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 OppewallSet Decoration: Gretchen Rau and Leslie E. Rollins
“Pan’s Labyrinth” (Picturehouse) Art Direction: Eugenio CaballeroSet Decoration: Pilar Revuelta
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (Buena Vista)Art Direction: Rick HeinrichsSet Decoration: Cheryl A. Carasik
“The Prestige” (Buena Vista)Art Direction: Nathan CrowleySet 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 ProductionDavis Guggenheim
“Iraq in Fragments” (Typecast Releasing)A Typecast Pictures/Daylight Factory Production James Longley and John Sinno
“Jesus Camp” (Magnolia Pictures)A Loki Films ProductionHeidi 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 ProductionRuby Yang and Thomas Lennon
“Recycled Life”An Iwerks/Glad Production Leslie Iwerks and Mike Glad
“Rehearsing a Dream”A Simon & Goodman Picture Company ProductionKaren 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 ProductionDenmark
“Days of Glory (Indigènes)” A Tessalit ProductionAlgeria
“The Lives of Others” A Wiedemann & Berg ProductionGermany
“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 CutlerLyric by Anne Preven
“Love You I Do” from “Dreamgirls”(DreamWorks and Paramount) Music by Henry KriegerLyric by Siedah Garrett
“Our Town” from “Cars”(Buena Vista)Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
“Patience” from “Dreamgirls”(DreamWorks and Paramount)Music by Henry KriegerLyric by Willie Reale

Best motion picture of the year

“Babel” (Paramount and Paramount Vantage) An Anonymous Content/Zeta Film/Central Films ProductionAlejandro 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 ProductionClint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg and Robert Lorenz, Producers
“Little Miss Sunshine” (Fox Searchlight)A Big Beach/Bona Fide ProductionNominees to be determined
“The Queen” (Miramax, Pathé and Granada)A Granada ProductionAndy 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 ProductionTorill Kove
“Lifted” (Buena Vista)A Pixar Animation Studios Production Gary Rydstrom
“The Little Matchgirl” (Buena Vista)A Walt Disney Pictures ProductionRoger Allers and Don Hahn
“Maestro” (Szimplafilm)A Kedd ProductionGeza M. Toth
“No Time for Nuts” (20th Century Fox)A Blue Sky Studios ProductionChris 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 ProductionJavier Fesser and Luis Manso
“Éramos Pocos (One Too Many)” (Kimuak)An Altube Filmeak ProductionBorja 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 ProductionPeter Templeman and Stuart Parkyn
“West Bank Story” An Ari Sandel, Pascal Vaguelsy, Amy Kim, Ravi Malhotra and Ashley Jordan ProductionAri 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 MazerStory 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 YamashitaStory 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

The PGA has awarded "Little Miss Sunshine" as the best picture of the year and "Cars" as the best animated picture of the year.

DAKOTA FANNING CONTROVERSY

The industry is abuzz with the new film "Hounddog" and Dakota Fannings performance in it. Apparently the 12 year old Miss Fanning is raped in a very graphic scene. On my drive home last night the right wingers were all over this, condemning Hollywood and the producers of the film. Sean Hannity (the pompous ass that he is) was one of the main detractors of the film and dedicated a large segment of his show to the subject.

I would want no part in filming a scene that depicts a 12 yr old girl being raped- especially when the actress playing the 12 yr old girl is actually 12 yrs old. I would never let my child take part in a film like this. The people that were defending the film could only muster up comments that "it's art" or "it's only a movie, it's not real". Well duh. "It's art" is not a viable defense anymore, maybe in the 60's, but not now.

I am not going to blast the film. I have not seen it. The wingers have already sold the film as a product of Satan, without even seeing a single frame. Sean Hannity defended himself by saying that the scenes are described in detail in the script. From firsthand experience I can tell you that what is in the script and what is on the screen often is not totally the same. Things happen on set 'in the moment' that can change everything. It is also possible to shoot things without actually showing what is going on. Again, I am not saying that raping a 12 yr old girl on screen can be done tastefully, but PLEASE wait and see the movie before you comment on it. And if you don't want to see that sort of thing, then don't- but PLEASE keep your big fat mouth shut about it then.

Will I see it? Yes. I work in the industry- it's part of my job as a producer to know what kind of product is out there.

If these wingers put as much effort into real rape cases that they are for this film, I think a lot more can be done to help people.

For more info on the film "Hounddog" go to:

http://imdb.com/title/tt0415856/

Art Directors Guild Nominees

Period Film
----------------------------
Curse of the Golden Flower, PD: Huo Tingxiao
Dreamgirls, PD: John Myhre
Flags of Our Fathers, PD: Henry Bumstead
The Good Shepherd, PD: Jeannine Oppewall
The Prestige, PD: Nathan Crowley

Fantasy Film
------------
Children of Men, PD: Geoffrey Kirland
Pan's Labyrinth, PD: Eugenio Caballero
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, PD: Rick Heinrichs
Superman Returns, PD: Guy Hendrix Dyas
V for Vendetta, PD: Own Paterson

Contemporary Film
-----------------
Babel, PD: Brigette Broch
Casino Royale, PD: Peter Lamont
The Da Vinci Code, PD: Allan Cameron
The Departed, PD: Kristi Zea
The Queen, PD: Alan MacDonald

I thought this was kind of interesting-

AMPAS Breakdown

Actors
1260
Producers
461
Executives
429
Sound
415
Writers
396
Art Directors
378
Directors
376
Public Relations
371
Members at Large
283
Shorts/Feature Ani
316
Visual Effects
249
Music
237
Editors
224
Cinematographers
186
Documentary
134
Makeup
115
Total
5830

MPSE (Motion Picture Sound Editors) AWARD NOMS

"Flags of Our Fathers"

"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"

"Babel"

"Blood Diamond"

"Dreamgirls"

WAZOO SHOW UPDATES

As some of you know, Chad and I shot a couple of Wazoo Show skits (www.wazoo.tv). The first one, 'Men in Plaid', was shot in mid-October. The most recent, "Showdown at the OK Cinema', was shot this past weekend. Check www.wazoo.tv for information on episode broadcasts.

DREAMGIRLS the best picture of the year?

In my opinion-no. A good film, but not the best of the year.

One has to wonder though if DREAMGIRLS isn't the current 'favorite' to take home the top prize. It's on just about every top ten list and it won a Globe. DREAMGIRLS also has all the components of a 'best picture' winner: great direction, script, cinematography, art direction, soundtrack, score, acting, costume design- it's all there. The genre also fits one of Oscars favorites- a behind the scenes look at the entertainemnt world, and a semi-biopic musical. I'm saying it's a favorite to win, this is probably going to be a tough year to pick a best picture winner, but one has to notice that DREAMGIRLS is no slouch.

GOLDEN GLOBE RESULTS

Best Picture, Drama- BABEL. I have not seen this, and I won't until the DVD release on 2/20. From everything I have read about this, it seems as if critics and fans are split 50/50 on it. I am a big fan of Rodrigo Prieto's cinematography, so I am looking forward to it in that respect. I also have enjoyed Inarritu's previous films AMORES PERROS and 21 GRAMS. I was rooting for THE DEPARTED, it was by far the best picture I have seen this year.

Best Picture, Musical or Comedy- DREAMGIRLS. I liked this movie a lot, and I am glad that it took home the prize in this category. People have disagreed with me, but I liked it better than CHICAGO. Great performances all around and a killer soundtrack.

Best Director- Martin Scorsese. I hate it when best director and picture don't match up. It doesn't make sense to me. Director and picture go togehter like father/mother and child. Oh well, Marty won and that rocks. The Departed was an amazing film that was excellently executed. No deserves this as much as he does. Oscar, here he comes!

Best Actor, Drama- Forrest Whittaker in THE LAST KING OD SCOTLAND. Haven't seen it but from word of mouth and the trailer it looks good. I don't think it's playing anywhere around me, so I might have to wait this one out.

Best Actress, Drama- Helen Mirren for THE QUEEN. Haven't seen this yet either, but I will before the BIG night. Nothing but rave reviews from everyone talking about it.

Best Actor, Musical or Comedy- Sascha Baron Cohen for BORAT. Again, a film I dod not see in theatres and will have to wait for DVD. I am a big fan of the Borat skits and Ali G, etc. I hear he is in talks to c0star in SWEENEY TODD for Tim Burton. Funniest speech of the night.

Best Actress, Musical or Comedy- Meryl Streep for THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA. I liked this movie a lot. I thought it had one of the best casts of the year, lead by the glorious Meryl Streep. The greatest actress of our time. She was still thrilled to win, even after winning countless times before.

Best supporting actor- Eddie Murphy in DREAMGIRLS. Eddie was amazing in this. It's nice to see him get recognized after such an extensive body of work.

Best suppoerting actress- Jennifer Hudson in DREAMGIRLS. She should have been nominated for best actress. This was the performance of the year (of the films I saw).

Best Score- THE PAINTED VEIL. Haven't seen it, will probably catch it on DVD.

Foreign Film- LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA. Haven't seen it, but it's nice to see Clint get recognized...again.

Best Original Song- Prince for some song in HAPPY FEET. Cool, I like Prince.

Best animated film- CARS. My son says it rocks. Word.

CHILDREN OF MEN has been slowly ganing steam in top ten lists across the country. It is now starting to come in as number one on a lot of lists. This is a fantastic movie! It's not the best picture of the year, but it is a contender. Go see it! Go see it now m'F-ers!

EDDIE NOMINATIONS, FOR EXCELLENCE IN FILM EDITING

Drama

"Babel," Stephen Mirrione, Douglas Crise

"Casino Royale," Stuart Baird

"The Departed," Thelma Schoonmaker

"The Queen," Lucia Zuccheti

"United 93," Clare Douglas, Christopher Rouse, Richard Pearson

Comedy/Musical

"The Devil Wears Prada," Mark Livolsi

"Dreamgirls," Virginia Katz

"Little Miss Sunshine," Pamela Martin

"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," Craig Wood, Stephen Rivkin

"Thank You for Smoking," Dan Glauberman

THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CINEMATOGRAPHERS YEARLY AWARDS

Emmanuel Lubezki for CHILDREN OF MEN

Dick Pope for THE ILLUSIONIST

Robert Richardson for THE GOOD SHEPARD

Dean Semler for APOCALYPTO

Vilmos Zsigmond for THE BLACK DAHLIA

WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA YEARLY AWARD NOMINATIONS

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Babel, Written by Guillermo Arriaga, Paramount Vantage

Little Miss Sunshine, Written by Michael Arndt, Fox Searchlight Pictures

The Queen, Written by Peter Morgan, Miramax Films

Stranger Than Fiction, Written by Zach Helm, Sony Pictures Entertainment

United 93, Written by Paul Greengrass, Universal Pictures

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Peter Baynham & Dan Mazer, Story by Sacha Baron Cohen & Peter Baynham & Anthony Hines & Todd Phillips, Based on a Character Created by Sacha Baron Cohen, Twentieth Century Fox

The Departed, Screenplay by William Monahan, Based on the Motion Picture Internal Affairs, Written by Alan Mak and Felix Chong, Warner Bros. Pictures

The Devil Wears Prada, Screenplay by Aline Brosh McKenna, Based on the Novel by Lauren Weisberger, Twentieth Century Fox

Little Children, Screenplay by Todd Field & Tom Perrotta, Based on the Novel by Tom Perrotta, New Line Cinema

Thank You for Smoking, Screenplay by Jason Reitman, Based on the Novel by Christopher Buckley, Fox Searchlight Pictures

SAG AWARD NOMINATIONS:

Best Actress

Penelope Cruz, Volver
Judi Dench, Notes on a Scandal
Helen Mirren, The Queen
Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada
Kate Winslet, Little Children

Best Supporting Actress

Adriana Barraza, Babel
Cate Blanchett, Notes on a Scandal
Abigail Breslin, Little Miss Sunshine
Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls
Rinko Kikuchi, Babel

Best Actor

Leonardo Dicaprio, Blood Diamond
Ryan Gosling, Half Nelson
Peter O'Toole, Venus
Will Smith, Pursuit of Happyness
Forest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland

Best Supporting

ActorAlan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Departed
Jackie Earle Haley, Little Children
Djimon Honsou, Blood Diamond
Eddie Murphy, Dreamgirls

Ensemble
Babel
Bobby
The Departed
Dreamgirls
Little Miss Sunshine

PGA NOMINATIONS:

Best Picture

Babel
The Departed
Dreamgirls
Little Miss Sunshine
The Queen

Animated:
Cars
Flushed Away
Happy Feet
Ice Age: The Meltdown
Monster House

OF THE MOVIES I'VE SEEN SO FAR THIS YEAR, HERE ARE MY TOP FIVE:

THE DEPARTED
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
UNITED 93
DREAMGIRLS
CHILDREN OF MEN

Most entertaining movie of the year- CASINO ROYALE

I have not seen either one of Eastwood's films, or The Queen, Little Children or Babel.