Oscar Nominations

Actress

Penélope Cruz in Volver

I haven't seen this. She sure is getting raves, though. The consensus seems to be that she's just okay when in an English-speaking film but that she's amazing when using her native Spanish. I definitely want to see this, and I'm just waiting for it to come out here.

Judi Dench in Notes on a Scandal

I'm sure I've written before that I really love her even though I still don't think she deserved the Oscar for Shakespeare in Love (even though she's great in it -- 8 minutes just does not cut it, in my opinion). This movie looks dark and disturbing, and my memories of teaching are dark and disturbing enough, so I'm not sure I'll see it.

Helen Mirren in The Queen

It occurs to me that I've never seen her in anything. She is a super sexy and awesome broad, though, from what I've seen of her and read of her. I want to see this.

Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada

I didn't see this, and of course I like Meryl Streep, duh. She always gives great speeches. I don't know. I really can't see anyone winning this but Dench or Mirren.

Kate Winslet in Little Children

My co-worker today, who's usually pretty smart about movies, it seems, told me this morning that he's sick of Kate Winslet. Sick of Kate Winslet! I have to think this is just some kind of sudden lapse of sanity on his part. It is impossible to be sick of Kate Winslet. This movie never came out here, surprise, but I've no doubt that she's astonishing in it because she is astonishing in everything and I love her, the end.

Actor

Leonard DiCaprio in Blood Diamond

Huh. I didn't see this. I thought he was fantastic in The Departed this year. What can you say? He's a really good actor. There's really just sort of no denying it at this point.

Ryan Gosling in Half-Nelson

Oh, Ryan Gosling. I saw this movie solely because I read that he was so magnificent in it. And he was. This movie is dark and depressing and slow. It's good, but don't expect to feel light and happy when it's all said and done. I think Ryan Gosling is brilliant, and I hope that he and Rachel McAdams make lots of beautiful Canadian babies together.

Peter O'Toole in Venus

The only Peter O'Toole movie I have ever seen is Supergirl. And see it I did, lots and lots of times when I was younger. I loved it as a kid even while recognizing that it was ridiculous, and I loved how Sharon (Grease 2) / Doris (Fame) was in it. I should probably rectify this shame immediately by renting a Peter O'Toole movie because word on the street is that he's one of the greatest actors of all time. I should really get some culture. I hope he wins because he's old and he's still out there doing the talk show circuit like he's 25. I am rooting for him.

Will Smith in The Pursuit of Happyness

I did not see this and my former affection for Will Smith has sort of waned due to his apparent friendship with Tom Cruise. I can't help it. I still like him, but not as much as I used to. He seems to be becoming a part of that scary Scientology-influenced Hollywood Power Couple circle with Cruise and Holmes and the Beckhams and Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony and it's just gross to me.

Forest Whitaker in The Last King of Scotland

This never came out here. Everyone seems to think he will and should win. I don't know. All I know is that he directed Hope Floats and that's enough for me to love him eternally. (Speaking of, did y'all recognize Bernice as the bent-over girl on Grey's Anatomy recently? As in Bernice, who just doesn't want to be known as Bernice Matisse?)

Supporting Actress

Adriana Barraza in Babel

I never saw this; I'm not sure why.

Cate Blanchett in Notes on a Scandal

Well, what can you say about Cate? Only that even though she just won for The Aviator, it's impossible to get sick of her, just like it's impossible to get sick of Kate Winslet. In addition to being radiant and just insanely good, she also gives some of the most well-spoken and intelligent-sounding interviews I've ever read. I think Kate and Cate should team up in a movie so screens across the world could explode, unable to withstand their talent.

Abigail Breslin in Little Miss Sunshine

This nomination completely surprised me. I loved her in this, to be sure, and I even love her in the Hewlett Packard ad. But it didn't occur to me that she'd be nominated. But yay, bravo. Without her, this movie might have still been okay, but let's face it, she's the big reason that people love it -- because you root for her and you understand why the family is going through all of this absurdity to make her dream happen for her. Because you think you'd do all of that, too. You think you'd do anything for her. Aw, fuck it. I hope she wins for this scene alone.

Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls

Everyone seems to think she will win. My sister saw this and conceded that she is really quite awesome in it.

Rinko Kikuchi in Babel

No clue except that The Fug Girls have very amusingly featured her lately.

Supporting Actor

Alan Arkin in Little Miss Sunshine

Sigh. Okay. There's no denying that he's very good and funny in this. Most of the big laughs in the movie come from him, I think. But it didn't really seem like that huge of a stretch. I KNOW that part of being a great actor is to make it seem like you're not acting, but I just don't really see that his performance was any better than Greg Kinnear's, Steve Carell's, or Paul Dano's (Dwayne). I'd put any one of those three over him, even though he was great and his character was hilarious, simply because they each just had a lot more range than he did. But I get that he's a veteran actor and that he's probably due this recognition.

Jackie Earle Haley in Little Children

Like I said, I haven't seen this, but I do have very strong memories of him in The Bad News Bears and am very weirded out that he is now a grown man with no hair.

Djimon Hounsou in Blood Diamond

I always enjoy his performances, but I can't really say much about this one because I'm unfamiliar with the movie and his role in it.

Eddie Murphy in Dreamgirls

I think it'd be nice to see him win. I really can't help but like him and respect him even though (a) most of his movies these days are totally idiotic and (b) he's been kind of an assclown during this whole recent paternity dispute with Scary Spice.

Mark Wahlburg in The Departed

Okay. I have always liked Mark Wahlburg and truly believe that he is a fine, fine actor. But I don't understand why he was singled out for this nomination over Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson. Huh? Matt Damon is consistently so solid, and I think he should have been recognized for this movie, and it's just kind of laughable that Jack Nicholson wasn't. I realize he already has at least 3 Oscars that I can think of off the top of my head and that he doesn't really need any more kudos, but he was fantastic in this! Wahlburg was really good and everything, but this is a head-scratcher for me.

Picture

Babel

Something about the ads for this just did not appeal to me. I admit it might have to do with my love/hate relationship with all things Pitt / Jolie.

The Departed

Loved it!

Letters from Iwo Jima

I didn't really like Million Dollar Baby, and I never saw Mystic River. He sure has been going balls-out on his movies lately. It's admirable, and everyone seems to love this one. I'd like to see it. Assuming it ever comes out here. Which it probably won't.

Little Miss Sunshine

Loved it.

The Queen

Hopefully I will see this soon.

(Previous Oscar nomination entries: 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006.)