Oscar Nominations 2007

Time for me to start whining.

Be prepared.

Best motion picture of the year
BABEL
THE DEPARTED
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
THE QUEEN

Comments: Sigh! I knew Children of Men was going to get snubbed here. At least Pan's Labyrinth can compete for best Foreign Language film. It got nominations for cinematography, film editing and adapted screenplay. I loved Little Miss Sunshine but I don't think it was best picture quality. I'm glad Dreamgirls wasn't nominated. It didn't deserve. Babel? Really? Why is everyone sweating this movie?

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

Comments: Eh, I can't really complain here except for the humongous snub of Sasha Baron Cohen who easily gave one of the greatest comedic performances of all-time. Matt Damon should have been nominated for The Departed (I'll watch The Good Shepard this weekend to see if he was doubly snubbed). Aaron Eckhart should have also been nominated for Thank You for Smoking but I'm used to him being ignored. This looks like a lock for Forest but it would be nice if Leo pulled an upset or if Peter O'Toole finally won one.

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

Comments: No complaints except maybe Maggie Gyllenhaal (Sherrybaby). It's Helen Mirren's award but they need four other faces to show during the telecast.

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

Comments: Even though it was overacting at its best, I'm surprised Jack Nicholson didn't get nominated for The Departed as well. My heart wants Eddie Murphy to win but I really feel like Mark Wahlberg's performance was ten times better. Ben Affleck (Hollywoodland), Gael García Bernal (Babel), Michael Caine and Chiwetel Ejiofor (Children of Men) also deserved some recognition (I mean other than my shitty blog)

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

Comments: Who saw Abigail Breslin getting nominated? Good for her. Surprised that both Adriana Barraza and Rinko Kikuchi got nominated for Babel. It must have been a weak year for supporting actresses.

Best animated feature film of the year
CARS
HAPPY FEET
MONSTER HOUSE

Comments: Monster House better win. I have a confession. I saw Happy Feet but opted not to review it (partly from the embarrassment of having seen it). I would have probably given it .

Achievement in directing
BABEL (Alejandro González Iñárritu)
THE DEPARTED (Martin Scorsese)
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA (Clint Eastwood)
THE QUEEN (Stephen Frears)
UNITED 93 (Paul Greengrass)

Comments: Marty vs. Clint? This never ends well. Can you believe that Clint Eastwood is 2 for 3 in Directing nominations and Scorsese is 0-5, losing one to Clint already. The other two Amigos, Alfonso Cuaron (Children of Men) and Guillermo Del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth), would be nominated in a perfect world.

Best foreign language film of the year
AFTER THE WEDDING
DAYS OF GLORY (INDIGÈNES)
THE LIVES OF OTHERS
PAN'S LABYRINTH
WATER

Comments: Um, where's Volver? I feel like Pan's Labyrinth and Letters From Iwo Jima should switch places as far as the Foreign Language and Best Picture nomination but that's because I loved one and haven't seen the other.

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

Comments: C'mon! THREE Dreamgirls songs? Seriously! What about Prince's "The Song of The Heart" (Happy Feet)?

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

Comments: Can someone please explain to me what Borat was adapted from*?

Original screenplay
BABEL
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
PAN'S LABYRINTH
THE QUEEN

Comments: No complaints here. I'll be rooting for Pan's Labyrinth.

Here's the full list

*My friend told me that it's because the character wasn't created for the screen