The nominees are:

Performance by an actor in a leading role
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

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
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 SHEPHERD
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 INCONVENIENT 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 (INDIGÈNES)
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 INCONVENIENT 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)
ÉRAMOS POCOS (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 OF KAZAKHSTAN
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

All I can say is Children of Men has been criminally ignored in the major categories. It'll probably pick up the cinematography and/or editing award(s), but only an adapted screenplay nod when Alfonso Cuaron should have got some acknowledgement for directing is a shame. And with Casino Royale's strong show at the Baftas (okay, so it is British), surprised it got no nominations in at least the technical categories. And how can Dreamgirls not win for Best Song? It's nominated 3 bloody times!

Eyyyyy!

well, i've only seen 'pan's labyrinth' and 'superman returns'...

i'd say that 'pan's labyrinth' could do well in the make-up / special effects categories.



as for 'curse of the golden flower' being nominated for 'costume design', you reckon that they're boob fans at the academy?

I want this to win, just so they have to read the name out twice.

I would so love Peter O'Toole to win.



Most difficult to pick one from here.

Hounsou is excellent in everything he does, and Wahlberg & Arkin were fantastic in their films.

I'd love Arkin to win I think.

Wahlberg & Arkin could also contend for the Most Foul Mouthed Supporting Role. Marky would shade that one.

Yeah, I haven't seen The Departed yet (only just come out in Japan - but I've seen all 3 Infernal Affairs films), but I've heard nothing but good things about Marky Mark's performance. He effectively nudged Jack Nicholson out of that nomination category.

But far more interesting would be seeing Fist Of Funs resident slob Peter Baynham pick up an Oscar.



I note once again Statham was cruelly snubbed.

A shame considering he'd win in the AWARD FOR PERSON WHO LOOKS MOST LIKE THIS AWARD category. Maybe it's the lack of a sword in his films that flummoxed the voters, but the Dungeon Siege film should rectify that, right?

Arf!

NOTE TO SELF - the only film I have seen in that entire list of nominees was Poseidon. I must watch more new films.

Whitaker should get it, but I reckon Smith will.

And that was only because me and Tom rented it.

Yeah, and that'd be a shame because he's so rubbish and that film is just such Oscar-bait twaddle.

Utterly.

Ryan Gosling. He is good. But my money is on Forrest Whitaker. He look better and playing a real life figure can be a shoo-in.

Glad to see Jennifer Hudson nominated too. I hope she goes far.

I don't actually want to see "The Queen". It doesn't appeal to me at all.

Sefi x

Now all my mystique and coolness has been shattered.

Thanks a bunch.

I was really hoping for Steve Carell to be nominated. I thought he was great in Little Miss Sunshine.

What if I told people you missed quite a lot of the film because you were in the kitchen cooking us sausages, mash and gravy?

Speaking of losing coolness, Alyssa is going to see Apocalypto again tonight, that's four times in two weeks.

Speaking of the Oscars I'd like 'The Departed' to win everything it's nominated for. I'm not too fussed about anything else, this is the least interested I've been for years.

Well if they knew that I'm sure they'd cancel. Perhaps replace it with the new prime time chat show "Zoe". (like "Davina" but less crap)

Are you being sarky Sostie? How ruuuuuuude.

That would probably help if anything.

Sostie - It's a good idea. How would you suspend the umlaut above her name on the set? I'd use stickybacked plastic.

Never. At least not to you. You could destroy me with a fluorish of your pen/stroke of a keyboard/lash of your tongue.

I'd just look at you over my glasses.

She has an umlaut!! Just when you think you know someone....



Cos' I really wouldn't like that.(now that was meant to be sarcastic). Raised eyebrows too.. please.

Had to do a little 'Woop!' at that one. Al Gore at the Oscars! Cool!


I was really glad to see Wahlberg get a nod, he was truly superb in The Depaahted. Little Abigail Breslin deservedly got a nod, too.


Seconded on both these counts.

Does anyone think it's odd that Borat is nominated for its screenplay when a large section of the film didn't use one?

It's fantastic to see O'Toole nominated. If he wins then yay, he's finally done it. If he doesn't then he'll have the 'honour' of being nominated the most times without a win.

I thought The Departed would have received more acting nods. I'd have liked to have seen Damon and Nicholson up there. Still, at least Wahlberg got his. Good choice.

I was confused as to why Borat was in best adapted screenplay - what have they adapted? His TV show was different.

I was talking about both of these points yesterday. I can't speak to it with much authority though- I never saw the film.

I'm just barely interested in this year's nominees. I definitely feel I missed out by not going to see The Queen now.

I want to see An Inconvenient Truth win best documentary...stick that up your arse George Bush!

Seeing as how This Film Is Not Yet Rated unsurprisingly did not pick up a nom, it has no real competition as far as I'm concerned. Go get some, Al.

I hope Pan's Labyrinth picks up a few of the awards it is nominated for and that Scorsese wins the Oscar for Directing, otherwise I'm not sure about any of the others. I'd like O'Toole to win but Whitaker is really very good in Last King Of Scotland.

Most of all I want Monster House to win best animated feature. Of those nominated it has far the best plot, characterisation, performances and script. Though Cars will probably win for being prettier.

Do you think? Cars had a bit of a luke warm critical reception.

But the animation award might not necessarily go to the film that is best in terms of writing, but that which has better animation. Cars was a stunning film in technical terms, and that might sway the Academy away from the superior Monster House.

Some of the problems tidentified with Cars were technical inasmuch as they didn't really manage to animate the cars, in the sense of make them move, as humanly as they might have done. Compared to The Incredibles or Toy Story their faces were really unexpressive, I know they were cars and all but still. I've got a feeling it might go to Happy Feet.

Yet again, Fametracker rocks The Galaxy of Fame: Oscar Nominees Edition.

Cuaron and Wahlberg are particularly inspired.

Aside from the Cars themselves, though, the actual world in which they inhabited was quite stunning. They may not have been all very well anthropomorthosised, but the film still looked very nice.

Happy Feet has a chance what with the environmental message and everything. Though that just confirms my suspicions that the immensely enjoyable Monster House will be left out in the cold come Oscar night.

Be quite ironic if he did as he's made much better films in my opinion. He should have won for Mean Streets, King of Comedy, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Goodfellas, especially the latter, but no, they gave it to Kevin Fucking Bitch Assed Cunt Costner.

Yeah, I don't think The Departed is his best film compared to those mentioned, but he does deserve to win it at some point.

who said the spirit of dazdaman was dead...

Only saw half the show and was amused to see they referred to it as "one of the most international Oscars ever" - cue round of self congratulatory applause.

Penelope Cruz is then referreed to as Mexican and Infernal Affairs as a Japanese film.

At last Scorsese won...not before time. The Academy was at risk of losing any credibility it had if he didn't.

I like Martin Scorcese's glasses.

So who won? I like to recieve all of my information second-hand through forum members. I find it more credible that way.

BEST FILM: Crank
BEST ACTOR: The Stath (great speach, particularly when he roundhoused Morgan Freeman)
BEST ACTRESS: Kate Bosworth

Cheers Sostie. I didn't even know Crank and The Stath were nominated. Or did he just turn up and roundhouse kick the entire Academy into submission?

My favourite film of the year was recognised as the best... that hardly ever happens.

I'm so used to results like 'Chicago' beating 'The Two Towers' or 'Crash' triumphing over 'Walk the Line' it's rather a shock.

I thought they'd give him director, but I'm very surprised (and delighted) it scored both.

It was a rarity in that it was the first Oscars in years where I had no real complaints about who won (not seen any of the other foreign nominees and didn't think Pan's Labyrinth was that amazing, so thast didn't really bother me).


Actually, there is one complaint. I didn't see Children Of Men until after the nominations...it got a criminal lack of recognition.

Well, Oscar loves adaptations, so it's no surprise that The Departed won. Looking back at the last 20 years of Best Picture victors, we find (on a rough count):

- 1 remake
- 9 originals
- 10 adapted from books
- 2 adapted from plays

To be sure, The Departed is a great film, but it follows its predecessor far too closely. I suppose if you went in cold, it was a completely different film, but I found that so many of the twists and turns of the original were intact that they lost their impact. The only event which really caught me off-guard was the ending; that really came out of left field!

Yeah, it's about time Marty got his recognition, but after losing for far better films it seems like they're throwing him a bone, offering him the dignity of winning an award that isn't of the lifetime achievement variety.

As for the rest, I didn't watch the show in its entirety, but I was duly unimpressed with Ellen Degeneres, whose act seemed to consist of two bits: "Hahaha, wow, look at you guys! You're here at the Oscars! It's so amazing, I just lost my train of thought!" and "Blah blah blah, look at how I'm pretending to not notice the camera on me. OH MY GOD! There's still more of the show left! I forgot!"

And who'd have thought seven years ago that Al Gore would lose the presidency (or so they say), but ultimately win an Oscar?

Finally, good for Torill Kove, winning the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film. I've not seen The Danish Poet, but her previous short, My Grandmother Ironed the King's Shirts, was delightful.

I hadn't seen 'Infernal Affairs' before I saw 'The Departed'. Maybe this is partly why I enjoyed it so much (it was a deliberate choice on my part to avoid the original once I heard of the remake).

Now I have, I think they're both excellent, but I can't see how you can say they're very similar. Other than following the same basic plot, they're very different. The tone of the film is so different from its predecessor.

I do think I prefer the original ending, though 'The Departed' has a more viscerally satisfying finale, 'Infernal Affairs' is the more intellectually rewarding (helped by Andy Lau's more sympathetic version of 'bad cop').

I think the ending of The Departed was perfect for that film (with exception of the rat). Leaving the original ending may have been a braver move but less satisfying. I don't think Infernal Affairs would have worked with the Scorsese ending..as you say Andy Lau's cop was more sympathetic and it would have been too much of a downer.

Infernal Affairs will always be my fave, however it did lack the Wahlberg/Baldwin element which were cinematic high points of the year.

Maybe, maybe not. Maybe fuck yourself.

*sighs*

Oh Marky Mark.