etheridge
“Listen” from “Dreamgirls”
(DreamWorks and Paramount)
Music by Henry Krieger and Scott Cutler
Lyric by Anne Preven
“Love You I Do” from “Dreamgirls”
(DreamWorks and Paramount)
Music by Henry Krieger
Lyric by Siedah Garrett
“Our Town” from “Cars”
(Buena Vista)
Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
“Patience” from “Dreamgirls”
(DreamWorks and Paramount)
Music by Henry Krieger
Lyric by Willie Reale

Best motion picture of the year
“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)
An Anonymous Content/Zeta Film/Central Films Production
Alejandro González Iñárritu, Jon Kilik and Steve Golin, Producers
“The Departed” (Warner Bros.)
A Warner Bros. Pictures Production
Nominees to be determined
“Letters from Iwo Jima” (Warner Bros.)
A DreamWorks Pictures/Warner Bros. Pictures Production
Clint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg and Robert Lorenz, Producers
“Little Miss Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)
A Big Beach/Bona Fide Production
Nominees to be determined
“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada)
A Granada Production
Andy Harries, Christine Langan and Tracey Seaward, Producers

Best animated short film
“The Danish Poet” (National Film Board of Canada)
A Mikrofilm and National Film Board of Canada Production
Torill Kove
“Lifted” (Buena Vista)
A Pixar Animation Studios Production
Gary Rydstrom
“The Little Matchgirl” (Buena Vista)
A Walt Disney Pictures Production
Roger Allers and Don Hahn
“Maestro” (Szimplafilm)
A Kedd Production
Geza M. Toth
“No Time for Nuts” (20th Century Fox)
A Blue Sky Studios Production
Chris Renaud and Michael Thurmeier

Best live action short film
“Binta and the Great Idea (Binta Y La Gran Idea)”
A Peliculas Pendelton and Tus Ojos Production
Javier Fesser and Luis Manso
“Éramos Pocos (One Too Many)” (Kimuak)
An Altube Filmeak Production
Borja Cobeaga
“Helmer & Son”
A Nordisk Film Production
Soren Pilmark and Kim Magnusson
“The Saviour” (Australian Film Television and Radio School)
An Australian Film Television and Radio School Production
Peter Templeman and Stuart Parkyn
“West Bank Story”
An Ari Sandel, Pascal Vaguelsy, Amy Kim, Ravi Malhotra and Ashley Jordan Production
Ari Sandel

Achievement in sound editing
“Apocalypto” (Buena Vista)
Sean McCormack and Kami Asgar
“Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.)
Lon Bender
“Flags of Our Fathers” (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by Paramount)
Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman
“Letters from Iwo Jima” (Warner Bros.)
Alan Robert Murray
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (Buena Vista)
Christopher Boyes and George Watters II

Achievement in sound mixing
“Apocalypto” (Buena Vista)
Kevin O’Connell, Greg P. Russell and Fernando Camara
“Blood Diamond” (Warner Bros.)
Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer and Ivan Sharrock
“Dreamgirls” (DreamWorks and Paramount)
Michael Minkler, Bob Beemer and Willie Burton
“Flags of Our Fathers” (DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Distributed by Paramount)
John Reitz, Dave Campbell, Gregg Rudloff and Walt Martin
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (Buena Vista)
Paul Massey, Christopher Boyes and Lee Orloff

Achievement in visual effects
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (Buena Vista)
John Knoll, Hal Hickel, Charles Gibson and Allen Hall
“Poseidon” (Warner Bros.)
Boyd Shermis, Kim Libreri, Chaz Jarrett and John Frazier
“Superman Returns” (Warner Bros.)
Mark Stetson, Neil Corbould, Richard R. Hoover and Jon Thum

Adapted screenplay
“Borat Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” (20th Century Fox)
Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Peter Baynham & Dan Mazer
Story by Sacha Baron Cohen & Peter Baynham & Anthony Hines & Todd Phillips
“Children of Men” (Universal)
Screenplay by Alfonso Cuarón & Timothy J. Sexton and David Arata and Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby
“The Departed” (Warner Bros.)
Screenplay by William Monahan
“Little Children” (New Line)
Screenplay by Todd Field & Tom Perrotta
“Notes on a Scandal” (Fox Searchlight)
Screenplay by Patrick Marber

Original screenplay
“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage)
Written by Guillermo Arriaga
“Letters from Iwo Jima” (Warner Bros.)
Screenplay by Iris Yamashita
Story by Iris Yamashita & Paul Haggis
“Little Miss Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)
Written by Michael Arndt
“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse)
Written by Guillermo del Toro
“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada)
Written by Peter Morgan

Thoughts?

Alright, I'm starting on my annual Oscar Bitch List...

OK, where to start:

(1)Paul Greengrass' nomination KICKS ASS. Really, He impressed the hell out of people with his UNITED 93, and now he's an Oscar nominee for Best Director. He won't win, but this boasts the hell out of his career. Can't wait for his Iraqi war movie(and BOURNE ULTIMATUM, of course!)

(2) Leo getting a Best Actor nod? Great!

The problem is, BLOOD DIAMOND was a stale bag of chips. Basically an action movie that disguises itself with the "social message" that...surprise surprise...living in Africa sucks.

In THE DEPARTED, he was the perfect counter-part to Matt Damon's internalization, for Leo's humanism work in that movie very well might have finally converted him from infamous pretty global teen idol boy to one of Hollywood's best leading men.

(3) You know, its insanity when the movie that most people had bet to not only be a front-runner for a Best Picture and Director nominations, but still expected to be a serious contender for the Best Picture win......instead gets totally snubbed.

(4) Why did Will Smith get a nod? Its not like he was Forest Whittaker or something. Though Hollywood is impressed when TV actors-turned-crappy action stars actually try to act, it seems. Nevermind, Whittaker will still Idie Amin the Fresh Prince's ass.

(5) Clint making in with LETTERS OF IWO JIMA surprises me. Maybe it shouldn't, but it did. All I know is, Marty Scorsese now will have to deal with the Clintanator(it won't stop! it won't bargain with you, it can't be reasoned with!) once again, but Marty will prevail.

(6) Mark Whalberg's Supporting Actor nomination for THE DEPARTED is, to quote Borat..."Vehrey Niice!" Nicholson getting left out surprised me, but I'm glad. Nicholson didn't deserve a nomination at all.

Really, Marky Mark an Oscar nominee now. Let that soak in for a minute.

More thoughts to come...

I remind as well, the great composer Morricone is getting the Lifetime Acheivement Oscar this year.

*cues up ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA score*

What a snooze. I don't think I'll even bother turning it on this year.

I've still not seen The Illusionist, but the the most just category by far is Best Cinematography.

Why did they say nominee's to be determined? Is this normal?

Mig, that meant about which producers/people would get actually nominated in name for those movies. Studios and producers fight to make sure their names make the 3 slots.

Funny enough, if he had made the cut with the Oscar committees, producer Brad Pitt would have gotten himself a Best Picture nomination for THE DEPARTED.

Oh Beth, snooze????

This year's Oscars might very well be the most competitive in years. The Best Picture field is the most wide open in a generation. Scorsese now has serious competition in his old rival, Eastwood.

Capo, the Cinematography category usually seems justified. Take last year's nominees. BATMAN BEGINS, GOOD NIGHT GOOD LUCK, NEW WORLD. Yet they all lost to the one movie that didn't deserve the win: MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA. Figures.

The BLACK DAHLIA nomination for Cinematography kicks ass, and people told me it was dead...bahaha!

Ok, Best Cinematography Oscar of 2006 goes to....

CHILDREN OF MEN

Funny enough, I expected UNITED 93 to make this category.

Maybe not quite a snooze. This was just not a great year for movie nominations. What is all the hub bub about Dreamgirls. They're singer playing singers. Not a big acting stretch there. And the day Beonce gets an oscar nomination is the day I jump off a cliff.

Who does the voting in the Academy?

Mig, here is an explanation I found on the web of who votes.

Voters must be members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Initial voting is restricted to members of the Academy branch concerned. For instance, when the first wave of ballots is mailed to all members of the Academy, only directors may nominate other directors. Once the first round of voting is done and the field has been narrowed to no more than five nominees in each category, then all members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are allowed to vote for a winner in most categories, including Best Picture.
The Academy was formed in May 1927 and is a non-profit corporation. The Academy has grown from 36 members to 6,500 highly qualified individuals representing 14 branches of interest - actors, animators and short film makers, art directors and costume designers, cinematographers, composers and songwriters, documentary filmmakers, directors, executives, film editors, producers, public relations specialists, sound technicians, visual effects experts, and writers.

i have to agree with beth about dreamgirls not being much of a stretch. For some reason over the last 5 years the oscars seem to wet their pants with musicals. Dreamgirls will be this years Chicago...and just like Chicago, and just like Chicago it'll be forgotten in a year. Thank god it didn't get a best Pic nom.

Thanks Beth.

I don't know Bethie... She was pretty good as Foxxy Cleopatra!

Wow, only 5 noms for The Departed

I'll be honest and say I haven't seen most of these movies, mainly because I don't have the time or money to make it to the movie theater, so I'll be sure to catch them as they are released on dvd. However I did just watch Little Miss Sunshine and LOVED it! I am happy to see it on several of these lists, especially best film. Since I haven't seen much mention of it here I have to ask you all, does it even have a chance in any of these catagories? Original screenplay maybe?

Blabble, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE surprised Hollywood when it won the PGA awards....and with the Best Picture category basically a battle royale between 5 nominees, with each arguably able to win either directly, or out of split voting(like 1981, when CHARIOTS OF FIRE won in an upset over the favorites REDS and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK).

But most likely, LMS may get Original Script, though THE QUEEN will be awfully tough to beat.

I just wonder if this is Martys Year..

We'll find out in a couple of weeks but deep down, I think this is his year. They can't dog him this year, not with The Departed on his side.

I love how many Oscar prognosticators are wetting their panties because of the "Clint" factor. ZZZZZ

Scorsese will still win. Why?

(1) THE DEPARTED is the highest grossing movie of the Best Picture Nominees. That never hurts.

(2) Clint won his 2nd Best Director Oscar just two years ago in 2004 for MILLION DOLLAR BABY. This reminds me of Oliver Stone, who was up for JFK in 1991, but since he won his 2nd Best Director Oscar in 1989 for BORN ON THE FIRST OF JULY, Stone didn't win.

(3) Clint didn't get a DGA nod, and if Scorsese wins the DGA, then its all over.

(4) Right-wing blogs are bound to go nuts about a movie where Japanese troops kill Americans. I'm stirring shit up, but go Marty!

I heard from several people as well as reviews that Clint's movie wasn't all that great? I still have to see it of course to form my own opinion but I have heard so much more about The Departed that it seems that the popular vote would be unanimous in Scorsese' side. The Academy Awards are known for being shockers though...

LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA mostly likely got its Best Picture/Director nominations because people admired how Clint made that movie, along with FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS, together and capturing both sides of the war.

Thing is, using that logic, you can never give a bad mark to anyone making art, since they're "trying."

I didn't care for FLAGS. If anything, I wish someone would make a WW2 war movie that doesn't have melodramatic physics or white-wash of reality. I know those Americans sacrificed so that imperialistic expansionism, and outright genocide, by both Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany, would be stopped.

We can have flawed heroes, you know.

However, LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA intrigues the hell out of me. I hear though that the editing is messy, that the writing reeks of the Paul Haggis school of pussy melodrama...but I'll still go see it!

BTW folks, THE DEPARTED is coming back to theatres this weekend.

Well, apparently if things go through, producer Brad Pitt is getting a Best Picture nomination for THE DEPARTED.

BTW, notice the nomination credits for BORAT's Best Adapted Screenplay nomination.....Todd Phillips, the director of OLD SCHOOL.

"3-6 Mafia, 1 Oscar: Martin Scorsese, Zero Oscars" - Jon Stewart