King Kong is getting stunningly good reviews. I'm assuming you haven't seen it yet, but might it not crash the Oscar party as the popular blockbuster sometimes does (e.g., Titanic)

I'm guessing that the Oscars got enough of Peter Jackson and co. during the LOTR period. What do I know, though? I haven't seen a lot of these movies yet.

I'm not so sure Memoirs of a Geisha will make it in the Best Pic list. Sure, it was produced for that purpose (and the book was a great read), but it's been getting mediocre press.

Then again, those Academy people love to nominate at least one mediocre picture per year.

What!? No "40-Year Old Virgin!?" :-P

Actually, that movie was not that bad. But I still am jesting.

I agree with Amy. I think "Memoirs of a Geisha" is going to be the film that everyone thought was going to be a big Oscar film but wasn't. "King Kong" could take its place maybe. And maybe "Syriana." Just so long as "Crash" and "Cinderella Man" don't get best picture nods, I'm happy.

That's it. I'm going to see all these movies in the next week. I hate that I have nothing to say about them. Personally, I'd love to see The 40 Year Old Virgin get nominated. There's more talent in that movie than all the rest put together. hehe That should go over well.

Ok, it seems I screwed up in commenting solely to Mike's, so I'll go ahead and post my words of wisdom (scoff) for all to see (and comment on):
- Keira Knightley for "Pride and Prejudice"...um, really? No love for Ziyi Zhang?
- Paul Giamatti for "Cinderella Man"...what, so they can snub him a third time?
- Terrence Howard for "Crash"...seeing as that's the one film on the list I've actually seen, I must comment... I liked the man and all and I definitely appreciated him playing a good guy rather than a street thug for once, but what about "Hustle and Flow"...too gritty?
- As for cinematography...I'm all for the black-and-whites, but some of "Memoirs" looks pretty sharp in the trailers

1. I think if Ziyi Zhang gets in, it will be at Joan Allen's expense, not Knightley's.
2. Yes, so they can snub poor Paul G. again.
3. I think Hustle & Flow is too gritty for them to nominate him as Best Actor for it, so this will be the "hey you had a great year pal" condolence nomination.
4. This is a shot in the dark. I foresee a total rejection of Memoirs come Oscar time.

Thanks for the special invite, but dontcha know I read these, like, the minute you put them up? Who subscribes to you on Bloglines? Who loves ya, baby?

I'm just withholding comment until I work out my own predictions. (But yeah, I think Memoirs is out. I'm wondering the same about Munich.)

What's bloglines? (I guess I can figure that out myself.) Woo-hoo! I have subscribers. If Munich is out, what's in? I'm thinking that I should have left Memoirs out of the Best Picture category, but it's just too Oscar-ready to pass up.

Hey Shane, why didn't you like Crash? I confess scepticism through the first half - too contrived, I thought; but by the end I thought it was brilliant.

Not to answer for Shane, but I thought Crash was incredibly (almost unbearably) contrived and strident. It was worth watching for a couple of performances, but those actors were good despite the rest of the film.