popular thinking

You can get the full list of the 79th annual Oscar nominees here (grouped by film) or here (grouped by category) and wait until Feb. 25 to find out who wins.

But just seeing who got nominated -- and who didn't -- always gets the conversation started. You'll hear a lot of regular buzzwords. Here are two more cents to add to the chitty-chit-chat.

They'll say: Why didn't Dreamgirls get Best Picture or Best Director nods?
You'll say: Because Chicago didn't really deserve its wins, either, so get over yourself and your movie musical mania. Jennifer Hudson has great pipes and Eddie Murphy took his old SNL James Brown impersonation and channeled his inner demons for inspired performances, and they got recognized for it. And Dreamgirls has three, THREE!, Best Song nominees. And really, that is enough.

They'll say: Why did Leonardo DiCaprio get his Best Actor nod for Blood Diamond and not for The Departed?
You'll say: Even though he was better in The Departed, his role got submitted in the supporting category for the SAGs. Did the studio want to avoid a Leo vs. Leo repeat of the Golden Globes? Not exactly, because one actor can't get more than one nod in any Oscar category. And Academy voters are more likely to be sympathetic to the international social awareness goings-on in Blood Diamond.

Which reminds you to say this: Oh, by the way, the Best Actor and Best Actress groups line up exactly with the nominees for this year's Screen Actors Guild Awards (only you said SAG Awards, because you figure they know what you mean since they see all the ads during Law & Order repeats on TNT). So do the supporting categories, save for one substitution, in which Leo's Departed nomination goes to co-star Mark Wahlberg.

They'll say: Well, if the SAGs are supposed to be predictors, why didn't Bobby and Dreamgirls get Best Picture nods?
You'll say: Didn't I cover Dreamgirls already? And Bobby? Seriously? The only reason it's in the hunt for SAG ensemble is because the ensemble in question numbers 24 actors and actresses. All they needed were their closest friends to vote for them and they were a lock. The best thing about Bobby was RFK himself. And he's not getting nominated.

They'll say: Does Clint Eastwood know something?
You'll say: He must've, because by pushing up the release date for Letters From Iwo Jima to qualify as a 2006 movie, he got himself back into the running for Picture and Director. And that also gets Paul Haggis his third straight screenwriting nod (after Million Dollar Baby and Crash).

They'll say: Is Little Miss Sunshine really that good?
You'll say: No. Not that good. It was funny, but if being funny mattered, then Borat would've been in its place. This is more about a feel-good Hollywood story. This also is more likely to be the film most likely to come home with all or nothing on Oscar night.

They'll say: What about the 9/11 movies?
You'll say: Oh, yes. What about them? Right. Oliver Stone got snubbed for his World Trade Center pic, while Paul Greengrass got nominated for Best Director for United 93 (the film also garnered best editing). United 93 is the tougher film to sit through, mostly because you know how it's going to end. But it's good to see the Academy was willing to recognize Greengrass for his efforts, especially since he convinced many FAA officials and other folks to relive Sept. 11, 2001, and none of it came off schlocky.

They'll say: Why didn't Volver get Pedro Almodovar another Foreign Film honor?
You'll say: Because this category always seems to leave out a worthy movie, for one arcane or oblique reason or another.

They'll say: Can anyone beat Forest Whitaker and Helen Mirren?
You'll say: Perhaps, but unlikely. Kudos for the Academy for recognizing Ryan Gosling in a performance that was widely hailed if not widely seen, but it's Peter O'Toole who'll compete for votes among the hearts and minds of the Academy. Among the women, Meryl Streep has more nominations than any other actor or actress in history, and you cannot take that for granted. Look for the SAG votes -- and the acceptance speeches -- as an indicator, because the Academy voters will be watching, too.

They'll say: Didn't the critics make a big fuss about Pan's Labyrinth and Children of Men? What happened to them?
You'll say: Yes, and both films will get their due -- Pan's with six nods, Children of Men with three. Both are in the running for cinematography and screenplay awards, which, when you think about it, how a movie looks and what kind of script it has are usually major components to making a good movie.

They'll say: Could we see Al Gore win an Oscar?
You'll say: Possibly. His environmental call to arms, the documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, is up against two Iraqi docs and two docs on religious problems (the Catholic pedophile priests and the Jesus Campers). No Holocaust films this year. And Hollywood might just put Gore onstage just as a statement against Bush.

They'll say: Wait. Did Click get an Oscar nomination?
You'll say: Yes. For makeup. Try not to dwell on it.

They'll say: So what about Babel?
You'll say: What about Babel? The international sequel to Crash. Not likely to see the Academy fall for this twice in a row. Or let's hope not, anyhow. So for Babel, it's all about just being happy to be nominated.

They'll say: Did Hollywood really honor Mel Gibson?
You'll say: Not really. Yes, his Apocalypto is up for makeup, sound editing and sound mixing, but those awards would go to his crew, not to him. Gibson would not be onstage accepting an award.

They'll say: Could this be the year Marty finally wins an Oscar for directing?
You'll say: Probably. But don't count out Clint.

They'll say: So who really got snubbed?
You'll say: So many great acting jobs got turned in for The Departed, but DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Alec Baldwin and even Jack Nicholson got hosed. The supporting actor category simply had too many great performances this year, though, so it'd be hard to deny Alan Arkin, Jackie Earle Haley, Djimon Hounsou, Eddie Murphy or Wahlberg their due. Damon should get some recognition, though, for his superior acting. His longtime buddy, Ben Affleck, also fared well mining his own personal demons for Hollywoodland. Casino Royale wasn't just a Bond movie but a great movie, though the Academy overlooked it nonetheless. Maggie Gyllenhaal is great, too, but nobody saw Sherrybaby (not even me). Annette Bening also could've gotten a nod. Oh well. Maybe next year. Right?

Labels: movies