Tom & Alissa

I’m not going to do picks, because honestly, I think a lot of these are great nominations. But I will offer my unsolicited opinions. Click below to see them.

Best Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio - BLOOD DIAMOND
Didn’t see it, though I thought he was great in The Departed.
Ryan Gosling - HALF NELSON
Ok, I really didn’t like this movie (so shoot me), but I agree, he was great.
Peter O’Toole - VENUS
We saw this on Sunday. I’m a bit ambivalent about the film as a whole, but Peter O’Toole was brilliant.
Will Smith - THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS
Forest Whitaker - THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND

Best Supporting Actor
Alan Arkin - LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Yes, yes!
Jackie Earle Haley - LITTLE CHILDREN
Even better. This guy came way out of left field, and he was brilliant.
Djimon Hounsou - BLOOD DIAMOND
Eddie Murphy - DREAMGIRLS
Mark Wahlberg - THE DEPARTED
Oh, Mark. The brilliance. The crassness. I loved him in this movie.

Best Actress - I think the nominations in this category are stellar.
Penélope Cruz - VOLVER
She was great.
Judi Dench - NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Completely freaked me out, which was the point. Amazing!
Helen Mirren - THE QUEEN
Naturally.
Meryl Streep - THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
I’m actually going to go out and buy this movie today because I loved her in it so much.
Kate Winslet - LITTLE CHILDREN
She was positively brilliant, and I think she deserves to win it.

Best Supporting Actress
Adriana Barraza - BABEL
The Mexican nanny - she broke my heart.
Cate Blanchett - NOTES ON A SCANDAL
I think she deserves it.
Abigail Breslin - LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Ok, TOO CUTE.
Jennifer Hudson - DREAMGIRLS
Rinko Kikuchi - BABEL
She was great, too.

Cinematography
THE BLACK DAHLIA
CHILDREN OF MEN
Just wanted to comment that this should win.
THE ILLUSIONIST
PAN’S LABYRINTH
THE PRESTIGE

Best Director
BABEL
I think this was likely the most tricky to pull off as a director - so I’m going to go with this.
THE DEPARTED
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
THE QUEEN
UNITED 93

Best Picture
BABEL
I think this will win.
THE DEPARTED
I think this has a fighting chance.
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
I would squee happily if this did. It’s the little film that could.
THE QUEEN

Best Adapted Screenplay
BORAT CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN
Pshaw.
CHILDREN OF MEN
Honestly, brilliant.
THE DEPARTED
LITTLE CHILDREN
This is the best, I think.
NOTES ON A SCANDAL

Best Original Screenplay
BABEL
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
You’ve got to admit, this screenplay is awesome.
PAN’S LABYRINTH
THE QUEEN
As much as I loved it, probably not the best screenplay.

We shall see.